Interview with Ken Daniels, Festival Director of Fright Night Film Fest

Every year, for the last two years anyhow, we've talked with Ken Daniels, the Festival Director of the Fright Night Film Fest as we lead up to the Fest. We spoke with him in 2008 (link here) and 2009 (link here) and if you'd like to know more about how the festivals work and what they can do for you, as a filmmaker, I'd suggest going back and reading through those. Then, after you've read them, you can read through this... our 2010 interview with Ken Daniels.

But first... my two bits. A lot of festivals out there go for the mainstream fare, some go for the convention feel and others go for the retro screenings. Fright Night does a bit of everything, but they're really about indie horror and they're about the filmmakers. Festivals like this are the ones that we need to support and keep flourishing. The industry is changing and festivals like this will be the bridge to take us all to the next level. So, attend it, submit your film, go to their site, do what you can!

Let’s just refresh our readers memories to start. Tell us about the Fright Night Film Fest.

Fright Night is the Largest Jury Genre Film Fest in Mid America. We also have one of the largest conventions in this region.

Are there any big changes or new things for this year?

Yes, we added the Inside the Filmmakers Studio. Increased our Bands, moved the Cocktail till after the Awards Ceremony. Added the after party after the Awards on Saturday.

Tell us about some of the highlights this year, what should our readers be on the lookout for?

Lookout for the Roger Corman Double Feature of Deathrace 2000 and Grand Theft Auto in glorious 35mm at the Drive-In on Friday July 30, 2010.

So, talk about the state of indie horror. Where is the whole genre at now and what’s next for it?

That's a tough question. Indie horror may be flourishing, but the quality of films is suffering. People think getting a new Hi Def camera and a crew together makes them a filmmaker. Maybe a filmmaker but not necessarily a good filmmaker. The genre is stuck right now. More unique ideas need to be brought to the screen. Zombies aren't the best subjects anymore for a horror film. Neither is the standard kids in camp, kids have sex, kids get killed be serial killer scenario. We need more unique films, with better stories. Filmmakers need to work longer on their films. Take a year and plan the whole thing from preproduction to postproduction out to the very end.

Over the last few years, the talk has been all about web-based and self distribution. Talk about how you see the process of indie horror filmmakers monetizing their films and what part do the festivals play?

We have a great panel from some very big distributers this year. They will be giving great info in the panel. In my opinion the money isn't quite there yet for most of the web based distribution ideas. There are way too many films on the market for people to make a ton of money. Film Festivals fill that gap by providing the perfect opportunity for the Distributors to meet the filmmakers and buy the films. Winning at a film festival is a very big deal. Having Laurel Leaves planted on your DVD cover is paramount to acceptance by some legitimate.

The industry has changed over the last few years, what do filmmakers need to do to keep up, as in… as far as production value is concerned, what’s the bare minimum a filmmaker needs to get in to festivals, get distribution, etc.?

Make a good film. Use proper lighting. Get better camera's. Hire better actors. WRITE A BETTER STORY. Understand how to use sound better.

So, let’s talk about the sub-genres… what’s playing best these days? Zombie movies were big for a while, Vampires have been getting a lot of play lately. What kinds of trends are you noticing?

Vampire Films are big. A new one that looks promising is "MIDNIGHT SUN" starring John Wells. It's a vampire comedy that will have a teaser trailer at Fright Night Film Fest this year.

So, when and where is this year’s festival and how can people find out more about it?

July 30-August 1st, 2010. The festival is at our favorite spot - The Inn Place on Bluegrass Parkway in Louisville, KY. Go to frightnightfilmfest.com and hit the hotel button at the top.

Just Out - Paranormal Activity 2 Trailer, Plus Some Festival Updates

Let's just start this post off with the hottest trailer that's been uploaded in the last 24 hours... the trailer for "Paranormal Activity 2". Be among the first to check it out...



I have no idea of what direction they're going with the actual film, but I really like the way they've kept with the 'found footage' theme for the trailer by incorporating what looks to be surveilance camera footage. I was ready to get all negative, but I do like what they did... having said that, let's see how the movie turns out.

Anyhow, to the point of today's post, what's getting embarassing is how poorly I've maintained the film festival section of the site. I'm always preaching about how important the festivals are, yet I don't update that portion of the site. Ironic, maybe. Embarassing, definitely. So, each week, for a while, I'm going to pick a festival, talk a bit about it, then update their listing in the festivals section. Today, I'll do two, Shriekfest and Fright Night Film Fest.

