The Weekend Box Office and The Week In Horror on DVD

It was a crowded weekend at the box office, with four new movies getting wide releases, vying to take over the top spot, and, in the end, none of them could topple the leader. That honor remains in the hands of Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland". By the way, "Alice" is now the highest grossing collaboration from Depp and Burton and is likely to end up being Burton's top-grossing film, ever. As for the four new films, "Green Zone", "She's Out of My League", "Remember Me" and "Our Family Wedding", they were all disappointments and the biggest disappointment of the bunch has to be "Green Zone", which starred Matt Damon and came from "Bourne" director Paul Greengrass. In my humble opinion, the war thing isn't going to sell as a big budget film anymore and it won't for a while, unless it's over the top, "Rambo" style. Audiences are obviously looking for an escape, not reality ("Alice", "Avatar") and the political, war themed movies aren't going to pull in big dough, this is something that I've been saying for a while. Think about it, even "Hurt Locker" only pulled in around $15Million at the box office and that was the most critically acclaimed film of the year. Moving on, "Remember Me" starred Robert Pattinson in his first non-vampire, non-wizard role in a nationwide release and, well... it bombed. Really, I don't even know what it's about and it looks like audiences didn't care, either. "She's Out of My League" starred Jay Baruchel, who's played supporting roles in "Knocked Up" and "Tropic Thunder", but apparently can't hold his own film and really, this film stinks of being born out of a marketing meeting. "Our Family Wedding" was the romantic comedy and I really can't even comment on that, so... yeah. Let's just get to the week in horror on DVD. You can go to our Youtube Page by clicking HERE and you can see all the trailers or you can click on the title to be taken to the Amazon page, where you can read more and/or buy the film.

I'm going to mention "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" in this post, even though it comes out on Saturday, March 20th and a lot of you don't even consider it to be a horror. I'm not sure what to say about it, except for that it's a juggernaut franchise. The first film cost $37Million to make and grossed over $380Million. This one cost $50Million to make and grossed over $700Million. The franchise put Summit Entertainment on the map, as it had released nothing but stinkers before this, including: "P2", "Penelope", "Never Back Down" and "Sex Drive". I'll admit to the fact that I've seen both films and, really, I think they're flawed, but... don't tell that to the kids. I'm just happy that vampires and werewolves are big box office draws...

The Milla Jovovich film, "The Fourth Kind", comes out this week and there's a couple lessons to be learned on this one. One... don't lie directly to your audiences face. Two... don't assume that your audience is stupid. "Blair Witch" is the only film that I can think of that lied, but lied well, AND they never really lied right to your face. "The Fourth Kind" lies to your face, right off the bat. The film opens with Jovovich walking up to the camera and telling the audience that she's Milla Jovovich, she's an actress and that she plays psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler in a recreation of events that took place by Nome, Alaska, based on an actual taped interview from 2002 and actual footage taken by Tyler. The only problem? It's all fake. ALL of it. Not one bit of it is real AND it doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that. It's pretty shitty filmmaking if the only way you can get your audience to suspend disbelief is by outright lying to their faces... and it doesn't work. Why didn't it work? Because the audience isn't stupid, so don't assume that they are. What sucks is, the premise is pretty good and I think there's a market for alien films... this is a great example of how to ruin a good story and create a debacle.

"Eugene" is an indie film that screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the San Francisco Indie Fest and at New Filmmakers New York. It's written and directed by Jake Barsha and it's "a dark portrait of a man so lonely and miserable that it's almost hard to believe it's as watchable as it is." It's the first feature from Barsha, who's made a few short films and has spent the bulk of his career working in the camera department. I'm all about films that show the dark, gritty sides of humanity, as I think they're very relevant right now. This is the first I've heard of the film, so I, for one, am going to be sure to pick it up.

Very quickly, Vivendi Entertainment is releasing the "Vengeance Trilogy", which consists of "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance", "Oldboy" and "Lady Vengeance". All three films are from Korean director Chan-wook Park and all three kick f'ing ass. Honestly, if you haven't seen these, do yourself a favor and pick this trilogy up. You won't be disappointed.

Even quicker, I want to mention "Blurred Realities", which is a tri-pack of films, including: "American Zombie", "The Hole Story" and "American Shopper". I don't know anything about "The Hole Story" or "American Shopper", but I do know about "American Zombie". In fact, I have the poster hanging on my wall in front of me. I may like the poster more than I like the film, but I really do like the film, as well. It's a great, fresh look at the zombie genre... check it out.

"Ink", the weekend box office and the week in horror...

