[Update] CONTRACTED Director Responds to Allegations of Assault

Dear friends and fellow horror fans,

On February 25th, a film I helped write and produce though my new company, Talk Story Pictures, was released without my name in the credits. I chose to remove my name due to the distributor’s expressed fears regarding potential backlash from certain vocal members within our horror community. These fears stem from the grave allegations raised against me on March 16, 2018, nearly two years ago, by a former significant other, Katie Stegeman, the morning my latest directorial film was released in theaters.

At the time, my inclination was to vigorously respond, but I was advised by those around me not to make a statement for fear that any reply may negatively affect the movie. As I continue to learn throughout the course of my life, responding from a place of fear is rarely the correct response. So with peace, progress and compassion as guiding elements of my life, I feel I must now provide closure to this matter and move forward with my career.

First and foremost, I offer a heartfelt apology to Katie for any distress caused during our relationship. Before these allegations, I was unaware any existed, much less to such a serious extent. To be very clear, these allegations stem from a private and intimate domestic relationship Katie and I shared and have no involvement with my conduct on set as a director or producer. Katie and I lived together between 2010-2013 and shared a lot of love, laughs and joy together over that time with our friends and families. We also collaborated on several projects together during this time, which made our relationship passionate, competitive and, at times, toxic. I was by no means a perfect partner, and we certainly had moments I’m not proud of. I take full responsibility for my contributions in those times.

However, I have never criminally nor sexually assaulted or abused her, nor have I done so to anyone in my life, and to my knowledge no files, charges, arrests, reports, or even noise complaints have ever been made against me to the LAPD. Furthermore, I in no way, shape or form condone violence against women, men, children, animals or any other creatures living on this earth.

I never retained legal counsel, a publicist or any sort of defense for these matters, as they were looked into by invested parties and deemed opportunistic and sensational, given the timing and attempts to promote the premiere of her directorial debut and sell tickets to her filmmaking seminars in the days after her allegations. I, moreover, have had no interest in engaging in rumors, gossip or “he said, she said” debates.

In the interest of full disclosure and clearing the air, I did have recurring bouts of manic depression, which I learned last year were the result of an undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder — a highly stigmatized and misunderstood condition. I mention this for no reason other than to provide a complete picture of me as a person. I have met this condition head- on, and through proper treatment and therapy, I am able to understand and deal with it. While a diagnosis is never an excuse for behavior, it does begin to explain it. Before knowing of the disorder, I had confided in Katie and her family about the feelings I was experiencing, and ultimately these conversations were hyperbolized and used against me in her allegations.

After our romantic relationship ended in September 2013, we maintained a kind and caring connection, and I continued to serve as a reference and resource for her acting career. As for the claim that Katie feared for her life, in October 2013, the month after our relationship had ended, she accompanied me on a trip to Spain with a group of our friends and colleagues for a film festival — a trip she was under no contractual obligation to make — to promote our movie and her career, evidence of which is publicly available. While there she openly chose to share a hotel room and sleep in the same bed with me, despite reserving a room of her own prior to the trip. We continued to see each other casually and unofficially in the months following this trip until finally ceasing contact in early 2014 as I entered a new relationship. To further refute these claims with private photos, e-mails or text messages would only serve to demonize her and invade our privacies, neither of which I care to do.

As a child, I was drawn to the horror genre as an escape from the unstable environment of my upbringing and have the utmost respect and empathy for victims of abuse. I have spent a great deal of time since these allegations reflecting on myself as a human being and my interactions with others. I have devoted substantial effort and energy to bettering myself, both mentally and spiritually; volunteering in my local communities; and attending regular therapy sessions and group meetings. The world is a much brighter place for me today.

While I’ve been truly disheartened by the myopic and venomous responses to these allegations, which have resulted in bullying; shaming; spreading lies; blackmailing and even death threats from people who hold positions of respect and influence in our community, using social activism and moral grandstanding as a guise for personal vendettas and competitive advantages, I have deep respect for and gratitude towards those who have stood beside me throughout this time.

This experience has made me more aware than ever of how rapidly initial impressions can lead to firmly-held conclusions, confirmation biases, and taken without pause to destructive ends. It has given me the opportunity to reconsider how I view and judge others. As Joaquin Phoenix so eloquently stated at this year’s Academy Awards, “I think that’s when we’re at our best — when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other towards redemption. That is the best of humanity.”

I applaud the individuals alongside me who listen to women’s claims and seek out true justice. As part of my continued support for efforts promoting change within our culture and removing the systemic inequalities that exist for women in our industry, I will be donating all future residuals from my projects involving Katie to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. I remain committed to creating safe work environments and creative opportunities for all women. I wish Katie nothing but the best with her life and her career, and I look forward to the future.