It's the final call for entries for the 10th Annual Shriekfest Film Festival, which is being held in L.A. from September 30th - October 3rd. Shriekfest will accept shorts, features, screenplays and more, just head over to their site to read all about it. The main goal of Shriekfest is to help support indie film, indie filmmakers and screenwriters in the horror/thriller/scifi/fantasy genres and, for that, we salute them.

This is the 6th Annual Fright Night Film Fest, which takes place in Louisville, KY. They're doing some big things and have some great guests, including: Roger Corman, Tyler Mane, a Fright Night reunion, a Dawn of the Dead reunion, Night of the Creeps... unfortunately, the deadline for film submissions has passed, but they doesn't mean you can't attend. Also, we're going to be doing an interview with Ken Daniels, the director of the fest, soon. So, look out for that.

Is It Happy Hour Yet? Well, until it is, here's some info on some film festivals...

Summer must be right around the corner... I really want to sit on a patio and drink cold beers imported from Mexico that are served in icy buckets, all the marketing campaigns for all the Hollywood tent pole films are gearing up and my inbox is filled with emails about upcoming indie film festivals. It's a good time to be alive. Then again... I guess it's always a good time to be alive and I'm not really willing to entertain the alternative. Anyhow, as you know, I think that the indie film festival scene is one of the most important facets of the indie horror industry and we all need to submit our films, submit our screenplays, attend the festivals and, generally, do whatever we can to support them. There are major shifts coming in the industry, but the festivals will always be the backbone. So, if you're involved with a festival and I'm not already signed up, please sign me up for your newsletter or send me an email and I'll keep pushing your information out to our readers. I used to dedicate every Friday to talking about the festivals and I'll do it again, as long as the emails keep coming in. So, here's some information on some of our favorites, click on the links to be taken to their homepages...

The FrightNight Film Fest is coming up this July 30 - August 1st and the deadline for submissions is June 21st, still plenty of time! It takes place in Louisville, KY and they give you a full meal deal. You can submit feature length films, short films, screenplays and even trailers. They also do piles of events and have lots of guests. This year, they have the living legend, Roger Corman, plus a "Night of the Creeps" and "Fright Night" reunion and a lot more. Frightnight is a staple in the festival scene and they accept a LOT of films, so... this is definitely one of the festivals to take a closer look at.

Shriekfest is now open for submissions, deadline is May 22 and late deadline is July 10th... hmmm, I wonder if I can have my script done for it? I'll keep you posted on that. Anyhow, they've added two new categories, so check this out... you can submit features, shorts, documentaries, music videos, screenplays and now webisodes and original songs. How about that? This is their 10th year and they do a real bang-up job. It takes place in L.A. and it's one of the ones that you want to be involved with, for sure.

Dark Carnival is also now open for submissions and they accept shorts, features, trailers and NOW, screenplays. To be honest, their festival isn't for a while, it's in November, but they've just passed on that they're now accepting screenplays, so I thought I'd mention them. From what I hear, they're a helluva lot of fun and do a week-long celebration of all things horror, including art exhibits, live entertainment, merchandise vendors, special guests and, of course, the festival itself. It's held in Bloomington, Indiana.

Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy a few buckets of beer!

A Tribute To John Hughes AND some info on upcoming film festivals

There's a few festivals and things that I want to tell you about, but before I do... I'd like to talk a bit about John Hughes, who passed away from a heart attack at the age of 59 yesterday.

Personally, I think it's tough to not credit John Hughes as being one of the most influential comedic filmmakers of all time. For those of us who were raised on 80's films, Hughes WAS comedy. From "National Lampoon's Vacation" to "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", he was responsible for a lot of the films that shaped our generation. I can't tell you how much I quoted movies such as "Weird Science" ("Chet, the name is Chet... and I didn't think it was a whale's dick, honey"), "The Breakfast Club" ("The next time I have to come in here I'm crackin' skulls"), "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" ("Those aren't pillows") and that goes without mentioning "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Sixteen Candles", "Uncle Buck" and many, many more. (click here to go to his imdb page) When you look at what he wrote, directed and produced, you realize how much he meant to the world of film comedy and how much he'll be sorely, sorely missed. So, I encourage everyone to dust off their favorite John Hughes film this weekend and sit back and remember just how much he meant to you and your love of film...

There's some upcoming festivals information that I want to pass on to you... now, before you just gloss over this, I'd like to reiterate that even if you don't have a film to enter or you live no where near any of these festivals, you should still go to their sites and check out what they have going on. As I say all the time, the festivals and conventions are really the backbone to the whole indie horror scene and it's good to keep tabs on what's going on. You can see what audiences are interested in and, maybe, get some ideas. That... and I bothered to create the links, so you should use them. Here's some press releases and info that I've recently received.

