September 9, 2008 - New Horror Out This Week: This week's for YOU, fans of Uwe Boll and Tiffany Shepis!

I'll give this week a C+, potentially a B- in releases. If you're an Uwe Boll fan or a Tiffany Shepis fan, you'll think it's an A day, for sure. Remember, you can click on the titles to buy them from Amazon and/or go to our Youtube page and check out all the trailers...

Uwe Boll fans rejoice! It's the second Boll film in as many weeks. Last week, we had "Postal" and now "Seed" tears video stores a new a-hole. So, "Seed" is based upon the fact that, according to US Federal law, if a death row inmate gets the electric chair and survives three jolts of 15,000 volts each for 45 seconds, he/she gets to go free. Well, that's actually bullshit, but it didn't stop them from making the film. When Max Seed survives three volts, is buried alive, then claws his way to the surface, he's hell-bent on vengeance. The film was shot a few years ago for around $10Million and I don't think it had much of a theatrical release. As it's Uwe Boll, there's a lot I could talk about here, but I'll just say this - you have to give credit to Boll for one thing. He's done what only the elite of the elite in Hollywood have been able to do... he completely transcends his films. Like Spielberg or Scorcesse, you don't care about the title as much as the fact that it's an Uwe Boll film. Good or bad, he's made his mark... and a career.

It's almost fitting that when an Uwe Boll film comes out, there's also an Ulli Lommel film. Even though Ulli's a lot older, he's sort of the poor man's Uwe. This week's Lommel film is "Son of Sam"... and, WTF Ulli? Seriously. Ulli Lommel is the guy behind all the serial killer films and they're all just so-so. You know, there was "Zodiac Killer", followed by "B.T.K. Killer", then "Green River Killer", followed by "Killer Pickton", right before "Cannibal", which was... yeah, you get the picture. In fact, he did 17 serial killer films in 4 years. No shit. Lommel is right up there with Boll, but isn't quite the character that Uwe is. Lommel's claim to fame is directing one of the biggest indie horror hits of all time, which was "The Boogeyman" in 1980. He made it for $300K and it went on to gross $25Million and I guess that was enough for him to keep on making movies...

I guess zombies and strippers just make a good combo. First there was "Zombie Strippers" and now "Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! - Strippers VS Zombies". However, I think they added the "Strippers vs Zombies" bit later. Either way, I like zombies... and I like strippers. I don't see why we can't turn this into Sci-Fi series, it makes way more sense than Werewolf Strippers or Zombies vs Nuns or something. Maybe in the next incarnation, zombies can infect an all-girls Catholic school, and the surviving group of hot school girls can be rescued by a pack of vampires or something? Okay, if I see that film, give me credit at least. "Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!" stars everyone's favorite scream queen, Tiffany Shepis, and a whole bunch of other hot chicks. It's the directorial debut from Jason Murphy and it was written by Anthony Steven Giordano. The plot revolves around... really, do you care? Zombies and Strippers, 'nough said.

Tiffany Shepis has another film out this week, this one's called "Nympha" and it's directed by Ivan Zuccon. Zuccon's made a few other films, mostly in his native Italy, including "Bad Brains" and "The Shunned House". (I think it's Italy, I'm not sure... my apologies if I'm wrong) "Nympha" is about a young English girl named Sarah, who goes to Italy to take vows needed to become a cloister nun of the 'New Order' Convent... however, the rules of this convent are torture. So, violence, disturbing content, nudity and lesbianism ensue.

"Manje", directed by Josh Muscatine, is about nine friends who take a vacation to end the mourning period of one of their beloved, but a tenth member has joined the festivities and he has less joyous ideas in mind. This is Muscatine's directorial debut, although it looks like he's been involved in the editorial department for almost two decades. The trailer looks pretty f'ing good, it looks very indie and I can't find much more out about it, so I may have to delve a little deeper into this one and find out what it's all about.

"Awakening" was originally called "Zombie Night II", as it was the follow up to 2003's "Zombie Night". Also, it looks like it originally came out in 2006, but that doesn't mean much. A lot of indie films toil around for a while, trying to find a distributor. The film is from David J. Francis, who's also made two other zombie films, the afore mentioned "Zombie Night" and this year's "Reel Zombies". It's a fairly low-budget indie horror and it looks like the film's got everything you need, from nudity, zombies and midgets, to... well, what else do you need? Check out the trailer, it looks great.

"Vampires Vs. Zombies" is actually a few years old, so I'm not sure why it's being rereleased already. It's from director Vince D'Amato and it was originally called "Carmilla", before The Asylum decided to cash in on the "Freddy vs. Jason" crowd, which just came out when they originally released this. Also, the film was cut by over three minutes in North America due to comic bloodshed and one shot of oral necrophilia... potentially, this release restores all that, I'm not sure. Do note, if you do check this out, the biggest disappointment will be that at no point in the film do vampires actually combat zombies. So, the title, you know... kinda lies... but if I can see some oral necrophilia, it might make up for it.

