It’s Never Too Soon For A Festival!

           Normally, if theatrical distribution is not locked, a film is completed and then makes the festival rounds, hoping to gain a distribution deal, an audience and buzz. 

          With DEADLY REVISIONS, we threw “normal” out the window.

           The New MediaFilm Festival, is a two-day film festival for all kinds of media:  feature films, shorts, web series, documentaries, trailers and-- in association with Filmbreak.com—a new category called “sniplers” which are 30-second snippets of a trailer.  Culture Rehab calls the film festival the “Sundance for the Facebook crowd”.   

          Months before the actual film would go into production, we had created a one minute trailer for DEADLY REVISIONS:  a short introductory piece to entice viewers, build a following and hopefully gain us a few investors, corporate sponsors and/or angels.  With a little effort and a lot of alacrity, we trimmed the trailer to the required 30-second length and entered it in to Filmbreak’s “snipler” contest--the winners of which would have the honor of being part of the New Media Film Festival and be premiered on the big screen.

          To our delight, we were chosen as one of only three winners.  So, while normally being part of a film festival occurs after a film is completed, we were now a part of a festival before ever going into production!   Producer Roxy Shih and I went to the festival at the Landmark Theatre to see our trailer on the big screen and were delighted to see that, thanks in great part to our Director of Photography Kate Sobol, it looked fantastic.  We also took part in a short Q&A session immediately following alongside Darren Marble and Taylor McPartland of Filmbreak.com.

          So we may not have begun principal shooting yet, but we’ve already been an official selection in our first film festival.  Nice way to get the ball rolling.

The original teaser trailer:

For more info or to donate to DEADLY REVISIONS the movie: www.DeadlyRevisionsMovie.com

  

For more info on the New Media Film Festival:

http://www.newmediafilmfestival.com/

      For more info on Filmbreak:  http://www.filmbreak.com/

Who Do I Shoot First?

          Who…and where and with what is more like it. Professor Plum?  In the Library?  With a Steadycam?  Creating a shot list and schedule for filming is crucial to a smooth and successful shoot: the shot list and schedule details who needs to be on set, when, and what they’ll be doing.  In short, it’s the agenda for your production. Unfortunately, it’s also like trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle with too many sides.

          On one side, you have your locations and the dates you have to use them.  Usually, that’s in concrete.  However, within each day, there is the question of what rooms and in what order to shoot them.  You want to shoot all the lobby scenes together, so you don’t have to waste time moving the crew and equipment, but…

          …you also don’t want to schedule anyone—including actors—if you’re not going to make good use of them.  So if there are five  lobby scenes, but different actors are in each scene, what are you going to sacrifice?   You’re paying a day rate for everyone to be there whether they are involved in one scene or ten; the obvious goal as a producer is to maximize the work you get for your dollar.   So do you shoot the lobby scenes and pay actors to be on set for only one scene, or do you arrange the day around the actors and have them working the whole time, but moving the crew and equipment?  You end up going with what’s cheaper: your cast or your crew and equipment.  On smaller films, the camera and crew generally cost more, so you’ll often have actors hanging round all day.  They’re idle and bored and...and you’re paying them a full day’s rate for less than a full day on camera.

          And then there’s the question of off-camera time.  Does your actress have a shower or swimming pool scene?  She’ll need time to blow dry her hair and get prepped for the next scene.  Does your actor need three days of beard growth for a scene?  When is he going to get the days off to do that without ruining other scenes?  And the list can go on.

          So what do you do?  You put all the variables into each decision for each shot and then for each transition between shots and then for each day as it butts up against the next.  And, if you’ve done your job right, you should have a fairly smooth production.

          Or you’ll have a fairly memorable lesson learned.

 ~

 If you’re reading this and you’d like to help out with my current project, click on the link below and donate securely through PayPal. You can be a producer and help make “Deadly Revisions”--a new psychological thriller/horror film starring Bill Oberst Jr.  Check out the teaser trailer. You could even be in the movie!  I promise to have a decent shot list! 

The original teaser trailer:

For more info or to donate to DEADLY REVISIONS the movie: www.DeadlyRevisionsMovie.com

 

Location, Location, Location

No, we’re not talking about the three most important things in real estate: we’re talking about finding the perfect place to film a movie; specifically, the psychological thriller/horror film DEADLY REVISIONS.

