World Horror Convention 2012 Film Festival Schedule

Remember I said ‘On Edge‘ is playing WHC 2012? Well, the full film festival schedule has been released by the organizers, who have put together an amazing line-up of cinematic horrors old and new.

‘On Edge’, starring Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Charley Boorman (The Emerald Forest) and Beth Murray, based on the short story by Christopher Fowler (Spanky, Hell Train) with cinematography by Alan Stewart (Sherlock Holmes) and special FX by Bob Keen (Hellraiser), screens in the International Horror Shorts selection on Friday March 30th, 3pm.

Entry to the film festival is free to anyone attending WHC 2012, and separate tickets are available for all screenings for those wishing to take in a few movies outside of the main event.

If you’re in Salt Lake City this weekend, be sure to check out the films. It is an honor to be part of such a cool line-up.

Here are the full details, courtesy of the WHC 2012 website: http://www.whc2012.org/filmfestival.html

Here is the film festival schedule for WHC 2012. We will be featuring entries from filmmakers across the U.S. as well as England and Australia, with a special emphasis on locally made (Utah) films. The festival will also serve as the world premiere location for “Down the Road” starring Clint Howard, and “Abraham vs. Zombies” from The Asylum. With the exception of “Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies” all films will be screened in the Blue Spruce Room:

Film Festival ~ Screening Schedule

Thursday, March 29th

4:00 p.m. “The Bake Street Haunting” (feature film)

6:00 p.m. “Down the Road” (feature film)

Friday, March 30th

1:00 p.m. “Bite Nite” (feature film)

3:00 p.m. International Horror Shorts, featuring “Alistair,” “On Edge,” “Love Bug,” and “Night of the Little Dead”

4:00 p.m. Viscera Film Festival Shorts, featuring 10 horror films from women filmmakers

5:00 p.m. John Skipp Screening, featuring “Stay at Home Dad” and “Rose: Fetching Danny” with filmmaker Q&A

6:00 p.m. “Ground Zero” (feature film) with filmmaker Q&A

Saturday, March 31st

12:00 p.m. “Disembodied” (short) and “Disembodied 2” (feature film) with filmmaker Q&A.

2:00 p.m. Favorite Shorts, featuring “Skye,” “Seance,” and three films from Killship Productions: “Living With Zombies,” “Ben Whitman Hears Voices,” and “Offing Adolf” with filmmaker Q&A

3:00 p.m. Best of Utah Shorts, featuring “Monstrosity,” “4,” “Capital Punishment,” and “Doppelganger” with filmmaker Q&A

4:30 p.m. “The Jar” (short) with filmmaker Q&A

5:00 p.m. “An Evening with My Comatose Mother” with filmmaker Q&A

6:00 p.m. Best of Utah Shorts 2, featuring the premiere of a zombie music video from Amorous, “Amendment,” “Serum X,” “All Night Laundry,” and “The Brink” with filmmaker Q&A

10:30 p.m. “Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies” (feature film)

Sunday, April 1st

12:00 p.m. Best Feature Film

2:00 p.m. Best Short Films

3:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony

4:00 p.m. 2012 WHC Film Festival Ends

Countdown to The Lamplighters: 5 days

Today’s Lamplighters countdown post is all about ‘Simone’, a short horror film with… bite.

I wrote the screenplay, originally entitled ‘Hair of the Dog’, a few years back with a view to shooting it in London someday. Those plans never came to fruition (for further details on that, check out the print edition of ‘Urbane and Other Horror Tales).

The project was given a new lease of life when indie filmmakers 386 Films of Florida USA optioned the screenplay. Within just a few months, uber-prolific director Joops Fragale and producer Michael Long had adapted the screenplay, cast the film, assembled a killer crew – and shooting was underway.

Since its completion, the film has been very well received at film festivals, winning awards including Best Short (Audience Award) at Shockerfest, CA USA along the way, not to mention a raft of positive reviews. The finished film is almost double the length of my original screenplay, which focused mainly on the black comedy aspect of waking up with a hangover and not remembering what happened the night before. Joops and his team added a dark, melancholy love story to the mix and the end result is in my view a very unique and atmospheric movie.

Simone screens in London tonight at Crystal Palace Pictures‘ Halloween Special, opening for one of my very favourite movies of recent years, The Orphanage. If South London is a little far away from you, be sure to check out the 386 Films website for photos, reviews, an EPK, and those all-important DVDetails!

