OIAF animates Ottawa high schools

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF), in cooperation with the Community Foundation of Ottawa, and MASC (Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities), is bringing Animate Ottawa to a number of high schools across the city this spring.

Animate Ottawa is an in-class presentation that gives students the opportunity to explore animation and make their own film all about Ottawa. Participants watch a program of independent animation to get inspired, then create their short film under the guidance of an animation expert.

“We’ve always loved doing outreach activities with students, and we’ve always wanted to collaborate with MASC,” says Kelly Neall, Managing Director at the OIAF. “Animate Ottawa provided us with the perfect opportunity to do both, and highlight the City as well.”

Through Animate Ottawa, students will create a short film exploring what they love about Ottawa. The OIAF will use these films to introduce Ottawa to the hundreds of out-of-town visitors that the Festival brings in each year. Organizers have already visited two schools and the results are impressive!

Animate Ottawa begins with a screening featuring a variety of independent short animated films curated by OIAF’s Artistic Director, Chris Robinson. The 40 minute program includes a number of works from the National Film Board, from the macabre (The Big Swing, Paula Gillgannon) to the adorably absurd (Git Gob, Philip Eddols). Also featured is the accomplished Paper Man from Glebe Collegiate’s David Borish as well as innovative, low tech, personal films like Helen Hill’s Mouseholes. The goal is to present a program that is designed to inspire students to make a film. Many of these films use simple methods such as cut-outs and found objects, techniques students will be using themselves.

After the screening, students participate in a light table workshop with animation expert Tina LeMoine from MASC. Using natural materials such as pine needles, grains, sand and adding cut out characters, students will manipulate objects on a light table and film them. Students will be encouraged to watch and correct their actions.

The OIAF is excited to bring Animate Ottawa to schools free of charge, giving students the opportunity to experience the world of animation and immerse themselves in the creative arts.

This program is made possible with the financial support of the Community Foundation of Ottawa, and the cooperation of MASC and the National Film Board of Canada.

The Ottawa International Animation Festival is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976. OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub, with a total attendance of 28,000 artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the world.

This year’s festival runs from September 21-25, 2016. For more information about the Ottawa International Animation Festival, visit www.animationfestival.ca

CFI celebrates 80th birthday August 27 with free public celebration in Ottawa

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI), Canada’s oldest film institute and the second-oldest in the world, is turning 80 years old. To celebrate, the CFI is hosting a free public celebration at Jean Pigott Place, Ottawa City Hall, on Thursday, August 27, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

"This birthday party will be a way to celebrate our eight decades of service to Ottawa and Canadian film,” says Tom McSorley, Executive Director of the now octogenarian Canadian Film Institute. “As Canada's oldest non-profit, non-governmental cultural organization dedicated to cinema, we are proud to have been supported by receptive, generous, and sophisticated Ottawa cinema audiences. It’s a way of saying thank you to the city, our sponsors and embassy partners, and all who come to our events. It's also a moment to look ahead to, hopefully, another 80 years.”

McSorley has been a part of the CFI for over twenty years, and is a film critic with CBC’s Ottawa Morning and an Adjunct Professor of Film Studies at Carleton University.

Guests attending the CFI’s 80th Anniversary Celebration will be treated to an assortment of food and drink generously provided by local Embassies and organizations, and will have the opportunity to mingle with representatives from the Institute and its partner organizations, sponsors, friends, collaborators, and alumni. A special presentation of speeches and video of congratulations from prominent Canadian filmmakers will begin at 6:00 p.m. The CFI will also announce its upcoming programming season.

The CFI welcomes donations and fundraising support. Guests who wish to make a donation of $25 or more will be issued a charitable tax receipt. The event is free for all to attend, with refreshments offered by donation.

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) was incorporated in 1935 as a federally-chartered, nongovernmental, non-profit cultural organization. More information about the organization and the 80th anniversary at Jean Pigott Place, Ottawa City Hall, can be found online at www.cfi-icf.ca.