In DEADLY REVISIONS, horror movie writer Grafton Torn (played by genre favorite Bill Oberst, Jr.) struggles with amnesia, having woken from a fall that landed him in a coma. To rest and recuperate, he takes refuge in the vacation home of his best friend: a remote cabin in the woods.

            Sound familiar? It should: the cabin in the woods is a staple of the horror genre and, since DEADLY REVISIONS is a valentine to the genre, fans will enjoy homages throughout the film—including the setting itself.

The trick for the DEADLY REVISIONS team was to find a location that would suit the narrative and budgetary needs of the film. It had to be a certain size, have a certain look, have the right surrounding atmosphere. Furthermore, since DEADLY REVISIONS was a low budget independent production, the location had to be affordable: not only did the daily rate need to fit the bill, but so did the proximity because housing cast and crew at a distant site was not an option.

A handful of possibilities came across the radar and producer Roxy Shih, Director of Photography Kate Sobol and I all took part in visiting them to review each one for the aforementioned requirements as well as ambient noise issues, shooting restrictions and other factors. So we went from location to location to location. Each one was a fantastic place to shoot, but each one also had drawbacks. In the end, only one location would work for our film. It was a bonus to learn the cabin at our chosen location was the same cabin that had been used for “Friday the 13^th, Part 4”; so we’d get another nice wink for devotees to enjoy.

So DEADLY REVISIONS had its cabin in the woods. All we had to do now was kill people there.

We hope you’ll visit. It’s to die for.

To see more, visit:
www.DeadlyRevisionsMovie.com

You, Me and the Angry Octopus

Helming any new venture is like taking on an angry octopus.  Helming an independent feature is like taking on an angry octopus armed with sharp objects, a vendetta and a serious meth habit.  You do it because you have to.  You do it for love. 

You also hope you survive.

Funding is forever the greatest stronghold trying to strangle the process from the start. Getting the money to interest actors and crew, getting the money to pay for equipment and locations, getting the money to feed and transport all of the above, getting the money to market the film once it’s finished; it’s a never-ending choke-hold that you either learn to lessen and breathe through or else succumb to death by financial asphyxiation. Projects helmed by Sony or Disney and starring the likes of Zac Efron or Angelina Jolie have endless options for attracting capital; the small independent producer has far less. It takes guts, ingenuity and a little bit of crazy to succeed.  And a lot of friends.

I’m lucky.  I have some good friends.  Friends who believe in me and are willing to take a journey with me to tackle a giant, angry, weapon-wielding octopus on meth.  This octopus goes by the name “Deadly Revisions”.

If you’re new to my blog, you’ll not know “Deadly Revisions” is a blend of horror and psychological thriller about a writer with amnesia who has to piece back the lost memories of what landed him in the hospital.  Recuperating in a remote cabin, he has flashes of horrific visions including murder.  But they just can’t be real.  Or can they?  (The teaser trailer is below, to give you a taste.)

I wrote the screenplay to appeal to the growing market for low budget projects:  ones that take place mostly in one location and with a small cast and very few special effects.  But, having finished it, a voice inside made me wonder why I shouldn’t take advantage of the result and make the movie myself.  I tossed the idea to a few friends in the business and they were all hooked.  Suddenly I had interested a few crew and cast without even any funding to speak of.  So we decided to move forward.

Thus began the fundraising.  I got our first corporate sponsor and we set up our first crowd-funding campaign.  We began to get money from friends from Facebook, followers from Twitter and all sorts of outlets; not enough to make the film, but it was a solid start.  We continue to fundraise; creating new crowd-funding campaigns, seeking out more corporate sponsors and so on.  Every little bit helps in the independent film world.  It helps get movies made and get them distributed in a way so that you can see them—one way or the other.

If you’re reading this and you’d like to help out, we’d love you to no end.  You can click on the link below and donate securely through the PayPal site.  You can be a producer and help make “Deadly Revisions”. 

So…you wanna help tame a really nasty octopus?

                     
Go here:
www.DeadlyRevisionsMovie.com

Shoot to Kill

          Knife.  Hatchet.  Syringe.  Blood.  And…

 

          …Action!

