theEMPTY CHAIR
The story that needs to be told.
Not for him… For them.
NOW AVAILABLE ON
coming soon TO VOD
ABOUT the FILM
On August 9, 1982, the authorities in Houston, TX, are numb with the knowledge of discovery as they hear the chilling confession of America’s most prolific serial killer, Coral Eugene Watts.
But that’s just the beginning.
Later, when Harriett Semander, the mother of one of his many victims, uncovers startling revelations about his plea bargain arrangement, it soon becomes clear that Watts is scheduled to be the first serial killer ever released from prison… unless she can find the strength to stop it.
the CAST
Robyn Lively
Harriett Semander
Chris Mulkey
Zack Semander
Jordyn DiNatalE
Maria Semander
Abigail Haley
JoAnna Semander
Gavin Warren
John Semander
Justin Hurtt-Dunkley
Coral Eugene Watts
Todd Allen
detective Tom Ladd
Tommy G. Kendrick
detective Jim Ladd
Olivia Tovar
Melinda Aguilar
Andrea Figliomeni
Elena Semanderthe HISTORY
Mothers worry. It’s what they do.
It’s been over 40 years since Coral Eugene Watts confessed to the murders of 13 women, while being suspected of more than 100 others, yet, remarkably, most people don’t even know his name, much less that he nearly became the first serial killer ever mandatorily released from prison. Not paroled… released. The inanities of this sentencing condition were brought to light by Harriett Semander, a humble and soft-spoken middle school secretary whose daughter Elena was murdered by Watts on February 7, 1982.
Determined to seek justice, Harriett would fight relentlessly to overturn an obscure loophole in Texas law called “good time days,” in which two days were taken off a criminal sentence for every “good day” served. But even then, it would not be enough to keep Watts behind bars.
The EMPTY CHAIR at her kitchen table was a constant reminder of all that was lost. Harriett was fighting not just for her daughter who was killed, but for everybody’s daughter who could be killed as a result of the “mandatory release” law. She knew she was up against something much more powerful than Coral Eugene Watts. She was battling a broken criminal justice system that was intent on releasing her daughter’s killer back into society… and the clock was ticking.
Creator Statement
I truly wish I never had the reason to write what I have written.
My mother once told me that God wants us to find a purpose in our pain. She found hers by fighting the criminal justice system, and I guess you could say that I found mine writing about it. In moments like these, we are reminded that we all have a duty to hold our lawmakers accountable for their past actions and the unintended consequences they never seem to foresee. For me, the misguided concept of “mandatory release” seemed as good a place to start as any.
For more than two decades, I had a front-row seat to my mother’s gut-wrenching crusade against the criminal justice system. It started on the morning of February 7, 1982 – the day I learned my sister Elena had been killed – and it wouldn’t end until 2004, when Elena’s killer, Coral Eugene Watts, was on trial for a different murder in Michigan, mere months before his mandatory release from prison.
In many ways, “The Empty Chair” is a snowflake on the tip of an iceberg. It is just a proof of concept, only 22 minutes out of a much bigger script that has taken me more than 30 years to write. But with God’s continued guidance, I feel confident that further production on “The Empty Chair” will resume in the form of a narrative series or a feature film, and the countless victims of Coral Eugene Watts, both known and unknown, can finally be given a voice.
the FILMMAKERS
John Semander
Writer // Producer
John is a freelance writer and independent producer who has worked consistently in the entertainment industry since moving to Los Angeles in 1993.
Over the years, he has been repped by CAA, Kaplan/Perrone Management and The Gersh Agency. He has worked in both film and television on numerous projects, and has been actively involved in development meetings at NBC, Warner Bros, Sony, Fox, Universal, and many other companies throughout his career.
John’s screenplay for “The Empty Chair” earned him Best Writer honors in the Independent Pilot Competition at SeriesFest 2023.
Andrew Shebay
Director // Producer
Andrew is an award-winning director and producer based in Austin, Texas, where he has 12+ years experience in the film and commercial industry.
the GALLERY
the PRESS
Be the First to Know!
Subscribe now to get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes stories, and early updates on our release.
get UPDATES
Subscribe for exclusive updates on the film, The Empty Chair, a true story of justice, loss, and the relentless fight to ensure no victim is forgotten.
