Dead Harvey - A resource for independent horror filmmakers and fans

How to Make Movies: Low Budget/No Budget Indie Experts Tell All

2013-03-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a post from Brad Paulson - Dead Harvey's resident micro cinema expert...

I was fortunate enough to be one of the filmmakers interviewed for Kevin Lindenmuth's new book: How to Make Movies: Low Budget/No Budget Indie Experts Tell All. I wrote about making movies from a micro-cinema standpoint, since that's all I've ever had the money to work with.

I did so because number one: I've always been poor and number two: I've heard countless horror stories of people who've sunk every dime they've had into their movies. They've mortgaged their houses and sacrificed nearly everything just to get their films made. Unfortunately, far more often than not, the result has very seldom resulted in a positive financial return.

The media fuels the Cinderella story. Everyone loves to hear about about the one filmmaker out of thousands that makes the next Blair Witch or Paranormal Activity. But, let's not forget. Those movies were nearly ten years apart. It's a big chunk of time before the next phenomenon comes along but every year there are thousands of truly independent films that slip through the cracks. As time goes by, they fade into obscurity. Many never even see the light of day.

What the media hides from us is what happens when an individual with a dream and extremely limited funds actually crosses the line that separates the thought of doing into actually doing. They, much like film school, fail to educate people about the brutal realities that exist when someone graduates and actually tries to make a living at this truly insane career path riddled with sharks, lies and bullshit. It's an absolute war zone. You're going to need adamantium skin and an every stronger sense of humor to survive. There's a reason Adam Sandler yells at that kid in Billy Madison and tells him to stay in school for as long as possible.

What I like so much about Lindenmuth's book is he's complied interviews from people who tell the brutal truth of just how hard it is to survive on the truly independent level. I thought I'd had some rough experiences until I read about what many of the other far more experienced filmmakers have been through. The book does a great job of illustrating how it's not about glamor. It's about doing what makes you happy. And if you're willing to go through hell to do that and live like one of L.A's many homeless and you still want to make another movie after you're done, it's a bittersweet satisfaction that no amount of fame or fortune could ever give you.

I'm happy to see that a book like this is finally available. I wish it was around when I was in film school because I had absolutely no idea what I was about to get myself into when I graduated.

You can pick up a copy here

A kindle version is also available...

My sincerest best wishes to anyone out there making movies on their own. You're fighting Han Solo odds, friends. Bless you all as you fight to keep the dream alive.

Drew Daywalt's "The Hurting Man", coming in 2014

2013-02-15T08:39:00.002-08:00

We've been in hibernation mode, as we're working on getting a few of our own projects off the ground... and it was going to take big news for us to wake up out our slumber to post something. Well, we've got big news. Close friend of Dead Harvey, Drew Daywalt, has just inked a deal to bring one of his scripts to life and we couldn't be more excited for him! Check out the art and here's the press release...

Los Angeles, CA – February 14, 2013

Horror writer/director Drew Daywalt (CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS, DEATH VALLEY, BEDFELLOWS) has just inked a deal with producer Eric B. Fleischman of EBF Productions (RITUAL, TWO-BIT WALTZ) to direct the horror feature THE HURTING MAN, based on Daywalt’s script. Indie horror luminary Larry Fessenden (Habit, The Last Winter) is attached as Executive Producer.

THE HURTING MAN follows the story of a police officer who tragically finds his family murdered after a failed 911 call and now must work to save their souls from a demonic boogieman haunting his childhood home.

“I wrote this script and kept it close to my chest,” says Daywalt, “ because this one was written from my own worst terrors, both as a parent of small children, and also tapping into my own childhood fears of a hideously costumed boogieman. This one’s going to scare the hell out of everyone. I promise. I can say that because it really scares me, and I’m letting my fear guide me on this one.”

Says Fessenden, "There's a certain kind of genuinely terrifying old-school-campfire scare that Daywalt gets right in his Fear Factory gems and I can't wait to see him nail those chills in a long form film."

Film goes into production this fall.

Daywalt, Fleischman & Fessenden are not commenting on cast yet, but promise something wonderful is in store for horror fans as well as everyone else.

While little else is known about the project, we have been informed from close sources that the terrifying boogeyman in this film will inspire iconic halloween costumes for years to come.

You can find out more about HURTING MAN, which goes into production this fall, on the film’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/THEHURTINGMAN

Drew Daywalt's "THE PASSENGERS"

2012-11-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

You may have seen this press release on some of the other sites, but I wanted to make sure we posted something, as well. Drew Daywalt is a good friend of Dead Harvey and, on top of that, we truly feel that he is one of the pioneers in the online horror space, as well as in the indie horror world, and will be a solid name in the world of horror for years to come. Do yourself a favor and find him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. He's currently shooting the debut feature for his own company, Daywalt Fear Factory. Here's the press release:

After three years of creating dozens of the most terrifying, award-winning short films in the world, Daywalt Fear Factory is producing its debut horror feature, THE PASSENGERS.

THE PASSENGERS tells the story of a young trucker and his wife who are terrorized by the tortured spirits attached to a load of antiques that the couple has been commissioned to haul cross country.

The film is being directed by Drew Daywalt who also wrote the screenplay. Edin Gali (MAD MEN, HEMMINGWAY AND GELLHORN) stars with Courtney Halverson (DEATH VALLEY, RED CLOVER). Jeff Farley is co producing and has signed on to do the extensive physical FX.

"We've been waiting for this opportunity for a couple years now. And since we're being financed through private investors, my team and I have the creative control to tell an intelligent, terrifying story. We're finally getting to make the film we want to make, in the way we want to make it. The plan is simple; tell a good story that scares the hell out of everyone."

Filming will take place in Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Utah, New Mexico and California.

Paul Campion's "The Devil's Rock" Nominated for 3 Awards

2012-11-14T15:44:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been almost five years since we did our interview with Paul Campion. We spoke with him after he made his awesome short films, "Eel Girl" and "Night of the Hell Hamsters", both of which screened at indie horror film fests. If you go to Youtube, you can find clips from both... I'm not sure if they're on there in their entirety. In any case, Campion's feature, "The Devil's Rock", was not only a great film, it was nominated for 3 awards at the New Zealand Film Awards. Here's the press release and if you want to check out our interview from four and half years ago, here's the link.

The Devil’s Rock Nominated for 3 Awards

New Zealand Film Awards 2012 Announce Finalists

Paul Campion’s The Devil’s Rock has been nominated for three awards at The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards 2012.

The Sorta Unofficial New Zealand Film Awards is organised by Hugh Sundae of nzherald.co.nz and Ant Timpson, and presented by the New Zealand Herald and Rialto Channel. Nicknamed the Moas, the awards recognise all films filmed and produced in New Zealand and celebrates all New Zealand films, whether feature or short.

The Devil’s Rock has been nominated for:

Best Visual Effects – Frank Rueter and Jake Lee

Best Costume Design – Tristan McCallum

Best Makeup Design – Davina Lamon, Sean Foot and Richard Taylor

Synopsis: Set in the Channel Islands on the eve of D-Day, two Kiwi commandos, sent to destroy German gun emplacements to distract Hitler’s forces away from Normandy, discover a Nazi plot to use the occult to win the war.

The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday 4^th December at The Civic Wintergarden, and will be streamed live on nzherald.co.nz.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10845334

http://www.nzfilmawards.co.nz/news/

www.facebook.com/TheDevilsRock

Predatory Moon - Indiegogo Campaign

2012-11-04T10:55:00.001-08:00

I'm always happy to promote filmmaker's Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns... I think it's a great thing for all of us. It's something we can all do, so we should be helping others, finding out what works and what doesn't and learning from it. I think we should all spend a bit of time each week looking through different projects on Indiegogo and Kickstarter. Anyhow, I received a press release for Shiva Rodriguez's Indiegogo campaign that's for her film, PREDATORY MOON. It'll be a werewolf film done entirely with practical effects and it'll be the directorial debut for Rodriguez... who's an F/X artist by trade. The official site for the film is www.predatorymoon.com and the link to her indiegogo campaign is www.indiegogo.com/predatorymoon. Here's some more info on the project...