"Something Beneath" stars Kevin Sorbo and was directed by David Winning. It's a Sci-Fi Original movie, so know what you're getting into there. Actually, David Winning has made some of the best Sci-Fi Original films that came out, so... take that for what it's worth. However, I do dig this one because it's sort of an homage to "The Blob", as it's about a slime that amasses on the lake front and seeps into rooms, but Hercules discovers that the slime is actually a massive cellular organism living in the sewer system that's highly intelligent and capable of inducing fearful hallucinations in its victims.

Linkapalooza - September 8, 2008: Woody's Battling Zombies and other stuff going on in the industry

I meant to have the up for this morning, but a bunch of shit came up today... so, you get it now. Excuse me all to hell.

Woody Harrelson versus the zombies on THR.com: Now, this seems like an odd project... not because it's another zombie comedy, but because it's from the guys who brought you "The Joe Schmo Show". Well, it's written by them, anyhow. Even odder, it's being directed by Ruben Fleischer, who's directed a few episodes of "The Jimmy Kimmel" show and not much else. I can't say I know too much about those guys, but good on 'em. Having said that, I can't believe that the zombie genre, let alone the zombie-comedy sub-genre, is still going strong and they're still green lighting a bunch of them. Whatever... doesn't bother me. I'm not sick of them.

Paramount Pictures acquires Screenlife on THR.com: I'm sure a lot of people glossed over this news when they saw it, but I think it's kind of cool, just for the rationale behind the acquisition. First off, Screenlife is the company that makes that video based game, "Scene It?". You know, where you throw the DVD in, it shows you clips, etc? Well, I'm not sure that Paramount gives a flying F about the game, BUT it does give a crap about digital content platforms and they see Screenlife as a portal to use digital media. So, just to keep reiterating my point - don't think of your film as a film... think about it as content. Then, think about all the different ways you can get that content infront of eyeballs.

Lonely Girl Seeks Money on Forbes.com: You remember the Youtube series, Lonely Girl 15... or is that lonelygirl15? I can't recall. Anyhow, remember how millions of people got all enthralled by it, thinking it was real... then it was revealed that it was actually a produced show? Well, the guys behind Lonely Girl, Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, are back... and this time they want to get paid. The new project is called "LG 15: The Resistance". ...and, no, I'm not kidding. It's about "a group (that) battles a powerful secret society bent on controlling rare young girls whose genetic code offers the key to the fountain of youth." Regardless of whether or not you think that premise is ridiculous, what isn't ridiculous is the way they're distributing it. Not only will it go through web video aggregator's such as Myspace and Hulu, they're creating an in depth LG15 website where fans will "drive how each weekly show is edited for its weekly debut: by interacting with blog posts, short videos and puzzle-solving." Further to that, they're looking for real advertising dollars through product integration, web banners and short videos that are sponsored, so that users will interact with the brand that's sponsoring it. Premise of the story... could be a little off. How they're executing it... spot on.

Cable tries to keep command of crucial pipeline on Marketwatch.com: Oh, just another article on how the cable companies that deliver broadband to homes will be the media distribution companies and gate-keepers of the future. The internet, it's not just for porn anymore... although, it's still quite good for porn.

Fans Go Viral Over Fox's 'Fringe' on Adage.com: This is an article on JJ Abrahams and how he kicks ass at viral marketing. He's an f'ing genius at taking something that's two dimensional and making it jump off the screen through marketing efforts. This show hasn't even aired yet and, already, people are going nuts over "Fringe"... I'm a little excited. We'll see.

Dead Harvey Interviews Ted Alderman

Ted Alderman is not only a producer, director, actor and martial artist, but also the founder of Wicked Dreams Entertainment (Scream Farm, The Deepening, Vampyre Tales. Ted was kind enough to give us an interview, tell us about his influences, and the steps he's taken to amass such an impressive amount of work in both the indie. and Hollywood film bizz. Thank's for the interview, Ted! Keep up the great work!

DH: You've worked as producer, director and actor. Tell us which you prefer the most and why?

TA: I really prefer working as an actor. I enjoy being able to work in different roles and it challenges me more to bring out what different directors want.

DH: Film school: yes or no?

TA: I personally didn't take film school, but I do agree that it's a great choice due to getting the full aspect of different jobs that go on during a shoot. That way you're already familiar with that type of atmosphere.

DH: What films and/or artists have inspired you the most?

TA: Chuck Norris has most inspired me to get into both martial arts and films. Next is Patrick Swayze for the guts to challenge himself to perform so many different type of roles in his career. As far as films, I would say in the action genre would be "Revenge of the Ninja" and "Moulin Rouge" in the drama genre.

DH: Talk about how your skills in martial arts, stunt work, etc., have added to and incorporated themselves into you career.

TA: When I first wanted to get into films I wanted to be a fight choreographer. Every film I watched I would study each and every move and pick what I wanted to use. Then I started acting in Indie films and was given the chance to work the martial arts and stunt work with my acting since most Indie films don't have the budget to hire stunt/fight doubles.

DH: What are the right and wrong steps people take when they first get involved in the business?

