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Exclusive: Ruby Modine, Michael Ironside, Will Brandt are set to star in the indie drama, American Desert, which is currently in production.

Directed by Adrian Bartol, the story follows Matt Benning, a veteran who served in Afghanistan who finds himself entangled in a dangerous web of drugs, violence, and toxic love that eventually has him running–and hiding–for his life.

Robert Lasardo (Nip/Tuck), Callum Blue (The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement), and Amber Coney (Dead of Summer)also star in the pic which hails from Rbw International Inc.

Bartol and Brandt drafted the script and are producing the project. American Desert is slated to be released mid-to-late 2019.

In today’s film news roundup, Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth are starring in a horror-thriller, shooting has started in the Mojave Desert on “American Desert” and BAFTA announces its scholarship recipients.

Production Starts

“Designated Survivor” star Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth will star in the upcoming Thailand-set horror-thriller feature film, “Death of Me,” from “Saw” franchise director Darren Lynn Bousman.

Principal photography is expected to begin Wednesday. “Death of Me” was written by Ari Margolis & James Morley III and David Tish. The story centers on a couple on an exotic holiday who awaken one morning with a hangover and no recollection of what transpired. When playing back the video of their previous night, they learn they participated in a ritual that somehow ended with the husband murdering the wife — though she’s actually very much alive.

Producers are Lee Nelson and David Tish of Ema and Charles Dorfman of Samuel Marshall Productions.

There won't be a second season of the Dead of Summer TV show on Freeform. The thriller TV series has been cancelled after one season of 10 episodes. Fellow summer series Guilt was canned after one season a couple weeks ago.A supernatural horror TV show, Dead of Summer is set in the late 1980s. School is out and a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp beckons. There are plenty of firsts there -- first loves, first kisses, and first kills. The cast includes Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, and Paulina Singer.Read More…...

Tonight marks the conclusion of the first season of the Dead of Summer TV show on Freeform. It may also end up being the summer series' series finale. Should this mystery series be cancelled? Could it be renewed for a second season?A supernatural horror TV show, Dead of Summer is set in the late 1980s. School is out and a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp beckons. There will be plenty of firsts there -- first loves, first kisses, and first kills. The cast includes Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, and Paulina Singer.Read More…...

Perhaps the new preview video and photos for tonight’s season finale of Freeform’s Dead of Summer, titled “She Talks to Angels,” will provide some clues as to who will be left standing at the end of the summer at Camp Stillwater.

Press Release: The summer of 1989 at Camp Stillwater comes to a terrifying end in “She Talks to Angels,” the season finale of “Dead of Summer,” airing Tuesday, August 30 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Edt), on Freeform, the new name for ABC Family.

What was supposed to be a fun summer that the Camp Stillwater counselors would never forget quickly turned into a horrible experience they will be lucky to survive. As summer comes to a close, the centuries-old battle between good and evil at Lake Stillwater will be settled once and for all.

Guest stars include Zachary Gordon as Blotter, Charles Mesure as Sherriff Heelan, Tony Todd as...

The ninth episode of Freeform’s Dead of Summer is titled “Home Sweet Home,” but if the photos and clips are an indicator of what’s in store for Camp Stillwater’s counselors tonight, the episode could also be titled, “The Exorcism of Amy Hughes,” or “There Will Be Blood… Lots of Blood.”

Press Release: The counselors confront the evil that lurks in the lake of Camp Stillwater in “Home Sweet Home,” an all-new episode of “Dead of Summer,” airing Tuesday, August 23 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Edt), on Freeform, the new name for ABC Family.

Chaos reigns down on Camp Stillwater as Deb and the counselors come face to face with evil.

Guest stars include Tony Todd as The Tall Man and Dylan Neal as Keith Jones.

“Home Sweet Home” is written by Ian Goldberg and directed by Alrick Riley.

The series stars Elizabeth Mitchell (“Lost,” ”The Purge: Election Year”) as Deborah “Deb” Carpenter,...

In the aftermath of Cricket's death, Dead of Summer Season 1 Episode 6 follows Deb to the past as she grapples with her guilt over not one, but two deaths, and Blair's grief overwhelms him.

Below, TV Fanatics Yana Grebenyuk, Caralynn Lippo, Allison Nichols, and Jay Ruymann discuss Deb's past, Garrett's father's involvement with Stillwater and Holyoke, and much more!

What did you think of Deb's flashbacks?