• • • • • •

L'Institut canadien du film (ICF), le plus ancien institut de cinéma au Canada et le deuxième plus ancien au monde, a quatre-vingt ans. L'ICF marquera publiquement l'occasion par une fête à la Place Jean-Pigott de l'hôtel-de-ville d'Ottawa le jeudi 27 août prochain de 17 h 30 à 20 h.


« Cette fête d'anniversaire est une façon de célébrer nos huit décennies de service envers la ville d'Ottawa et le cinéma canadien, » dit Tom McSorley, directeur exécutif du désormais octogénaire Institut canadien du film. « À titre de plus ancien organisme culturel non gouvernemental sans but lucratif consacré au cinéma, nous sommes fiers d'avoir reçu l'appui des auditoires de cinéma réceptifs, généreux et raffinés d'Ottawa. C'est une façon de remercier la ville, nos commanditaires et nos partenaires des ambassades, ainsi que tous ceux qui viennent à nos événements. C'est aussi le moment d'envisager, du moins nous l'espérons, encore quatre-vingt ans d'activités pour l'Institut. »

McSorley fait partie de l'ICF depuis plus de vingt ans. Il est critique de cinéma à l'émission Ottawa Morning au réseau CBC et professeur adjoint d'études cinématographiques à l'Université Carleton.


Les invités à la fête du 80e anniversaire de l'ICF pourront profiter d'aliments et de boissons généreusement offerts par les ambassades et organismes locaux, et se mêler aux représentants de l'Institut et de ses organismes partenaires et commanditaires, de même qu'aux amis, collaborateurs et anciens de l'Institut. Une présentation spéciale de bons vœux et un vidéo de félicitations par d'éminents cinéastes canadiens débuteront à 18 h. L'ICF y annoncera aussi le programme de sa prochaine saison.


L'ICF est reconnaissant de tout don ou appui à des collectes de fonds. Un reçu d'impôt d’œuvre caritative sera émis aux invités souhaitant donner 25 $ ou plus. L'événement est gratuit pour tous, les rafraîchissements étant des dons.

L'Institut canadien du film (ICF) a été créé en 1935 en tant qu'organisme culturel non gouvernemental sans but lucratif à charte fédérale. On trouvera à www.cfi-icf.ca de plus amples renseignements sur l'ICF et sur la célébration de son 80e anniversaire Place Jean- Pigott à l'hôtel-de-ville d’Ottawa.

Call for Ottawa 2014 Film Festival entries

Call for entries – OIAF, Digi60, OIFF, OWFF, and CDFF

Five local film festivals are currently (or soon will be) accepting submissions for festivals taking place in 2014. And in case you didn't hear, I won first place in the Cellar Door Film Festival promo video challenge.

Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)
Festival dates: September 17-21, 2014
Submissions deadline: May 16 (entry forms) and May 30 (preview DVDs)

Digi60 Filmmakers Festival (Spring Edition)
Temporary registration page here
Festival date: June 22, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 14 (the “catch” will be released on May 15)

Ottawa International Film Festival (OIFF)
Festival dates: October 15-19, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 30 (earlybird deadline ends May 10)

One World Film Festival (OWFF)
Festival dates: September 25-26 and October 2-3, 2014
Submissions deadline: June 30

Cellar Door Film Festival (CDFF)
Festival dates: TBD (Fall 2014)
Submissions deadline: August 15 (earlybird deadline ends July 15)

CFI presents Hal Hartley cinema retrospective Feb. 1 - March 2

Hal Hartley

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI), in collaboration with the Embassy of the United States of America, is pleased to present American Possibility: The Cinema of Hal Hartley, a special retrospective celebrating the career of one of America's greatest independent filmmakers of the past quarter century.

Hal Hartley will be in Ottawa for the first three nights of the retrospective, February 1-3, 2013, to introduce and discuss his films with Ottawa audiences.

Renowned for his witty, articulate, sharp, often satirical and always compassionate films, Hal Hartley’s films have been showcased at film festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Rotterdam, Melbourne and Sydney. His films have helped launch the careers of some of today’s biggest stars, including Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Martin Donovan, and Michael Imperioli.

