Till Sunset Trailer

The trailer for David Woods’ directorial debut, Till Sunset, is now available online. Starring Shane Sweeney, Heather Darcy and Frank Jakeman the horror film will be released later on this year. The trailer can be found here

For more information on the film check out the official Facebook group.

IndieFlicks: Interview

Kevin McDonagh is one of the founding members of Rotunda Films, an independent production company based in Birmingham. IndieFlicks got in touch with Kevin to discuss Rotunda and their projects.

IndieFlicks: How did you get started in filmmaking?

Kevin: Originally I wanted to be an actor, but by the age of about 16 I was more interested in all the other elements surrounding a film and realised that producing and directing actually satisfied my desires more.

After leaving college having studied media and theatre, I attended a local night school course that was about the industry and production (rather than the process of film making) and through that I got a job working with the course host at his film production company. I worked on several small projects, TV pilots, and even a feature film that got developed almost to the point of full production. However, when it failed to materialise and the company looked like going out of business, a small group of us went off to make a feature film ourselves.

So in early 2001 we began putting together a small comedy script, obtaining equipment and assigning roles, and before long we were casting. We shot for around 5 nights and a handful of afternoons and before we knew it we had a film in the can. We got it edited but it was clearly a student style feature which was little more than a practise run. We began discussing Lycanthropy but it was clear we weren’t in a position to make it properly, so eventually we went our separate ways.

A year later I met up with an actor who I’d worked with, AJ Nicol, who had just finished work on a local feature film himself. We were both looking to do something as a next project and so formed Rotunda Films in order to go and shoot a feature. That feature was Actually ‘Idol of Evil’, which began in late 2004. The lack of money meant that we were slow getting across the finish line and ‘Lycanthropy’ raised it’s head due to the interest of other parties, so strangely we began work on that while still in post production on Idol.

IF: Your first feature film, Lycanthropy, come out in 2006. How did the idea for this come about?

Kevin: The story originally began as a pilot for a show about UFO investigators. The first idea was very rough and it soon became clear it was two expensive. So the aliens became werewolves, and because it all felt a little too much like the X-Files, the ‘government team’ became a straightforward police investigation.

After several terrible drafts that felt way too clichéd, we began looking into the myth of the werewolf and uncovered a truly original story, based on the origins of the myth. Working from there we ran through it and saw how it could still occur today, that people could actually become real life ‘lycanthropes’.

After getting that as the core of the story we worked with a writer called Natalie Gorton who carved out a great script from what was a very muddled, but interesting idea.

IF: Most first time feature films are incredibly difficult to fund. How did you raise the money needed for this film?

Kevin: With Idol still in production and funded by my bank account, it was a simple set up to get money. Basically we’d ask people to invest in not only the film but the idea of the company. We had the strength of showing people that we weren’t first time filmmakers, that we were a production company who were on their second product. It worked in our favour oddly enough that people saw it as a development of the company and it’s strategy rather than just a bunch of kids with the idea of a film.

So we sat down with as many friendly people as we could find and asked them to invest as much as they could afford. Luckily we had a lot of friends who either a) saw Idol and thought we were good at filmmaking so wanted in on the ground floor; or b) wanted to support me in my new business venture.

When we had raised all that we could we set out to make every penny go as far as possible. We cut deals everywhere with cast, crew, suppliers and post production houses. In fact the deal we arranged with our editor and edit facility meant Lycanthropy raced through post production overtaking Idol, so it was ready for market first. Once that happened my focus went with Lycanthropy and so Idol slowed down even more. So in the end our second film arrived first and a first shoot showed up slightly later (though it’s just secured it’s own release on DVD around the world).

IF: What did you shoot the film on?

Kevin: ‘Idol’ was shot on DV, the XL1 to be precise. At the time it was the best DV format camera and made sense for the scale of production. ‘Lycanthropy’ was shot on the XL2 , still DV but a much stronger picture quality and lots of technical nerdy things that I don’t pretend to know about. We kept with the XL2 for ‘Tied in Blood’ as we owned one of them at this stage. Since then, ‘Wasters’ was shot on HDV and ‘Celestial Sisters’ has been shot on HD, so we slowly climb the format ladder with each project.

