From My Inbox To You... A Look At Some Indie Horror Projects

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday. This has been a week from hell and I'm really looking forward to some beers and couch time. My God... Anyhow, the old inbox has been piling up with stuff, so I'm going to unleash some of it. Actually, you should find most of it interesting, as it's all indie horror stuff in varying stages of production... and, in some cases, pre-pre-pre-production. We all need help bringing attention to our projects, ideas and films, so I'm always happy to put this type of stuff out there. It's great for the guys behind these projects, as it gets them a bit of exposure... and it can be great for you, as it may give you some ideas for your projects.

Speaking of projects in pre-pre-pre-production, I was talking with Brendan O'Neill, a filmmaker out of the UK, about a project that he's working on called "Hell Hall". It's a very interesting project and he's already got a few key things in place, including the location. In any case, go check out the Hell Hall Facebook Page, become a fan and check out what he's got going on.

I while ago, we brought your attention to an online web series called "The Scare Game". In fact, we did an interview with Phil Hughes, the writer and director. you can find that interview by clicking here. They're now on their third episode and here's a snippet from the press release they just sent out: "Recently, the horror genre has been inundated with remakes and revamped stories that we've seen a hundred times before. Uncanny Entertainment, based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has set out to challenge this trend. Their new horror web series, The Scare Game, follows a group of horror enthusiasts who have to question their own fandom when they are thrust into a real horror situation. Premiering on youtube and Thescaregame.com, three episodes are now up and running for your viewing enjoyment. The latest of which can be seen here"

Lastly, we received an email from Sarah James, who just started up a new horror blog called "Scare Sarah". One of her prime objectives is to promote indie horror films and that means that we're more than happy to promote her. You can check out her blog at scaresarah.blogspot.com.

If you're working on something or are looking for some promotion, please do feel free to email me at ted@deadharvey.com. We're always more than happy to offer our opinion and help give you a bit of promotion.

Have a great weekend, see you next week!

Interview With Phil Hughes, Writer and Director of "The Scare Game"

I was listening to an interview with Uncle Lloyd Kaufman this morning, where he was talking about how the conglomerate's are manipulating the theatrical experience and his Troma films don't get the theatrical releases that they deserve. He went on and on about how he shoots on 35mm and how his films are meant to be seen in a theater and that's how Troma fans want to see them.

Well, I hate to disagree with Uncle Lloyd, but... I love Troma with all my heart and I think I've seen one Troma film in the theaters... and that's the original "Toxic Avenger". The interview got me thinking and, really, there's a lot to take away from his comments, but the long and short is people still don't get the DVD and home entertainment market. Like, executives of major entertainment companies still don't get it. So many people are stuck in the theatrical release system and they're trying to apply those rules to a changing DVD and home entertainment market. Further, now they're trying to apply those same rules to online distribution. The reality is, we need to create separate, individual ecosystems for each. What works theatrically is not working for home entertainment and what works for home entertainment won't necessarily work for online.

I don't have answers, but I do have ideas. Truth is, a lot of people have ideas and I love to watch the trailblazers go out there and try new things. One such trailblazer is Phil Hughes, the writer and director of "The Scare Game", a web-based horror-comedy series. The series blends horror and comedy and has great production value... the budget is low, but you really don't get that feeling. It's well put together, fun to watch and as each episode will be 7 to 10 minutes long, they're easy to consume. Personally, I'm very interested in what the future holds for web-based entertainment, so I was quite excited to have the opportunity to discuss this project with Hughes.

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you into indie horror filmmaking?

Well the basics are that I'm male, 32, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico but I've lived in a few different places like Texas, New York, and Japan. I have two degrees- one in computer animation and graphics, the other is creative writing with a minor in photography, so I'm kind of all over the place. I'd have to say my biggest horror influence was my dad. He would rent every ridiculous horror movie under the sun from the shop and let me watch most of them and then try to scare my crap out of me. I had a fairly traumatic childhood, but it was good times. When I got into filmmaking, I started making a variety of short flicks, but most of them were comedies or dramedies with a bit of romance. When I got a little more confident with the camera, then I started to delve into genre filmmaking.

Film School: Yes or No?

No, but I've taken a lot of assorted classes that all relate to the discipline. There wasn't any stellar programs around here so I decided to broaden my abilities and continue to make movies on my own (with a good group of friends, of course).Of course, 6 1/2 years working for a movie theatre can be a hell of a film education.

You've launched a web-based series called "The Scare Game", tell us a bit about the project.

The Scare Game is a horror/comedy about this group of friends whose love of horror movies leads them down some bizarre and dangerous paths. It's hard to get too deep into it at this point. The first 6 episodes all revolve around a mystery and then the back half launch into them dealing with the mystery. I wanted to take time to develop the characters before we started getting into the heavier stuff.

Is there a particular reason you developed this for online?

It's a new medium and the rules aren't set. It's also liberating filmmaking because you can focus your time and money into other aspects of the filmmaking as opposed to worrying if it is in HD and how will project and how will afford the repeated raping of film festival costs. There aren't any specific restrictions, so we can make things as long or as short and/or as risque as we want. The shorter episode format lets me tell a serialized story that's not really intimidating to someone if they come part way through- they can catch up fairly quick.

What is your approx budget for the whole deal and how did you secure financing?

The pilot was a little over a grand and that pretty much covered food, equipment rental, and art department stuff. It all came out of our own pockets (Especially Producer Brian Austin Wenrich's). The money for the 2nd and 3rd episode was donated to us by friends who really believed in what we were doing and wanted to help get the ball rolling. We would eventually like to be ad-sponsored and things like that, but that's probably a ways off. Until then, it's beg, borrow, and steal... and then beg some more.

Talk a bit about where you see the series going and what can people expect?

