From ‘Scum’ to Screenwriter, Christy Stratton’s Middle School Memories Inspire New Short Film ‘The Runt’.

May 15th, 2024

So, Christy, rumor has it that you’re not just a comedy writer, but also a triple threat: writer, director, and producer. Is there anything you can’t do? Like, can you also juggle chainsaws while reciting Shakespeare?”
Christy – Ha! Well, I cannot train my dog for the life of me. And I was terrible at stand-up comedy. Also, I am just okay at gardening. Everything else – mastered.

In your short film ‘THE RUNT,’ your protagonist embarks on a quest to escape being
labeled the seventh grade ‘runt.’ Did you draw inspiration from your own middle school days? Were you the cool kid, the class clown, or the mysterious kid who always disappeared during dodgeball?
Christy – I’ve been waiting to be asked this question my entire career. Not only was “The Runt”
inspired by my middle school days, it’s a time period I’ve drawn inspiration from in a lot of my work. I would even argue that if it had been easier for me in middle school, I would never have become a writer.

I was a wanna-be. I wanted to be more than I was in every way except academically. I shined like a diamond academically. At the time, the insult that was bandied about – that was the worst thing you could be called – was “scum.” I was called that several times. And I remember thinking, I gotta shake this if I’m going to get on student council, and then make cheerleader in high school and get the life I want. I gave that to Janet, the desire to achieve and the struggle to be seen.

Behind the Scenes of The Runt. photo by Gary Mann

THE RUNT is set in 1979, the era of disco, bell bottoms, and questionable fashion
choices. Did you have to dust off any old family photo albums for inspiration? Any
embarrassing fashion moments you’d care to share?
Christy – First off, TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT 70’S FASHION. Okay, maybe the wide collars and some of those crazy prints didn’t endure. But we’re very much still in a high-waisted denim, concert jersey, deep V jumpsuit moment.

I did a lot of research when it came to the costumes: my photo albums, magazines, the internet. I was able to duplicate some looks pretty well. 1979 was on the verge of the 80’s, so I used a very bright, primary palette instead of like a burnt orange and mustard sort of vibe.

I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on costumes, so in addition to thrift store and eBay finds, many of the kids were wearing clothes out of my own closet. One of the gals is wearing a chain belt of mine, another gal is in my Bee Gees tee, there’s a boy in a Cars shirt, that’s mine, too. There were two Ziggy shirts in circulation, both of which were mine.

As a comedy aficionado, I have to ask, did any hilariously awkward moments from
your own tween years make it into THE RUNT? Any cringe-worthy memories that you just couldn’t resist immortalizing on screen?
Christy – When the girls are discussing who Janet is going to try to get to skate with her – this kind of conversation would happen all the time. Back then, you could only go to a dance if you
were asked by a boy. Unless it was a “backwards dance,” because ha ha, a girl asking a boy to anything was a totally backwards idea. Also, I know I have tried the nonchalantly-have-the-guy-see-me-first sort of move to get someone’s attention, well into my 30s.

Janet and Sharla from the short film The Runt. photo by David Lawrence

The film is all about proving oneself by skating with a boy. Did you ever have a similar ‘prove your coolness’ moment growing up?
Christy – When I was in the 6th grade, the cool girls did a dance routine in the talent show to “It’s a Hard Knock Life.” The following year, word on the street was the routine was gonna be “We Got the Beat,” and I wanted in on that dance. My friend Jennifer got the call for the first rehearsal, and I was all “ask if I can come!” and thank all that is holy that answer was yes. I had to dance like everyone was watching to get asked back (the 8th grade dance, “New York, New York,” was even more elaborate and glamorous), and I’m thrilled to tell you I was.

With the film premiering at the Florida Film Festival before traveling to other festivals, how does it feel to showcase your work in your home state, and what are you looking forward to the most about sharing the film with audiences?
Christy – I’m not actually from Florida, it’s where my parents were raised and where I went to college (GO GATORS). So technically it’s my second home state. But it was truly magical – my cousins and friends and sorority sisters and former co-workers all came out. It’s a very well-run festival and I had an absolute blast.

What I’m looking forward to most about showing the film is having someone see it and want to
invest a few million dollars to make the feature version!

Given your knack for whip-smart comedy, how did you resist the temptation to turn
‘THE RUNT’ into a full-blown slapstick? Were there any scenes where you had to rein in your inner comedian and stick to the heartfelt moments?
Christy – It wasn’t easy, as I do love a good slip-and-fall. I did write a giant wipeout in the first draft –Janet, in trying to follow her crush, causes a huge accident. I was told that that was a stunt
and I would need to hire a stunt coordinator. That was extra time and money I could not spare, even though it would have been HILARIOUS.

Behind the Scenes of The Runt. photo by Owen Galicia

Okay, spill the beans: what’s the funniest behind-the-scenes moment filming ‘THE
RUNT’? Did someone accidentally trip over a boom mic, or maybe one of the actors got stuck in a particularly tight pair of ’70s bell bottoms?
Christy – Your dislike of disco clothes hits me like a dagger to the heart! 😉 Honestly, it was so hot in that rink, there was very little time for extraneous merriment. I’ll tell you the most horrifying
moment – the vintage pinball machine that is crucial to our final scene broke down and we
couldn’t get a hold of the owner. My DP was like, you may need to rewrite your entire ending in the next five minutes. Luckily, we were able to contact the guy, and he returned and repaired it. We didn’t have to pay for the rental, so that worked out great!

Scene from the short film The Runt. photo by David Lawrence

In ‘Quiet On The Set,’ you shared some details about your early career in the
writers’ room. Did any of those experiences help in your creation of ‘THE RUNT’? Any sneaky Easter eggs for fans to spot, like inside jokes or secret references to your TV days?
Christy – Absolutely. As a young woman, I thought I had to allow people to treat me a certain way. At the time, there was nothing I could do about it. In “The Runt,” Janet, incredulous that her friend suggests she just ask a boy to skate and not wait for him to ask her, says “Girls can’t just ask for stuff. You’ve lost your mind.” That was certainly my frame of mind for a long time. And that of many of my Gen X sisters. I am grateful to the women of the later generations who decided they weren’t having any of it and pushed their way in.

The only Easter Eggs are the names of all the kids that the characters reference: Brian Tidwell, Chris Lewis, Leigh Ann Pyeatt, Jim Meeker, Sally Ellwood, Ernie Kapanke – these are all people I went to school with. Janet and Sharla are the names of my dear cousins. I like to use real names because they sound authentic and have built-in joy for me. I say this now, before anyone’s tried to sue me.

With ‘THE RUNT’ hitting the festival circuit, what’s next for Christy Stratton? Are you planning to tackle any other iconic decades in your future projects? Maybe a ’90s nostalgia trip complete with baggy jeans, slap bracelets, and frosted-tip hair?
Christy – Actually, yes! I’m finishing up a spec screenplay about two Gen Z sorority girls who go back in time to 1991 to stop a prank from happening, one that got their chapter kicked off
sorority row. It’s been really fun – as fun as writing can be – to conjure up more stories of my youth told through today’s lens. And gloriously with no cell phones.