“Hal Hartley is one of the most impressive and idiosyncratic contemporary American film artists,” says CFI Executive Director, Tom McSorley. “The CFI is proud to be bringing this critically acclaimed, internationally renowned American independent filmmaker to Ottawa.” In total, the CFI will devote six nights of screenings throughout February and early March to this special retrospective:

• February 1st: Meanwhile (2012) 7:00pm and Trust (1991), 9:00 pm *

• February 2nd: Possible Films: Hal Hartley Short Film Programme, 3:00 pm *

• February 3rd: Amateur (1994), 7:00 pm *

• February 27th: Henry Fool (1997), 7 pm

• March 1st: The Girl From Monday (2005), 8:30 pm

• March 2nd: Fay Grim (2006), 7 pm

*Hal Hartley will be in attendance on dates marked with an asterisk (February 1, 2, 3).

All screenings will take place at the Auditorium at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa, except for the "Hal Hartley Short Film Programme," which will be presented at Club SAW, 67 Nicholas Street.

Tickets are $12 for the general public and $8 for CFI members, seniors, and students and can be purchased on-site with the box office opening half an hour before the start of the film

CFI welcomes acclaimed Canadian director Peter Mettler to Ottawa Jan. 31

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI), is pleased to present The Enlightened Screen: Peter Mettler, the latest installment of an ongoing screening and guest artist series which profiles Canada’s leading independent filmmakers.

On January 31, 2013, the CFI will celebrate the career of the acclaimed Canadian filmmaker, by screening his 2012 release, The End of Time. Tackling mankind’s perception of time, The End of Time takes viewers on a journey around the globe, with visits to the particle accelerator in Switzerland, lava flows in Hawaii, inner city Detroit and to a Hindu funeral rite. It has been selected as one of Canada’s Top Ten films of 2012.

 

Peter Mettler will be in attendance to introduce The End of Time and following the screening, he'll participate in a discussion with CFI executive director Tom McSorley as well as a question and answer session with the audience.

 

“Mettler’s provocative films explore unique ideas and feature breathtaking images,” says McSorley.

 

“The Canadian Film Institute is honoured to have him in Ottawa, showcasing his most recent production. He is one of the most important and influential figures in contemporary Canadian cinema, having worked with Atom Egoyan, Robert Lepage, and others, in addition to his own remarkable films.”

 

This special screening will take place at the Auditorium at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa. Tickets are $12 for the general public and $8 for CFI members, seniors, and students and can be purchased on-site with the box office opening half an hour before the start of the film. Showtime is 7:00 pm.

 

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) was incorporated in 1935 as a federally-chartered, non-governmental, non-profit cultural organization. It is the oldest film institution in Canada and the second oldest film institute in the world. More information can be found online at www.cfi-icf.ca.

CFI to screen "The Boxing Girls of Kabul" by Oscar-nominated Canadian Ariel Nasr January 30

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI), will present a special screening of The Boxing Girls of Kabul on Wednesday, January 30, at 7:00 pm at the Auditorium at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa, Canada.

Directed by independent Afghan-Canadian filmmaker, Ariel Nasr, this powerful documentary follows three young Afghan women, who risk everything in their pursuit to become world-class boxers, despite training without even the most basic facilities.

Led by their trainer, an ex-boxer who once dreamed of competing in the Olympics, the film follows his proteges as they travel to boxing competitions in Vietnam and Kazakhstan. The film also reveals the life-threatening risks these athletes and their families face by participating in a sport that many in their country believe is inappropriate for women.

A National Film Board production, The Boxing Girls of Kabul was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award while Nasr, the film’s director who makes his home in Montreal, was nominated for an Oscar in the Short Film - Live Action category for his work as a producer on the film Buzkashi Boys.

Nasr will be in attendance to introduce The Boxing Girls of Kabul and, following the screening, will participate in a discussion with CFI executive director Tom McSorley, as well as a question and answer session with the audience.

This special screening will take place at the Auditorium at 395 Wellington Street in Ottawa. Tickets are $12 for the general public and $8 for CFI members, seniors, and students and can be purchased on-site with the box office opening half an hour before the start of the film. Showtime is 7pm.