I answered that a bit in one of the earlier questions. I hope that we create a fun series where people laugh, dig the characters, and then occasionally get creeped out or jump out of their chairs. As it's mapped out now, things will get darker and go into some moral gray area which might be hard for some folk, but I'm hoping they will be with the characters if/when they make decisions that aren't always the most noble. We have very specific ideas and things are mapped out, but I don't want to box myself in. If certain things evolve thematically and tonally that I wasn't expecting, then we'll roll with it.

What's your ultimate goal for the series?

We would like to have the financing to where the team could get paid to get it out there. That way, it'd be getting out on a regular basis and we could really have a steady "dialogue" with the fans. I'd like to be able to pay the rent and the people who work to make this happen and look great. It would be nice to put it out on DVD and actually have a goodly amount of people pick it up.

How are you going about promoting the series? What would you pass on to other filmmakers that are considering doing an online project?

Well our other producer/writer/actor, Jenn Daugherty, has been hard at work on a online campaign. She sent out almost 600 emails to various blog sites and newspapers (mostly college) the night we launched the episode. Plus, she was working hard to get the local media to give us some notice so we can build more support at home and then grow outward through the web. She does a lot on YouTube to meet people and find like-minded individuals and invite them to the site, facebook updates, and twitter feeds (we have a few people working on that).

My advice would be- be prepared to put in a lot of time just trying to reach out to people and get to know them. Become part of the community and hopefully that community will embrace you and lift you up. Jenn says the publicity work she does is like staring into the void, but she keeps going- bit by bit.

Is there money in a web-based series? How do you see "The Scare Game" getting monetized? Talk about online distribution versus traditional distribution

Haha. Again, I answered this a bit. Our plan is to utilize the inherit trickiness of the genre by filming full on horror (nudity, violence, and language) and then putting the edited version onto places like YouTube to try and reach the greatest audience we can, but then point back to the main site for the full, uncensored episode which would theoretically be where the ads would be. We need a few more (haha) people before people would start to consider ads for us, but we'll keep having at it. We'd love it if we could do some product placement. That would be hilarious! Online, we have the power to make decisions about how and what we release- we just don't get paid for it. We don't have to negotiate with anybody over our product; we just have to worry about bandwidth.

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

There was a brief time where a well made but SUPER cheap indie horror movie could be made and get a decent amount of money from a distributor to go into DVD and on to services like Netflix. I think that window has pretty much dried up. Indie horror has traditionally been the most accessible and profitable genre, but as with all indie film now, there is such a saturation of reasonable film equipment that everyone thinks they can make a movie. And then there are the ones that can, who are a small percentage, but in that saturated market, it turns out to be a lot of people so it's just that much harder to get noticed. As to where it's going... that's a hard one. Lower budget stuff will continue to look better and better, but it will take something truly original and mind-blowing to really break out of the pack. That being said, the web gives the hardcore fan a lot of material to peruse and that is just going to get easier and faster to find. I'm hoping that saturation will raise the bar of quality in general.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I have a feature script that I am almost finished with and another 3 or 4 in the works, but most of my film energy is going toward The Scare Game.

How can people support "The Scare Game"?

They can go and watch it on youtube.com/thescaregame and then if they dig it and want to see the boobs, then they can roll on over to TheScareGame.com. If they like it, then they should get a few friends to see it. If they don't like it, still get a friend to see it. AND if they REALLY like it, then they can donate some change on the main site. Plus, we're a small operation so we don't need big companies to help sponsor us so we're always down for getting the word out to smaller companies and boutiques trying to get their wares out to the people. That helps everyone.

Internet Web Tubes: Cheerbleeders, Elm Street and more...

What's going on out there on Al Gore's internet? As usual, quite a bit.

A little while back, we interviewed Peter Podgursky, the guy behind the USC thesis film, "Cheerbleeders". What sucks about reviewing and talking about short films is the fact that they can be hard to get your hands on. Nothing like getting a bunch of people interested in a film that they're probably not going to be able to see. Well, this is the internet age, my friends, and, if I may quote Homer Simpson, "The internet? Is that thing still around?" Well, yes it is. And right now, and for another week or so, you can check out "Cheerbleeders" on New Blood, for FREE by clicking here. Also, I have to like the fact that they linked back to our interview with Podgursky, which you can also find if you click here. It's a great short horror film and it's a great interview. If you're in film school, thinking about film school or went to film school... or you just like good, short horror. Check it all out, good stuff...

Here's a link to an article that was on THR.com and, really, it's just for interests sake... You see, they've cast the major parts for the reinvisioning of "Nightmare on Elm Street" and you're getting "Twilight" actor Kellan Lutz, "Terminator" the TV show's John Connor - Thomas Dekker and Rooney Mara, who are all joining Kyle Gallner, who will be playing the role that Johnny Depp played back in 1984. So, am I the only one who thinks that all these actors are just a bit too good looking to be in this? I thought the same thing with the "Friday the 13th" remake, to be honest. Maybe I just consider myself overwhelmingly average looking, but I always figured that the idea was that the people in these films, the kids of elm street or the kids who visit Camp Crystal Lake, could be anyone - meaning, they could be you. Now, though, it's like they're from The WB. I think having model-like actors just adds to the disconnect between the viewer and the film, but... that could just be me. I usually root for the killer, anyhow.

Here's a wicked article on MediaPost.com called "How Can Independent Video Producers Compete In The Super-Premium Era? ". Now, I know that most people still see the big screen as the Holy Grail of filmmaking, with the small screen (TV) coming in second... however, that should change. I've said it a million times, but if you look at your film as just content and you're just trying to reach eyeballs, the internet is your buddy right now and, one day, it'll be your BFF. Not only that, as we progress, your content will be monetized a lot easier online... (read: you'll make more money with online content) That's not to mention, you'll have complete creative freedom and won't have to worry about being too over-the-top or anything. Anyhow, not only is the article interesting, the few comments at the bottom are interesting, too. The article is talking more from an advertising perspective, like... if you're making a web-based series and are looking to compete with the networks for ad dollars. Good read, though. You should know about this stuff.