Vampire Fest 2009 takes place in the beautiful city of New Orleans from October 23 - 26, 2009

Filmmakers have heard our call, and Vampire Fest has already received submissions from the United States and around the world. Vampire Fest has a number of activities planned—feasts for the mind as well as the eyes—including a literary panel hosted by writer Gabrielle Faust and events around the Vieux Carré and the Garden District. The festival will screen an international slate of vampire and gothic features and shorts and include costume parties, fashion shows and performance artists. Vampire Fest is proud to call its home New Orleans with its fabulous nightlife, Gothic architecture, international cuisine, voodoo history, beautiful necropolises, and the birthplace of jazz and Anne Rice. Submissions Are Still OPEN

Vampire Fest is seeking narrative or experimental films of all lengths that emphasize the grotesque, mysterious or desolate. Since the legends of the werewolf and other supernatural creatures are interconnected with that of the vampire, Vampire Fest also accepts films of the Gothic, zombie, werewolf, witch or ghost genre.

Filmmakers can submit online at vampirefilmfestival.com or at withoutabox.com until September 16, 2009.

Fright Night Film Fest presents the 7 Day Film Fest and I'm not giving you much notice on it, but check it out... what have you got to lose?

Alright all you filmmakers get ready for one of the funniest times you'll ever have making a movie. The 7 Day Film Fest was created in 2007 to satisfy all of the crazy filmmakers who love to be busy. The 7 Day Film Fest is a film fest within a Larger Film festival.

This is how it works. On August 7th (that's today) you will go frightnightfilmfest.com to the 7 day film fest page. After you arrive on the 7 day page, you will sign up for the fest my submitting your email and paying by paypal or submitting a check to the address below before August 13th. All teams of filmmakers or single filmmakers can sign up for the event.

You must use the elements that you receive in the email. You will be notified by email. NO EMAIL, NO PLAY. SORRY!! It's that simple.

Lastly, I recently mentioned a site called PutItOn.com, the home to the undiscovered artist. Well, they're putting on a film festival called the "Put It On Picture Show", here's some info.

Budding filmmakers can upload their films to Put It On with the hopes of winning a free scholarship to the New York Film Academy and a cash prize of $5,000 USD in one of three categories. The festival will run from July 30 and closes for entries on November 26. Internet voting will continue until December 17, and winners will be selected and announced on January 7, 2010.

The first round of the competition for best feature film and best short film will be decided by a global Internet vote, which will narrow the entries to a list of the top 10 finalists per category. At the second and final stage of the competition, the finalists for these two categories will be judged by a panel made up of one member of The New York Film Academy, Max Fraser (co-founder of Put It On), and an industry professional yet to be named. The award for best achievement in acting will be decided separately by the panel of judges, with all submissions automatically entered for consideration.

Put It On is accessible in 10 languages and was created to help unknown artists take their work from the “garage” to the global marketplace where fans can connect with them directly. Leveraging an online platform for showcasing and marketing art, music, fashion and film, PutItOn.com helps undiscovered artists from around the world become both artistically and financially successful.

A Question For You, plus Fright Night and Horrorfest News

I just wanted to pause for a moment and ask a question... but before I do, I'd just like to stop and explain what Dead Harvey is and what we're really trying to accomplish here. This site is dedicated to the indie horror filmmaker and fan and our mission is twofold. First and foremost, we want to be a resource for the indie horror filmmaker and, secondly, we'd like to do our part to grow this little sub-genre. Lofty goals, I know. We're currently exploring options for a few projects that slide into and compliment those goals, but the site hasn't changed much. So, here's my question and, hopefully, you'll answer. What would you like to see out of the site? We're very interested, so... you talk, we'll listen. Please throw a few comments in there...

I have a couple things that I wanted to mention, but before I do, I just wanted to remind you that you can follow us on Twitter here, join our Facebook group here and I guess I shouldn't forget about Myspace, which you can find here. You get a few extra random, stupid thoughts and content through them. Anyhow...

Fright Night Film Festival - Aug 14 - 16: If you didn't know, one of our favorite fests of the year is the Fright Night Film Festival. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that we've talked with the festival director, Ken Daniels, twice. If you want to hear about the whole indie horror festival scene and what goes on there, you should definitely read those two interviews. You'll find the first one here and the second one here.

If you've read them already or just don't care, I'll just tell you about their latest announcement... and it's that Danny Lloyd, Danny Torrance from "The Shining", will be making his very first convention appearance at Fright Night Film Fest to help benefit Make-A-Wish. He'll be attending the fest and signing autographs on Saturday, August 15th, beginning at 11:30 am. 25% of EVERY autograph goes to Make-A-Wish. Get those Posters, DVD's, and anything else you can think of to get autographed.