Before I even get into the box office round up and the new horror coming out on DVD this week, I need to mention a film that I just watched called "Ink". Has anyone else seen it? With all due respect to "Paranormal Activity", it's the indie film of the year, as far as I'm concerned. Go find this film. I've reached out to the guys who made it and I hope to be able to talk with them soon. Not only did they make one of the most intriguing films of the year on a meagre budget, the way they distributed it is revolutionary. Stay tuned on this. Like I said, I hope to discuss it with them and have something for you soon.

So, as for mainstream horror... Lionsgate's "Daybreakers" didn't actually do that bad over the weekend. It was the best new release of the week, even though it came in fourth overall... behind "Avatar", "Sherlock Holmes" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel". "Avatar" is just a beast... it's unstoppable and I'm predicting that it surpasses "Titanic" as the highest grossing film of all time. "Sherlock Holmes" is a bit of a surprise. I haven't given it much more than a passing thought, but I've talked to a lot of people who have seen it and some were even saying it's Oscar-worthy. Granted, without having seen it, I argued that. In any case, reviews on "Daybreakers" are good and it had a strong opening. "The Book of Eli" comes out this Friday and I don't have much of an opinion on that, either... we'll have to wait and see. As for the week in horror on DVD, it's fairly tame. As usual, you can click here and see all the trailers on our Youtube page and you can click on the titles to be taken to their Amazon page, where you can read more and/or buy the film.

So, without question, the biggest budget release of the week is Rob Zombie's "Halloween II". If you liked the first one, you'll probably like this one, but... for me, these films are so far away from what Rob Zombie's good at. Not only that, I just don't like where he's going with Michael Myers. Truth is, he's humanizing him way too much. I've always liked the fact that Michael Myers was a relentless, faceless killer that was pure evil. You never heard him mutter a word, show a reaction, grunt, spit, whatever... he was just unstoppable evil. Zombie has him grunting, talking... we see parts of his face. He's just too human. I get that you're going for that 'brutal' and 'realistic' feel and, if that's the case, you shouldn't be fucking with a horror icon, make up a whole new franchise. Those are my thoughts, disagree with me, if you will... actually, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

There really ought to be a new sub-genre title for films like "CockHammer", maybe micro-shock porn-horror? "Cockhammer" comes from writer/director Kevin Strange, who's the guy who brought you "Dead Shit", "Colonel Kill Motherfuckers" and "Stiff Jobs". There's a lot of people making films like these, but Strange is one of the best. Really, he's just doing one of those things that Hollywood won't do. There's lots of tits, ass, cock, obscenities, vomiting, poop, etc... and his films are extremely entertaining. Check out the trailer, it's not like they hold back or anything. There's definitely a market for films like these...

"The Riverman" came out in 2004 as an A&E Television movie and I actually remember watching it... and kinda liking it. It's about a series of interviews that are conducted with convicted serial killer Ted Bundy in hopes of gaining insight into the Green River Killer, who is terrorizing Seattle. It's like "Silence of the Lambs", but with real killers... played by actors. Cary Elwes actually does a bang-up job of portraying Ted Bundy.

Lastly, they're releasing DVD's of the original "House On Sorority Row" from 1983 and "Riot on 42nd Street" from 1987.

Weekend Wrap-up and What's New on DVD, including: Lesbian Vampire Killers...

Well, they talk about this whole recession thing and they say that piracy and home entertainment is cutting into the box office, but... last weekend was the highest grossing weekend at the box office... ever. All time. No shit. "Avatar" pulled back less than 3% from its opening weekend and "Sherlock Holmes" had the second biggest open ever for a film that didn't finish number 1... which was only bested by "The Day After Tomorrow", which opened the same weekend as "Shrek 2". Even "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The squeakuel" raked in over $50Million. I did my part, too. I finally went to check out "Avatar" at Imax. Say what you will about the story and plot, the film is an f'ing spectacle. I've NEVER seen anything like it before and I can't wait to see something like that again. Unreal. If you haven't seen it, I suggest seeing it at Imax. It's an unbelievable experience.

As for the week in DVD releases, we've finally got ourselves a stellar week. As usual, you can click on the title and be taken to the films page on Amazon, where you can read more about it and even buy it. You can also go to our Youtube page and check out all the trailers.

For the indie crowd, the big movie of the week is, without question, "Paranormal Activity". The best part about it, I don't think it'll lose a bit of its effectiveness when seen on the small screen. In fact, it may be better. Think about it, they way it's filmed, it could be even more effective... it'll certainly add to the intensity and suspense. Anyhow, if you're a reader of this site and you haven't seen it, you really ought to go pick it up and watch it. It's only the most successful micro-budget film to date, not to mention it's the most profitable film ever.

