Surviving the Storm Chris Salvatore and Brandon Shypkowski on Their New Queer Horror Film

By Larry Olsen

Chris Salvatore and Brandon Shypkowski star in the new queer apocalyptic survival horror film

“Scorch Marks”, streaming October 1 exclusively on Dekkoo.com. The film follows Beckett, played by

Shypkowski, who wakes up to a devastated world and finds himself trapped with the haunting presence

of his abusive ex-husband, Joel, played by Salvatore. According to director Brendan Haley, the cataclysmic storm at the center of the film is a reflection of modern-day America. "The storm

was always intended to be a metaphor for the chaos of mainstream society, while speaking to the dread and isolation it imposes on those who aren't like it," he says. "It is threatening, unnatural, and

feels utterly impossible to rectify, and yet, as with all weather patterns, it is meant to pass sooner or later." We sat down with the film's two leads to talk about their on-set chemistry, the toxic relationship at the story's core, and what they each took away from playing it out against the end of the world.

Larry Olsen: The two of you met for the first time on set. What was your first impression of each other? Chris: The first thing I noticed was how tall and obviously handsome Brandon was.

Brandon: Chris is one of the most disarmingly kind people I've ever met. And being easy on the eyes

doesn't hurt.

L.O: I read that you rehearsed together for months before filming started.

Brandon: Absolutely. This was my first feature film as a lead, and I really wanted to leave it all on

the table. I knew that if there were any fires to put out on set, our performance wasn't going to

be one of them.

Chris: Some of the material is super intense, and having the time to rehearse so much together

really helped us form a genuine connection that I think you'll be able to see on screen.

L.O: What first drew you to your character when you read the script?

Chris: I was drawn to my character's darkness and pain.

Brandon: I immediately saw the humanity in my character, Beckett. I saw someone playing the hand he'd been dealt, fighting his demons, just trying to survive.

L.O: Beckett and Joel are working through a toxic history while trying to survive something even bigger than themselves. Did any part of their story feel personal or relatable to you?

Brandon: I think we've all experienced life throwing us a curveball on top of relationship struggles. In a weird way, I think those curveballs show us who weare.

Chris: Something that really struck me as relatable about Beckett and Joel's relationship is how

comfortable they each are placing blame on the other. It's always easier in the short term to point fingers, but it all eventually catches up with you.

L.O: That storm is described as a metaphor for the isolation of living outside straight, mainstream society. Did that idea shape how you approached your character?

Chris: It definitely added another layer to how I saw Joel — that same metaphor can even apply to the

isolation he creates within his relationship with Beckett. He knows how to make Beckett feel like he's

the person who understands him best, then uses that intimacy as a way to control him. I think that can

feel especially complicated for queer people, because when you've already spent most of your life

feeling misunderstood and outside of mainstream society, finding someone who makes you feel seen

can be incredibly powerful. Joel weaponizes that. So for me, the storm and the relationship almost

mirror each other, in that both can make you feel trapped, alone, and unsure of where real safety is.

L.O: What was your favorite scene to film together?

Brandon: For me, it was the flashback scene of us meeting and dancing.

Chris: I had so much fun filming the scene where Joel first starts haunting and taunting Beckett

during the apocalypse.

L.O: What's something you learned from watching the other one work?

Brandon: Oh man, I learned so much from Chris. He's pretty much unflappable. He got there early for

prosthetics, dove into huge scenes where he could barely see, and knocked it all out of the park —

without a single complaint. Chris is a consummate professional. He cares about the crew, and he wants to make sure everyone's having a good experience. That, in turn, uplifted the work too.

Chris: I learned how to be a better actor by watching Brandon work. He was always fully prepared and made these tremendously emotional scenes look like a cakewalk. He'd also remind me to have fun whenever I started getting in my head about performance.

L.O: Did you bond over any shared horror movies or guilty pleasures

while filming?

Brandon: Chris introduced me to Dunkin' Donuts — the beauty of an egg sandwich and a box of twentyfive munchkins in the morning.

L.O: What do you hope viewers feel or take away from watching Beckett and Joel's story?

Brandon: I hope our story helps viewers see the humanity in other people — especially people they

dislike.

Chris: I hope they take away the lasting impact that relationships, and the way we move through

them, can haunt someone long after the expiration date. How complicated and messy love can be

when it's tangled up with fear and isolation.

L.O: Is there a lesson we can learn from the film?

Brandon: Face your demons before they cause an apocalypse. Beckett is the ultimate victim at first, but as he starts to admit his sins, he grows into someone who won't repeat them. I think every single human being on Earth can relate to that. God knows I can.

Chris: Understand the difference between love and control. Trust your own instincts. You're not

defined by what happened to you.

L.O: What's next for each of you?

Brandon: I'm writing a horror feature that I hope will be off the ground soon.

Chris: I'm currently working on a memoir about my elderly neighbor, Norma, and our friendship together.

Scorch Marks begins

streaming on Dekkoo on October

1. Visit dekkoo.com/scorch-marks.

Photo by Lester Villarama