TA: The first steps would be is keep promoting yourself. Never think that your name will get out there on it's own. Keep trying to get parts even if you get turned down. You have to keep going. Too many quit early cause they don't get roles they audition for. You may have to go to 100 auditions before you get one job. Also some people have quit due to thinking that they should make it in the biz fast and easy or they think they're going to make a ton of money right off the bat. In the Indie biz you're just not. In fact a lot of your early roles won't even be paid or you have to pay your own travel. Some people just aren't willing to sacrifice that and quit too early. You have to have persistence and just never give up no matter how long it may take to reach your dreams.

DH: As a producer, what elements combine to draw you into a project?

TA: Well I mainly only produce projects that my company 'Wicked Dreams Entertainment' is involved with making. But the elements would include a good story, decent actors and a great film crew.

DH: What your personal favorite project to date?

TA: Not to be biased but I would say "The Deepening". The second film that myself and my business partner/friend, Jim O'Rear made a couple years ago. It's my favorite mainly because I had come up with the original idea for the film. I'm a professional fire fighter so I called up Jim and asked him if he had ever heard of a fireman slasher flick and neither of us had. So I told him that's the next project I wanted to make. I gave him a couple ideas and he had wrote the entire screen play for it himself. Also its the first project I was able to use my martial arts background in a classic bar fight scene like Chuck Norris had done when I was a kid.

DH: What's the best and worst thing about the indie. film business?

TA: The best thing is having the chance to do projects you normally wouldn't have a chance if working in major 'Hollywood' pictures. Being able to do a wide range of different roles to build your resume before trying to move into the 'Hollywood' films. The worst thing is the money. Indie films don't have the budget like major films and you don't make, if any, a lot of money. As stated before, you just have to be willing to work for no or very little pay.

DH: If you had to start over again, would you have done anything differently and why?

TA: Well since I kind of 'fell' into it, I wouldn't of did anything different except that I would of started earlier then I did. But things happen for a reason. When I first met Jim, he really liked my acting ability and cast me in my first feature film "Wolfsbayne" now title "Aconite", we had similar thoughts about things and we just clicked like brothers.

DH: What do you have in store for your fans in the future?

TA: They will have to just wait.... No I'm kidding. I have in store much bigger and better projects coming up for them in the future. I have some things lined up and will keep people up to date on my sites.

DH: Where can people find out more information about
you and, better yet, order your films?

TA: They can check out TedAlderman.com for info on me and my projects. Also there are links to Amazon.com and other sites where they can buy films I've worked on. If anyone wants to see more info and clips of some films I've worked on they can check out Myspace.com/TedAlderman
DH: If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream movie be and why?

TA: Something with a Renaissance theme to it cause i just love that time era in history. It's the era when men still had honor and chivalry. Something that lacks in today's time. Also Patrick Swayze would have to play my dad and Chuck Norris as my teacher/mentor in it.

Another Short Film From Fewdio - Anniversary

Okay, okay... one more post before we all get into the sauce this weekend.

I'm happy to share the latest short film from Fewdio, this one's called "Anniversary" and it's Marichelle Daywalt's directorial debut. Check it out!




To see all Fewdio's films and find out more about them, go to their site, which can be found here.

Film Fest Updates - Shockfest, Shock It To Me, Arizona Underground Film Festival, Festivus Film Festival and the Amberg Horror Fest

I feel that I'm always mentioning festivals that are closed for submissions, so I made a point of finding some that are currently open for submissions. Granted, not ALL of these are open for submissions, but I tried... either way, check these out.

It sounds SO familiar, but I don't think I've ever covered Shockfest (or Shock Film Festival, as it's been called). This is their first year and they are currently looking for documentaries, narratives, music videos that are horrifying, absurd, disturbing and/or controversial. Well, that covers almost everything I've seen in 2008, so far. It takes place in Hollywood this October 24 - 26. Click here to find out how to submit your film (try right click and "save as", it's a pdf) or click here to go to their homepage.

Shock It To Me! grabbed my attention, I had to look into it just because of the title... Now that I have, I can tell you that they're not a competition festival, they just screen old movies. However, they do have a massive dealers and vendors area, which is something I should comment on... Now, take note: just because you can't screen your film at one of these things doesn't mean you can't get involved. Take this festival, for example... you can't screen your film, but you can get a small booth at the festival where you can network, but, more importantly, promote your upcoming films and try to sell your existing films and merchandise (by the way, people at these things are in the mood to buy - you'll probably make more than your money back with a stack of DVD's). Also, who says you can't show people what you're doing? Bring in a little LCD TV and a DVD player and play your films, trailers and other promo footage. Not only that, you also get festival passes to all the films, you get your name on the dealers page (remember, it's about marketing - get your name out there) and you get a link on their webpage, so everyone that checks it out can find you. So, really, if you're in the area of one of these shows, they're worth going to and getting involved with. This one's in San Fran and it runs October 17-18.

That last fest may not be accepting submissions, but Arizona Underground Film Festival IS, although they're only accepting them until September 15th. The festival runs October 17th - 19th in Tucson and they showcase the work of filmmakers with "defiantly independent visions"... and, yes, that includes horror. In fact, they give out a 'best horror feature' and a 'best horror short' award. The entry form can be found here and the homepage can be found here.

