tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21288756949016393012024-03-19T01:28:04.200-07:00Into The Abyss<hr>
<p>
<i>"Battle not with monsters
lest ye become a monster;<br>
and if you gaze into the abyss,
the abyss gazes into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
<p>
"It's like, how much more black could this be?<br>
... and the answer is none. None more black." - Nigel Tufnel, This is Spinal Tap</p></i><p>
<p>
<hr>
<p>
From the sublime to the ridiculous: musings on horror, movies,<br>indie filmmaking, digital technology and general weird stuff.</p></p></p></p>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-74722696031095005172012-08-29T09:52:00.000-07:002012-08-29T09:52:28.173-07:00Odds and Ends<i><b>Some random tidbits from the corners of my mind:</b></i><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242460/">We Need to Talk About Kevin</a> - a tremendously
effective and masterfully controlled thriller and the best use of the
color red since <a href="http://suspiria./">Suspiria.</a></span><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.starz.com/originals/boss">Boss</a> may just be the 2nd best show on tv right now (behind Breaking Bad of course), too bad no one's watching.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
JESSE: "Vamanos."<br />
SKYLER: "I wish..."<br />
<br />
Two characters summed up beautifully in one off-handed exchange. Brilliant writing from <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad">Breaking Bad.</a> Oh yeah - and one more from the same episode:<br />
<br />
MIKE: "Shut the f--- up and let me die in peace."<br />
Pretty much his entire state of mind for the last two seasons.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">The exponential nature of the 'net: It took us 9 months to get our
first 1,000 views of <a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html">Enter the Dark</a> on YouTube. It then took us just 7 days to get our
next 3,000 views. Now over 5,000 and counting! </span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">Somehow we got linked to this site - <a href="http://www.1channel.ch/">1channel</a> which is just a big linkfest to online video - some legit, some clearly ripped and bit-torrented, and now our short film has been propagated on multiple other sites. The good news - from what I can tell, on all those other sites combined, we now have over 40,000 total views. The bad news- we're getting absolutely no Google AdSense revenue from all those views - someone else is! I'll choose to concentrate on the good news of all the exposure we're now getting.</span><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">Some cool documentaries I stumbled upon via Netflix: </span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">If you're interested in mysteries, conspiracies, street art, or 2001, check out <a href="http://www.resurrectdead.com/">Resurrect Dead.</a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent">Do you have noisy neighbors, like to make crank phone calls or are you interested in what makes something art vs exploitation? Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.shutuplittlemanfilm.com/">SHUT UP LITTLE MAN!</a></span><br />
<span class="userContent">But please... turn the sound down so you're not annoying the neighbors! </span> <br />
<br />
<br />Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com521tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-67384755874947086132012-05-06T11:05:00.000-07:002012-05-06T11:05:39.598-07:00A Stiff Dose of RealityIt's every film maker's worst nightmare. The lights go up, an uncomfortable silence envelopes the theater. A moderator walks to the front, microphone in hand. "Let's talk about the film you've just seen" he says, innocently enough, and unleashes from the audience a chain reaction of hate-filled vitriol, all aimed squarely at your baby - your carefully crafted, defenseless little speck of a film.<br />
<br />
And yet, the cruel reality of any artist is that any art they manage to make, be it a painting, sculpture, novel, or film, no longer belongs to them once they share it with the world. It is now out of their hands. It has a life of its own. Whatever ideas they were actually trying to represent have no relevance to the effects that the art actually has on an audience.<br />
<br />
And the reactions that it may elicit from an audience are wide, varied, and entirely dependent on a seemingly chaotic range of variables specific to each and every person: do they even like horror movies; does the lead actor remind them of someone they hate; are they hungry, tired, hot, at the time of viewing; did they just get in a fight with their boyfriend; did they once have an idea similar to yours and now hate you for having finished this movie? Who knows. Somehow, all these variables get wrapped up into a hazy glob of something called "taste". <br />
<br />
Two people, sitting right next to each other see the same movie - one says, "I thought it was very clever and effective. It really drew me into the story. I was engaged throughout and was shocked by the ending - very well done." The next person says, "I thought it was cliched and boring - totally obvious and had no sense of what it wanted to be. I hated it."<br />
<br />
It's easy for an artist to want to go around defending their work - "yeah, but that's not what I intended...", "I originally wanted to do that, but we ran out of time...", "no, I wasn't trying to rip that off - what, no I've never even seen that film!" For me, with <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i>, the most obvious bit of criticism is that it's a rip off of <i><b>Paranormal Activity</b></i>. The cruel reality is that I had my idea <i>before</i> <i><b>PA</b></i> was ever released and had to watch in horror as accolades were showered upon a film that closely matched many of my ideas. I knew that most people would assume that my short was just a reaction to <i><b>PA</b></i>, but I didn't care - I did it anyway, knowing that at least some folks would be able to discern the difference.<br />
<br />
And so, I bring to you, actual unfiltered reactions to my defenseless baby, <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i> after a screening at Toronto's WILDsound Film Festival this past April. These are some responses from your average film fans - not particularly horror fans mind you. And some of the reactions are quite brutal. If I had watched this soon after I finished the project, I might have been quite crushed, but having some distance of almost two years, and many successes later, I can take a <i>(somewhat)</i> more objective viewpoint. Still, it does sting a bit. Thank goodness however, for the ever astute viewer that shows up around 4:30 in the video - finally someone who was actually paying attention!! Oh thank you, thank you Mr. Dreadlocked Dude - you actually make film making worth doing!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jzNnXiijtcs" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Well, what's a film maker supposed to do, given these types of reactions by seemingly equally intelligent and reasonable folks. How do you judge if your ideas are coming across to an audience? How can you tell if you are an effective film maker?<br />
<br />
Well for me, before I finished <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i>, I was very careful to show it to a group of people whose opinions I trust. These were friends and family from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some who love horror films, some who never watch them. Some who are also film makers, and some who have never created anything close to "art" in their lifetime. I asked them to be brutally honest. I asked specific questions pertaining to what was working and what wasn't. I asked them specifically about the ending of my film, as I was unsure whether I was giving enough information to explain it.<br />
<br />
After the screening, we talked about the film in general, but I also handed out response sheets so I could look over their reactions at a later time and sift through the data. What I realized is that you can never take one single piece of criticism at face value. Never ever take a note from one individual and assume that it is correct. Each and every person has such a unique take on things, that to try to please everyone is a fool's game. You will end up with a film that has no relation to the personal insights you originally intended. You must ignore any criticism that isn't corroborated by multiple people's responses.<br />
<br />
If one person says they don't understand the ending of your film, then fine, take a note - but do nothing. If THE MAJORITY of people get and like your ending, you are golden - don't mess with it! However, if you continually get the feedback that folks are having issues with your ending YOU MUST FIX IT!<br />
<br />
Always keep in mind that you will never get 100% of your audience to like what you are doing - nor should you even want that. Any idea worth doing is going to piss some people off - if you're not offending someone, then you're not trying hard enough!Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com232tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-42777830579582426512012-04-13T08:10:00.001-07:002012-04-16T12:55:23.136-07:00Fits and StartsThe life of an indie filmmaker is one of fits and starts: you have a flash of inspiration; you carefully and lovingly coax that spark into a fully formed idea; you motivate your friends and colleagues to join you in making this dream a reality; you toil through the process of production and post production; you do the dance of the press and film festival circuit and then...<br />
<br />
Well then, your real life slaps you in the face. Stuff happens. You get buried under the avalanche of your daily life. You need to pay your bills - do your taxes - find paying work - chauffeur your kids to baseball practice. <br />
<br />
You know - real life. And not that it's all awful - it's not, it's just really time consuming - which leaves almost no time for flashes of inspiration to spark in your brain.<br />
<br />
So, while I've been doing lots of work this past year, sadly none of it has involved directing my next short film. What has been going on is my usual assortment of editing corporate videos, documentaries, local commercials and various odds and ends - a typical freelancers bounty and one that I'm grateful to have in these tough times.<br />
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Recently, I completed editing, sound mixing and doing graphic work for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldman_Environmental_Prize">Goldman Environmental Prize</a> videos. These videos will introduce and tell the stories of this year's recipients of the <a href="http://www.goldmanprize.org/">prize that is awarded to everyday folks</a> who do extraordinary things to protect their local environment. Each year we also re-edit the stories together into a half-hour show which airs on <b>PBS</b> called <a href="http://www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=20254"><i><b>The New Environmentalists</b></i>.</a> It's always a pleasure to work on something that highlights such inspirational and compelling people, and we've been fortunate to have won a regional <b>Emmy Award</b> for this show twice in the last couple of years.<br />
<br />
I'd love to show you the videos for this year, but you'll just have to wait until their names are officially revealed. I can tell you that one of the stories was very interesting to do as it revolved around an issue that got major worldwide attention recently. I was in the unique position of knowing about some of the elements of this story just a week or so before it exploded in the press.<br />
<br />
On an entirely different note, I had a very troubling experience as an editor recently. As a freelancer who works from home, I am sometimes put in a peculiar position of having strangers in my house. Most of the people I work with I've known for a long time and consider them friends as much as clients, but with more and work coming through Craig's List and other online sources, this is now not always the case.<br />
So, I was in the position of working with a new client when he decided that he wanted to come over to finish up work on a demo video we were doing for a new piece of software. Nice enough guy, so no problem. We finish up that video and he mentions he wants to do a small thing and edit some footage that he took of his family around his house that will be included in a little "happy face" video to open up some meeting. Easy enough - I do these sorts of things all the time. Nice guy, nice family - no worries. We finish the videos, he pays promptly - says the videos worked great, everyone loved them, he'll be sure to be back on any new projects that come through.<br />
<br />
Months later, I get a rather strange call from one of his colleagues at the company he works for. So, I call him back and he says "I just wanted to let you know if you hadn't heard from John <i>(not his real name)</i> lately, that unfortunately he's been out of the office for a while." He continues, "Actually at this moment we're not sure if he's coming back." He sounds really uncomfortable and I can tell he's sitting on some bad news. I'm expecting him to say that John has some terminal disease and how awful it is.<br />
<br />
Then he says, "We wanted to let you know before you heard it on the news..." I'm thinking, wha?<br />
<br />
"John killed his wife."<br />
<br />
My head spins. I can't believe what I'm hearing. All I can think about is this guy in my edit suite, <i><b>in my house</b></i>, watching video of his kids - laughing and playing outside the home where this guy will soon kill their mother.<br />
<br />
Ugh.<br />
<br />
It's hard for me not to question my judgement on people. How can you know - how can you <i><b>really know</b></i> what someone else is thinking. What inner demons they are fighting with.<br />
<br />
You just never know.<br />
<br />
On happier news, I'm pleased to announce that a film I did some editing work on last year just had it's premiere at the <b>Atlanta Film Festival</b>. <a href="http://withoutanetmovie.com/"><i><b>Without a Net</b></i></a> tells the story of four kids from the drug controlled slums of Rio de Janeiro, who become involved with a local circus. It's really a great story and I'm so glad that my friend Kelly Richardson has completed her project and is making the festival rounds. Check it out if you get the chance.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16715278?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
Speaking of women-produced filmmaking, I also recently funded this cool looking film noir project on Kickstarter called the <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/22557494/the-lilith-necklace?ref=email"><i><b>Lilith Necklace</b></i></a> by Melanie Killingsworth. It's always nice to have the opportunity to help others see their visions fulfilled. I figure, "Hey if I can't get my project rolling right now, might as well help someone else get theirs off the ground."<br />
<br />
As for <a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html"><i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i></a>, it is still going strong, with upcoming festival screenings in <a href="http://chicagofearfest.com/">Chicago</a>, <a href="http://www.wildsound.ca/torontofilmfestivals.html">Toronto</a> and even all the way up there in <a href="http://www.darkbridges.com/">Saskatoon</a>. It's now running on its own momentum, as festival directors are now contacting me and sometimes even waving the entree fee! This is the advantage of a film that has already screened in many festivals and won a few awards. Once a film starts getting some buzz, it creates a life of its own. Starting the buzz is always the hard part.<br />
<br />
Which brings me back to my starting point - fits and starts. I've struggled through a couple of ideas, but I think I've settled on a nice, tasty little moment of darkness to work on next. I don't want to give away too much of the piece yet, but it is inspired by very real events in my lifetime.<br />
<br />
And also this famous image:<br />
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<br />
If I can pull this off successfully then perhaps bigger things are on the horizon. But for now, I'll take things slowly.<br />
<br />
One step at a time.<br />
<br />
<br />Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com452tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-33582957121352208802012-02-21T22:00:00.001-08:002012-02-21T22:31:34.907-08:00The Artist... really?Thanks a lot Oscar nominators - you wrangled 10 bucks out of my pocket. Oh yeah, Golden Globes, you didn't help much either. And to all you Yahoo! movie reviewers who gave this 4 1/2 stars - I'll see you in HELL!<br />
<br />
After all the buildup and buzz, I felt I finally needed to see <i><b>The Artist</b></i>. You know, on that one night out in like 6 months when I actually get to see something in the theater that doesn't require 3D glasses, or multiple trips to the restroom to track down my restless 6 year-old.<br />
<br />
I really wanted to like this, I tried... really. <i><b>The Artist</b></i> is clever and well-made, but c'mon already, it's PAINFULLY predictable. I guess it would've been ok if it was a 20-minute short film... and it didn't suck.<br />
<br />
Ok, ok, I'm being too harsh, it doesn't actually suck, but best picture? no effing way.<br />
<br />
It doesn't even belong in the same conversation as <i><b>Drive, Tree of Life, 13 Assassins</b></i> or the <i><b>Descendents</b></i>.<br />
<br />
If you want a heartfelt, nostalgic look at the magical beginnings of cinema, watch the truly inspired, <i><b>Hugo</b></i>.<br />
<br />
If you want a clever and romantic look into the past, please check out Woody Allen's <i><b>Midnight in Paris</b></i>.<br />
<br />
And if you actually want to sit through a black and white silent film, do yourself a favor and watch Mel Brooks' <i><b>Silent Movie</b></i>. It actually does all that The Artist tries to do, but it's actually funny - and good - and clever - and original.<br />
<br />
All through the film my mind kept wandering, hoping that something
unexpected would happen - dreaming up twists and tangents that would
elevate the film past a simple, pedantic homage. At the end <i>(spoiler alert)</i> when he finds all his old belongings in the home of Peppy Le Pew ... I mean Miller, I was desperately hoping she would turn out to be a psychopathic stalker, jump out from under the sheets and knife him through the chest while the dog lapped up his blood.<br />
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Hey, I can dream can't I?Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-14232868867350442472012-02-17T18:09:00.000-08:002012-02-17T18:09:54.741-08:00Spend a buck to help a starving artist!<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Ok folks, I don't ask for much and I rarely beg, but I just got this email, so hopefully y'all can help me out:<br /> <br /> "Dear Todd, <br />
With two days left we wanted you to know that your film "Enter The
Dark" is only 12 purchases away from being in second place in the Social
Shorty Contest. <br /> In other words, if 12 of your friends purchase your film for $1 each, you will be in second place and you could win t<span class="text_exposed_show">he $1000 second place prize. <br /> You are so close! Good luck!"<br /> <br /> So please, if you have a second, bop on over to <a href="http://www.monkeybars.net/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.monkeybars.net</a> sign up and search for "Enter the Dark". Fork over the ungodly sum of $1 and watch with the lights out (or not).<br /> <br /> Hopefully with your help I can win this baby and scrape together some cashola for my next short film project!<br /> <br /> thanks!</span></span></span></h6>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-85875456196842424842012-02-09T17:42:00.000-08:002012-02-10T09:06:17.422-08:00Top Horror Flicks of 2011... sort ofSince it's February, I thought now would be the perfect time to post my year-end best of list. You know, to beat out all the competition from the rest of those other bloggers and get my list out first to show how smart I am and stuff.<br />
<br />
Oops.<br />
<br />
Truth be told, it's just too dang difficult to get my arse out to the theaters and see new flicks as they premiere. With two young kids in my house, I'm lucky if I can get to the movies once a month to see the latest singing chipmunk flick.<br />
<br />
And so, I'm left with waiting around until Netflix or On Demand can provide me with the movie that everyone was buzzing about.<br />
<br />
Five months ago.<br />
<br />
So, since I'm finally sort of caught up with what the cool crowd was into, I can now present you with my definitive list of the<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>BEST HORROR FILMS OF 2011</b></span><br />
<br />
Wow.. ok... Well, I'd love to to that, but just between you and me, here's the deal.<br />
<br />
This year kinda sucked for horror. I mean, really. There was not one single horror movie that really blew me away this year - no <i><b>Let the Right One In</b></i>, no <i><b>The Ring</b></i>, no <i><b>The Devil's Backbone</b></i>. There was some kinda good stuff and lots of not so good stuff. And as usual, the best stuff wasn't even produced by Hollywood.<br />
<br />
So, I've had to expand my horizons a bit and open up the list to thrillers, sci-fi and grindhouse movies as well to be able to field a proper team. So here we go:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>BEST HORROR/THRILLER/SCI-FI/GRINDHOUSE FILMS OF 2011</b></span><br />
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- <i><b>I Saw The Devil</b></i> Ji-woon Kim's masterful ultimate revenge flick. I don't know what it is about the South Koreans, but they love themselves some revenge! Please tell me you've seen <i><b>OldBoy.</b></i><br />
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- <i><b>13 Assassins </b></i>ok, I know this isn't even a horror/thriller/sci-fi/grindhouse film, it's a samurai action flick, but<i><b> </b></i>it was still better than most anything I watched last year<i>, </i>so it makes the list. It's my list dammit!<i><b> </b></i><br />
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<i><b>- Troll Hunter</b></i> A hilarious mockumentary that brings storybook trolls to life. What's cooler than hunting a 200 foot mountain troll with a UV gun to try to turn it into stone? Nothing.<br />
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<i><b> - Stake Land</b></i> Yes, I know, technically this came out in 2010, but I've had stuff to do you know - so gimmie a break. A great post-apocalyptic zomie-ish vampire western road movie. With tremendous attention to character development and tone.<br />
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<i><b>- Super 8 </b></i> The first big ol' Hollywood film on this list. A great premise and it absolutely nailed the late 70's early 80's vibe of running around with your buds with a Super 8 camera. I was there. I was that kid running around. I should know.<br />
I loved the first 2/3rds of this movie but then it kinda fell apart at the end. Too bad.<br />
Do I really need to mention all the gratuitous lens flares that J.J. Abrams has fallen in love with?<br />