After Dark Film Horrorfest 4 announcements: We've recently been added to the press list for After Dark Films, which I find to be pretty cool. All that really means is that they send us press releases and emails when they have something to promote, but I'm a big fan of what After Dark is doing and I'm happy to pass on what they're up to. I recently received a couple of press releases from them: The first one is on "Dread", the Anthony DiBlasi written and directed film, based on Clive Barker's short story from "Book of Blood". It'll be the second film out of the "Book of Blood" franchise, the first being "Midnight Meat Train". The second press release is on "The Graves", which is written and directed by Brian Pulido, who's a well known comic book writer and the creator of such titles as "Lady Death" and "Evil Ernie". Both films have now been picked up for After Dark's Horrorfest 4 and that's why I got the press releases.

So, I was going to write up something on both films, but I thought this may be more interesting... although I'm not sure if it's allowed, I guess I'll find out soon enough. I'm going to put up the press releases on box.net and give you the links to download or read them and here you go: press release for Dread and for press release for The Graves. Not only will the news interest you, but I thought you may be interested to see how a good press release is put together... as it's a good skill to have. Once your film is done, you should be putting together something like this and putting it out there for anyone who cares.

That's all I've got for this week, don't forget to get your drink on over the next few days and we'll see you next week! Oh yeah... and don't forget to add some comments about what you'd like to see out of the site!

Interview With Ken Daniels, Festival Director of the upcoming Fright Night Film Fest

I'm not sure if you've been paying attention, but the film industry is in quite a bit of trouble. To quote Hudson from "Aliens", "We're Fucked". They're fighting a fragmented audience, they're fighting new technology and they're fighting piracy. Basically, there's a growing amount of content, a lot of which is free, and everyone's trying to reach a shrinking audience... Really, what the film industry is going through is a lot like what the music industry went through not too long ago. Here's the silver lining... or, what I like to call "the worm at the bottom of the bottle". The music industry has changed course and is figuring out how to make money again. How are they doing it? Well, live performances, merchandise sales and licensing are the big ones. If the film industry is fighting a similar battle, what can they learn?

For starters, we need to think like a band - think beyond one incarnation. Meaning, we need to create an idea, a character or a storyline that lives beyond one film, we need to think like a franchise. That way, you're building an audience, as opposed to looking for a new one with each film. Not only that, as you build, you become more marketable and you can leverage what you have with each new project. That's where merchandising and licensing will become options. The other thing that I think is going to become more and more important is the film festivals. They're the film world's equivalent to concerts. People may not buy your DVD for $5, but they'd probably pay $5 to see it in the theater with 100 other people. Think about that. Not only that, it's a place where you can sell that merchandise and a place where you can build that audience. From the viewers perspective, it's like a party and a place to network, find out about new films and meet their favorite filmmakers. Festivals really are win/win situations for everybody in the genre.

However, some people are talking about how there's too many film festivals. Well, I have news for you. There's not enough. It's a growing market and there's going to be increasing demand for them. I don't see why each and every town doesn't have at least one festival for every genre. I don't see why there's not various travelling festivals that go on tour, hitting numerous towns. I think that the festivals are going to be increasingly important for the fans, for the filmmakers and for the genre itself. You, as a filmmaker, need to know more about them... and that's why we here at Dead Harvey continue our quest for information... to pass on to you. Here, we talk to Ken Daniels, festival director of the Fright Night Film Fest, one of the top fests for indie horror. I hope we can bring you more interviews like this and I also hope you can take something away from this.

And if you want to read the first interview we did with him, click here.

We talked with you a while ago about last years festival, so we’ll try not to be too redundant. However, just to refresh our readers memories, tell us a bit about the Fright Night Film Fest.

We are the 3rd Largest Genre Film Festival in the Country. The largest in Mid America. This year more MUSIC, TATTOO'S, PARTIES, INDUSTRY SEMINARS FOR FILMMAKERS are just some of the new things to look forward to. We are on our 5th year and getting better every year.

So, how’s the last year treated you and Fright Night? What have you been up to?

We've been searching for ways to improve the festival beyond what others shows are doing. We've have several elements that all shows have but we've changed and added more of other elements all the while making it intimate enough to make friends year in and year out.

Have there been any changes in the festival since last year?

We've added more tattoo artist's. You'll see the addition of much more music. More parties. We've enhanced it with more industry seminars then before.

You’re screening a few films this year that Dead Harvey readers should be familiar with, such as “The Ugly File”, “Livestock” and “Shadows Light”. What are some of the other highlights from the selections this year?