Let's dip back into the THR.com well and read another article from them, this one called "Adults Steering Clear of Movies". The long and short is, 'pricey, star-driven thrillers and dramas' are stinking it up at the box office... they use "State of Play" as an example in the article. On the flip side, in these recessionary times, youth oriented films are kicking ass. It's easy math, when you think about it. Adults are worried about jobs, money, mortgages, bills, etc... and, not only are they cutting back, when they're looking for entertainment, it's probably going to be escapist-type stuff: horror, action, sci-fi, etc. Now, kids don't give an F about the recession. They're worried about who's going to buy them beer on the weekend or what brand their MP3 players is. On top of that, they don't care to see 'pricey, star-driven thrillers and dramas', anyhow. They've always been into the escapist stuff. So, if you're a budding screenwriter looking for something to write about right now, think about beefing up the young adult aspects and toning down on the serious stuff.

Lastly, remember those random clips that wound up in my inbox? You know, the ones that are really for the upcoming Donnie Darko film, "S. Darko"? Well, here's the third installment. I gotta say, these were all very well done and this last one really ties it all together. I'm not just saying that because they were done by our buddies at Fewdio, either. Anyhow, here's a link to the first one and here's a link to the second one. Last one is embedded below.

Indie Horror On The Web... plus a few other things

Before I get into all the interesting things that I found in the webtubes, do you remember the interview we did with scream queen, hottie Melissa Bacelar a while back? Well, here's a link to the interview, if you missed it. We talked about the film "Skinned Alive", but she's been in lots of good indie horror, such as "Pink Eye", "Slumber Party Slaughterhouse: The Game" and "The Scream". Now, she's reached out and asked for Dead Harvey's help, as she's in the running for Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors Spooksmodel Contest... So, help her out and vote for Melissa Bacelar! Click here, find her picture and click on it.

This has nothing to do with horror, but if you're an indie horror filmmaker looking to monetize your content, you may want to read this... it's an article from TheWrap.com called, "The Answer to Monetizing Shorts: Branded Content?". Unfortunately, the article concentrates on that show that jumped from being web-based to ABC, "In the Motherhood". However, I do think there's something that can be taken away from this. Here's the thing - A film is supposed to be ad free and make its money by having people pay to see it. The TV model works by having advertisers paying for space during the show, so you can see it for free. However, the line between the two is being blurred and I think advertising is going to play a big part in the future of entertainment. You can still have people pay to see it, but why not supplement that with a bit of ad dollars?

Here's one for all those who are researching a script or story, plus it's kinda funny... So, for starters, here's a link to the International Paranormal Investigators site, they're the guys who sent me this email. I don't know what I signed up for, but I get emails from them every once in a while. I suppose if you're into ghosts and the paranormal, it's a good site to do some research on. Anyhow, here's what made me laugh... here's the body of the email that accompanied that link - Last week I sent out a newsletter about a response I made to a request to answer why I teach ghost hunting. The website International Paranormal Investigators posted my response for others to comment on. Well Ryan sent me back a super positive response and I'm so proud to say that they want me to be on their radio show. The name of it is Raid Radio and it is from Scotland. The topic for discussion will be What is the opinion of having psychics participate on a ghost investigation. Like, there's an argument here... "Hey, psychics, do your own thing and leave the ghost investigation to the Paranormal Investigators". I don't know, made me laugh.

I think that the success of the indie horror scene is going to depend on a few things. One is the development of new distribution methods and the use of the internet to facilitate those methods... VOD, web-based series' and online distribution are all going to be key. Then there's stuff like p2p file sharing and pirating. For Hollywood, this stuff can be a nightmare, but, I think, for indie film, it's going to be a huge blessing. So, check this out and see if it gets your brain juices flowing... "RiP: A remix manifesto" is a documentary film from Brett Gaylor, who happens to be the creator of opensourcecinema.org, a video remix community which supports the production of the feature. (click on that link for more info on the doc) It's an open source film about copyright and remix culture, created over a period of six years and, guess what? It's going on the country's first open-source film tour and you can host a screening. Here's a link - RIP! A Remix Manifesto. I love the fact that the film is a collaborative work, that's cool. However, the fact that the nation-wide screening is all DIY and open source is awesome. Check out the link, see how they're putting it together. It's a great idea...

Interview with Steven Cerritos, creator of "Mister Serial Killer"

When you look at how people use and adapt to new media and technology, it's never really just introduced and accepted. On top of that, for every one 'thing' that's introduced and accepted, some other 'thing' usually has to suffer. The easy example is the mp3 player... or the iPod, to be more specific. Digital music and the new ability to abandon any hard product absolutely KILLED the music industry and changed it forever. For years, they made their money on record sales, then cassette's, then CD's... now, all of a sudden, they've had to switch the model around. Now, they make money off live performances and appearances, as well as through licensing. Either way, they're adapting because they HAVE to, not because they want to. This isn't just a recent thing, either. Think about what happened to the radio and print industries when TV had it's first live national broadcast in 1951 when President Harry Truman spoke at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference? What about the first live radio broadcast or what about the invention of the printing press? New technology always fucks shit up, but it forces us to adapt and then, years later, we look back and think things like... remember network broadcast TV?