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<i><b>- Grave Encounters</b></i> I almost saw this low-budget indie film in Chicago in 2010 when <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i> premiered there. But then the festival was running way late and we had to bail. This is one of the better found-footage horror flicks out there. A predictable setup of a tv ghost hunting team spending the night in a spooky location is handled well with some nasty twists and turns. <br />
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<i><b> - Tucker & Dale vs Evil</b></i> A very funny entry in the now well-established horror/comedy genre. Best one since <i><b>Shawn of the Dead</b></i> and <i><b>Slither</b></i>.<br />
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<i><b>- Rise of the Planet of the Apes </b></i> For a big tent-pole summer blockbuster, I thought it was very entertaining.<br />
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<i><b>- Black Death </b></i>Well-done medieval-witch-hunting flick. 'nuf said.<br />
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<i><b>- The Woman </b></i><span class="st">Lucky McKee</span>, the deranged director of cult favorite, <i><b>May</b><b>, </b></i>brings you this very sick and twisted<i><b> </b></i>tale of a family man and the feral woman pet he keeps in his basement.<i><b> </b></i>And shares with his family.<i><b> </b></i>Pretty standard setup... right? <i><b><br /></b></i><br />
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<b>- The Rite</b> Well-crafted, serious take on demonic possession and one man's faith. Oh yeah, and Anthony Hopkins is his usual awesome self. A lot of people didn't seem to like this film. I think they've burned out their retinas and brains with too many episodes of The Kardashians and Jersey Shore. Settle in and watch a mature and thoughtful movie every once in a while, willya?<br />
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<i><b>- YellowBrickRoad </b></i>Another cool indie film that leads a team of investigators into the woods to research the mysterious deaths of an entire small town. Another great setup that slowly builds its tale of madness gets under your skin. It may take a wrong turn here or there and you may not like the ending, but it sure sticks with you days afterwards. <br />
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<i><b> - Attack the Block </b></i>The darling of last year's SXSW festival is a hyperactive tale of British street kids duking it out with space monsters. Think <i><b>Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels</b></i> meets, oh I don't know, any alien invasion flick. <br />
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<i><b>- Dead Hooker in a Trunk</b></i> Yes, yes, once again this little gem actually came out in 2009, but it didn't get its wide release until this year. If you haven't heard of this film yet - where the hell have you been?? The Soska sisters' loving tribute to all that is grindhouse-y, <i><b>Dead Hooker</b></i> makes up for its no-budget shortcomings by being relentlessly entertaining.<br />
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<i><b>- Hobo With a Shotgun</b></i> Speaking of grindhouse... With a little more budget, a pissed-off Rutger Hauer and lots of colorful lighting, <i><b>Hobo</b></i> more than delivers on it's exploitation promise.<br />
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<i><b>- Paranormal Activity 3</b></i> The problem with these PA flicks is they all fit the same pattern - slowly establish weird goings-on, give the doofus guy a reason to relentlessly videotape everything, ramp up the thrills and then give us a little twist at the end. This installment works because of the clever use of the oscillating fan-o-cam and it's <i><b>Wicker Man</b></i>-esque finish.<br />
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<i><b>- Insidious </b></i>I know I ripped on this film when it first came out, but I've changed my mind. No... not really. After seeing it again however, I really like the film up until the stupid ghost busters show up. So I'm recommending the first half of the film. Then turn it off and go do something useful with your life.Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-57388027456405400582011-11-16T12:25:00.001-08:002011-11-18T12:26:30.441-08:00What I learned from the festival circuit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After more than a year and <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=215138632595597589604.00049a22a4e9fc4457669">almost 40 festival screenings</a>, <a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html">Enter the Dark</a>'s World Tour 2010 - 2011 is finally at an end. It's been a great experience and I've learned quite a few things that will help me as I move forward with new projects. I figured I might as well pass along some of these hard-earned nuggets to anyone who dares venture forth into the world of indie filmmaking.<br />
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First, in order to keep track of all the festivals I submitted to, I created a big-ole spreadsheet, including festival name, date of upcoming deadline, cost of entry, dates of the festival, location of festival, date when they would notify filmmakers of their decisions, whether I got in or not, and if we won any awards.<br />
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From these magic columns I can extrude the following data:<br />
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TOTAL SUBMISSIONS: 88<br />
YES: 40<br />
NO: 42<br />
TO BE DETERMINED: 6<br />
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Almost a 50% batting average - not too bad. I can tell you this - in the future I would not submit to as many festivals. Since this was my first time, my main goal was getting as much exposure as possible and finding out which festivals were worth the entry fee. Having submitted to that many festivals, I now have a pretty good idea which are the good ones, and which are the shady ones.<br />
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And let me tell you this - there are quite a few shady ones. Look, here's the deal - there are way too many festivals. More and more are popping up every day. If you jump on <a href="https://www.withoutabox.com/">withoutabox</a> <i>(which I'll get into later)</i>, you can see literally <i><b>THOUSANDS</b></i> of them. And what I've found is that many of the smaller, newer ones are being created by filmmakers simply looking for a way to screen their (and their buddies') films. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but you should be a bit concerned when you see the following:<br />
<br />
- Festival with less than 2 years history<br />
- Disorganized website with more info about the festival organizers than the films<br />
- Very little updates to their Facebook page or website<br />
- Certainly, any festival that outright promotes the festival director and his/her films<br />
- Poor communication with the festival - not responding to emails, or it becomes obvious that only one person is in charge of everything - festival programming, marketing, filmmaker liaison, etc.<br />
<br />
And this is a really big one - a couple of festivals I was accepted to immediately started to send emails promoting "special extras" to me. These were usually opportunities to attend distribution seminars and filmmaking workshops all at additional expense. It soon was obvious that the "festival" was really a scam for these folks to push these seminars to a naive and desperate indie film community.<br />
<br />
At one of these festivals, it became clear something was fishy when the times and venues for screenings kept changing, the website never had final info about films or screenings until less than a week from opening night, and when the festival awards were finally posted, one film among all the entries garnered almost all the wins. It turns out that film had connections to the festival director. Yeah - big surprise there...<br />
<br />
You may also come across these film "competitions" that are not really festivals, but ways to generate accolades and publicity for your film by having them win "awards". Now, as a first-time filmmaker, this is not necessarily a bad thing - but just be aware that these "awards" are not really recognized as such by those in the know. The submission fees are pretty steep, and most of them also will try to encourage you to submit to as many categories as you can - all at additional expense. I'm not going to outright say that every one who pays up and submits will actually "win" an award - but let's just say that the list of "winners" is three pages long. And of course when you do win, you have to shell out an additional few hundred bucks if you actually want that hunk o' acrylic taking up space on your shelf.<br />
<br />
I will say that of these competitions, the <a href="http://www.maverickmovieawards.com/">Maverick Movie Awards</a> was different. There was only one fee. I was fortunate to be nominated for multiple categories and there were not tons of "winners". Also, when I did actually win an award, I was eventually given the option to buy that chunk o' acrylic, but at a much more reasonable price.<br />
<br />
One other type of opportunity for horror filmmakers to screen their films are the horror/sci-fi/fantasy conventions. My experience with these was not the greatest. Most of these are run by a small staff who have many responsibilities on their plate - wrangling up genre "stars" for the event, dealing with vendors, securing the location (usually at run-down hotel ballrooms with no air conditioning), so they have little time to deal with filmmakers. The films are usually an afterthought and are screened straight from DVD with crappy projectors and horrible sound, in out of the way ballrooms, with little promotion or care.<br />
<br />
One of these conventions was too cheap to pay for more than one room to screen all the films it had accepted, so it decided to run the programming 24 hours a day for three days straight. <b><i>My film screened at 5:00am in the morning.</i></b> Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled.<br />
<br />
Of all the conventions however, I will say that <a href="http://filmfest.dragoncon.org/">Dragon*Con</a> was the best. It is a well-organized, massive convention that draws over 40,000 attendees. The festival staff was very attentive to the filmmakers - even having a separate website for the film festival. It is well-worth the submission fee.<br />
<br />
Speaking of submission fees, let's take a second to think about the total costs for entering all these festivals. My total for all submissions was $2,745 - an average of around $32 per festival. Add to that shipping costs, DVD screeners, additional materials like postcards and HDCAM and BluRay festival copies and you get closer to $3,800. That's almost twice what it cost me to produce my short film. However, when you look at all that as marketing costs to have Enter the Dark screened almost 40 times in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=%20215138632595597589604.00049a22a4e9fc4457669">venues around the world</a>, that's really not all that much. That comes to about $95 per screening. Just try to rent a theater and market and produce a screening yourself and you'll see that $95 is quite a bargain.<br />
<br />
However, an argument could be made that all this fuss is a waste of time anyway - you could just put your short up on YouTube, let everyone see it and generate buzz that way - and not have to spend a single dime. Although this may be true, I think the festival circuit still holds merit - especially for horror films.<br />
<br />
First, the horror community is a rabid, dedicated bunch. Getting the movie directly where they are is critically important to help generate buzz. There still is no better way to see a film - especially a horror film - than in a theater, projected onto a large screen, in front of an audience. I can't tell you how rewarding it is to experience an audience actually "getting" your film - laughing at the right parts, peeking from behind their programs and jumping at the end.<br />
<br />
This is another reason to get your films into festivals - to meet your fans. Take the opportunity to do a Q&A session whenever you have a chance. At one of these festivals, I had the amazing experience of having one person say to me, "That was the best movie I've seen all year - I mean ALL MOVIES - not just short films, not just indie films - That's better than anything Hollywood has produced. You really need to make it into a feature film." Wow - how much is an ego boost like that worth to a new filmmaker?<br />
<br />
I think today's filmmaker needs to look at all avenues of getting their work seen by the public. So, my approach was to get it in a bunch of festivals (including some that included online screenings), and once it had run its course in the festival circuit, <i>then</i> post it on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_8yojgSbQ">YouTube</a> and <a href="http://vimeo.com/14183926">Vimeo</a> for all to see. I took every opportunity to have it reach more people. "Would you like to be part of our online festival?" YES! "We are thinking about a horror-based iPad app that would include short videos." SIGN ME UP! "Can we embed your film on our website." OF COURSE.<br />
<br />
Take every available opportunity to have your film seen by as many folks as possible. It is not a matter of should I do this, or that - DO THEM ALL. Do not allow yourself to be frozen into inaction trying to protect the intellectual rights of your work. EFF THAT! In this day in age, your art will get ripped off by many - do not fight it - use it to your advantage. Now, feature-length films are another matter, and that's why I'm not making them <i>(yet)</i>. But for short films your strategy should be to be lucky enough that people would actually want to "steal it" and make copies available for all to see.<br />
<br />
I think I lost some potential eyeballs by being too protective early on. I signed up with <a href="http://indieflix.com/">IndieFlix</a> to have them provide DVD and streaming versions of my film. I felt like I wanted to try to capture some of this revenue stream, but for short films, it really is a joke. My last quarterly payment recently arrived from them and the check came to a whopping $1.20 - not much more than the stamp it cost them to mail it to me. With my next project I will be much more willing to have it available online for free while it is also in festivals - I no longer think there's an issue with this. <br />
<br />
One problem with being so protective of my film early on is that it cost me a lot of potential fans (my most important resource) at a time when I was getting a lot of press. As soon as I was finished editing the film, I contacted a ton of available websites and bloggers to have it reviewed. I was lucky enough to have 25 or so actually provide a write-up (which, for a relative unknown was pretty good), and almost all of them were <a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/03/20/enter-the-dark-review/">very favorable</a>. So, I had potentially hundreds, if not thousands of fans out there who would have been thrilled after reading those reviews, to follow a link to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_8yojgSbQ">YouTube</a> and watch it right then and there. But I didn't have it up there yet - I wanted to drive sales to IndieFlix, or have them see it in a festival, so all those leads probably became dead ends. I may never be able to get them back to see my film.<br />
<br />
If there's one thing I've learned about this whole new world of content delivery via the web it's this - you have to hook them when they first hear about you. If they've bothered to read a review about your short film, there sure as hell better be a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_8yojgSbQ">direct link to see that film</a> RIGHT THERE AND THEN. It has to be immediately available - the simplest and most pain-free route to see your work before they are sidetracked by that cute kitten video with boobies, or they bop over to Facebook to check out what their high-school ex is up to.<br />
<br />
And it has to be free. Not kinda free, not almost free, not 99¢, but FREE. Not only are people on the 'net easily distracted, but they're cheap. There is now an assumption that content should be free. Now this surely isn't a good thing, but that's just the way it is - deal with it. Let's say you just got a nice write up and someone follows a link to see your movie on IndieFlix for 99¢. They spend just a second contemplating if it's worth it or not. Then they remember there was another review for a cool horror short that had a link to it on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_8yojgSbQ">YouTube</a>. Guess what they're gonna do. What would you do?<br />
<br />
That's what I thought.<br />
<br />
As hard as it may be for artistic content-creators like us, you just have to bite the bullet and embrace the free. What other choice do we have?<br />
<br />
After all has been said and done - after all the hustling: more than a year's worth of festivals, screeners to reviewers, downloads and YouTube viewings, I estimate that my short has still only been seen by about 1,500 folks. That seems pathetically small for all the work I've put into it. Not so much the work making the film - that was easy. It's the work marketing and distributing it that's the hard part. All that for 1,500 pairs of eyeballs.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong - I'm immensely grateful that <i>anyone</i> would actually want to take the time to watch my little tale of chills and thrills, but considering the worldwide population of all folks connected to the 'net - its really nothing at all. However, I do know that all it will take is just one online taste-maker, one influential reviewer in the horror world to off-handedly tweet about how much they liked my short and BLAMMO - everything changes in a nanosecond. Suddenly the hordes will come swooping in.<br />
<br />
But for now I'll just wait - start working on my next project, and see what happens.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------- <br />
<br />
<i>Indie film resources:</i><br />
<br />
- <a href="https://www.withoutabox.com/">Withoutabox</a> This one's pretty obvious to any filmmaker. Almost all festivals now use this as their source of contact. Upload all your info to withoutabox once and from there you can submit to thousands of festivals with a click of a mouse. Use their search tools to find festivals that match your film. Take the time to create and upload an electronic press kit (cast/crew info, director's bio, film synopsis, poster, stills, trailer, etc.). You can also upload a digital version of the film for submission screenings as well - this will save you postage costs of sending out all those DVDs.<br />
<br />
Be sure to note the submission deadlines and always send as soon as you can to save on late fees.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.shortfilmcentral.com/">Short Film Central</a> This one's really cool - a hub for filmmakers, film fans and festivals. Sign-in to create a page for your film, including upcoming screenings, awards, reviews and your trailer. It also has a nice database of festivals (some not on withoutabox) and you can see ratings of festivals from other filmmakers - very useful! Once your film has played in a festival, you can rate it yourself.<br />
<br />
The other cool thing about this website is that festival programmers search it to find new films for their upcoming festivals. I've had a few contact me after finding my film on this site, and the best part is that when you are invited to submit by a program director, they will waive the fees!<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://indieflix.com/">IndieFlix</a> If you do want to try to generate some cash from your film, this one way to go. They were very easy to work with. They used to provide DVDs to order, but now are only offering streaming downloads. I'm not sure how much traffic they get however. After a year of being listed on their site I've only had 11 streams and about 20 or so DVDs (most bought by me or cast/crew members). My total take has been about $30.00. You decide whether it's worth the effort or not.<br />
<br />
For feature-length films, IndieFlix will also act as a distributor to get your film onto Netflix, Amazon and iTunes. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there still is not one single agreed-upon website for streaming short movies - where the artist can actually get paid. There are a lot of players out there (like IndieFlix) but no one clear winner, which makes it hard for an audience to find the good stuff, and even more difficult for a filmmaker to reach a mass audience. This is something that iTunes could own in a second if they wanted it, but for now, short films are still the ugly stepchild that gets forgotten.<br />
<br />
It is because of this that YouTube will probably wind up being the defacto method of short film distribution on the web. It is easy (and free) to create your own channel and upload your films. The potential audience is massive and you can theoretically make some money through Google Adsense. I say theoretical, because unless you have massive hits (like hundreds of thousands) you will only be generating pennies. And of course, they only pay once you've accrued $100. Good luck with that.<br />
<br />
Again, they key is somehow generating buzz to point to your YouTube channel. Just tagging some keywords to your film clip is not enough. Work all the angles - festival screenings, blogger reviews, tweeting, creating a facebook page, short film central page, jump up and down and send out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_signals#Semaphore">semaphore signals</a> - whatever.<br />
<br />
Good Luck!<br />
<br />
Here are some film festivals that I found to be worth their submission fees. Some I got into - some not. I'll skip the more obvious ones like Sundance 'cuz... well unless you're Brad Pitt making a little home-movie on the side, you're not getting into those festivals anyway!<br />
<br />
<i>General Indie Film Festivals:</i><br />
<br />
Austin Film Fest<br />
Bare Bones Film Fest <br />
Cinequest Film Fest <br />
Dam Short Film Fest <br />
Dances With Films <br />
First Glance Film Fest <br />
Hollyshorts <br />
Indie Spirit Film Fest<br />
Love Your Shorts <br />
Maverick Movie Awards<br />
Mill Valley Film Fest<br />
Palm Springs Intl. Film Fest <br />
Slamdance <br />
SXSW<br />
STIFF Seattle True Independent Film Fest<br />
Toronto Indie Film Fest<br />
Tulsa Intl. Film Fest<br />
<br />
<i>Horror/Fantasy Film Festivals: </i><br />
<br />
A Night of Horror <br />
Another Hole in the Head <br />
Atlanta Horror Film Fest<br />
Big Bear Horror Film Fest <br />
Bram Stoker Intl. Film Fest<br />
Buffalo Screams <br />
Buried Alive Film Fest <br />
Dark Carnival Film Fest<br />
Dead by Dawn<br />
Dragon*Con Indie Short Film Fest<br />
Famous Monsters of Filmland Imagi-Movies<br />
Fantasia Film Fest<br />
Fantastic Fest <br />
Fear Fete<br />
Freak Show Horror Film Fest <br />
Killer Film Fest <br />
Maelstrom Intl. Fantastic Film Fest<br />
New Orleans Horror Film Fest <br />
New York City Horror Film Fest <br />
Puerto Rico Horror Film Fest <br />
Rhode Island Intl. Horror Film Fest<br />
Sacramento Horror Film Fest <br />
Screamfest<br />
Shriekfest<br />
Sitges <br />
Spooky Movie DC Film Fest <br />
Thriller Chiller<br />