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) was incorporated in 1935 as a federally-chartered, non-governmental, non-profit cultural organization. It is the oldest film institution in Canada and the second oldest film institute in the world. More information can be found online at www.cfi-icf.ca.

Microsoft to Premiere ‘Pulp’ on Xbox 360 in UK March 4

In a move that marks a radical shift in the way feature films are distributed in the United Kingdom (UK), Microsoft will premiere the British comedy feature film Pulp on Xbox 360 beginning March 4, 2013. The 96-minute comedy will become the first feature film to ever premiere on Xbox 360 and will be available to watch via the Xbox LIVE service in the UK.

 

An irreverent comedy set in a world where comic book publishing and international crime intersect, Pulp has become a favourite on the global festival circuit.

Pulp tells the story of Tony Leary, the nice-guy owner of Junk Comics, whose new superhero title, The Sodomizer, is to launch at the British International Comic Show, and nothing will stop Tony from making it a success. Nothing except a gang of Geordie criminals who are using another comic company to launder their dirty money. Tony is drafted by the police to identify the culprits and bring them to justice. Aided by his trusty geek sidekicks, Rick and Keith, Tony must defy the odds if he is to become a real-life hero.

Pulp stars Jay Sutherland, Gavin Molloy, Simon Burbage, Neil Jennings, Lee Ravitz, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Lucy Cudden and John Thomson.

Pulp’s co-director and producer, Adam Hamdy, said, “Microsoft might not seem like the obvious partner for an indie comedy, but the film industry has changed. Xbox 360 can instantly distribute Pulp to millions of UK customers, and publicize the release in ways that simply aren’t possible with traditional releasing models.”

The deal was brokered by Pat Nelson of SyndicateWorks, an innovative talent and brand management agency. “The Xbox 360 team saw Pulp, and immediately spotted the appeal the film would have to their audience. It’s fun, off-the-wall, and laugh-out-loud funny. Pulp’s equity based, independent finance structure meant the producers weren’t tied to a traditional release model, and were free to strike an innovative deal that we think might herald a new model for feature film releasing.”

Phil Bland, producer of Pulp, said, “Many people in the film business talk about the threat digital media poses to film, but, as newcomers to the industry, all we can see are opportunities. Microsoft is an exciting partner, and the fact they can release our film to millions of customers at the push of a button is very attractive.”

Pulp’s extended trailer, which features a now infamous ‘Star Wars’ scene, became an online sensation earlier this year, resonating with people around the world, as it racked up over a million views (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGE0q_bQN4M).

Adam Hamdy is optimistic about the film’s prospects, “Pulp is not a remake, sequel or

adaptation of a board game. It wasn’t created by a committee of suits sitting in a
skyscraper in Los Angeles. It was born of a series of crazy events, and made by a group
of talented actors and dedicated filmmakers who fell in love with a nutty script. We had
a lot of fun making Pulp, and festival audiences who have seen the film say that fun energy shines through the film.”

Pulp was selected for the Just For Laughs Comedy Film Festival, and was nominated for the London Comedy Film Festival Discovery Award.

Phil Bland said, “Pulp has travelled the international festival circuit. Getting nominated for the Best Feature Film of 2012 at the Las Vegas Film Festival was probably our most surreal experience. Although Pulp may not be as polished as your average multi-million dollar Hollywood production, it has a rare charm and a wicked sense of humour that audiences really respond to."

Pat Nelson said, “The theatrical release model is now only financially viable for big budget films. Mid and low budget films are really struggling due to the marketing costs required to release theatrically. The DVD market is in decline and no longer supports that mid to low budget tier. If Xbox customers respond to the premiere of Pulp, this could mark a turning point in the industry and a seismic shift in how filmmakers reach their audience.”

THE HOUSE ON ARCH LANE screens at Montreal Horrorfest Sept. 15

Driving up to Montreal Horrorfest today (part of Montreal Comiccon) for the screening of THE HOUSE ON ARCH LANE. The short thriller with my script story is being screened as part of short program #3 in screening room #3, starting at 1:15 pm.

A Q&A is also planned.

It will be a strange feeling not to be exhibiting this year, so but also cool because I will be able to walk the comic-con floor and enjoy some fan-girly fun.

