THE WALKING DEAD - A Disappointment

Being a big fan of the graphic novel I'm so disappointed where the series is heading.  Sudden unknown characters and scenes not from the graphic novel.  The first episode of The Walking Dead was the most closest to the graphic novel but the rest disappointment.  I'm tuning out from seeing the horrible show and continue my loyalty to the graphic novel.  Shame on the producers for becoming dead brainers.  The most anticipated television series of my favorite graphic novel SUCKS.   This should be redone/remake for HBO.  Keep it as faithful to the comic novel.  Read the graphic novel Volume 1 through Volume 13.  Believe me you will love the novel better.

THE WALKING DEAD #80 - COMIC BOOK DUE IN DECEMBER

THE WALKING DEAD #80 due out in December 2010

HELLBOUND:HELLRAISER 2 - A CLASSIC SHOUT OUT

A SHOUT OUT ON HALLOWEEN TO ONE OF THE GREATEST HORROR SEQUEL EVER MADE.  MANY WILL DISAGREE WITH ME - BUT THIS SEQUEL JUST WENT BEYOND ANY DIMENSION IN THE HORROR GENRE.  A DAMN GOOD VIOLENT, BLOODY SEQUEL... HAPPY HALLOWEEN 

CRYSTAL GONZALEZ - CARTOON ARTIST - INTERVIEW

This Halloween month EYEPUS interviews cartoonist CRYSTAL GONZALEZ. Here is an exclusive interview with the talented and amazing Crystal Gonzalez.  Check out her work at DEVIANT ART and NEWGROUNDS.

Can you give us a bio about you and your works?

I was always drawing since I can remember, but I probably got most serious about my art by the time I hit high school. “In the Dark” was a small 3 panel comic strip I drew for my school newspaper. The characters evolved from these first strips. Sin and Fibble were very different back then. For example Sin was very small..about the size of a mouse and had a pair of clawed hands for ears. Fibble used to have black pupils and white irises and wore a green vest ha ha. In college, I continued drawing them and the character’s plots become darker and more elaborate. I eventually had volumes of a massive 200+ page story that I wanted to tell. But the problem was that it was all doodled in pencil and scraps.

It was during my years at CCA, that I decided to really sit down and redraw the pages to make the comic really publication ready. I self-published their first issue “Gluttony” this year (2010) and the 2nd issue is now on the production table, with new pages being posted on my comic blog. http://inthedarkcomic.blogspot.com and deviantart account http://comickpro.deviantart.com But since I’m also a cartoonist, the idea of making animated shorts for them was always in the back of my mind. So in 2004 I attempted the first animated tests but nothing came from them… then as the comic started taking root in 2008, I started drawing the rough practices to flesh out the series, but again at the time my skills just weren’t there yet. It took me another 2 years of practice and fleshing out the first 4 episodes in the series to finally start seeing the light for their cartoon to become a reality and the trailer was released last month http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/546125.

Did you go to art school?

I went to a state college first, the University of Nevada to get my BA in Art. And then I attended the California College of the Arts to work on my Masters.

Since your works are very dark and EYEPUS is a horror blogzine - any favorite horror filmmakers of all time?

I love the stop motion films of Jan Svankmajer. His work is so morbid and creepy. The way he uses raw meat and dolls and taxidermy animals to create characters is really amazing. My favorite of his films is “Alice”.

Favorite horror films of all time?

Pans Labyrinth, Silence of the Lambs, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Puppet Master, The Thing, and a bunch of lesser known corny horror films like Dr. Giggles and The People under the Stairs ha ha.

Out of all the websites used for art why did you pick Newgrounds and Deviantart?

I never really knew of any other sites for art at the time. This was many years back, but I guess it all started when a friend suggested I make an account and post my art. It wasn’t a lot of viewers for the first years but I kept at it and continued to just do what I do (make art) and the viewers began to grow. Since then, I have opened a comic blog as well, but still I think a lot of my work’s exposure come from my accounts on these sites.

What was your inspiration for In the Dark?

When the strip started it was a gag strip. Basically 3 panels that ended on a joke or violent slapstick punch line. The idea behind the name “In The Dark” was meant to convey a double meaning. One that meant “unaware or clueless (which is Fibble)” and “encased in darkness (which is Sin)”. So basically the title is “Fibble and Sin” together ha ha, but I’m sure nobody read into that. Anyways while attending the University of Nevada, I began a Minor degree in Philosophy and these classes were a big inspiration to my comic. I realized that a lot of words and human expressions are not valued or judged the same (what is Love?). As a philosopher there is this drive to question everything. Many readings took the foundations of religions and the metaphysical and expanded on them into theories to see what they meant, and why, we as humanity, embrace them or reject them. It was my own theory that a common element in all religions was the concept of “sin”, or a series of constructs that were deemed taboo or forbidden. I had even written a huge thesis paper on the subject to get my degree….but again since I’m an artist, I thought that would be a very interesting element for a character. Thus, Sin is a demon meant to encase this taboo. A physical representation of a metaphysical concept that is present in every religion, and he is the original evil darkness that all the other sins in religions where born from. The main story for In The Dark has a lot to do with this idea and how Sin and Fibble will encounter Hell and its citizens and have various effects on its structure. So I’d have to say a lot of my inspiration comes from my Philosophy Minor and studying world religions (major, dead, and myth).

Did you always want to make a series such as In the Dark, or were there other ideas? Possibly any we might see in the future?

I’ve been drawing comics for so many years and I have sketchbooks full of ideas that could become bigger series’ in their own rights ha ha. But for right now the only two that might come up in the future is “Trash and Clash”-a morbidly dark and tragic comic about two outcast birds trying to find a place in the world, and “S.A.H.U.” a robot protector who is a slave entrusted with being the world’s “loved hero” whether he likes it or not.