Shiva Rodriguez is one of the few female directors in the male-dominated indie horror scene. These days most werewolf transformations are done with CGI, but Shiva will be doing it with practical effects like the classic film "An American Werewolf In London". Please check out the video on the campaign page to see how she plans on achieving this difficult feat. www.indiegogo.com/predatorymoon

Shiva has been in the entertainment industry since 1988, working with theatre and performance art productions before moving into film and video in 2008. While she's best known for her work in practical F/X for stage and screen, she also has experience as an art director, stage manager, costume designer, set decorator, video editor, screenwriter, and producer.

She has done the effects for such movies as “The Housewife Slasher” http://youtu.be/PEg98WKaTtQ “Horrorscapes” http://youtu.be/i8abh3GeTvM “Rough Cut” https://vimeo.com/44494818 and “Dangerous People” https://vimeo.com/39177668

Predatory Moon is a unique werewolf story that takes place near the Florida Everglades. Zoologist Kyle Reading suspects that the violent bear attack he's investigating was actually the work of a far more sinister creature. Acting on his suspicions, he begins to take a closer look at Dean, the sole survivor of the incident who is displaying some very unusual behavior.

Unfortunately for Kyle, there is someone watching him very closely too. Someone who sees an advantage to having a stranger in town who cries “werewolf”.

Predatory Moon is a very old-school style horror film geared toward fans of the genre. This production will be shot on location in Florida in 2013, utilizing a talented cast and crew of local film- makers, natural locations, and 100% practical effects.

CONTACT:
Virginia Jasper, Producer: Predatorymoonfilm@gmail.com
Shiva Rodriguez, Director shivarodriguez@gmail.com

Jacob Cooney's "Rocco" - Man vs Muppet

2012-10-29T20:28:00.001-07:00

Jacob Cooney, friend of Dead Harvey, sent us a link of his most recent project to share. It's a short called "Rocco" and revolves around the relationship of a man and his muppet who aren't on such good terms. Several friends of the main character, muppeteer Nathan Danforth are revealed slain in the beginning, then Danforth opens a small treasure box and "Reading Rainbow" style sparkling lights fly around psychotically and transform into the vicious muppet Rocco.

This is a fun short played deadpan and the results are very effective. The muppetry and music are fantastic as well. You can check it below...

ROCCO - a short film from Jacob Cooney on Vimeo.

For more information on filmmaker Jacob Cooney and his work, visit his website at: www.jacobcooney.com.

Also worth mentioning again is a short entitled "The Frolic" and we interviewed Cooney about it. It is further proof of Cooney's talent as a filmmaker and features some very impressive acting and directing. You can listen to that interview by clicking here.

Night of the Punks - see the short, relive the interview

2012-10-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

Very happy to share this... We saw "Night of the Punks" a couple years back and we had the chance to interview filmmaker Dan Riesser about it. Check out our interview with him here. It's a very well done short and you can check it out below. Here's the press release we received recently about the short...

"Director Dan Riesser has created an instant cult classic with Night of the Punks."

- Sarah Jahier, Fatally Yours

"A fun-filled grue-gala with awesome F/X and a rad sense of humor."

- Jake Dee, Arrow in the Head

Just in time for the Halloween season, Irrational Films has made Dan Riesser's horror-comedy short film NIGHT OF THE PUNKS available for online streaming via YouTube.

In Night of the Punks, small town punk rockers The Brain Deads have their first out of town show, but there are a few problems: the venue is deserted, the promoter is a creep, their bassist has gone missing and the only kids in the audience turn out to be bloodthirsty punk rockers from Hell.

Drawing inspiration from Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons and the Evil Dead series, Night of the Punks is a blood-splatted love letter to '80s horror cinema. The cast includes industry veteran Luke Edwards (The Wizard, Little Big League, Newsies), sketch comedian Nick Munday, professional wrestler Vic D. Vine and L.A. horror punk band Murderland. The short has been Official Selection at more than 25 film festivals around the world and took home numerous awards and accolades.

Director Dan Riesser comments, "Making Night of the Punks and taking it to festivals was an amazing experience, and I'm glad everyone now has a chance to catch it on YouTube." Riesser plans to turn the self-financed, 19-minute short into a feature film. The script is complete and the project is currently seeking funding. In the interim, Riesser is focusing on his feature directorial debut, Stomping Ground. Billed as a scary comedy about love and Bigfoot, the movie enters production this month.

For more information on Night of the Punks, visit its official website at NightofthePunks.com.

Press Release - Season of Darkness

2012-10-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, thought I'd share the press release that I received for Jay Woelfel's upcoming flick, "Season of Darkness". You have to like that cast... Tim Thomerson, Tiffany Shepis? Also, if you have a press release for your film or you're looking for some promotion, please let us know. More than happy to promote indie horror!

Director Jay Woelfel (Closed for the Season) has just released the first trailer, poster and production stills for his upcoming gore-gasm, Season of Darkness. Please find the latest for Season of Darkness below:

Season of Darkness

“He escaped his insanity only to face a darker reality.”

Director Jay Woelfel (Closed for the Season) returns to horror with a psychological tale of mistaken identity. Woelfel’s Season of Darkness is a story that focuses on a protagonist who is an escaped mental patient. He finds release daunting and strange. Once free, the public believes Dwight is actually a successful motivational speaker named Artemus Finch. Unsure of what is real and what is imagined, Dwight eases into his new role as Finch. But, there is a price to pay for Dwight’s new fame and loving wife.

Shades and faceless figures pursue him at every turn and they threaten Dwight’s love for Ellen. Will Dwight succumb to madness, or will he face his troubles head on?

Season of Darkness stars Richard Hatch (“Battlestar Galactica), Tiffany Shepis (Night of the Demons) Tim Thomerson (Trancers, War Wolves) and Nick Baldasare as Dwight (Beyond Dream’s Door, They Bite) in a classic tale of horror. To pay homage to past tales of the macabre, Season of Darkness was exclusively shot on 35mm film to enhance the dark and moody atmosphere of the film. This is a tale of true psychological horror few will forget.

The film’s logline:

“Dwight Stroud, a mental patient, escapes from an asylum seeking true freedom only to find horrifying insanity in the outside world.”

Director/writer: Jay Woelfel.

Producer: Lawreen Yakkel.

Cinematographer: Scott Spears.

Makeup/special effects: Brian Spears, Peter Gerner, Beki Ingram and John Ellis.

Cast: Nick Baldasare, Amanda Howell, Tim Thomerson, Richard Hatch and Tiffany Shepis.

*this title is the most recent collaboration between Emmy Award winning collaborators: Jay Woelfel and Scott Spears.

The film’s fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Season-of-Darkness/179160104500

The first trailer for the film is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDyR-ovJd90&feature=youtu.be

**premiere date: TBA shortly.

The Dead Feed - An Interactive Web Series

2012-10-09T21:03:00.001-07:00

I've had various meetings with different producers and industry folks over the last little while about some projects that we're trying to get off the ground and what I've found to be very interesting is how much clout is given to online status. I guess it makes sense, it's something that's measurable. What's crazy is... and I don't mean to take anything away from the festivals, they're very important... but if your video on Youtube has over 1 million hits, you're going to get noticed faster than if you win best picture at a film festival. Not only that, your ranking on imdb matters, anything on Youtube matters, how many unique visitors your site gets, whatever. Long and short, if you've got Google juice, you can use that to your advantage and it can open up doors.

The truth is, how we use the internet for entertainment purposes is still in it's infancy. Sure, the internet can deliver a film to you through Youtube, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, whatever... but that's just a delivery mechanism. How about really using all the tools that are out there? Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. Now, what if we actually start integrating these? We're starting to see experimentation and when one of these projects rises to the top and gets noticed, we could see a revolution in how online is used for entertainment.