Toronto After Dark<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-18781921949612238482011-11-03T12:34:00.000-07:002011-11-03T12:34:33.774-07:00Rhinos' FlightWhen I'm not scaring myself silly with new story ideas or ranting about media wackiness, I actually have a real job (sort of) as video editor.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUPKhFU_XQMwj-lrmA0GHmeLvShGsgVorWGKYsLnc5rBH62LQsRzBxB3MDWnLnAHaYOnuEMmhTCE2fFHq1FZt0oR47sPY7fhLBsXOgbeqkbvZI679dQ0nwjioxN80ukxL2fS-bhuljTjA/s1600/raoul_5.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUPKhFU_XQMwj-lrmA0GHmeLvShGsgVorWGKYsLnc5rBH62LQsRzBxB3MDWnLnAHaYOnuEMmhTCE2fFHq1FZt0oR47sPY7fhLBsXOgbeqkbvZI679dQ0nwjioxN80ukxL2fS-bhuljTjA/s400/raoul_5.preview.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Outside magazine recently posted <span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage">a
short film "Rhinos' Flight" I edited for the series "The New
Environmentalists." <a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/featured-videos/The-Rhino-s-Flight.html">Check out the story of Raoul du Toit</a>,</span></span> working to save the last of
Africa's black rhinos. To see the whole six-part series, narrated by <b>
Robert Redford</b>, check your local PBS listings.<br />
<br />Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-41673930999458428972011-10-31T10:07:00.000-07:002011-10-31T10:07:46.797-07:00Halloween treats for all!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfW09Q5x0N1vR-YFC3tJgOGnHIs8N55oS-nmAGizHuQ4DCFmOfVK9Y8GGF5edwOJI021PcMNH7EfOm2YRNkbQ9DxpCNLcZSWfR0mBrr4nyFmfQqK1Xr2c34pLkDfCGFAwUZCHi3IApa9c/s1600/hallwayPOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfW09Q5x0N1vR-YFC3tJgOGnHIs8N55oS-nmAGizHuQ4DCFmOfVK9Y8GGF5edwOJI021PcMNH7EfOm2YRNkbQ9DxpCNLcZSWfR0mBrr4nyFmfQqK1Xr2c34pLkDfCGFAwUZCHi3IApa9c/s320/hallwayPOV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">Happy
Halloween! To celebrate the day when the dead walk amongst the living,
I've posted my award-winning horror short film, <b>Enter the Dark</b> on
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_8yojgSbQ">YouTube</a> and <a href="http://vimeo.com/14183926">Vimeo</a> for all to enjoy absolutely free.<br /> <br /> Just make sure to watch it fullscreen. At night. With the lights off!</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">Then, if you liked what you saw, you could help me out tremendously by heading over to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Enter-the-Dark/106372519419092#%21/pages/Enter-the-Dark/106372519419092">facebook page</a> and "liking" us <i>(I know, that sounds so 8th grade pathetic and needy). </i>And also bop on over to out <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1703221/">IMDB page</a> and give us a great rating<i> (somehow I don't think 6.2 stars quite does the film justice).</i></span></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">...and remember please, please, take out all batteries from children's toys when not in use. They really can be quite a nuisance when taken over by evil spirits. You'll thank be later.</span></span></h6>
<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">Trust me.</span></span></h6>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /></span></span></h6>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><br /></span></span></h6>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-5286441610223328962011-10-17T17:01:00.000-07:002011-10-17T19:14:15.594-07:00Enter the Dark's FREE Online Halloween PremiereIt's been a great run.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAgRZO6UQdI8e1WlS4uAM_LiiD3Vn44vCTOEsCF0Oa2FTEJC5OnmNX7l_ugnNwSUiSOhsocYP6W7VqbMNdlZjzd8w5_HoUnC4DLHIR9MrA8RyqF3JwEGrdW0tfq0jM8GRU1kn7gBWlfMQ/s1600/61739_443224077435_623537435_5174370_3481918_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAgRZO6UQdI8e1WlS4uAM_LiiD3Vn44vCTOEsCF0Oa2FTEJC5OnmNX7l_ugnNwSUiSOhsocYP6W7VqbMNdlZjzd8w5_HoUnC4DLHIR9MrA8RyqF3JwEGrdW0tfq0jM8GRU1kn7gBWlfMQ/s320/61739_443224077435_623537435_5174370_3481918_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My little horror film which started out originally as a simple exercise in micro-budget filmmaking has now played in over <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=%20215138632595597589604.00049a22a4e9fc4457669">30 film festivals worldwide</a>, garnered <a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark_awards.html">6 awards</a>, and introduced me to a whole new family of horror and indie film enthusiasts.<br />
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Along the way, I've traveled with the film from it's premiere in <a href="http://chicagohorrorfest.com/films/">Chicago</a> last year, to screenings in <a href="http://www.sachorrorfilmfest.com/">Sacramento</a> and <a href="http://sfindie.virb.com/">San Francisco</a>. I've made connections with fellow filmmakers and fans that I hope to nurture into collaborators and evangelists for my future work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkkt0z4jGS38oRbR4pw6T_8q0Q8y-uYc6Z6H-mjbcXb_sfbSNUh2_wUwtWa2YkcFG9vD4pLTz5OSKJiY7GPotQPTW3LgHyy2QxUPSD30G4dazNkmWpurvpFtqHirDC55jh7XaNgk7U2Kb/s1600/5201012846_0fb42a3aac_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkkt0z4jGS38oRbR4pw6T_8q0Q8y-uYc6Z6H-mjbcXb_sfbSNUh2_wUwtWa2YkcFG9vD4pLTz5OSKJiY7GPotQPTW3LgHyy2QxUPSD30G4dazNkmWpurvpFtqHirDC55jh7XaNgk7U2Kb/s320/5201012846_0fb42a3aac_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As I look back on the past year, it has been much more than I would have hoped. I am deeply grateful for all the help I received along the way - mostly from my tremendous group of friends that just happened to be my cast and crew, and also from the numerous horror fans, bloggers and festival directors that championed our cause.<br />
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<br />
Heartfelt thanks to all!<br />
<br />
And now, as the festivals wind down, in recognition of the great year we've just had, I'd like to offer you something for free...<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTEncwkj-40Nfss7kf4nrxder1faAvW6XZzRf-pjY0F3QC5cM4_n2NIt9r2eZiWynrCn8S8q-J5JngqpVYMRtWtjII07N0njHZNk3Tpk-JcQXfgTeF2POtf_vgxP4Ay-oNGUGT3chs8cZ/s320/EnterTheDarkLogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, that's right kiddos, <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i> will be going live on the big bad worldwide web this <b>Halloween!</b><br />
<br />
See what all the fuss has been about. See why folks much smarter than me have been saying things like:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<i>…Enter the Dark, ladies and gentlemen, is what independent film making is all about.<br />The suspense was built up so finely that it almost started making me have a claustrophobic reaction in my room. HORROR SOCIETY</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Miro's story works like a good horror tale should, suckering us in with one hand while it's preparing to pop up and scare us with the other. There's a command here that can't be taught, and Miro shows a natural gift for creating tension. FROM MIDNIGHT, WITH LOVE</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>…a very surreal, scary and realistic depiction of a universal fear that all of us have…<br />...a sonic achievement of style and horror, but in a very psychological way. SCARY FILM REVIEW</i> <i><br /></i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>…Enter the Dark proves once again a good ghost story simply needs to put emphasis on the story and not flashy effects or big budgets in order to provide some fun and scares … delivers everything I look for in a horror short. ALL THINGS HORROR</i></blockquote>
<br />
<b>Halloween - Monday night, Oct. 31, 2011 at 5PM </b>Pacific Time, <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i> will me made available for <b>free</b> for the first time ever on <b>YouTube</b> and <b>Vimeo</b>. And there it shall live - for all to see whenever you dang well please, in the comfort of your very own home. Copy it - send the link around worldwide - make fun of it - argue about it - I don't care, the more the merrier!<br />
<br />
So now there's no excuses - you cheappos who won't pony up $1.95 to watch a 30-day stream from IndieFlix. Or you lazy types who couldn't bother to travel to one of the more than 30 festivals worldwide where it has already screened. No, that's fine - just stay right there. Yeah, don't move hardly a muscle - just click your little mousy-thingy and flood your computer with 17 minutes of spooky good times.<br />
Be my guest.<br />
<br />
Really.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that it will now be<b> FREEEEE!??!?!?</b><br />
<br />
<i>(good - just checking...)</i><br />
<br />
My gift to you.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com97tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-43316847258214633032011-09-28T12:37:00.000-07:002011-09-28T12:37:01.260-07:00Where are the voices of anger?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_rFyYqPJibt5qloVWieyWCZy5E-kHjkz6sPsB-RqrAvKUUNFsTbD8FKszKmwMmPTzmtYN6aVfzDaekJknH0d4P1AF29I-lIADeK5azkqW4B0eXKb1uDZMbm6IQtJeb8gFYeYZYficHs/s1600/economic-crisis-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_rFyYqPJibt5qloVWieyWCZy5E-kHjkz6sPsB-RqrAvKUUNFsTbD8FKszKmwMmPTzmtYN6aVfzDaekJknH0d4P1AF29I-lIADeK5azkqW4B0eXKb1uDZMbm6IQtJeb8gFYeYZYficHs/s1600/economic-crisis-2.jpg" /></a></div>
We are living in turbulent times my friends. Most of us live under a cloud of uncertainty - an omnipresent gloom that permeates every waking moment. How will I pay my rent? Keep my house? Find a job? What happens if I get sick? What kind of a world will my kids live in? How will our country move forward into these uncertain times without fracturing into a million splinter groups of special interests, each with voices raised in hyperbole and hysteria.<br />
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<br />
And throughout all this upheaval, what has the medium of cinema had to say about all this?<br />
<br />
I'm waiting...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXVHdKbRgjeXxB-t2lmyD6B6DseQ7FIZpQq-LPlWwAJgg8nHr97RKjQzebimjWwmMpoOaNm_u_UdMqvysXbtFW9vjqPA3TUmxlZd2_cihHBZr34eOWoTNp4dani-s8YTPLsFMcHCFljm3/s1600/easyrider1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
In the 60's and 70's, the turmoil of society was reflected in its cinema.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKlmYGuriys3R8GW_CWuf20Cq8F05sV6hdpJ1qze_eTUltDelMrK5yZAnMgBb5zsZ7QQWruVb4_BVsnEzuYwhuhobC5NzdyovBOKnteOTLHkyoRfxDBq39LQYfT9N5eGKBPP_wV9roCtQ/s1600/easyrider1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKlmYGuriys3R8GW_CWuf20Cq8F05sV6hdpJ1qze_eTUltDelMrK5yZAnMgBb5zsZ7QQWruVb4_BVsnEzuYwhuhobC5NzdyovBOKnteOTLHkyoRfxDBq39LQYfT9N5eGKBPP_wV9roCtQ/s320/easyrider1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Movies like <i><b>Easy Rider</b></i>, <i><b>Woodstock, Bonnie & Clyde, The Graduate, Dr Strangelove, Straw Dogs, Taxi Driver, Midnight Cowboy,</b></i> and<i><b> Night of the Living Dead</b></i> represented their times with bold, revolutionary statements, new directions, and a cold hard look at societies' issues.<br />
<br />
Vietnam had fractured the country, but starting with <i><b>MASH</b></i> in 1970, filmmakers were already attempting to deal with the horrors of war and its effects on our country. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCVuvk5Ky72DEa0I-1IeB1tJH4Z70j7UFSaLBt_r9Kamca-2DW5NEncFS0gbZhyphenhyphen3FcBtFfcBp4hkBZ-A984RgH9HidCPMTEgB_LzcMdmBDyDwWkGqJL_cunIMwbyevYpRcuIypyBQZ7SE/s1600/tumblr_l9199xRBeu1qdousbo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCVuvk5Ky72DEa0I-1IeB1tJH4Z70j7UFSaLBt_r9Kamca-2DW5NEncFS0gbZhyphenhyphen3FcBtFfcBp4hkBZ-A984RgH9HidCPMTEgB_LzcMdmBDyDwWkGqJL_cunIMwbyevYpRcuIypyBQZ7SE/s320/tumblr_l9199xRBeu1qdousbo1_400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Then came Coppola's brilliant love letter to chaos and darkness, <i><b>Apocalypse Now</b></i>, and eventually, more mainstream efforts like <i><b>The Deer Hunter, Coming Home, Platoon </b></i>and<i><b> Born Under the Fourth of July</b></i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
In 1976, Paddy Chayefsky and Sidney Lumet seemed to speak for a whole nation with their brilliant satire, <i><b>Network</b></i>:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpeWfUhPtmjfzejGysLEVEt5bCRE0iLI3S-l2pQ-9oqL7WkDd3yqu57oHPjAYndhWkogvyigjLuuh4pPawEgMLjI4TB2pApDGEaxjux8ez8oZ6wftJf3lrc6niwdVApjSh6yuWlVRL-6j/s1600/network1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpeWfUhPtmjfzejGysLEVEt5bCRE0iLI3S-l2pQ-9oqL7WkDd3yqu57oHPjAYndhWkogvyigjLuuh4pPawEgMLjI4TB2pApDGEaxjux8ez8oZ6wftJf3lrc6niwdVApjSh6yuWlVRL-6j/s320/network1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" </i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In the 80's and 90's a new wave if independent cinema burst in the scene.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxdd57LNbdQpc02j6HXnGBcux58MqrlYs5FYg_2VlBijDcvnMyUveQXdJ1YQ9-h1xH15Sji3Xg5OxQqx02UQ_Dknfy15BTcQgFB2htg-2xWGsj3JFxa2VRLVFd8HDiRJ8clYps_7qGE9D/s1600/dotherightthing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxdd57LNbdQpc02j6HXnGBcux58MqrlYs5FYg_2VlBijDcvnMyUveQXdJ1YQ9-h1xH15Sji3Xg5OxQqx02UQ_Dknfy15BTcQgFB2htg-2xWGsj3JFxa2VRLVFd8HDiRJ8clYps_7qGE9D/s320/dotherightthing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Movies like <i><b>Sex, Lies & Videotape, Do The Right Thing, Slackers, Clerks, Drugstore Cowboy, Stranger Than Paradise</b></i> all reflected the new attitudes of their era.<br />
<br />
In 1999 two films, <i><b>American Beauty</b></i> and <i><b>Fight Club</b></i> presented very different, but uniquely bold, amazing and heartfelt visions of modern-day existential malaise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrUaxvgOTbX5wDyRgI_dAZDeQEesRrAWq5xEhSfsM_lCLvATcuMY3uE8VgxbphO5Fw6tUHA67H-Xz3815no5JIUly36r7D-KcqgmykabMIozeqN0BxL91xXA5InBb05XSxqtPONR8f1kV/s1600/american_beauty-10682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrUaxvgOTbX5wDyRgI_dAZDeQEesRrAWq5xEhSfsM_lCLvATcuMY3uE8VgxbphO5Fw6tUHA67H-Xz3815no5JIUly36r7D-KcqgmykabMIozeqN0BxL91xXA5InBb05XSxqtPONR8f1kV/s320/american_beauty-10682.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
They challenged their viewers to take a closer look at their materialistic priorities.<br />
<br />
<br />
And then, it all seemed to stop.<br />
<br />
Since Sept 11, 2001 this country has gone through multiple ongoing traumas, yet through it all, the filmmakers of today have been incredibly absent from engaging in an intelligent discourse with society that should be helping us all process an unprecedented amount of conflict, upheaval and crisis:<br />
<br />
- coping in a post 9/11 world: terrorism; 2 wars waging for a decade; the loss of basic rights under the Patriot Act.<br />
<br />
- economic collapse: massive unemployment; foreclosures.<br />
<br />
- environmental calamity: global climate change; industrial pollution and devastating oil spills.<br />
<br />
- major shifts in the workplace: outsourcing; longer hours; lower wages; increased productivity at the cost of leisure time; 24/7 intrusion of work into our private lives.<br />
<br />
- runaway development of advancing technology that outpaces our ability to understand its effects. <br />
<br />
- non-stop consumption of images, data and trivial information, with little to no time to actually process any of it.<br />
<br />
- a completely dysfunctional government.<br />
<br />
- inequal wealth distribution and a vanishing middle class.<br />
<br />
- corruption by wall street and corporate interests.<br />
<br />
- a major national shift away from being the world's superpower to just another player.<br />
<br />
- a nation of repeated violence and tragedy - mass killings - rampage killings, murder/suicides.<br />
<br />
- a mass media that fans the flames of ignorance and hatred.<br />
<br />
- an oppressive, permeating undercurrent of paranoia that a nightmare apocalypse is just around the corner - 2012, Doomsday, The End of Times.<br />
<br />
What have our current filmmakers had to say about these unprecedented turbulent times? Art can be a crucially important vehicle by which society processes confusing, disruptive and complex new ideas and situations.<br />
<br />
While there have been many very good documentaries that have addressed some of these complex issues, I believe that narrative films can do even more to help a society work through its traumas, as cinema works at the subconscious level of myth and archetype. <br />
<br />
I can honestly think of only a couple narrative movies that have attempted to deal with any of these issues: the academy award winning <i><b>The Hurt Locker</b></i> and the excellent <i><b>Up in the Air</b></i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RHb2AIYf8aR-3TJnWur_4A8Hz6eDEdx-8St_R4FvQ5hI8VjWw2euN79B8XIEJSSr8NMDSXm-Ecl0NhhG7egHYVQz8CCoBmKwt9dqptRRwUT_8PnurmzJByw5dh9tVa98kKZXqrg92lH_/s1600/hurtlocker-whatamaroon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RHb2AIYf8aR-3TJnWur_4A8Hz6eDEdx-8St_R4FvQ5hI8VjWw2euN79B8XIEJSSr8NMDSXm-Ecl0NhhG7egHYVQz8CCoBmKwt9dqptRRwUT_8PnurmzJByw5dh9tVa98kKZXqrg92lH_/s320/hurtlocker-whatamaroon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There may be more, but even with these two fine films, neither was really a rallying cry for a generation - neither became a national speaking point, or a prism by which society could direct and clarify its arguments.<br />
<br />
I'm still waiting...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubYoztnsjuHYZqQfmigvU9jcjffHJonFLWRvxiHlr_3b9Td8Y0erIPb6dXb1bCCH_txt3lzgmRwiFFIvmMUQ-IE2oZYOvt053jiMQ6oDILcCya4YeEYHhjiz97afabRB2oqkTvUjoJ-4F/s1600/economic-turmoil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubYoztnsjuHYZqQfmigvU9jcjffHJonFLWRvxiHlr_3b9Td8Y0erIPb6dXb1bCCH_txt3lzgmRwiFFIvmMUQ-IE2oZYOvt053jiMQ6oDILcCya4YeEYHhjiz97afabRB2oqkTvUjoJ-4F/s320/economic-turmoil.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't necessarily expect Hollywood to be making these
kinds of films. It's just not in their nature (or economic interests)
to do so. But where the hell are the indie voices of indignation,
frustration and revolution?<br />
<br />
Television seems to have done somewhat better in this regard. There have been a number of excellent series that have dealt with many of today's pressing issues.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9H9tTdtEw0nZ83Y9nCI4mttXZAjVd7R3opP3KrrJBV1D3Rp2lcV38lAQUgaEiDs51mlSQHTGXIr-Jebwha741udjFmRWE_v7NhDfN6bK5TozRttRXN1XKFsP-H1AebRVOuw1yXGN1Bzb/s1600/Rescue-Me-Season-6-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9H9tTdtEw0nZ83Y9nCI4mttXZAjVd7R3opP3KrrJBV1D3Rp2lcV38lAQUgaEiDs51mlSQHTGXIr-Jebwha741udjFmRWE_v7NhDfN6bK5TozRttRXN1XKFsP-H1AebRVOuw1yXGN1Bzb/s320/Rescue-Me-Season-6-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Shows like<i><b> Rescue Me, Boardwalk Empire, Treme, The Wire, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Louie </b></i>and<i><b> Generation Kill</b></i> represent the times we are living in and the turmoil we all face.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N8-yvkxJ0JhqUqyGT2rTzRIlW0U3jAwuOmY3iGWwOY9Z85AJHUadbiDK35QgrNBktLnZW2O3rEC0zK0u8253clGPFBEnArCCdxuRREcUAm6Dc1iZ6WOczVvKg1hxKuDPm4www0m6qeuA/s1600/Boardwalk-Empire-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_N8-yvkxJ0JhqUqyGT2rTzRIlW0U3jAwuOmY3iGWwOY9Z85AJHUadbiDK35QgrNBktLnZW2O3rEC0zK0u8253clGPFBEnArCCdxuRREcUAm6Dc1iZ6WOczVvKg1hxKuDPm4www0m6qeuA/s320/Boardwalk-Empire-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>yes, I know Boardwalk Empire is set in the 20's - it is clearly an
allegory for today's corrupt political system and economic disparity</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But Cinema, that great medium of dream and drama, where are you when we need you the most? Please prove me wrong - please present me with challenging, revolutionary ideas and visions that reflect our troubled times. Please shock me with outrageous dramatic representations of war, political corruption, economic upheaval and personal tragedy.<br />
<br />
And then please give me stories of hope, compassion and humanities' capacity to do good.<br />
<br />
Please tell me it's going to be okay.<br />
<br />
So I can sleep at night.Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-15865813940248161062011-08-16T09:47:00.000-07:002011-08-16T09:54:08.762-07:00Enter the Dark summer updates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfj-UKkdCvOInQ_Jc7mmOjfJY8KkTBIslTsZvCEthbrxeeEHkRYlBi9H_nZXOWJUDbFh2BLbXqpV3pCgXRrqn5Gwhyt4zCPpp6tLuuwhi8kgtsgIzKNXW_3Lt7uokSh_GcwNX4ledSyFR/s320/EnterTheDarkLogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, it's been a while since I posted about my <a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html">little bundle of cinematic chills</a> - or about anything for that matter. Seems like "real life" has been taking most of my time lately. My day job as freelance video editor has finally picked up again and since I've been quite slow the past two years, it's been time to simply bear down and bank some coin.<br />
<br />
This is good since it means I can continue to do the little things like pay my mortgage and keep our house. But it's also quite draining so there's been little time for much else.<br />
<br />
However, the <b>2011 Enter the Dark World Tour</b> continues with or without me! It's been doing tremendously, making the rounds and picking up awards along the way. Here's some spots our short film has screened since last we met:<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.trueindependent.org/index.html">Seattle True Independent Film Festival</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.frightnightfilmfest.com/">Fright Night Film Fest - Louisville, KY</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.pittsburghhorrorfilms.com/">Pittsburgh Horror Film Fest</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.motorcitynightmares.com/">Motor City Nightmares - Michigan</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.tumbleweedfilmfest.com/">Tumbleweed Film Festival - Washington</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.aoffest.com/">Action On Film International Film Festival - Pasadena</a><br />
<br />
In addition, we will be screening at a number of upcoming festivals:<br />
<br />