Yana: I was never expecting much from Deb. I always had her filed away as a character who wouldn't make much sense to me, but her flashbacks definitely proved me wrong. It all made sense after we saw her side of the story, especially why she came back and what her motive was. This didn't explain why she thought flirting with Joel was a good idea, but I can excuse it in the grand scheme of things.

Caralynn: So much better than I expected! Her...

Dead of Summer Season 1 Episode 3 pulled out no stops and saw the potential demise of two characters that were believed to be series regulars: Amy and Blotter, while diving into Cricket's past which was heart-wrenching to watch.

Could the hand in the lake have been Blotter's, or are we getting ahead of ourselves? What about Amy? Is she dead? What is going on with this cult and their rituals.

Below, join TV Fanatics Allison Nichols, Yana Grebenkyuk, Caralynn Lippo, and Jay Ruymann as they discuss Cricket's family, Amy's death sentence, and more!

Cricket's flashbacks! Thoughts?

Allison: I really enjoyed her flashbacks. They helped me understand why she has been writing all that stuff on the walls. I really loved seeing her friendship with Blair.

Yana: I knew Cricket would have an interesting backstory after the little hints in the pilot so it was nice to see that play out. I...

Cricket's heartbreaking home life is revealed on Dead of Summer Season 1 Episode 3.

As the counselors get a night off from their duties, we flash back to the darker times of Cricket's life and see the stem of her severe self-esteem issues.

If you thought her writing "Cricket is a slut" on almost every single wall was normal, you're wrong. Just telling you now.

Months before heading to Camp Stillwater, Cricket was struggling with weight issues, and Amber Coney wore one of the worst "fat suits" I've ever seen.

Worse than Ashley Benson's on Pretty Little Liars. Hell, even worse than that disgusting, yellow top that every blonde was wearing in Rosewood on the night Alison went missing.

Anyways.

Her weight was one of her constant struggles, but surprisingly, not directly the root of her self-esteem issues.

No, that honor goes to her terrible parents, whose supportive facade faded in one terrible day for Cricket.

It's shaping up to be a summer of murder and mystery on Freeform. The cable channel already debuted Guilt and now, they've added another killer series. Will Dead of Summer be a hit in the ratings and survive to see a second season? Will it be cancelled instead? Stay tuned.A supernatural horror TV show, Dead of Summer is set in the late 1980s. School is out and a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp beckons. There will be plenty of firsts there -- first loves, first kisses, and first kills. The cast includes Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, and Paulina Singer.Read More…...

Three episodes were provided prior to broadcast.

A lot about Freeform’s new mystery/thriller Dead of Summer bathes in overkill ’80s camp in the best ways possible. The music is synth-heavy and obnoxious to just the right extent, the setting is ominously idyllic, and its characters rock their mysterious backstories as much as their tubular nicknames (“Cricket” and “Blotter,” for starters). The show’s cheesy thrills, wherein rodents and “innocent” counselors sub in for jump scares 100% of the time every time, are just energetic and economical enough to wrap you up in a script that, unfortunately, shows its tween-friendly Freeform-ness more often than not.

And that’s where Dead of Summer stalls; creators Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, and Ian Goldberg have worked on Once Upon A Time (the latter two on Lost, so keep an eye out for the Apollo bar) for years now, and they weave together main...

Freeform re-opened the doors of Camp Stillwater on Tuesday, claiming (at least) one life in the process.

Dead of Summer‘s series premiere took viewers all the way back to 1989 for an introduction to its staff, including Amy (Once Upon a Time‘s Elizabeth Lail), the new girl with the killer backstory; Blair (Ugly Betty‘s Mark Indelicato), the out-and-proud best friend of free spirit Cricket (Class‘ Amber Coney); Alex (Orange Is the New Black‘s Ronen Rubinstein), the hottie with a trunk full of stolen clothes; and Joel (The 100‘s Eli Goree), who never passes up an opportunity to creepily film his co-workers.

A new clip and over 25 photos have been released for the very first episode of Dead of Summer, Freeform’s homage to ’80s horror films.

Titled “Patience”, the episode was directed by Adam Horowitz (Lost) and written by Edward Kitsis and Ian Goldberg. Dead of Summer premieres next Tuesday, June 28th at 9:00pm:

Previous Press Release: Seven camp counselors plan for the best summer of their lives, but the evil lurking at Camp Stillwater has other plans in store for them in the series premiere of “Dead of Summer,” airing Tuesday, June 28th (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Edt), on Freeform.

Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses—and first kills. Stillwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be...