So, who's doing this? Well, I received an email from James O'Connor about a month or two ago. He's part of a new interactive web series called THE DEAD FEED. The first episode aired a while ago, on August 17th, but a new episode has aired every two weeks. The series follows three groups of people during the start of a zombie apocalypse and it's truly interactive... it utilizes Facebook, Twitter and users can upload Vlogs and more. If you want to check it out, their Youtube channel is called "The Deadfeed" or you can just go to www.deadfeed.com and watch there. When there, you'll also find all the links to the characters Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, etc. The teaser video is embedded below. It's a very cool idea and we wish them the best of luck.

Carnival of Darkness 3 - October 24th in LA

2012-10-06T11:36:00.001-07:00

For all those in the LA area, here's a must attend festival for you... Carnival of Darkness 3 on October 24th. If not for the screenings or the collectibles, because Drew Daywalt, good friend of Dead Harvey, will be on a live panel. Here's the press release - make sure you check it out!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Film Festival Presents Bite-Sized Chunks of Horror

Festival confirms Veronica Cartwright, Tara Cardinal and Drew Daywalt

HOLLYWOOD, CA - October 1, 2012 - Filmmaker Alex Bram presents the most promising new voices in horror at the third annual Carnival of Darkness Film Festival. The most haunting and disturbing horror/sci-fi short films from across the world will be presented on a THX Authorized, state-of-the-art screen at LA Film School this October 24th.

“This is more than just a screening of a bunch of films;” said Festival Director Bram. “It’s going to be the most thrilling theater-going experience of the year.”

The theater lobby will be set up like a twisted art gallery and horror related collectibles, graphic novels, DVD’s and T-Shirts will be available. Attendees will enter a funhouse of mysterious events and surprises, freaks, performers and artists.

Selected filmmakers and casts will get to walk the “Blood Red Carpet” along with industry heavyweights and notables from the horror/sci-fi communities. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the Red Carpet starts at 7:00 p.m.

Live Industry Panel for Carnival of Darkness 3

“Carnival of Darkness is extremely proud to be able to welcome true master actor Veronica Cartwright to this year’s festivities,” said Bram. “Alternating between television and big screen movies, Veronica has appeared in such films as the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and the horror classic Alien (1979).

“Tara Cardinal is the daughter of a psychic and a musician,” said Bram. “She frequently appears in horror and fantasy films and likes to perform her own stunts. Look for her film Legend of the Red Reaper, (2012) coming soon. Cardinal is currently filming, Spreading Darkness, (2013) and has several projects in the works.

Drew Daywalt’s first Online horror short film Bedfellows earned a million viewers with a week of its launch. Later, the world’s leading short horror film creator, enjoyed millions of hits to his 2010 horror web series Camera Obscura. Most recently Daywalt directed three episodes of MTV’s new horror comedy TV series Death Valley, and wrote the screenplay for the remake of Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things for George Romero, now set up at Anchor Bay.

Carnival of Darkness 3

LA Film School

6363 Sunset Blvd

Hollywood, CA 90028

$12.00 General Admission

$ 6.00 Facility Parking

For Tickets: http://carnivalofdarkness.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=500379

Dedfest '12 - October 6th in Victoria, BC

2012-10-01T20:35:00.001-07:00

It MUST be October... because I'm getting lots of requests to promote horror film fests. I'm more than happy to give time to all of them, too! I'm posting info on this one now, as the fest is actually next week. It's not one you can enter, but they are screening some cool flicks. I haven't actually seen "V/H/S" yet, but I hear it's great and I'd love to check out "Famine"... if you're in the Victoria, BC area -- check this out. If you're not, try to check out "Famine" and "V/H/S" wherever you can!

Organizer Ira Hunter of Absolute Underground, Burning Moon Videos and Zombie Walk Victoria are pleased to announce the return of Dedfest Victoria! This is a film festival running into its second season and the schedule for the film festival is hosted below:

Dedfest ‘12

“Just when you thought it was safe... we're back!”

In conjunction with Dedfest Edmonton, Victoria will be premiering the slate of Dedfest films with the Victoria Dedfest Horror Film Festival. This event begins Saturday, Oct. 6th, following the Victoria Zombie Walk on the same day. This is the second year for the film festival!

Victoria Dedfest will screen 4 feature films: Night of the Living Dead, Creepshow, V/H/S, and Famine. A special guest director, Ryan Nicholson, will be in attendance for a Q & A after the final screening. Plus, there will be: prizes, vendors, vintage trailers and more!! The schedule:

3:30pm Screening: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The original zombie classic directed by George A. Romero.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gUKvmOEGCU

5:15 Screening: Creepshow (1982)
This will be Creepshow’s 30th Anniversary Screening!
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6vtAmFnkA

7:30 Screening:V/H/S (2012)
This is an insane found footage anthology, which has been called "the scariest, rawest horror film of the year!" *this is the film’s Provincial Premiere!
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LfLDeXLmAw

9:30 Screening: Famine (2012)
This film is an over-the-top new slasher/comedy feature from Canadian splatter king, Ryan Nicholson of Gutterballs, and Hanger fame. This will be the film’s British Columbian Premiere! The filmmaker will be in attendance!
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LDoBN217-w

When: Saturday, October 6th - Doors @ 3pm - First Show at 3:30 - Show ends at 11pm.

Where: The Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas St, Victoria, B.C.

**Advance tickets are available at Absolute Underground (1215 Government St) - $15 for full festival pass or $10 per individual show. $10 Full Fest Passes available at the door to anyone in Zombie make-up or horror costume. More Victoria Event info here: http://www.facebook.com/events/175647359226686/
More info on the Edmonton Festival line-up here:http://www.dedfest.com/

The Best Article On Filmmaking That I've Ever Read

2012-09-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's a bold statement... but I'm going to share it with you; the best article on filmmaking that I've ever read. Maybe it's because it really resonated with me, maybe it's because I read it at the right time, but... wow. Ted Hope isn't talking about horror when he wrote this, but he might as well have.

If you didn't know, the Dead Harvey team is currently trying to get a few projects off the ground. One's a low-budget horror and the others are more mid-range. Currently, it looks like we'll get this low-budget one off the ground first, but you never know. Regardless, we have a bunch of finished, polished scripts, but we just finished the last one and we're thinking about our next. What to write?

You've had the conversation, right? Do we do something niche, do we do something more commercial? This stuff sells, this isn't hot right now. Everyone wants found footage films, alien films are out, ghosts are in. Blah, blah, blah... well, read this article and I think it'll help you when you're at that stage. It certainly helped me AND it put a few things in perspective.

Without further ado, here's the link to "Everything I Know About Producing, Pt 1". I hope you like it as much as I did!

Interview with Christopher DiNunzio about his upcoming film, "A Life Not To Follow"

2012-09-19T16:45:00.003-07:00

Tell us about your film, what’s it all about?

It's called "A Life Not To Follow", A trilogy of Neo-Noir films: Eric is a dead man and he knows it. Death is imminent and he must make amends for his past sins, by killing those who wronged him, no matter the price: A wiseguy willing to do anything to move up in the world must now make the ultimate sacrifice. He must kill his best friend or in turn be killed: An F.B.I.agent turned P.I. is on the trail of a missing girl. In his long search for her he comes face to face with a host of unsavory characters who will lead him to perdition or salvation.

If you don’t mind us asking, what was the budget for the film and how did you secure financing?

Don't know yet, I'm still adding up the receipts and we have one last part that still needs to be filmed.

As of right now, what are your goals for the film and what kinds of things are you doing to make sure you reach your goals?

We want to play at the bigger named film festivals and get distribution with a studio who can really help us get our film in front of people. Me and our fantastic Producer/Actress Amy DePaola are gong to go over everything after the final cut is done and work to make it happen. But for now we are still putting the film together so that needs to get done before we can even begin acting on any goals we have for the film.

What about film festivals? Are you going to enter your film? If you have, how did it do? Tell us about your feelings around the indie film fest circuit.

