Phoenix FearCON Offers Distribution to Winning Films

Phoenix FearCON is an oddity among horror film festivals in that its first venue (in 2006) was "in a very small art gallery." It's since "grown and expanded into a film festival & horror convention," says founder and director, Chris McLennan.

Apart from the film festival, FearCON offers "celebrity guests, panel discussions, flash mobs, special effects workshops, vendors, and many sideline entertainments and activities."

* Quality Over Variety

FearCON's most recent screening featured a glut of zombie films. While McLennan says she welcomes diversity in horror, she doesn't mind any particular subgenre dominating the event, provided the films are of high quality. In this she differs from some festival directors who, for the sake of variety, will screen one great and one decent film of two different subgenres, rather than two great films of the same subgenre.

"If the film is good," says McLennan, "it doesn't matter if it's been done in quantity. We always search for quality no matter what."

* What Is Quality?

What makes for a quality horror film?

McLennen seeks "A film that is solid. A great story, with a twist or two. A character study, with believable characters. Good locations. And great cinematography. With all the technology now available, that should be easier than it used to be. Our award winners all have those qualities.

"Filmmakers who win receive a one-of-a-kind awesome trophy, made by me. [See right.]

"And a bag of swag.

"And the best part -- a contract offer from one of two major film distribution companies for domestic and international distribution of their film."

McLennan offers some additional tips on how to win one of her cool trophies.

* Horror Is International

Keep in mind that horror serves an international audience.

"We get submissions from many countries. We hope they express horror in a way that everyone can appreciate it.

"We got a film from a country that could have been great, except the filmmaker used very colloquial language, and scenes specific to that area. Anyone outside this country became lost in the film translation, and couldn't appreciate what the filmmaker was trying to express."

* Avoid Shaky Cams

"My opinion, but the hand-held, shaky cam is old and worn out. I can't watch shaky cam at all anymore. I'd stay away from that, if possible."

* Continuity Matters

"I am a complete anal critic of continuity. Once there's a break in continuity (e.g., clothing, location, food, etc.) I tune out the rest of the film, looking for more faults. It's a small thing, but, in my past experience as a filmmaker and producer, I took great care to make sure the continuity was spot on. Sometimes it can be nearly impossible to do, depending on the scenes. But I like to see filmmakers try hard to keep it flowing continually."

================

For a behind-the-scenes look at horror film festivals and the festival directors who manage them, see Horror Film Festivals and Awards. This book also includes a directory of over 200 horror film festivals, and a list of festival award winners from dozens of festivals over several decades.

The Void Welcomes Smart Horror/Sci-Fi

The Zone SciFan International Film Festival screens at Comicpalooza, a Houston comic convention. Entering its fourth year, The Zone is both a film festival and a film race. It accepts entries of completed films, but also runs a filmmaking contest at the convention.

Initially, The Zone was a sci-fi only. "But this year we ventured into sci-fi horror with our newest film race, The Void," said J'Nathan Gwynn, who is both a festival director and filmmaker. "The Void has the same rules as The Zone, but with an additional challenge -- no blood. We want to challenge filmmakers and expand their talents."

Science fiction has been called a genre of ideas, a philosophy embraced by Gwynn's events. "We look for the best sci-fi ideas and concepts. Sci-fi is at its best when it addresses current issues in a unique way. It's a genre that lets you explore morality and ethics in way that no other genre can. Plus, it's one of the few genres that can combine with others to create something unique. Some of the best horror films are sci-fi."

* Avoid Clichés

"Many filmmakers just go for the cliché, because it's what they've seen," Gwynn laments. "They don't ask why it should be there. Don't just drop it in. Give it a reason. Otherwise, clichés take your audience out of the film and makes them roll their eyes.

"The days of the slasher are dead. We've seen everything we can. In the 1980s, slashers were fresh and new. For a brief period in the late 1990s, they became fresh again with Wes Crazen's Scream. But since then they've become cliché.

"We have an annual event at a local theater, called Horrorthon. The creator, Damir Catic, gets horror directors to come and screen one of their films. This year he had the director of Jason Goes to Hell premiere Secret Santa -- a hilarious horror film that also made me jump. It used clichés in a way I hadn't seen. He made the clichés work.