‘Til next slime, take scare.

Countdown to The Lamplighters: 6 days

check out On Edge at South African Horrorfest 2011!

Today’s Lamplighters Countdown post is all about the South African Horrorfest, which kicks off today at the eloquently named Labia Theatre in Cape Town.

This amazing festival has an embarrassment of treats on offer; everything from costume parties, live music, thru zombie walks and screenings of dozens of short films and features to give you goosebumps and set your teeth On Edge with fright.

Hee, that’s right trick or treaters, my own horror short ‘On Edge‘ screens on Thursday 4th November, along with dark delights including ‘The Theatre Bizarre’ and a prize draw that will see one lucky winner staggering away with 40+ DVDs.

On Edge‘ (adapted from the story by Christopher Fowler) stars Doug Bradley (perhaps best known as ‘Pinhead’ from the Hellraiser movies 1-8) and Charley Boorman (The Emerald Forest, Excalibur) and tells the wicked tale of impatient businessman Peter Thurlow (Boorman) who jumps the queue at the dentist’s surgery… and gets a little more than he bargained for when he meets enigmatic dentist Dr. Matthews (Bradley). The film has played festivals around the world and has garnered several awards along the way (including Best Horror Short, 1st Place at Dragon*Con USA 2009). Horrorfest marks the film’s South African debut.

If Cape Town is a little far away for your dental appointment, you can check out the film online and the DVD/VOD release is available at Amazon.com.

The South Africa Horrorfest runs 26 Oct-4 Nov and you can check out the full line-up at the official siteFacebook Group & Event Page and follow events via the festival’s Twitter.

Samhain Horror Top 10, Ginger Nuts of Horror interview

some ginger nuts, earlier today

Happy to report ‘The Lamplighters’ is in at #8 in Samhain Publishing’s Top 10 Horror Bestsellers.


Huge thanks to all of you who are pre-ordering the novel, out 1 November in ebook (and 7 February in paperback).

My interview courtesy of host Jim Mcleod at The Ginger Nuts of Horror went live today, so grab yourself a biscuit and head on over to check out chat about books, movies, coffee and ginger nuts!

More tricks & treats coming soon, including a competition to win a ‘The Lamplighters‘ ebook!

Get your Panic on (Edge) this Hallowe’en!

A quick post to update you on the latest confirmed film festival & special gala screenings.

PANIC BUTTON:
28 October Abertoir Horror Double Bill (with Stalker), Aberystwyth
28 October Horrorthon, Dublin
03 November Horror & Fantasy Festival, San Sebastian
04 (with Q&A), 05, 08 November Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
for further details/times/updates, check: www.facebook.com/panicbuttonmovie

ON EDGE:
26 October-04 November South African Horrorfest, Cape Town
for further details/times/updates, check: www.horrorfest.info

See you at the movies!

Slew of Simone awards/interviews/reviews!

Congrats to the Simone cast & crew!

Short shocker SIMONE scooped a couple of awards this Hallowe’en season.

The Shockerfest 2010 audience bestowed the film with the honour of ‘Audience Choice: Best Short’, so huge congrats to the cast and crew who worked their asses off on this movie production.

If that wasn’t enough cause for celebration, Reel Terror Festival 2010 named Simone as the rcipient of their special ‘Best Girl on Girl-who-turns-into-a-monster Action’ Award. Way to go ladies, well done! You can watch the awards ceremony here.

A couple more Simone interviews/reviews have surfaced on the Interweb too – hit up the 386 Films website for links.

Elsewhere, Anne Billson gave ON EDGE a mention in her cool article about movie dentists on The Guardian website. The tooth is out there…

Vote Red Lines!*

Openfilm ‘Get It Made’ Contest

This cool online short film contest (supported by Hollywood star James Caan) will award $250,000 in feature film funding to one lucky winner. The Top 6 films (by user votes) will go to a Judging Panel. Voting ends July 31st 2010.

My entry is supernatural school detention shocker ‘Red Lines’, featuring Hellraiser icon Doug Bradley. The film won Best Short & Director at Fearless Tales Genre Festival USA and gave legendary director Tobe Hooper (and I quote) “the total creeps”. If you’d like the film to have a chance of going feature-length, please vote* for it here:

http://www.openfilm.com/videos/red_lines


*Apologies, there’s a brief free signup required to vote. And before I get accused of vote rigging, please note there are tons of other movies to vote for on the Openfilm site 🙂