<div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://www.nyciff.com/abingdontuesday23.html" title="http://www.nyciff.com/abingdontuesday23.html">New York City International Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4">Tuesday, Aug 23, 4pm - Abington Theater, NYC</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://filmfest.dragoncon.org/" title="http://filmfest.dragoncon.org/">Dragon*Con Independent Short Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4">Friday, Sept 2, 10pm - Atlanta, Georgia</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://www.film-fest.ca/" title="http://www.film-fest.ca/">Toronto Independent Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4">Sept. 8 -17 - Toronto, Ontario </div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://atlantahorrorfilmfest.com/Blog/Entries/2011/9/15_SUPERnatural_Shorts.html" title="http://atlantahorrorfilmfest.com/Blog/Entries/2011/9/15_SUPERnatural_Shorts.html">Atlanta Horror Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4">Thursday, Sept 15, 10:30pm - Atlanta Georgia</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://www.tulsafilmfestival.org/" title="http://www.tulsafilmfestival.org/">Tulsa International Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4">Friday, Sept 23, 11pm - Tulsa, Oklahoma</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4"><a href="http://www.fearfete.com/index.html" title="http://www.fearfete.com/index.html">Fear Fete Horror Film Festival</a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">Saturday, Oct 29 - Baton Rouge, Louisiana</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">If you're within spittin' distance of any of these events, please come on out and show your support!<br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"></div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">We were also fortunate to have won a few awards, so I now have a growing collection of sharp-edged acrylic monoliths and other cool momentos:</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">Best Horror Short - Indie Spirit Film Festival:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi603ol_C90OjiQhiSQykI_-x6DQneEKkMx_31FeTwEP8Mv8wN3FW2_NroKbrQ0X-8FNjBZhaoJxi7WqCnFwAOUeEKmIHaU8tuyQWx81RGjD2X_mlHOyYh7xyJuEVC_BwpGytjtgQowB7/s1600/Indie_Spirit_ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi603ol_C90OjiQhiSQykI_-x6DQneEKkMx_31FeTwEP8Mv8wN3FW2_NroKbrQ0X-8FNjBZhaoJxi7WqCnFwAOUeEKmIHaU8tuyQWx81RGjD2X_mlHOyYh7xyJuEVC_BwpGytjtgQowB7/s320/Indie_Spirit_ceremony.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMnCgts75NxFq8fRNuAWgWyR9_qAsv6mRrhvy3UF7PdcJqIwHu40TdtRojfjtmf0JLK29pbuMsdgBXeMYc6yKWxwHCEgjYtaBWzAumQ-xJVUOtmn6s8FeKg1gmps2a7i0J5qPAllRr90S/s1600/Indie_Spirit_award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMnCgts75NxFq8fRNuAWgWyR9_qAsv6mRrhvy3UF7PdcJqIwHu40TdtRojfjtmf0JLK29pbuMsdgBXeMYc6yKWxwHCEgjYtaBWzAumQ-xJVUOtmn6s8FeKg1gmps2a7i0J5qPAllRr90S/s320/Indie_Spirit_award.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">Best Short Thriller - Bare Bones Film Festival:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jXkpzbc22G8xsqxXcOgQwwYh3pqjRW61f7vY9MtERcVH0QyenXqyb8QYHdaIoxnfO9wIcjz5Y05mSNf0rZHLUlYw860qjZTo0F8eh4de1tjPUn5z4OFkxkSq7oCPHlIRYZyBkwrWt6RX/s1600/bonehead_medal_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jXkpzbc22G8xsqxXcOgQwwYh3pqjRW61f7vY9MtERcVH0QyenXqyb8QYHdaIoxnfO9wIcjz5Y05mSNf0rZHLUlYw860qjZTo0F8eh4de1tjPUn5z4OFkxkSq7oCPHlIRYZyBkwrWt6RX/s320/bonehead_medal_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;">Best Scare - Famous Monsters of Filmland Imagi-Movies:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fDNToIwiKRORPZ-fGv4UKPSP-2QH2PSJLiTgKhFeYyd4jV9y7LbtSJyVGKBBhgLymBWcCQmzH7lPGcBEMNJlmiPBUrBO3WyGxYMbRSU8FzJt0vtapRcDb-ldCe6pRP8sqxkMOhYa2zuh/s1600/famous+monsters+banner_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fDNToIwiKRORPZ-fGv4UKPSP-2QH2PSJLiTgKhFeYyd4jV9y7LbtSJyVGKBBhgLymBWcCQmzH7lPGcBEMNJlmiPBUrBO3WyGxYMbRSU8FzJt0vtapRcDb-ldCe6pRP8sqxkMOhYa2zuh/s320/famous+monsters+banner_sm.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now that's really cool - I got a BANNER for that baby!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="paragraph_style_4" style="padding-bottom: 0pt;"></div><br />
Best Paranormal Short - Fear Fete Horror Film Festival:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7W3cqpaCCGzIWCSpXOGGE7rbyB_42dJADYRh92jlsl4f9tELitnhbzoJH-zmK-_9hLGT4gWW1uB721-uuWe2YZ_PCOMJnsklysFqPtQAjx-_GzA6b9rFAUjRrTElchdoFRVyVUVUb9xk/s1600/9397635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7W3cqpaCCGzIWCSpXOGGE7rbyB_42dJADYRh92jlsl4f9tELitnhbzoJH-zmK-_9hLGT4gWW1uB721-uuWe2YZ_PCOMJnsklysFqPtQAjx-_GzA6b9rFAUjRrTElchdoFRVyVUVUb9xk/s320/9397635.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now I haven't actually received this lil' shirt-ripping dude yet, but I hope they'll send me one. How sweet is that!</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In June we also screened in my neck of the woods at <b>Another Hole in the Head</b> Film Fest at the <b>Roxie in San Francisco</b>. This was especially rewarding as I attended film school at S.F. State, so it felt like a homecoming celebration for film finals. Most of the cast and crew <i>(as well as many friends and family)</i> were able to attend the screenings, and actor Charles Yoakum and I were able to do a Q&A session afterwards. All in all, a tremendous time and one of those moments that makes it all worthwhile.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k5NLsq-7eqmFFpXHgwLW2irqnIaySPQgodZ77g-gE6D8uGf0XYBG54BVGOiSKi6wiUjTbo9J5PgREfzKkEofHAHVghrC61sxcnMhj55GCqsaQMntizbiPiLHRyaVKKGmPH0pCxMNIBmq/s1600/IMG_3092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k5NLsq-7eqmFFpXHgwLW2irqnIaySPQgodZ77g-gE6D8uGf0XYBG54BVGOiSKi6wiUjTbo9J5PgREfzKkEofHAHVghrC61sxcnMhj55GCqsaQMntizbiPiLHRyaVKKGmPH0pCxMNIBmq/s320/IMG_3092.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Outside the Roxie with Alaina Yoakum (Charles' wife) and hey, there's my dad too on the right!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeVvN35HNIkI3l00MZJ3VNEUxgdY_avWR_6xaFKqePYQM1zTJWpA5MhMtC0vuop8qWCLH-AMpEc3QWyIo6Q608cf8fJHiiOYnX6IK_h0LhcpNqbyHr0Ck2quPNlUdqlN2WsqLNPbpOsuM/s1600/IMG_3094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeVvN35HNIkI3l00MZJ3VNEUxgdY_avWR_6xaFKqePYQM1zTJWpA5MhMtC0vuop8qWCLH-AMpEc3QWyIo6Q608cf8fJHiiOYnX6IK_h0LhcpNqbyHr0Ck2quPNlUdqlN2WsqLNPbpOsuM/s320/IMG_3094.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yep, that's me with Kristin Nelder - Assistant Camera, Gaffer, and all-around great person.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyhop8fhQt3VQ6NUvHKwtjLgKec2C9R3RoieOKFpcaDeXb37adg0O8cOFqAygesQaKngd-NZgTHVMtZgerpB2l20qulqgCjGIggLoTF-Dl-ZlNTXgcwKE0_TopJphZTWrnrbWTevV5Q9j/s1600/IMG_3102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyhop8fhQt3VQ6NUvHKwtjLgKec2C9R3RoieOKFpcaDeXb37adg0O8cOFqAygesQaKngd-NZgTHVMtZgerpB2l20qulqgCjGIggLoTF-Dl-ZlNTXgcwKE0_TopJphZTWrnrbWTevV5Q9j/s320/IMG_3102.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Charles and I gabbin' it up.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
As Enter the Dark nears the end of it's festival run, I am starting to gather the inspiration for the next short film. Once I get a little downtime, I'll jump on that baby and hopefully start shooting spring of 2012. Can't talk much about that one yet, but I'll leave you with this little visual nugget to chew on:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps-e9lJmmoucAA0-9xr90xEZ_2oX__9dIZ-8zgCFIXzPtGYaTUmfDiS3r7Fy_y9PAj7Y05Ws-HA73X4wYSjjuNUAoRptuzYvKrFmUKH9hD87DbATHFzmEHKdVtLtTOPVt5FO7eQxiJg1C/s1600/ace_of_spades_by_frequencybandit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps-e9lJmmoucAA0-9xr90xEZ_2oX__9dIZ-8zgCFIXzPtGYaTUmfDiS3r7Fy_y9PAj7Y05Ws-HA73X4wYSjjuNUAoRptuzYvKrFmUKH9hD87DbATHFzmEHKdVtLtTOPVt5FO7eQxiJg1C/s1600/ace_of_spades_by_frequencybandit.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-40092298549726137232011-07-16T21:51:00.000-07:002011-07-16T22:06:49.171-07:00Thanks for nothin'!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBx8jGrsnzdmllgYgdz_0kzfRaIb02T4a7tr63T1uNEwCswsrWhXhTehYBgxMHwN4cwUhkOhcy7PM9xwX395iNMzP44okv-CdtpGXr4xp54j0ocLCrZYfJIzADik-xJq3mhfGGFBS90sL/s1600/i_love_blogging1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBx8jGrsnzdmllgYgdz_0kzfRaIb02T4a7tr63T1uNEwCswsrWhXhTehYBgxMHwN4cwUhkOhcy7PM9xwX395iNMzP44okv-CdtpGXr4xp54j0ocLCrZYfJIzADik-xJq3mhfGGFBS90sL/s1600/i_love_blogging1.jpg" /></a></div>Remember those halcyon days when the web was abuzz with the idea that a dedicated writer could wax poetic on their blog and actually get paid for it... The two main sources of income usually presented were Google Adsense and Amazon Associates.<br />
<span id="goog_1862776415"></span><span id="goog_1862776416"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDunNftoltzRmLNvfoLypAHmZ7OOgXBQ5l4Nqa6tvc84dnOw6XYMiJlC3Snj9NkS9fuOKjr_CUVVlCAUUNkw-GA9rnYBk80vC0LDFKC6YfoEgGXK3ZUFtU4CnaUs9R1h7V4cuT-VGac19/s1600/google-adsense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDunNftoltzRmLNvfoLypAHmZ7OOgXBQ5l4Nqa6tvc84dnOw6XYMiJlC3Snj9NkS9fuOKjr_CUVVlCAUUNkw-GA9rnYBk80vC0LDFKC6YfoEgGXK3ZUFtU4CnaUs9R1h7V4cuT-VGac19/s1600/google-adsense.jpg" /></a></div>Google Adsense is responsible for some of the ads you see down the right side of my page. Most times they actually have some relevance to my content. In the year and a half since I started yammering away on this blog I've had roughly 450,000 pageviews, which I imagine puts me in the upper-middle of traffic for all blogs. Now, I'm not trying to brag here, it's just that the reality is that the vast majority of folks who start a blog never get viewed by anyone other than their friends or family. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.<br />
<br />
So those 450,000 pageviews are way more than I ever had expected, and mostly due to one crazy rant on Hollywood color grading.<br />
<br />
Go figure. <br />
<br />
Anyway, 42 folks have actually clicked on one of those Google-supplied ads <i>(most of them probably just an accidental mis-click).</i><br />
<br />
So what have I been paid so far from Google?<br />
<br />
Nothing.<br />
<br />
Zip.<br />
<br />
Nada.<br />
<br />
All those eyeballs, and 42 actual clickthroughs have netted me zero dollars.<br />
<br />
Now, that's not to say I will never get paid... Here's the dealio:<br />
<br />
Google is keeping $50.78 of my hard-earned money hostage. Here's how they justify that. Once you earn $10 for them, you get the privilege of filling out a form to indicate how you'd like to be paid from them. This sounds very exciting. Most bloggers will never even get to this point. However, when you read the fine print at the bottom, a shocking bit of tom-foolery is revealed.<br />
<br />
They will not send you any money until you have earned $100 dollars. Let me state that again. YOU WILL RECEIVE NO PAYMENTS UNTIL YOU HAVE EARNED $100! Now, the vast majority of bloggers will never ever, ever in a thousand years reach this point. And Google knows this. The corporation that prides itself with the motto "Do No Evil" is doing one of the most reprehensibly slimy accountant moves ever. How many millions of "virtual" dollars are sitting in accounts that will never come to fruition? Who knows? Maybe I'll buy some Google stock and demand the answer.<br />
<br />
All I know is I'll probably never get to $100, so my $50.78 is currently being held hostage in some weird accountant's wet-dream limbo state.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzumpQ5LR9CGF6IFdzpgOE1ZOv88QKF8wKTIcYlpi0IDar4tAY41E7H5PJVZWq4HC08ISooo6CdUVnUoJ_9Cgy6qq82RNB-ftxJ9_a-Wdq7AVTT4wkXpCfoLpF4Onbxu-eLeEumzLraavT/s1600/accountant2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzumpQ5LR9CGF6IFdzpgOE1ZOv88QKF8wKTIcYlpi0IDar4tAY41E7H5PJVZWq4HC08ISooo6CdUVnUoJ_9Cgy6qq82RNB-ftxJ9_a-Wdq7AVTT4wkXpCfoLpF4Onbxu-eLeEumzLraavT/s1600/accountant2.jpg" /></a></div>So, "Is Amazon any better?" you might ask. Well, they used to be. Since I signed up with them, some 18 months ago, they have actually sent me payments totaling $49.23. Now, that's not something I can pay my mortgage with, but at least they paid me!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWibLKhKA0_3M9wY7VyotqbNCU8T0HP94RMg9YrHJWs48gmZCKGw1jb612iIIHKpJJHTzsTHh18ZXojja153Ovij8GnCupLVQz7QoSURAt05sg5_7vPRALRwfIMW3V7O_TWhRMqEyDeHK/s1600/amazon-associates-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWibLKhKA0_3M9wY7VyotqbNCU8T0HP94RMg9YrHJWs48gmZCKGw1jb612iIIHKpJJHTzsTHh18ZXojja153Ovij8GnCupLVQz7QoSURAt05sg5_7vPRALRwfIMW3V7O_TWhRMqEyDeHK/s1600/amazon-associates-logo.png" /></a></div>However, that all ended a couple of weeks ago thanks to my Governor, Jerry Brown. He had the incredible gall to actually ask that Amazon start paying their fair share of sales taxes - you know, like what real businesses have done for like, forever. So how did Amazon respond? Well, like this:<br />
<blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For well over a decade, the Amazon Associates Program has worked with thousands of California residents. Unfortunately, a potential new law that may be signed by Governor Brown compels us to terminate this program for California-based participants. It specifically imposes the collection of taxes from consumers on sales by online retailers - including but not limited to those referred by California-based marketing affiliates like you - even if those retailers have no physical presence in the state.</span></blockquote><br />
Now, I figured this was just a threat to get California to back down, you know typical bull$#!t posturing. Except the next day I got this email:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Unfortunately, Governor Brown has signed into law the bill that we emailed you about earlier today. As a result of this, contracts with all California residents participating in the Amazon Associates Program are terminated effective today, June 29, 2011. Those California residents will no longer receive advertising fees for sales referred to Amazon.com, Endless.com, MYHABIT.COM or SmallParts.com. Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned before today will be processed and paid in full in accordance with the regular payment schedule.</span></blockquote>Wow - way to go Amazon. You really showed Gov'ner Brown. And you made a total dedicated convert to your anti-sales tax views by one of your hard-working associates.<br />
<br />
Not.<br />
<br />
Oh well, I guess those starry-eyed dreams of being able to rake in the big bucks on the web have finally been put to rest. Now I can just continue to rant for my own amusement and sanity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eZu8_H_wheifF4-BRLqzSUhNJjuP0G_RIfx2exnpCnPRiRbxB71qcs34v5KN-qw4QiiKe2EqbNDI8sc0rJ31At4dn_mLBefpRKp_WslpoP0ne2rE81ti4qVf8KYldKCGxZYoB0-K8YPh/s1600/make-money-online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eZu8_H_wheifF4-BRLqzSUhNJjuP0G_RIfx2exnpCnPRiRbxB71qcs34v5KN-qw4QiiKe2EqbNDI8sc0rJ31At4dn_mLBefpRKp_WslpoP0ne2rE81ti4qVf8KYldKCGxZYoB0-K8YPh/s320/make-money-online.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And Google and Amazon...<br />
<br />
Oh yeah... Thanks for nothin'!Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-82448388490231521702011-07-05T18:18:00.000-07:002011-07-05T18:26:46.383-07:00The Hubris of AppleI woke up last week to a brand new world. The business I had grown and nurtured for more than a decade was <a href="http://www.larryjordan.biz/app_bin/wordpress/archives/1514">changed overnight</a>. Steve Jobs decided that I no longer mattered.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjpRdruaDJwwJMeI9cpBh5JS1FVmb38mfbAJT4qzgP4_bh7-wVhVAOg1OWZ6l_OY7th5v8S2I3jV7RvpxNTesYRQKevr_04tPf89jQy80cVUPaZ0a_ntnG25Gty_zz-5HfS2gEvcQIdgW/s1600/steve-jobs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjpRdruaDJwwJMeI9cpBh5JS1FVmb38mfbAJT4qzgP4_bh7-wVhVAOg1OWZ6l_OY7th5v8S2I3jV7RvpxNTesYRQKevr_04tPf89jQy80cVUPaZ0a_ntnG25Gty_zz-5HfS2gEvcQIdgW/s320/steve-jobs1.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />
I've been editing for most of my life. I started out on a CMX 3600, cutting videos on BetaSP and D2 tape. Actually, strike that... I really started out splicing Super8 film in my bedroom, then moved on to VHS tape to tape assemble editing, then 16mm Steenbecks, then came the CMX 3600. From there I jumped into the futuristic world of "non-linear" computer-based editing. First on Avid, then to a Media 100 and finally to Apple's Final Cut Pro.<br />
<br />
I've been cutting primarily on Final Cut for the last decade, which makes it my longest running platform so far. Since I started off editing with film, the concepts of film editing always made the most sense to me - things like having clips in bins and sequences running from left to right, and multiple tracks stacked on each other. These were things first introduced by Avid, and then carried on by every editing program thereafter. My jumps from Avid to Media100 to Final Cut were never really huge ones as all had common elements that they borrowed from each other and that ultimately led back to the days of film editing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZtNWJm2edtnSfACvFgtzSGsrUIlNRCS7A9S8aArwRDgGk3IuFgaMiaymY0wioDUt5LDjFei7jhSrtTzqNqLpi04O3UiWcaSscdsAFBZG6JE_Ew2ACVvAsTGf2qcAhCI3bvkuHFe_VwRJ/s1600/Steenbeck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZtNWJm2edtnSfACvFgtzSGsrUIlNRCS7A9S8aArwRDgGk3IuFgaMiaymY0wioDUt5LDjFei7jhSrtTzqNqLpi04O3UiWcaSscdsAFBZG6JE_Ew2ACVvAsTGf2qcAhCI3bvkuHFe_VwRJ/s320/Steenbeck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
But now, Steve Jobs has decreed that all this shall end. He is determined to drag editors kicking and screaming into the future that he has decided is best for all of us. With the advent of Final Cut Pro X, he has obliterated many of the useful ways that we go about our business of editing. And he could care less how we feel about it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPswDWRo2q5zlLNFfFzRl-Hw98d4IMrazNSKdND_Xlb1iNrhau35Opp3i92InlgS8jYNg10ri-ijTlDs3PLOtd4tSG-6no-zjEAZAVWPKqq_buxQRW14CWgYYqNhiMhKqsyk8HZidXvma0/s1600/Final-Cut-Pro-X-625x359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPswDWRo2q5zlLNFfFzRl-Hw98d4IMrazNSKdND_Xlb1iNrhau35Opp3i92InlgS8jYNg10ri-ijTlDs3PLOtd4tSG-6no-zjEAZAVWPKqq_buxQRW14CWgYYqNhiMhKqsyk8HZidXvma0/s320/Final-Cut-Pro-X-625x359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This actually goes against the very reason that Final Cut was so good to begin with. After I had made the switch to Apple's editing tool around 2000, I kept encouraging others to follow - whether they were familiar with Avid, or Media100 made no difference. The strength of Final Cut to me, was the fact that you could use the tool in many different ways. In other words, if you liked traditional 3-point editing performed in source and record windows like an Avid, Final Cut could do that. Or, if you preferred making edit decisions in the timeline, like a Media100, Final Cut could do that too. If you were a keyboard guy and liked to control the software through keyboard commands - no problem. Prefer to mouse-around and drag things - no problem there either. In fact, for most functions, there were usually two or three ways to do the same thing. Whenever I watched another editor use the software I always learned something new because the toolset was so rich, it seemed almost like an entirely different animal, depending on who was operating it.<br />
<br />
Apple's approach was obvious - learn from other successful programs what works well, and instead of dictating one way to do things, offer as many as possible, ultimately allowing the editor to determine how they should work.<br />
<br />
But Apple is a very different company today than it was back in 2000. Back then, they were still known as Apple Computer - and they actually cared about their higher-end customer base. The decision for Apple to enter the video editing market themselves made perfect sense. Most editing platforms ran not only on Macs, but on suped-up high-end Mac systems with two monitors, fast drives and lots of RAM. They needed the fastest processors and the biggest chassis to handle additional PCI cards to run everything. This high-end market was always on the bleeding edge of technology, constantly upgrading, always searching for faster, bigger better. Not only that, but it was a very prestigious, and sexy market - one that could drive customers to see Apple as a player in all things media-related.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAYWUBjscGGtkn1I2_5mo_Enw0wMc4U7ps_4oUkJU__opT56HRWy9eGD2Xnq2jWoWR_QNJoAaWI-SIu3PPkNh5sxb_SedBMi3zn8C9DH0voZjxiqehlj4MFtq-n2z1PhbZ_xJW0gO1Zt1/s1600/563041.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAYWUBjscGGtkn1I2_5mo_Enw0wMc4U7ps_4oUkJU__opT56HRWy9eGD2Xnq2jWoWR_QNJoAaWI-SIu3PPkNh5sxb_SedBMi3zn8C9DH0voZjxiqehlj4MFtq-n2z1PhbZ_xJW0gO1Zt1/s1600/563041.gif" /></a></div><br />
So, it made perfect sense for Apple to want to play in this market not just on the hardware side, but on the software side, and use Final Cut to continue to drive hardware revenue. They did very well in this market - expanding into DVD production, sound editing, motion graphics, color correction and bundling it all into a new product called Final Cut Studio. They were kicking Avid's ass and climbing up the ladder of credibility - eventually edging into the ultimate territory of Avid's domain - motion picture editing. It seemed they were about to own the whole market... and then a funny thing happened.<br />
<br />
They no longer wanted it. Just when it seemed Avid was dead, Apple took their foot off the pedal. They let up. They stopped upgrading their software. They started doing random things like buying up Shake (a market leading software compositing tool used by folks like ILM), releasing one version and then abandoning it completely. They stopped attending NAB (the National Association of Broadcasters convention) and then even stranger, stopped attending MacWorld. They changed their name to just Apple. No Computer. A change was coming.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgmv3p-AaOSGPExT9IZyc6-aWEGFj0cpLbgmZ4nI2ZWP9R3A6Ec2hyphenhyphenku7LegAM47ZsUulER1luENPqfyw4fziMA8nGjDlSUM664oEtKzlnmUNp2VYqvrxMB7xqS7oWpCJyDaaQQQhNt5J/s1600/ipad-official.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgmv3p-AaOSGPExT9IZyc6-aWEGFj0cpLbgmZ4nI2ZWP9R3A6Ec2hyphenhyphenku7LegAM47ZsUulER1luENPqfyw4fziMA8nGjDlSUM664oEtKzlnmUNp2VYqvrxMB7xqS7oWpCJyDaaQQQhNt5J/s320/ipad-official.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
To put it simply, Apple is no longer a computer company. They are a mobile device company. They are a media-absorption company. They sell iPads, and iPhones and Apps, and Clouds and IOs. They barely continue to upgrade their desktop Macs (the workhorse of video-editing). The strategy of pandering to the technological vanguard of content creators no longer fits with their business model. They don't want to sell high-end $1000 software to drive hardware sales, they want to sell a million downloads of a $2.99 app.<br />
<br />
I get all this - I really do. It makes perfect sense. They no longer need me.<br />
<br />
But did Steve really have to completely thumb his nose at the business I've built over the last ten years, using his software and his computers?<br />
<br />
How am I supposed to tell my clients that, "I'm sorry, I can't open up that project we did last year - Final Cut Pro X can't read it." Or, "No, I can't send an OMF file to the audio post house to work on your sound mix, Final Cut Pro X can't do that." Or, "Gee, I'd love to be able to read in that list you generated from your rough-cut edit you did on your Avid, but Final Cut Pro X can no longer import an EDL."<br />
<br />
Now look - I understand that it's really just version 1 of a brand new piece of software. And I know that they'll <a href="http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/professional-video-editors-weigh-in-on-final-cut-pro-x/">work out some of the bugs</a>, and add back some of the functionality. And I know that 3rd party developers are already scrambling to full in the holes where Apple no longer cares.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk-7-xBb-bmYvPLPQyyz_P9YhtwvhnQTluapT4LG7Vqz5v1EtZeiUM28hMM6xiTNAkLh9tBPSDoc8qz4EnFa7DQtCf3AB3JUPd7oTfyPQppKAW_mDl_gtehtD86EQL5PCXtg5f85spO2S/s1600/iphone-imovie_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk-7-xBb-bmYvPLPQyyz_P9YhtwvhnQTluapT4LG7Vqz5v1EtZeiUM28hMM6xiTNAkLh9tBPSDoc8qz4EnFa7DQtCf3AB3JUPd7oTfyPQppKAW_mDl_gtehtD86EQL5PCXtg5f85spO2S/s320/iphone-imovie_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
But let's really call it what it is - iMovie X. A glitzy, cool new piece of software to edit fun videos for web and social media. It is in no way a professional tool that I can use with my existing clients, and not something I can use to edit feature films, or broadcast documentaries.<br />