 
          There’s no mistaking we’re on the set of a horror film.   The props are all either dangerous looking or just plain creepy.   But they’re all instrumental for the teaser trailer for DEADLY REVISIONS which we are shooting.

          Camera and lighting equipment sprawls everywhere; the house we’re shooting in has been transformed from a tranquil residence to a surreal cross between an army camp and a tent city.  Thick electrical cords span the floors like black pythons biding their time. C-stands loom like anorexic, cybertronic aliens waiting to boot up and kill us all.

          But Kate Sobol, our Director of Photography, and the crew skillfully manipulate the aliens into submission:  moving, bending and using them to create each of our shots for the day.  With a discerning artistic eye, Kate takes lights, screens and rods and creates emotion, mood and magic.  It’s a pleasure to watch and work with.

          Actress Dawna Lee Heising proves her commitment and chutzpah right at the start as she is dragged across the floor in a most unglamorous fashion for her first shot.  She manages to hold the awkward hand position I’m asking her maintain as she is dragged repeatedly across the room, alongside the dolly.  As a result, the shot looks beautiful.  Then, though nervous about how to handle a syringe, Dawna patiently and precisely follows direction through repeated takes with the needle.  And no one gets stabbed.

          The day goes along in similar fashion, shot after shot.  We welcome and take advantage of serendipitous discoveries and still manage to get through everything on our shot list and end on time.  It’s an exemplary day on an indie set. 

          And my dog approved.

Fun and Scary Stuff

         

          In my last blog, I talked about some of the amazing people I met in 2011. This year, I am fortunate enough to be working with them…together…all in one film!

          It all started with Bill…

          Bill Oberst Jr. and I have a lot in common: an awkward teenage history, a somewhat vertically challenged existence, and a passion for film and acting. We met through a mutual acting friend and connected right away. We began hanging out from time to time to talk shop, discussing movies we’d been in, experiences we found rewarding and those we found, well, educational. Eventually, we both came up with the idea of orchestrating a project on which we could work together. After tossing around and even pursuing a few ideas, we decided on DEADLY REVISIONS—a twisted screenplay I had written just a few years ago.

          DEADLY REVISIONS seemed a perfect fit for Bill in more ways than one. First, it was a juicy horror film and he was becoming something akin to a horror icon. Second, it allowed him to play against type, since he would be the one tormented instead of the one doing the tormenting. Third, it gave him a powerful leading role the likes of which he had yet to have: not only was his character on screen virtually the entire movie, but Bill would be able to really show his well-honed acting prowess as his character runs the gamut of emotions from wounded sorrow to raging fury.

          Along came Roxy…

          Roxy Shih and I met at an interview and clicked right away. She’s got an intoxicating personality, so I can’t claim anything other than being under the influence. I told her about DEADLY REVISIONS and Bill’s interest and she asked to read the script. She got back to me, bursting with excitement: she loved the script and wanted to know how she could be involved. This was a fair question because she is a director, producer, videographer, editor and probably other things I’m forgetting. We talked and decided she would be most valuable as a co-producer. Within days, she had all sorts of actionable ideas in motion, including a meeting with a director of photography. And she hasn’t stopped since.

          And then there’s Dawna…

          Dawna Lee Heising, the beautiful actress and news correspondent for Eye on Entertainment and MoreHorror.com, won my heart when I first met her at a speaking engagement in Hollywood. Genteel, warm and thoroughly dedicated to the business, Dawna is a joy to be around and so, when events transpired that we might have her play a role in DEADLY REVISIONS, there was mutual happiness all around.

          So I consider myself a very lucky man. I have been blessed not only with having these people come into my life, but to have them join me in my mad adventure as the director of DEADLY REVISIONS. I hope I do them all proud.

          If you’d like to help make DEADLY REVISIONS, please see our donation option at

www.DeadlyRevisionsMovie.com

 

Happy Accidents

          Looking back on last year, I see one huge difference, separating the year from others:  2011 was the year I made more friends than I have in maybe a decade.  Part of this evolved from getting out of the house (which the writer side of me despises, crying and scratching the floor like a cat being dragged to a tub full of water) and part of this resulted from networking—both in person and via the virtually omnipresent social media which, like it or not, has changed our world such that I can StumbleUpon a Tweet and Facebook it and you all know exactly what I mean.  Both avenues led to chance meetings or—as I like to think of them—happy accidents.