Festivus Film Festival takes place in Denver during the second week of January and it truly is the festival for the rest of us! It's really not a horror festival, but I liked the name, they're accepting submissions right now and they're looking for "awesomely badass, truly independent film". So, it kinda fits the bill. I went through last years films and there's not a lot of horror in there, but that doesn't mean they won't accept it. Further to that, they seem like pretty cool guys, you could probably email them and tell them about your film to see if it's something they're interested in. Click here for information on submissions.

Through my unrivaled google skills, I dug up some info on the Amberg Horror Fest, a fest that I've never heard about. However, only ONE page on the web told me something about the Amberg Horror Fest and it certainly wasn't their homepage. Their homepage can be found here, click on that and tell me if it EVER loads. Otherwise, here's the criptic information that I uncovered... It's an international horror film festival that takes place in... well, I'm assuming in Amberg, but I don't really know where that is, so excuse my stupidity. I refuse to look on a map and figure it out. However, it does take place at the Amberg Park Theatre & Ring Theatre and it takes place this October 30th through Nov 2nd.

*a brief correction/update - the site DOES load, it just wasn't working from the computer I was on at the time... it's a very information heavy site, so it may take a while to load, but it's actually a really cool site. Also, Amberg's in Germany, if you were wondering.

Interview With Alexandre Michaud, writer/director of "Clean"

Every once in a while I just read the premise of a film and I know I'm in for a good ride... that was definitely the case with "Clean", from writer/director Alexandre Michaud. Here's how it reads, "A dangerous serial killer decides to go out with a bang when he is invited by a mysterious group of fellow murderers for an evening of snuff and torture". With a synopsis like that, the film promises a lot... and Michaud gives you what you want, plus a bit more. Reminicent at times of "American Psycho" and other times of "The Wizard of Gore" and blended with a wicked metal soundtrack, it's a great watch and definitely worth your time. Dead Harvey had the chance to talk with Alexandre Michaud about his film, "Clean"


Tell us about yourself as a filmmaker. Who are your influences? What's your directing style like?

I was always fascinated by the euro horror and action flicks from the 70s and 80s. I'm a big fan of Argento, Fulci, Castellari and also some Spanish and French directors. Back when I was a kid, I didnt even know those films were not American like everything else but these little bastards stuck with me... I have fond memories of watching Bronx Warriors, White Cannibal Queen and The Beyond for the first time as a kid or a very young teenager. Later on, I was much influenced by the golden age of HK cinema. Still today, Im looking up to the films of Ringo Lam and John Woo from the late 80s, early 90s as reference of quality.

My directing style is a little bit like Fulci probably... I'm a little messy but I like to think of myself as inspired... ;-) I dont have the talent Fulci had but our directing styles are similar in my opinion.

Film School: Yes or No?

No. I decided to lead a double life and studied in Finance.

So, at the risk of uncovering some not-so-hidden angst, where did the idea for "Clean" come from?

This is weird because CLEAN was conceived many years before we shot it so it felt a little out place when it came out. CLEAN had two inspiration. The first one is pretty obvious; Lewis' The Wizard Of Gore. I was looking for an idea for me to get back to gore cinema after a 5 years hiatus at trying other things. One night, I was half-drunk at a party at some buddy of mine's and we were all watching Wizard. Dont get me wrong... I didnt like the movie much but I think the idea of a snuff stage show was amazing and had a lot of potential. That's how the plotline came together.

The second inspiration is a little more left-field... Bill Clinton and the political climate at the end of the century. The way I looked at it, there was a lot of talking but nothing was getting solved back then. Nobody was prepared to take any action. Everybody looked the other way and nothing was really getting done. So... as I was writing the script, I put in that whole political sub-message that very few people get. Basically, what CLEAN was saying is... if you have the power to do the right thing, DO IT. We all learned how important this is in September 2001. Then again, its also important to know what the right thing is, so nothing is really perfect.

How did you go about securing financing and what was the approx. budget?

The film was self-financed. I already had a lot of equipment from prior project so that was not so expensive. Everybody who worked on the film did it for a differed salary and I still owe a lot of money to a lot of people. Thank God, everybody involved has been very understanding and ultra-cool thus far. Considering all debts I still have with those guys and gals, the budget was a little over 35k.

What did you shoot on and how long was the shoot?

We shot with a good DV camera. The shoot was 20 or 21 days spreaded over 3-4 months.

Let's talk about the gore and effects. There's was lots of it AND it looked great. I particularly liked the scene where the guy on stage is trying to cram his intestines back into his stomach. Who did the effects? What was your favorite? …and how was it achieved?

All the effects were done by Jef Grenier. Funny enough, a lot of it was recycled from our very first film URBAN FLESH (which recently came out on DVD from Sub-Rosa). Those guts you see in the stage snuff murder (in two different scenes in the film) are the exact same pieces of latex you can see in Urban Flesh. My favorite gore scene is the one were Eric Therrien is pulling the guts from the naked girl (Chantal Petrin). Eric really got into it and it got real mad.