IF: Your latest feature film, Tied in Blood, is a supernatural horror. Would you say anything has changed from your first feature to your last?

Kevin: The one thing that is the same is that despite being started as the 3rd project, our 4th film, ‘Wasters’ has overtaken it and is at festivals as we speak, while ‘Tied in Blood’ has taken a long time to get the special effects right.

What changes is the mistakes you make. You learn to prepare for everything that’s caught you out in the past, then something new comes along. ‘Tied in Blood’ was the first film where we had to shoot specifically for special effect, taking into account elements that would be added later. So while other areas that slowed us down on ‘Idol’ and ‘Lycanthropy’ were handled with ease, SFX has become a new challenge for us. And we learned a lot, much (if not all) of which has carried forward into Sisters which is a very effects-heavy project.

IF: What is your next project?

Kevin: As I say ‘Celestial Sisters’ is currently in production, I’m back in the directors chair which is nice but still a lot of production work to do so I’m feeling the weight on my shoulders again. There’s a new sense of purpose though knowing we are in a position to ensure the world sees it when it’s done.

Following that we’re working with London based film director Francois Pereire on his gritty family drama, ‘One Bird, Two Stones’. Both projects are at the highest end of what we’ve worked at before on scale, format and budget, so it’s a challenging and exciting time, but doors are opening up.

IF: What do you think of the current state of independent filmmaking here in the UK?

Kevin: It’s poor, if I’m honest. Not due to the quality of work but due to the opportunities and avenues that are available. In the US they can afford to produce lots of smaller independent films and have them sell poorly on DVD because 1% of the US market is still a huge amount. There’s nowhere for film makers to make mistakes in film over here. If you make a small indie film and it’s not a hit, or doesn’t get picked up for a release that’s kind of the end of the road, there is no life on DVD in the UK.

We’re lucky in that the distribution deal we’ve just agreed allows us to get our films out to a wide audience in the US and then filter back to the UK. That then allows us to continue to produce films which gives us a solid track record to keep increasing the scale of production. It affords me the chance to learn and fail at times in directing but not to let those mistakes bring it all to a crashing halt.

Without that cash driven market it’s tough to get people interested in investing in films, meaning it becomes government subsidised, so it has to have artistic value over commercial value, it struggles to make a financial gain, so people won’t invest and you’re in a catch 22 situation. A bit of financial ruthlessness would be a welcome breath of fresh air, and ensure that the long list of talented people that reside in the UK but can’t get paid work, would finally be able to.

IF: What advice would you give to any aspiring filmmakers out there?

Kevin: In general terms, the old cliché is ‘never give up’, and its true. You may have a 1% chance of succeeding if you try, but you have a 0% chance if you give up.

On a more specific note, you may know why you want to make a film and tell a story, but ask yourself, why would anyone else want to watch it. If you can answer that truthfully and there’s a lot of reasons then you’ll find plenty of people to help your film, back your film and watch your film. At the end of the day films are made to be watched, so make them worth watching

For more information on Rotunda Films please visit the official website - click

IndieFlicks: Interview

Neil Jones is the director of the forthcoming horror film, Stag Night of the Dead. IndieFlicks got in touch with Neil to discuss the finer points of his first feature film.

IndieFlicks: How did you get started in filmmaking?

Neil: Like a lot of people I didn’t really know how to actually get in to mainstream film making so I decided to take route one and make a film myself. I wrote a ten minute short called Zero Tolerance which we shot over one weekend in a locker room in a West London warehouse. ZT was part creative and part experimental but gave me the confidence to make two further shorts, On A Plate and Reco Men.

IF: Where did the idea for Stag Night of the Dead come from?

NJ: Making shorts is all very well but you soon learn that it’s commercially unviable (although can be a useful calling card). I wanted to step up to a feature and decided to make a no budget/one character/one location/small crew production. Then I came up with an idea during the first bird flu scare about a stag party being hunted down in a secret Government testing facility and I couldn’t shake it off.

IF: How long did the writing process take?

NJ: With rewrites and script editor help the script took about six weeks to write. The ending took nearly as long as i junked the original three pages after our main shoot and decided we needed a much bigger payoff.