           Cindy Merrill, a fellow actor in “The Immoral Doctor Dicqer”, introduced me to Bill Oberst, Jr—an indie horror icon.  You may know him from the famous Facebook viral video TakeThisLollipop.com, but he’s starred in many feature films.  Bill and I connect on many levels:  both loving horror, both socially awkward growing up, both passionate about acting.  You’ll see us hanging at the Bourgeois Pig from time to time and we plan on working together in the near future.  When we do, I can guarantee you, blood will spill.  On film, of course.

          Through Bill I met Dawna Lee Heising—actress, interviewer and former Miss World.  Dawna enchants everyone she meets with her unique, winning persona.  She is the host of “Eye on Entertainment”, a nationally broadcast television show interviewing artists in the entertainment industry.  She interviewed me last October at the Scream For a Cause benefit.  She is also now the New Hollywood Correspondent for MoreHorror.com.  All this while acting in film after film.  Whatever drugs she is on to keep that energy up, I want them. 

          At an interview I did for “Actors Entertainment”, I met Roxy Shih—writer, director, editor, producer and sundry other things.  Her films often have twist endings—which I love.  Her energy is incendiary, wrapping you up in her flames of passion for life and filmmaking.  We’ve exchanged scripts and ideas and will no doubt be collaborating on a project soon, as well.  If you see us at Lola’s nursing martinis and talking shop, please join us.  And hold me up.

          Producer Redford Mejia of 701 Productions came to the world premiere of my stage thriller "Cold Lang Syne" and asked me to lunch to discuss the film rights.  Good thing I already had a screenplay ready!  We met and hit it off; he’s such a nice guy and so down-to-earth it would be hard for anyone not to like him.  Mejia liked my "Cold Lang Syne" screenplay so much, he asked me to write another screenplay for him.   I did and now both films are slated for production.  So more scary stuff is on its way.

          Two other writers I’m now friends with have come by way of social media:   

          Michael Schoonveld is a huge horror fan and has begun writing his own scripts.  His first effort was a finalist in the most recent Shriekfest competition.  Pretty impressive!  He asked if I would take a look to see what might make it a winner.  I did and he has since made several revisions, improving the script dramatically.  And the world can always use another zombie apocalypse.

 

          Owen Jennings from Dublin, Ireland also approached me with an epic fantasy which he wanted help cutting to feature film length.  Not an easy task, as the script was nearly twice the length of your average script.  But challenges are good and I’m in the middle of slashing the monster as I write this.   It is taking a re-imagining of a great many characters and concepts to make up for the elements getting the axe, but I think the final outcome will be something quite wonderful.  Either that or I’ll have a really pissed off Irishman after me!

          I've also connected with some other amazing people:  Maria Olsen, Whit Spurgeon, Russ Cootey, Kari Nissena; too many to mention and not turn this into a boring list, so forgive me if your name's not here.   

          The point is, 2011 was really good to me in this regard. I feel my life is enriched by these new friendships and I’m grateful to 2011 for being the year these people’s lives collided with mine.  I look forward many more such happy accidents this year as well.

Bill Oberst, Jr.

                                                                                                             Roxy Shih

                                   Dawna Lee Heising

A Deal to Make You Get Little Shivers

          Actors have directors to guide them to the perfect performance. Who does a writer have?

          Minus two points if you said "His mother". Unless his mother is Dorothy Parker. Which would fabulous but highly unlikely.

          So where does a writer turn to find truly valuable feedback, from experienced, knowledgeable readers? Don't torment yourself; I shall tell you straight out. Get it from professionals. And, if you can, get it for a discount.

          Here's how:

The "Little Shivers" Coverage Contest

          The amazing folks at ScreenplayCoverage.com are exactly the kind of professionals you want...and they are rewarding readers of my short story collection "Little Shivers" with discounts off their invaluable coverage services! You read six creepy stories, tell me which one you liked best (and why) and you get 10% to 25% off the professional coverage that ScreenplayCoverage.com provides.  

          You get 10% off just for entering this contest!!! If you win, you get 15% extra: a total of 25% off! 

Here's all you do:

1. Read "Little Shivers".
2. Email me and tell me what your favorite story was (and why) by December 31st, 2011. Come January, you'll get an email with a code for 10% off!
3. I'll pick a winner! If you're it, you'll get a full 25% off and I'll announce it here on my blog!