Here are some things that have been in the news in recent weeks: A male college student raping an unconscious woman. A killer motivated by his own homophobia. Mass shootings in Florida. Here are some things that appear in James Franco's remake of 1996 the Lifetime movie Mother, May I Sleep With Danger? A male college student attempting to rape an unconscious woman. A killer motivated by his own homophobia. Mass shootings in Florida.

The Franco-masterminded 20th anniversary remake of the Tori Spelling-starring original also contains nubile teenage vampires,...

Fun fact: If you happen to mention on Twitter that an upcoming Lifetime movie features a large amount of gratuitous lesbian vampire sex, people way outside the traditional Lifetime movie demo suddenly have questions about when it airs.

That is exactly what actor/writer/director/IndieWire contributor James Franco is counting on as the executive producer of this weekend’s “Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?” remake. But is there also a deeper meaning to his madness?

Read More: Review: Lifetime’s ‘UnREAL’ Season 2 Bets Big As It Declares War

The original “Mother” was relatively simple — a bad boy came to town and seduced baby Tori Spelling, “Vertigo”-ing her haircut before descending into true villainy. But this new film swaps an emotionally manipulative boyfriend for a lady vampire who’s just hoping to find the true love that will help her escape her bloodlust and…

Look, it’s weird.

Short version of the plot (based on a story by Franco, who also plays a supporting role): Pearl (Emily Meade) has been inducted into a “nightwalker” cabal largely against her will, but if she can connect with true love, she’ll no longer have to prey upon the living to slack her thirst. Fortunately, she seems to have found a soulmate in new lover/aspiring actress Leah (Leila George).

But while Pearl is a genuinely sympathetic character, Leah’s mother Julie (Tori Spelling) does not approve. At first, that’s because of her conservative values, but later, after some investigation, Julie senses that her daughter – wait for it – might be sleeping with danger…

On the surface, that’s not too complicated. But even giving one additional moment of thought to the film’s thematic implications is brain-exploding on a “Scanners” level, because quite sincerely, the premise feels like a legitimate dare from Franco to critics. How are we meant to interpret a remake of a famous example of the prototypical “Lifetime movie,” where the deranged male stalker has been substituted with a loving female partner who also just so happens to be a “nightwalker”? What the hell does that mean? It’s like the anti-angle, actively defying interpretation, demanding that we look deeper into the abyss even though sometimes a pipe is just a pipe…

That’s it: James Franco has found a way to make Lifetime movies into Dadaist art. In this way, he has exceeded the ambitions of last year’s “A Deadly Adoption,” Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig’s failed attempt to secretly make a Lifetime movie. The reason why “Mother” works better than “Adoption” is easy to grasp: “A Deadly Adoption” leaned way too hard in its efforts to ape the generic Lifetime thriller that the original “Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?” epitomized. Meanwhile, with this new sort of “Mother,” Franco is truly pushing the boundaries of what you might presume this network to be capable of.

Two years ago, that’d be unimaginable for this network. But if you were to anthropomorphize the modern-day Lifetime, the best metaphor would be to see it as a once-shackled woman bored by routine, but now unleashed and ready to cut loose. (Which would actually be the beginning of a pretty compelling Lifetime movie, in retrospect.)

Sure, the network still runs its standard reality fare, but it’s been making baby steps towards more compelling content since 2014’s “The Lottery” (an under-appreciated dystopian drama series). And right now, the second season of “UnREAL” is one of the summer’s best and most daring shows, across the board.

Now, one of the network’s most iconic films has now been “reinterpreted” as a lesbian vampire love story. That, honestly, is the hardest part to accept. If you strip the remake aspect of this project from your consciousness, it’s actually a pretty watchable film – as lesbian vampire movies go. “Mother” comes with solid direction from Melanie Aitkenhead and a tight script by Amber Coney. The script might be a little too tight, actually, moving awfully fast through major plot beats, but there’s an interesting twist when it comes to the casting of a theatrical production of “MacBeth”… and also, yes, there are lesbian vampires and they have a lot of sex on screen.

Even if we were to get a full and coherent explanation from James Franco about why this “Mother” remake exists, it probably wouldn’t make the actual film any better. And there’s a part of me that likes the fact that it just exists, in all its ridiculousness.

But there is one sequence which proves difficult to engage with, and perhaps it’s because it’s the most grounded of the film. When Leah tries to tell her mother that the girl she’s brought home for dinner isn’t just a friend, but her girlfriend, it leads to the sort of brutal coming-out scene that feels more in tune with 1996 than 2016. (Yes, Julie has a right to be concerned, but c’mon.)

