tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19767372041266474312024-03-13T10:49:11.394-04:00Hunting Humans - The SagaThis is about the movie written/directed by Kevin Kangas, and will include pretty much everything you never wanted to know about it. Some interesting(I hope) factoids and tips on shooting an indy movie, and maybe even some pics of naked ladies.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-113950005691694562016-06-07T07:57:00.002-04:002016-06-07T07:57:21.280-04:00Hunting Humans Remastered on Amazon Streaming Now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wnQ_0uRX_8/V1a18Vpy51I/AAAAAAAAD98/lpgQ62jZYDMo4Trq7_wFCJ1Jf5sgQnqMwCLcB/s1600/00048773f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wnQ_0uRX_8/V1a18Vpy51I/AAAAAAAAD98/lpgQ62jZYDMo4Trq7_wFCJ1Jf5sgQnqMwCLcB/s320/00048773f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Yeah, I have too many blogs and forget to mention when important things happen. Weirdly, without ever telling me about it, Amazon put Hunting Humans Remastered up. You can get it here!<br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/1Ycs0PE">http://amzn.to/1Ycs0PE</a><br />
<br />
If you want to see what I mean when I say "without ever telling me", then check out my other blog here which details my experiences with Createspace.<br />
<a href="http://indyfilmmakeradvs.blogspot.com/">http://indyfilmmakeradvs.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
And also of note to HH fans--I actually got a note from the serial killer Adam Leroy Lane, who was caught with HH in his truck's dvd player. Maybe I'll go into it later.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-55848360189130480692015-08-04T02:51:00.001-04:002015-08-04T02:51:48.653-04:00"Hunting Humans" Returns To Us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI1WRtvrhJk/VcBYU_3eVDI/AAAAAAAACd4/3fVYRzY5mqY/s1600/00048774f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TI1WRtvrhJk/VcBYU_3eVDI/AAAAAAAACd4/3fVYRzY5mqY/s320/00048774f.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
After twelve long years we have the license back to our film. (well, technically they still have six months from July for sell-off) But for all intents and purposes it's ours again.<br />
<br />
The question arises...what are we going to do with it?<br />
<br />
I haven't taken a look at the film is many years. The crew wanted to watch it one night on the set of "Garden of Hedon", and I was there but I'll tell you now that my brain wasn't and I was exhausted so didn't pay much attention.<br />
<br />
I took a look at the original master files I handed in to the distributor and the first thing I thought is, "Man, does that need some color correction". Back when I finished the film(1999) I had no idea what color correction was, and even if I did the software didn't really have any tools of value.<br />
<br />
Would color correction really improve the picture enough to merit me going through and scene by scene fixing?<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z2NGnAfxdbk" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
If you take a look at the sample I think you'll agree the answer is yes. The right side is the original way it was, the left is corrected.<br />
<br />
The image is never going to look amazing because we shot on 16mm film and only got the one-light transfer. But clearly I can improve the picture quite a bit.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's a second quick piece. This is how it originally looks:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6WzOcOhrqPo" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
This is how it looks with some simple color correction:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Q-Uk6Zk9T0" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
And this is how it would look with some color correction plus denoising, though too much.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nBuEtHovHn8" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
So I'm definitely going to go through and color correct the whole film for my own release to Amazon streaming, and also a dvd. If a Blu Ray seems warranted then I'll do that too.<br />
<br />
But you know what's great about looking at a movie you made around fifteen years ago? You get to see just how little you knew about making movies.<br />
<br />
We jumped the line a TON of times, resulting in eyeline mismatches. You may be like "What the hell are you talking about?", so let me show you.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnvhuJz8Gtg/VcBdM40s0fI/AAAAAAAACeU/Ao4-PFabBSM/s1600/ganz%2Bgun%2Bwrong.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnvhuJz8Gtg/VcBdM40s0fI/AAAAAAAACeU/Ao4-PFabBSM/s320/ganz%2Bgun%2Bwrong.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDjQihE63Gc/VcBdMi0XtbI/AAAAAAAACeQ/Rq9CxmeC5I8/s1600/ganz%2Bgun%2Bno%2Blevels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
See how these two are supposed to be facing off? The problem is that Rick on the left is aiming his gun frame left. But Bubby is frame right, so it doesn't look like they're facing each other. It looks like they're both looking in the same direction.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I can fix it this way:<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnvhuJz8Gtg/VcBdM40s0fI/AAAAAAAACeU/Ao4-PFabBSM/s1600/ganz%2Bgun%2Bwrong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ST12mWUVZc4/VcBdMXmpcyI/AAAAAAAACeI/eNByXau8WKQ/s1600/ganz%2Bgun%2Bcorrect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ST12mWUVZc4/VcBdMXmpcyI/AAAAAAAACeI/eNByXau8WKQ/s320/ganz%2Bgun%2Bcorrect.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
See how they appear to be looking at each other now? The cut works now. Granted, now Rick is using his left hand to fire but as long as it's not a continuity error you can do it like this using the horizontal flip.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDjQihE63Gc/VcBdMi0XtbI/AAAAAAAACeQ/Rq9CxmeC5I8/s1600/ganz%2Bgun%2Bno%2Blevels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDjQihE63Gc/VcBdMi0XtbI/AAAAAAAACeQ/Rq9CxmeC5I8/s320/ganz%2Bgun%2Bno%2Blevels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Oh, and if you wanted to see what it looked like before I corrected it.<br />
<br />
Here's another scene where we screwed up. You can't quite tell but Joe is frame right looking in the same direction as Rick(frame left). When this cuts together it doesn't feel like they're looking in the same direction.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJmoJ9mBv9M/VcBdNGmiCzI/AAAAAAAACec/_ekwpsiaLoM/s1600/ganz%2Brip%2Bconvo%2Borig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJmoJ9mBv9M/VcBdNGmiCzI/AAAAAAAACec/_ekwpsiaLoM/s320/ganz%2Brip%2Bconvo%2Borig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So a simple flip of Joe, and it's okay. Sure, the part in his hair flips, but most audiences won't even notice. (trust me)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SyI8QI-kqGs/VcBdM6iZvNI/AAAAAAAACeY/mlxkiRMEwfI/s1600/ganz%2Brip%2Bconvo%2Borig%2Bcorrect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SyI8QI-kqGs/VcBdM6iZvNI/AAAAAAAACeY/mlxkiRMEwfI/s320/ganz%2Brip%2Bconvo%2Borig%2Bcorrect.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally this one, which isn't correctable but is acceptable as is. See, on the left half he's driving frame right. But on the cut he's driving frame left.<br />
<br />
It's pretty bizarre, but clearly we did it because we couldn't get a great shot through the passenger side(we were driving parallel to it in a minivan), so we drove on the other side.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lk5VI3cOzNg/VcBdMR3iC0I/AAAAAAAACeM/8gBwAVoXxZ4/s1600/car%2Bjump.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lk5VI3cOzNg/VcBdMR3iC0I/AAAAAAAACeM/8gBwAVoXxZ4/s320/car%2Bjump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's little things like this that make you cringe as a filmmaker.<br />
<br />
Finally I've decided to go ahead and redo the end credits because they're hard to read, and if I do a Blu Ray at some point I'm going to have to redo them as they're super blurry when blown up.<br />
<br />
Here's the original creds followed by what they may look like in the future. Unfortunately I didn't have the original After Effects file I used, so I had to do it manually. Luckily I'm a really fast typist. <br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6NvKg9dD_qY/VcBgcB6iitI/AAAAAAAACe8/G6yNf0R-4vI/s1600/credits%2Bold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6NvKg9dD_qY/VcBgcB6iitI/AAAAAAAACe8/G6yNf0R-4vI/s320/credits%2Bold.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7fzFxcgU_O0/VcBgcZqTK7I/AAAAAAAACfA/L7s3Zehtd34/s1600/credits%2Bnew.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7fzFxcgU_O0/VcBgcZqTK7I/AAAAAAAACfA/L7s3Zehtd34/s320/credits%2Bnew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Anyway, keep your eye out here for more updates!
Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-57348655448917998612011-10-24T23:03:00.000-04:002011-10-24T23:03:06.841-04:00Little Snippet of GoodnessA couple people had asked me whether I had done any more on HH2, the script.<br />
<br />
The answer is, not really. I had about 35 pages--only about 25 sequential, then 10 with various conversations, notes, and then the ending.<br />
<br />
But here it is with a few more than I last posted. So if you're interested, check it out. It's still early-draft stuff, but you might like it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kangaskahnfilms.com/hh2-txt.htm">http://www.kangaskahnfilms.com/hh2-txt.htm</a><br />
<br />
And Aric gets SOOOOO badass in this script, it's really hard to tell who I'm rooting for, the good guy or Aric...Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-8194166781359136962011-08-31T00:39:00.000-04:002011-08-31T00:39:53.108-04:00July 24th, 2008: Blast From The Past<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DVJc5luokAs/Tl262qP807I/AAAAAAAAA2A/CjOVpMttUY4/s1600/tmp-mon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DVJc5luokAs/Tl262qP807I/AAAAAAAAA2A/CjOVpMttUY4/s320/tmp-mon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i><b>Funny afternote: The actor I met at this screening was Richard Cutting. I tried to cast him in Bounty, but it didn't work out, but we reconnected later on and he's starring in my new flick "Garden of Hedon". </b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>The theater is closed again though...</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>July 24th, 2008:</b><br />
<br />
So there's a local movie playing a couple of nights at a theater near me. It's a Western. I'm still looking for decent actors for my flick, and one of the actors already IN my flick says he's going, so I decide to go.<br />
<br />
I hear it's at Westview Theatres and my first thought is--"Hey, I shot HH at a theater in Westview, but they tore that theater down."<br />
<br />
I drive up there. Turns out it's the EXACT theater. Apparently it wasn't torn down, it was just bought my an indy theater chain.<br />
<br />
I park around back where Aric stalked the projectionist(I took this picture today), and the memory of it all is VERY overwhelming. I haven't been up there in about 10 years.<br />
<br />
I meet up with Neil, an actor I wrote the part for, and we go inside and watch the flick. IN THE EXACT AUDITORIUM Aric kills all those movie-goers. It was weird to say the least.<br />
<br />
Good news--one actor in the film is particularly strong, and it turns out Neil knows him, and he was sitting right in front of us during the screening. He said hi to Neil after the showing, and I was startled to find out he's nothing like the character he played in the movie--which was a big sign of how good an actor he was, that I actually expected him to be somewhat like his character.<br />
<br />
I think he could play one of the main roles I've been having a hard time casting. I'm gonna set up a time to audition him.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-77108974603776533292011-04-19T17:10:00.000-04:002011-04-19T17:10:47.280-04:00May 28th, 2008: Mail...and MURDER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kXEjWDgei8/Ta36TtMpJWI/AAAAAAAAAy8/FgLF62vxg90/s1600/tmp-milner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kXEjWDgei8/Ta36TtMpJWI/AAAAAAAAAy8/FgLF62vxg90/s320/tmp-milner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I got a letter yesterday in my company's PO box. In the interest of preserving it rather than retyping it, I've uploaded it so you can read it for yourselves. (I blacked out info to preserve some semblance of anonymity)<br />
<br />
You should be able to zoom in on it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kangaskahnfilms.com/milner-letter.jpg">LETTER</a><br />
<br />
Anyway, yeah, the guy's in prison. His name looks familiar to me so I googled it. And here's a little tidbit about him:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">"His statement begins with details of how Milner, then 19, lured 17-year-old Frankie Garcia to a rural Carson County barn with a promise of beer.<br />
<br />
Once inside the barn, Milner said he hit Garcia and told him to get down on his knees. Milner then took a rifle he'd hidden in the barn and told Garcia to put the barrel of the gun in his mouth.<br />
<br />
"He grabbed hold of the barrel and I said now put it in your mouth," Milner told the Ranger. "And we just sat and I just kind of made him beg a little bit and then I just shot him."<br />
<br />
Mull asked Milner whether Garcia said anything before he died.<br />
<br />
Milner's reply: "He said, 'Please, please don't do this."'<br />
<br />
When Mull asked how many times Garcia was shot, Milner said:<br />
<br />
"Once, I made sure it was quick. The only time he suffered was when he was scared."<br />
<br />
After killing Garcia, Milner said he went to Lake McClellan where he knew a large birthday celebration was being held.<br />
<br />
"My intention was to I guess rack up a body count," Milner said in his confession. </span><br />
<br />
Anyway, he was to serve three life prison sentences(he wounded but didn't kill any of the people at the party) but some technicality knocked his sentence down. He'll be eligible for parole somewhere in 2012 or something.<br />
<br />
Cool, eh? My murderer-fan club seems to grow by the day!<br />
<br />
But then today I got a package in my company PO Box with the new Jack Reacher novel that doesn't come out for a couple of weeks. Some fans knew I love those books and sent me the hardcover! And just a little note with their names, but no email or anything so I can thank them.<br />
<br />
Not sure how they got it early, but it's super cool.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-64261566485342074382011-03-04T23:22:00.002-05:002011-03-04T23:24:49.372-05:00February 26, 2008: SK Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J2pmBx-am_Y/TXG7CW-EpEI/AAAAAAAAAx4/23zbsr7MiPU/s1600/tmp-hh-dvd-killer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J2pmBx-am_Y/TXG7CW-EpEI/AAAAAAAAAx4/23zbsr7MiPU/s1600/tmp-hh-dvd-killer.jpg" /></a></div>This story just continues. They just ran this on 48 hours mystery last week:<br />
<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7357146n">CBS NEWS 48 HOURS</a><br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Feb 26, 2008<br />
For those of you who don't know(and I can't remember if I mentioned it in this blog), an alleged serial killer(confirmed kill of 1, and they're linking him to more now) was caught and they found a copy of my first movie in his truck. <br />
<br />
Yeah, my first flick which is basically a how-to-be-a-serial-killer movie.<br />
<br />
Yay me.<br />
<br />
If you're interested, you can read a ton of articles at <a href="http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&safe=off&q=trucker+murder+hunting+humans&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&fp=18e4c0cc530c3619">THIS LINK</a>. <br />
<br />
There's tons of them, and CNN even had a little video spot showing a clip from my flick.<br />
<br />
Well, this month's People has a little three-page article featuring the story of the last family he attacked(where he got caught), and they even mention my flick in there.<br />
<br />
The best thing, though, will be if he turns out to be an actual serial killer. See, I stole the name of my flick from a book--it's an encyclopedia of serial killers. They update it every ten years or so.<br />
<br />
So if he turns out to be a serial killer, they'll mention my movie in his listing in the very book that helped inspire the film in the first place. Man, talk about the circle of life(or death, as it is).Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-32437271205862884782011-02-06T14:04:00.000-05:002011-02-06T14:04:12.912-05:00September 16th, 2007: The serial killer entryHere's the actual note in my log where I first started hearing about the killer who was caught with HH in his truck.<br />
<br />
Okay, if you haven't seen this yet, check it out:<br />
<br />
CHECK VIDEO BELOW<br />
<br />
Pretty weird. I'm torn about how I feel about it. Obviously it's pretty horrendous, but if you've seen the film you know I have a pretty twisted sense of the world. I've read about every serial killer who ever lived, and there's always some interesting footnote about each.<br />
<br />
And now my flick will be one of the interesting footnotes to this guy's description. I know it's a bad thing, but part of me is a little thrilled.<br />
<br />
Not so coincidentally, I've been watching the imdbpro moviemeter on HH go up. Three weeks ago it was 52,000 and some change. (FOC hovers around 18,000) Two weeks ago when the story broke it moved up to 22,000.<br />
<br />
This week it's 15,928.<br />
<br />
And to answer your question: No, I don't get any piece of increased rentals.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-72623605239668824562011-01-22T22:35:00.000-05:002011-01-22T22:35:25.491-05:00FYE Banner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhqhx2PpI/AAAAAAAAAwg/y3EftKIIbO4/s1600/hh+frightfest+banner-crop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhqhx2PpI/AAAAAAAAAwg/y3EftKIIbO4/s320/hh+frightfest+banner-crop1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhwO44ynI/AAAAAAAAAwo/14Yhxvaqx_o/s1600/hh+frightfest+banner-hhonly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhwO44ynI/AAAAAAAAAwo/14Yhxvaqx_o/s320/hh+frightfest+banner-hhonly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>November 12, 2007 </b><br />