          Neat, huh? I don't work for or own any part of ScreenplayCoverage.com. I just think they're good people who can help take a script to the next level. I think you will, too. So are you ready to do it? Just get "Little Shivers", read it and email me by December 31, 2011!

          Don't know where to get “Little Shivers"? It's available for Kindle at Amazon.com and for Nook at Barnes&Noble.com. If you don't have a Kindle or a Nook, don't worry: you can download a free app from Amazon that will let you read the Kindle version available there.

          All discount codes will be delivered January 2012. So you'll start the new year armed with a little something to get your next script ready for the big screen.

          Use the links above and get "Little Shivers" today...and get discounts for professional feedback on your own writing this New Years!

          It's easy!

          It's fun!

          And who doesn't like a good scare?

 

I was in HELL

Me & Brent Spiner on the FRESH HELL set

I was in Hell.  

It’s true.  And it was a blast.

For those of you unfamiliar with the actor Brent Spiner, rather than admonish you, I will simply state that he’s a multi-talented actor who has brought many memorable characters to life.  Besides originating the role of Franz/Dennis in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George”, he also made impressions on television (“Night Court”, “Friends” “Frazier”, etc.) and in film (“Independence Day”, “I Am Sam”, etc.).  But he is probably best known for his role as Lt. Commander Data on “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.

Mr. Spiner had begun a new web series called “Fresh Hell” in which, due to a mysterious incident, a version of himself is trapped at the bottom rung of a crazy showbiz world.  His manager reads tarot cards, his agent often wears no pants, and his neighbor (adorably played by Kat Steel) is a kooky porn “actress”, trying to hone her craft.

Loaded with referential humor, insider jokes, stinging satire and belly laughs, “Fresh Hell” is a fun ride.  And I got the honor of taking part in an episode for season two. 

 

The shoot is a breeze:  the crew is an exceptionally congenial and efficient group, which makes the logistics of the shoot trouble-free.  It's also a bucket of fun because Brent and Kat are about as down-to-earth and charming as you could wish--as are the writer, Harry Hannigan, and director, Christopher Ellis.  Then there's the script; it's so screamingly funny that we all lost the fight at times to refrain from bursting out laughing during the first rehearsals of each take.  So much talent and good energy; it couldn’t have been a better experience.  In fact, it was the best day in Hell I've ever had.

I recommend everyone watch season one, if you haven’t.  And then watch for me in season two as a Guido in Brent’s acting class. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/freshhellseries#p/c/5AE470FE19A1CE8C

Me & Kat Steel on the FRESH HELL set

Fun on the Red Carpet

 



 

A while back I had been one of the leads in a short film by director Phil Volken. The film is called “The Great Venice Robbery” and I played a hapless, stuttering homeless urchin named Pookie. It was an exceptionally clever and fun film. Phil had now gone on to direct a feature called “Garbage” which was to have its premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and he extended an invitation to me which I gladly accepted. The film was a satire on the Hollywood celebrity machine and featured cameos of Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, William Baldwin and Steven Bauer. Sounded like fun. 

My first thought was who to bring as my guest. The answer came almost as soon as the question entered my mind and I called up my friend Bill Oberst Jr.--a fellow actor and an indie horror film icon. Bill’s a warm, wise man who’s always good company so I was happy he accepted my invitation. We got ourselves duded up and arrived at the screening. 

As we waited to get onto the red carpet, we bumped into more friends: Ron Ranson (my fellow “Robbery” actor, who had a cameo in “Garbage”), adorable scream queen Devanny Pinn and handsome actor/director Brandon Slagle (who both worked with Bill on several projects). Then we hit the red carpet and let the photographers have their way with us. It’s always fun to see what photographers call to you and ask you for several poses or shots and which photographers look glazed over. I just get a kick out of wondering how many of the photos will turn out making me look like the undead. The dorky undead. 

We survive and take our seats for the show. Phil and producer Alina Shraybman speak beforehand, not looking a day older than the last time I saw them. Then the movie starts and the laughter begins. The whole experience is just about as much fun as you can have in a tux jacket…without getting plastered and making an embarrassing speech about a bride and groom. 

So...who wants to be my date for the next red carpet?