* Monsters Should Be Scary

"I love zombies," said Gwynn, "but not only have they become cliché, few movies or TV shows use them in a fun, scary way. Everyone wants to make them cool.

"And I'm sick of beautiful, sexy vampires. Enough already. They aren't fabulous creatures. They're monsters who feast on our blood. They don't fucking sparkle and have perfect jaw bones. They are to be feared.

"If anything in current horror annoys me, it's making monsters cool and sexy. Keep them frightening. Make me want to run from them, not fuck them."

* Keep the Monster Offscreen

"The best tip is an old tip: What you don't see is always more terrifying than what you do see.

"I miss 1970s horror. The smart horror that made you think. That terrified you by showing nothing. The mindfuck horror. Tension is the best horror aphrodisiac.

"It's started to make a slow comeback with films like The Babadook and It Follows. Those films scared me and made me anxious. What made It Follows scary wasn't what you saw, but what your imagination created. Fuck with the mind more. Be less visceral. We've seen just about everything. Now scare us with what we can't see."

Despite all this, Gwynn admits that he "personally loves gore porn."

* Future Growth

Like Crypticon, The Zone and The Void screen at a convention. "Presenting at Comicpalooza has been a great success. It provides us with a built in audience.

"We've reached out to the Hollywood indie scene for judges. They've been spreading the word. Some of our films have garnered international attention. Our mayor has a new initiative to bring films to Houston. We are working with him on that. But currently the city is still trying to rebuild itself after Harvey.

"We canceled The Void this year because it was to take place a week or two after that disaster, and we know no one could afford to spend money on it. Nor were they in the mood. We'll try again next year."

================

For a behind-the-scenes look at horror film festivals and the festival directors who manage them, see Horror Film Festivals and Awards. This book also includes a directory of over 200 horror film festivals, and a list of festival award winners from dozens of festivals over several decades.

Horrific Film Fest Encourages Newer, Indie Filmmakers

The Horrific Film Fest in San Antonio, Texas held its 10th anniversary screening last October. That's an important milestone. Many horror film festivals arrive with a big promotional splash, only to disappear after their first year. To survive beyond two or three years is noteworthy. To attain a full decade shows admirable staying power.

While the Horrific Film Fest accepts "all kinds of horror films," shorts and features, its emphasis is on indie horror. "Our festival was created to help independent filmmakers show their films, and help them get distribution," said HFF owner George Ortiz. 

He adds that "X rated" films are not welcome.

Ortiz, who is also a filmmaker, offers the following tips to indie horror filmmakers:

* Budget for Marketing

"Many filmmakers only budget for their movies. They don't consider the marketing side and film festivals." Many film festivals charge hefty admissions fees. Make sure you've raised the money to pay for it, because Ortiz advises to "submit to as many festivals as you can" -- with the following two caveats ...

* Some Festivals Are Too Big

"Many filmmakers want to submit to bigger festivals. Nine out of ten times, they don't get in. You need to submit to the smaller festivals. Get your name out there first, before you try the big ones. That's just my personal opinion. No disrespect to anybody."

* Some Festivals Are Too Small

"Be careful with those online festivals. They are not real. They just want your money. You get nothing in return."

* Avoid YouTube

"Don't show all of your movie on YouTube. Only the trailer. You want to take your film to a festival. If it's on YouTube, nobody will come to see it at the festival."

* Meet Other Filmmakers

"Every year, I see filmmakers who just come to see their own film, and then they leave. You should want to see all the films, so you can see who you going against, and to cross promote, make friends, and ask questions of other filmmakers. Ask what kind of camera they used. Bond with actors and filmmakers, often from another country. Filmmakers who have won in past festivals have a greater understanding of film festivals, and how to take advantage of them. They know to bring posters, promotional materials, their cast. Newer filmmakers can learn from them.

Ortiz encourages newer filmmakers, and film students, to submit their works. "The Horrific Film Fest was created to help filmmakers showcase their talent and get distribution. Eight movies have been distributed from my film festival."

================

For a behind-the-scenes look at horror film festivals and the festival directors who manage them, see Horror Film Festivals and Awards. This book also includes a directory of over 200 horror film festivals, and a list of festival award winners from dozens of festivals over several decades.