<br />
So, like a scorned lover, I must wait. Wait and see if Steve ever decides to play with me again - to bless me with the pure light of his affections.<br />
<br />
I'll give it a year. I'll continue to run Final Cut Pro 7.0.3 on my existing system. Continue to bill my clients on an edit suite that fulfills their needs and mine. I'll check out and download Adobe and Avid's latest products and figure out which will better suite my needs. Maybe, just maybe, Steve will come to his senses and like the New Coke fiasco, or the Apple Cube, this will all just be a blip in product development stupidity history, and some day soon, shiny new Final Cut Pro 8 will be made available.<br />
<br />
If not, I'll soldier along just fine. In the end, the toolset is never what matters most. It's always been and will always be about telling a story in an effective and compelling way.<br />
<br />
But damn Steve - did you really need to be such a dick about it?Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-4912459895758957452011-06-15T20:11:00.000-07:002011-06-15T20:22:22.865-07:00Everything is Possible but Nothing is RealSo I was in Vegas recently, and while I was there I was stopped not once, but twice by strangers who wanted to comment on the shirt I was wearing. I happened to be sporting my <a href="http://www.bccommunion.com/"><b>Black Country Communion</b></a> t-shirt.<br />
<br />
Who are Black Country Communion you say?<br />
<br />
Shame... Shame on you for not knowing. Well, actually it's not that surprising.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPK6QhuLBMSuD4mBnvQiXAxEpGJU4d6u9bIhBVUwPALIlBxHafpdsy-Vkk5_jxNHNYMLzTpldFpC0TG158pQShFwsuKCDuV-fFLySNLAo8cSpQaCM7v7o_kpVkR-JWxRQmbMJc_MM0tQJ/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPK6QhuLBMSuD4mBnvQiXAxEpGJU4d6u9bIhBVUwPALIlBxHafpdsy-Vkk5_jxNHNYMLzTpldFpC0TG158pQShFwsuKCDuV-fFLySNLAo8cSpQaCM7v7o_kpVkR-JWxRQmbMJc_MM0tQJ/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Country-Communion-2/dp/B004Z185RU?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Black Country Communion</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004Z185RU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b> are a super-group of sorts, fronted by <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dust-Bowl-Joe-Bonamassa/dp/B004LSJCJM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Joe Bonamassa</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004LSJCJM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b>, who just happens to be the best blues-rock guitarist on the planet. It also includes industry stalwarts <b>Jason Bonham</b> (yes, son of the GREAT John Bonham, <b>Glenn Hughes</b> (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath), and <b>Derek Sherinian </b>(Dream Theater).<b> </b>Not that you should actually care or anything, but they happen to be making the best true rock sounds since <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Company/dp/B002DNEGXE?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bad Company</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002DNEGXE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Led-Zeppelin-II/dp/B0011Z5IUK?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Led Zeppelin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0011Z5IUK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkznFxM6lYTXKV1XfwWtzz3qxbRuPL5ZmoNlig2SF4UhkZp00MC9L4qV9fGpwEypK9u3wvHfITwQX15ePdldzxRYyjiDXCfKAZHUoGfiOaFWma6An7jMwzC7IW9G_PDdBE3K4Zt2Fcdea/s1600/black-country-communion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkznFxM6lYTXKV1XfwWtzz3qxbRuPL5ZmoNlig2SF4UhkZp00MC9L4qV9fGpwEypK9u3wvHfITwQX15ePdldzxRYyjiDXCfKAZHUoGfiOaFWma6An7jMwzC7IW9G_PDdBE3K4Zt2Fcdea/s400/black-country-communion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
But that's not the point.<br />
<br />
The point is that while talking with one of the folks who felt the need to comment on my shirt <i>(a drummer who supposedly knew Joe B. when he was just a wee lad)</i>,<b> </b>he made the comment, "Man, it's too bad he can't make it in the music scene today..." I said, "What do you mean - he HAS made it<b>."</b><br />
<br />
The rules of success in the music industry have just radically changed from where they were twenty years ago or so. <br />
<br />
Joe Bonamassa has a loyal following who buy all his records. He tours all over the world. He even got to play with Eric Clapton at the Royal Albert Hall. That's success in today's music biz. Is he a household name? No, but he's not a 15-year old pop star kid either. The music biz is now even more divided between the 5 or 6 mega stars who are heavily marketed (Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Bieber, etc.), and everyone else.<b> </b> It used to be you made money off sales of your CDs, but that's long gone. Now the CD <i>(er... digital download I mean)</i> is a loss-leader just to get people excited about your live shows. Cashflow is based mostly on ticket sales and merchandising revenue.<br />
<br />
The time when an artist could make a living off the intellectual property of their art may be coming to an end. And it's all your fault.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Yep, it's your dang fault for having an insatiable need to consume music and movies and not want to pay anything for them. Once something can be digitized and transmitted as zeroes and ones on the net, it inevitably spirals down to a value of zero. Folks just don't wanna pay if they don't have to.<br />
<br />
And this is the sad future for filmmakers as well.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
Thanks to Netflix, the assumption is that at any time I can click on a box and instantly watch great entertainment in the comfort of my home. For free. Or nearly free. As a consumer, this is amazing. As a film buff I can now watch all sorts of titles I never would have been exposed to before. I know so many more directors and their visions. But are those filmmakers, really being compensated for all this?<br />
<br />
Not really.<br />
<br />
The indie film I edited and co-produced, <a href="http://thecommunemovie.com/"><i><b>The Commune</b></i></a>, was offered a deal by Netflix for their Watch Instantly streaming service. Do you know what they offered us?<br />
<br />
$7500.<br />
<br />
And that was before the distributor took their 30% cut.<br />
<br />
So, let's see, our meager budget was under $100,000. Hardly anyone got paid. And now, Netflix wants to own it and allow anyone in the world to watch it for free in the comfort of their own home. And for all that, we'll be compensated around $5000.<br />
<br />
Now I'm not knocking 5 grand. Hey, that's better than nothing. Many filmmakers would love to be offered a Netflix deal. <br />
<br />
But, do the math. It's not rocket science. There is no sustainable business model there.<br />
<br />
Now, musicians have a way to get around this dilemma. They no longer expect to make money off their art. They can make money off their live performances. And so now they are always on the road - like a hamster on a treadmill - keeping the machine running.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimezy7alA4uJmdXKM-IS0KhLYYdJL2dvd8Tr1hTK2RCcOr1Fyb9GoVEN6qufEogjmWFtfGTc9v3zY4Yw4mQMdb6M5ZenColD_iQTTShZqwL8meFMotxfvD2lU944gcFL6TF_mEZ587jMiE/s1600/hamster_1240313c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimezy7alA4uJmdXKM-IS0KhLYYdJL2dvd8Tr1hTK2RCcOr1Fyb9GoVEN6qufEogjmWFtfGTc9v3zY4Yw4mQMdb6M5ZenColD_iQTTShZqwL8meFMotxfvD2lU944gcFL6TF_mEZ587jMiE/s320/hamster_1240313c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Live to rock and rock to live!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
But filmmakers don't have this revenue stream. We don't get paid for live performances. Our films <i>are</i> our live performances. Unless you're<a href="http://www.viewaskew.com/redstate/"> Kevin Smith</a>, no one really gives a s#!+ about hearing or seeing the director - they just wanna see the movie.<br />
<br />
So how will the indie filmmaker survive in this climate?<br />
<br />
I don't know. I really can't see it.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
The only business model I can see working is to crowd-source the funding of your film. Spread the risk. Let your true fans feel like they are part of the process. Set up a <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/">kickstarter</a> campaign and raise just enough money to hopefully cover costs. Maybe pad it a little so you can actually pay your rent while making the film. Then at least any scraps of revenue that are generated will be profit.<br />
<br />
Do not go into debt and take out a mortgage on your home to make your next indie feature film kiddos. It ain't worth it.<br />
<br />
Welcome to the future. <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HbF3EAt3ck">Everything is possible but nothing is real</a>.*</i> <br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">*(Living Colour - Type)</span><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-49576816361386836542011-06-01T09:03:00.000-07:002011-06-01T09:03:39.692-07:00Another Hole in the Head<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sfindie.com/"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuNPhzJpKSI3g37W1zcwnlu-YDJkUuKpUoqptWIC3zrekXa8ai7d6TpxGVpEBbYwroAul3UalKAd_WEnizIBdannHq_rKF24j0HuVTtV5Qprg3OXZioAkBajgpmPBsHvGdELM7CCRSgQf/s400/diyf_anotherholeinthehead2011_header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
... you know, like, "San Francisco needs another film festival like it needs another hole in the head."<br />
Except in this case, San Francisco really needs this festival, because this is the only bay area film fest that celebrates horror, sci-fi, exploitation and general wackiness.<br />
<br />
And y'all are invited to attend two weeks of mayhem from June 3 to June 16 at the Roxie Theater in the happening Mission District, S.F.<br />
<br />
Highlights include:<br />
<br />
<br />
- <em><strong>Helldriver</strong></em>, by Yoshihiro Nishimura (opening night)<br />
- <em><strong>The Victim</strong></em>, Directed by and Starring Michael Biehn (who will be at the screening!)<br />
- <em><strong>Absentia</strong></em>, by Mike Flanagan<br />
- <em><strong>Red Ice</strong></em>, by Ralph Hyver (San Francisco Filmmaker)<br />
- <em><strong>The Bleeding House</strong></em>, by Philip Gelatt<br />
- <em><strong>Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale</strong></em>, by Jalmari Helander<br />
- <em><strong>Apocrypha</strong></em>, by Michael Fredianelli (Bay Area Filmmaker)<br />
- <i><b>I am Nancy</b></i> (cool doc about <span style="font-size: small;">actress Heather Langenkamp, "Nancy" from <i><b>Nightmare on Elm Street</b></i>)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">AND...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://enterthedarkmovie.com/EnterTheDark.html"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr6UALSUO-ZBrb51NWpPgcnhDn36-3EpKZnod_ZNDmKtS1Ta3LhK7p5RM0SLEwM9fGDX5MRclNldmR05bVe9qMblD_BGkuNFz15HxeGeLSmVOlYt00YP-38SA-heF6XFyxaPEKZ_ii9tj/s400/EnterTheDarkLogo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"> <i><b>Enter the Dark! </b></i>by yours truly, which will screen twice:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Thursday, June 3 at 5:20 pm <i>(We actually open up the festival, supporting the feature film, Haunted Changi!)</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Friday, June 9 at 7:20 pm </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I will be attending both screenings, along with some of my cast and crew, so if you're in the Bay Area and want to catch some cool films, drop on by.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Tickets can be <a href="http://anotherholeinthehead.slated.com/2011/films/hauntedchangi_andrewlau_anotherholeinthehead2011">purchased here</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-1374820746558443422011-05-11T15:12:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:21:22.691-07:00Exclusive Interview with Chauntal Lewis, Star of Toolbox Murders 2You probably haven't heard of Chauntal Lewis yet. Hopefully, that will soon change. I was lucky enough to work with her on the indie film, <a href="http://thecommunemovie.com/">The Commune.</a> She recently took some time off her busy schedule to do this interview with me for Horror Society. Take a sec to read about her <a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/05/11/exclusive-interview-with-chauntal-lewis-star-of-toolbox-murders-2/">inspirational story:</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/05/11/exclusive-interview-with-chauntal-lewis-star-of-toolbox-murders-2/"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64jIViuPIj-j32GeyIsj4FpEL_m8tBus-8PttSkOf49ABLIRsvJkjSpcp7XEmGoqNEe9cN1JA5omXTSD_M35P8J4qQt16JnDdLeGV4FlQfAtltWzYid5i5DmXtBoBBqj-LA2Gz9qW8xCP/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-79112959693698312712011-04-29T12:20:00.000-07:002011-04-29T12:20:48.410-07:00The Next One...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g3OX7eMdU8mwAL8iqCRiRj8MGZwwGA5OaZ39RSuWyL5bVtbBB6UHKiZOhM0mLI7kYyPIHKtpvu4U4Q0MiPyATxkj5gbN1gXXeHvDFl6I9MCxd28fvZmDIcDRn5B1OVmufjfdExuAw27-/s1600/IMG_1579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g3OX7eMdU8mwAL8iqCRiRj8MGZwwGA5OaZ39RSuWyL5bVtbBB6UHKiZOhM0mLI7kYyPIHKtpvu4U4Q0MiPyATxkj5gbN1gXXeHvDFl6I9MCxd28fvZmDIcDRn5B1OVmufjfdExuAw27-/s320/IMG_1579.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>I've been so fortunate with the success that<a href="http://www.enterthedarkmovie.com/"> <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i></a> has had so far: screenings around the world, great reviews and multiple awards. More importantly, people really seem to respond to it and have encouraged me to keep going. And therein lies the problem. That dreaded sophomore slump. It's time to start writing the next one.<br />
<br />
With <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i>, my main goal was simply to finally finish something. I've been very good at coming up with ideas in my lifetime, and horrible at actually finishing any one of them. I purposely made this goal embarrassingly easy to accomplish - shooting it in my own house, with my friends, with gear we already owned. No excuses. If I couldn't complete a short film under those circumstances, I never would and I should just accept that fact. Fortunately with the great help of my friends, we did indeed steam forward and not only finished the project, but made a pretty darn good one as well.<br />
<span id="goog_1615988845"></span><span id="goog_1615988846"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxgg52zIqjFYGQReAx6DEV-cF91BgNUnpneYQrEKHxl89aSqNuW9iV6_NapGvFbn1TeyiNKY71KV5YL7r-ROmkgQQ9Jghq7-o9OrH9zXJTCv54VeBC8jDaka1mqOK0WVcLl-4Dra3KMZ1/s1600/spook_todd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxgg52zIqjFYGQReAx6DEV-cF91BgNUnpneYQrEKHxl89aSqNuW9iV6_NapGvFbn1TeyiNKY71KV5YL7r-ROmkgQQ9Jghq7-o9OrH9zXJTCv54VeBC8jDaka1mqOK0WVcLl-4Dra3KMZ1/s320/spook_todd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>But now, things are different. This time, there can be no excuses - no conditions. It's not enough to say, "Hey, isn't this pretty good considering we did this with no money and it was just me and my buddies?" No, this time it has to stand on its own. This short film has to be good enough that it could be shown to anyone and they would assume it was a Hollywood-produced film. The story, acting, camerawork, lighting, art direction, sound design and everything else all have to be top-notch. It has to be seamless - no excuses.<br />
<br />
And why is that - you may ask. Well, it's simple - this has to be my calling card. There's no more goofing around. If I'm to ever make it in this industry - to actually fulfill my little ol' BA in Cinema from S.F. State University, then the time is now. This project has to be good enough for someone to look at and say, "Wow, this guy's good - let's give him a couple million and see what he can do with an actual budget. Let's give him a feature film to direct."<br />
<br />
There, I said it - that's what I ultimately want to do.<br />
<br />
So, you tell me, how can anyone actually produce good art under those pressures? You see, I have to play a game with myself - to forget what my goals are and just concentrate on the task at hand - writing a great story. But it has to be a story that not only speaks to me, but that enables me to showcase my talents as a writer/director. It has to be small enough so it is do-able (considering I still will have almost no budget), but big enough to explore inventive ideas. <br />
<br />
In short, I need to produce a tiny, perfect gem of a story that will be the seed to my future. No pressure there…<br />
<br />
UGH!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jK9IOKO8yzTG-n79YWGfrIhlTOBZCzYgS0xbUix5dUzzI5Dh_7oUlQhtnz7nsJq2hfP5DaJkYgakS-P3MJRY-Czz1ljxE0zfrBbmq1gDLPq-aQyDzO9AQFKILpSNqvQXkJQn1-2JAa3z/s1600/escher_csg026_encounter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jK9IOKO8yzTG-n79YWGfrIhlTOBZCzYgS0xbUix5dUzzI5Dh_7oUlQhtnz7nsJq2hfP5DaJkYgakS-P3MJRY-Czz1ljxE0zfrBbmq1gDLPq-aQyDzO9AQFKILpSNqvQXkJQn1-2JAa3z/s320/escher_csg026_encounter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm stuffing myself with movies, pouring over M.C. Escher prints and reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Labyrinths-Directions-Paperbook-Jorge-Borges/dp/0811216993?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Borges' Labyrinths</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0811216993" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> to hopefully have all this wash over me so that some of its brilliance may somehow seep into my pores. But I know I need to find my own true voice - I cannot allow myself to try to write to please others. Only by making the story personal will it connect with others on a deeper level. The things that work in <i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i> work because they feel authentic. I must focus on that.<br />
<br />
The good news is I think I've found the story - the architecture around which I may be able to create my film. I still need to flesh out the details, breathe life into the characters, find the heart - but I think I've found the vessel. Now, if I can just make the damned thing float!Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-28673682107676050382011-04-21T17:35:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:35:31.223-07:00Insidious - An Empty Shell of a Movie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbQlwTFhV8a_zxFNL5V9s_UpWGmY8ChZRHSBAAWK4UPpsAXjEYgB01f8z5sCmE-XbDM6-Q6eXEy_H1SdAaPm4owznoFbMCOP_C1ux35lttO4MfU7b1jFdvOLUnztelgsdQwVM_3lH-BUA/s1600/insidious-movie-slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbQlwTFhV8a_zxFNL5V9s_UpWGmY8ChZRHSBAAWK4UPpsAXjEYgB01f8z5sCmE-XbDM6-Q6eXEy_H1SdAaPm4owznoFbMCOP_C1ux35lttO4MfU7b1jFdvOLUnztelgsdQwVM_3lH-BUA/s400/insidious-movie-slice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I was worried.<br />
<br />
You see - with all the buzz surrounding the new film by James Wan (<i><b>Saw</b></i>), I thought maybe someone had made the new classic haunted house/demonic possession movie before I could.<br />
<br />
Turns out I needn't have worried. <br />
<br />
<i><b>Insidious</b></i> is an empty shell of a movie, adrift in a nether nether land, with other nasty, scary movies forcing their way into it's lifeless corpse. Hey... that also happens to be the film's premise - what a coincidence!<br />
<br />
It has its moments of great jump-scares, but never really develops the undercurrent of dread necessary to make a movie like this really get under your skin.<br />
<br />
And why is that?<br />
<br />
Well, it's simple. It seems like James Wan has made a scary movie about other scary movies - kinda like Scream, but without all the fun. Starting with the blood red embossed lettering of the title (a la Suspiria), Insidious follows the predictable path of <i><b>The Exorcist</b></i>, <i><b>Poltergeist</b></i>, <i><b>The Entity</b></i> (nice casting of Barbara Hershey by the way) and eventually all the way to <i><b>Carnival of Souls</b></i> (stumbling white-faced ghoulies anyone?) and back to Suspiria (bright red lighting) once again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiL8w77At9oMrk-qA1-XYKcwslFif_kbtPJjk3AfSJcaRrojYJPzdRf1mq8tk_70jdbiSGGH2nL9U6ivKeu0zKzrBaF5DvrRo0uMYCGXaGSr7320YS_x6x7-l4J8VBsWmhiN9PEodv2re/s1600/carnival-of-souls-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiL8w77At9oMrk-qA1-XYKcwslFif_kbtPJjk3AfSJcaRrojYJPzdRf1mq8tk_70jdbiSGGH2nL9U6ivKeu0zKzrBaF5DvrRo0uMYCGXaGSr7320YS_x6x7-l4J8VBsWmhiN9PEodv2re/s320/carnival-of-souls-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Wan even throws in a sketch of his Saw puppet on the blackboard behind one of the characters just in case we're not getting the hint- THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT MOVIES!<br />
<br />
Now, the whole thing actually almost works because he's borrowing from some really great films, so moments of the film hold your attention, draw you in and elicit some real nice scares, but you find yourself counting the references (a drinking game for sure) more than actually caring about any of the characters.<br />
<br />
I did however, like his attempt to stay away from digital effects and go with mostly old-school costume, makeup and lighting, but while this works fine in the buildup phase of the movie it kinda left me wanting more when we enter the third act and we're supposed to accept the fact that this amazing, limitless astral-projecting reality we're entering is just a dark old house with red lights and a dude who look like Tim Curry.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S3m11YoPK-NAR-hEEw_pyx9N9VAm_gLL78Xj4nNbJodwrcTSUe_VBbnV0DFy5PglOeyIhp8r2lguS41M8Nk-KJJccMoOn4uLUcW0euVZvfEdrN03eLRqOUoULzFNV7x7-A0HFh7hzA0q/s1600/tim-curry-legend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4S3m11YoPK-NAR-hEEw_pyx9N9VAm_gLL78Xj4nNbJodwrcTSUe_VBbnV0DFy5PglOeyIhp8r2lguS41M8Nk-KJJccMoOn4uLUcW0euVZvfEdrN03eLRqOUoULzFNV7x7-A0HFh7hzA0q/s320/tim-curry-legend.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br />
I'm starting to understand why certain horror movies work for me and some don't. This quote from William Friedkin sums it up nicely:<br />
<br />
<em>“The only way I could have made ‘The Exorcist’ the way I did, is if I believed it. If you look at the film, it’s a film made by people who believe this – we’re not kidding. The guy who wrote it and the guy who directed it, accept demonic possession and exorcism as a possibility.”</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
This is exactly why Insidious only works on a superficial level. These dudes don't believe any of it, and they never expect the audience will either. Everything is done with a wink and a nod. The only things that ever terrified James Wan as a kid were obviously other horror movies. If you were ever a kid with night terrors, you would never present them like they are in this film - trust me, I should know.<br />
<br />
Real horror comes from tapping those deep lurking fears within us and expressing them for others to see. Not because it seems like a fun thing to do, or to make the next hit movie, but because you have to.<br />
<br />
Because you are compelled. <br />
<br />