<br />
A buddy of mine that works at FYE brought me a present yesterday. It's a 6 FOOT by 6 FOOT cardstock posterboard that all FYE's had hanging up for Halloween. It says FAN FRIGHT FEST across it, and features like 100 movie box covers on it.<br />
<br />
There's Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Scream, The Ring. A lot of big movies.<br />
<br />
Why did he bring this to me? Smack dab in the middle of them is my first flick, HH.<br />
<br />
No, I can't explain it. There are no other microbudget movies on there. If they were gonna put one of my flicks on there, I'd have bet it would be FOC, since FOC had LGF as a distributor.<br />
<br />
HH has a nobody distributor(it's now with a company called Trinity). So I can't explain why they'd put it on there--but it's very cool to be featured on there with some distinguished company.<br />
<br />
But I'll be the first to admit that it shouldn't be there amongst those giants...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhuPC0qyI/AAAAAAAAAwk/cFe0e9OmTPw/s1600/hh+frightfest+banner-pic2-crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TTuhuPC0qyI/AAAAAAAAAwk/cFe0e9OmTPw/s320/hh+frightfest+banner-pic2-crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Some of the lower ones...</b></div>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-4317921818348539592011-01-11T21:09:00.000-05:002011-01-11T21:09:17.970-05:00The Serial Killer Who Loved Hunting HumansI'll have more about this as we get to its entry into the HH log, but I'm not sure how long the Tube will leave it up there, since technically I don't own the footage. (to which I say, THEY didn't own MY footage, but they put it in their video anyway...)<br />
<br />
But if you wanna see the CNN clip they played for a while, you can catch it below. Note, they get into the actual DVD details at about the 2 minute mark.<br />
<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c8wDUEXz9Go?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c8wDUEXz9Go?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-82825411831456041422011-01-08T21:18:00.000-05:002011-01-08T21:18:55.496-05:00Foreign DistributionSo as I said, we licensed foreign rights to IFM World Releasing, a company run by Tony Ginnane. I knew nothing about the guy. Talked to him on the phone a couple of times. Seemed pretty gruff and no-nonsense.<br />
<br />
It was funny that years later you can see him in the excellent documentary on Australian horror films called "Not Quite Hollywood". I highly recommend the documentary. Anyway, turns out he used to be a producer of a lot of the "Ozploitation" flicks.<br />
<br />
Anyway, you might be surprised to find out that HH has been licensed to about 30 foreign countries. These are some:<br />
India<br />
French-speaking Africa<br />
France<br />
Benelux(had never heard of this country before we licensed it)<br />
Czech Republic<br />
Thailand<br />
Spain and Andora<br />
Indonesia<br />
Slovakia<br />
United Kingdom<br />
<br />
I try to get dvd copies of each foreign copy, but it's pretty hard. Also, some of those rights went to free television or the like, so there is no physical copy to buy.<br />
<br />
But it is a lot of fun to watch Rick talk and hear some foreign dude's voice come out. Here's some of the foreign covers I own.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkZx4PASdI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/r7hIkp0lA5U/s1600/hh-french.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkZx4PASdI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/r7hIkp0lA5U/s320/hh-french.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkZ0bHauQI/AAAAAAAAAwU/w2vY29UhyUY/s1600/hh-thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkZ0bHauQI/AAAAAAAAAwU/w2vY29UhyUY/s320/hh-thailand.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSka2OuMHjI/AAAAAAAAAwY/EKIbkP68Z7s/s1600/hh+uk+maybe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSka2OuMHjI/AAAAAAAAAwY/EKIbkP68Z7s/s320/hh+uk+maybe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> That's right, that's not even Rick ON the cover. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(kinda looks like Screech with a five-o'clock shadow...)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSka4erNV1I/AAAAAAAAAwc/KsXXDJfHWxQ/s1600/hh+uk+maybe+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSka4erNV1I/AAAAAAAAAwc/KsXXDJfHWxQ/s320/hh+uk+maybe+2.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkY_KkqIFI/AAAAAAAAAwM/4WMXRjyDC9w/s1600/hh-aust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TSkY_KkqIFI/AAAAAAAAAwM/4WMXRjyDC9w/s320/hh-aust.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-37797957079559525272010-12-12T21:28:00.000-05:002010-12-12T21:28:45.368-05:00So that was the final entry into the HH logBut I continued to blog about it in private, anything that happened to do with HH. So, in the continuing effort to amuse you faceless masses, I will post those too...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday, July 26, 2005</b></span><br />
<b><br />
So there was this contest...</b><br />
<br />
I can't remember how it came up. I think someone mentioned that I ought to do a "Hunting Humans" comic book, and I said I didn't have the time, and this writer buddy chimed in that he could write it.<br />
<br />
I guess I probably looked at him funny. He then got a little insulted and said, "What, you don't think I can do it?" And I said that really, no one can get Aric Blue's voice to really sound like it should(and by voice I mean the way they talk, their personality).<br />
<br />
So--and you'd think he was drunk, but he doesn't drink--he says "I bet I can write Aric better than you can." And I remember laughing.<br />
<br />
He devised a contest--we would both write one issue of a "Hunting Humans" comic and get three objective people to take a look.<br />
<br />
About six weeks later we both had our comics. I really just translated the beginning of my "Hunting Humans 3" script into comic form(I didn't have the time to write any new stuff, and please don't ask me about HH2).<br />
<br />
We only found 2 judges(one was the other writer's wife) and we turned them over with no author's names on them anywhere. We asked 3 questions: Which was a better comic, which did they like better, and which one was closer to the Aric from the movie.<br />
<br />
The first judge(our very own Stewie) emailed me his results--all three in my favor. He thought the other Aric was far too angry to be the Aric from HH.<br />
<br />
Then the other judge chimed in(after informing me that she thought she could tell the difference in the scripts just by looking at the formatting, and she was right)--she liked the other writer's script as a comic better, but she agreed my Aric was closer to the movie. (Personally, I think she just said she liked his better out of pity)<br />
<br />
So we don't need a third judge, because I've already won two out of three.<br />
<br />
The point is...I don't think anyone can write Aric better than I can. I created him. He lives in me, since a huge part of me is him. I've written two and half scripts with him, as well as a ten page bio sheet before I started HH.<br />
<br />
The other writer had my wife and I over for dinner the other day where he tried to lose graciously, and failed. Better luck next time!Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-66367832371605899592010-10-04T01:25:00.000-04:002010-10-04T01:25:04.132-04:00May 25th, 2003<b>HH never made us any real money. It slightly more than broke even, but got us a nice profile. We got some very good reviews and MTI got it into every Blockbuster and Hollywood Video out there.</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>IFM still has the foreign rights and I never did audit them. Frankly, if I had the money I would, but I think by the end of it I'd end up spending so much on an accountant that we'd owe even more money...</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TKljy0IyGKI/AAAAAAAAAsg/hCvKXZhUJ5k/s1600/tmphh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TKljy0IyGKI/AAAAAAAAAsg/hCvKXZhUJ5k/s320/tmphh.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><b>We had an expense cap at which point they couldn't take expenses any more, and it's funny how they seem to stop selling your title when the expenses reach that cap.</b><br />
<br />
<b>MAY 25th</b><br />
<br />
Final entry in my HH diary. I’ve started the Fear Of Clowns diary, so this will just sort of move into that.<br />
HH comes out on July 22nd. It’s been given an R rating by the MPAA.<br />
<br />
So far I’ve only gotten one check from Tulchin but I’m expecting two more for the domestic distribution, then some for the foreign. We'll basically break even on the deal for domestic, but my main objective was to get our movie distributed so we can aim a little higher on the next flick.<br />
<br />
On the foreign front, we got a statement from IFM--the foreign guys--that says they’ve sold $31,000 worth of territories. They’ve collected like $14,000 of that, and they’re billing us like $18,000 in expenses.<br />