Now that you may turn the series into an animation do you think there may be problems getting voice actors, or did everyone just came at once? How long will it take for each episode to be animated after the comics are made?

I was very lucky and grateful to have a lot of people approach my cartoon who wanted to provide the voices! I later held an audition for the voices and received 45 tryouts! Needless to say I was shocked and honored to see the great turnout. And yes the VA cast has now been set and they are awesome! As for the episodes, they are very short cartoons. Only lasting about 1-2 mins long but animated to the best of my skills, I can bet each episode will take at least 6-8 weeks to draw. The cartoon and the comic are being updated side by side so there are no dry periods for either medium. The cartoons are like bite-sized open and closed stories that don’t connect to the next, while the comic is a much meatier and grander story arch.

For how long have you been drawing and animating for?

I’ve been drawing since I was a kid…and I knew it was my passion when I was about 10 and I drew little comics for my family and friends. I started to learn animation when I was 12 and drew with a dos animation program called the Disney animation studio (DAS). When I was 16 I started learning Flash.

How different is it between being a comic artist and being the animator?

Very different. In a comic the story teller can use all the pages he needs to tell what he wants. The panels act as moments in time that can be a second long or ten years between panels. Also each picture can be drawn with lots of extra details and line work. In a short cartoon you don’t have those privileges. You need to say everything and get to the point without deviation because you’re running on a 2 min timeline. Thus the story and characters need to work harder to stay on task and the amount of drawing is increased 10 fold to make them move and talk. Then there is the issue with editing, sound, voice, and coloring in each frame one by one which takes a huge patience and determination. In the first episode alone, I’ve had to color more than 1500 individual frames of drawings.

In the Dark seems like a gruesome and macabre, but at the same time a dark comedy, how do you maintain the balance?

I remember reading in a philosophy book a theory that the horror of nature…like the animal instincts, violence, blood and flesh, are alluring to us because we suppress them from our society. We have been conditioned to think of anything with horror as a bad or taboo thing and so when we engage with it, it is exciting and alluring because it’s forbidden but natural. I think my cartoons and comics play on that line…you do see a lot of horror but it’s all so alluring to watch ha ha. Is it horror or is it comedy? Ha ha it’s interesting to note that scientists have a theory that laughter was once a method of releasing anxiety in scary situations like when our ancestors met a predator. In my cartoons you probably do a lot of that kind of laughing.

Since your amazing works is on deviant art and new grounds - are you ever afraid someone could steal your ideas and art designs?

Those sites are no different than any other place on the internet. Besides I’ve taken the measures to ensure my copyrights and my comic and cartoons are registered with the US Copyright Registry. If anyone were to try that, I at least have a good solid legal ground to sue them or contest the merit of their designs and story in court.

What is the future of In the Dark?

In the comic, I want to finish telling the whole story. I imagine it will take about 7 issues to complete and maybe in the future I will publish them as a large graphic novel. I’m still drawing issue 2 so it’s got a while to go. The cartoon is just getting started so the only future things set up for it now are the 4 episodes that are storyboarded out. One idea that is still on my mind is getting some T-shirts made, but we will have to see how funding that comes around.

Can you tell us about how are you going about promoting and doing publicity for In the Dark - are you doing it the self distribution way?

I’ve have internet ads that are shown on a number of web comic pages including Dumm comics.com and Doomcat. Blogs and journals keep people up to date and hopefully my new cartoon might bring interest and new viewers to my comic and vice versa. Also, I have an online store to purchase the comic book http://inthedark.bigcartel.com/ So that no matter where you are in the US or International, I can ship my book to you. If you live in the San Francisco area, my comics are available at Isotope Comics and Comix Experience. And lastly I also promote the book at comic cons. My next one will be at the APE in San Francisco this Oct 17-18! (Booth 540 CCA).

Any advice to give to all struggling animators and comic artists who are trying to make it?

Have a finished product to show and show it to everyone and anyone. Have confidence in your work and don’t be shy to speak openly about it. If you have a determination, you CAN get it published even if it means you do it yourself. You may have to save up to afford it or get donors to help you, but basically I have a motto in life that I live by. “A desire or dream without action, is just an illusion.” This means that if you don’t actively work towards what you want, then your big dreams will remain just that; a dream. Do research. Check out your local print shops, and comic book shops to see if they carry independently made comics. Find out how to get what you want and then pursue it with a passion. For animators, collaborate with others. Build friendships with other artists and you can make great things happen. My episode wouldn’t be complete if it weren’t for my great voice actors and music director making my soundtrack. Also check out the local film scene. See when they do screenings and propose to them with a finished cartoon.

PIRAHNA - Review

Is Halloween Month... I havent written anything for over a month - I'm very sorry to all my fans out there - I realized in writing film review blogs you have to keep it short, cute, and to the point.  From now on no more long reviews.  Is been a good Halloween month in the cinema showing horror films in movie theaters - LET ME IN (Remake), I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (Remake), MY SOUL TO TAKE, RESIDENT EVIL 5, CASE 39,

“THEY ATE MY PENIS…” JERRY O’CONNELL CLASSIC LITTLE FOUR WORD SENTENCE in PIRAHNA 3D.

Alexandre Aja remakes Joe Dante B classic film into an exaggerated fun ride of cheese.  A pirahna swallows a human penis then spits it out in 3-D.  Blood and Gore galore and so much nudity including a lesbianic erotic water dance routine you thought you was watching SHOWGIRLS meets PIRAHNA.  Premise of the story - Jurassic vicious pirahnas with razor, scalpel teeth wake up from a 200 million year old sleep to cause mayhem at a spring time resort.

Starring Elizabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Adam Scott, Jerry O'Connell, Special appearances by Eli Roth, Christopher Lloyd and Richard Dreyfuss.