Wait for my next movie... then you'll see what I'm talking about.Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-28904975214438203362011-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:43:16.387-07:00New Horror Society Review - Kill Devil HillA nasty little <a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/04/19/kill-devil-hill-review/">satanic horror short</a> to check out:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/04/19/kill-devil-hill-review/"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyG_YQUVAewjhGCwvLmuNZNnGM74vVLVkynwVSB0mshNTKyfqpcMV-CVHqp-pCoClk-aVTxhwltDM1Wv44GSAum_cODc9PDmUGPVCoWYlWFJbhlcaMCJgDNLn3xPAZUYxI5u3VyY5_vL_/s320/kill+devil+hill.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-64796755236126686252011-04-05T11:18:00.000-07:002011-04-05T11:19:23.460-07:00What is a Horror Movie?Ok kiddos, hate to go on a rant here, but let me make this perfectly clear...<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Natalie-Portman/dp/B0041KKYEM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">BLACK SWAN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0041KKYEM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> IS NOT A HORROR MOVIE!!!! <br />
<br />
<i>(phew... glad to finally get that off my chest)</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1IDau6SewRsXn3TlnhWxPd2T6JvgpBUPv5RNItbS2PnBY8jEEcQIW89DAg2ZbFAdeWmvEQ79Spx-1MvYKJfgey7soUKke2lx8GbTBQZMab5k4E5qAL6Lz6QqS_maM1QTvtZEch-6OjSQ/s1600/black-swan-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1IDau6SewRsXn3TlnhWxPd2T6JvgpBUPv5RNItbS2PnBY8jEEcQIW89DAg2ZbFAdeWmvEQ79Spx-1MvYKJfgey7soUKke2lx8GbTBQZMab5k4E5qAL6Lz6QqS_maM1QTvtZEch-6OjSQ/s400/black-swan-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It is psychological thriller that examines a young woman's descent into madness. <br />
<br />
Is it scary? Yes.<br />
Is it disturbing? Yes<br />
Is it a horror movie? No.<br />
<br />
Just because a film is scary, suspenseful, disturbing, even terrifying, that does NOT make it a horror movie.<br />
<br />
Let me tell you a little secret... Are you ready? Ok, here goes...<br />
<br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jaws-30th-Anniversary-Roy-Scheider/dp/B0008KLVG4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jaws</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0008KLVG4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i></b> is not a horror movie either. <i>(uh oh, I can hear the masses grumbling)</i><br />
Neither is <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Collectors-Anthony-Perkins/dp/0783225849?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225849" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. <i>(ducks head, awaiting flying cookingware)</i><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silence-Lambs-Full-Screen/dp/B00026L7OK?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silence of the Lambs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00026L7OK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>? ...forget about it - it's a straight up thriller <i>(hey, put that pitchfork down willya?</i> lemme explain!)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwqRzpnRzRXrQQGkjL90XjIUpOJJZYWL_lZ5YlLMGezx7CRRJRp31AwxnqEC2qlaZFLPd1tJ509HWvl7Xa5gEBUzWbaI-nNx7eUSl6H9JX8-YTJU4ZqNctVc2FMxt2H-epvlazjNSL8-z/s1600/silence-of-the-lambs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwqRzpnRzRXrQQGkjL90XjIUpOJJZYWL_lZ5YlLMGezx7CRRJRp31AwxnqEC2qlaZFLPd1tJ509HWvl7Xa5gEBUzWbaI-nNx7eUSl6H9JX8-YTJU4ZqNctVc2FMxt2H-epvlazjNSL8-z/s400/silence-of-the-lambs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop looking at me like that, Lecter, lemme explain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I tend to be protective of the term "horror". To me, it represents a very specific type of movie, and in this age of inclusiveness, I feel people have tagged many films as "horror" in order to justify the genre. They want to say, "Hey look! Look at all the "horror" films that have won Oscars! We're legit! We're not the grade-B low-budget degenerate shlockfest that people think we are. Please like us..."<br />
<br />
Well EFF THAT! Horror does not need justification or legitimacy. It's just fine as it is, thank you very much - in all its bloody, subversive, thought-provoking glory.<br />
<br />
Therefore, I think a little clarification is in order. A comprehensive definition of what a horror film is, so these constant mis-classifications can stop. If a term like "horror film" is used incorrectly, eventually it loses its meaning and has no value anymore.<br />
<br />
Once we have a solid definition we can use that as a filter to pass a bunch of movies through it and see how it stands up under scrutiny. <br />
<br />
I'll take the first stab - here's my definition. A horror movie has to have the following elements:<br />
<br />
- it has to have an element of the supernatural (witches, ghosts, demons, alternate realities, etc)<br />
or <br />
- it has to have a monster (some creature that does <b>not</b> actually exist)<br />
AND<br />
- its primary aim has to be to elicit fear, horror, disgust or suspense.<br />
<br />
This means that many of the most famous movies that you see on those best horror films lists, ARE NOT EVEN HORROR FILMS!<br />
<br />
Ok, let's go back to the films already mentioned and pass them through my filter.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
-<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Natalie-Portman/dp/B0041KKYEM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Black Swan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0041KKYEM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> has nothing to do with the supernatural and has no monsters. It teases the audience with weird things going on - dopplegangers and a young woman sprouting feathers, etc. - but it is evident from the beginning of the movie that the lead character (whose point of view the film is seen) is by every piece of evidence, BATSHIT CRAZY! Let's see,we got bulemia, cutting, boundry issues with ma, a little OCD perhaps, some good ol' sexual repression and a huge whopping dose of psychosis and schizophrenia.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QYJ4JXH0PEp6h1aU6Cs8kKSyRFZFsJ_CKYrS32USEN-Pksnahv8hKrQVbZ1exvPmRYUQP7pbhKcDgGKgRLetJmcu6LQNtOyMsYAGePkwt0IOjq_0Ff7G5cXyxAEHCjn-D-0GgvRrmOJz/s1600/jaws2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QYJ4JXH0PEp6h1aU6Cs8kKSyRFZFsJ_CKYrS32USEN-Pksnahv8hKrQVbZ1exvPmRYUQP7pbhKcDgGKgRLetJmcu6LQNtOyMsYAGePkwt0IOjq_0Ff7G5cXyxAEHCjn-D-0GgvRrmOJz/s320/jaws2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry Bruce, you're outta here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>- <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jaws-30th-Anniversary-Roy-Scheider/dp/B0008KLVG4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jaws</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0008KLVG4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> is a tremendous example of an action thriller and created the summer blockbuster, but I hate to break the news to you, GREAT WHITE SHARKS ACTUALLY EXIST. And they actually kill people. <br />
<br />
- <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Collectors-Anthony-Perkins/dp/0783225849?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225849" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Collectors-Anthony-Perkins/dp/0783225849?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silence of The Lambs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225849" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> and yes... even <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre-2-Disc-Ultimate/dp/B000FS9FE4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Texas Chainsaw Massacre</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FS9FE4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FS9FE4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> are all based ON A REAL-LIFE PSYCHOTIC PERSON NAMED ED GEIN. These are all incredibly great, monumentally important films, but none of them are true horror films, my friends.<br />
<br />
I think people want to classify these films as horror in order to make themselves feel safer - "Oh, those chainsaw wielding, lunatic cannibals are just monsters! Thank goodness they don't exist in real life." Well I've got news for you folks, human beings are capable of unimaginable acts of cruelty and depravity. Just ask the Jews or the Chinese what they went through during WWII. This stuff actually happens. This is no boogeyman tale to keep kids in line. Ed Gein actually existed, created a lamp shade out of a face, wore a woman's "suit" from real flesh. And he's not the only one.<br />
<br />
Look, when I worked at a bookstore back in the 90's, I knew all about <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silence-Lambs-Hannibal-Lecter/dp/0312195265?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silence of the Lambs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312195265" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b> and <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-Thomas-Harris/dp/0425228223?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Red Dragon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0425228223" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b>. I loved those books and recommended them to customers constantly. You wanna know under what section they were kept? Take a guess...<br />
<br />
In the MYSTERY section, with all the other detective stories about murderers and child molesters and serial killers. Wanna know why? Because THEY AREN'T HORROR BOOKS! And neither was <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Psycho-Bret-Easton-Ellis/dp/0679735771?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">American Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0679735771" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b> for that matter - that was in the general fiction section.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4xBAVXMtUvva-bQS87WWfHs0YeIimpWNg0fmqEYJKBhDpE4mLhkpsgYsBa9I52ne0khANcnXCnThiXzsExBnLPELJUJiOZQ4fzfJillbNJGMZ__46mVSqEqNmLtfL1j28Acc7PLHIozw/s1600/Psycho+1960+Alfred+Hitchcock+Anthony+Perkins+pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4xBAVXMtUvva-bQS87WWfHs0YeIimpWNg0fmqEYJKBhDpE4mLhkpsgYsBa9I52ne0khANcnXCnThiXzsExBnLPELJUJiOZQ4fzfJillbNJGMZ__46mVSqEqNmLtfL1j28Acc7PLHIozw/s400/Psycho+1960+Alfred+Hitchcock+Anthony+Perkins+pic+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its all your fault!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Collectors-Anthony-Perkins/dp/0783225849?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225849" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> started this whole line of suspense/thriller movies that eventually morphed into slasher films and then into... well, I'll discuss that a little later. Here's some more of these films that aren't horror movies:<br />
<br />
- <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-House-Left-Blu-ray-Grantham/dp/B004LOUD80?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Last House on the Left</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004LOUD80" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - a disturbing thriller based on an Ingmar Bergman classic, <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Virgin-Spring-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000BR6QIW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Virgin Spring</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BR6QIW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. You wouldn't call <i><b>The Virgin Spring</b></i> a horror film, would you?<br />
<br />
- <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Friday-13th-Betsy-Palmer/dp/B00001MXXM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Friday the 13th</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00001MXXM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - a classic slasher film. This movie and all the carbon copy slashers that came after it almost killed true horror films with their lack of imagination, cliched stories and endless teenage body counts.<br />
<br />
- <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Single-Disc-Brad-Pitt/dp/B00011CZRE?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Seven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00011CZRE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - a psychological thriller/detective film. One of my favorite movies of all-time.<br />
<br />
-<i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Blu-ray-Neve-Campbell/dp/B004OEIL54?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scream</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004OEIL54" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - a self-referential slasher/thriller. Two kids, Billy and Stu are the killer. Nothing supernatural here folks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPt9hr3EV1bLwHB-VQEtA6T50NJBY3FpRgIixX-pD3iayuYdIgv6wjU6e_w7M4SwFDwhKl8wgUoBCXVVhkOQKJxsHIIM2gz9bI3UlWkl9KkNm8cCR8KnFSsob3Lovuet9iRzBnmvV_ZFdH/s1600/saw2_wideweb__430x286%252C1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPt9hr3EV1bLwHB-VQEtA6T50NJBY3FpRgIixX-pD3iayuYdIgv6wjU6e_w7M4SwFDwhKl8wgUoBCXVVhkOQKJxsHIIM2gz9bI3UlWkl9KkNm8cCR8KnFSsob3Lovuet9iRzBnmvV_ZFdH/s320/saw2_wideweb__430x286%252C1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And then we have the subgenre of torture porn films that started with <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saw-Leigh-Whannell/dp/B0006SSOHC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Saw</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006SSOHC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> and <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hostel-Unrated-Widescreen-Jay-Hernandez/dp/B000EHRVP6?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hostel</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EHRVP6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and all their nasty offspring. NONE OF THESE ARE HORROR MOVIES EITHER! They are the bastard spawn of slasher movies. They are at best, clever psychological thrillers, and at worst, cynical, dehumanizing snuff wannabies.<br />
<br />
Now let's take a look at some actual horror movies so we can get a clear sense of what I'm talking about:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXak3BVhOzAxF5NnjLRjYI_tW9c6iMUduHMgiZYp7Pvlw9QYxSoVXB-P3stisrDudB8OcxcCKDd5RctZ2BH8yMP9WHhP2N9l8Jk0nz4m2-B8WNoSpVfvSuTPxHdNMSMP13HSjpEC-Re8Kl/s1600/blairwitchfinalshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXak3BVhOzAxF5NnjLRjYI_tW9c6iMUduHMgiZYp7Pvlw9QYxSoVXB-P3stisrDudB8OcxcCKDd5RctZ2BH8yMP9WHhP2N9l8Jk0nz4m2-B8WNoSpVfvSuTPxHdNMSMP13HSjpEC-Re8Kl/s320/blairwitchfinalshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blair-Witch-Project-Heather-Donahue/dp/B00001QGUM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Blair Witch Project</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00001QGUM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poltergeist-25th-Anniversary-JoBeth-Williams/dp/B000V4UFZK?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Poltergeist</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000V4UFZK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Donald-Pleasence/dp/B000RIWAVW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Halloween</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RIWAVW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - although set up like a slasher film, Halloween in my eyes blurs the line with supernatural with Michael Myers being described as "Pure evil" - he is clearly more than human.<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Entity-Barbara-Hershey/dp/B0007WFXLM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Entity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007WFXLM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural <br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Dead-VHS-Bruce-Campbell/dp/6302038308?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Evil Dead II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6302038308" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></i> - </b>supernatural/comedy, still horror in my eyes<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drag-Hell-Unrated-Directors-Cut/dp/B002JT69IW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Drag me to Hell</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002JT69IW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- supernatural/comedy, still horror in my eyes<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shining-Blu-ray-Jack-Ncholson/dp/B000UJ48WC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Shining </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UJ48WC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>- supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mouth-Madness-Sam-Neill/dp/078062856X?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">In the Mouth of Madness</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=078062856X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural <br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Exorcist-Extended-Directors-Original-Theatrical/dp/B001992NW4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Exorcist </a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001992NW4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />- supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Exorcism-Patrick-Fabian/dp/B003L20IEW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Last Exorcism</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003L20IEW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-Activity-Katie-Featherston/dp/B002VKE1K2?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Paranormal Activity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002VKE1K2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hellraiser-Andrew-Robinson/dp/6305972001?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hellraiser</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305972001" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural <br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ring-Widescreen-Naomi-Watts/dp/B00005JLTK?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Ring</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JLTK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Backbone-Special-Marisa-Paredes/dp/B000274TLW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Devil's Backbone</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000274TLW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural but <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pans-Labyrinth-Ivana-Baquero/dp/B000O76ZQC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pan's Labyrinth</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000O76ZQC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> is not, it is more Fantasy/Magical Realism<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZhPkl-mGarMiFjQfZFC2fLgxGNq4USYVGYd0lyaMt8N2JM6O0LmCOssDjAw9XCrC1shlZvY9ObPljXWf2mYrdfASYZL3b6LJtGrNtNy_OAlkmFulJPx8U5Q4yeI27S-sUBWCflQahfkB/s1600/Zombies_NightoftheLivingDead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ZhPkl-mGarMiFjQfZFC2fLgxGNq4USYVGYd0lyaMt8N2JM6O0LmCOssDjAw9XCrC1shlZvY9ObPljXWf2mYrdfASYZL3b6LJtGrNtNy_OAlkmFulJPx8U5Q4yeI27S-sUBWCflQahfkB/s320/Zombies_NightoftheLivingDead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-Living-Dead-Duane-Jones/dp/B00005B1YC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Night of the Living Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005B1YC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - monsters<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Days-Later-Blu-ray-Cillian-Murphy/dp/B000VDDWEC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">28 Days Later</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VDDWEC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- monsters<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Splice-Adrien-Brody/dp/B003EYVXSW?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Splice </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003EYVXSW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>- sci-fi/monster<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Descent-Original-Unrated-Cut-Widescreen/dp/B000IHY9TS?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Descent</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IHY9TS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- monsters<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pumpkinhead-Collectors-Lance-Henriksen/dp/B001B8XRT6?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pumpkinhead </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001B8XRT6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>- supernatural/monster<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sixth-Sense-Collectors-Bruce-Willis/dp/B00004BZIY?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sixth Sense</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004BZIY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Signs-Vista-Mel-Gibson/dp/B00005JL3T?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Signs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JL3T" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - sci-fi/alien monsters <br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Street-Collection-Line-Platinum/dp/0780626966?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Nightmare on Elm Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0780626966" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- monster/supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rosemarys-Baby-Mia-Farrow/dp/B00003CXCF?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rosemary's Baby</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXCF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural <br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Heart-Special-Mickey-Rourke/dp/B0001US62I?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Angel Heart</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001US62I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural noir/horror<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suspiria-2-Disc-Special-Jessica-Harper/dp/B000S0GYRU?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Suspiria </a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000S0GYRU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />- supernatural (but <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Red-Blu-ray-David-Hemmings/dp/B004KDYR1G?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Deep Red</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004KDYR1G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>, and Argento's other Giallo films are not)<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jacobs-Ladder-Tim-Robbins/dp/B003TRMLQM?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jacob's Ladder</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003TRMLQM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- borderline, but ultimately, supernatural<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shivers-Paul-Hampton/dp/6305090343?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Shivers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305090343" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - monsters (but <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Ringers-Jeremy-Irons/dp/B0009298N4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dead Ringers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009298N4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>, NO - psychological thriller - What the heck is<i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Videodrome-James-Woods/dp/0783228457?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Videodrome</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783228457" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> ??)<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thing-Collectors-Kurt-Russell/dp/B0002CHK1S?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Thing </a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002CHK1S" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />- alien monster <br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Directors-Cut-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B00011V8IQ?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00011V8IQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - alien monster<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqTZQqfqKYrgbxBSaHL74MXiaOX33xDK0rKCs5JUwmQ34v0zRgBQN3Pt3UAfo2r7ySNx2kfNhsmDIrtaOavB2jcOydHuxTqgnbPQ9OJ_WkmoET6_Dovk7eSYQbRKOOiHOo3vROGzqBa_J/s1600/alien1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqTZQqfqKYrgbxBSaHL74MXiaOX33xDK0rKCs5JUwmQ34v0zRgBQN3Pt3UAfo2r7ySNx2kfNhsmDIrtaOavB2jcOydHuxTqgnbPQ9OJ_WkmoET6_Dovk7eSYQbRKOOiHOo3vROGzqBa_J/s400/alien1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Two-Disc-Collectors-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B00012FXAE?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aliens</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00012FXAE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - well, now look what James Cameron did to one of my favorite movies ofall time. He took a classic horror movie and turned it into an action/sci-fi/combat movie. It's really not a horror movie at all. He took all the mystery and menace out of the original Alien Monster and instead gave us a bunch of scurrying cockroaches to be exterminated. Gee, thanks Cameron.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVH3zO6sgbEzmRBv4-vs8bnDhb4d9gmVSTMG32G4Inq510zx2bg7a63Ipfltii_ucqW72MHa9aLGluDtfB1CgUqHSOXYVIYyfpfEysns5r2ieio_Bi3Lp_gOzAeM4nb7IHrHeOFyVLRFy/s1600/aliens-film.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVH3zO6sgbEzmRBv4-vs8bnDhb4d9gmVSTMG32G4Inq510zx2bg7a63Ipfltii_ucqW72MHa9aLGluDtfB1CgUqHSOXYVIYyfpfEysns5r2ieio_Bi3Lp_gOzAeM4nb7IHrHeOFyVLRFy/s400/aliens-film.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10:30... time for my union coffee break...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i><b>Aliens</b></i> fails the test, because to me it fails the second level of screening:<br />