<br />
Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Clearly I’m going to have to audit the company. More money out of my pocket.<br />
<br />
Anyway, feels strange to end this diary, but since I’m really just continuing on in the other one, I guess it’s not so bad.<br />
<br />
One movie down. Infinity to go. One movie at a time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TKllEn4o0pI/AAAAAAAAAsk/cI3SSUIaB5g/s1600/hh-fango.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TKllEn4o0pI/AAAAAAAAAsk/cI3SSUIaB5g/s320/hh-fango.JPG" width="257" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> HH article in Fangoria</b></div>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-1530030879922809222010-09-02T03:21:00.002-04:002010-09-02T03:21:09.498-04:00We Interrupt This Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TH9QF1CTG3I/AAAAAAAAAis/VVDIX7gNlZw/s1600/GoH_12x18_A-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TH9QF1CTG3I/AAAAAAAAAis/VVDIX7gNlZw/s200/GoH_12x18_A-sm.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>To bring you this--we're trying to raise the last 25% of our budget on the new flick through crowd-sourcing via Indiegogo. So we're asking everybody's help!<br />
<br />
But don't worry--there's some cool incentives to be had with your donation! Check out the link below to see the teaser and more info!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/GOH">http://www.indiegogo.com/GOH</a>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-87909140343541019902010-08-31T07:38:00.003-04:002010-08-31T07:39:34.705-04:00March 16th, 2003<b>March 16, 2003</b><br />
<br />
Okay. Was the Joe Bob thing back in October? For real?<br />
<br />
Damn. The quick summary then.<br />
<br />
We’ve signed both foreign and domestic deals for Hunting Humans. The foreign with IFM was done first. They recently sent me magazines from AFM and MIFED with ads for Hunting Humans including the poster. <br />
AFM and MIFED are two of the biggest marketplaces for selling movie rights. IFM attends both.<br />
<br />
One of the magazines has a small article where they credit Lisa Michele with being in Enemy of the State.<br />
See, when I was making the press kit I couldn’t get Lisa’s bio. I called her, I emailed her. Nothing. So I made it up. I said she’d had parts in Enemy of the State, The Replacements, and a few other movies shot locally.<br />
<br />
Apparently they liked that and used it in the article.<br />
<br />
Pretty funny.<br />
<br />
Anyway, part of the whole distribution process is “delivery”. That’s where you have to get them the master and it needs to pass “quality control”. We had TONS of problems. Cost a bit of money to fix it. That will, of course, be coming out of our end.<br />
<br />
<br />
It took a lot of time, but now we’re just waiting to hear when and where the movie will come out. The contract has a tentative date of May 15th, so we’ll see. The day I walk into Blockbuster Video and see it on their shelf will be the last big high for Hunting Humans.<br />
<br />
Meantime, we’re prepping for Fear Of Clowns.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-34656307764327312702010-08-08T00:19:00.000-04:002010-08-08T00:19:01.955-04:00November 1st, 2002: Email to Rick from Joe Bob Briggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TF4wL_RlQ9I/AAAAAAAAAdw/XUD7VNV7vks/s1600/joebob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TF4wL_RlQ9I/AAAAAAAAAdw/XUD7VNV7vks/s320/joebob.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Rick got this reply from Joe Bob, in which he's referring to the rash of snipings in the D.C. area in regards to HH's subject material:<br />
<br />
Email from Joe Bob to Rick:<br />
<br />
<i>Dear Rick,<br />
> <br />
> Oh my God! You made that movie and you live<br />
> in Maryland? Has Chief<br />
> Moose been to your house yet? You guys have either<br />
> the best or the worst<br />
> timing of any filmmakers in history!<br />
> <br />
> GREAT job, man. You convinced me.<br />
> <br />
> Hang in there,<br />
> <br />
> Joe Bob</i>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-75190284629285185692010-07-18T03:18:00.000-04:002010-07-18T03:18:13.889-04:00Special Excerpt: Stalking Kevin Smith at Phillycon 2002<div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo6euAwCI/AAAAAAAAAdA/FYPciyrwqIU/s1600/CHICK_B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo6euAwCI/AAAAAAAAAdA/FYPciyrwqIU/s320/CHICK_B.JPG" /></a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This hot chick really has nothing to do with this story...</b></div><br />
I mean, first off, how many people have stalked Kevin Smith? It must drive him crazy...Also, it's funny to read that I was trying to give him a tape. Yes, a VCR tape...man, times change fast.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm at the Philadelphia Wizard Convention in 2002 on Friday and I miss an early chance to get into a line to get him to sign shit. That is where the story begins... <br />
<br />
<b>Stalking of Kevin Smith:</b><br />
<br />
I find out that Kevin Smith is signing stuff right then. I grab my movie and high-tail it over to him. They've capped off the line though. No more people until the signing the next morning. <br />
<br />
Yes, that's right, morning. As in, A.M. <br />
<br />
I try to put it from my mind. I buy some stuff for the store, try to get the lay of the land, and in general do nothing of consequence. <br />
<br />
The next morning I get up at the ungodly time of 9:45am. I take my patented three-minute shower and am in the show within five minutes of it opening. Target: Kevin Smith. <br />
<br />
I'm informed that they're already out of tickets for the signing. I'm like, What The Fuck? This guy's the Special Guest and they're giving out like 100 tickets? <br />
<br />
My new plan involves bum-rushing Smith when they escort him in for the signing. The line has formed and he's supposed to show up at 11:00 A.M. <br />
<br />
I figure I'll catch him on his way in, force the tape into his hands, and run off like a lunatic. <br />
<br />
So I bide my time. I look at all the freakos and the Playboy chicks. I pretend I'm not going to assault the Special Guest.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKozHwOliI/AAAAAAAAAco/H8X3KS0HcgA/s1600/BOOBALINA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKozHwOliI/AAAAAAAAAco/H8X3KS0HcgA/s320/BOOBALINA.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>One such Playboy chick</b></div><br />
The time comes. 11:00 A.M. No Kevin Smith. 11:15 A.M. No Kevin Smith. I go back to the booth to make sure the guys don't need anything. As I'm coming back, Kevin Smith shows up. No way could I get to him before he was behind the line. <br />
<br />
Thwarted! Lost the battle, but not the war... <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo2ZEijxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/A9fyho386Ws/s1600/KSMITH.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo2ZEijxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/A9fyho386Ws/s320/KSMITH.JPG" /></a></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Yes, I see him now...</b></div><br />
I go up to the line. Instead of Smith sitting at a table signing, he's going to walk through the line chatting and signing. How cool would it be to get in that line? <br />
<br />
I approach a decent-looking fellow. Not one of those raving Kevin Smith fans who can tell you how many minutes each of his films are. A regular joe. I ask him if he wants to make $50. <br />
<br />
"Doing what?" he wants to know. I tell him. Give this tape to Smith. If Smith doesn't want it, fine, the guy can keep the fifty and give me back the tape. I'll be watching. <br />
<br />
The guy says Nah. <br />
<br />
I'm pissed. He asks me what's on the tape. I tell him. He says Nah again. <br />
<br />
So I try to bribe a Wizard security guy. I tell him "I'm a retailer and I got in here too late to get a ticket. Any way I can get in?" He says no, Smith was late and has to get done so he can get to the question and answer panel. <br />
<br />
"Fifty bucks?" I prod him. Clearly he'd like to, but there are too many other Wizard staffers there who'd see. He can't. <br />
<br />
Now I'm getting steamed. All this effin work to get a tape to the guy. I decide to bum rush him on the way out then. <br />
<br />
I spend the next two hours patiently watching and waiting. Some might say stalking. Those people are very intelligent and scare me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo2ZEijxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/A9fyho386Ws/s1600/KSMITH.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo2ZEijxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/A9fyho386Ws/s320/KSMITH.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Same picture, because I'm focused on my prey. He's in my sights. <br />
<br />
The line dwindles. Smith gets closer to the exit side of the line. <br />
<br />
I close in. I try not to make eye contact. Don't want to spook him. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo06wIWnI/AAAAAAAAAcw/1u67vyVJEDk/s1600/FERRIGNO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TEKo06wIWnI/AAAAAAAAAcw/1u67vyVJEDk/s320/FERRIGNO.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The HULK!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I marvel at how Lou Ferrigno(signing right next to Smith) is still in awesome shape. Isn't he like sixty years old now?<br />