Traditional media, basically TV, radio and print (newspapers) is hemorrhaging. It's agonizing. Print, especially. I just read that they predict that we'll see a 'newspaper free' city within a few years. Meaning, you're going to see a city that has no local paper. Radio? Please... how many devices can you hook up to your car now? Satellite Radio, your MP3 player, burned CD's... and when is the last time you listened to the radio at home? Really... TV, however, is a bit different. Everyone predicts that it'll still be the centerpiece of the living room for years to come and you'll have some sort of massive screen there forever. It may be 3D and occupy an entire wall, but it'll still be there. What will be different is what plays on it. Right now, the networks are dumping a whole wack of time, effort and money into their web-based projects, even though they're not making them much money right now. Web-based video aggregators like Hulu, Vuze and even Youtube are backed by the networks, but some more than others. Also, you can now stream them, easily, to your TV. For example, Vuze just announced that you can play any of its content through your iPod, PC, PS3 or XBox. Now, there's another major factor at play, called the recession. Ad dollars are shrinking and marketers want accountability, so they're pulling out of TV, radio and print and turning to more accountable media. (I could write a novel on what's going on here, but I'll save you the torture) So, what's that accountable media? Where are people turning? What's this new technology that's fucking with how people watch network TV? Well, it's the web, obviously...

The web is fast becoming the place that people turn to for their content. Sure, we still go to the theaters and we still watch cable, but who's kidding who? It's all on the web... and we're turning to the web for more and more content every day. The switch is under way and we're turning this big bad boy around. It's tough to turn a freighter around, but you can do it. Early adopting indie filmmakers are starting to figure out how to use it, too... or at least try. Steven Cerritos is one of those guys. He's recently launched his web-based series, "Mister Serial Killer" and currently has his first webisode up and running, with more on the way. It's everything you'd want in an indie horror. It's dark, it's disturbing, there's violence, bizarre characters and perverse humor... and it's quite entertaining... and it's all web-based. I'm very interested to see how it all turns out, both with the show itself and with how much of an audience he can build. We had a chance to discuss the project with Cerritos and if you're thinking of new ways to get new ideas out there, you'll probably want to give this a read...

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What are your influences and what got you into indie horror filmmaking?

I am an independent filmmaker living in Toronto, Ontario, though I am an American Citizen – originally from LA. Just like many independent filmmakers, I write, direct and edit most of my projects. Over the last couple of years, I have created two short films, ‘Cerritosis’ and ‘In Darkness’. I am currently developing and promoting my newest project, ‘The Mister Serial Killer Web’ Series. My style can be summarized as dark and absurd. Many of my peers label me as an eccentric filmmaker, as evident by the characteristics of my work and my peculiar affinity for the bizarre and obscure. I am influenced by Garth Ennis’ writing, Mark Ryden’s artwork, Joel-Peter Witkin’s photography; and Clive Barker, Beatrix Potter and Kentaro Muira’s dark and imaginative creations. What is now my lifelong passion; my knack for filmmaking originally began in the form competition. Once I completed my first film, I knew I was onto something.

Film School: Yes or No?

I never went to film school. However, I did take a two year course in Television and Broadcasting.

You've launched a web-based series called "Mister Serial Killer", tell us a bit about the project.

‘The Mister Serial Killer’ is a disturbing and psychotic web series featuring a group of serial killers, each with different variations of psychological complexities and/or disorders, and perversions. Typical webisodes (the equivalent to television’s episode) begin with a cartoon like storybook sequence, followed by live action. The first webisode, ‘The Happy Face Killer’, is a ‘long’ twenty-two minutes. Now I use the word ‘long’ within the context of comparing it to your traditional five-to-ten minute web series. Therefore, future webisodes will run five to ten minutes long. The web series is catered for the 18-34 demographic and it’s about serial killers, hence the graphic violence, dark, perverse humor, and bizarre characters. We’ve taken the unique approach of delivering the web series on a platform with a colorful palette and a cartoon-like art direction because it complements the opening animation and creates wicked contrast when juxtaposed with the gritty, dark and violent live action.

Why Online? Is there a reason you developed an online property versus, say, a short film?

The reason why it’s an online property versus a short film is because there’s a lot more on the way! We plan on introducing more bizarre characters in their own wacky and twisted tales. Also, as a creator, I have complete creative control and total freedom, as opposed to the censorship and restrictions that come with your typical networks. However, before we go gangbusters on an entire season—which will be created, regardless – we’ll be shopping it around to places that are more receptive to controversial content/programming.

What's the approx budget for the whole deal and how did you secure financing?

The first webisode was privately funded and made with a relatively small budget.

Talk about the melding of the different formats together and what are you shooting the live-action stuff on?

The live action was shot with Sony’s EX3. It’s a great camera that delivers in HD! Melding different formats started with my very first short film. I guess it was a way of implementing my hash of inspirations into one medium. With ‘The Mister Serial Killer’ web series specifically, I find that it ‘softens-up’ the viewer from the impending dark humor and violent live-action. It’s almost like the appeal that comes from the animation lingers on and distorts the viewer’s perspective. Plus it’s pretty cool!

The idea is definitely an ‘out there’ idea, in that it’s not something that I don’t think it’s something you could do in traditional film or television. So, was it the chicken or was it the egg? Is this so out there because you knew you were going to develop a web-based idea OR did you have an out there idea and decide that it had to be distributed online.

The concept is ever evolving, or better yet, always being fine tuned. Yet it was always initially planned as a web series because the concept was deemed so out there. Though I don’t think the web series is mainstream appeal, I believe there is an audience out there willing to embrace this concept, and that’s why the internet is a great way to get it to them. Eventually, I’m hoping, this will get in the hands of a couple of people / media outlets, and from there on explode and reach its target audience. Now, can it be broadcasted? With the influx of digital networks and the direction being taken by Showtime and HBO, I think it has the potential to find a bigger audience, though I still wouldn’t consider it mainstream.