When the film is done absolutely! I help run The Massachusetts Independent Film Festival so I love film festivals!!!(Sept 25,26,28th 2012) They are a great place to get your film and name out there. It's a hard road getting into festivals, a lot of good films don't play at places they should. You just never really know what people are thinking when they see your film. For us at Mass Indie we try to find the best films we can. We don't judge it on how long it is or genre. We want great films! And we want them to be Independent films. Bottom line is when you get into a festival it's a great feeling but you just need to find the right festivals for you.

Talk about distribution. Have you secured distribution? If so, how did you go about doing that? If not, what’s your plan?

Not yet. I have already talked to a few people. We'll see what happens but my goal is to screen it and see who's interested. I want a lot from my distribution at this point in my career. I know that could be asking for too much but I believe in this film and I can't forget that.

Where can people find out more about the film and/or get their hands on a copy?

On IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2179734/ and FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/ALifeNotToFollow Please like both! It would be a great help to us.

Talk about the production. How did it go? Tell us one good or funny story that demonstrates the trials and tribulations of being an indie filmmaker.

Well there was a lot of joking around. Nothing I should share. LOL. But it's been hard but really fun! We have had to get to a bar at 5am to shoot with a time limit and battled weather (Not easy to do in Boston) and I've had extras drop out last minute but in the end we still stand tall! The locations we got are places I would have picked out if we had a ton of money and the acting has been amazing. The look we are getting is just beautiful! It's the best looking film I've done to date. That is thanks to Nolan , he's a great DP. Also 1st AC Alex Huang has helped with that as well. I try to find not only talented people but good people, the kind that know how to act like a professional. You need both! I have no room on my set for divas. That's just not acceptable at all. I've felt really honored to be able to have the cast & crew I have. They have put in so much effort while keeping a positive attitude and it's paying off. The evidence is in how great the film is coming out. I can't thank them enough. Filmmaking isn't easy. When you work on an Indie film everyone who has a credit did something to earn it. So Thank you cast & crew! Michael Capozzi, John Martellucci, Molly Kay, Fiore Leo, William DeCoff, Erica Derrickson, Johnny Cammarata, Jaimie Tucker, William Bloomfield, Vincent Di Nunzio, Leighsa Burgin, Geno Mirabella, Amy DePaola, Keith Bennett, Justin Thibault, Nick Apostolides, Angel Garcia, Madeleine McKenzie, Mark Mandracchia, Michael Caggiano, Pedro Alvarado, Jason Miller, Nolan Yee, Alex Huang, Laura Grose, Mike Shea, Jessica-Lee Van Winkle, Scott Reardon, Roy Bosell, Steven Panetta, Shawn Contois, James L. Leite. And the best for last Melanie Kotoch! There's more to thank but If I don't stop this interview we'll be one long thank you letter. LOL. One thing and I can't stress enough is find good people to work with and treat them right. Something good will always come out of it.

What about you? Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into indie horror.

For me it was Dario Argento. He made me see how Horror can be art. I love dark things. I'm just attracted to them. So being young horror drew me in. As far as getting into crime films. That's from growing up hearing all the stories from my family and friends in the North End in Boston,MA. Now the North End is just a tourist spot but man the things that went on there.

Talk about the indie horror scene. Where do you think it is now and where do you see it going?

I'm at a loss with it. I'm not sure how I feel about it right now. I'll have to get back to you on that one. LOL. A far as where it's going it will never die. Horror has a great fan base who make it fun to like horror.

Do you have any more projects in the works? What’s next for you?

A few things but nothing that I'm able to talk about at the moment. It's just not at that stage yet and it's partly because A Life Not To Follow is all I can think about right now.

As always thank you so much for the interview!

--
Christopher Di Nunzio writer/director/producer
www.creepykidproductions.com
http://www.facebook.com/CreepyKidProductions
http://twitter.com/Creepykid

Ahtanum... and raising money online.

2012-08-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the most successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns are music and film related? No joke... indie filmmakers are having tons of success with it. Having said that, there's a science to successfully raising money. You can't just throw a few pictures up, state your intentions and the money will roll in. It can take months to prepare to launch your Kickstarter campaign. Anyhow, this is an area that we're looking into, as we're looking at launching a few projects through the service ourselves. If you have a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign going or you've had success and/or failure through one of the services, shoot me an email. I'd love to share the stories.... until then, here's some info on some indie filmmakers that are trying to raise some funds. Support indie horror!

The masters of Micro-budget Horror are returning once again, and this time, they are asking for your assistance!

It all begins with a secret, one that has been kept hidden in the woods of Central Washington for decades… an unsuspecting group of college students gather for a weekend party and festivities when the group begins disappearing one by one. What’s even more terrifying is the revelation behind it.

Ahtanum, this chilling College-Aged Horror which takes a unique twist was created between Light Productions and new production company, RED Winter Films is producing this project in association with JH Productions LLC. Shooting begins on October 8th, 2012 through October 28th, 2012! After the Film's Picture/Video Lock (1st Q 2013), we will place it in a heavy film-festival run before moving forward with our Indie venues of Theatrical, Online, and Television Distribution. We aim to film this production on the Red Epic, and if get enough help... it'll be done in 3D! (Do we really need another bloody 3D horror film, um, yes!)

Production Personnel attached:

Director - Cliff Goldsmith (A Trick& A Long Way Home)
Producers - Michael J. Mitchell (Scarecrow's Last Dance & A Trick), Josh Hodgins (Jackson Horn & Ghost Experiment 3D), Chris Waun, Cliff Goldsmith.
Assoicate Producers - Erik Williams (The Man In The Maze), Blake McKinney, and Kyle Wilson.
Ashton Leigh (Breakout Kings, Treme, and SYFY's Swamp Shark) is attached to star as well as Christopher Waun (FOX & CW's Jackson Horn) ! More annoucements for Cast/Crew to come! In the meantime, learn more about the production here! https://www.indiegogo.com/ahtanumMovie

In addition to multiple perks, you'll also receive the warm-fuzzy feeling from knowing you helped donate to an amazing production! If you can't donate, please help spread the word to at least five people!
View our Demo Reel Here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1ZnOHtJpY

Interview with Greg Hanson about his film, "Thy Kill Be Done"

2012-08-07T09:10:00.001-07:00

I love it when we can share a film with our readers, then follow the film up with an interview with the filmmaker... do yourself a favor, check out "Thy Kill Be Done" -- an awesome nunsploitation short flick. It's embedded below. Then, read up on the interview with Greg Hanson, one of the indie filmmakers behind the project!

Thy Kill Be Done (2010) from Greth Productions on Vimeo.

Tell us about your film, what’s it all about?

Thy Kill Be Done is a short nunsploitation/revenge film about an inner city church where the Monsignor Priest is killed by a gang of no-good hoodlums and their drug lord leader, so the nuns in the church’s clergy vow bloody revenge. But these are no ordinary nuns…

If you don’t mind us asking, what was the budget for the film and how did you secure financing?

The budget for the film was about $3,000. This was a student film and we were actually able to somehow get the school to pay for a large chunk of it through campus film organisations that make and finance films. We had to formally pitch to the boards – it was really funny. But everyone was really behind us and super supportive. The rest of it I put up from my bank account, haha.

As of right now, what are your goals for the film and what kinds of things are you doing to make sure you reach your goals?

The film has pretty well done everything we (my co-director Casey Regan and I) could hope for – it has gotten us some great press, it was the first of our films to play a film festival – it has now played more than 25 and still screens – plus we learned a ton from it. It’s now available online for people to enjoy, so I think it’s done pretty much exactly what we had hoped for!

What about film festivals? Are you going to enter your film? If you have, how did it do? Tell us about your feelings around the indie film fest circuit.

