Killer-Short Film Contest Announced

Put on your creepiest comfy shoes and get set for the Killer-Short Film Contest.

This is a contest for all of us horror fans & filmmakers with an embarrassingly short attention span. Our friends at Killer-Works.com have announced an open call for entries with a no excuses submission deadline of September 2, 2008.

We want to see your micro-short horror film or your trailer for a horror film (actual or invented). Films can be as short as 30 seconds, but no longer than 3 minutes. And to sweeten the cauldron, there are awards and promo opps for selected filmmakers.

So screw in your thinking caps, blackmail your friends, and get filmmaking. Your micro-opus isn't going to film itself.

Full contest details are available at Killer-Works.com's Extras/Contest web page. (Void were prohibited by censoring governments. Yikes!)

THAFF Live TV Interview

I've been working with my friends at the Toronto Hispano-American Film Festival (THAFF) helping them re-vamp the website, establish a Facebook group, and generally getting the word out about their 11th edition, which runs Thursday May 15 to Sunday May 25. Films from 11 countries, 18 premieres. Should be lots of fun.

On Monday festival founder Daniel Irrazabal is scheduled to appear live on a local current events show. At the last minute he can't make it and asks me to take his place. The festival's programming director, Alejandro Pereira, picks me up and off we go to the SUN-TV studios.

What a blast! Live freakin' television! Okay, it isn't Saturday Night Live, but it still had the potential for disaster.

Fortunately everyone there is pretty calm and welcoming. Segment Producer Ainka Jess makes us comfortable. Johanna makes sure we have liquids and are wired us for sound. Alejandro & I go over some notes and wait for our turn on the couch.

The host, Chris Van Vliet, comes out to chat and go over some of the questions and make sure he knows how to pronounce our names. And then, before we know what hit us we're on the couch doing our tag team answering routine. And then it's over.

I can't wait to see a copy of our chat to remember what the heck I said. I sure hope it made sense.

Denver HorrorFest Highlights

First, I must send a gargantuan "muchas gracias" to the staff at HF for treating us with such grace and hospitality. Kathy, Brad, Kristin, Lisa, Debbie, Carol and her daughter (frankly, I'm super embarrassed that I don't remember her moniker) you all rocked my Casbah!

When I wasn't gawking at the constant parade of super heroes, storm troopers, and assorted aliens I got a chance to hang out with some pretty cool filmmakers such as the Minnesota monster magnates from Not For The Squeamish Productions, the fearsome foursome from Random Creatureface Films, the Tromatized team from Bizjack /Flemco Productions, and my travel buddy Marc Lougee, whose film - The Pit and the Pendulum - wowed the fans.

Also present were scads of actors. It's pretty cool to hang out in the green room and see Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols and Nana Visitor. But the real action was on the convention floor with soon to be famous actors like December 2007 Tromette of the Month Scarlet Salem, and the multi-faceted Jed Rowen.

Plenty of horror film fans (in & out of costume) stopped by too, like Harry Marlow, Jarred Efird and Justin Marlow. And then there were the just plain curious folks who stumbled into the indie horror film dungeon only to spin on their heel and head back to the safety of a sci-fi costume party.

A bonus treat for me was finally meeting the finely coiffed gentleman in the photo, Zachary from the Denver Hearse Association. He made time from his busy schedule planning the second annual Denver Hearse Con (May 9-11) to say hi and introduce me to some of his fellow hearse aficionados. When I get my hearse on the road I plan to point its chrome cormorant hood ornament in the direction of a future Hearse Con.

All in all a packed weekend of meeting and greeting and getting the word out about the upcoming release of AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits on DVD.

New AAAAAH!! Logo & Tees

The new AAAAAH!! logo is back from Rue Morgue magazine's Ghoulish Gary Pullin - and it's both a beauty and a beast!

This is our first venture into an exclusive line of 'Crypt Wear' (TM). The old school EC Comics inspired horror vibe is there along with a little extra bite. The question of what is scary and elemental came up and I think Gary nailed it with those fangs coming at you out of the dark. Merci boo-coup, Gary.

So, in honour of the new logo and its comin'-at-ya approach, we're doing up a limited mini-batch of special, prototype glow-in-the-dark tee-shirts at Merch Guy that we're taking to Denver this weekend.

If you think the new logo looks good here, wait till you see it in the flesh...

Heading to Denver's HorrorFest

Next weekend (April 18-20) I'll be hanging out at HorrorFest in Denver, and unveiling the new Ghouish Gary Pullin designed AAAAAH!! Indie Horror Hits logo tee-shirts!

And these ain't just any old black cotton tee-shirts. They glow in the dark. "Oooooh. Scary, kids." So turn out the lights, Sadie - and let 'em rip!

My friend, filmmaker Marc Lougee, is presenting and paneling at the convention and I get to tag along and do some reconnaissance work for the conventions that we'll be attending as retailers later this year.

I'm looking forward to connecting with fellow horror filmmakers and horror fans to see what they think of the new AAAAAH!! logo.

I also plan to connect with some of the local hearse hombres & hembras from the Denver Hearse Association. I've long admired their web site and their bravura casket coach moxy. Pity I won't be around for their Hearse Con during the second weekend in May. Just gives me another reason to return to a city I've yet to visit.

Should be a whole lotta fun in the mile high city.

The Pit and the Pendulum movie
HorrorFest at StarFest in Denver
Denver Hearse Association