"Jennifer's Body" is the follow up film for "Juno" scribe, Diablo Cody, and the film was a disappointment on a few levels. First up, it just wasn't that great. Secondly, it got slaughtered at the box office. Some of the executives blamed the marketing efforts, others blamed timing... at the end of the day, it just wasn't that good. Having said that, if you're desperate to check out a horror film with some budget and Megan Fox, go right ahead...

I'm not really sure what happened with "Carriers", which was written and directed by Alex and David Pastor. The film was completed, and actually screened, way back in 2007... it even got a lot of good reviews. Then, Paramount Vantage was going to release it last September, but I don't really remember it coming out. It must've been one of those projects that fell to the wayside when the studio's started shuttering their indie arms. In any case, it's finally coming out on DVD this week. It's about four people that are fleeing a viral pandemic that's spread world-wide and it stars Chris Pine, AKA Captain Kirk from the new "Star Trek".

"Vampire Killers" was originally called "Lesbian Vampire Killers" during it's run in the UK, where it was made. It's a horror comedy written by Stewart Williams and Paul Hupfield, directed by Phil Claydon. The funniest thing about the film is that the writers, who were both working in the comedy development department at MTV in Europe at the time, were challenged to come up with the most commercial film project and title they could to pitch as a low-budget, straight to DVD feature... this is what they came up with. It toiled around for a while, but did, obviously, eventually get made. Can't say that the reviews are good, but... with a title like that, the bar is set low. Don't know about you, but I'll be checking it out.

Lastly, there's the low-budget "Evil Offspring", directed by Tommy Brunswick and released by R Squared. The trailer that I found is in German, but the film isn't... so, it looks like the film had an overseas release. I don't know much about the plot, but the film opens with the trees and wilderness ripping two guys apart, then raping a girl. The girl then goes on to spawn some evil offspring, which go out and wreak havoc... thus the title.

2010 Sundance "Park City at Midnight" Lineup... and a controversial statement

I'm about to say something that some filmmakers may think is a bit controversial. When you're writing your film... or when you're conceiving a film idea... think of what's succeeded at the film festivals, what's gone on to cult status on DVD and what audiences are watching in the theaters. I'm not saying you should copy them or rip them off, but you should figure out what your audience is watching and cater to them... Think about it, at the end of the day, who's in charge? The filmmakers or the audience? Do you think that filmmakers create audiences OR do audiences create successful films? In reality, it's probably a mix of the two. There are certainly filmmakers out there that can just do whatever they want and audiences will eat it up, but they're few and far between. If you're not one of those filmmakers, I think you need to look at your audience, understand your audience and give your audience what they want. Now, the only problem is, who's your audience and what do they want?

Me, personally, I like to turn to the festivals to see what's going on there... and there's two reasons. One, they're generally the indie freaks and enthusiasts, so if they like it... chance are, that's what other indie freaks and enthusiasts are going to like, as well. Two, they need to cater to an audience, too. They need to put together a festival lineup that people will watch, enjoy and talk about. So, really, they're doing a lot of the afore mentioned work for you. Why do I bring this up? Well, it's because Sundance is around the corner and they've just recently announced their "Park City at Midnight" lineup... which is where films like "Black Dynamite", "The Blair Witch Project" and "Saw" all premiered. Last year, they screened a pile of classics, including "Black Dynamite", "Dead Snow", "Grace" and "The Killing Room"... all of which were cutting edge and awesome, in their own way. So, what's in store for 2010? Let's take a look...

I've been DESPERATELY waiting for "Splice", from Vincenzo Natali, to come out... the trailer is unreal. It's about a couple of young scientists that engineer a new animal species and become the rebel superstars of the scientific world. However, in secret, they introduce human DNA into the experiment and, well, all hell breaks loose.

"Buried", from Rodrigo Cortes, also has had a ton of buzz about it. It's the film where a US contractor working in Iraq, played by Ryan Reynolds, wakes up to find himself buried alive in a coffin, armed with only a lighter and a cell phone.

"Frozen", from Adam Green, is about three skiers that are mistakenly stranded on a chairlift and are forced to make life or death choices that prove more perilous than staying put and freezing to death.

"Les 7 Jours du Talion (7 Days)", from Daniel Grou, is about a doctor that's seeking revenge by kidnapping, torturing and killing the man who murdered his young daughter.

"Tucker & Dale vs. Evil", from Eli Craig, is about a couple of hillbillies that go on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin, but their peaceful trip goes horribly awry. Go to Youtube and punch in "Tucker Dale Evil" and watch the trailer. Looks awesome and f'ing hilarious...