How did you go about casting the film? It was a fairly large cast, even though each actor didn't have that much onscreen time. Talk about coordinating the set and managing a cast of that size.

For the first time in my life, there was not real casting sessions for CLEAN. Since this was a non-union project, we used pretty much everybody we knew from prior projects with whom we had enjoyed working with. Marco Calliari and Sebastien Croteau are both long time buddies... Eric Therrien is a very good friend of Martin Dubreuil with whom I had done Urban Flesh. Chantal Petrin was recommended by west coast director Ron Ford whom I've known for years etc etc

Directing such a large cast was difficult for the first few days (or nights) but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. You need a good booming voice and sometimes you also need to be kind of an asshole... ;-) If you keep a professional attitude, it works out fine.

After it was all said and done, what would you have done differently?

I dont know yet. Maybe wait a couple of years and shoot it in HD ;-) I would probably do a casting session and not overlook small parts.

Another highlight for me was the music. A lot of indie horror films use metal, but not effectively. It usually seems out of place or put in, just for the sake of being put in. It seemed to fit really well with "Clean". Where did you get the music and how did you go about using it the way you did?

The soundtrack has two parts. Half of it was original score by the incredible Colonel 32 from the band Otaku. Its a friend of a friend from San Francisco. I pitched him the project and he liked the idea and the opportunity to try his hand at an original soundtrack. I talked to him on the phone a couple of times for a few hours and then I let him work. He did the rest.

The other half is metal songs from around the world. I approached a few bands and record labels and asked for permissions for specific songs and that worked out. Everybody was extremely cool.

In my opinion, the reason why it worked is that I pursued the songs instead of using whatever bands where sending me. Of course, you cannot always get what you wish for but its worth a try. The fist cut of the film included a song by Danzig and a song by The Doors. The Doors were very cool but asked WAY too much money and Danzig simply ignored us (which is OK with me, I'm still a huge fan).

The film is just over an hour long… is this something that was done on purpose? At the end of the day, did having it just short of traditional 'feature length' cause any issues?

Surprisingly, it did not bother any of the distributors. I even offered to shot a few extra scenes to take it to 75 minutes but they all said it was fine as it is... The short running time is an accident. The script was about 90 pages long and we shot everything but the editing resulted in a shorter film. Thats fine with me. I think its a good length. I hate 3-hour movies... Also, please note that the Brain Damage version of the film excludes a cool scratch video sequence that was cut because of possible right-infringement problems. No lawyer wanted to give me a definite answer on the question so I told BDF it was their call. Their call was to cut it, thus an even shorter film...

How about the festival circuit. Did you enter any festivals? How did that go? What did you learn? And what can you pass on to other filmmakers who've finished an indie horror and want to enter it into festivals?

CLEAN played in only two festivals because I did not send any submissions anywhere. I gave a copy to Mitch Davis from the Fantasia in Montreal because we've been in touch for a long time and I wanted to know what he thought about it. He liked it and offered to play it at the festival. The film also played for two nights in a film festival in Argentina which was fun. Im not a big fan of festivals so I never pursue showing of my films there... Not anymore. People ask me for a permission and I say yes but thats about it.

What about distribution? How's that going? Are there any lessons that you would pass on to other indie filmmakers who've just finished a film?

CLEAN has been picked up by Brain Damage Films about 2 years ago along with GoreGoyles 1 and GoreGoyles 2. Im still under contract with them so I will not complain ;-) Only thing I can say is... be patient. I got an offer for Clean for a lot more money only two weeks after I had signed with BDF. Dont rush into a deal. Wait and see. The first bidder will still pick it up if nothing else shows up.

Where can people find out more about "Clean" or, better yet, buy a copy?

There is a little bit of info on my website at Helltimate.com . You can buy a copy there of course but the film is also listed on Amazon and all other online shops. In the US, you can find copies at your local store. If they dont have it in stock, ASK FOR IT. Theyll order it for you (ASIN: B0014567KC). As I said, you can also find copies of GoreGoyles, GoreGoyles 2 and Urban Flesh at the same places. Support 100% indy filmmaking. Buy copies!

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

Im currently working for Christian Viel's Movie Seals Productions (SAMHAIN EVIL BREED, RECON 2020, RECON 2022) as a producer. We are now in production on a VERY cool sci-fi film starring Anderson Bradshaw and Deke Richards. This should be ready by the end of the year. We also have a handful of other projects in the mix coming up this winter and next year. I should be returning to directing sometime next year if everything goes right. We are ready to take things to the next level.

You can buy the film off Amazon here or check out Michaud's website here. (love the pic on the front page, btw!)

Linkapalooza - September 4, 2008: Independents do what Dead Harvey said they would...

God bless this industry, there's always so much going on and, as usual, Dead Harvey's just trying to keep you on top of it all. By the way, the poster to the right is for the film mentioned in the second link there... now, wtf? It's JUST in post production now and it doesn't come out until 2009, how can they already have three reviews? Whatever... don't ask, don't tell.