<br />
Then, miracle of miracles, Smith is done. Other onlookers start to press against the rope trying to get him to sign stuff. He does! <br />
<br />
I make a frozen rope right to him. Calm, cool, collected. "Hey," I say, "Just wanted to give you a copy of my movie." <br />
<br />
He tells me he can't take it right now, but he'll be going by the Oni booth immediately after that and he'll pick it up there. Give it to Brian Johnson. <br />
<br />
I thank him, but inside I'm crestfallen. Is this the way he blows off people? Hey, what's that chick got to do with anything?<br />
<br />
At the Oni booth, I tell the guy that Kevin asked me to give this to Brian Johnson. He's nice, says he'll give it to him. He goes through the hut in the middle of the booth to the other side. <br />
<br />
I take off my hat(incognito now, baby!) and walk around the other side. Brian Johnson is one of the guys from Kevin Smith's movies(I think he plays Steve-Dave). He takes out the insert of the movie poster from Hunting Humans(my movie) and looks at it, shows it to one of the other actors from the Smith movies. <br />
<br />
After a moment he tucks it under the table. Will Kevin get it? Only one way to find out. <br />
<br />
I go back to where Smith is finishing signing. He's being mobbed and the Wizard guys are trying to get him out of there. Finally, they escort him away. Like his shadow, I follow. <br />
<br />
Sure enough, he goes right to the Oni booth. A mob follows him. As soon as he's on the other side, Brian Johnson(may his camels be forever flea-less) hands him my tape. Some words pass, but I can't make them out. Smith takes my tape into the little hut where he disappears for a half an hour to sign things. <br />
<br />
He's got it! Sweet! Mission accomplished. I pat myself on the back and go snap some pictures. Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee are signing in preparation for the twelve-issue run of Batman that they'll be doing. Jeph even smiles for me.<br />
<br />
<b>Postnote: I don't know whether he ever watched it. Never heard. Ah, well. It's a fun story now though...</b>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-42021909605390204342010-07-06T00:05:00.000-04:002010-07-06T00:05:10.254-04:00October 27th, 2002: Making Deals, Joe Bob review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TDKrOYFlpbI/AAAAAAAAAb4/0gFC-stqQRw/s1600/con-hotchick5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TDKrOYFlpbI/AAAAAAAAAb4/0gFC-stqQRw/s320/con-hotchick5.JPG" /></a></div><b>I have no picture for my post. So here's a hot chick I took a picture of at a comic convention where I stalked Kevin Smith. You'll read about it in the next blog post.</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>----------------</b></div><br />
<b>Funny afterword about this:</b><br />
<b>I'm not sure if we actually played the Chicago fest or not--one of our foreign dvd covers to HH says we played in it, so I'm confused...where'd they get that info? I don't know.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Also, Tony at IFM turns out to be Anthony Ginnane, who you can see in the very entertaining documentary Not Quite Hollywood, about Australian exploitation movies. He produced a bunch of movies before forming his own distribution label.</b><br />
<br />
<b>OCTOBER 27th</b><br />
<br />
Really ought to update this more often. So much has happened that it’s hard to believe.<br />
<br />
Okay, first and foremost, after a long talk with not only Paul(works at Tulchin’s) and Tony at IFM, we signed the deal with them for foreign. We’ll see how it works out. <br />
<br />
Second, I had sent the movie off to a couple of festivals to see if we could get in. Chicago Independent and Hollywood Film Festival both blew us off, not even telling us we didn’t get in. I mean, how hard is it to email someone? If you’ve got a small indy movie, DON’T send it to them. Chicago claims it’s independent but doesn’t seem to be.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the B-movie Film festival didn’t tell us that we got in, but they emailed me to tell us we were nominated for seven awards, so I’ll forgive them. Best Writing, Best Editing, Best Action Sequences, Best Villain, Best Actor, Best Score and Best Movie. Not bad! (Footnote: We ended up winning two, Best Editing and Best Action Sequences)<br />
<br />
And then there’s the sniper…<br />
<br />
If I had a dime for every person who jokingly asked me if I was the sniper, I’d have enough money to shoot my next movie. <br />
<br />
Then I get word from Mary Koon, assistant to Joe Bob Briggs.<br />
<br />
A quick word about Joe Bob, in case you don’t know who he is. You might remember him from his long run as the host of TNT’s Monstervision. He writes several syndicated columns throughout the country as well as putting out books with his compiled “Joe Bob’s Drive In” movie reviews.<br />
<br />
I had sent a screener to Joe Bob like eight months ago and figured it went into the trash(where the one I gave Kevin Smith probably is—see “Stalking Kevin Smith”(<b>NOTE: WILL BE THE NEXT BLOG POST</b>). <br />
<br />
Anyway, his assistant emails me to tell me Joe Bob’s review goes up on 10/23 and she thought I’d like it. She included the review with her email.<br />
<br />
I was elated. At least he didn’t hate it! And hey, Joe Bob actually watched MY movie! This is a guy I used to watch on the freakin’ TV! I’ve got two of his books!<br />
<br />
Then I read the review.<br />
<br />
Holy shit. I was like…HOLY SHIT. He RAVED about the movie. I couldn’t have written a nicer review if I tried. He wrote:“The story twists and spirals several times in the very accomplished script of Kangas, and this might be one of those movies that's actually helped by the low production values. It looks so grainy and gray it's the kind of home movie a serial killer would make about himself.” Wow.<br />
<br />
A few of the other words he used are: “It doesn’t disappoint.” “A well-directed movie”. “…eerily prescient”(go look it up). And then he gives it four out of four stars.<br />
<br />
Quite literally, it’s the biggest high I’ve gotten since I finished the movie, including the public screening at United Artists. I mean…HOLY SHIT. <br />
<br />
Another thing, Joe Bob GOT it. He actually understood the movie and some of the underlying themes. Few people have commented on the irony about Aric Blue, that he prides himself on how self-aware he is, and yet he’s caught in the same trap that he uses to kill his victims.(his pattern is that he stalks and kills people)<br />
<br />
Believe me, I’m coasting on a high right now.<br />
<br />
So anyway, we’re in the midst of negotiating the details of the domestic deal. What happened was that I couldn’t find any info about the company who wanted the movie. I thought it was Spartan—turns out it wasn’t.<br />
<br />
I have to sign a non-disclosure agreement before I can find out who it is. I can’t say, but they’re small. I talk to the guy in charge who says he’s 95% sure they can get HH into Hollywood Video. They can’t make any promises about Blockbuster, but they have gotten movies in there before.<br />
<br />
Out of the thirty grand, I’m gonna have to pay for an MPAA rating which will run about two grand. Then I have to pay Harris $1500 to go through HH looking for any copyright violations and other stuff, as it’s a pre-requisite for getting E&O insurance(which the distributor will pay for).<br />
<br />
So the piece of the pie is getting smaller. Harris gets 10% of the thirty grand. In essence, we’ll be making our budget back from the domestic. If all goes well with the foreign, we could make up to 150 grand on that.<br />
Biding my time to see if we get any other responses about the Joe Bob thing.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-29235525177731611812010-06-23T02:02:00.000-04:002010-06-23T02:02:02.460-04:00July 27th, 2002: Offers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TCGi5U-iezI/AAAAAAAAAao/wOsBXvDO7_c/s1600/messin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/TCGi5U-iezI/AAAAAAAAAao/wOsBXvDO7_c/s320/messin.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hey, look! Really bad pre-photoshop(I used Corel Photopaint) poster mock-up. </b></div><br />
Last week we got an offer from IFM Film Associates. It boils down to a percentage deal on all sales, but they’re kind of like a middle-man. I check another filmmaker who used them, and he tells me they have yet to make a dime after the advance.<br />
<br />
Which is weird, because IFM claims they’ve done about $150,000 in sales, so I don’t know what kind of expenses they’re claiming.<br />
<br />
And oh, IFM claims they’re “marginally less enthusiastic about this title, as opposed to [another movie they name] because it has a much grittier look and is less clearly generic.” That’s right, our movie is too original.<br />
<br />
Gonna turn that one down.<br />
<br />
Then tonight Paul at Tulchin’s emails me that we have a new offer from Spartan Video, a buyout offer. They want the US rights for $30,000. We’ll still be able to sell cable/TV rights and foreign. It’s a low offer, but it’s money up front, which is what I’m looking for. That back-end money is for shit when you can’t trust any of these companies.<br />