Last up, from The Butcher Brothers, is "The Violent Kind", about a group of rowdy young bikers that are partying it up at a secluded farmhouse, when things take a turn for the worse. Tiffany Shepis makes it into this one...

So, what can you pull away from this? Well, it looks like claustrophobia is in, for starters. Also, revenge, bikers and hillbillies are all looking good. However, my guess is that the hillbilly horror may have run it's course, "Tucker & Dale vs Evil" is sort of a lagging indicator of that... if you're interested, a lot of the trailers for these are online. Also, you can read more about the entire Sundance lineup by going to their site - click here.

Interview With Sara Finder, Director of Horrorfest

Okay, you know about Horrorfest, right? The After Dark Horrorfest? 8 Films to Die For? Well, if you don't, you should. The annual film festival has brought a ton of kick-ass horror films to the big screen for American audiences. Films such as: "The Tripper", "Penny Dreadful", "The Gravedancers", "Frontier(s)", "Nightmare Man", "Borderland", "Mulberry Street", "Autopsy", "Perkins' 14" and "Slaughter", to name just a few. Horrorfest debuted in 2006 and it's a one week national film festival that celebrates nothing but horror. In its first year, it became the first film festival to break into the top 10 at the national box office and they've currently distributed over 1.6Million DVD's. To say that they've been a driving force behind indie horror over the last four years is an understatement....

Now, they're back. On January 29th, 2010, After Dark's Horrorfest 4 hits the screens with more of the best in indie horror from around the world. What can you do to prepare? Well, there's a lot of things you can do... however, you can start by reading this exclusive interview that we did with Sara Finder, the Director of Horrorfest. She offers some great insight into how the festival works and offers up some advice for filmmakers...

First off, tell us a bit about yourself, how’d you get in to indie horror and the film scene?

Sara Finder, Director of Horrorfest, I have been marketing Horrorfest since the Horrorfest I DVD release in March 2007. I have been working in the film/tv scene since 1995 holding various positions. Inevitably my jobs led me into the indie horror world & I have never looked back.

Most of readers are well aware of Horrorfest, but for those who aren’t, tell us a bit about Horror fest. When and why did it get started?

After Dark Films, CEO Courtney Solomon had just completed his film American Haunting. Shortly after, Lions Gate sealed a deal with him to distribute his films. His search for the next film to release led him to find several worthy horror films which then developed into the creation of Horrorfest “8 Films to Die For” Horrorfestonline.com. Horrorfest is a one-week national film festival that celebrates all areas of the horror genre.

Tell us a bit about your selection process. What does it take to get picked up by Horrorfest?

We look for films in various ways, including: film festivals, submissions, referrals etc. The door is always open as to how we get our films. In regards to film selection we do not go out with a set idea of what we want to do. Every year is different, so we keep an open mind about which films will make it into our festival.

As a filmmaker, what could I do to make my film more festival friendly? Is this something that you think filmmakers should even be thinking about?

No, filmmakers should not be concentrating on making it festival friendly. They should be concentrating on bringing their vision to life.

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

Once your film has been completed, never underestimate the power of publicity. Help spread the word about your film as much as possible.

Are there any success stories of note from Horrorfest?

There are several success stories, many of our directors were offered film projects due to the exposure of their films being released nationwide theatrically by After Dark Films. Last year we produced a few of our own films (Butterfly Effect 3, Slaughter and Perkins 14) and brought back a director who had his film in a previous Horrorfest – Craig Singer director of Dark Ride & Perkins 14. We spotlight the indie filmmakers in ways they would not receive if their films went straight to DVD. This exposure is extremely valuable and can definitely get them to their next film opportunity.

So, as a fan… what can we expect out this Horrorfest this year?

Horrorfest 4 will be an incredible festival. So far we have announced the below & two more films will be announced shortly. Make sure you check out Horrorfestonline.com for more information on each of the films including stills & trailers. We are updating the site with new goodies frequently.

Dread
Dread, the second in the Book of Blood franchise is a stylish horror/thriller about three college students working on a documentary for school focusing on what others dread in life.

Hidden
Painful memories arise when Kai Koss goes back to his childhood home after 19 years and inherits his dead mother's house.

Lake Mungo
Sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer drowns while swimming in the dam. After her burial, her grieving family experiences a series of paranormal disturbances in their home

The Graves
Two inseparable sister's visit to a remote mine town turns into a mind-bending fight for survival against menaces both human and supernatural.

ZMD
Life is wonderful for the people in the quiet, island town of Port Gamble....until a zombie virus outbreak!