The Shuster Awards, Canada's comic book creator honours, are taking place this evening, in addition to the premiere of a film about horror legend Tom Savini, SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

Oh yes, William Shatner and Patrick Stewart will be there too.

For more on what's going on, check out Montreal Comiccon.

Dov S-S Simens' 2-day film school sells sizzle and steak

Janet Hetherington and Dov Simens

Quentin Tarantino! Guy Ritchie! Will Smith! Stephen King! And now Janet Hetherington... all graduates of Dov S-S- Simens' 2-day film school.

Simens squeezed Ottawa into his globe-trotting schedule on August 4 and 5, 2012, which made me very happy. I had seen the ads and was intrigued. My key interest is screenwriting, but I wanted to know more about the industry.

Then Dov came to Ottawa and delivered the unvarnished truth.

It was a very hot -- the air conditioning at the Great Canadian Theatre Company wasn't functioning well -- and a very intense, jam-packed 2-day session. Producing. Directing. Screenwriting. Distributing. Protecting your work. Film vs. digital. How to shoot in 3D on an ultra-low budget.

Dov worked as a line producer for legendary indie film-maker Roger Corman. where he learned how to make films that are quick, cheap and most importantly, will sell. He passed along that knowledge with loud authority.

Dov Simens, Brooks Hunter and Dale Windle

Dov's key advice for "nobodies" like me with big Hollywood dreams... make an independently financed low-budget -- nay, micro-budget -- feature and get your name out there. He provided the blueprint to do it right here in Ottawa, but stressed that it's up to the budding film-maker to bring the originality and talent.

Dov also talked about how to raise money for each little epic. Some of the strategies were old-school (I kept thinking of Mel Brooks' "The Producers") and included strategies like "sell the sizzle, not the steak." However, Dov also discussed the new arena of crowdfunding through venues like Kickstarter (for U.S. citizens) and Indiegogo (which Canadians can utilize).

During the course, Dov revealed that he has been talking to Mark Burnett productions about being a judge on a reboot of the film-maker reality TV series "On the Lot." While not making films himself (he doesn't have the talent, he says, though he has a grand idea for a boob-a-licious feature), Dov is seeking investors for a new venture called Moviecloud.com, which would provide a virtual forum for micro-budget movie downloads.

After Day 2, Dov was joined by Canadian film-makers Brooks Hunter ("Kenneyville") and Dale Windle ("Rulers of Darkness") for a director and producer Q & A and pitch session, sponsored by A.C.T. (Acting for Cinema and Television), Aventus Films and Wired Wisdom.

I nervously pitched my contained horror feature "Basement," and while it wasn't the winning pitch, I came away with some useful notes on how to improve the story... and some colleagues who made the point of running up to me to say they'd love to see that film.

Now that's incentive to complete the screenplay and make the movie! (And yes, it's registered.)

 -- Janet Hetherington

Call for Entries! Ottawa International Animation Festival

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is pleased to announce its worldwide call for entries for its 2012 festival, taking place September 19 to 23 in Canada’s National Capital Region -- Ottawa!


Animators are invited to submit their recent work into five major categories including: Independent short films, feature films, commissioned films (TV series, commercials, music videos and video game animation) student films and films made for children. 

The OIAF is recognized as one of the world’s most competitive film festivals, receiving more than 2,000 entries annually. The Festival’s selection committee chooses approximately 150 films for competition and out-of-competition showcase screenings.

The Festival’s international jury: Barry Purves (England), Hisko Hulsing (Holland), Izabela Rieben (Switzerland), Mike Fallows (Canada), J.J. Sedelmaier (USA) and Sarah Muller (England) will review films in competition. Jury members will join the audience during screenings throughout the Festival and present the final awards at the closing ceremonies.

The OIAF is also introducing a new category for Non-Gameplay Animation, the first of its kind at any animation festival. Examples of non-gameplay animation include cinematic cut scenes that help advance a game's plot and trailers previewing an upcoming release.