This project is really just getting going. Where do you see it going? What’s the goal of the project?

We have the first webisode up and plan to create an entire first season. In the first season, we plan to introduce and showcase seven characters. After the web premiere, we’re hoping to sell character specific webisodes on DVD. The DVD’s will consist of a ton of additional content not available online. They'll also have a 5.1 surround sound, as opposed to the online's stereo mix. Eventually we’ll also deliver a box set with every single webisode. However, the great thing about having the series available online is that it’ll live on forever! We don’t have to worry about cancellations and more and more people will discover this neat little project without relying on a limited time frame.

Is there money in a web-based series? How do you see the “Mister Serial Killer” series getting monetized? Talk about online distribution versus traditional distribution.

Making content exclusively for the internet isn’t really profitable. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to recover the initial cost through DVD sales, merchandise sales, and advertising sales. However, I think change is on its way. More and more people are relying on the internet as their main source of entertainment. Eventually distributors will forego their traditional means of distribution and focus primarily on online distribution.

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

The horror scene is always in a perpetual cycle; it’ll be big in this decade but disappear in the next. However, the web will present an alternative for the indie horror scene. Creators will no longer have to rely on the big studios or big distributors for funding or distribution, as the internet’s accessibility and low cost of HD technology will keep budgets relatively low.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

Aside from the ‘Mister Serial Killer’ web series I’m developing another web series consisting primarily of puppets, though the star of the series will be a human actor. Right now it’s tentatively titled ‘Bedtime Stories for a Serial Killer’. It’s another obscure concept. Think Pinocchio stumbling into a ‘Silent Hill’ world. Technically, we’re shooting the puppets and one human actor against green screen. We’re choosing this method because it’s actually cheaper, our imaginations can run wild in post production as technology has come a long way, and we can deliver content a little quicker because of the two aforementioned.

How can people support the “Mister Serial Killer” series?

Visit the enityfilms.com/misterserialkiller. Also, tell all your friends, colleagues, loved ones, or anyone who would be into this to check it out! Regardless of how much money is spent on marketing, word of mouth can either make or break a film. So spread the word! Got any inquiries, concerns, feedback? Send me an email to stevencerritos@enityfilms.com .

Interview with Doug Hutchison, the guy behind "Vampire Killers"

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to a new web-series called "Vampire Killers" and if you want to re-live that post, here's a link. So, I'm not going to get into what the show's about and all that, as it's all covered in that last post, but I am going to continue from where that last post left off. I told you I was going to get in touch with the guy behind it and we did... and we had a chance to discuss the project with him.

First off, the guy behind the series is Doug Hutchison and he's an established actor in Hollywood, with a reoccuring role in "Lost" and a part in the recent "Punisher: War Zone", to mention just a couple of things that he's doing. He's also a forward thinking filmmaker, delving into a territory that a lot of people are afraid of, digital distribution. Now, if you're a regular reader, you'll know that I talk about new forms of distribution all the time... in fact, I usually talk about how people need to stop thinking of the movie theater as the pinnacle of this pyramid and they need to start thinking of their films as content, not 'movies'. Well, that's just what Doug's doing and I, for one, will be keeping a close eye on where this goes, as I think the whole concept and idea is fairly groundbreaking. If you're interested in the future of what entertainment could look like and you want some insight into how it might get there, this is a post that you need to read...

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. You’ve clocked a lot of hours in front of the camera, but what are your ‘behind the camera’ influences and what brought you into the world of indie horror filmmaking?

I'VE BEEN ACTING [PROFESSIONALLY] FOR 22 YEARS. SO, YEAH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I'VE CLOCKED A FEW HOURS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA! MY DREAM, HOWEVER, WAS NEVER TO BE AN ACTOR, EXCLUSIVELY. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CREATIVE; PLAYING GUITAR, IN AND OUT OF ROCK BANDS, WRITING POETRY, SCREENPLAYS, TEACHING, DIRECTING, ETC. I THINK THE CLINCHER FOR ME [RE: BEHIND THE CAMERA ASPIRATIONS] WAS SEEING "SLING BLADE" 13 YEARS AGO. BILLY BOB THORNTON HIT A GRAND SLAM. I WAS FLOORED. HERE WAS A B-LIST ACTOR WHO COULDN'T GET ARRESTED IN HOLLYWOOD AND SUDDENLY HE WAS A QUADRUPLE THREAT: ACTOR, DIRECTOR, WRITER, AND PRODUCER. HE FUCKING DID IT, MAN ... AND I RESPECT THAT. I GUESS, IN RETROSPECT, THORNTON WAS MY ULTIMATE INSPIRATION [EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTORS]. HE DID IT HIMSELF. IT MADE AN IMPRESSION ON ME. NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION. THORNTON GOT DOWN TO IT, CREATED A PASSION PROJECT, FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT ON HIS OWN TERMS, AND KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE FUCKIN' BALLPARK.

Film School: Yes or No?

NO. I DID A BRIEF STINT AT THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL [FOR ACTING] BEFORE BAILING AFTER 5 MONTHS. BUT NO FILM SCHOOL.

Where did you get the idea to do “Vampire Killers”?

FROM COLLECTING "THE TOMB OF DRACULA" COMICS AS A KID, READING ANNE RICE'S NOVELS, AND DIGGING MOVIES LIKE "NOSFERATU", "THE ADDICTION", AND "THE HUNGER", I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN AFFINITY FOR THE VAMPIRE GENRE. "VAMPIRE KILLERS" WAS INITIALLY CONCEIVED AS A TV SERIES AND THEN MY GOOD FRIEND, MARCO MANNONE [CO-WRITER AND PLAYING THE ROLE OF TRAVIS IN "VK"], SUGGESTED TURNING IT INTO A WEB-SERIES. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ENTICING IDEA AND THE PERFECT VENUE FOR SOMETHING LIKE "VAMPIRE KILLERS". I WANTED TO SHOOT IT DARK, GRITTY, SEXY, AND WITH NO HOLDS BARRED.