The Final
A group of high school outcasts takes revenge on the classmates who tormented torment them.

Tell us about the future of indie horror, where’s it at now and where do you see it going?

Indie horror is alive and thriving. I see the future as one where filmmakers have more opportunities to create & make the films they dream of.

What’s next for you and Horrorfest?

Horrorfest 4 coming this January 29th is keeping me busy and will all the way until its March DVD release. Then we start all over again creating and bringing the fans more horror films they truly want to see on the big screen.

Where can people find out more about Horrorfest and how can they support it?

You can find out about Horrorfest 4 on our site at Horrorfestonline.com. Register with us & get the Horrorfest news first hand. As well, follow us on our social networks at: twitter.com/afterdarkfilms, Facebook & myspace.com/afterdarkfilms

Interview with Frank Ippolito, writer/director of "& Teller" and "& Teller 2"

And a happy Cinco de Mayo to you, Mes Amigos!

For you history buffs, Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May"), is actually a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla and it commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has been adopted as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. I, personally, have incorporated it into my life because I love margaritas, tequila and Mexican beer... plus, I always celebrate May, as it's the beginning of a new fiscal year for me.... which means I managed to get through another year, pay all my taxes and I'm ready to start all over again. In any case, happy Cinco de Mayo! Go get yourself a Pacifico and celebrate the fact that I paid my taxes!

Anyhow, that's not what this post is about... this post is about innovation. They say that necessity is the mother of invention and invention, really, is to innovate. To innovate - the creation of a new configuration, composition of matter, device or process. Inventions can be based on simply innovating pre-existing models OR they could be much, much more. Innovation can lead to radical breakthroughs that extends the boundaries of human knowledge or experience. They can literally change the way that we, as humans, see and interact with the world. Think about computers, space travel and nano technology. In all that, however, they didn't factor in laziness. Laziness can also be the catalyst for innovation. Think about the remote control, automatic transmissions or frozen pre-made dinners. Something tells me that necessity was not at the root of those inventions... and something tells me that pushing the bounds of technology is NOT why Frank Ippolito did his Dead Harvey interview via his webcam... but it's genius, it's innovative and, now, I crave more webcam interviews. Happy Cinco de Mayo to YOU, Mr. Ippolito!

Frank Ippolito is both a top notch special effects guy, plus an award winning filmmaker. He got his start in the make-up department and has worked on big budget films, such as "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", but also did effects for a lot of low-budget films, as well as shorts. For example, he worked on "Cheerbleeders" and "Gay Zombie", two short horror films that we've covered. He also went on to write and direct "The Growth", "& Teller" and "& Teller 2". The "& Teller" films are brilliant shorts starring one half of the comedy duo, "Penn & Teller" and are getting lots of buzz... Now, there's a lot you can take away from this interview and, through the power of innovation, you can rest your brain and your eyeballs... don't try to think, just sit back, relax... and press play.

Dead Harvey interview from Ghost Works on Vimeo.

Interview With Stephen Zimmer: Writer/Director of, "The Sirens"

I actually had a nightmare about the site last night... Lame, I know. But it does happen. I've also had nightmare's about baseball games, vacations and work - I call those work-mares. Now that I think about it, they're not really nightmares. I just wake up in the middle of the night with an overwhelming fear that I have something to do. Unlike the nightmare I had before I went to see Slayer live last time around, where little Slayer action figures were chasing me around. It was like I was trapped in a really cool "Puppet Master" movie. Anyhow, I woke up this morning and, much to my surprise, Brad already put something in here, ready to go for 9AM. That means that after I write this blurb, I can cross the street to get a coffee (still haven't bought any for home yet), then come back and go through a few emails and get a few things off my plate before I head off to work. Well done, Brad. Well done.

Now, quickly, as I read this interview for the first time this morning... you guys really ought to check it out, as Stephen Zimmer offers a few ways to give you and your film a bit of promotion. So, it's definitely worth your while. Now, without further ado... Brad.

BRAD - Our good friend Stephen Zimmer ("Shadow's Light") has a new movie out; "The Sirens" (which is part of a drive-in style double feature); a novel, "The Exodus Gate"; and is part of a new distribution company called Indie Movie Masters. Be sure and check out his interview, as it's a really, really good one. I'm most of all interested in Indie Movie Masters and how, among other things, they include profit sharing for the filmmakers. God knows indie filmmakers need distributors that won't F them over and, from the sounds of it, Indie Movie Masters has a great thing going on for all involved. Enjoy the interview and congrats to Stephen for doing his part to keep indie cinema flourishing!

Where did the idea for the double feature of "The Sirens" and "Murderer" come from?