The film has played more than 25 festivals worldwide so far and it’s still playing every now and then. It did pretty well but definitely had its fair share of rejections. That’s the way it goes. I love the indie festival circuit – we had some amazing experiences, met lots of great people, had a lot of fun. The indie festival route is sometimes tough but often rewarding. We ended up screening to more than 600 people in a huge amazing theater before Hobo with a Shotgun when we screened at the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival in Spain. Sitting next to Jason Eisener and Michael Biehn (who was there with The Victim) and a ton of other great people, it was very surreal and wonderful. It’s a great experience to finally sit back and enjoy your film with a great audience after it’s all said and done. It’s an amazing feeling of satisfaction.

Talk about distribution. Have you secured distribution? If so, how did you go about doing that? If not, what’s your plan?

Distribution is a slippery thing, especially for shorts. We have talked to a few people over the last few years but it really comes down to a lack of market for shorts. With a few exceptions (the occasional such-and-such director’s early work or Wholpin compilation), shorts are typically special features if they even make it on DVD. So, not surprisingly, nothing has happened on that front. So, instead we put it online for anyone to check out and enjoy!

Where can people find out more about the film and/or get their hands on a copy?

https://vimeo.com/31342303 or go to Grethproductions.com

Talk about the production. How did it go? Tell us one good or funny story that demonstrates the trials and tribulations of being an indie filmmaker.

The production was definitely tough – we had to push the shoot back a few months from late October, 2009 to late January, 2010 because we had to figure out money stuff and get all the pieces together. As you could imagine, a January shoot outside of Boston was pretty brutal – we were pulling 17 hour days because we had to get it all done in a weekend, so we were shooting night exteriors in the middle of the night in 20 degree weather. We had no such thing as a warm room or tent. We were so worried that everyone was going to hate us afterwards and that we wouldn’t finish, stuff like that.

On the last day of the shoot, I had gotten about an hour of sleep before I had to wake up to go to pick people up. But when I got up to get ready, I fell to the floor. I couldn’t really walk or form sentences because I was so delirious. I called up my producer Ben Brewer and tried to ask him something about his car that I was using to pick people up. But I couldn’t finish the sentence. I kept slurring my words and nodding off. After a few minutes of arguing, he said he was pushing the call back. After some fighting, I rolled back over, sprung up three hours later feeling like a million bucks, and we went and shot the whole final sequence of the film. After a long three days, we got everything we needed, it looked great, and everyone had an amazing time.

What about you? Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into indie horror.

I got into horror movies late in life. This is, in part, because horror movies did what they were supposed to do – they scared the shit out of me. So much so that I wouldn’t sit and watch one until I was 10 or 11, and even then I typically stayed away. But when I was about 13 or so, I watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) for the second time and suddenly everything clicked. It all seemed to make sense. It was the first time I watched a movie and I noticed the beautiful art of filmmaking. I noticed cinematography, the eerie sound design, the atmosphere, and I was hooked! The movie ended and I said, “That’s the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen!” and I wanted to immediately go back to the video store and pick up something else. It didn’t take long for me to get my hands on the classics – Suspiria, The Hills Have Eyes, The Fog – and that’s when I knew I wanted to make movies.

Talk about the indie horror scene. Where do you think it is now and where do you see it going?

I love the indie horror scene – it’s pretty much the only horror scene, as far as I am concerned. Big budget horror is pretty much dead – the indie scene is where the innovation happens and horror is and has been such an innovative genre. I love the old school vibe of a lot of the films happening, the mixing of genres, the absurdist edge, comedic twinges. There has been this great movement to make films that channel the best elements of yesteryear – funky music, crazy costumes, real suspense, horror, dread – and employ them in modern stories. It’s great to see less and less straight gross-out films happening and more imagination and experimentation. There are so many talented people making stuff right now - people like Alex Chandon, Ti West, Jason Eisener, Lucky McKee, Alex de la Iglasias, and countless others are making some of their best work right now!

Do you have any more projects in the works? What’s next for you?

We have a short black comedy that we are editing right now called Ipecac about a gambling addict who realizes he can cough up money but rather than pay off his debts, he creates horrible new ones. Casey and I just premiered our latest short, our family drama in a town full of cannibals Meat Me in Plainville at the amazing PiFan Film Festival in South Korea, so keep a lookout for that! Past that, we have some fun scripts coming together involving screwed up families, feudal dojos, post-apocalyptic pimps, and more! So the future holds some fun stuff.

Dr Gangrene's Heebie Jeebies Horror Short Film Festival

2012-07-25T10:04:00.001-07:00

Have you shot a horror short lately? Have an idea for a horror short and you think you can finish it by August 22nd? Well, why not enter it in Dr. Gangrene's Heebie Jeebies Horror Short Film Fest? If you're interested, check out this press release that we found in our inbox!

Dr. Gangrene and Culture Cringe Give You The Heebee Jeebees.

Horror Short Film Contest Set To Invade Bucket City

Murfreesboro, TN (07.24.2012) Nashville horror host Dr. Gangrene is teaming with Culture Cringe for the First Annual Heebie Jeebies Horror Short Film Festival. The one night event will showcase horror short films made locally in the middle Tennessee area as well as around the globe.

Dr. Gangrene said of the festival, “I'm excited to partner with Culture Cringe for the Heebie Jeebies film festival. They've been doing some exciting events in Murfreesboro, and their energy and enthusiasm will help make this an exciting event!”

Films will be screened September 29th 2012 at 3 Brothers Deli and Brewhouse located in the heart of Murfreesboro Tennesee, followed by an Award Scaremony honoring the best of the festival. Awards will be given for Best Director, Actor, Actress, Funniest Short, Scariest Short, Best Music Video, a best young film maker award and the Grand Prize of the festival will presented with the coveted Cringie Statue. Winners will also be included on a dvd release from Shackle Island Studios and Culture Cringe and aired on THE CW on Dr. Gangrene Presents television program.

Alongside Dr. Gangrene the festival is being curated by Benjamin Kaboom of Culture Cringe and film maker Cameron McCasland. McCasland said of the films being selected to screen, “I think everyone involved with Heebie Jeebies likes the idea of No Budget Lo-Fi film making. People just picking up a camera and shooting something that scares them, inspires them, makes them laugh, whatever. We want something different. It doesn’t have to be slick to make a good movie. I honestly just love the idea of friends running around in back yards and city streets making monster movies for the hell of it. Thats the stuff I want to see! ”

Films must be 22 minutes in length or less, horror themed, and meet TV decency standards. The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian citizens. Submissions must be received by August 22, 2012 A full list of rules can be found at http://heebiejeebiesfilmfest.blogspot.com

Culture Cringe is a label specializing in LO-FI media releases of indie musical artists and films on cassette tape, vhs, and a handcrafted self published zine. Culture Cringe podcast all things strange from Bucket City, Murfreesboro TN, Culture Cringe continues to put on shows and events in offbeat places with a focus on keeping things local and weird. For more information check out culturecringe.com

Larry Underwood is an award winning writer and television producer. Outside of his role of Dr. Gangrene , he writes a regular column for Scary Monsters Magazine and daily musings in his Tales From The Lab Blog at DrGangrene.com

Cameron McCasland is an Emmy nominated film maker from Edgewood Texas who has called Nashville home since 2001. His work has been seen on MTV, CMT, The CW, and film festivals around the globe. His upcoming feature film “The Lashman” is due out later this year.

The Undertakers - Kickstarter Project

2012-07-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to finance a film or a project and you don't know about Kickstarter, you need to get your head in the game. By no means does putting together an awesome Kickstarter campaign mean you're going to be successful, but we're in a world where financing doesn't come easy and it's definitely worth a shot. Not only that, there's lots of success stories coming out the Kickstarter world these days, but, to get there, they all need help getting attention. So, I'd like to bring your attention to an awesome looking Kickstarter project called "The Undertakers". We spoke with Kevin Head about the project and, you know what to do - support indie film, go over to their Kickstarter page and donate a few bucks!

Tell us about your project, what’s it all about?