How did you go about securing financing and what’s the approx budget?

I WAS THE FINANCING! WE SHOT ALL 6 EPS, CREATED THE WEBSITE, AND ALL THE TRIMMINGS [PHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHICS, INITIAL MARKETING, ETC.] FOR APPROX $30K. MY "VK" PARTNER, TIM BALDINI, AND I ARE GOING TO TAKE MEETINGS WITH POTENTIAL SPONSORS IN THE HOPES OF RAISING MORE $$$ TO KEEP THE SERIES GOING IN '09. WE'RE ALSO HOPING TO GET INTO THE ROOM WITH MICHAEL EISNER, THE PURVEYOR OF WEB-SERIES. I THINK, IF EISNER CATCHES WIND OF "VK", IT'LL TOTALLY TURN HIS CRANK. HE'S, APPARENTLY, LOOKING FOR NEW INTERNET-SERIES TO PRODUCE.

What do you shoot on… and how do you go about filming a web series? Have you shot the whole thing or are you shooting it in chunks? Is it more like shooting a feature or episodic tv?

WE SHOT THE FIRST 6 EPS ON HDV OVER THE COURSE OF TWO WEEKENDS [4 DAYS]. MY DIRECTOR, TIM [GOD BLESS HIM!], CUT IT ALL TOGETHER, ADDED SOUNDTRACK, AND DID EVERYTHING POST. I CALLED IN A LOT OF FAVORS [CAST, CREW, DESIGNERS, MARKETERS, ETC.]. THAT'S WHY MY DREAM IS TO SNAG A SPONSOR. SO WE CAN GENERATE ENOUGH $$$ SO THAT I CAN PAY MY PEEPS WHEN WE CONTINUE THE SERIES. IT WAS TOTAL GUERRILLA-STYLE NON-INSURED FILM-MAKING. WE FOUND LOCATIONS AND JUST DOVE IN [PRAYING THE COPS WOULDN'T SHUT US DOWN!]. WE WERE LUCKY. VERY LUCKY.

Talk about the decision to distribute online. When and why did you decide to take this route?

MICHAEL EISNER PREDICTED -- ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO -- THAT THE INTERNET WOULD CHANGE THE FACE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. HE WAS RIGHT. THE INTERNET IS THE WILD WILD WEST OF THE 21ST CENTURY. ANYTHING GOES. WE'RE BUILDING A GLOBAL AUDIENCE WITH "VAMPIRE KILLERS". VIRALLY. IT'S EXCITING. IT'S THE NEW FRONTIER. AND BEST OF ALL: I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL W/NETWORK STUDIO EXECS BREATHING DOWN MY NECK. I CAN MAINTAIN ABSOLUTE CREATIVE CONTROL.

Tell us a bit about the series, what’s the plot? Where is it now and where is the series going?

VAMPIRE KILLERS IS ABOUT A GANG OF FOUR 20-SOMETHINGS SOLICITED BY A FACELESS ENTITY TO HUNT A CABAL OF 13 FEMALE VAMPIRES IN AND AROUND THE L.A. AREA. IN THE FIRST 6 EPS [SEASON 1], WE FOLLOW THE VAMP KILLERS AS THEY TRACK CHARLOTTE ROSS, THE QUEEN VAMPIRE, WHO HAS MURDERED ONE OF THEIR OWN IN COLD BLOOD. SEASON 2 WILL OPEN WITH AMY MADISON [THE GIRL IN THE HOTEL BATHROOM IN EPS 1 AND 2 WHO WAS RAVAGED BY CHARLOTTE] AS SHE FINDS HERSELF LOST IN THE UNDERWORLD OF VAMPIRES.

You have a lot of good looking women in the show, most of whom are wearing next to nothing. As someone who’s been in the industry for a while, plus is a professional actor, how did you go about casting? What insight could you give to up and coming filmmakers on the casting process?

I WAS THE CASTING DIRECTOR FOR "VAMPIRE KILLERS". TOUGH JOB AUDITIONING HUNDREDS OF GORGEOUS WOMEN [BUT SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT!]. FRANK DARABONT [DIRECTOR OF "THE GREEN MILE"] TOLD ME THAT 80% SUCCESS OF ANY FILM IS IN THE CASTING. I TOOK THAT TO HEART WHEN CASTING "VK". MY BEST ADVICE IS TO: KEEP AN OPEN MIND. FOR EXAMPLE, I INITIALLY CONCEIVED THE ROLE OF CHARLOTTE FOR A DARK-HAIRED, VOLUPTUOUS, CURVACEOUS ACTRESS [MONICA BELUSHI-ESQUE]. ANIA [MORE WAIF-LIKE THAN BODACIOUS] WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND BLEW ALL OF THE OTHER ACTRESSES AND MY PRE-CONCEIVED NOTIONS AWAY. SHE WAS/IS PERFECT.

Episode 2 was banned from Youtube … talk about why that happened and your thoughts on it.

HONESTLY, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY YOU-TUBE BANNED US BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A GAJILLION YOU-TUBE VIDS THAT APPEAR FAR MORE GRAPHIC, VIOLENT, BLOODY, AND SEXUAL IN CONTENT THAN OURS. IT WAS A TOTAL HEAD-SCRATCHER, BUT SOMETHING I DECIDED TO USE TO OUR BENEFIT. NOW, IF YOU VISIT YOU-TUBE TO WATCH EP #2 [CENSORED], YOU CAN WATCH UP TO THE POINT OF WHERE WE THINK U-TUBE BECAME UNCOMFORTABLE [AMY BOUND AND GAGGED IN THE MOTEL BATHROOM] AND THEN IT STOPS DEPICTING A DISCLAIMER AND NAVIGATING VIEWERS TO OUR WEBSITE TO ENJOY THE UNCENSORED VERSION. YOU-TUBE'S BAN ACTUALLY SPIKED OUR HITS.