The Special Gore Effects amazing.  The film is a must see fun ride along with cheesy lines that you will need some saltine crackers to go along with them. The film got away with so much for an R-Rating it looked more like NC-17.

Best Films so far from Alejandro Aja: HAUTE TENSION, PIRAHNA 3D AND HILLS HAVE EYES. The worst film by him - MIRRORS.

THE WALKING DEAD - POSTER

PIERRE AYOTTE - FILMMAKER INTERVIEW

Exclusive interview with cool, awe-inspiring filmmaker PIERRE AYOTTE, from Canada who took the time to be interviewed for our blog.  And also to thank Mr. Ayotte for sending us a dvd screener of his grindhouse tribute, awesome, absurd, fast-paced short film MASSACRATOR for review and for taking the time to be asked questions.  MASSACRATOR 2 is soon to be release I cant wait to check it out.  Check out his trailers of his other film works - honestly, WOW - AWESOME...

EYEPUS:  Pierre can you tell EYEPUS a bio about you and your multitalented works - especially as seen in your short film MASSACRATOR?

PIERRE AYOTTE: Growing up, I was always close to one kind of art or another. At home, we watched very little TV but a lot of movies, with a jukebox in the living room (my dad was a bit fifties-oriented); so music and dancing was part of the background. I started playing guitar myself at around fourteen, but was more inclined towards sports and science in high school, although I did a few year-end shows. I went to engineering in college, spreading my free time between rock bands and hockey, but found the applied science curriculum less thrilling than I thought. I switched to the Communications Program at University of Montreal, which happened to give free access to shooting equipment and editing facilities. I flunked it twice, just to take it again and benefit from the free equipment, and made a bunch of short films and videos. At the time, I was also doing music and eventually decided to pursue it more seriously for some years. I recorded a few albums and did a couple of hundred shows. Producing music was satisfying, but I missed the overall intricate endeavor of moviemaking. I was stuck between two great passions, and I knew you can only do one thing with greatness, not two. So I chose cinema, which is what I've been doing lately. I finished Massacrator and three other short films, and am now at work on my first full-length movie.

 EYEPUS: I just found out you also do photography - Can you tell me about your fashionable black/white and colorful photography?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  I did a couple of years of glamour photography and some exhibits, but as a hobby, really. Doing camera work in movies, I found photo framing and model direction to be closely related to directing a film shot. I do like the esthetics of black and white.

EYEPUS:  Did you go to film school or art school?

PIERRE AYOTTE: Besides the free-equipment repeat sessions, I did a minor in cinema theory as part of my college degree. Very instructive in terms of cinema history but not too useful if your aim is to actually do film. For that, nothing beats slugging it on no-budgets productions.

EYEPUS:  You are from Canada - how is the horror/filmmaking scene in Canada?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  The Canadian living dead is alive and well ;) In Montreal especially, you find all kinds of very active and creative people, with some major genre festivals such as the Fantasia Festival and Toronto After Dark. I find it uncanny that a relatively small population can manage and sustain its genre community. People here are very resourceful and show great abilities at combining technical proficiency with very low budgets. There's a can-do and "will-do-no-matter-what" attitude that makes this scene a lot bigger than its parts.

EYEPUS:  Would you call your film MASSACRATOR a horror sci-fi spoof?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  It sure is.

EYEPUS: Your film features an undead Elvis Presley - are you a fan of Elvis?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  Certainly. My father playing rockabilly guitar in outdoors shows, Elvis in the jukebox, those are great memories. Like all teens, I rebelled against stuff in my teens, but managed to keep my fondness for the King alive. I understand the cheesy dimension surrounding this pop culture icon, and I play with it as well, but I have a genuine appreciation for the man and his music. At his best, he was an incredible singer and performer. The rock I play and listen to has not much to do with him, but it owes a great deal of its existence to pioneers like him.

EYEPUS:  I just found out you did a sequel to MASSACRATOR - Can you tell us a bit without giving away too much?

PIERRE  AYOTTE:  It's more of a tongue-in-cheek musical after-thought to Massacrator; it's got quite a bit of gore as well, but it isn't a narrative per se. Basically, Elvis comes backs to life after being decapitated by Massacrator, but his brain is infected with a virus. So he sings a bit, and kills a lot.

EYEPUS:  Who are your favorite horror filmmakers of all time?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  I like filmmakers who manage to blend horror/suspense with good narratives and some style. John Carpenter comes to mind, early Sam Raimi, Ridley Scott.

EYEPUS: Favorite horror films of all time?

PIERRE AYOTTE: Alien, The Thing, The Shining, Evil Dead. 200 other ones.

EYEPUS:  Your film is very outrageous and absurd - reminded me of the early works of John Waters - Who or what inspired you to make MASSACRATOR?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  A visiting friend of mine was very muscular (he's a judoka). He was here for a week, so we decide to do a Terminator 2 gory silent spoof on the weekend, starring him. Although it was a quick and dirty production, I knew I could convey a certain uncanny style in both the humor and the action by using old film and low tech tricks in this genre of movie. After sending it to a few places, I was somewhat surprised that other festivals started writing me to get it as well. It's not groundbreaking cinema, but it fits the audience for these types of showings.

EYEPUS:  So lets get technical - the making of MASSACRATOR - Which editing system did you used to cut your film?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  It was shot on Super-8 film and edited on a very old reel-to-reel manual splicer. There is no negative with Super-8, so you are basically editing your master, adding a lot of scratches and dust just playing it back and forth, so there was no need to add those scratches in post-production. After I had fooled around enough with it, I sent it for digital transfer in Toronto (Frame Discreet, excellent people) and fine-tuned it in Sony Vegas, because there's no way I could get a tight enough edit other than on a modern non-linear editing system.

EYEPUS:  What was your overall budget for MASSACRATOR?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  About 300$ for film and transfers, 200$ for gas money, fake blood, lunch, beer, etc.

