JT Seaton Founds New Orleans Horror Film Festival

JT Seaton is the latest in a growing line of filmmakers-turned-film-festival-directors, an especially common phenomenon among horror film festivals. I learned this from Seaton at the 2011 Shriekfest horror film festival, which screened his short film, Divination.

Seaton recently founded the New Orleans Horror Film Festival, not to be confused with a previously announced New Orleans horror film festival called Circus of Terror.

The latter was to have its first screening in 2010. Its plans were destroyed by the BP gulf oil spill, and plans for a 2011 screening apparently never materialized.

Apart from Seaton, filmmakers (and other talent) turned festival directors include actress/producer Rachel Belofsky (Screamfest L.A.), actress Denise Gossett (Shriekfest), actress/filmmakers Shannon Lark and Heidi Martinuzzi (Viscera), script supervisor Michael Coulombe (Big Bear Horror-Fi), producer Pablo Guisa Koestinger (Morbido Film Fest), and filmmakers Elisabeth Fies (BleedFest), Shade Rupe (Deep Red International), Bryan Wolford (Drunken Zombie Film Festival), Eric Morgret (Maelstrom International), and Alex Bram (Carnival of Darkness). And, of course, there's writer/actor moi (Tabloid Witch Awards).

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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.

Horror Film Sound -- How to Do It Right

Since 2005, the Tabloid Witch Awards has honored film sound with a Best Sound Award. This is because sound is an often under appreciated element in filmmaking, and so the Tabloid Witch wishes to highlight those films that put sound to good aesthetic use.

Now there's a book that will teach horror filmmakers just about everything practical and "how to" about how to create, record, mix, and edit great soundtracks. Read our review of David Lewis Yewdall's Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound.

Yes, the book's expensive. But at least read the review before deciding on whether this book might help you with your future projects.

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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.

2001 Screamfest L.A. Horror Film Reviews

Here's a blast from horror's past...

Today Screamfest L.A. is the largest horror film festival in Los Angeles. A glitzy, high-profile event with Hollywood support. But back in 2001, at its first annual screening, Screamfest L.A. was still a small event.

A forerunner in this past decade's horror film festival boom, that first annual Screamfest was something of a historic event (at least for anyone who cares about horror film history). I'm proud to say I was there, reviewing those early Screamfest films for Horrorfind.com.

Ten years is a long time on the web, and Horrorfind has long since removed its film reviews (including mine). But now my report on the first annual Screamfest L.A. is available once again -- at Communist Vampires.

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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.

Must Winning Filmmakers Pay for Their Awards?

This morning I announced the winners of the 2011 Tabloid Witch Awards.

I then contacted the winning filmmakers. One of whom asked a curious question:

"This is great news indeed! ... A question though. Is there a place or service where I can purchase physical awards, and are there even any physical awards I can get?"

I replied:

"Yes, you get physical awards. You get plaques, which you can see at TabloidWitch.com. No, you don't have to purchase the awards. Are there festivals that actually make winners buy their own awards?"

To this, the filmmaker replied:

"Actually, sometimes, a festival will ask. Not usually a film festival, but I'd say about half of the competition fests ask for the cash money when you win to get the award. As it is, we've had about three of those so far."

In researching my upcoming book, Horror Film Festivals and Awards, I'd interviewed filmmakers who complained of "scam festivals" that try to profit on the filmmakers. But paying for an award you'd supposedly won is a new twist.

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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.

Michael J. Hein, RIP

Michael J. Hein, founder of the New York City Horror Film Festival, died last Saturday of a heart attack. He was 41.

NorthJersey.com reports that Hein's 2001 directorial debut Biohazardous, "led to the development of the New York City Horror Film Festival.

" 'Mike was submitting Biohazardous to various film festivals and realized there was no horror festival in New York,' said Anthony Pepe, a special-effects makeup artist who worked with Mr. Hein on Biohazardous and other projects.

"Mr. Hein and Pepe launched the five-day, Halloween-season festival in 2002 at the Tribeca Film Center. Mr. Hein was festival director and Pepe the programming director. The event screened 30 films its first year.

"Last year it was based at Tribeca Cinemas. With Mr. Hein's death, the status of the 10th annual New York City Horror Film Festival, is up in the air, his mother said."

2011 Viscera Festival to Screen on July 17th in Los Angeles

Los Angeles's 405 freeway is closing this weekend -- Angelinos are calling the expected traffic nightmare Carmageddon -- but that hasn't stopped the all-women nightmares at the Viscera Horror Film Festival, scheduled for this Sunday.

Viscera promises "some of the most creative and original new short horror films made by women today. Some are terrifying, some are pulse pounding, and some are hilarious. All showcase what can be accomplished when twisted, cool, darkside-proud women get down to business."

TIME:

Sunday, July 17, 2011

5 p.m. -- Screenings begin.
8 p.m. -- Back patio "after party."
10 p.m. -- A second "after party at the Rosewood Tavern, 448 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, Ca 90036, ph: (323) 944-0980

PLACE:

The Silent Movie Theater
611 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca. 90036
ph: (323) 655-2520

Tickets may be purchased at: Advance tickets

$15 online. $20 at the door.

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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.

South Africa's Celludroid Film Festival to Honor Richard Stanley

Festival director Paul Blom reports that his upcoming Celludroid Film Festival brings a "wild lineup of Science Fiction, Animation and Fantasy movies."

Apart from film screenings, Celludroid will honor South African horror/sci-fi filmmaker Richard Stanley (Hardware and Dust Devil).

I've seen both films several times, and though produced over 20 years ago, they hold up to contemporary films. Hardware is a powerful and beautiful post-apocalyptic horror/sci-fi thriller, whereas Dust Devil infuses a heavy dose of mysticism to its weirdly horror tale.

Only the latter film was shot in Africa, and Stanley makes effective use of the Dark Continent's unique landscapes.

Celludroid will screen at the Labia Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa. The event runs from July 5-14, 2011.

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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.