A lot of Hollywood is very interested in this method of distribution and the question on everyone’s mind is … how do you make money by distributing your project online. So, how do you make money through online distribution?

SPONSORSHIP. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ADVERTISING. ON TELEVISION, IT'S COMMERCIALS. FOR EXAMPLE, ADVERTISERS PAY NBC TO ADVERTISE DURING "LOST". THE MORE PEOPLE WHO WATCH "LOST", THE MORE ADVERTISERS WANT TO ADVERTISE TO THOSE PEOPLE. SO THE MORE POPULAR "LOST" BECOMES, THE MORE ADVERTISERS WANT TO PAY NBC BIG BUCKS TO ADVERTISE THEIR PRODUCTS. IT'S THE SAME ON THE INTERNET. IF "VAMPIRE KILLERS" ATTRACTS AN AUDIENCE, WE CAN THEN SEDUCE SPONSORSHIP/ADVERTISERS AND, ULTIMATELY, GET PAID TO SHOOT MORE "VAMPIRE KILLERS". EVERYBODY WINS. THE SPONSORS ADVERTISE [AND MAKE $$$], "VAMPIRE KILLERS" CONTINUES [AND MAKES $$$], AND THE AUDIENCE GETS ENTERTAINMENT [FOR FREE!].

If I’m a filmmaker and I’m considering creating a webbased project, such as this… what advice could you pass on? What sorts of stories work, how long should each episode be, how do you market it?

EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO STORY AND CONTENT. IF YOU HAVE AN INTRIGUING, ALLURING, AND COMPELLING STORY TO TELL, WELL, YOU'RE GOLDEN. EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FALL INTO PLACE. AS FOR WEBISODES, THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB IS APPROX 2 - 3 MINS PER EP [BUT RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN]. MARKETING ON THE INTERNET IS A NO-BRAINER: U-TUBE, ETC. IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE GLOBAL MARKETING. OTHERWISE, IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE, DO IT. YOUR WEBSITE IS YOURS. ANYTHING GOES.

Where can people find out more about “Vampire Killers” and what can people do to help support the project?

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ VAMPIREKILLERS.TV. IF IT TURNS YOUR CRANK, THE BEST WAY YOU CAN SUPPORT "VK" IS TO SPREAD THE WORD ... VIRALLY. THE MORE PEEPS WHO HIT OUR SITE, THE MORE NUMBERS WE CAN PRESENT TO POTENTIAL SPONSORS, AND THE MORE LIKELY WE CAN CONTINUE SHOOTING THE SERIES.

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

THE INDIE HORROR SCENE IS IN THE BEST POSITION EVER BECAUSE THERE'S AN ETERNAL UNQUENCHABLE DESIRE FOR HORROR AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE HORROR [GOOD HORROR] @ SUBTERRANEAN BUDGETS IS ABSOLUTELY FEASIBLE/POSSIBLE. YOU CAN LITERALLY TAKE A VIDEO CAMERA AND MAKE A MEMORABLE SUCCESSFUL HORROR FLICK ON A VERY MODEST BUDGET. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS/RESERVATIONS, REVISIT "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD". AND THEN REMEMBER "BLAIR WITCH PROJECT" 10 YEARS AGO? BOTH WERE SHOT ON SHOESTRING BUDGETS. HORROR COMPELS ... AND IT'S A GENRE THAT CAN SUCCEED ON SUBTERRANEAN BUDGETS.

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

I'M PLAYING A RECURRING ROLE ON "LOST" THIS SEASON. STARRING IN A MOVIE CALLED "GIVE 'EM HELL, MALONE" [WITH THOMAS JANE AND VING RHAMES] PREMIERING SOMETIME IN '09. "PUNISHER: WAR ZONE" WILL BE OUT ON DVD ON 3/17/09. HOPING TO PRODUCE/DIRECT MY ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, "DREAMBIRDS", CONTINUE TEACHING MY ACTING WORKSHOPS/CLASSES ["THE ART OF STILLNESS"] ... AND, OF COURSE, TAKE "VAMPIRE KILLERS" TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

An introduction to Doug Hutchison's "Vampire Killers"

One of the best perks, for me, of doing this site is people bringing their projects to our attention. First off, we're more than happy to promote any new project you're working on. If you've got something that you'd like to promote, get in touch with us, we're more than happy to write about it and, hey, more than happy to give our thoughts, if you care. Secondly, I heart checking out new projects... especially when they're doing something new and cool with it. That's precisely the case with "Vampire Killers", from Doug Hutchison, which is being distributed online and through Youtube. Also, it has hot chicks, vampires and hot chick vampires in it, of which I'm a fan of all three. I'll break out what they're doing here for you, but I'm hoping to talk with the guys behind it and give you a bit more later...

ABOUT VAMPIRE KILLERS: Armed with a skeleton crew of guerrilla film soldiers, Hutchison has created an engaging, gritty web series based on his intense vampire mythology. VAMPIRE KILLERS involves a ruthless cabal of alluring female vampires and the relentless stalkers who want to take their empire down. The midnight streets of Los Angeles are the location for this epic struggle between the righteous and the undead. VAMPIRE KILLERS features a stunning cast of 13 sexy blood-obsessed night dwellers fighting to stay "alive" at all costs. The streets of Los Angeles just got a lot less safe. Check out Hutchison's vampire epic and study up on the vampire lore that surrounds their world -- it may be your only hope for survival! You have been warned. WWW.VAMPIREKILLERS.TV is online...