EYEPUS:  Which film camera you used to make this film?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  A Bauer C 900 XLM Super-8.

EYEPUS:  Do you have any more upcoming film projects in the works?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  I'm currently at work finishing the editing of my first feature film, a whitesploitation action comedy. It's very old-school, with loud car chases, gory back alley martial arts, dynamite, peek-a-boo nudity, and very cool funk music. It stars a rock band against the forces of Evil, of course.

EYEPUS:  For all filmmakers who are struggling pushing their little films out there - Can you tell us about how are you going about promoting and doing publicity for your films - are you doing it the all self - distribution way?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  First, I made something like a five-year plan, because I understood that the publicity efforts would come from myself for the longest time. Then I made sure the films are the best they can be. I show it to friends, cut out the fat, show it some more, cut some more. Basically, I make it tight and effective, because people will have zero patience for something they don't know yet. I build up interest for it and subsequent productions by entering festivals, submitting to online reviews, putting trailers on YouTube, creating a mailing list from any and all, creating bridges to like-minded people on Facebook, Youtube, MySpace, etc. I spent a bit on Festival fees, poster expenditures, etc, and a unexpectedly large chunk of time; this is where the five-year plan helps. Meanwhile, I write scripts and keep on top of industry changes with books and online resources (The Workbook Project for instance). 

EYEPUS:  What is your best advice to give to all struggling horror filmmakers who are trying to make a film at no zero budget?

PIERRE AYOTTE:  Just do it, and make sure you finish what you start, even if you have to wing it; then move on to the next thing. Besides, if your budget is zero, then your potential for loss is inexistent, isn't it?

FOR MORE OF PIERRE AYOTTE UPCOMING FILM WORKS, MUSIC AND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKS PLEASE VISIT WWW.PIERREAYOTTE.COM

CHECK OUT HIS UPCOMING MASSACRATOR 2 TRAILER BELOW

FILMMAKER PIERRE AYOTTE - EXCLUSIVE TRAILERS

THIS IS AN EXCLUSIVE SECTION FOR PIERRE AYOTTE Awesome - horror, gore, crazy cool Trailers of his film works DATE WITH A CHICKEN, MASSACRATOR, MASSACRATOR 2: ELVIS CHAINSAW MASSACRE and SATAN, JESUS & ELVIS.  Check them out and visit his website

WWW.PIERREAYOTTE.COM

DATE WITH A CHICKEN



SATAN, JESUS & ELVIS



MASSACRATOR 2: THE ELVIS CHAINSAW MASSACRE



MASSACRATOR

MASSACRATOR - A Short film by Pierre Ayotte - Review

Lately, I've been watching lots of indie short horror films and sad to say the short horror films is better than the horror feature garbage that pops in our local bijous and Netflix.  Recently, I just got a dvd screener MASSACRATOR from filmmaker Pierre Ayotte I must say it was one twisted, awesome, grindhouse, crazy ass film.  MASSACRATOR is absurd and funny as hell - Elvis Presley comes back from the dead.  Pierre Ayotte take us to experimental, grindhouse tribute via Super 8 (literally the film was shot in Super 8 - no Final Cut Pro scratchy film effects here) and an amazing soundtrack.  MASSACRATOR is getting lots of film festival notoriety and filmmaker Pierre Ayotte is one filmmaker to be in the look out for.  Following this review is a personal interview with filmmaker Pierre Ayotte.

Below is the trailer of MASSACRATOR and check out the website  www.massacrator.com 

SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD - DVD RELEASE TOMORROW 8-24-10

DONT BE AFRAID OF THE DARK - Remake - Poster and Trailer

"DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK" is a remake of the 1973 of the same name starring back then Kim Darby as she gets turned the fuck out by shady little creatures.  Scary as hell when it played on TV back in the seventies and the 80's especially watching the film after midnight in our black and white tv sets.  In this remake - stars Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes - Guillermo Del Toro produced and wrote the story.  Anything Guillermo Del Toro touches is gold, so I know is going to be great.  Maybe someone could remake TRILOGY OF TERROR someday.  Another great made for television horror film that scared the crap out of me in the 70's.

Below is the poster of the original film, the remake and the trailer of the new remake.
Enjoy...

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark in HD

Trailer Park Movies  MySpace Video

New Horror DVD releases

New Horror DVD releases today TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2010:

A film about Killer Animals BURNING BRIGHT

AND FROM SHOUT FACTORY TWO HORROR SAPPY RELEASES

DONT LOOK IN THE BASEMENT - Remake Coming Soon

Legendary filmmaker Alan Rowe Kelly and Anthony G. Summer both are directing together the seventies horror underground classic "DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT".  Above is the original poster of the classic horror film and the new version below.  I love the new version poster...

MAC ELDRIDGE - CHEMICAL 12-D FILMMAKER - INTERVIEW

EYEPUS: How did your passion for filmmaking got started?

MAC ELDRIDGE: I don't have the typical start in film making where someone in my family took me to the theater constantly. Instead, my brother's best friend got a job at the local theater and constantly took my brother to the movies. Once my brother got tired of it and stopped going, his best friend took me instead (as he thought I was the closest thing to my brother). I was taken to see The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou one day and it was then I realized that films are more than just entertainment: they could be whatever I wanted them to be. I started making movies with my brother's best friend with a little sony hand camera in our backyard and now I just wrapped my last production shot on RED. Its a surreal experience when I look at the big picture.

EYEPUS: Did you attended film school?

MAC ELDRIDGE: I still attend film school in Chicago at DePaul University. I'm entering my final year here and I cannot speak any bad about the experience. Its free equipment and they let me shoot what I want (more importantly, the work I produce is mine, not the school's like many other film schools). I made Chemical 12-D as a sophomore in my first production class. Before entering college I was certain I was just going to go out to LA and start working, but my DP David Wagenaar convinced me to come here. Thankfully, he did or else I wouldn't have gotten to make 12-D amongst other projects that I've had a blast making.