The clear takeaway — like most things in this world that rely on an absurd sensibility in order to be truly appreciated — is that honest human emotion has no place in this sort of scenario. Especially given that, yes, the real danger Leah faces with her lover has nothing to do with the fact that Pearl is a woman — it’s that she’s a vampire. But we’ve recently been hit hard by the reminder that homosexuality on its own non-vampire terms can still be seen as threatening. It’s the hardest part of this blood-soaked story to watch.

Because that’s also when it become hard to enjoy “Mother” as a Dadaist farce, especially given the earnestness with which its leads engage both with each other and the narrative. Perhaps a film called “Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?” shouldn’t be a love story, but that’s what this is. It titillates, and it baffles, and it may be ultimately a terrible idea.

But, yeah, we told you about the lesbian vampires. So we get why you’re gonna watch.

“Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?” premieres Saturday, June 18 at 8pm on Lifetime.

Grade: B

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If you live in Los Angeles, specifically Hollywood, it's more rare to meet someone who isn't in some way part of the entertainment business (or trying to be) than the opposite. In the first apartment complex I lived in, there was a guy who became a reality TV "star" (for a minute), another guy who is now a pro wrestler, an agent at CAA, a post-production coordinator, and, of course, actors. Lots and lots of actors. Two years ago, I moved into a different apartment complex, where I became neighbors with one of today's rising stars, Amber Coney.

A few months after I settled in to my new place, Amber moved in down the hall from me, who was working at a restaurant while trying to break in as an actress. In roughly a year and a half, Amber Coney has gone from Katsuya hostess to writing and starring in actor/producer James Franco's insane remake of Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?, debuting Saturday, June 18 at at 8 Pm Et on Lifetime. During this short amount of time, she also landed a leading role in Freeform's upcoming series Dead of Summer, debuting Tuesday, June 28 at 9 Pm Et.

In case you haven't noticed lately, Lifetime isn't exactly the same network they were a few years ago. The network celebrated their 25th Anniversary last year with A Deadly Adoption, starring Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig, which showed that the network was embracing much darker programming. That's where Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? comes in, a vastly different remake of the network's 1996 TV movie starring Tori Spelling as a young woman whose boyfriend (Ivan Sergei) is aggressively obsessed with her. While there are certainly similar themes at play in Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?, to say it's simply "different" would be an immense understatement.

This version, which Amber Coney wrote based on a story by James Franco (who also has a supporting role), does feature a young woman involved in an unusual relationship, who also has a conservative mother, but that's about where the similarities stop. The story centers on Leah (Leila George), a theater major who wants to bring her new girlfriend Pearl (Emily Meade) home to meet her mother (Tori Spelling). What neither mother nor daughter realize, though, is that Pearl is actually a vampire, whose bloodsucking cohorts (one of whom is played by Amber) are expecting Pearl to "turn" her new girlfriend.

Over the weekend, I had the chance to speak with Amber over the phone, while she was on location shooting Dead of Summer about how she first met James Franco, how she revamped this cult classic for the 21st Century and much more. We also chatted about Dead of Summer, future projects and much more. Take a look at our conversation below.

Amber Coney: I'm so glad we were able to set this up!

Absolutely. So you're up in Vancouver all summer?

Amber Coney: Yeah. I'll be in L.A. for like a day on Wednesday for my Dead of Summer premiere, but I'm pretty much here until August.

I got a chance to watch this over the weekend, and it was really something else. It's not what I expected at all, but I really didn't know what to expect. I wasn't that familiar with the original movie, so I had no idea what to expect coming in, but I loved it.

Amber Coney: Did you imagine that your kindly little neighbor was working on this story? (Laughs)

(Laughs) Not quite. The first thing I wanted to ask was that I saw James has a story credit on this. I was curious how that worked out. Did he have a draft of the script, or an outline, and you just worked from that?

Amber Coney: Yeah, so he came up with the story, the reinvention and the addition of the lesbian vampires was his idea. He basically called me and said 'Hey, so I'm doing this remake of this 90s cult classic with Tori Spelling, and I'm adding lesbian vampires.' Oh, ok. So, he said 'I want to pitch my idea in the form of a full script. If I sent you an outline, would you be able to write it by next week?' I was like, 'Yeah... maybe... yes, yes.' I really didn't know, but I did it.

A week?

Amber Coney: Yeah! I mean, this is crazy, Brian. I wrote the first draft, like... if you manically saw me going in and out of the apartment, this is why. I sat and I wrote it in four days. It was four days, and one day of editing, and then I sent it to the network, and Lord be with me, I sent it over and they liked it, which was amazing. I pretty much just concentrated my time and just churned it out. I'm kinda crazy like that. So yeah, there was an outline I worked off of and then I just filled it in with the character development and dialogue and all that.