Independents change tactics on Variety.com: I think this gives me a GREAT opportunity to bring up a post that I wrote a while ago that I really liked, if I don't say so myself... Remember Mark Gill's speech about how the sky was falling for indie film? Remember my semi-brilliant retort? Here's the link, if you didn't get a chance to read it the first time around... Anyhow, guess what? It looks like indie filmmakers are already figuring this whole new scene out and doing what we thought they would. I thought my post covered all the necessary stuff, but you could read this one too... it basically says indie filmmakers are going to have to look at new distribution angles or just self-distribute. Plus, if you're interested in the business side and the numbers, they get into that. Jokes aside, it's definitely worth the read.

Internet-Born "Perkins' 14" Hits Theaters in January on ShockTillYouDrop.com: You remember that project that we mentioned forever ago? (probably more like 3 or 4 months ago) The project that was developed online at Massify.com to be produced by After Dark Films, where writers submitted story ideas, actors submitted audition videos and the site's community voted on everything? Well, they're in post-production now, the film's called "Perkins' 14" and it's going to hit theaters in January '09.

Analog Meets Its Match in Red Digital Cinema's Ultrahigh-Res Camera on Wired.com: I'm not much of a camera guy, really... I like them and all, but I usually just employ the services of someone who really knows what they're doing. However, this link is for all of you who are camera guys. This is about Red Digital Cinema, a company that's revolutionizing motion picture cameras with their product, "the Red One". Sounds a little weird, I know, but you HAVE to check out the video clip they have on that link, it's unreal. "Red Digital Cinema" was founded by the guy founded Oakley, then went on to become a billionaire. Apparently he's dumped tons of dough into making this camera and all the camera guys out there are blowing their loads over it. So, if you're one of those camera guys, do yourself a favor and check out it out... read the whole article, too. They really delve into the tech and everything behind it.

Kindertrauma: There's a certain type of horror movie that exists because it's trying to dig up things that you may have been scared of as a kid... like the clown in "Poltergeist", Chucky, Freddy, the boogeyman, clowns or a hockey masked, psycho killers that'll get you when you go out in the woods. You know, those basic fears that everyone's had forever. Well, I came across this site, Kindertrauma.com... and it's dedicated to everything that scared you when you were a kid. I'm thinking that if you're looking to write a script and you're still in the idea stage, take a look through this site... I'm sure you'll find something to write about.

10 Ways to Increase Your Marketing IQ This Summer on Adage.com: I'm going to lay something out here for all you indie horror filmmakers... and this really is a fact. When it comes to making money in this business, you'd probably be better off to know more about marketing and advertising than filmmaking. As far as Hollywood is concerned, they have marketing teams working on films before a frame is even shot and marketing does make or break a film. When it comes to an indie film selling 20 copies or 20,000 copies, the difference is in the marketing. Knowing how marketing works will change the way you approach filmmaking... Anyhow, this is an article from Adage and it's this guys advice to marketers on what they should be doing during the dog days of summer. Now, two things... one, almost everything he says is pertinent to filmmakers, so you should read it anyhow. Two, he mentions a few marketing books to read in there. Think about reading them. If not them, pick up some basic marketing books. You'll really be surprised how much it'll help you.

Dead Harvey Interviews Kevin Wheatley and Jamie Bullock: Writer/Co-Director and Producer of, "Beach Party At The Threshold Of Hell"

"The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell" is f'ing awesome. Plain and simple. It's currently on our top ten list and deserves to be there because, among other noteworthy reasons, unlike most horror flicks who just throw five people in the woods and have them get chased by a monster, Beach Party ventures outside the box. It could be classified as horror, satire, post-apocalypic, comedy, action or cult. Take your pic and Beach Party weaves all these classic elements into a bizarre and thoroughly entertaining mesh. I see big time cult movie status in the future for this awesome flick.

If you can get your hands on the comic book, I also highly recommend it. Written and illustrated by the film's co-director and writer, Kevin Wheatley, it's a pre-quel to what you see in the film and is well worth checking out.

The film is like watching a comic book on acid, while maintaining a coherent story and solid script. It features Jane Seymour, Daniel Baldwin (I f'ing love that guy) and Richard Riehle as well as Kevin Wheatley and producer Jamie Bullock. Our interview here is with Wheatley and Bullock. The film's other co-director is Jonny Gillette. Our thank's for the interview and kudos to everyone involved in a movie that represents everything we here at Dead Harvey love about indie film: originality and spirit!