EYEPUS: Any favorite horror films of all time?

MAC ELDRIDGE:  I'm a list man. That meaning, I constantly create lists and they constantly get rearranged as well. With that said, I have my five favorite horror films of all time listed below (and in order).

The Thing (John Carpenter)
Alien
Halloween
Night of the Living Dead
The Shining

As I said, its constantly changing but its always between these five. For the past couple of years Alien was my favorite, but now The Thing has taken over as of late.

EYEPUS: Who are your favorite horror filmmakers?

MAC ELDRIDGE:  I always find this to be a tough question since a lot of my favorite filmmakers are genre filmmakers. If I had to stick strictly to my favorite horror director, I'd have a tough time figuring out any outside of a few (Cronenberg, Carpenter, and Romero are a few to come to mind) but I must say that my favorite filmmakers are genre filmmakers. This is the likes of Hitchcock, Del Toro, Kubrick, and Neil Marshall just to name a few. I always feel bad for the guys who get pigeonholed into a genre as I know they probably want to tell some stories outside of their respected genre.

EYEPUS: How did your film company Water Cooler Productions come about?

MAC ELDRIDGE: Water Cooler Productions came about from a project that never got made. Back in the day when my friends and I were 16 or 17, we wanted to shoot a project that focused around a few water fountains and water coolers but the project never came to exist. Since then, our motto has been to give people something to talk about around the Water Cooler. We now produce some work outside of our own but mainly it is a production company where we fund and create projects helmed by us.

EYEPUS: What inspired you to make your astounding zombie short film CHEMICAL 12-D?

MAC ELDRIDGE: To be quite honest I never wanted to make Chemical 12-D as I always say that the film is my DP's baby more than it is mine. I was in pre pro for a love story I fell in love with but funding never came through so David (my DP) told me to write a zombie script. I was hesitant because the indie circuit was filled with zombie movies (a lot of them not being good, mind you) and if we made a zombie short we would be lost in the trash. Well, needless to say I was wrong. 12-D has been our most succesful short thus far and it has gotten more praise than I ever imagined. When I wrote the film though I wrote it to be an abduction film where zombies just so happen to be a part of the story. I think thats why it is successful. SPOILER: If you notice, throughout the entire film not one zombie hurts anything; its always the humans creating pain and death. I think that resonates with some people. The other big pull to me is that this is a scarier movie if you're a parent. Its about the horror of a mother.

EYEPUS:  Which film/video camera did you used to make CHEMICAL 12-D?

MAC ELDRIDGE: Chemical 12-D was shot on the Panasonic HVX200A with a Letus adapter. The real beauty in the film is seen in the post production and what our colorist Ryan Linich did to it. The film would have a completely different vibe and feel to it if it weren't for him.

EYEPUS:  How many days and hours did it took you to shoot CHEMICAL 12-D?

MAC ELDRIDGE: We worked on Chemical 12-D for one solid weekend of photography (roughly 8-10 hour days) and one day for pick ups the following weekend. The garage scene was the longest to shoot as it took 8 hours by itself due to SFX and how long the chest cutting bit took to set up. Post production was a much, much longer experience than production as we have 3 or 4 different cuts of the film with a few different sound mixes.

EYEPUS: How was your experience working with a child actor in your film?

MAC ELDRIDGE: Working with children can be tough as I found out from my latest production. They can be a real hassle if they're not wanting to do it (what I'm really saying is that stage moms are tough to deal with) but working with Wesley Klepac was a dream. He layed on the operating table for 8 hours with no complaints and he did everything I asked of him on the first take. In our down time we'd talk about sports and throw a football around. I can't think of one negative mark against him. If his passion for acting continues on into the future, you'll be seeing him around. Hes a real talent.

EYEPUS: Any hardships in the making of the film?

MAC ELDRIDGE: This was by far the most fun I've had on a set. Looking back on it, other than the typical hardships of scheduling and such, I can't think of too much that proved to be real frustrating on set.

EYEPUS:  How was your film festival experience and reactions with your film CHEMICAL 12-D?

MAC ELDRIDGE: The festival circuit has been great to us as we have just played our biggest festival to date: Fantasia Film Fest. There were roughly 750-800 people to see The Human Centipede and we opened for it. It was again another surreal experience as only four years ago we couldn't get anyone to watch our work and now we're playing internationally to hundreds of people who don't know us or owe us anything. It was incredible and if that was the peak of my film career, I couldn't be happier.

EYEPUS: Any distribution deals in the future for CHEMICAL 12-D?

MAC ELDRIDGE: 12-D has been offered a distribution deal twice for online distribution/netflix. We had to turn them down both times as things just didn't make sense for us but as of now, YouTube is great. People get to see our work and that is all we really care about. The more people to see our work, the better. People have come to me about a feature which is something I'd be interested in doing. Believe me, I have an idea stirring in my head I don't think the zombie genre has seen before.

EYEPUS: What was your overall budget for CHEMICAL 12-D and how you got the funds?

MAC ELDRIDGE: 12-D was funded out of pocket and funding wasn't a grave concern as we get all of our equipment free. I've seen around the net that people said we had a grand. That is not true. We didn't even have 500 bucks. We had favors and people who wanted to be involved with the project. Its crazy to see how far a few computers with facebook favors go (along with free rental equipment from film school).

EYEPUS: Is it hard getting funding in making a film?