So he had it set up at Lifetime and he just basically needed a script really fast?

Amber Coney: Yeah, so Lifetime actually reached out to him and pitched him the idea to do the remake first. They did A Deadly Adoption, they want to continue on with having these important artists for their revamps, so to speak, of these older movies. That one, A Deadly Adoption, plays it very straight, and he wanted to do something different, with these fantastical elements in play.

I haven't seen the original, but just from what I've read about it, this is just so different. Did you delve into the original at all, or did you just work from his stuff and kind of ignore it?

Amber Coney: Oh, no. I definitely watched the original prior to reading the outline. There are character dynamics that clearly stem from the original, and if you look at the plot, there's a similar progression as well. Of course, I tried to bring in homages. The scene where Leah brings Pearl home for dinner is almost a replica of the scene in the original. If you really look, there are some nods to the original. Obviously the mother character is probably the biggest thing that ties the two together. Even though it's a complete reinvention and clearly so different, it still ties to it. And, also, it explores this fear of sexuality in a different way, but it still explores that idea as the original does.

How did you first come in contact with James? Had you worked with him on something else before he brought you on to work on this?

Amber Coney: I met him at USC. He was there for an event and I was working. I was part of this VIP hosting thing for screenings and I met him there. Then I started acting in his projects, and he got me involved in small roles, and then he figured out I could write, and he put me up to a novel adaptation of this book that him and I were both reading. He was like, 'Do you want to try and write a script for this?' Yeah! My first script ever was an adaptation of this Southern gothic novel about this ostracized mute in this small town.

Was it a (William) Faulkner novel?

Amber Coney: It wasn't Faulkner, it was Nick Cave, he's an author and musician. So I did it, and that was kind of the test, in a way. I did it really fast as well, I only spent a couple of weeks on it. He sent it to his development team and they loved it. That got the ball rolling. Once he realized, 'Oh, this girl is really good,' he would just incessantly send me outlines. I would finish these stories in like a week or two. I'm working on my ninth script with him right now.

Wow. That's crazy. So you also play Sonte in Mother as well, one of the other vampires. Was that always part of the plan, to have you play one of the vampires?

Amber Coney: Yeah. I really wanted to experience this process as a writer, primarily. I wasn't pining for any role particularly, but I definitely wanted to be in it, and I've always wanted to play a vampire. So I called up his producer and said, 'Hey, I have to be in the vampire pack.' He's like, 'Ok.' I still have my fangs in this plastic container. It was really a dream come true.

Did James always have it in his head that he wanted Tori to come back as the mother? I thought she was great in the film. It was a really cool mother-daughter dynamic. Was that always part of his original pitch?

Amber Coney: Yeah! I think we all wanted to bring in the original actors, as many as possible. Her and Ivan were perfect for the roles they played, so it kind of synced up seamlessly, and to all of our benefit. Yeah, she's awesome, and just so great to work with. I loved working with her. She's just such a kind-hearted person and so cool to work with.

Since the whole scripting process came together so quickly, was it the same for the actual shoot? Did you only have a couple of weeks or like a month to shoot this?

Amber Coney: Well, yeah. So, the script was done in a week, but that was Draft 1 and we were working on the script from August to December, when we actually shot. There were so many permutations. We were originally toying with the idea of having a father character instead of a mother character. We had it as Daddy, I Slept With Danger but it sounded a little weird. That was the original title, so a lot changed from that first draft. But yeah, we molded it, and we only shot the movie in a few weeks. It wasn't like we didn't have enough time, we weren't pressed or anything. We shot it over the holidays, which was crazy. It's like, Merry Christmas. Let's make a lesbian vampire film (Laughs).

You also have Dead of Summer coming out this month. It seemed like that came together right after you shot this.

Amber Coney: Yeah, it was crazy. That didn't have anything to do with James, it just came through my reps. It was like one of the first auditions I had for pilot season, so it was really early on, I think February. I got the script and I thought, 'Wow, this is totally something I'd want to do.' I get a lot of scripts and I don't have that strong of a reaction, that's pretty rare. So it's perfect that it worked out! I really, really wanted to be a part of it.

Can you talk a bit about who you play and how she fits into the story?