First of all, thanks so much for the opportunity to interview with you again. I absolutely love what you all have done, and do every day, with Dead Harvey. Dead Harvey is in perfect harmony with the kind of spirit that we strive to embody in the Indie Movie Masters project: A real love for indie film and for the support of indie filmmakers.

The idea of the Indie Movie Masters’ first DVD evolved as we thought about ways in which to best showcase indie films, the majority of which tend to be short films, in a way that results in a legitimately distributed release for an indie filmmaker. We wanted something that really highlighted only a couple of filmmakers per title, and presented it in a way that could be distributed on DVD, exhibited through Video-On-Demand, sold to broadcast markets, and even developed in foreign markets. We wanted to provide another opportunity for indie filmmakers to get their work out and have it last beyond exhibitions at film festivals. (and be more effective in other types of distribution channels) We ultimately decided to be our own lab rats to test the concept, as Matt and Sven had Murderer ramping up, and I was wanting to do a short horror film on a screenplay I wrote. Hence, Festival of Horrors Vol 1, by Indie Movie Masters, with Sirens and Murderer kicking things off.

Tell us about indie movie masters and how you became involved with them.

Indie Movie Masters was born in later 2008 as the full concept for the series came together. I became involved as I have a great interest in seeing a successful series established and grown that benefits indie filmmakers. We basically designed a series that we would love to have run into, and taken advantage of, as indie filmmakers ourselves.

Each title will additionally have trailers for other indie films, independent music videos (such as a great one for the heavy metal band Spent that is in this release), and more. Indie filmmakers with trailers are always welcome to contact us about getting a trailer on one of these releases.

The deal is non-exclusive, it has profit sharing for the filmmakers on the releases that their short films appear on, and much more. Totally indie friendly, and something I truly hope is embraced by the indie film community as it is a win-win setup. We are committed to seeing it grow and develop, and I am very proud to be involved with the others in this project.

How did you meet Matt Perry and what made you decide to collaborate together?

Matt Perry and his business partner Sven Granlund had just finished up with doing FX and extensive production and post-production work a few years back for a feature called Zombie Planet that was shot here in Lexington. They are the heart and soul of Cineline Productions, a full service FX and post-house here in Lexington. At that time, I was in the early development process with Shadows Light, and the guy that I was looking to work with me on Shadows Light in the FX area had to step out due to some personal matters going on in his life. It was a real disappointment, as I had a real affinity for the guy and his talent, but the matters were serious and I completely understood why he had to step down. Definitely amicable, but unfortunate. Obviously, I had a great need to fill for Shadows Light, and I became aware that Matt and Sven were not actively working on any projects. I saw their great commitment and work ethic displayed consistently during the Zombie Planet period, and definitely wanted to get them aboard (along with another outstanding individual named Dave Workman, who came aboard as our Visual Effects supervisor). We only had a little concept work ongoing at the time on Shadows Light, which I had been developing with the other FX artist, but Matt and Sven stepped right in away and hit the ground running. From pre-production design through to post, they really shined. From makeup FX to digital FX, to editing and all manner of post production, they were first class in attitude and execution.

After they worked with me on Shadows Light, they were willing to work with me on The Sirens about a year later (as did Dave Workman, who designed the wicked-looking teeth seen on the dangerously beautiful sirens in the film!). We all work very well together. There is a good chemistry that is vital when working on any film project, as there are always pressures, obstacles, and the like. Our personalities mesh very well in my opinion. It’s a big reason why I roped Matt into doing cover art and illustrations for me with my first novel!

The box design as well as feel of, "The Sirens" and "Murderer" has a strong drive-in appeal. Was this intentional and if so, how did drive-in theaters influence you while growing up?

The packaging was designed to have the B-movie type flavor, as we wanted to make sure that the marketing and promotion of the film did not present the movies out of context. They are indie horror films, and we really strive to get that across in the packaging so that people know what they are getting up front. In this way, we find the appropriate audience and those that buy the DVDs or rent the title tend to have a positive reaction. A similar approach appropriate to genre and the indie nature of the series will be reflected in our forthcoming comedy series, slacker-underground series, and others.

Yes, this title and series does have that drive-in flavor. I actually mentioned the “Filmed in Blood Vision” line on the box originally as a jest, and Matt and Sven were crazy enough to think it was a good idea as part of the packaging!
How have things changed for you since your last film?