MAC ELDRIDGE: Extremely but it can be done. Our latest short (The Old Man and His Dog) is our biggest budget to date and funding it was tough. Luckily a few kegger parties along with fundraising events can get you places very quickly. I always say this: everyone has a rich uncle or something like a rich uncle who can be tapped for a few bucks once or twice. Get a great project with great people involved then tap your uncle's shoulder for your one shot. However, with the way technology is going, the most expensive things on set now are catering. What I'm saying is that anyone can make a short with a few favors and an understanding of technology. Money should never stop you from making a production but only make your life easier.

EYEPUS: Lately, I’ve been asking filmmakers about horror film remakes - With so many classic horror movies been remade, which dream favorite horror film would you like to remake and why?

MAC ELDRIDGE: I have two answers for this. If I could remake a movie out of the sheer fact that I want to be a part of that franchise then I'd remake Alien. I'm only saying that because I'm such a fanboy and I want nothing more than to be a part of that franchise. It doesn't need to get remade but I want to do it anyway. With that said, the movie I actually do want to remake in a very, very bad way is Frankenstein. I think Del Toro will beat me to the punch as he wants to remake it also but I've always been infatuated with that character. I got a few ways to tell that story but its something I wouldn't tackle without a serious budget behind it. Maybe one day, but until now, it sits in the back of my brain as an idea.

EYEPUS: Do you have any upcoming film projects in the horizons?

MAC ELDRIDGE: I just wrapped production on my last short The Old Man and His Dog. Its a ghost story I have treated like my baby for the past year. We're in post production now and I can't wait to have it done for 2011. Its my The Devil's Backbone if I had to relate it to any other movie. After that, Water Cooler Productions is pretty much open however we have already decided that we are shooting a less serious horror film that we hope to shoot starting next March. We need a break after being so serious for almost two years and some fun action/horror stuff will be a blast to shoot.

EYEPUS: Any inspiring words or advice for upcoming indie/micro budget/or the very low zero budget filmmakers trying to struggle with a small penny to make a film?

MAC ELDRIDGE: I  touched on it already but my main thing now is that you don't NEED a budget like you use to. Back in the day it was 16MM, buying the film, processing it, getting a steenbeck to cut, printing the film, etc. etc. You needed money but not anymore. Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project are great examples of movies made with no money. It can be done. Its finally all about creativity!

CHEMICAL 12-D - Great Zombie Short Film

Zombies have taken over the world once again - but this time in just seven minutes in the great zombie short horror film CHEMICAL 12-D By filmmaker Mac Eldridge.

In a zombie-undead infested world, a man named Michael Frank is out searching for a zombie to experiment on with his CHEMICAL 12-D.  Research Subject a "zombie" age 8 to 12 - a child zombie.  Where he kidnaps the child zombie - brings him to his lab and experiments on the child by dissecting him, making his test subject just to test his CHEMICAL 12-D.  I could give a bit more details here but you need to see the film for yourself the ending left me jaw opened (which I won't spoil it - see the film - a must).  Lots of blood/gore splatter.  Remarkable performances by the three film cast members.  Great story and great direction by Mac Eldridge.  Great sound design and soundtrack... Mac Eldridge zombie opus in seven minutes is a classic short horror film.

Watch CHEMICAL 12-D embedded here with the permission from filmmaker Mac Eldridge. 

RUE MORGUE FESTIVAL OF FEAR

RUE-MORGUE FESTIVAL OF FEAR - AUGUST 27 - 29, 2010 - AN AMAZING CAST OF GUESTS INCLUDING DAVID CRONENBERG, KEN RUSSELL, HEATHER LAGENKAMP, LANCE HENRIKSEN and MANY MORE. 
CHECK OUT THEIR WEB PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION RUE-MORGUE.COM

JEREMIAH KIPP - FILMMAKER INTERVIEW

EYEPUS has the most distinguish pleasure to bring an exclusive interview with Filmmaker Jeremiah Kipp.  Mr. Kipp took time out of his busy film schedule (shooting his upcoming horror feature film SWINE starring Tom Savini) to be interviewed here at EYEPUS.  He is one hell of an amazing detailed filmmaker, and if anybody haven't seen his short film works

CONTACT and THE POD I suggest to run and do so - and check out his filmmaking craftmanship.  Just remarkable short horror film works...

EYEPUS: Can you tell us - How did you got into filmmaking?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  When I was twelve years old my grandparents purchased a VHS camcorder, I think to photograph weddings and family gatherings. But it became an opportunity for me to gather together all the kids who lived on my block so we could make vampire, zombie and end-of-the-world movies in my backyard. I cut together a reel from these 300 mediocre films and submitted it to NYU, and combined with my grants, scholarships and high SAT scores, it was enough to get me into this prestigious film school, where they throw a 16mm camera in your hands and you take to the streets. I was fortunate to be able to continue working in this industry post-graduation as a director, assistant director and producer.

EYEPUS: Any horror films inspire you to become a filmmaker?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  There were several genre films that transformed me when I was growing up. Some of the most significant were John Carpenter’s THE THING, which had a truly original monster in a chilling location and a dozen great characters having to deal with it. I also loved George Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD, a classic wish-fulfillment fantasy (what kid wouldn’t want to live in a shopping mall and kill zombies) that turns in on itself as a visceral social satire about consumerism. Romero and Carpenter remain two of my favorites, but I also remember having powerful experiences from the extreme cinema of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, ERASERHEAD and the immersive worlds of THE ROAD WARRIOR and BLADE RUNNER. I’ve never been able to shake off my early impressions of cinema, or my love of horror, because these movies made it seem like anything was possible; that there were no barriers. Horror filmmaking allows you to push beyond the limits of human experience into something other, and that’s always been a source of great inspiration.

EYEPUS: Any favorite horror filmmakers?