Amber Coney: Yeah, I play Cricket, her full name is Carolina Diaz. I'm one of the camp counselors that comes back. We were all formerly campers at Camp Stillwater, which is this Midwestern camp. It's really an ensemble piece, this group of counselors plus Deb, played by Liz Mitchell, who is the camp director. We stick together throughout the whole series. Basically, my character is well-worn and snarky and has all these one-liners and all this sass, generally. She kind of uses that humor to cover up some insecurities which you find out about in the flashback episode, which is episode three. It's really cool, because each character gets a flashback episode, where you discover why they act the way that they act, in present day. So, how the show's constructed, it's set in 1989, you have the 1989 present day, we're all really excited, this summer of fun. I really want to snag one of these guys, who's a counselor, this guy who I've had a crush on since I was a kid, and I feel that would validate myself in some way. We're all stoked to be there, and then these really crazy, creepy, ominous things start happening. We don't know what to believe, we don't know what's real, and you see our inner demons and this spirit of the camp manifest. So, that's the present day, then the flashbacks.

It seems, maybe not too dark for Freeform, but it definitely seems to be pushing the envelope of how dark they get.

Amber Coney: Oh yeah, yes, completely. It's perfect for their re-brand, because I don't think there's anything... there's nothing in this genre on Freeform, so it's totally a departure. The thing is, it's very dark, and people obviously die, and there's blood. Even though that's the case, the creators Eddie (Kitsis), Adam (Horowitz) and Ian (B. Goldberg) have said it's really dark, but they don't want to go bleak. There's always going to be some sort of humanity in the story, which I think is important as well. They have to balance all the twisted s--t that happens (Laughs).

You mentioned earlier that you're working on your ninth script with James. Is there anything you can say about that?

Amber Coney: It's gonna be good! I don't want to give anything away. I have to keep all of these under wraps. But yeah, it's been kind of crazy balancing filming and working on scripts, but I know I can do it and I'm excited moving forward. I'm confident I can be a writer-actor at the same time, which was has been my goal all along.

Did you go to USC for writing or was it mainly for acting?

Amber Coney: I was in the Bfa acting program, so that was what my focus was. It was like a conservatory type program, so there were like 16 kids and we were all in the same class and would do ensemble plays together. But, I was at USC, and I had a lot of friends in the film school, and I realized I have to take advantage of the cinema school. I loved movies already and I wanted to educate myself further, so I got a minor in cinema. Most don't have that much room in their schedule, but I'm a super-nerd so I just pursued as many classes as possible. I took a screenwriting class, because I read so many scripts as an actor, and if you read that many scripts, I'm sure as you know, the more scripts you read, you realize what works and what doesn't, what good structure is, how strong characters are built. Then adapting that novel was kind of like my master class. It came to me naturally, but it's been a refining process because I've had opportunities to keep practicing my craft, which is really great. I studied a little bit in school, but mainly it's self-perpetuated.

It's just crazy because the first time I met you, you were working at a restaurant and doing movies or whatever on the side.

Amber Coney: I was hostessing. I know, it's insane. But I've been so determined. I was hosting at Katsuya. I literally kept myself in the lowest position possible, because I didn't want to get too comfortable there. I have to have a fire under my butt, and I won't get comfortable until I get the job that I really want to ultimately do. I'm so glad and I'm never looking back.

I think that's all I have for you. Thanks so much for this, and I hope to see you when you get back in town.

Amber Coney: I know! Yeah, I'll see you when I'm back in L.A. Talk to you soon.

You can watch Amber Coney as the vampire Sonte in Lifetime's Dead of Summer, premiering Saturday, June 18 at 8 Pm Et on Lifetime. Her new series Dead of Summer debuts Tuesday, June 28 at 9 Pm Et on Freeform. We'll be sure to keep you posted on any of Amber's future projects, so stay tuned.

[caption id="attachment_50751" align="aligncenter" width="590"] (Freeform/Katie Yu)/caption]

Get ready for first loves, first kisses, and first kills. Check out these photos from the Dead of Summer TV series premiere episode, "Patience," airing on Freeform, Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt.

The first season of the supernatural horror drama is set in the 1980s at Camp Stillwater, where everything is not as it seems. The Dead of Summer TV series cast includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, and Zachary Gordon.

Read More…...

Creators Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, and Ian Goldberg previewed their upcoming Dead of Summer TV show, at the Atx Television Festival in Austin. The first season of this haunted summer camp drama consists of 10 one-hour episodes.

The Dead of Summer TV series cast includes Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, and Zachary Gordon. Dead of Summer premieres June 28 at 9:00pm Et/Pt, on Freeform.

Read More…...