<br />
So now I have to figure if it’s a good idea. It’s more than the entire budget of our movie, but not as high as we wanted. If I’m confident that Spartan can get the movie into Blockbuster and Hollywood Video though, I may go with them anyway. Time to get some money and move on.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-15919044907811514132010-06-04T07:13:00.000-04:002010-06-04T07:13:00.170-04:00MAY-JUNE 2002<b>Man, it's like foreshadowing! I name Lion's Gate as a possible distributor, and they end up picking up my next movie(which is also mentioned in this same entry).</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Ransom is still a script I like a lot. But it's really not that marketable without a real cast.</b><br />
<br />
<b>MAY – JUNE</b><br />
<br />
Did the press kits. They turned out pretty nice, but cost about $450. I send twenty-five of the fifty I’ve made, plus screeners to Tulchin. Two weeks later he emailed me a list of the distributors he sent them out to. Some of the names are Universal, Warner Bros, HBO, Showtime.<br />
<br />
I wonder if Harris has even seen the movie. Ain’t no way this is a big-studio movie. I’m thinking more like Fine Line(who is also on the list) and Lion’s Gate.<br />
<br />
Harris lets me know he needs more screeners. I email him and say I’ll send him another fifteen, but that these things aren’t M&M’s and these are the last ones I can send to him for a while.<br />
<br />
In retrospect, I wish I’d had the press kits when I sent out screeners to the festivals we applied to. Would have made a better impression on the judges.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I can now sit back and hopefully wait for the offers to pour in. I’ve finished Ransom For A Psychopath, one of the scripts I was thinking about shooting, but it would cost too much money. Still aiming at Fear Of Clowns. Got about 90 pages done, still working out some kinks.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-71982748882202128962010-05-14T04:12:00.000-04:002010-05-14T04:12:02.654-04:00April 30th, 2002 - Back East Pt2I get up about one p.m and don’t feel so hot. My wife shows up. I get them to go get me something to eat, and then I throw up some and sleep some more.<br />
<br />
After they bring me a sub, I feel a little better. None of us make any move to go into town and watch any movies. Fuck that.<br />
<br />
After a while, my wife and I get ready for the awards show. No way am I thinking we’re going to win an award.<br />
<br />
You see, the actor Frank Vincent is being honored at the awards gala. He’s also got a movie running in the competition. Now ask me what movie I think is going to win.<br />
<br />
It does. Then Best Feature in another category goes to some movie whose producer also helped put on the festival. Conflict of interest, anyone?<br />
<br />
The director of that feature also gets Best Screenplay and Best Director. Everyone in the joint seems to know him. I’m feeling like more of a stooge by the minute. I can see this whole thing was planned out before they even started the show.<br />
<br />
Well, the dinner took place at the Liberty House, so that was neat. New York City skyline in the background, Statue Of Liberty off to the right. Everyone in suits and tuxes.<br />
<br />
My wife and I go back to the room. We’re going to try to go into New York City, but by the time we get ready, it’s pouring rain.<br />
<br />
We go back to the room and say fuck it. The whole weekend has pretty much sucked. I spent roughly seven hundred dollars of money I don’t have.<br />
<br />
So now I’m sitting here a couple of nights later and the whole thing is like this mini-nightmare. I just never expected a first-year festival to be this political. Christ, it’s who you know even at these little festivals.<br />
<br />
I’ve got to jam on these press kits. Hunting Humans has to get out there. I’m working on the screenplay to Fear Of Clowns right now. It’s more of a straight romantic horror mystery. You know.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-47172339652053133382010-05-10T07:22:00.001-04:002010-05-10T07:32:24.547-04:00April 30th, 2002 - Back East Pt1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S-fsfJ4Q0SI/AAAAAAAAAVg/QJCImDcwkLU/s1600/backeast+pic+show2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S-fsfJ4Q0SI/AAAAAAAAAVg/QJCImDcwkLU/s320/backeast+pic+show2.JPG" /></a></b></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>I believe this is where my hate of New Jersey started. And something I remember from right after we first got to NJ: Rick and I are walking back from where we grabbed lunch and we see a girl, maybe 18, walking the opposite direction from us.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>She's crying, and pulling a suitcase behind her. Rick and I watched her walk past. I mean, what were we going to do?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Anyway, the entire night in New York is just one giant surreal thing in my mind. Bizarre. I guess that's New York.</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>-------------------------------</b></div><b>April 30th</b><br />
<br />
We got home from the Back East Picture Show. It took place from the 25th to the 28th of this month. Things started bad. Should have taken it as an omen and gone home right then.<br />
<br />
Rick and I left for it on Wednesday night. I had made reservations at an Econo Lodge about two miles from the actual hotel we’d be staying at for the next couple of days(by then it was booked up for that night because we’d planned on coming down on Thursday).<br />
<br />
My plan was to get the lay of the land, put some flyers out at the theater, etc. Try to get some people to come to our showing.<br />
<br />
What happened was that we got into town within 3 hours. It took us about another hour to find the goddamn hotel. The guy I called didn’t speak much English. He was no help. We finally stopped at the Doubletree and I checked to make sure my reservation was fine and got directions from that guy.<br />
<br />
After a small misdirection,we got to the hotel. It was a dump. You at least expect an Econo Lodge to be decent, but this was in a crappy part of town. Tons of construction, lots of litter and crap all over. The rug in our room was stained and burned in places. I didn’t want to put my head on the pillow, the room was that crappy.<br />
<br />
We figured to get up early and get over to the theater. I set my alarm for 9:30am.<br />
<br />
We get up and roll out. I buy a map of Jersey City at the hotel. We head toward what we hope is the theater.<br />
<br />
Construction prevents us from taking certain roads. We keep getting detoured to other roads. We find some of the roads we’re supposed to be on, but they’re not going where we want.<br />
<br />
I ask a couple of people where the theater is and they’re like “That’s in Hoboken, right?” as if it’s forty miles away. The paper I have says it’s about <b>three miles away</b>.<br />
<br />
It takes us, no shit, two hours to find the theater. No shit. And it was only three miles away.<br />
<br />
It’s raining like a bitch, we’re pissed off about what a crappy city Jersey City is, and finally we stumble into the theater.<br />
<br />
Hudson Street Cinemas is a two-screen theater. Small and quaint. I meet the guy putting the festival on who seems fairly nice, but he’s asking me questions about how did I do the sound for my movie. I don’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. It’s called a microphone, chief.<br />
<br />
He wants to know if we’re going to the seminar or something. I tell him we just want to go get something to eat. We’re hungry and tired from being lost.<br />
<br />
We get some lunch at a little crappy steak joint. They don’t serve fries. They serve some onion-covered potato thing. A thimble of bitter cold slaw. The burger is okay.<br />
<br />
We head back for our screening, dreading it. You see, they’ve not only given us a bad time slot, but they’ve put us opposite the Director’s Lounge where everyone can go get free drinks and schmooze with the other filmmakers.<br />
<br />
Five people come to our showing. Two of them told us beforehand that they would be leaving a little early to go to the Lounge. So then we had three people.<br />
<br />
Great, I’m thinking, as I watch the movie for the millionth time. How can we win an award when only three people are watching it?<br />
<br />
After the movie, they took a few pics of us. We rushed off to the Lounge. Had some drinks, chatted with some people. Everyone was very transparent with their “What can you do for me?” attitudes. Passing tapes and business cards.<br />
<br />
At least we find out that there will be judges voting for the best movies, not the audiences.<br />
<br />
That night we go to bed early. I need the sleep. I figure we’ll party the next night. We’ve been passing out cards with invitations to a screening of HH in our room with free drinks.<br />
<br />
Friday rolls along. We head to the theater, where it seems no one is taking part of the showings. No one seems to care. Where are all the filmmakers?<br />
<br />