There are quite a few great movies this year. Tell all your readers to be on the lookout for these great films, "Thirsty" is one great little short starring Michael Bailey Smith and Tiffany Shepis.

Fright Night has become one of the key festivals for true indie horror. Talk a bit about where indie horror is now and tell us where you think it’s heading.

Wow this is a loaded question. I'll tell you what I really think. I've got two really different sides to this issue and unfortunately the side that doesn't have the good news is the side that is really in the right. First of all I love, and I mean love meeting filmmakers at all levels of experience and desire. The great thing about living today is you can buy all the equipment you need for 10,000 dollars to make a good little movie. That's also the bad news. With everyone out there making a movie there are a lot of really bad movies out there. I see so many of them that it's frustrating because I know that talented filmmakers exist. The really bad news is that there's only a limited amount of venues to showcase your films. Sorry folks. That's the truth. Marketing and business rule the creative world unfortunately. Look at what's going on with really big celebs today. Some of these are really BIG CELEBRITIES. With the sheer volume of movies being put out many of these movies never make it to cable. They go straight to video. It's not just because they aren't good. Some of the films I've seen are really good. It's just that some knucklehead in charge of distribution to theatres thinks that the movie won't have an audience. Every studio whether it's independent or not of even the big studios is trying to recoup their money. They don't like taking any kind of risk. They try to find the most marketable movie possible. Let's say Transformers 2 for example. They spend 200 million to make a movie like this to bring in 500 million. One of the reasons I heard from someone in the industry is it's easier to focus everything on one movie then produce 20 movies at 10 million. They told me that by the time you market, do the prints and get everything done you won't be able to make as much money. It's crazy but true. The glut of horror movies coming down the way is pretty evident. The good thing about being in this moment in history is also the bad thing. Every JOE SCHMO thinks they can make and movie and they send them to film festival's or try to sell them online. Sorry people. My belief is for another few years anyway is that online isn't the way to go. The only thing people are downloading online is information products and PORN!!

Personally, I feel that the horror festival circuit is the backbone of the whole scene and they’re integral on various levels. Aside from fans attending and filmmakers submitting, what can indie horror fans do to support indie horror?

One of the greatest things that can happen is if filmmakers would learn to market better and for the fan's to buy their movies and not download them for free. I think that independents shouldn't charge 20 dollars or even 10 dollars for their movies. How about 2 for 10 dollars. The fan's overall aren't rich. The fan's must keep going to the film festival's and conventions. The very next John Carpenter could be at Fright Night this year.

Fright Night accepts a lot of horror films with low budgets, which is fantastic. What elements do you think make a GOOD indie horror and what elements do you think make a SUCCESSFUL indie horror? Is there a difference?

A good horror film does'nt really have to have a great story. From a fan's point of view and horror fan's are the coolest as well as some of the most intelligent people I've met can tell you that sometimes the best elements are the execution of everthing in a professional way. We would all rather see a great short film rather then a crappy long feature length indie that couldn't sustain itself for very long. A successful indie horror movie has to have all the elements. Look at Gregg Bishop's "The Other Side" made for $15,000. Or "The Blair Witch Project" actually produced by a fellow Kentuckian Gregg Hale. You have to have several things:

1. A Unique Idea
2. Good Audio
3. Good Acting
4. Good Lighting
5. Good Camera's.

Notice I didn't say story or screenplay. I love a great screenplay but let's face it some of the most marketable movies and successful movies had zero story.

What can getting a film accepted to the festival mean for a filmmaker?

Major Distribution. We've had over 7 films get distribution after our show. Several well know studios picked up several movies. Secret buyer's come to the shows and pick movies they are interested in and ask us after the show.

When and where is this year’s festival and how can people find out more about it?

We are at the CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL NEXT TO THE AIRPORT in Louisville Kentucky. You can find out more about it at FrightNightFilmFest.com

Film Fest Updates, A Wrap Up and... "The Mutant Chronicles"

Well, here we are... Friday. Bless. I can already taste the cold beers... that could be because it's 8AM and I'm three beers in. Kidding, I'm only on my first.

Anyhow, for horror fans, it's a bit of a slow weekend at the theaters. If you're lucky enough to live in L.A. or New York, though, you're in the only two cities that are playing "The Mutant Chronicles". Otherwise, you're stuck with Disney's "Earth", "Fighting", "Obsessed" and/or "The Soloist". It's too bad, too. "The Mutant Chronicles" looks awesome. It's got Thomas Jane, Ron Perlman and John Malkovich in it... check out their site here. Why couldn't this have got a bigger release? Seriously, it looks wicked...