I think you just add a little more to your arsenal in terms of organization, knowing a little more about what to expect, and you grow as a filmmaker with each project. I believe that the The Sirens was a positive step forward. It was a very smooth experience, and I had a blast working with some really dedicated actors, actresses and crew members. I look at each project as part of a much greater journey, and as long as we have forward movement, I’m fine! I’m itching to get back at the set soon! Stay tuned…

What inspired you to write, "The Exodus Gate" and are there any plans of incorporating it into a film?

The Exodus Gate and the series that it is a part of (The Rising Dawn Saga) have been in development for several years. I love epic fantasy, with ensembles of characters whose actions and adventures thread together on a large stage. I also am intensely interested in Apocalyptic stories, rumors of shadow-governments, occult lore, mythology, werewolves, and the like. I have always been very intrigued by the Nephilim, the legendary offspring of angels and humans that are actually mentioned in Genesis.

It all weaves together in The Exodus Gate and the Rising Dawn Saga, though ultimately this is a story about freedom of the individual (and resisting its opposite, coercion and control). There are dark edges, and a real blend of the fantastical and supernatural. I think any manner of fantasy reader will find this series to be to their interest. I worked with editor Amanda DeBord who is with Seventh Star Press, my small press publisher, and then had Matt Perry do no less than 15 full page illustrations and cover art for the mainstream release of the novel. (it is a 580 pager!) I would love to have this novel done as a film, but it is too cost prohibitive to do as an indie film as the production involved would be enormous. Landscapes of hell, filled with gathering legions of Fallen Avatars, dreamlike vistas in a “Middle Land” that is in between heaven and hell, and the like would not be easy to pull off well on the indie level, unfortunately. We’ll have to see what happens down the line, as I do think it would make for a very spectacular, epic-scale film.

Which do you find more satisfying and why: writing novels or screenplays?

Purely as a writer, novels are more satisfying simply because you can really go into the depth and detail that you desire in painting your picture. A screenplay, by its nature, is more of a “blueprint”, in that it is anticipated that the director and other parties involved will eventually flesh it out to create the ultimate result/image. A screenplay is designed to evolve all the way to the shooting day, which can be for better or for worse in the screenwriter’s view. As such, a good screenplay tends to be limited in detail, whereas a novel delves as deep as it wants to go. I do enjoy writing screenplays, and the dialogue aspect of screenplays is the most fun for me as a writer. Don’t get me wrong, I want to make it clear that I enjoy writing them, but I had to answer your question honestly!

Where can our readers find out about and, more importantly purchase your films and novel?

We have a slew of ways that readers and movie buffs can find us, and we definitely appreciate every single copy of the book or DVD purchased. It really does make a difference. Folks can always reach me and find information and links at my website at StephenZimmer.com (I am also on MySpace at myspace.com/sgzimmer and I have a blog at stephenzimmer.blogspot.com For the book, they can order The Exodus Gate direct at a discounted price straight from the small press publisher’s online store (which uses secure PayPal transactions). That can be found at SeventhStarPress.com

Otherwise, sites such as Amazon.com are proven online outlets. The Exodus Gate, by the way, is available in both a Kindle version on Amazon.com, as well as an eBook version for other types of readers. (on eBook sites such as Diesel eBooks and BooksOnBoard)

As far as Indie Movie Masters presents Festival of Horrors Vol. 1, it is available direct, and we even have discounts on 2 or 3 units purchased, at the online store at IndieMovieMasters.com It can also be found on many other online sites, Amazon.com, Bestbuy.com, Target online, NetFlix, and many other sites. We are about to undergo a significant expansion in our availability, so folks should stay tuned! Indie Movie Masters has a blog at: IndieMovieMasters.blogspot.com And MySpace users are invited to add Indie Movie Masters at: myspace.com/indiemoviemasters Independent filmmakers should send us their announcements regularly, as we definitely will put news items into the blog regarding all manner of indie films and filmmakers.

Tales From the Micro-Cinema Crypt: "The Clown Incident"

Ted has been doing all the work on the site for at least the past month while I've been out drinking, chasing midgets and acting all around irresponsible. So, I figured it was time for a new post before he gets too pissed off and actually sticks the pins in that voodoo doll he made of me.

Before I go any further, I'd like to take this opportunity to invite any indie filmmakers out there to share their stories with us. In the indie/micro world all kinds of crazy shit happens and I know people have some awesome stories, so please share them with us and we'll post it on the site. Besides, the more stories Ted and I get, the more we can catch up on our dvr recordings, drinking and bootlegged donkey show porn.

I mean, the more we can pursue actual film making.

Alright, enough f'ing around. Here's a little tale of something that happened to me awhile back. I figured it was appropriate for Halloween time since it involves a clown suit.