Gather ’round the campfire with your friends and tell stories about the serial killer who went on a murder spree at a summer camp just… like… the one you’re attending. Not long now before Freeform’s Dead of Summer premieres on Tuesday, June 28th, and 16 photos plus a preview video tease the upcoming first season. It’s going to be a cruel summer!

Press Release: Seven camp counselors plan for the best summer of their lives, but the evil lurking at Camp Stillwater has other plans in store for them in the series premiere of “Dead of Summer,” airing Tuesday, June 28th (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Edt), on Freeform.

Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses—and first kills. Stillwater’s dark,...

You have no idea what this place is. Preview the new Dead of Summer TV show and check out these season one posters from Freeform. From Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg, and Steve Pearlman, Dead of Summer is a summer camp horror drama, premiering Tuesday, June 28 at 9:00pm Et/Pt.

The Dead of Summer TV series cast includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, and Zachary Gordon.

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This latest video for the first season of Freeform’s Dead of Summer teases what looks like some rad ’80s-inspired slasher fun. The first installment airs on Tuesday, June 28th.

Press Release: Seven camp counselors plan for the best summer of their lives, but the evil lurking at Camp Stillwater has other plans in store for them in the series premiere of “Dead of Summer,” airing Tuesday, June 28th (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. Edt), on Freeform.

Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses—and first kills. Stillwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn.

In the premiere episode, “Patience,” Camp Stillwater is about...

It’s shaping up to be, like, a hell of a summer at Camp Stillwater.

TVLine has an exclusive first look at the series premiere of the new Freeform thriller Dead of Summer(June 28, 9/8c), in which a seemingly idyllic 1980s camp is revealed to have its share of twisted — and occasionally deadly — secrets.

RelatedPretty Little Liars First Look: Jenna Stirs Up Trouble (and Drinks?) in Season 7

Executive-produced by Once Upon a Time‘s Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis and Ian Goldberg, Dead of Summer stars former Storybrooke resident Elizabeth Mitchell as Deb, a former camper who returns to run Stillwater.

For some (or maybe all) of the young people attending Camp Stillwater, to quote the great Alice Cooper, “School’s out forever.” Freeform’s Dead of Summer series begins on Tuesday, June 28th at 9:00pm Est, and a one-minute promo video for the series has been released.

“Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses – and first kills. Stillwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn. From ABC Signature Studios and executive producers Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg and Steve Pearlman, the series stars Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney and Paulina Singer.

[caption id="attachment_47051" align="aligncenter" width="590"] (Freeform/Katie Yu.)/caption]

Are you a happy camper? Watch two new teasers for the Dead of Summer TV show premiering on Freeform Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt. From Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg, and Steve Pearlman, this Midwestern summer camp horror drama is set at the "seemingly idyllic" Camp Stillwater.

The cast of Dead of Summer includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, and Zachary Gordon.

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[caption id="attachment_47051" align="aligncenter" width="590"] (Freeform/Katie Yu)/caption]

You can't get blood from a stone, but apparently you can get it from a tree. Below, watch the "Bleed" teaser for the new Dead of Summer TV show, premiering on Freeform Tuesday, June 28 at 9:00pm Et. From Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg, and Steve Pearlman, the upcoming Dead of Summer is a horror drama series with a classically creepy setting -- summer camp.

The cast of Dead of Summer includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, and Zachary Gordon.

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[caption id="attachment_47051" align="aligncenter" width="590"] (Freeform/Katie Yu)./caption]

Still waters run deep and are apparently teeming with evil. Freeform has announced its new Dead of Summer TV series, from Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg, and Steve Pearlman premieres Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 9:00pm Et/Pt. Below, check out new photos of the Dead of Summer cast at Freeform's 2016 Upfront presentation.

A summer camp horror drama, Dead of Summer is set at the too-good-to-be-true Camp Stillwater. Pictured above, huddled around the campfire, are cast members Mark Indelicato, Amber Coney, Paulina Singer, Elizabeth Lail, Ronen Rubinstein, and Zachary Gordon. Dead of Summer also stars Lost vet, Elizabeth Mitchell, Zelda Williams, Ablerto Frezza, and Elie Goree.

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As the days get longer and the nights get warmer, some horror fans may experience a rising nostalgia for the bygone days of summer camp and lakeside slashers. If you’re experiencing these feelings, then you might want to mark your calendars for June 28th, the recently announced premiere date of Freeform’s 1980s-set camp slasher series, Dead of Summer.