So, on to our wrap up, updates and such and such... As you know, we're all about helping out friends around here. Remember that, as if there's anything we can do to help you out... make sure you let us know. For example, do you remember Tom Seymour? He's the co-writer and co-director of all the "Bikini Bloodbath" films. If you want to read the interview we did with him a while back, you can find it here. Anyways, he sent us an email, asking for a bit of help on getting people to vote for his film, "London Betty", to be one of the finalists in the Hobboken Film Fest. So, click here to go to the page on The NY Post's site where you can vote for it... now, go vote for it. I'd do it for you.

There's also a couple of new festivals you should know about...

This is the 4th anniversary of the "NBC Universal Short Cuts Film Festival" and they've just expanded to accept comedy, drama, sci-fi and, that's right... horror. Obviously, there's going to be lots of industry people that are watching these, so it's probably a pretty good deal for you, especially as there's no entry fee, so... why not enter? The other thing is, it's NBC Universal... really, they're probably looking for new content and some good ideas. Ideally, you'd be submitting a film that's 5 - 7 minutes long, although they will look at stuff that's up to 30 minutes long. So, if you've got an idea that could be good for TV, this could be a good opportunity for you.

Then there's the "Producer's Challenge! Presented by the Producers Guild of America" and it's not too hard to figure out what's going on here... First off, there's the "Produced By Conference", which you can register for and it's basically a weekend conference, where you can hang out with and hear from a bunch of A-List producers. There'll be speakers, networking opportunities, workshops, things like that... However, they're also doing a video contest and they're looking for narrative shorts, documentary shorts and webisodes. Prizes include a mentoring lunch with a 'mega-producer', such as Gale Anne Hurd, Marshall Herskovitz or Mark Gordon; an all-session access badge to the 2010 Produced By Conference and equipment for future projects and much, much more! What I find interesting is the fact that they're looking for webisode content... Considering that you probably know more about making a good webisode pilot than they do, it could be a good opportunity to get something out there.

Let's just mention a few of our good festival friends now...

Coming up in Louisville, KY this August 14-16, it's the 5th annual "Fright Night Film Fest". They're the largest genre film festival in mid-America AND they're currently accepting submissions for all types of films and screenplays - click here to be taken to their submissions page. It's a wicked festival to both attend and submit to, so check it out. We'll definitely keep you posted on this one...

And, did you read our interview with David Pruett, the Festival Director of Dark Carnival Film Fest? If not, check it out here. It was a great interview, good insight for filmmakers looking to submit to festivals. Anyhow, they sent me a press release to post... this is another festival that I'll continue to keep you posted on...

We welcome you join us for the 1st Annual Dark Carnival Film Festival Screenplay Competition. We are excited to include a competition for screenplay writers who enjoy writing what we love to watch - HORROR. The writers start it all so we want to be part of discovering new talent.

The winner of BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY will have their script produced as a short film to premiere at the 2010 Dark Carnival Film Festival!

The film will be produced by Clockwerk Pictures and Dark Carnival Oddities, a new production/distribution company that pools the talents of a variety of indie horror veterans. THIS IS A FIRST FOR ANY INDIE HORROR FILM FEST, SO DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE!

In addition, there will be a feature length category. The winner of the BEST FEATURE LENGTH SCREENPLAY will win a cash prize up to $500!.

For the 1st Annual Screenplay Competition, the odds of becoming the top winners in the Dark Carnival Film Fest are in your favor unlike these veteran screenplay competitions. We are looking for the best-from-the best to scare us.

Accepting Entries NOW!!!! If you are a student (over 18), we have a special discount rate just for you.

For more information contact us at info@darkcarnivalfilmfest.com or visit our web site at DarkCarnivalFilmFest.com.

That's it for this week, folks... have a great weekend!

Interview with Ken Daniels, founder of the Fright Night Film Fest

It's the end of another week, which means two things: 1. I'm dangerously close to getting into the sauce... and 2. we're going to talk about horror film festivals.

Just to reiterate something that we say over and over again, the indie horror film festivals are a HUGE integral part of the whole indie horror scene and if you're not submitting a film, you should get involved with or, at least, attend them. If you ARE submitting a film, or are planning on submitting a film, you should really be a regular reader of our site. Interviews like the one you're about to read offer so much insight into what you, as a filmmaker, need to be thinking about when you head into pre-production.

This week, we get to talk with Ken Daniels, founder of The Fright Night Film Festival, which takes place in Louisville, KY, but before we get to Ken, let's just throw out there that The Fright Night Film Fest is the largest genre show in the Mid South and they're starting to get a lot of recognition worldwide. They accept a lot of films and they really are a true supporter of indie horror. So, at the end of the day, if you're going to submit your film to, or attend a festival, this one needs to be on your radar...