There are certain places throughout the world that possess supernatural properties, where the dead inexplicably rise from the grave to hunt human flesh. Charged with defending this dangerous secret are a group of highly skilled agents in a private organization referred to as "The Undertakers". Their mission: to identify, segregate, and stand vigil in these dangerous areas preventing the possibility of a catastrophic outbreak.

The Undertakers will be set in a highly stylised world with dark-gothic elements. Our character and zombie designs are created with a Burtonesque feel, giving the film a touch of similarity to classics like Cemetery Man and Underworld.

But the emphasis is on story. The web series centers around the sacrifices these brave men and women make in order to protect the world each and every day, in total secrecy.

Oh, and let's not forget to mention the kickass zombie killing scenes in which our characters prefer the traditional weapons of old, so that they might kill silently and swiftly.

If you don’t mind us asking, what was the budget and how are you going to secure financing?

At the moment, we are producing a series of web shorts that will lead up to the storyline of the feature film. We have decided to take the unconventional approach of crowd funding (Kickstarter.com) for raising the budget for these shorts for multiple reasons. It allows us to connect with fans of the genre directly, and give once-in-a-lifetime type rewards for their participation in raising the funds. Those who participate can receive cool items like an "I heart zombies" T-shirt, replica LARP swords and signed posters. They can also receive exciting rewards like Skyping with Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica), Producer credits and even a chance to appear as a zombie in the series.

To find out more visit our kickstarter website: http://kck.st/KAoAmv

We are working to fund two separate groups of web shorts. The first has a budget of $28,000 and the second will be produced if we reach the goal of $55,000.

As of right now, what are your goals for the film and what kinds of things are you doing to make sure you reach your goals?

We are producing these web shorts for a couple of reasons. First, we want to give fans a taste of what the world of The Undertakers feels like. We have been producing artwork, short stories and screenplays for a couple of years now and have a growing fan base that has sprung from our exposure on MySpace and Facebook. This is mainly for them.

But, it also allows us to have something to show as we go looking for funding from production companies and investors for the eventual feature film The Undertakers: Road's End.

What about film festivals? Are you going to enter your film? If you have, how did it do? Tell us about your feelings around the indie film fest circuit.

As of now we have no plans to enter the shorts into any festivals. It is mainly for use on our website and will be distributed on dvd to those participating in the kickstarter campaign. Hopefully, these little gems will become a little part of our success story, and coveted by those who have them.

Where can people find out more about the film and/or get their hands on a copy?

You can find out more about The Undertakers by visiting our Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/KAoAmv, by "liking" us on Facebook to follow our progress: https://www.facebook.com/TheUndertakersinfo, or by visiting our official website: www.theundertakers.info.

You can only receive a DVD by making a small pledge on our Kickstarter page.

What about you? Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into indie horror.

I've been a fan of the genre since watching the late-night double-feature of Night of the Living Dead and The Children at age 8 on Detroit television. I obtained a degree in Television Production at Ferris State University and became a post-production specialist, trained in editing, animating and camera.

About six years ago, I decided to follow my heart and pursue a career as a writer/director in feature film. My writing has garnered recent recognition, as I have been covered by William Morris Endeavor on the recommendation of Darren Lynn Bousman (Director of several films in the Saw franchise), hired by Zeitgeist Productions to pen a horror film now in development, and cultivated several invaluable relationships with recognizable actors with the desire to work on several of my projects. I have several other projects in the works, but this is the one closest to my heart.

Talk about the indie horror scene. Where do you think it is now and where do you see it going?

Indie horror is in a very interesting place right now. With the collapse of our economy a few years back, production companies were forced to adapt. The result for Indie writers, producers and directors were fewer options and sales. The amazing thing for me is how filmmakers always seem to find a way. From the ashes of our economic despair comes a new platform like Kickstarter.com, which allows fans to decide what gets made and what doesn't.

It's a frustrating, yet exciting time for those of us working our asses off trying to get our films made.

Adapt or abandon your dreams.

Do you have any more projects in the works? What’s next for you?

There are a few other things in the works at the moment. As we adapt, learn and get efficient at what we are doing, others look to use that knowledge which has led me to the producing side. I'm planning to be associated with a few other web projects in the near future.

We are also gearing up to fund another film I have in preproduction entitled "Black Storm", which centers around a small community plagued by a group of malevolent entities trapped inside a massive dust storm.

New Horror Festival: Horror-on-Sea Film Festival

2012-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

If I'm going to be telling everyone how important the film festivals and screenwriting competitions are, I should probably start updating our listings of them. It could be a while until I get through all of that, but until then... here's a new one you should check out. Best part about this one? It's free to enter. Also, really like the idea of a faux trailer competition. Here's what festival director, Paul Cotgrove, had to say:

Next January sees the start of a brand new Horror Film Festival based in the seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea, Essex. England. The Horror-on-Sea Film Festival will be screening a mix of Horror Films from the UK and the rest of the world. We are now accepting feature length submissions on DVD until the 30th September and admission is free. There is also a faux trailer competition. Please go to www.horror-on-sea.com or email horror@thewhitebus.org.uk for further details.

Be sure to check it out!

"The Meat Puppet" - Filming in New Jersey right now!

2012-07-09T09:32:00.001-07:00

New project filming in New Jersey right now, check it out. Always good to keep up on what's going on out there. How about you? Are you filming something? Want to promote your project? Let us know!

Monday June 25, 2012 NY, NY Horror / Thriller

"THE MEAT PUPPET" (1. meat puppet; (noun) person(s) that have no will of their own; somebody that lets others control them. Another name for a human being, especially one who doesn't think for him/herself, has no soul and is therefore controlled by others).

"Currently filming in New Jersey is this year’s new bone chilling horror/thriller “The Meat Puppet”. From the mind of Award Winning Actor Keith Collins, along with Silver Phoenix Entertainment, Valenti Vision Films and the pen of NY Emmy Award Winning writer Joseph Pepitone and Billy Pepitone (“Stuck in the Middle”) comes a sadistic thrill fest, full of twists and turns, that is sure to give movie goers the fright of their lives.

A vain, successful playboy tortures and kills beautiful girls and uses them to make the perfect meal for his lavish dinner parties. Body parts, blood, torture, cannibalism and NO escape are a few ways to describe this clever new terrifying and psychologically damaging creep show.
“The Meat Puppet” tells the story of Andrew “Drew” Shelton who has it all – looks, money, women and an insatiable taste for human flesh. His vanity is only surpassed by his obsession with finding the perfect tasting meal and it has fueled his appetite for killing, preparing and cooking beautiful women. He throws lavish dinner parties and serves his guests his latest victim and one unlucky guest becomes the main course of his next get together. When a no-nonsense detective starts putting the pieces together, it leads to a game of cat and mouse that only increases the stakes. But is Drew the soul-less, cold-blooded killer that he appears to be? Or is he just the Meat Puppet for a more sadistic mind?

Directed by Joe Valenti (“Echelon 8”). Produced by Keith Collins. Produced & Executive Produced by Blaze Kelly Coyle and Joe Valenti. Written by Joseph & Billy Pepitone. With a well-rounded cast including many special appearances and STARRING: Gregg Valentino (TLC’s “The Man Whose Arms Exploded”), Billy Sample (“Former NY Yankee”), Brandon Ruckdashel (“Co-ed Confidential”), Geri Reischl (“Gunsmoke”,“The Brady Bunch Variety Hour” aka Fake Jan), Jason Prager (“Beauty and the Geek”), Billy Garcia (“Survivor”), Gary Garver (“formerly from the Howard Stern Show”), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (“Guns N Roses”), Erick Chopin (Winner of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser”), Keith Collins (“Stuck in the Middle”, “BIdentity Crisis”), Jamie Reed-Kovac (Fury – “American Gladiators”), April Hunter (“WCW”, ”TNA”), Doug Bollinger (“Waltzing Anna”, “Mail Order Bride”),Theresa Galeani (“Cross the Line”, “I am Legend”), John Fields (“A-List DJ Unique”), Anastasia Smith (“NY Majesty Lingerie Football League”) and Faith Stanek (“Star Trek Phase 2 Web Series”).