We catch a movie called Peroxide Passion. Not bad. Some good acting performances by the leads, but some of the directing is off(or it could be the editing, it’s hard to tell without seeing what they had to work with).<br />
<br />
I’m bored. Kinda pissed. We can’t find where people are hanging out, if they even are, so we can’t pass out some more invitations. We want some people to come to the screening in our room, but we’re getting a bad feeling.<br />
<br />
I make Rick watch Living In Oblivion. He didn’t find it as funny as I did. He’s real jaded. He gets into these little bitter moods. I can feel it too, but I repress it. Time to get pissed later.<br />
<br />
We get some dinner and go to the theater to see what it’s like. Tonight they’re screening the movie that the guy who put on the festival shot, but it’s not in the competition.<br />
<br />
There’s a decent crowd out front. Danny Aiello walks by. Some other actors whose faces you know but names you don’t. We decide not to go to the screening. I’m not feeling like watching any of these fucking “filmmakers” movies, ‘cause they didn’t come to mine, did they?<br />
<br />
We head back to the bar that hosted the Director’s Lounge. We get some drinks. We head back to the hotel at about 11:30pm. I get the room ready, get some liquor ready.<br />
<br />
No one shows. No one. Rick’s pissed. I’m pissed. What the fuck are all these people doing?<br />
<br />
Rick and I take the Path, a subway that runs into New York. We get out on 14th street and catch a cab, telling the guy to take us to any happening bar. The guy has no idea what we’re talking about. (He doesn’t seem to speak fluent English; go figure)<br />
<br />
Finally he drives us to some strip with a couple of bars on it. We head into one called Bar515 and get some beers. After a while, two girls wander over and ask us what the badges around our necks are. We tell them. One girl is named Rebecca I think, and the other girl is some Hungarian girl who doesn’t speak much English.<br />
<br />
Rebecca’s a wanna-be actress. She’s pretty with a good body, but I don’t think she’s got the intelligence to be a good actress.<br />
<br />
Bar515 closes at 4am, so they ask us if we wanna go to another bar with them. We’re wasted. We say sure.<br />
<br />
They take us over to some theater that’s hosting a Neil Simon play. Some mook is letting some people in the back door, but they won’t let us in, even with the girls. Another guy comes up and Rebecca talks to him. He hands the big black bouncer a hundred dollar bill and we’re in. Let me tell you that I have no idea why that happened.<br />
<br />
We’re ushered up some dark stairs into an even darker room. Little black couches, bluish neon lighting around the walls. I get five drinks, which come to thirty six bucks. Rick has to pay for it, ‘cause all I got is plastic at that point, and they won't take credit cards. <br />
<br />
We hang around chatting on the couch and then suddenly the girls are gone. They went through some door that is opened and shut periodically to admit certain desirables, of which we are not.<br />
<br />
That clinches it. We finish the drinks and get out of there. Where ever we are, it’s close to Times Square, because that’s where we end up. <br />
<br />
It’s like Vanilla Sky. There’s no one there. A lone hot dog vendor. We get a hot dog for Rick and a pretzel for me.<br />
<br />
Then we head home. We get off the fuckin’ path at the wrong place and have to hoof it about a mile. It seems like ten miles when you’re drunk.<br />
<br />
When I get back I call my wife and tell her to go ahead and come if she wants to. The festival isn’t anything like I expect. <br />
<br />
I go to bed at about eight a.m.<br />
<b>TO BE CONTINUED </b>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-12393192322784464392010-05-03T23:48:00.000-04:002010-05-03T23:48:31.849-04:00April 21st, 2002<b>The interesting anecdote here is that the theater that we used to premiere "Hunting Humans" was the actual theater where Shivers would stalk Lynn and Tuck in "Fear of Clowns".<br />
<br />
My projectionist buddy James Fellows got us into both theaters, and dies in both movies.</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-W2qd0stI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/1SdxCHGQeSc/s1600/tmp-hhprem3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-W2qd0stI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/1SdxCHGQeSc/s400/tmp-hhprem3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The line to get into the auditorium. </b></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>April 21st</b></span><br />
<br />
The screening was yesterday.<br />
<br />
I’ll start off by telling you how soured I am on the state of Maryland in terms of help they give to filmmakers. How about zero?<br />
<br />
I was reticent about mentioning this stuff, ‘cause you don’t want to burn your bridges(but since I may be the only one reading this and I can always hit the delete key), but when we first started prep for the movie I sent a letter to the head of the Maryland Producer’s Club. One Jed Dietz.<br />
<br />
It asked if he had any advice or could offer any help obtaining permits.<br />
<br />
No response.<br />
<br />
I let that slide. Who knows what happened to the letter? I was too busy to ever give it another shot.<br />
<br />
So I put together this screening. My wife makes a bunch of press kits and sends them to the local television stations, newspapers, you name it. We waited a week and got no response.<br />
<br />
I call and email a butt-load of the local newspapers. A small local one called “The Gazette” responds, but that’s it. Rick and I do an interview that comes out in the April 13th newspaper. It’s pretty good, but the paper is too small to be much help.<br />
<br />
I fax the Sun(the biggest local paper), since I’ve already emailed them and snail mailed them. No response. I think perhaps they have too many good stories. I pick up one and read an article about how to make old furniture look like new furniture.<br />
<br />
I decide they don’t have too many good stories. Finally one of them calls three days before the screening. They want to interview me over the phone. Great, I say. I do the interview. I ask whether they’re going to send someone out to see the movie. They tell me no, they’re doing the story on me and that’s it.<br />
<br />
Totally defeats the purpose. If I wanted a story on me, I’d make it up myself. I need some good quotes, some critics saying they liked the movie.<br />
<br />
My wife called three of the television stations who all say they’re going to try to get a crew out, but it’s a busy Saturday for news.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-WuoaeI6I/AAAAAAAAAVA/cOKTMUYPYYE/s1600/tmp-hhprem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-WuoaeI6I/AAAAAAAAAVA/cOKTMUYPYYE/s320/tmp-hhprem.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Me and the wife outside the theater</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>THE SCREENING</b></div><br />
I got five hours of sleep the past two nights. Just kept thinking about all the shit I had to do. I did a test run with my computer and made a copy for the VCR in case something drastic happens once we get to the theater.<br />
<br />
It all seems to be going okay. Ticket sales had been okay, but I figured to get a lot more people showing up after hearing about it in the Sun.<br />
<br />
I arrived early(8:15am) at the theater. My buddy had told me a site rep was coming out to supervise us, which was really bad because I was using the theater’s digital projector and sound system when I was expressly told not to.<br />
<br />
We devise a big lie where I brought in all this equipment the night before. To top it off, we’re moving the showing into the biggest theater. I’m worried about the site rep, but I’ve run a couple of scenarios through my head depending on how the person is.<br />
<br />
We get everything set up. We test the sound, get it to the right level. My wife starts blocking off sections for cast/crew/press. I’m running all over. Waiting for Jeff and Paul to show up so I can hand them the video camera and still camera and tell them what to shoot.<br />
<br />
Nine o’clock comes around. One of my employees shows up to be the ticket taker. Jeff shows up shortly after that. Then my brother. Good to go. Nine thirty shows up and there’s still only friends and family.<br />
<br />
I put on the tickets to arrive between 9:45 and 10:00, but you’d still expect some people to show up early. I’m getting worried. I’d hoped for big crowds already. A huge line.<br />
<br />
I start to feel a little better as people arrive. A line does form. It’s not as many people as I’d hoped, but it’s a decent crowd. I get them in a line and have Paul take a picture so you can see what they’re waiting for.<br />
<br />
A few people ask Rick to stand in front of the movie poster so they can take his picture. Funny stuff.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-W0JEAYBI/AAAAAAAAAVI/3c3KYLAibZA/s1600/temp-hhprem2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-W0JEAYBI/AAAAAAAAAVI/3c3KYLAibZA/s320/temp-hhprem2.jpg" /></a> <br />
Everyone gets let in, taking their seats. I stall, hoping more people will show up, or maybe the press. So far, we haven’t seen one press person. That pisses the shit out of me. I guess a movie shot by a Maryland filmmaker in Maryland gets screened all the time at the movie theater.<br />