Please tell us a bit about yourself… how’d you get into indie horror?

I've always loved the grindhouse movies. I go way back into film actually. I started as an 8 year old who loved the movies, all kinds of movies. Especially horror movies. The escapism of it all is what got me started. I became a filmmaker at 12 years old. My dad showed me how to use his 8 mm camera. My first feature was "The Menacer" a killer lurked in our neighborhood and it got us into lot's of trouble. My sister played a victim while all the kids in our neighborhood pitched in and did something. Jeff Dobrow, now a successfull, 3D animator for major Movie studios, was one of our collaboraters. He came up with the name. I went on to produce and direct 3 more films for my grade school. My teacher, Ms. Sharber, let me make movies out of the books I read, instead of writing essay's. I hated writing essay's at the time. So I made "A Really Weird Summer", "War of the Worlds Part 2" and another film called "The Taking". After a dry period I went into hibernation for a number of years. The world of business got ahold of me and I faded out of the fan scene for a couple of years. Then in 1997 I got back into it and started working with festivals in New York, Lake Placid, Woodstock, Las Vegas, San Francisco and more. After I started working for a while I accidently got into the world of Celebrity Booking. I've been lucky to work with good people in the field. Along with Gunnar Hanson, I was able to bring Teri McMinn and Bill Vail, of Texas Chainsaw Massacre Fame, to their first show in May of 2008. I've been the agent for Michael Myers, from the first Halloween to Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Sci Fi Ghosthunters to Leatherface 2 and more. Right now, my partner and I have a stable of about 30 people at our website: hollywoodconventionconnection.com. We work with promoters to help their show become more successfull. That's fun, but I really didn't get into it for that reason. Eventually I won't do that and I'll give it to my Joint Venture partner. Right now, I'm helping out with about 5 shows. I'm directly involved in helping them become more successfull. You'll also find me Producing films. My recent one, "The Lucky Break", got a standing ovation at our show. It blew me away. I rode in a limo with other celebrities who just made my night by telling me how good it was. I've got 3 more films in the works. They'll be ready in 2009 and 2010.

Tell us a bit about The Fright Night Film Fest… when and why did it get started?

Well, actually it started over 6 years ago when I was living on the West Coast. Then in 2005 we rented a small screen with about 125 people and had our first one. 2006 was our second one with a convention added. 2007 we really hit it big. 2008 couldn't have been any more magical as I say. We had over 35 celebrity guests. That will be the last time we ever have that many guests.

From the perspective of the film, why should indie horror filmmakers try to get their films into festivals?

The right festival can launch a career. Getting your film seen by others and critiqued is one of the best way's to get notice and create a buzz. The internet is great for buzz. It can't match the experience of sitting in a room filled with all kinds of people laughing at the funny parts of your film and getting scared at the parts you want them to get scare at.

From the perspective of the filmmaker, what can I expect to get out of having my film screen at the festival?

You can expect to get the respect you deserve, a nice laurel, fun times, possibly an award and a lifetime of memories you will never forget.

As a horror fan, what can expect to get out of attending the festival?

Horror fan's can shop for anything imaginable, artwork, sculptures, collectibles, hard to find movies, autographs and more. What else couldn't be any cooler than to be able to rub elbows with the best filmmakers and celebrities around.

When you’re accepting films, what are you looking for?

We look for something unique. I always tell individuals I would rather see a good short film then a crappy full length feature.

The judges are looking for story or concept, sound design, lighting, acting, editing, direction. We would appreciate it if more filmmakers take the time to fix their sound and work on their lighting. We've turned down a lot of films because of this.

Does budget come into play when you’re considering films?

No way. This is an independent film festival. I know a film that cost $200 that won a category a couple of years ago.

As a filmmaker, what can I do to make my film more festival friendly? Should I even be thinking of that?

Absolutely you should be thinking about that. Watch for what I said earlier. Your sound, lighting and acting. Get good actors. Don't use the same actors for every film and then submit it. This might help out some filmmakers.

At what point in the filmmaking process should I be thinking about the festivals?

Right away. Festivals are one of your best bet's for getting your film scene by others in a large group setting.

Are there any particular success stories from films that screened at The Fright Night Film Fest?

Yeah, Nightmare Man won at our festival and was picked up for national distribution in 8 Films to Die For. "Bad Reputation" hit off and secured National Distribution with Maverick Entertainment. Then you have "Dead Moon Rising", "DeadLands". "Woman's Intuition" Won Best Short Film last year and then recently Won and Emmy Award.

What advice can you give to an up and coming filmmaker in the indie horror genre?