JEREMIAH KIPP: Romero and Carpenter, as I said, are seminal filmmakers, and I also love the work of David Lynch, David Cronenberg…I’m particularly drawn to a Polish filmmaker named Andrzej Zulawski who made a monster movie in the early 1980s called POSSESSION, which was really about a nightmarish divorce between the characters played by Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill. Within the independent film world, I appreciate filmmakers like Larry Fessenden, who directed the deeply personal HABIT and the nightmarishly political eco-horror movie THE LAST WINTER. Jim Mickle, whose MULBERRY STREET is a low-budget gem, and Graham Reznick’s mind-trip I CAN SEE YOU are also favorites.

EYEPUS:  Which is your favorite horror film of all time?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  Tod Browning’s FREAKS is one that has truly stayed with me; I love films in general that blur the line between reality and filmmaking. Harmony Korine, Bruno Dumont, Claire Denis and Lars von Trier seem to be some of the directors who are pushing the envelope nowadays, but FREAKS is mind-blowing because of its use of actual sideshow freaks as characters in the movie—who can forget the uncomfortable “gooble gobble” dinner scene or the climactic chase through the mud and the rain….”one of us, one of us”—brilliant!

EYEPUS:  Do you consider yourself a filmmaker or a horror filmmaker?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  I consider myself a filmmaker with a deep and abiding passion for the horror genre. If I fell into the so-called horror ghetto and never made a movie outside of the genre, I think I would remain a very happy man because there are so many possibilities that exist within the world of horror.

EYEPUS:  How do you feel about classics horror films been made into remakes?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  It all depends on how they handle the remake. Let’s not forget that John Carpenter’s THE THING, David Cronenberg’s THE FLY, Chuck Russell’s THE BLOB and TNT’s wonderful reinvention of SALEM’S LOT starring Rutger Hauer and Donald Sutherland were all remakes of previous genre offerings. It all depends on the execution. Many of these are attempts to brazenly cash in on a brand name, so all you can see are the hands of greedy studio executives wanting to cash in. Genre fans can tell if the work came from the heart or not. I liked the direction Rob Zombie was going on HALLOWEEN II, which felt more like his kind of movie than a straight-up homage. I didn’t think Zack Snyder’s DAWN OF THE DEAD remake was a total success—a lot of it felt pretty weak—but I did think he was sincerely trying to make a valid remake of the material, whereas the FRIDAY THE 13th and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET retreads were far more transparent in what they were trying to do, which is make a fast buck.

EYEPUS:   I just saw your short film CONTACT, I really enjoyed and I was impressed with your film - what was the budget for your film?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  Our budget was miniscule—ridiculously so! I spent around $600 to make that picture, but mind you our very professional crew were doing me a favor by working on the film out of the goodness of their hearts, and the camera and equipment were on loan from a filmmaker whose feature I produced a few months earlier. So when considering the $600 price tag, you also have to factor in the friendships, favors and courtesies my cast and crew extended towards me. How does one budget for the knowledge that you would do anything to help these people, and they return the favor by helping you? The east coast low budget horror community can be very loyal and supportive in this way.

EYEPUS:  How many days did it take you to shoot CONTACT?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  We shot for two days, but did full rehearsals and were in post-production for a little over a month as we cut the picture and worked with our wonderful composer and sound designer Tom Burns, who fully mixed the project for us before screening it in October 2009 at a Halloween film festival.

EYEPUS:  Which type of camera did you used to shoot CONTACT?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  Our camera was the Panasonic HPX, but more important was our cinematographer Dominick Sivilli. It’s wonderful to collaborate with a director of photography whom you draw inspiration from; he really has been like a brother in our collaborations. We shot some behind-the-scenes footage for a documentary that I co-produced, then we made CONTACT and that set in motion a series of projects we collaborated on together. Mapping out visual storytelling with him has been incredibly meaningful to me personally and professionally, and I look forward to our work together on our first feature, SWINE, which starts principal photography a mere three days from the completion of this interview.

EYEPUS:  What was your overall working with the actors especially the legendary Alan Rowe Kelly?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  I enjoy the rehearsal process, particularly with actors as creatively engaging and resourceful as Zoë Daelman Chlanda and Robb Leigh Davis. Most films have no rehearsal at all, so you’re basically watching what’s emerged after a very rough blocking if you’re watching an independent movie. I prefer not to work that way whenever possible, but unfortunately budgets don’t always allow that time with the actors during pre-production. As for the wonderful Alan Rowe Kelly, he has a magnetic persona onscreen, a kind of intensity that you expect from performers such as James Cagney or Barbara Stanwyck. He was open to the idea of playing this drug dealer as an aging punk rocker; I was inspired by the way Morrissey looks these days, and Alan wanted to create some sort of faux-mullet with his hair and wore that striking pea coat. Alan is like those British actors who work from the outside in; I think he discovers the characters he plays by figuring out their hair and wardrobe, and allowing that to inform all of his choices as an actor. I think his best work to date, though, was in A FAR CRY FROM HOME as the victim of a hate crime. It was very moving, poignant and personal; also Alan was not hiding behind a colorful mask, but playing a real and sensitive person, a normal person, and one who is suffering under extreme conditions. It’s quite a moving performance, and I encourage readers to try to track down this film however you can. Alan is releasing it in an anthology film called GALLERY OF FEAR sometime this fall.

EYEPUS:  You are about to go and direct your second film as a feature for two weeks, Can you tell us about your upcoming feature?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  I was hired to direct SWINE by two producers after they saw CONTACT online, and much of the same crew is returning. The feature is a “killer in the woods” scenario starring Tom Savini as the silent, predatory villain; there are a few fresh twists involving a primal state induced by animal steroids, and I’m blessed to be working with many of my east coast horror colleagues, including co-producer Alan Rowe Kelly, special FX artist Daniel J. Mazikowski (THE ROOST), and cast members such as Zoë, Jerry Murdock from I’LL BURY YOU TOMORROW and Miguel Lopez from VINDICATION.

EYEPUS:  If there was a dream horror remake you would like to direct which film would it be and why?