From the Press Release (via TheFutonCritic): “Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses – and first kills. Stillwater’s dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn. From ABC Signature Studios and executive producers Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Ian Goldberg and Steve Pearlman, the series stars Elizabeth Mitchell,...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid's Zachary Gordon has been cast in a recurring role in Freeform's Dead of Summer TV series. This horror drama is created by Once Upon a Time's Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, and Ian Goldberg, and began production, earlier this week.

Gordon joins the cast which includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, and Paulina Singer.

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Freeform's Dead of Summer TV series from Once Upon a Time's Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, and Ian Goldbert has begun production in Vancouver. The cast includes: Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, Zelda Williams, Mark Indelicato, Alberto Frezza, Eli Goree, Ronen Rubinstein, Amber Coney, and Paulina Singer.

Freeform says, "Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer, and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses - and first kills. Stillwater's dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every turn."

Read More…...

Amber Coney has booked a series regular role in Freeform's Dead Of Summer horror drama series. Set in the late 1980s, school is out for the summer and a sun-drenched season of firsts beckons the counselors at Camp Clearwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, including first loves, first kisses—and first kills. Clearwater's dark, ancient mythology awakens, and what was supposed to be a summer of fun soon turns into one of unforgettable scares and evil at every…...

James Franco is an interesting individual who loves to try all kinds of things in his career, which is awesome! He’s always doing something new and interesting. It looks like one of his upcoming projects could be a remake of the classic 1996 TV movie-of-the-week, Mother, May I Sleep With Danger? for the Lifetime channel.

The original movie, which I’ve never seen, or ever cared to see, stars Tori Spelling as an innocent college coed whose seemingly wholesome boyfriend, played by Ivan Sergei, may actually be…are you ready for it?...a murderer!

Next year is the 20th anniversary of the movie, and the remake will be a celebration of it. The news comes from Vulture, who says that Spelling will appear in the movie, and she will most likely be playing the mother this time around. The movie will be co-directed and written by Amber Coney and Melanie Aitkenhead,...

There’s an awful lot of chatter about women in entertainment right now. Lots of high profile individuals are ever so bravely ‘speaking out’ about the systemic sexism that prevents women behind the camera from getting jobs and getting projects made. The frustrating thing is that, while there are a vast number of people talking about the issue, there seem to be very few people actually undertaking to rectify the gender imbalance. Actions speak louder than words and, while Star Wars producers, Marvel producers, and performers like Jennifer Lawrence have yet to actually deal with women directors on more than a token basis, Academy Award nominee James Franco is literally putting his money where his mouth is, with a remake of Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?

Indeed, while marquee names are jumping on the bandwagon and lamenting the misogyny faced by women in film and television, James Franco is...

A remake of “Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?” from James Franco is in the works at Lifetime, TheWrap has learned. The 1996 original aired on NBC and starred Tori Spelling as a teenage girl whose mother discovers that her daughter’s boyfriend (played by Ivan Sergei) is a psychopath. It has since gone on to become a cult hit, with Franco’s retelling set to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Amber Coney wrote the script for the remake, with story by Franco. Melanie Aitkenhead, the director of Franco’s upcoming “Actors Anonymous” will direct. Also read: James Franco Is a Man...

Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?, arguably the best title ever for a TV-movie, turns 20 next year — and James Franco is not about to let the anniversary go unnoticed. Vulture has learned that the Hollywood Renaissance man is partnering with Lifetime and producer Sony Pictures Television for a remake of the 1996 NBC movie-of-the-week masterpiece, which starred Tori Spelling as an innocent college coed whose seemingly wholesome boyfriend (Ivan Sergei) may actually be [cue dramatic music] a murderer. Lifetime and Sony aren’t commenting on casting, but people familiar with the production tell us that Spelling (thankfully) will appear in the new Mmiswd, almost certainly playing the titular mother. As for Franco, he’s not currently attached to appear onscreen, but he will get executive-producer and story-by credits on the remake. Amber Coney and Melanie Aitkenhead, both of whom worked with Franco on the upcoming feature adaptation of his novel...

James Franco will executive produce Lifetime's remake of "Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?," the cult 1996 telemovie which starred Tori Spelling. The new version will air next year.

Spelling starred as a young woman with a dangerous and obsessive boyfriend. Franco penned the story for the remake which boasts a script written by Amber Coney ("Class").

Melanie Aitkenhead will direct while Vince Jolivette, Diane Sokolow and Rachel Verno will executive produce alongside Franco. The former "Spider-Man" series star has two other TV projects on the way next year which he stars in - Hulu's "11/22/63" and HBO's "The Deuce".

Source: The Live Feed...