1.Learn to tell a good story.
2.Shoot a good short film first before you shoot a full length feature. Some people could have avoided the tiem and money spent if they would have practiced with a short film.
3. Never give up.
4.Always find your genre festival like Fright Night Film Fest to support.
5. Find personalities over actors for your films. Sometimes this is more entertaining.
6.Don't make a Zombie film.
7.Don't make a Slasher film.
8. Don't copy another person's idea.
9. Don't kid yourself, remain humble. Nobody likes a jackass.
10. Help as many people as you can make a movie and they will help you. Your odds are better that way.
11. Submit to Fright Night Film Fest

Tell us about the future of indie horror, where do you see it going?

That's a tough question. I think it's gonna always be there in some capacity. It's kinda hit a small saturation level today. Everybody who has a camera today wants to make a horror film. Let's all be realistic. There aren't enough customers to go around for everybody to make a living or make any money for that matter. I do think the internet will definitely be an area to look into. I do disagree with a few people who say theatres will be gone in 10 years or so. I've heard them say even 5 years. It ain't gonna happen. People love gathering. That's the reason why it won't happen as long as I'm alive. It's the escape, the smell of the popcorn, the chattering of people next to your or just the loud burst's of laughter of someone in the theatre. So I'm sorry to disagree with some people who say we will be watching our movies on a mobile phone or computer. The naysayers have been saying it since the dawn of the VCR. It's only gotten bigger for the theatre industry. Now, will there be changes in the future. Sure, but what they really are remains to be seen.

What’s next for you and The Fright Night Film Fest?

We want to grow toward a true industry show. The age of having a show survive on celebrities alone isn't going to cut it. We want to scale back on celebrities. I've been saying this for a while. If you make your show about any one thing such as celebrities or whatever else. That one thing will be the downfall of your show.

Where can people find out more about The Fright Night Film Fest and how can they go about entering their film

They can go to frightnightfilmfest.com

Film Fest Updates - Fright Night Film Fest, The Fantasy Film Fest, Film4 Fright Fest, Fargo Fanatastic Film Fest and LA Shorts Fest

It's a long weekend up here, so I've been boozing for three days... thus the late post. Here's some info on some new film fests and some others with updates. I'll be adding them / updating the horror film fest section soon... I swear.

We've covered Fright Night Film Fest in the past, but it's coming up here pretty quick. It's August 15 - 17 in Louisville, KY. So, obviously, you can't submit your film to THIS years festival, but you can submit to next years. You can see their film schedule here, so take a look. By the way, if you think your film is in line with what they're accepting, get yours in for next year. They accept a LOT of films, so this is a great one to look into if you want to get one of those little logos that say "official selection of..." on your DVD cover.

The Fantasy Film Festival takes place in various cities in Germany. They screen a lot of big budget indie films, such as "My Name Is Bruce", "Mother Of Tears" and "The Rage". That's not to say that's not awesome, all three of those films are... it's just to say that they probably aren't accepting too many 'shot of DV' films, especially non-German ones. In any case, the festival runs August 12th - September 10th and there are screenings in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Dortmund, Frankfurt... and a bunch of other German cities. Go to the site if you're interested (and look for the button that says 'english' on the left side) to make navigating the website a bit easier.

Sticking to overseas festivals, the Film4 Fright Fest, which takes place in London, England, is going on August 21st - 25th. Obviously, once again, you can't submit your film now, but make note that submissions for the 2009 festival open on Jan 1, 2009. Once again, they screen more of the higher budget indie-fare, such as: "Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer", "Midnight Meat Train" and "Bad Biology", but they do have a few lower-budget films in there. It's a little more open than that last one.

Now, quickly, a few domestic festivals... First, the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival is still accepting submissions. The deadline is September 15th, the late deadline is October 1st. The fest takes place October 31st - November 2 this year. They show both professional and amateur productions, "as both can learn from the other". Any lengths, formats and styles accepted. Here's a link to the entry form.

I just found out about LA Shorts Fest when they sent me a message... can't remember if I got by Myspace or through email, but whatever. They screen all genres of films, so they're not exclusively horror, but they do have a horror section. Their jurors are all pro's, such as Sandra Oh - actress from Grey's Anatomy, Andrew Reimer - Sr. VP of Acquisitions and Productions for HBO, etc. When I clicked on 'horror', nothing seemed to come up. Further, I have no idea how submissions work... or even how the festival works period. WTF? Maybe someone can go on there and enlighten me? Are you supposed to just upload your film and hope for the best? Why are there films (most that don't work) just playing randomly? Wow... for a fest that boasts high-end judges and being "Academy accredited", they sure don't make it easy to figure out what the F is going on.