<br />
Fuckers. This state sucks for indy film.<br />
<br />
Rick and I get up front and say a few words. There may have been 150-200 people there, but in a 450 seat auditorium, it didn’t look like many. I’d had an idea of what I was gonna say and I still blew it. Public speaking is not my forte.<br />
<br />
The movie starts and I run upstairs to get my seat where I can see everyone’s reaction. Rick and my wife are sitting near me.<br />
<br />
The lead-in to the credits didn’t get a whole lot of reaction. I didn’t expect it to really. I imagine a lot of people are slightly shocked, wondering what they’ve stumbled into.<br />
<br />
The movie rolled on. Some scenes that got a reaction at other showings don’t get any reaction and vice versa(the “Must be the pickels” line got NO laugh, while Rick’s naked ass garnered a lot). Rick looked over at me when they laughed at his naked ass with a look that plainly said Fuck You.<br />
<br />
The reaction that most pleased me was when Jeff gets his throat cut in the movie theater. There were a lot of people sucking in a breath when it happened(it was THAT loud) and then a lot of uncomfortable movement. Very cool.<br />
<br />
As expected, people jumped when Paul got clubbed, but I think even more jumped at Rick getting punched after he gets out of the bath.<br />
<br />
Then, disaster.<br />
<br />
Last half hour of the movie, the sound begins reverberating. Every noise, every dialogue, every narration. I RACE up the stairs and stop the movie. I push the space bar, hoping everything will clear itself up, which it normally does.<br />
<br />
Nope. I try again. Nope.<br />
<br />
Finally I load the old version of the movie and hit play and it works. But that meant I would have to come back up and self-load the outtakes. I’m pissed and embarrassed. The one time I need the thing to work and it screws up.<br />
<br />
After the movie everyone seemed to enjoy the outtakes. Lots of laughs. A bunch of people waited around to say hi and tell us how much they enjoyed it. Very cool, but I’m still stewing. No press whatsoever. They’re the fucking reason I did the whole thing.<br />
<br />
I briefly think about doing something rash, like stalking and killing a few reporters for fun. I bet they’d do a story then, wouldn’t they?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-XAnChBLI/AAAAAAAAAVY/WkgUvZuaKac/s1600/tmphh-newspaper-article.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VYBQO6lcN_8/S9-XAnChBLI/AAAAAAAAAVY/WkgUvZuaKac/s320/tmphh-newspaper-article.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>My first newspaper story</b>Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-9371588971722818282010-04-30T03:55:00.000-04:002010-04-30T03:55:04.116-04:00April 8th, 2002<b>Ha! Look at that! I say it's a PLUS that the festival was in New Jersey! Man, have I learned better... </b><br />
<br />
<b>April 8th</b><br />
<br />
No April Fools here. I submitted a screener last week to the Back East Picture Show, as the deadline was March 30th. I was notified on April 1st that we got in.<br />
<br />
Very nice. It’s another festival where they don’t let studio films in, so I feel that we have a chance of winning it. And as a plus, it’s in New Jersey, so Rick and I are gonna attend.<br />
<br />
Of course, everything is expensive. The hotel is going to cost $120 a night. In addition, they only give us one all access pass. For Rick to get one, it will cost $200 plus $125 to the acceptance awards dinner(which is black tie optional). Ouch.<br />
<br />
The movie screening is going full bore. It’s on. Rick and I are going to be interviewed for The Gazette, a local newspaper. My wife sent out press kits to the local news channels and newspapers, so hopefully we’ll get some people there.<br />
<br />
We’ve sold a decent amount of tickets. We only have to sell about half of the seats for me to break even, but I think we may sell out once word gets out. Most people I talk to want to attend, but don’t like the Saturday morning thing.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-2251909160441532542010-04-16T03:15:00.000-04:002010-04-16T03:15:19.126-04:00March 15th, 2002 Press Kits/Prepping For Showing<b>Hahahahahahahaha! Plans! They're so great. </b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>I mean, for laughs later.</b><br />
<br />
<b>March 15th, 2002</b><br />
<br />
Press kits. Harris needs about 25-30 screeners and press kits.<br />
<br />
I don’t know what a press kit is. I ask Harris to send me some samples if he’s got them, which he does.<br />
<br />
After perusing them, I figure out that what I’m missing from my press kits is anything related to the press at all. We had no time to get reporters out to the sets when we were shooting. Then I dove head-first into editing. No time there.<br />
<br />
Now we need some press.<br />
<br />
I call our local movie theater representative and asked him how much it would cost to four-wall my movie.<br />
<br />
Okay, so maybe that’s not what I said. I think I gave him the impression that we were having some investor presentation and “might” need the video projector. He quoted me prices ranging from $800-$1750 plus $500 for the projector.<br />
<br />
Which won’t be a problem if I make the tickets like $30 apiece. Except that you can’t sell tickets to this, because that’s against their contract.<br />
<br />
Fuck that. There’s no way I can put out that kind of money. Time for a plan.<br />
<br />
I call the guy back and tell him I’ve got my own equipment. Scratch the $500 projector. You see, my buddy who works at this theater tells me he can smuggle the projector out for free. Sweet.<br />
<br />
I book the cheapest time, which is Saturday morning. I’m going to sell tickets at my store, so the theater doesn’t know anything about it. When I do the pre-interviews, I won’t specify how to get tickets. I’ll say they won’t be available at the theater and to call my number for information on getting tickets.<br />
<br />
That way I’m not publicly saying I’m charging for the tickets.<br />
<br />
If all goes well, I’ll have seats available for the press, who will come and write up some nice “Local Filmmaker Does Good” with a few pleasant critiques of the movie. I’ll make a sweet press kit, get thirty copies made, send the whole shebang to Harris, and in three months will have checks rolling in.<br />
<br />
That’s the plan, anyway.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1976737204126647431.post-13755424535649104702010-04-09T06:05:00.000-04:002010-04-09T06:05:53.339-04:00March 11, 2002 The Producer's Rep<b>Live and learn. The deal with Harris worked out okay, but knowing what I know now, I would never sign with a producer's rep that charges money for their services.</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>They should take a percentage(like 10%, maybe 15% for foreign sales) plus expenses(that you spell out in the contract), and that's it. That's what my current rep does.</b><br />
<br />
<b>March 11th, 2002</b><br />
<br />
In the back of my mind I’d been mulling over whether to try to get a producer’s rep. What they do is sell your movie for you, and take a cut of the profits. They know all the distributors and they attend all the major festivals, so they know who’s looking for what.<br />
<br />
The way I heard, they get ten percent of your profits, but they pay for themselves; they’ll get you at least ten percent more than you’d get yourself.<br />
<br />
I stumbled onto the web site of producer’s rep Harris Tulchin and Associates. He’s a pretty big-name guy, with offices in Paris, Rome, LA and New York.<br />
<br />
I called there to see whether they were interested in seeing the movie. After finding out that Spectrum was interested and that we’d won an award at a festival, they said send it along.<br />
<br />
Long story short, I talked to Harris. They take $5000 up front plus ten percent of the profits. I said “Wow, that’s a lot of money”, because, to me, it is. He said “If I make you five hundred grand, it won’t be a lot of money, will it?”<br />
<br />
He had a point.<br />
<br />
So I decided to play a little mind game with him. I wanted to see how much faith he had that he could sell the movie. <br />
<br />
Look at it this way: If he thinks he’s going to sell my movie for five hundred grand—a movie that will clear him fifty grand—is he going to turn me down because of the upfront five grand?<br />
<br />
Not if he thinks he’s got a pretty good shot at selling the movie.<br />
<br />
A couple of days later I called him back and told him I couldn’t get any more money, that I’d spent it all on the movie. He said he’d thought about it and would change the contract he’d offered so that the money was deferred against the first payments.<br />
<br />
I’d done it! Clearly he thinks we have a shot of selling the movie, or there’s no way he’d agree to that. Think about it; all the upfront costs and time is going to be on his dime. He’s working for free until he sells my movie.<br />
<br />
If he really does sell my movie, this guy’s going to be in my good graces in a serious way. I may even thank him in my Oscar acceptance speech.Kangashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05306092145547452231noreply@blogger.com0