The Meat Puppet

www.Facebook.com/TheMeatPuppetMovie

www.TheMeatPuppet.com

Why You Should Bother with Screenwriter Contests and Film Festivals

2012-07-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's been a while since we last posted anything... but, I'm ready to get things back on track. What can I say? I want to get in touch with more horror screenwriters, filmmakers and festival folks. I want to give more indie horror projects promotion and help get stuff out there. I have to keep posting because we have to elevate this little sub-genre!

Anyhow, over the last, I don't know, year or so... I've decided to make a serious effort to take this whole thing to another level and that's really why I haven't had time to post anything. We've been working on launching a new website (more on that in the coming weeks), I've submitted some of my scripts to some screenwriting competitions and I've been trying to help produce some films. The attempt to produce films has really taken a lot of time, but I'll tell you what... it's a huge learning experience. One thing I've learned, and that I'd like to pass on to you, is that the film festivals and screenwriting contest are more important than you think. Here's why...

There's a million ways to produce a film, but let's simplify this a bit - on one side, you have the equity financing model and on the other side, you have the debt financing model. Equity financing means you have the equity - long and short, you've got the money and you're funding it yourself. If that's your model, have at it. You can write, direct and produce your project any way you'd like. Debt financing, on the other hand, means that someone is willing to pay for the final product and you then get someone to lend you money against that promise to pay, so you can go and produce your film. Most indie films are, at least in part, financed this way. Yes, there's lots in between and that's a very simplistic view, but I'm making a point here, okay? Now, how much this person is willing to pay for this unmade project depends on how you've packaged it up. There's three major components: talent, script and director. The big thing is talent... who are the actors? If you're a friend of Brad Pitt's and he's willing to attach himself, boom... you're good to go. Don't worry about the script. However, most of us need to convince talent to come on board and we need to convince people that this is a good project. So, that leaves the writer and director. I'm going to concentrate on the writer here, as I feel the script is the true foundation of any project, but this is just as pertinent to the director.

You need a good script, where do you get it? A script by a produced and/or working screenwriter is one thing, they have proven that they can write material that works. I'm not talking about your micro-budget film that you produced and financed yourself, either. I'm talking about a script from a working Hollywood screenwriter. Get a script from one of them, you've got a good base. However, getting a script from a well known or produced writer can be tough, especially if you're an unproven producer, so you might have to go a little further down the trough... or you might want to use your own material. If that's the case, you need something that makes that script stand out, something that says, "this is worth taking a chance on". So, what separates you from the rest of the pile of unproduced and non-working screenwriters? See where I'm going with this, yet? It's awards and accolades. Where do you get those? From winning film festivals and screenwriting competitions. I've read bio's on writers that say things like, "quarter finalist in such and such" or "top 20% in this and that"... and that makes the bio on the writer far more compelling than, "I think I'm a pretty good writer", which is what you're saying if you're unproduced, unpaid and haven't won any awards. Don't kid yourself, most people won't read the script. They'll read your bio, the logline and, if you're lucky, your outline. You want to separate yourself from the pack? These awards and accolades make a big difference.

So, do yourself a favor, enter the festivals and competitions. Even if you're just producing and financing your own film - it helps sell it once it's done. Also, on the writing side, if there's an option to get coverage, take it. It costs you a bit extra, but you can learn where you can improve and you can learn what these guys want. Then, you'll know what you need to do when you enter the next festival to get some accolades. Once you have accolades, you're on your way to being a produced and working writer and/or director.

What do you think? Got a different opinion? Let me know!

Dwarfsploitation - The next book that you're going to buy

2012-05-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

There's more than one reason for you to pick up a copy of Brad Paulson and Chris Watson's new book, "Dwarfsploitation". Just let me go through them... first off, it's the FIRST quintessential book on dwarf cinema. Secondly, chances are that you're a bit of a cinephile. I'm thinking that this book is full of films that you've never seen and you'll want to put on your radar. Thirdly, the authors are both indie horror filmmakers... look 'em up. Lastly, Brad Paulson is my partner at Dead Harvey. Is that enough? If not, read through their press release. Support indie horror, buy your copy of "Dwarfsploitation"!

PRESS RELEASE: DWARFSPLOITATION

Description:
A new book from Brad Paulson and Chris Watson:

Dwarfsploitation is an entertaining and educational look into the world of dwarf cinema. From Freaks to Willow, Dwarfsploitation analyzes a wide variety of both independent and mainstream films, chronicling the number of ways in which little people are exploited. It is a must have for any fan of little people or film itself. Includes an introduction by Lloyd Kaufman.

Order your copy at Barnes and Noble: Click Here

or Amazon: Click Here

Visit the Facebook page at: Click Here

Quotes:

"Dwarfish reviews about dwarf films seems an odd basis for a book, but it's surprisingly entertaining and enlightening and respectful about the little folk. A snappy, unique guide to all films Dwarf."
- Joe R. Lansdale, author of Bubba Ho-Tep

"A salute to Little People everywhere that belongs on every film aficionado's desk."
- Joel M. Reed, director of Bloodsucking Freaks

"This book is truly a one-of-a-kind. An inspired idea, and an equally-inspired book. Chris Watson and Brad Paulson have created something special with ‘Dwarfsploitation'. In an age when there seems to be books about every aspect of cinema, these authors have discovered a niche that had yet to be explored. Kudos."
- Andrew J. Rausch, author of Turning Points in Film History

"Paulson and Watson's book is a unique perspective to say the least. We seem to have books on everything these days, so, why not something that is entertaining, informative and celebrates our little friends in cinema." - Robert Davi, actor from License to Kill

"The first time I went to the Library of Congress to do research on midgets in film, I was directed to a single tattered volume produced by the MGM publicist on "The Wizard of Oz." I was astounded. The literature was virtually non-existent. Later I had a special assignment involving dwarf-tossing, and I sought out any dwarf-tossing trade association that could possibly be of any assistance. Again, my exertions were frustrated. That's why, when I first heard that "Dwarfsploitation" was in the works, I was cautiously hopeful but still ready for a Billy Barty headbutt to the nuts. I'm happy to say that the resulting book is a resource that we've needed for 60 years, and should take up permanent residence on the Ikea children's-room book shelves of anyone shorter than 4-foot-4."
- Joe Bob Briggs, author of Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In

"Brad and Chris's book stands head and shoulders above the run of the mill cinema book types. It makes little people everywhere stand a little."
- James Bryan, director of Don't Go in the Woods

"It was a short read and I loved it. Don't overlook it!"
- Joe Estevez, actor from Soultaker

"Wow, I'm impressed! This has to be the most comprehensive guide to cinematic dwarves that you'll ever read. Meticulously researched, with hysterically funny yet genuinely fond comments by the authors, running the gamut from dwarfsploitation to 'normal' life. A must-have for any film-fan's library."
- scream queen Brinke Stevens

The authors can be reached at the contact information below.

Brad Paulson: walkenboy@hotmail.com
Chris Watson: chriswatson@gus.pittstate.edu

Scary or Die VOD Premiere... TONIGHT!

2012-05-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

The guys behind the film "Scary or Die" are not only a bunch of good guys, they're what indie horror is all about. We're proud to say that we've been working closely with them on a few projects, projects that we hope to be able to talk about soon. In fact, those projects are what's been occupying a lot of my time. All I can say is, hopefully we get some traction on one of them and we can unleash something new and exciting on all of you.

Anyhow, "Scary or Die" premieres TONIGHT on VOD and you should be supporting your indie horror! Here's a link to the Facebook Invite, check it out for details: http://www.facebook.com/events/364757303570599/

Mass Indie Film presents a Night Supporting Independent Film

2012-04-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

If you're in the New England area, you need to be aware of the fact that Mass Indie Film is presenting a Night Supporting Independent Film. Details are below and you can also read the picture, as I think I left it big enough to read. I should also mention that if any of you have an event or film that you want to promote, please send info our way!