Now, trust us on this one and head on over to Amazon.com to buy yourselves a copy.

clip 1 - Brad's Pre-Drinking Message
clip 2 - Kevin and Jamie's Background
clip 3 - The National Lampoon Label
clip 4 - Merging Genres
clip 5 - A Group Of Friends
clip 6 - Shooting In Florida
clip 7 - Shooting Epic On A Low Budget
clip 8 - Pairing Kennedy And Castro
clip 9 - A Different Kind Of Horror Movie
clip 10 - Influences
clip 11 - Shooting Schedule And Getting Jane Seymour
clip 12 - Daniel Baldwin And Richard Riehle
clip 13 - Personal Sacrifices
clip 14 - Haters
clip 15 - Investors And Trusting Instincts
clip 16 - Doors Opened And Haters pt. 2
clip 17 - Advice
clip 18 - Finding Music
clip 19 - Distribution
clip 20 - Film School: Yes Or No?
clip 21 - Collaboration
clip 22 - What's Next?
clip 23 - Parting Words

Here are a few links with additional info on the movie:
Youtube.com/bpthmovie
Thresholdofhell.com/comic
Feedcannibalsue.com
Interview with Cannibal Sue on LA.com

September 2nd, 2008 - New Horror Out On DVD This Week

A decent week for horror releases... so, let's get right to it, but not before I remind you that you can click on the titles to buy them off Amazon and/or go to our youtube page to check out some of the trailers.

Right off the bat, I have to say that I love the fact that films like "Bachelor Party in Bungalow of The Damned" are making a bit of a come-back. As you can imagine, this is true micro-cinema horror at it's best. Produced, written, directed, edited AND score composed by Brian Thomson, it's about a group of guys who go off to the Hamptons for a bachelor party, but after the trio of strippers show up, all hell breaks loose. It's not released by Troma, but there's a lot of Troma ties, as a few of the actors have done a lot of Troma stuff... and even Lloyd Kaufman makes an appearance in the film. Then again, it was filmed in Long Island and I think Lloyd shows up in almost every indie horror that's filmed in the New York area. Long and short, expect horror, blood, guts, comedy... and boobs.

"Skeleton Key 2", also called "Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor of the Beast" is not the sequel to the 2005 film "The Skeleton Key", which starred Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard and John Hurt. It is, in fact, the sequel to the 2006 direct to dvd film, "Skeleton Key", which starred Conrad Brooks, Jay Barber and Shirley Bloom. The two "Skeleton Key" films are from writer, director, editor, producer, etc. John Johnson, who's now working on a film called "Plan 9"... and his films are as indie as they get, not to mention they look pretty good. The plot revolves around the town of Nilbog, which has been overrun by zombies, vampires and their lord, Dr. Nochas. If you dare to check these films out, be prepard for blood, boobs and musical numbers. More specifically, songs about soiling yourself and being left for dead.

"Deceptors" is also from the afore mentioned John Johnson and it takes place in the same fictional town of Nilbog. First off, I believe "Deceptors" was originally called "Shadowhunters" and came out in 2004 as part of the "Tomb of Terrors" DVD collection. So, it looks like Johnson just got the rights back and is rereleasing it, which is cool. The plot revolves around a team of conmen running a scam in Nilbog, by creating fictitious monsters and demanding money to get rid of them... until they actually awoke some real demons. I think you can consider this the prequel to "Skeleton Key" and "Skeleton Key 2", although it's really just sort of the first in the series.

"The Gleam" comes from Sridhar Ranganath, or Sri Rang, for short and it's an award winning film, having won him best director at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival in 2006. Released by Timesignature Entertainment, it's a 65 minute feature that's about an homeless actor given shelter by a mad scientist, who has successfully been bringing dead animals back to life and wants to give it a go on a human. They've got a pretty kick ass trailer, that's more like a music video, featuring an original hip-hop song from the film... we'll have it featured on our Youtube page, where you can also check out all the other trailers for all these films.

"Cannibal", from Marian Dora, actually came out a ways back in 2005, but it's worth mentioning because it was quite a shocking film when it came out. It's a German film, filmed in Germany and, believe it or not, it actually is based on true events. You may actually remember the story, too. Armin Meiwes, a German man, killed and ate a voluntary victim that he found through the internet - he posted an ad that said "looking for a well-built 18 - 30 year old to be slaughtered and then consumed". Well, it happened and it's a really f'ed up story. As you can imagine, the film gets pretty sick, as it delves into the sexuality behind the whole deal, as well. Basically, there's not a lot of talking in it and the last 30 mins or so get pretty twisted.

"The Morgue" is probably the biggest budget horror film release of the week and comes from director Halder Gomes and is being released by Lionsgate. It's got Bill Cobbs in it, who's one of those guys that, once you see him, you know exactly who he is. He's been in everything. The rest of the cast is quite experienced, as well. The film is about six strangers, brought together by a weird series of unusual events, who "latch on to each other at a desolate mortuary in hopes of making it through the night."

"Watch Me" is a J-Horror style film, made by Australians and filmed in China and Australia. It's the directorial debut from Melanie Ansley and the reviews are a little mixed, but the plot sounds interesting... even though it does borrow quite heavily from a lot of recent J-Horror films. Basically, people are getting brutally murdered after they read the 'watch me' attachment that's on an spammed email. That's all very cliched and everything, but there's also a creepy red-headed woman in a yellow dress, some guy named "freak boy" and victims get their eyes sewn shut.