JEREMIAH KIPP:  I don’t think it’s as worthwhile remaking a classic genre film such as HALLOWEEN or even THE WOLF MAN. But if you came up with a fresh twist on a humble genre flick like, I don’t know, the Australian outback horror movie RAZORBACK or a “death on the road” picture like RACE WITH THE DEVIL, you wouldn’t feel a slavish obligation to the original. Alan Rowe Kelly is remaking S.F. Brownrigg’s drive-in classic DON’T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT with co-director Anthony Sumner. I’d love the idea of remaking Brownrigg’s SCUM OF THE EARTH—if I could do it as if Mike Leigh were making an exploitation film!

EYEPUS:  Any inspiring words you would like to share with other aspiring filmmakers out there?

JEREMIAH KIPP: The best advice to most filmmakers is simply not to do it, because this is an incredibly difficult way to live your life. If you have a tremendous passion for the work, it is the most beautiful and rewarding profession, with great and rewarding artists in front of and behind the camera. And it is humbling to consider that no one can do it alone; no one person makes a film. One must always be mindful of that other party involved, which is the audience. How are you telling a story to them visually, and what is the effect you want to have on them? What do you hope to communicate? Even if the reason is as simple as, “I want to scare the shit out of people, because it is fun to be scared!”, that’s wonderful, because scary movies are cathartic; they take us to other worlds; they allow us the chance to get close to our deepest nightmares and emerge safely, however shaken and unsettled, as the end credits roll.

CONTACT - Short Horror Film Review

I just saw a great - interesting short horror film titled CONTACT by filmmaker Jeremiah Kipp.   Starring Zoe Daelvan Chlanda, Alan Rowe Kelly and Robb Leigh Davis... In the bible, there was once upon a time a man named Jesus Christ who once told a story about the Prodigal Son, who was once rebellious/sinful then came back feeling repentful, with humility to his good father.  His Father accepted his rebellious son back to his heart.  CONTACT storyline is sort of the female version of the Prodigal Son - The Prodigal Daughter.  The film takes us to a shady little journey of a dilapidated, chilling wicked world of drug usage and what drugs could do to your little brain.  

The film is beautifully shot - amazing black and white cinematography.  The overall film direction, again for a short film like this very well done, and with creative pace.  Jeremiah Kipp has a great eye behind the lens. The wonderful performances by the cast especially by Zoe Daelvan Chlanda just beyond... And the FX though not in the gory department but more in the grothesque department just oozing with greatness. Jeremiah Kipp delivers a remarkable little amazing little horror film package in just ten minutes.   I cant wait to see Jeremiah Kipp next film titled SWINE starring TOM SAVINI.

Jeremiah Kipp CONTACT could be view online at www.contact.shroggle.com/ 

CONTACT  Film Reviews

“The structure and progression of images in CONTACT, the storytelling – all very strong!" - Larry Fessenden, director of THE LAST WINTER and HABIT

"It's a beautifully made film -- I loved the mouth tunnel! In fact, I think I did that drug once upon a time. Excellent. Keep makin' em!"  - Frank Henenlotter, director of BASKET CASE and BAD BIOLOGY

“CONTACT is an emotionally charged short film/poem…with its rumbling, ethereal sound design and constant barrage of visual metaphor, this trancelike film speaks in dream language. There are themes of trust and desire and family betrayal bubbling under the surface. CONTACT powerfully illuminates the dangers of hardcore drug abuse and reveals, almost subliminally, how once tainted, it’s nearly impossible to escape its savage clutches.”  – Dante Tomaselli, director of SATAN’S PLAYGROUND and HORROR

“While it has a running time of only 11 minutes, CONTACT feels much more substantial because of its message and depth…Absolutely intense! Amazing on all levels: sound design, camera, lighting, acting – this one is going to win a ton of awards.” – Marla Newborn, Fangoria

“Felt like a chapter out of my own dating history. I love the mouth-to-mouth connection and the face tear. Kipp, you are one sick fucker!” - Paul Solet, director of GRACE

“A jolting, intriguing work that is blessed with great style and original substance—one of the most satisfying shorts to come around in a long time. 5 stars (out of 5)” – Film Threat

PUNK AND PISSED STORE

                       

Searching around the internet for affordable horror t-shirts I discovered a new, hot, cool, fierce internet horror shop - PUNK AND PISSED.  Oh my God - they sell amazing cool stuff - Horror T-Shirts, Horror Movie buttons (of your favorite horror films) for 1.00 (small) 1.50 for large ones, Cloth punk and horror movies patches, light horror jackets, Messenger bags 9.99, Punk - Metal Shirts, crazy cool keychains, stickers, and all so damn cheap.  The shipping and handling is cheap, if you spend over 40 dollars - shipping is free.  Not only are they the most affordable punk and horror store around but they give you an extra little gift with your order.  NOW that is how you treat your customers. 

I just bought four horror movie T-shirts from PUNK AND PISSED - EVIL DEAD 2, NOSFERATU, DEAD ALIVE and DEMONS t-shirts and honestly, I could tell you the best t-shirts a horror fan ever had.  The print and texture of the shirt is great.  A very comfortable feel with the shirt.  I already washed my EVIL DEAD 2 shirt three times and is still in intact condition.  Since I just discovered this store believe me I will be pumping the PUNK AND PISSED fashions...

Visit WWW.PUNKANDPISSED.COM and get some great, cool stuff and deals.   Trust me you wont be disappointed.  This shop put many horror t-shirts shops to shame.  Many horror t-shirts companies these days charge you an arm and leg in our economic hard times.  PUNKANDPISSED rocks with the prices...

Sign up to their newsletter and receive Special Discount Codes and Information about new new Products and Sales

My Review for PUNK AND PISSED - THE BEST - 

A CLASSIC - FOUR SKULLS