<i>- its primary aim has to be to elicit fear, horror, disgust or suspense.</i><br />
<br />
One could make the argument that <i><b>Aliens</b></i> has monsters in it and its primary aim is to elicit horror or at least suspense, so therefore it is a horror movie. And I agree that this is a borderline case, but for me, the setup of <i><b>Aliens</b></i> is a pure action/combat film. This could easily have been set in the tunnels of Iwo Jima. The emotions Cameron seems interested in are not horror, terror, or even suspense, but to elicit the catharsis of defeating an enemy.<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Predator-Widescreen-Collectors-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/B000244EMO?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Predator</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000244EMO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> and <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Predators-Adrien-Brody/dp/B002ZG98LO?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Predators</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002ZG98LO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - same as <i><b>Aliens </b></i><br />
<br />
Let's take a look at some more movies that don't make the cut because although they may have monsters, or elements of the supernatural, the tone of the film is all wrong:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9d0AiH5r4vfGLufNBOdB2VIM8JJr6_Jd7sR0AWJVjhBX7pqbu-ymKvGUSVu5CMzk-SPNwhKpGK-JRRq3tDHmbkYKXmWVJ7Ed4C5iUD5SYLE9EGZcAnD8eYAmgzuOqLXqQBZ6d6V-j4azX/s1600/Ghostbusters1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9d0AiH5r4vfGLufNBOdB2VIM8JJr6_Jd7sR0AWJVjhBX7pqbu-ymKvGUSVu5CMzk-SPNwhKpGK-JRRq3tDHmbkYKXmWVJ7Ed4C5iUD5SYLE9EGZcAnD8eYAmgzuOqLXqQBZ6d6V-j4azX/s320/Ghostbusters1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ghostbusters-Blu-ray-Bill-Murray/dp/B00164GDD2?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ghostbusters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00164GDD2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - action/comedy <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shaun-Dead-Kate-Ashfield/dp/B0006A9FKA?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank"><i><b>Shawn of the Dead</b></i> </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006A9FKA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />- another great film, but this one to me is a comedy - a parody of zombie movies. <br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gremlins-Special-Edward-Andrews/dp/B000P0J0A6?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gremlins</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000P0J0A6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> -fantasy/comedy<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jurassic-Park-Widescreen-Collectors-Neill/dp/B00003CXAT?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jurassic Park</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXAT" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - scifi/action - borderline. It feels a lot like <i><b>Jaws</b></i> (thanks to Spielberg) and it definitely is set up to elicit suspense and terror, and dinosaurs no longer exist... But not quite. <br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Altered-States-William-Hurt/dp/6305133131?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Altered States</a></b></i><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305133131" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - Scifi/action with horror elements<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Picture-Trilogy-Extended/dp/B0026L7H20?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Lord of the Rings</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0026L7H20" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - fantasy/drama/action with horror elements <br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cloverfield-Blu-ray-Mike-Vogel/dp/B0018QCXGY?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Cloverfield </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0018QCXGY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>- disaster/giant monster movie<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXxD_dsxy0rbukGzA6p7mIuZ7KC1FDyYzOE_LMk97GYIuANN722TUSe0Xf7YB5BzC2qGi91ioh_rYJ7qh3aEXRTzIIi6e4TxHdpGY58VldfX9JaPCWc1CNUNd5t3y2_k0AMmXX-_hsqNX/s1600/18cloverfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXxD_dsxy0rbukGzA6p7mIuZ7KC1FDyYzOE_LMk97GYIuANN722TUSe0Xf7YB5BzC2qGi91ioh_rYJ7qh3aEXRTzIIi6e4TxHdpGY58VldfX9JaPCWc1CNUNd5t3y2_k0AMmXX-_hsqNX/s400/18cloverfield.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grab your camera quick! There's a really stupid-looking monster coming!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Many giant monster movies are really simply disaster or armageddon films with monsters as stand-ins for earthquakes or hurricanes or meteors. So, <i><b>Cloverfield</b></i>, while it does have a monster in it, is actually closer to <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Towering-Inferno-Special-Paul-Newman/dp/B000EHSVOG?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Towering Inferno</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EHSVOG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> in its tone, than it is to <i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Legacy-Collection-Bride-Ghost/dp/B0001CNRLQ?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNRLQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i>. Same as all the <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godzilla-Collection-Yuriko-Hoshi/dp/B000VXWK86?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Godzilla</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VXWK86" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> movies (except perhaps, for the original) and these others:<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Independence-Day-Single-Disc-Widescreen/dp/B00005V9IK?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Independence Day</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005V9IK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - disaster/scifi/action film<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/War-Worlds-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B003BJO8KU?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">War of the Worlds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003BJO8KU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> - </b></i>disaster/scifi/action film<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monsters-Special-Digital-Copy-Blu-ray/dp/B004BZ5AMS?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Monsters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004BZ5AMS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - drama/disaster/giant monster movie Yeah, the title of the film is called "Monsters", and there are actual alien giant-squid monsters in it, but the movie really isn't interested in them. It's kinda like <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Before-Sunrise-Ethan-Hawke/dp/B00002E224?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Before Sunrise</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00002E224" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> with occasional tentacles here and there.<br />
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And then, we have the movies that are right on the border:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PcwS0LUyJ3FMhaYjLKfIcYO3EciLjpWJL4J3HNUzLk1H95AYyLrHtQYf_DBUjrE3ozOijqH13Tc8k4JCgNNDQoC7es7TP7w1BuL0vOd-gBDQU7tpj5f6458n-524NGfZObY7TzWHtQRY/s1600/AmericanWerewolfInLondon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PcwS0LUyJ3FMhaYjLKfIcYO3EciLjpWJL4J3HNUzLk1H95AYyLrHtQYf_DBUjrE3ozOijqH13Tc8k4JCgNNDQoC7es7TP7w1BuL0vOd-gBDQU7tpj5f6458n-524NGfZObY7TzWHtQRY/s320/AmericanWerewolfInLondon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Werewolf-London-Special-Naughton/dp/B0024FADD8?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">American Werewolf in London</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0024FADD8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - monster/action/comedy Is it a comedy with horror elements? Or a horror film with comedic touches? I'd say this is a horror movie first, with comedic touches, it gets in.<br />
<i><b><br />
</b></i><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Let-Right-One-Lina-Leandersson/dp/B001MYIXAC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Let the Right One in</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001MYIXAC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> - supernatural/drama, but is its primary aim to elicit horror or suspense? I love the movie, but its borderline. Ah heck... let it in!<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eraserhead-Jack-Nance/dp/B00003CWPL?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Eraserhead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CWPL" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- experimental/horror All of Lynch's movies are hard to classify. Although it really never sets up suspense or terror, it is disturbing as hell and the "baby" is monstrous enough for me, so bring it on!<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cabin-Fever-Rider-Strong/dp/B0000VCZNE?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Cabin Fever</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000VCZNE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- no supernatural, but you could argue that the virulent plague is a "monster". Its tone however is straight horror - going for gore, and terror, so it gets in too.<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Human-Centipede-Ashley-C-Williams/dp/B003L20IEC?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Human Centipede</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003L20IEC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> </b></i>- Wow, this one's tough. It's got your classic psycho-doc element straight out of a thriller, but it plays like a modern-day Frankenstein. There's nothing supernatural, but does the completed human centipede represent a "monster" per se? I'd say no, this movie belongs in the slasher/torture porn genre - Get it outta here!<br />
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Now, out of all the movies I eliminated, there is really one one that falls through the cracks that I'd like to have back. I'm fine with <i><b>Jaws</b></i> not being a horror film, fine with <i><b>Psycho</b></i> and <i><b>Silence of the Lambs </b></i>and<i><b> Black Swan </b></i>being left out too.<i><b></b></i><br />
<i><b><br />
</b></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRuWUrCKQI0z6XP99Va54Wd0qTwdi7Bi_OeayGTeuwZGPRB7aUFTTXgK0gWaZBAgbQIHo_2T411S2zAdk5DFEtz-LIq2vSa2pKUwzoaiFUULhtNZUS80m9p1ISOT4Gh3VD-hAvq7ZIQFZ/s1600/texas-chainsaw-massacre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRuWUrCKQI0z6XP99Va54Wd0qTwdi7Bi_OeayGTeuwZGPRB7aUFTTXgK0gWaZBAgbQIHo_2T411S2zAdk5DFEtz-LIq2vSa2pKUwzoaiFUULhtNZUS80m9p1ISOT4Gh3VD-hAvq7ZIQFZ/s400/texas-chainsaw-massacre.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome back, Leatherface -we missed ya big buddy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>But for me, I want <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre-2-Disc-Ultimate/dp/B000FS9FE4?ie=UTF8&tag=inthab-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Texas Chainsaw Massacre</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=inthab-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FS9FE4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></i> back!<i><b> </b></i> I'm giving it a special pardon, because although technically everything in it has happened, or could happen, it is just so damned shockingly EXTREME and beautifully horrific that I cannot keep it out. Welcome back Chainsaw - you are an honorary HORROR MOVIE!!<br />
<br />
Now it's your turn. Prove me wrong. Explain why Black Swan is a horror movie - or not. Create a specific definition of what a horror movie is and pass a bunch of movies through it. See what is included and what is left out. Does it still have merit?<br />
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As with all things, the interesting discussions will arise at the edges. Is <i><b>Gremlins</b></i> a horror film? What about <i><b>Shawn of the Dead</b></i>? <i><b>Altered States</b></i>? <i><b>Videodrome</b></i>? <i><b>Eraserhead</b></i>?<br />
<br />
Bring in on!Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com91tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-88750974525114983492011-03-30T15:27:00.000-07:002011-03-30T15:27:20.811-07:00Watch Enter the Dark for FREE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM6ePIjfSgUArmZbWGobjsO0Z8ETP5PRjv_WiZgDA5vjoMfsBaLW6OnQS2pTV-VIEOR8MYF-JZgkehfkovKJHrtlv0Ug-OKjqsxFQphu7C7mby5se55rmih34u_hsJKmM7LfBJpDYxg2L/s1600/Enter_the_Dark_still2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM6ePIjfSgUArmZbWGobjsO0Z8ETP5PRjv_WiZgDA5vjoMfsBaLW6OnQS2pTV-VIEOR8MYF-JZgkehfkovKJHrtlv0Ug-OKjqsxFQphu7C7mby5se55rmih34u_hsJKmM7LfBJpDYxg2L/s320/Enter_the_Dark_still2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Watch Enter the Dark for FREE and help us win a spot at the FirstGlance Film Festival!</span><br />
<br />
Friends, family, fans and horror freaks - now is your opportunity to watch our award-winning horror short, <b>Enter the Dark</b> for free in the comfort of your own home. But be sure to hurry, this event only lasts until May 13th.<br />
<br />
Simply bounce on over to the FirstGlance Online Competition website - <a href="http://fgff.openfilm.com/">http://fgff.openfilm.com</a> , click "Join" and enter your info to create an account.<br />
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Then click on the picture for Enter the Dark, press play, click the full-screen icon, settle down and get ready for spooky fun.<br />
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Oh, and please, be sure to watch it at night… alone… with the lights out… for full effect!<br />
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But wait… there's more! We would really appreciate it if you would take a moment to vote for our movie and help us win prizes and a spot at the FirstGlance Film Fest in Philly <i>(try saying that three times fast!)</i> Once you've watched the film to the end you will have an opportunity to vote (look for the stars above the film - wow, wouldn't <span style="color: red;">FIVE RED STARS</span> look really cool?!?! I'm not trying to influence your vote or anything… just sayin')<br />
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Now, in order for your vote to actually count, the official rules state that you must watch THREE films in their entirety and vote on them (I guess they don't want anybody stuffing the vote or somethin'), so browse through the list of other equally entertaining nominees and pick out two others to watch and vote for. <br />
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That's it - you're done! You've watched some really cool short indie films AND you've helped us tremendously!<br />
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If you don't have the time to watch three short films and just want to check out Enter the Dark, that's totally fine as well. Thanks so much for your interest, and I hope you enjoy it.Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-45950561338373809962011-03-28T12:57:00.000-07:002011-03-28T12:57:45.667-07:00The Feed Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM39D6GYKAQc50XpJ87CXYiucv0rjo3PbjaVILQrquPfUdSq6mGl8PyfPU2zZ9xVLLWy5mI6rPsXJO5mAwWdO5uee5g2pTBjHyMzVlPFovXCNauquFwltylV0YHAQzsJES_oLOJY2rg0nm/s1600/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM39D6GYKAQc50XpJ87CXYiucv0rjo3PbjaVILQrquPfUdSq6mGl8PyfPU2zZ9xVLLWy5mI6rPsXJO5mAwWdO5uee5g2pTBjHyMzVlPFovXCNauquFwltylV0YHAQzsJES_oLOJY2rg0nm/s320/poster.jpg" width="215" /></a>Check out my review of the indie horror movie, The Feed at <a href="http://www.horrorsociety.com/2011/03/28/the-feed-review/">Horror Society</a>:Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-4018634305179589642011-03-15T10:54:00.000-07:002011-03-15T10:56:18.959-07:00Enter the Dark - World Tour 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Big money baby - Big Money!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Y8kNS0FN8xqA0tM80U_6ymR7WEYdHWqILPDVoaVaiWHAI53huo2UyZsHsSJuAUfUVMxZFSrvUipy6PwAU2J-MdHVLe2S2HxXmj3Ne1zJh2ozZSjyd6gkb9BUlrEw_uQQfHP1Wk-dCsk/s1600/ETD_check.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Y8kNS0FN8xqA0tM80U_6ymR7WEYdHWqILPDVoaVaiWHAI53huo2UyZsHsSJuAUfUVMxZFSrvUipy6PwAU2J-MdHVLe2S2HxXmj3Ne1zJh2ozZSjyd6gkb9BUlrEw_uQQfHP1Wk-dCsk/s400/ETD_check.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Who says filmmaking doesn't pay off? <span class="style_3">My first official check for</span> <a href="http://www.enterthedarkmovie.com/"><i><b>Enter the Dark</b></i></a> <span class="style_3">from DVD and streaming sales at</span> <a href="http://www.indieflix.com/film/enter-the-dark-31696/" title="http://www.indieflix.com/film/enter-the-dark-31696/">IndieFlix</a><span class="style_3"> is a whopper! </span>$21 big bucks! Looks like I can now pay off that line item for <span class="style_7">Oreos </span>eaten during production of my little horror flick<span class="style_7">.</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span> <br />
... In all seriousness, any money, no matter how small, generated from this film represents a huge success! And it's not about the money anyway - for now it's all about going through the filmmaking process, learning from it, getting my name out there and getting the film in front of as many folks as possible.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which...<br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">April through May will see ETD <b>screened in theaters worldwide</b>! </span><span class="style_7">I kid you not!</span><br />
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<span class="style_7">From Los Angeles to Scotland, to Australia the world will be abuzz with horrified viewers passing out in their seats, barely able to catch their breath from the terrifying menace that is <b>ENTER THE DARK</b>!!!</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><i>(well, actually just a few theaters worldwide... six to be exact... but it sounds much more impressive to say it the other way... and folks probably won't be passing out... unless they get low blood sugar from not picking up a snack before watching hours upon hours of indie films... or if they get up too fast from their seats after sitting too long for a while... that can do it to me sometimes, ya know... well, not actually passing out, but kinda light-headed and seeing a couple of stars pass by... that's gotta count for something, right?)</i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">Anyway, here's the official-sounding dealio for <i><b>Enter the Dark's 2011 World Tour</b></i>: </span><br />