Dead Harvey Interviews Carlos G. Gananian, Writer/Director of, "Akai"

We here at Dead Harvey were very excited to receive a horror film from Brazil in the mail. And we were not disappointed, to say the least. Carlos' film, "Akai", is a stunningly visual piece of work. It's a essentially a silent film shot with a seventies feel and it's really damn impressive. Dead Harvey highly recommends, "Akai" and thank's Carlos for the interview!

For more info. on, "Akai" check out Geral Filmes at
geralfilmes.com.br or check out this link for the trailer on you tube.

DH: Tell us about your background. Where are you from and what got you into making movies?

I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and lived down here all my life. Started to be interested in movies at an early age, around 9, 10 years old. Always enjoyed horror films and other genre stuff (westerns, action, comedy, etc), caught a lot of foreign B-movies that aired on local television, staying up late at night to tape them. Also as a teenager, I collected posters, lobby cards, movie memorabilia in general, so when I got older it seemed to be pretty obvious that I should pursue film making, since I had a passion for it.

DH: Film school: yes or no?

Yes. I did attend film school, and while I think it's important, providing valuable information and networking opportunities, I also believe that nothing beats being on a movie set. You truly learn the craft by actually making films, simple as that.

Get your hands dirty, try to be informed about every aspect of the process, and be as productive as possible.

DH: What elements, do you believe, combine together to make a great film and why?

That rare combination of interesting material, done by a director with a strong vision, who casts well and let the actors do their job.

DH: Who are your primary influences as a director and why?

A lot of different stuff. Italian horror (Bava, Argento, Fulci, Soavi), Hammer movies, comic books, filmmakers like Enzo G. Castellari, Shinya Tsukamoto, Sergio Leone, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, Alex Proyas, Alejandro Jodorowski, Kenneth Anger, and Clive Barker. I'm a
huge fan of artists such as Bernie Wrightson, Richard Corben, Frank Frazetta, H.R. Giger and Basil Gogos as well.

DH: Akai is brilliantly shot. Tell us about your choice for the look of the film.

My DP on the film, Gabriel Kalim Mucci, had a lot ideas and gave a ton of input. We settled on a style that was heavy on inky shadows, crushing the blacks, blowing highlights, separating areas with different colors, mixing temperatures. It's a very difficult look to achieve, and needed some adjustments with the art department to make it all work, but I'm fairly happy with what we pulled off.

This particular story lent itself to such an exaggerated look, so we went for it.

DH: Akai is essentially a modern day silent film. What are your thoughts on this?

I wanted to tell a story through images and sound, not relying on dialogue or any kind of exposition. It's more complicated to convey information that way, but we were up to the challenge. Since it's a short, we took chances, making unusual choices and attempting a different approach to familiar elements. In some instances it worked, and I'm pretty happy, in others it didn't, but that's ok. At the end of the day, we had freedom to be fairly experimental, so we tried to step out of our comfort zone whenever we could.

DH: Describe your directing style.

I'd say specific. Composition, colors, shooting format, method of coverage, acting style, I try to figure all that stuff out as I'm writing, very early on.

DH: What, in your opinion, is the biggest thing aspiring filmmakers need to know before going out there and shooting their first movie?

That's a tough one. It all begins with a good script. If your script isn't in shape, you're going to be in trouble later on, no matter how well you prepare. Changes and tweaks will be made, but I think that a solid game plan, that originates during pre-production is essential. If you have a starting point, you can deviate from it with confidence and not waste everyone's time on
the shoot.

Another key ingredient is hiring the right people for the job. Know you crew and their technical limitations, so that you are aware of how much you can push them. Get the best actors, audition them, see if they have chemistry. Rehearse as much as possible.

And above anything else conform your script to your budget, be creative with solutions, not wasting cash whenever there's trouble. Work with what you have.

DH: What is the one thing you'd most like people to take with them after they watch, "Akai"?

I hope people don't just watch it passively, and actually make an effort to figure out certain things that are left up in the air.

The movie is supposed to be a little bit of a puzzle, where we give you bits and pieces, but the audience has to fill in the gaps and come up with their own answers, regarding the main character's back story and his current condition.

DH: What has your experience been like with the festival circuit?

Pretty good. The short played over 20 festivals all over the world. I specially recommend Fantasia and Toronto After Dark up in Canada, Dead Channels in San Francisco, Zompire, Rojo Sangre in Argentina, RioFan and FantasPoa here in Brazil. Attending festivals is key because you get to meet people and spread the word about your work, gauge reactions to your movie too. Basically the exposure is essential.

DH: What's the best advice you can give to people out there who have finished a movie?

Submit it to anyone you can think of. Festivals, productions companies, distributors, agencies, websites, you name it. Don't be shy about knocking on doors and making an effort to get your stuff seen. You never know who might respond to your work, and help in some way. Be willing
to face rejection and take criticism.

DH: What's next for Carlos Gananian?

A feature. I'm writing a number of scripts and trying to figure out what to do at this point. There are also projects that may happen in the US, which is very cool, but those are bigger budgeted, and take a lot longer to move forward.

DH: If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream movie be?

Something like "Blade Runner" or "Dark City", where I could get to build a whole universe, have total control over the look of the piece and shoot for as long as I wanted. That would be an ideal job.