The micro film world revolves around favors. Meaning, you have to somehow convince everyone to work for free while your already broke-ass spends money you don't even have so you can get your movie in the can. Needless to say, when someone works on your movie for free, it's more or less an unwritten rule that you return the favor. The favors can range anywhere from donating equipment to an unpaid crew position to far more bizarre territory.

In this instance, a friend of mine was making a mockumentary about a hit man's last days on the job before his retirement. The hit man was played by my friend that required the favor: a roughly 300 pound cat who's forte is frighteningly deliverence-esque redneck roles. The first scene I was in involved me playing one of the many thugs who meets their fate at the hands of said hit man's gun.

I was slain in the basement of an apartment building which we completely guerrilla-styled. Meaning, we ran around chasing each other with toy guns and air pistols that were painted to look like real firearms. My friend is a helluva guy and the shoot was a blast, but I was nervous as s because most of the neighbors had no idea what was going on. If the cops would have been called we most likely would have had a snuff film on our hands.

My friend approached me after the shoot and our conversation went something like this:

HIT MAN: Hey man, you did a great job getting shot and falling straight back into the cement. That was bad-ass!

ME: Thank's, man! It was fun.

HIT MAN: You didn't f yourself up or anything, right? We don't have insurance.

This I completely understood. We never have insurance on our movies either.

ME: No, it's cool man. The adrenaline counterbalanced any potential damage.

HIT MAN: Cool. How would you like to help me out with another scene?

ME: Sure, what you got going on?

HIT MAN: First off, let me just say there's going to be a porn chick involved.

ME (suddenly more interested): Really?

HIT MAN: Yeah, man. Are you still in possession of that clown suit?

The clown suit in question is one my low-budget ass has used for Halloween and a few micro movies for about three years in a row. It was most recently featured in, "Psycho Sleepover", which I'll add is a fantastic new micro film we'll be featuring in an upcoming article.

ME: Uh... yeah, I've still got it.

At this point things we're starting to sound a little strange. Why the f do I always get myself involved in situations like this?

HIT MAN: You're going to wear the clown suit and f the porn chick.

ME: Uh... say what?

Instantly I pictured myself home for Christmas while one of my cousins finds the tape amidst a slew of Disney classics. The entire family watches in sheer horror, having no idea four years of film school would result in a starring role in the new discovered Clown Porn genre.

HIT MAN: Let me clarify. You're going to have just gotten done f'ing the porn chick. I'll bust through the door and find you two post coituous in a seedy hotel room. She'll be topless, wearing a clown nose and rainbow colored wig. Since I've had a past relationship with this young lady, I'll naturally want to slay you.

ME: Naturally.

HIT MAN: I'll point a gun at your face and you'll say, "Be nice to Bobo!" Then, I'll shoot you in the face and you'll land on the bed where you'll pretend you're dead and watch me f the porno chick in front of you.

ME: Uh... say what?

About a week later, there I was dressed in my clown suit and my friend's creepy ass clown mask. Why the f people think clowns are funny and get paid to entertain children is besides me.

My friend and I waited on pins and needles for the porno chick to arrive. In these situations you have no idea what's going to happen once the camera rolls. My friend, however, was as cool as the high school nerd who'd just scored a date to the prom with the hottest girl in school. I'd never seen the guy so happy before.

HIT MAN: (nearly jumping up and down in excitement) Oh, man, this is gonna' be awesome! Alright, I've got about twenty minutes before she arrives. I'm going to go take a shower and prepare.

ME: Given the nature of the scene you're about to do, you should probably scrub your undercarriage.

HIT MAN: Why do you think I'm taking the shower? I even got a special soap just for the area in question. I might come out of that shower smelling like a bag of s but my crotch is going to come out like a rose garden.

ME: Good luck to you then.

My friend entered the shower and kept his word, spending a good twenty minutes on the area in question. When he exited the shower, the only thing he had on was his underwear. He held a rubber mat in front of his crotch.

ME: What the hell is that?

HIT MAN: I figured I'd be a gentleman and put it between our crotches. The inspiration comes from the groin thongs Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas wore when they boned down in, "Basic Instinct".

ME: That's not your car mat is it?

HIT MAN: Dude, have some class. This is totally different.

Next thing I knew I was pretending to act dead on the sleazy hotel bed and looking out the two eye holes of the clown mask in what can best be described as a Michael Myers POV before he kills his sister in the first ten minutes of, "Halloween".

There are many tests of a man's friendship. These can range anywhere from lending your car, to helping move, to helping bury a body in the desert. Then, there's playing dead in a clown suit and watching your friend f from a Michael Myers POV. This, I had never known existed before.

In the world of micro-cinema, all things are possible.