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<span class="style_7">Enter the Dark is excited to be an Official Selection of the following film festivals:</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2MHJ8bpYXUb2yK5Df251stjCpfR8wpaspl6dIrCerVi4WeVgP4Fxg3E1NF_TcQ44dvgMQy-1o80BtAB_qrdN_iAFgvzWE3cUBGJaTOgdWWrvPXtE11NLBbED0I1dJCdZXuUoUREYR6fP/s1600/night+of+horror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2MHJ8bpYXUb2yK5Df251stjCpfR8wpaspl6dIrCerVi4WeVgP4Fxg3E1NF_TcQ44dvgMQy-1o80BtAB_qrdN_iAFgvzWE3cUBGJaTOgdWWrvPXtE11NLBbED0I1dJCdZXuUoUREYR6fP/s320/night+of+horror.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7"> - <a href="http://www.anightofhorror.com/program/"><b>A Night of Horror International Film Festival</b></a> - <i>Sydney Australia</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">Saturday, April 2, 4pm</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt2pBeFBmZZihi5OshcilCswSVcz5gyRCDZA_tFeDMgyVtA8NwRa05xcDofFfw1e4NRhyphenhyphenawXeFdrT0sE5WXP8OruMVYlHPQGbtihkagPfy10HpR1Yto9-Bw5hUqmI0vibjOpdNJy-bKFR/s1600/famousmonsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt2pBeFBmZZihi5OshcilCswSVcz5gyRCDZA_tFeDMgyVtA8NwRa05xcDofFfw1e4NRhyphenhyphenawXeFdrT0sE5WXP8OruMVYlHPQGbtihkagPfy10HpR1Yto9-Bw5hUqmI0vibjOpdNJy-bKFR/s320/famousmonsters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7">- <a href="http://www.imagimovies.com/"><b>Famous Monsters of Filmland Imagi-Movies</b></a> - <i>Beverly Hills, CA</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">April 8 - 10</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhu_wjNKDULcuyj6ihdx2VgC1rhAaGasOffOKL2H7E8wU6gUdm19Flu_SWXHWuzHEhyCHl8JK_0I5d4QMk_tEHtGQ7SuA6Mw4BDQPlt3rjiOhFkUXw9yxeI-L11MNVlJaf6ib33QPOA3BF/s1600/IS_header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhu_wjNKDULcuyj6ihdx2VgC1rhAaGasOffOKL2H7E8wU6gUdm19Flu_SWXHWuzHEhyCHl8JK_0I5d4QMk_tEHtGQ7SuA6Mw4BDQPlt3rjiOhFkUXw9yxeI-L11MNVlJaf6ib33QPOA3BF/s320/IS_header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7"> - <a href="http://www.indiespiritfilmfestival.org/2011/"><b>Indie Spirit Film Festival</b></a> -<i> Colorado Springs, CO</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">April 14 -17 </span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp7on6lZN5N7AYzXoBeSUIiEvmQenIR_-VyMJOwSgQJi2SgTHSabllrR-gHUuccDShLdw9by-8cfX2K1sFA98y-_byULwARMBaXBhtdU5p7dQbEBrKhZXDc-F-OJAOk5ayYG9ZzgPx5IN/s1600/barebones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp7on6lZN5N7AYzXoBeSUIiEvmQenIR_-VyMJOwSgQJi2SgTHSabllrR-gHUuccDShLdw9by-8cfX2K1sFA98y-_byULwARMBaXBhtdU5p7dQbEBrKhZXDc-F-OJAOk5ayYG9ZzgPx5IN/s320/barebones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7"> - <a href="http://www.barebonesfilmfestivals.org/"><b>Bare Bones Film Festival</b></a> - <i>Muskogee, OK</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">April 25 - May 1</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX27FtfLVjH8ly3lofrIlWWZIxr3vcZh8nsjdTFyqiZJrWabRRdqvktyO2wMd6IcNSfSIlPP7g72YQXYU5s_4h0sok6SZUkBWFj_uWHxoiXrNxicrbtUEQzCOGhUKuYti14PGxCpDSq6wn/s1600/dead+by+dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX27FtfLVjH8ly3lofrIlWWZIxr3vcZh8nsjdTFyqiZJrWabRRdqvktyO2wMd6IcNSfSIlPP7g72YQXYU5s_4h0sok6SZUkBWFj_uWHxoiXrNxicrbtUEQzCOGhUKuYti14PGxCpDSq6wn/s320/dead+by+dawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7"> - <a href="http://www.deadbydawn.co.uk/"><b>Dead by Dawn</b></a> - <i>Edinburgh, Scotland</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">May 5 - 8</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn6wHXD3OlDaLM09GG3xBYv7KTdOlcB2WR-C1m_zLFhqL0da74vcJiChI2B0is9hGizVxTt_dooLpLC3aF2XnyxMeJHzf-iLiZqYbDZeC91UYQudhK5Ooy2lGwDuKB4YnD1z5S9EhDBg7/s1600/high+desert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn6wHXD3OlDaLM09GG3xBYv7KTdOlcB2WR-C1m_zLFhqL0da74vcJiChI2B0is9hGizVxTt_dooLpLC3aF2XnyxMeJHzf-iLiZqYbDZeC91UYQudhK5Ooy2lGwDuKB4YnD1z5S9EhDBg7/s320/high+desert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="style_7"> - <a href="http://www.highdesertshortsiff.com/ScheduleofEvents.html"><b>High Desert Shorts International Film Festival</b></a> - <i>Pahrump, NV</i></span><br />
<span class="style_7">Friday, May 27, 11:15pm </span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">Phew, now that's a whirlwind tour! I'd love to be able to attend all of these festivals, but alas, such is not the way for the lowly indie filmmaker. I'm planning on going to the High Desert Shorts <i>(tie it in with a trip to Vegas), </i>and seeing if I can make it to Famous Monsters in LA.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">So far, 2011 has blazed to action with a blistering start and I still have many festivals to hear from. While it may seem excessive to enter into some 60 or more film fests, I find it money well-spent as it is really the only way for and indie filmmaker to have their work screened in theaters... or community centers... or casino ballrooms. It really makes no difference to me as long as the lights are out, butts are planted in seats and all the hard work of my cast and crew is projected on a screen. The ability to have people see our vision is priceless <i>(well, actually on average, it's about $35/ per festival submission, plus burning the DVDs, shipping, making the postcards, etc.), </i>but still, the marketing payoff is huge.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">And speaking of marketing payoffs...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTC98zOAW8xPDGDJEFzSrNrxI0v3E4u8vmZ3_0kFQc88XDQe6Q2OsxmJGnEz8rX0EI40SzXfxXJBgW8UJrLbAPRd-v208MQIlXzPLQHJNoeAymwKa4aiSxlLwPun8Pd9vT9x5t7NjfzJB/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTC98zOAW8xPDGDJEFzSrNrxI0v3E4u8vmZ3_0kFQc88XDQe6Q2OsxmJGnEz8rX0EI40SzXfxXJBgW8UJrLbAPRd-v208MQIlXzPLQHJNoeAymwKa4aiSxlLwPun8Pd9vT9x5t7NjfzJB/s400/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="style_7">A number of months ago, I received the exciting news that I had won an award from the <a href="http://www.maverickmovieawards.com/"><b>Maverick Movie Awards</b></a> for Best Sound Design/Editing. I had also been nominated for Best Director and Best Special Effects. Now this was totally unexpected and very very cool news, but when I let people know, their response was tepid at best.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">Now, let's face it, no one really knows what the Maverick Movie Awards are. I hadn't even heard of them myself, until I had submitted my film for their perusal. So, it's not like I had won an Oscar or anything, but still, any recognition is greatly appreciated.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">Anyway, as with a lot of these award contests, the winners had an option of buying an actual award trophy or plaque for an additional cost. Now, my usual reaction to this had been "Eff that! This is all just a scam to make money off of inflated costs for stupid plastic keepsakes", so I wasn't really considering it. But then, these guys seemed like legit folks, and they weren't really pushing the trophies - just offering it as an option since so may people had asked. "Oh, what the hell", I thought, "I need something sparkly for my office and I can write it off as a marketing expense anyway."</span><br />
<br />
<span class="style_7">So I pulled the trigger and bought the dang thing:</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR-P2KD3jakJevF4T9dXpHV8R2sP34VZJ2jhlSyGNFsBPv_loijU-DxgUR94vEF0yck8QzjFUfVpkGFXnTmt1wbWIStunNWQEqpFl_nJ2xf5NV1W_ELkQh-b8KNCFCa7JvYGvQkjZBww_/s1600/MaverickMovieAward_ETD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR-P2KD3jakJevF4T9dXpHV8R2sP34VZJ2jhlSyGNFsBPv_loijU-DxgUR94vEF0yck8QzjFUfVpkGFXnTmt1wbWIStunNWQEqpFl_nJ2xf5NV1W_ELkQh-b8KNCFCa7JvYGvQkjZBww_/s400/MaverickMovieAward_ETD.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The mighty acrylic monolith next to a DVD copy of Enter the Dark (<a href="http://www.indieflix.com/film/enter-the-dark-31696/">still only $5.95 from IndieFlix</a>)</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="style_7">And do you know what I discovered? People are way more impressed with an etched piece of Acrylic-Crystal than I had imagined. Suddenly, this makes one seem legit. I am now an "award winning filmmaker" and I have the dang hardware to prove it. So there.</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="style_7">Lesson learned. </span><span class="style_7">Saying you have won an award is one thing. Having something people can actually see, hold in their hands and reflect upon is another. And while my natural inclination is not to toot my own horn, so to speak, I'm learning that shameless self-promotion is a necessary evil of this whole game of filmmaking.</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="style_7">Just a few months ago, my 8-year old was shoving his cheap, tacky plastic soccer trophies in my face, "Hey dad, how come you don't have any trophies? And why do you keep making movies that don't make any money?" Now I can blast him back, "Hah!!! Look at me now buddy! Feast upon the bounty that is my $21 check!! And bow down in worship to the mystical glory of my gold-tinted acrylic-crystal glittering monolithic behemoth!!"</span><br />
<span class="style_7"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="style_7">Yeah... lesson learned...</span>Todd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2128875694901639301.post-23354626917733711552011-03-05T09:22:00.000-08:002011-03-05T09:22:36.596-08:00FantAsian: Fantasy Films by Asian Women Invade March 6th BleedFest!<i>My good friend and blazingly smart filmmaker Elizabeth Fies has been working her tail off to promote amazing work written, produced and directed by women. With the tireless help of her sister Brenda, they have created the <a href="http://bleedfest.com/">Bleedfest</a> film festival to showcase badass genre work that would otherwise go unnoticed. If you're in the L.A. area, be sure to check it out!</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMNRjdeXAU_ZDdCIF_HXyw09YZ1SEKOYLqrRbYr-O1UGzsWih0v-OwQlGwNIHHUue1Epwh1fjiu0VBhPcLy8kV17IFjt6ab13yjMp4oMnJcJmO3NkRe9EWDItUD8OY14peAlpxlvcQMpz/s1600/march_poster_bleedfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMNRjdeXAU_ZDdCIF_HXyw09YZ1SEKOYLqrRbYr-O1UGzsWih0v-OwQlGwNIHHUue1Epwh1fjiu0VBhPcLy8kV17IFjt6ab13yjMp4oMnJcJmO3NkRe9EWDItUD8OY14peAlpxlvcQMpz/s320/march_poster_bleedfest.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><br />
Los Angeles, California-- March 4, 2011 --<br />
<br />
Monthly badass genre film festival BleedFest continues its quest for gender equality in movies and moviemaking with its March 2011 charity and screening event. The theme of BleedFest's March 6th event is FantAsian: Fantasy and musicals by female Asian filmmakers.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Deepika Daggubati will be present for a Q &A after her fantasy musical feature WAKING DREAMS, as will Anna Biller for a retrospective of her subversive retro shorts including THREE EXAMPLES OF MYSELF AS QUEEN. Carly Lyn will receive her Inanna Award statue for A FOUNDLING, and Nora Jesse will receive the Best Producer certificate award for her satirical short GRANDPA. Susan Bell will accept the Partnership certificate award for FIELDS OF MUDAN. Special appearances on our red carpet include rapper Lil Zane, writer/director Steve De Jarnatt (MIRACLE MILE, CHERRY 2000), The Garza Sisters (TRANSYLMANIA, The Doublemint Twins), featured alumnae and actors: Sulekha Naidu, Deepika Daggubati, Anna Biller, Jared Sanford, Carly Lyn, Susan Bell, Cindy Baer, Tara Cardinal, and Nora Jesse. The volunteer bartender for the event will be comedian Candice Rankin, who will perform part of her routine at the May 1st BleedFest Event. Schedule subject to change, personal appearances dependent on schedule.<br />
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Featured guests and audience members are invited to have their photos taken on the BleedFest red carpet between 11-11:30am and 1-1:30pm. There will be two event photographers, including stalwart Winston Burris, whose past BleedFest photos have been featured on the front page of PR Photos.com and <a href="http://exposay.com/">Exposay.com</a>. Online magazine <a href="http://bzzzline.com/">Bzzzline.com</a> will be back again to cover the red carpet and video interview filmmakers and actors about their projects. <br />
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BleedFest's charity events for the month of March are a book drive for BRIDGE TO ASIA <a href="http://www.bridge.org/needs.html">(READ THIS LIST</a> on their website and bring an approved educational or text book). Or you can donate cash to THE ASIA FOUNDATION-WOMENS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM and get into BleedFest for half off (five dollars). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RMiUTpEnIacJsa1prhui8s3fUUmeCSUyBd1ajJrsOYfEFDbMEKTiS-5YU_W2lf221eIfYnYnZCwWpvLLgkSy-PSKnAMHVMGGpEnRgqJKExBrvkE01hP39gXQv7lDj6RGiK8fqba3rxsg/s1600/February_Women_in_horror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RMiUTpEnIacJsa1prhui8s3fUUmeCSUyBd1ajJrsOYfEFDbMEKTiS-5YU_W2lf221eIfYnYnZCwWpvLLgkSy-PSKnAMHVMGGpEnRgqJKExBrvkE01hP39gXQv7lDj6RGiK8fqba3rxsg/s320/February_Women_in_horror.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sunday marks the fifth BleedFest event, which has taken critics and the genre world by storm showcasing over a dozen unexpected and bold genre shorts and features by women every month. Festival co-founders and masterminds Brenda Fies and Elisabeth Fies say May 2011 could be the last event unless a title sponsor can be found. Says filmmaker and programmer Brenda Fies, "My sister and I started BleedFest because of all the incredible female artists we met on the festival circuit who weren't getting their movies played as much as the boys, and weren't getting studio deals and funding for their next picture. Before meeting these women and seeing their work, we bought the party line that they didn't exist or weren't making movies as good as men's. We started BleedFest to dispel these myths and get eyeballs on fantastic films that we knew the genre community didn't want to miss. Sadly, the financial burden of putting on a monthly festival that charges no entry fees, gives bronze award statues to winners, and an open bar to its audience has taken a financial toll on the Fies Sisters in this recession. "I wish we could continue shouldering the fiscal responsibility and asking the community for monthly donations through our IndieGoGo fundraisers, but it's just not feasible that we continue on past May working full time on BleedFest without a title sponsor. It's been my sister's and my privilege to fund BleedFest with the help of the generous donations from audience members, filmmakers, our wonderful volunteers, and especially co-sponsors Film Radar and Werewolf For Hire.com. We sincerely hope the genre communities can provide help finding a title sponsor. Because no woman should have their awesome film sitting in their closet because they don't know what to do with it next." Several BleedFest alumna have received theatrical and DVD distribution offers as a result of their BleedFest screenings. A dozen have received more festival screenings at Miguel Rodriguez's Horrible Imaginings, Mike Snoonian's All Things Horror, or Jennifer Cooper's Jennifer's Bodies in Scotland. Many alumni attest to the Fies Sisters' PR savvy and BleedFest's dozen Press Partners who cover the event monthly, review the films, and even interview alumnae. Says Partnership Award winner Dave Reda "My movies have played in many festivals. BleedFest is brand new and got me as many reviews as top tier festival" (BleedFest December 2010 WINNER for THE HORROR OF OUR LOVE). Carly Lyn, writer/director of A FOUNDLING (BleedFest January 2011 WINNER Best Picture) states "I received more press coverage from BleedFest than from paying a Hollywood publicist $7,500. The exposure the Fies Sisters provide for filmmakers is invaluable." <br />
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Elisabeth Fies stresses the fight isn't over yet, and the Fies Sisters are still aggressively pursuing companies. "Our dream is to be hosting the Tampax BleedFest Film Festival, or the Belvedere Vodka BleedFest Film Festival. Corporations are so hip nowadays, why wouldn't they want to follow the Dove route of marketing directly to their female patrons with empowering content? But for now, we're relying on the generosity of our amazing fans through our IndieGoGo campaign, which offers some really fun perks including t-shirts and autographed posters." April's campaign will be up soon will be available at <a href="http://bleedfest.com/">BleedFest.com</a> next week. The March BleedFest fundraiser at IndieGoGo is located here: <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/FantAsian-BleedFest-a-March-Blend-of-Fantasy-by-Female-Asian-Directors">http://www.indiegogo.com/FantAsian-BleedFest-a-March-Blend-of-Fantasy-by-Female-Asian-Directors</a> <br />
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The February BleedFest WiHM Blood Drive was a smashing success, raising 25 pints of blood for the Twisted Twins Massive February Blood Drive. Many celebrities walked the red carpet or snuck in to the blood mobiles to quietly give blood without fanfare. Special appearances included Michael Worth, Diana Hart, Devanny Pinn, Lori Bowen, Lil Zane, Kevin Tenney, Michelle Tomlinson, Viscera Film Festival founder Heidi Martinuzzi, model Olga Socal, musician Shawn Bowen, and first ladies of horror Brinke Stevens and Linnea Quigley. BleedFest Inanna Award winners included horror mistresses Katt Shea and Stacy Title, and Aussie slasher SLAUGHTERED which made its triumphant US premier. Ray McDermott was on hand to present co-sponsor Film Radar's Award to Susan Bell's frightening A PATCHWORK MONKEY. The audience award for Best Horror Short went to Terryll Shaffner for her lyrical retro vampire tale THRENODY. Other audience favorites of the day included whacky gorefest DAY OF THE HELL HAMSTERS and the indescribable cartoon stylings of Sarah Brown's zombie kitty apocalypse MEOW. Coverage of BleedFest's February Women in Horror Blood Drive event can be found here: http://bzzzline.com/bleedfest-a-badass-film-festival/The next BleedFest will be Sunday April third, and the theme is THRILLHER. Canadian filmmaker Maude Michaud is flying in for a retrospective of her shorts and to world premier short RED and the first episode of BLOODY BREASTS: AN EXPLORATION OF WOMEN, FEMINISM, AND HORROR. The April feature film will be the world premier of the anthology I HATE LA. The horror feature is 11 interlocking vignettes by seven horror mistresses including Barbara Stepansky, Maude Michaud, Tyrrell Shaffner, Heidi Hornbacher, Marichelle Daywalt, Elisabeth Fies and Brenda Fies. Drew Daywalt will receive the Partnership Award for his short SUICIDE GIRL.<br />
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More information is available at <a href="http://www.bleedfest.com/">http://www.BleedFest.com</a><br />
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++++++++++++++++++++++++<br />
<br />
Full March 6th Schedule:<br />
<br />
March BleedFest Event: FANTASIAN<br />
Sunday March 6th, 2011<br />
TIME: 11am-4:00pm (come and go as you please!)<br />
Downloadable/printable PDF: march_BleedFest_schedule<br />
<br />
Location: CAP Theatre<br />
13752 Ventura Blvd.<br />
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423<br />
Free unlimited street parking.<br />
<br />
$10 cash at door for all day ticket and open bar<br />
(Mimosas, Bloody Marys, red and white wine)<br />
$5 with cash donation to Asia Foundation Women’s Empowerment Fund or bring an approved book donation to Bridge to Asia.<br />
<br />
11am-11:30am Red Carpet, Mixer, Open Bar<br />
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11:30am-12:45pm ANNA BILLER RETROSPECTIVE<br />
FAIRY BALLET, 1998 (11 minutes)<br />
THREE EXAMPLES OF MYSELF AS QUEEN, 1994 (26 minutes)<br />
A VISIT FROM THE INCUBUS, 2001 (26 minutes)<br />
VIVA, feature trailer 2007 (2 minutes)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lifeofastar.com/">http://www.lifeofastar.com</a><br />
<br />
“Biller paints feminist fantasies with her lush 35mm film stock, fetishistic detail, trademark humor and intelligence. Not content to be a regular multi-hyphenate, Ms. Biller acts, writes, produces, directs, scores, sings, and creates the spectacular settings and costumes. Ms. Biller both worships and reimagines our celluloid history with her blend of wit, camp, y chromosome perspective, and love of movies. It is a cinematic crime that she has not been given a Hollywood deal.”<br />
<b>Inanna Award presented to Anna Biller<br />
Q & A with Anna Biller</b><br />
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<b>12:45pm-12:50pm A FOUNDLING TRAILER</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2Fij_7oTGB1jtqtZduVJDObmuWXkNpnL6XypXZ2ygBzQVUnCj763-nDI5LFoakv89QpOv0Lc7N5bIra2UaQN6_s_nzus8SiePUgtcDvuEN4AUdHRkOQIZJbow5sYlgsvm0hpFphqDXo2/s1600/20101230_BleedFest_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2Fij_7oTGB1jtqtZduVJDObmuWXkNpnL6XypXZ2ygBzQVUnCj763-nDI5LFoakv89QpOv0Lc7N5bIra2UaQN6_s_nzus8SiePUgtcDvuEN4AUdHRkOQIZJbow5sYlgsvm0hpFphqDXo2/s1600/20101230_BleedFest_05.jpg" /></a></div><b>Inanna Award presented to Carly Lyn of A FOUNDLING (screened at BleedFest in January)</b><br />
“An important film. We were thrilled to play the sci-fi/western/drama A FOUNDLING in January to a warm and enthusiastic crowd ready for a smart, genre-bending film steeped in feminist film theory and issues of race, gender, other, and literal alienation. It is beautifully shot and directed, with fine acting performances.” – BleedFest Film Festival<br />
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<b>12:50pm-1:00pm PRODUCER CERTIFICATE AWARD</b><br />
GRANDPA, 2009 (2 minutes) produced by Nora Jesse<br />
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/andynovak35">http://www.youtube.com/user/andynovak35</a><br />
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<b>Inanna Certificate Award accepted by producer Nora Jesse, writer/director Andy Novak. Q&A.</b><br />
“A cute AND provocative take on the current climate of race relations versus gender politics. Kind of amazing that 32 years after Yoko Ono’s provocative quote and Lennon’s song immortalizing this ‘slave of the slave’ stance, women are still subservient to men across all cultures.” – BleedFest Film Festival<br />
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<b>1:00-1:30pm BREAK Red Carpet, Mixer, Open Bar</b><br />
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<b><br />
1:30-3:20pm FEATURE</b><br />
WAKING DREAMS, 2007 (92 minutes)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-XuaKs_hyphenhyphenA2pwb8HQlLSeo7kLwKhR405QZyp57755cAoX4AV-Iw0Y5HXJjykytm4cccfQiJluhAEB0uZfowvPYCiAHiTEWWhvkbcpcqPVj3ldWZdj24R_52CyS9KYzArAcGVdTkALghu/s1600/ass-kicking_fantasy-in-Waking-Dreams.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-XuaKs_hyphenhyphenA2pwb8HQlLSeo7kLwKhR405QZyp57755cAoX4AV-Iw0Y5HXJjykytm4cccfQiJluhAEB0uZfowvPYCiAHiTEWWhvkbcpcqPVj3ldWZdj24R_52CyS9KYzArAcGVdTkALghu/s320/ass-kicking_fantasy-in-Waking-Dreams.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.wakingdreamsmovie.com/">http://www.wakingdreamsmovie.com/</a><br />
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comedy/romance/fantasy/musical by Deepika Daggubati<br />
Bollywood meets Texas, when a dreamer discovers the world of professional gamers.<br />
Inanna Award presented to Deepika Daggubati<br />
Q & A with writer/director Deepika Daggubati, actress Sulekha Naidu, producer Kalyan Vindhya<br />
“We started BleedFest to show ambitious films like WAKING DREAMS. Deepika’s tyro feature is a brave and bold act of courage allowing a glimpse into the female Indian American culture, and the pressures still constricting modern Indian American women. The movie utilizes a vibrant backdrop of fantasy, humor, and whimsy while telling a humanist story about a female protagonist straddling two cultures and a global recession, in the middle of a quarter life crisis. The feature was a huge undertaking with a large cast of industry vets, shot on two continents, with elaborate dance numbers and even animation. We’re thrilled that WAKING DREAMS is coming to DVD to find the audience that will appreciate Ms. Daggubati’s fine work.”<br />
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<b>3:20pm-3:30pm BREAK</b><br />
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<b>3:30pm-4:00pm PARTNERSHIP AWARD</b><br />
FIELDS OF MUDAN (23 minutes) by Stevo Chang<br />
Drama 2004<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0447106/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0447106/</a><br />
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A young Asian girl, Mudan, is forced into modern day slavery by a brutal child brothel owner. Mudan soon befriends another young girl in the brothel, and starts dreaming of a better life with her mother in America.<br />
Inanna Certificate Award accepted by Associate Producer Susan Bell. Q & A.<br />
“The sex slave industry is an issue near and dear to our hearts. We are proud to present this fine, moving short. Another stellar achievement from Florida State University.” – BleedFest Film FestivalTodd Mirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10302750796975198440noreply@blogger.com1