IF: Would you cite any films as inspiration towards SNotD?

NJ: Easy - An American Werewolf in London which ties as my favourite film of all time (with North by Northwest). I’ve also included some nods to the best TV series ever, The Prisoner.

IF: What was your favourite scene to film in the entire production?

NJ: My favourite scene to shoot was the experimental centre where Candy and Dean discover the truth behind Zomball. It was probably the only occasion we were ahead of schedule and the department heads weren’t being beaten up to get to the next set up.

IF: What cameras did you use to shoot Stag Night on?

NJ: We used Sony Z1s with 35mm adapters for 90% of the shoot and the Sony A1, which is a great camera.

IF: Would you change anything if you could go back and make the film again?

NJ: I should have got a full time caterer on set…big mistake.

IF: What do you think of the current state of independent filmmaking in the UK?

NJ: I have the highest regard for every indie film maker out there putting themselves through the sheer hell of trying to make anything in the UK. We’re obsessive, like mad dogs (who should be put down out of kindness) that chase the dream. There’s no problem with the indie film scene, it’s the incestuous, bloated and self indulgent film funding agencies that are (supposedly) there to support us that are the problem.

IF: What can we expect to see from you in the future?

NJ: Well if I can avoid divorce and bankruptcy my next feature will be a straight horror called The Sigil which is in the vein of the original Wicker Man.

IF: Do you have any advice for any aspiring filmmakers out there?

NJ: Yes, don’t wait and don’t talk about it - make it.

For more information on SNotD please visit the official website - click

Dead Cert

Dead Cert, the latest film from Black and Blue Films, has just completed principal photography. Directed by Steve Lawson, the gangsters vs vampire flick stars Craig Fairbrass, Dexter Fletcher and Billy Murray and will be released in 2010.

The trailer for the film is already up and can be seen at the official website - click

IndieFlicks: Interview

Tristan Versluis is the feature director of the up and coming horror, Not Alone. Known for his special effects work he has now made the jump to taking the hot seat. IndieFlicks caught up with Tristan in September as he was halfway through shooting.

IndieFlicks: You’re currently in the middle of shooting your first feature film. How are you enjoying the experience so far?

Tristan: It’s been an amazing experience, working with a passionate cast and crew is inspiring and adding towards a great film.

IndieFlicks: Where did the idea for Not Alone come from?

Tristan: It came off the back of writing another feature which was much more commercial, full of blood and gore along with loads of pretty twisted ideas. So I set out on writing ‘Not Alone’ because I wanted something with deeper characters and a plot to deal with. I think I also used it as a way of dealing with issues in my own head with my life at the time. The film is full of questions and possible ideas of what really happened, but neither really matters, it’s really about what tips people over the edge and how they deal with it.

IndieFlicks: You come from a special effects make up background. What was special about Not Alone that made you want to make this your first feature film?

Tristan: It’s hopefully a film that will show my progression into directing and that I am not only an Fx artist.

IndieFlicks: What’s been the most difficult aspect of making your first feature so far?

Tristan: Time, budget and the usual constraints that they bring. Being at the helm is frustrating when you want to make the shoot/scene perfect but you get told you have to move on! But I have had great people around me that have helped achieve the maximum we could.

IndieFlicks: Did you have specific actors in mind when casting?

Tristan: No not really, but during casting names fell in place and it was looking so good, the line up for the film turned out to be great, they all worked so well together.

IndieFlicks: What are you shooting the film with?

Tristan: We are shooting on the RED camera at 4K. It looks so nice!

IndieFlicks: When do you hope to get the film released by?

Tristan: Next year hopefully, all being well.

IndieFlicks: Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

Tristan: I have another script called ‘Club Skin’ in development stage which I hope will be next.

IndieFlicks: What advice would you give to any aspiring filmmakers out there?

Tristan: Be pro-active and keep busy. Keep making films and showing as many people as possible, and listen to their advice and comments whether they are good or bad.

For more information please visit the official website - click

Watch The Devil’s Music for free!

