I can’t believe
I have not posted since May! Why the silence? I got depressed. Why? Someone who
loved my script for Alone promised me
$$$$ (we are talking the almost 20k) the film would cost. Then said person got
laid off from their lucrative job and before I could get my hands on the check
the money was gone. I wanted to shoot the film this year, I contemplated a
Kickstarter campaign but I don’t have the resources to raise more than 5k on
that platform. So I put it aside, I decided to take a break.
During my hiatus
from filmmaking and fundraising I attended The Viscera Film Festival in early
July. This is one of the most inspiring filmmaking events I’ve attended in the
last 10 years of La La Land living. It’s a horror film festival of films
directed by women. Unlike every festival I’ve been to, Viscera’s audience was
comprised of mostly fans of the genre.
Fans, as in your future audience, as in, these people will support your
work because they are loyal to the genre and if your work is good, will be
loyal to you. It is these fans that will ensure that your horror film will make
its money back and enable you to keep working.
The festival
lineup showcased a wide range of films from all over the world. It was
liberating to attend a festival where the work on the screen was fun to watch.
I’ve always been
a big fan of horror because there’s nothing better than having a good scare in
the comfort of a safe environment. I’ve always wanted to make a horror film. My
first feature The Brown Widow will be
a horror movie so why wait until then?
I was going to make a short version of The Brown Widow but decided to write something different, something simpler but gory that I can shoot in one day because this will again, need to be financed by me! I came up with GHOOOOOOOUL! a slasher film about a young girl in peril who turns the tables on her abuser. Very similar in theme to “Alone” but a completely different story. Did I mention there will be blood and maybe body parts flying around.
My goal is to approach
this as guerilla filmmaking 101; smaller crew, 2 non union actors, budget of
$1,000 and I will have fun making this one. Once I’ve liberated myself from
unions, insurance and location fees, a lot of the pressures that have plagued
me as a writer/director/producer will be off. All I need to worry about is
getting good performances out of my actors, providing an excellent meal for my
cast & crew and convincing my professional friends to give me a day of free
work!
GHOOOOOOOUL! goes into production in mid October.
Become a
friend/supporter of the Viscera Film Festival
Trailer for one
of my favorite films at the Viscera Film Festival
How to Rid Your Lover of a
Negative Emotion Caused By You!