And here, embedded, is VAMPIRE KILLERS, EPISODE 1:


Now, having said all that, don't go over to their Youtube page to watch the next episode, because they banned episode 2. Here's the press release that followed...

YOUTUBE CENSORS STRIKE AGAIN

Actor Doug Hutchison [THE GREEN MILE, PUNISHER:WAR ZONE,LOST] thought YouTube would be the ideal platform to share his new internet-based webseries, VAMPIRE KILLERS.

With this year's insatiable appetite for vampires [ie. HBO's TRUE BLOOD and the upcoming TWILIGHT], Hutchison's gritty sexy dark series features a coven of 13 alluring blood-sucking vixens and the four vampire killers dedicated to hunting
them down ... by any means necessary.

The question was: How to reach out to Worldwide fans?

The obvious answer: YouTube!

So Hutchison posted episode #1 of VAMPIRE KILLERS and -after a glowing reception -- followed with episode #2 ... which YouTube swiftly yanked claiming it had violated their strict "Terms and Conditions" by featuring "Graphic Material" [a scene in which a kidnapped young woman is ravaged by a vampire in a motel bathroom]apparently "unsuitable" for YouTube's global audience.

Would-be viewers are now re-directed to Hutchison's site[WWW.VAMPIREKILLERS.TV] where they can watch the series uncensored.

Fans of VAMPIRE KILLERS are filling forums with their outrage over what they're deeming: "A digital gestapo".

Hutchison is disappointed episode #2 cannot be shared with the YouTube community, but is hoping the scandal may work in his favor. "My VAMPIRE KILLERS website has experienced a significant spike in foot traffic since the ban, so I'm encouraged", Hutchison said, "but still ... without YouTube, our base is greatly compromised".

So far, subsequent episodes of VAMPIRE KILLERS have not met with YouTube's clamp down.

I watched everything that they have available and I have to say, it's a wicked idea and definitely worth checking out. So, here's some links for you.

To check out the show, go to their home page: VampireKillers.tv.
For their Youtube page, go to: YouTube.com/VampireKillersTV

Linkapalooza - August 25, 2008: The Future is coming... fast.

Usually I try to mix up what the stories are about when I do this Linkapalooza thing, but there was too much going on in the world of online video projects this week. So, this week is dedicated to what's going on out there and what you, as an indie horror filmmaker, should take away from it.

Gemini Division Blasts Off Aug. 18 on Broadcastingcable.com: This is a very short article on NBC Universal Digital Studio's first original web series, "Gemini Division". The project was actually announced a few months back, in April, and it's hit a point where it needs to be talked about. The most important thing about this isn't that it's a studio with money backing a project that's going to be soley distributed online, the most important thing is, it actually has a name actress in it, Rosario Dawson. It's going to be seen on NBC.com, SCIFI.com and on its own site, GeminiDivision.com, as well as on a number of VOD and mobile platforms, Amazon Unbox, Xbox Live Marketplace and Zune. It's a 50 episode series, with each episode only being a few minutes long... check it out, if this catches on, you're going to see a wave of projects like this and if you've got an idea that can fit this format, time to sharpen the pencil and get to work.

Can Comcast Make TV 2.0 A Reality? on multichannel.com: If the fact that the studios are starting to financially back projects like the afore mentioned "Gemini Division" doesn't convince you that the internet is changing the way we watch video, maybe you should take a look at what the cable companies are thinking. This article is about Comcast, their online property Fancast.com and what they think about the future of TV. I actually get lots of emails from Fancast because I signed up for it a while ago, but I never really read them... However, I'm going to start. I didn't realize that it's more than just an online video aggregation site. It's more like Tivo on steroids... it's supposed to "navigate a universe of TV and movie content to find that special show no matter where it lives: online, on a cable network or broadcast TV station, on video-on-demand, on a mobile phone, or even in movie theaters." Now, that's cool. I t's also cool technology for indie horror filmmakers. Why? Because if this kind of system catches on, it's going to make it easier for people interested in low-budget indie horror to find your film. This is why indie-horror is about to explode as an industry. The biggest hurdle has always been finding an audience.... in a few years, that's going to change because the audience is going to find you.

Sony Goes Into 'Coma' Web Series on adage.com: Well, just when I thought that "Gemini Division" was SO groundbreaking, I read about "Coma", Sony Picture's web series that's going to be distributed on YouTube, Hulu and AOL and on AT&T and Verizon mobile platforms. Not only does this project ALSO have name actors in it, George Hamilton and Michael Madsen, but it's got something that "Gemini Division" doesn't. Big time sponsors. Sony Electronics and Microsoft have both given a pile of money to the project, as their products will be heavily showcased in the series. Either way, once again... if these guys are doing, you ought to think about doing it. To reiterate myself, get that pencil sharpened and get to work!

Consumers to Spend $6 Billion on Internet Video Services by 2013 on CEPro.com: Just to wrap this all up, why don't we check out what the industry thinks about where internet based video is heading? Well, if you couldn't tell by the title, they think that consumers in the U.S. are going to spend more than $6Billion on Internet video services by 2013. They admit that "consumption of premium internet video content to date has been low", however "the study is attributing the growth to more people owning connected gaming consoles, networked TVs and alternate video-on-demand settop boxes."

Let's sum this all up. Big companies like Sony and NBC are out making content exclusively for distribution through online properties, consumers are going to start spending piles of money on internet video services and more people are going to own connected gaming consoles, networked TVs and alternate VOD settop boxes. There's only ONE thing missing from the equation... how is the money going to be made? Well, here's my advice: don't worry about it. What YOU need to do is make content and projects that work in this new system, then find a way to use them. Build an audience. Once you have that, the rest will follow.