On April 26 At Belmont Studio Cinema, Mass Indie Film is presenting a night showcasing independent film with screenings from some of the best filmmakers in New England. This is the perfect opportunity for film fans in the area to support independent film by simply buying a ticket. If you work in film we want to hear from you! The night will also be a great networking opportunity for people in all aspects of filmmaking. We will be conducting interviews to shine the spotlight on all the talent that independent film has to offer. If you are interested in sharing your experiences working in indie film drop us a line on our website at www.massindiefilm.com.

Tickets are $9.

All proceeds go to support independent film production.

Doors open at 7:30pm Show starts at 8:00pm.

There will be a Q&A.

"Her Heart Still Beats"
DIR: Christopher Di Nunzio

"Christopher Di Nunzio is able to hit all the right beats in adapting and modernizing Poe’s classic tale." -Ain't It Cool News

"2 A.M."
DIR: David Trodella

"Along A Dark Road"
DIR: Bryan Casey "Longreach - The Web Series" (Preview)
Written By: William Decoff

"Certainly Never" (Preview)
DIR: Matt Phillion

“The Loudest Sound” (Preview)
DIR: Jason Miller Belmont

Studio Cinema: www.studiocinema.com

Interview with writer/director of "Wound", David Blythe

2012-04-03T08:04:00.002-07:00

David Blyth's "Wound" has done what most indie horror filmmakers could only hope of for their films... first off, and most importantly, it's a completed film. That can be a big hurdle for a lot of us. After that, it kicked some serious ass. It had a great festival run, it won various awards and it secured world wide distribution. So, what's it all about? How did David do it? Read on....

Tell us about your film, what’s it all about?

WOUND is a Supernatural Horror Film that explores the dark worlds of mental illness, incest, revenge and death. We follow Tanya as she searches for the mother she has never met – a mother (Susan) who gave her up for dead after being abused by her own father who remains stuck in her present life. Tanya returns from the dead to confront and possess Susan with all her deepest fears and desires, sending Susan into a state of madness and gore filled retribution. WOUND explores and confronts the dark, distorted supernatural world that lurks within us all. Check out: www.woundmovie.com and www.davidblyth.com

If you don’t mind us asking, what was the budget for the film and how did you secure financing?

The budget for Wound is commercially sensitive, but lets just say it’s very low budget. Financing came from two long time friends who wanted to give me the opportunity to make Wound exactly the way I wanted.

As of right now, what are your goals for the film and what kinds of things are you doing to make sure you reach your goals?

My goals with Wound were to get noticed at Film Festivals and secure distribution deals in the main territories. Two years on from making Wound, the film has achieved these goals.

What about film festivals? Are you going to enter your film? If you have, how did it do? Tell us about your feelings around the indie film fest circuit.

Wound has been selected for over 12 International Film Festivals worldwide, where it achieved good audience responses including winning Best Film , Best Director and Best Actress at the Night Of Horror International Film Festival Sydney Australia 2011.

Talk about distribution. Have you secured distribution? If so, how did you go about doing that? If not, what’s your plan?

Wound has secured distribution in USA Britain, Germany, Benelux, Australia, New Zealand. I was lucky to have an Independent Sales Agent friend, Lars Bjorck, who was able to make connections and eventually deals at the various markets ( Berlin, Cannes and AFM)

Where can people find out more about the film and/or get their hands on a copy?

In the USA, Breaking Glass Pictures through “ Vicious Circle Films “ is releasing the DVD of Wound in March 2012 . This will be followed by VOD and Itunes releases. Check out Breaking Glass Pictures for release information. http://www.breakingglasspictures.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingGlassPictures For more info via Facebook check out my site https://www.facebook.com/WoundNZFilm

Talk about the production. How did it go? Tell us one good or funny story that demonstrates the trials and tribulations of being an indie filmmaker.

Wound was shot in 12 days over one month. This allowed for more preparation during the actual shooting which was split up into short shooting bursts where you could then focus your resources in the best possible way. My story, from Wound. Arriving at location one morning to see 20 chairs laid out in a row for the film crew to sit on to be lectured by the irate bookish home owner who informed us he had found in his house after filming, two books sitting on a window sill, that may have suffered “sun strike” damage, thus reducing there monetary value and wilful misuse of his property. Turns out the books in question were supplied by the art department and cost two dollars for twenty at the local hospice charity shop. Plus the day was overcast and there had been no sun bursting through to brighten the day yet. So because of long shooting days the home owner had become delusional. Moral of the story, securing locations are a key part of low budget filmmaking, and if you can’t afford to pay a fee for the main location and pay for the home owner to stay in a Hotel then you have to factor in the unexpected, if they are present during shooting.

What about you? Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into indie horror.

I made an indie horror classic, Death Warmed Up in 1984 down here in New Zealand, which turned out to be seen all around the world. I worked in North America doing amongst other feature films, four early episodes of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. More recently I have reconnected with my indie roots through producing writing and directing a number of documentaries including Bound for Pleasure and Transfigured Nights. Check out my website for details www.davidblyth.com

Talk about the indie horror scene. Where do you think it is now and where do you see it going?

With the digital revolution in full swing the Indie horror film has been opportunities in front of it. Low budget Indie horror can translate to the one genre where you can make the film you want to make without having to compromise with the generally old fashioned and conservative distribution demands. Uniqueness and originality have real value in a market swamped with sequels, remakes and derivative product.

Do you have any more projects in the works? What’s next for you?

Yes I am working on several new project ideas in the low budget arena. This has proved to be quite hard to do as, you need to tell a story in an affordable way on a micro budget that can crossover into the mainstream market based on your unique angle.

Screenwriting Aspirations

2012-03-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

There's a pretty good reason why I haven't been posting on here regularly and I'll let you know what it is...

I'm polishing up a script that I'm going to be entering into the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards. I've been working on this script for a while and, a few weeks ago, I saw that the late deadline for the contest was Monday, April 2nd. So, I made that my goal. When I say I've been working on it a while, I mean I've been working on it for a while... like, 2 years. I wrote my first draft fast, like a month and a bit. Then, I rewrote it a couple times, I gave it out to a few people to get their advice and feedback, then I sat on it... for about a year. Not sure what I was doing during that time, probably just drinking and contemplating the shittyness of aspiring to be a screenwriter. Anyhow, I picked it back up a few months ago and, well, here we are. So, every spare minute I get, I've got that fucking thing open and I'm tweaking words, phrases and sentences. I'm cutting lines of description and I'm really working hard to polish this turd up. At absolute worst, I want to be done with it so I can move on to my next script, for Christ's sake.

There's only a handful of screenwriting competitions that are worth entering, let's start with that, and PAGE is one of them. Slamdance's early deadline is in a couple weeks, that one is also worthwhile, especially as they have a horror specific category AND they've developed some of the screenplays. I'll be entering it, as well. Here's a link to the PAGE Awards site, as well as Slamdance, if you're interested. I actually know a couple people that have been judges at PAGE and I've spoken with the festival director before. I've also spoken with the festival director at Slamdance. Long and short, I trust them. For horror, there's also Screamfest and Shriekfest, but I don't know when their deadlines are. I'm going to look into that.

The cool thing is that, for an extra $50 or so, both PAGE and Slamdance will give you feedback on your script. This is really what I'm looking forward to. Truth is, not that many people have read my work. Sure, a lot of my friends in the industry have, but they're going to be bias. Sure, a few friends outside the industry have, but they don't know a good script for a piece of shit. Sure, my film professors and some script supervisors have read my work, but I was paying them. This will be industry folks that don't know me at all and have nothing to gain. I want to know where I stand with them. Quite frankly, so should you. If you're an industry outsider and you're an aspiring screenwriter, what kind of options do you have of getting noticed? Well, I'll tell you what... some sort of accolade from one of these competitions is a good start and if you get the big heave-ho right away, knowing why you suck is just as important.

Anyhow, I'll let you all know how it goes, every step of the way.

Stay tuned...