The Devil’s Music, director Pat Higgins‘ latest film is currently available to watch online, for free. The horror documentary won best independent film at the 2008 Festival of Fantastic Films and for a limited time only can be streamed from indiemoviesonline.com. Online distribution is an up and coming market and it will be interesting to see whether it can take off and rival DVD rentals.

To watch the film click here

Review: Ouija Board

Director/Writer
Matt Stone

Starring
Nick Smithers, Marysia Kay, Ross Maxwell, Georgia Goodrick

Horror fans are the most dedicated bunch of film fans on the planet. They will happily plough their way through the ?5 low budget horror movie selection in their local ASDA, trying to find a gem. There’s a lot of horror out there and, more than any other genre, the vast majority of it is flat out terrible. In this digital film age you can make something for 5p, throw some ketchup on a couple of people, create an eye catching title and DVD cover, and watch the cash flow in. This is nice for the producers, but somewhat disappointing for audiences.

However the horror fan will continue in their quest for that entertaining 90 minutes. Why do they do this? Partly because many of the great horror movies have come from a low budget background. From The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to Halloween and the more recent Blair Witch Project, low budget does not always mean bad. But for every one of these great films there are thousands of stinkers. These films tend to have far less gore, horror and scares that the covers claim. They will often have a lack of understanding of the basic elements needed to make a successful genre film. And most annoyingly, they will insist on long scenes of characters talking about things which we couldn’t care less about.

I would like to report that Ouija Board falls into the small group of successful horror films, but sadly it doesn’t. The basic plotline is as follows: five young friends are heading for a weekend away in the Scottish countryside when they seem to hit a girl on the road. From there a series of events occur involving spirits and possession and the (very occasional) splashing of blood.

As you will have perhaps gleaned, this is not an original film. But that shouldn’t matter. What happens on the ghost train isn’t as important as who is in charge of the ride. The horror genre is the one place where people watch and appreciate craftsmanship - be it the kills, the direction, or the performances of the actors. Plot and originality are not high on the audience’s list. But even here the film falters. You want the film to get the basics right. Get the friends together, play a game on the board and then see them get picked off one by one, but we don’t get that here. The pacing is all off and nothing approaching exciting happens until the final minutes, when everything comes to a sudden, and disappointing, head.

Director/writer Matt Stone has said in interviews that he has studied low budget chillers to see where they failed. The single most important thing about a horror film is the pacing  - it should build to a climax that people pay attention to. Usually the first third of a film is used to create atmosphere, but in this film we start with people in a car talking about nothing in particular. This can cripple a horror film. I do not suggest that you need a kill or a scare, but you do have to build up a sense of apprehension. Texas Chainsaw Massacre drew up the blueprint for low budget horror - watch how it starts on a slow burn and just piles on tension until the terror of Leatherface is revealed.

Low budget does not have to mean a lack of effort. The cover of the DVD suggests you are in for a gore fest. Sadly there is little blood and the kills are all done off camera, obviously as a cost saving measure. This could have been forgivable, if it had been done with any subtly. Showing a weapon swinging down, cutting away for a second and then cutting back shows a real lack of craftsmanship.

The actors, due to having some really awful scenes of dialogue, can’t really rise to the occasion and frankly look bored at times. Another lesson in writing in the horror genre is that no one likes to be sat down every ten minutes and have the plot explained to them. The best horror films have a forward momentum. Each crisis in the film should reveal a little more about the characters though their actions rather than having specific scenes laying out their motivations, hopes and dreams. No one cares about that. Please just scare us!

The music, which is the most interesting part of the film, overwhelms everything. There is even an attempt to use the music to elicit a scare. As a separate entity it is fine, but the way it is threaded into the film really makes it grating rather than frightening.

I was impressed by the quality of the film. It looks great for a low budget flick and should give inspiration for filmmakers wanting to do something daring and interesting on a shoe string. Sadly Ouiji Board delivers neither of these things. The fundamental problem with this film lies with the script. It is clunky and dull. Matt Stone apparently spent four years developing this film. You would have hoped that he would have put the script in front of someone who knew what they were talking about, before embarking on self financing this venture.

With Halloween fast approaching people will be looking for a scary film. Sadly this is not a scary film.

Rob Girvan

For more information on Ouija Board please visit the official website - click