"Since the mid-1990s, we've been trying to find a way to seamlessly integrate videogame animation into OIAF competitions, ” says Festival artistic director Chris Robinson. “We found that the best way for us to acknowledge the outstanding work being done in gameplay animation was by encouraging the submission of non-game play components.”

A new award for Best Canadian Student Animation Film, celebrating the work of emerging filmmakers and the wealth of up-and-coming Canadian talent, will also be introduced. Canadian student films in competition and showcase will be eligible for this award.

All online entry forms for this year’s competition must be received by May 18. The deadline for preview DVDs is June 1. There is no entry fee.

For more information about this year’s Festival, as well as the online entry form, visit the OIAF website at www.animationfestival.ca.  Questions about submitting a film may be sent to entries@animationfestival.ca or made by telephone at 613-232-8769.

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events providing screenings, exhibits, workshops and entertainment since 1976.  OIAF is an annual five-day event bringing art and industry together in a vibrant hub and attracting more than 28,000 artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the world.

For more information, visit the OIAF website at: www.animationfestival.ca.

Gotcha by the short scares: Killer 63 on October 22 with The House on Arch Lane

Ottawa's Killer 63 fear fest is taking place at the Mayfair Theatre in Ottawa, Canada, on October 22 at 11:30 pm.

One of the films being screened is The House on Arch Lane (with script story credit by Janet Hetherington [me]).

In no particular order, here is the line-up (with an addition or two to come) for the sixth annual Killer 63 event at the Mayfair Theatre:

KILLER63 year VI

Victor Perpetual – Ray Besharah

Employee of the Month – Olivier Beguin

She's Not Gone – Randy Smith

Lone Fish - Zebrasseires music video – Luca F

The Mask of James Henry – Steve Villeneuve

The House on Arch Lane – Alexander Steinhoff / Alexander De Lukowicz
(See the teaser for The House on Arch Lane on YouTube.)

Good Samaritan – Jeff Campbell

Six Minutes – Ralph Gethings

Profile of a Killer – Chris Chitaroni

Happy Fuzzy Things – Matt Fincer

Emily – James Campbell

Games Night – Fiona Noakes / Islam Balbaa

Interestingly enough, I worked with Fiona Noakes on the short SF film M-Theory.

And I was background in her Bitter State video.

Small world!

Come to the Mayfair and see these films... they'll get you by the short scares!

M-Theory May 26 at the Mayfair Ottawa

The "Tickle Me Ottawa" film Festival is rockin' the Mayfair Theatre (with laughter) at 7 pm tonight (May 26, 2011)!

The audience will pick the winners, so join us at Ottawa's Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.). Tickets are available at the Mayfair Theatre box office ($6 for members, $10 non-members, $7 seniors, $5 for children).
2011 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

Slipping Sideways (JF Dufault, Dir.)
Deep-seated secrets are exposed during a typical family Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks to a simple bar of soap, pent up emotions are unleashed, but will they be cleansed?

SNIP (Bill Lyle, Dir.)
An immature Paul faces a life changing event as his wife presses him to get a vasectomy. Plagued by fear, Paul's day and night dreams are haunted by the worst case scenarios. Finally, Paul takes a stand against the procedure only to be confronted and blackmailed into it by an unexpected foe.

Buon Giorno Sayonara (Karen Hope, Dir.)
A Japanese couple and an Italian couple witness each others arguments while on holiday at the English seaside. Although they can’t understand what’s being said, it’s clear to the Japanese woman (Kumiko), and the Italian man (Gherardo), that they’re both being taken for granted by their partners, who storm off, leaving Kumiko and Gherardo stranded together.

Labour Laws (James Glen, Dir.)

Labour Laws is a fun short film about a woman who returns to work after winning a court case for wrongful dismissal for being pregnant.

Breath of Fresh Air (Olesia Shewchuk, Dir.)
Travis (Andrew Fraser) wants to air a new side of himself to his flawless girlfriend, Amanda (Jessie Fraser). He's going to take their relationship to the next level… will this act rip them apart? In this cute romantic comedy short film, written by Brad Condon, directed by Olesia Shewchuk, one man's expectations pass through the ultimate test.

Emily's Sketchbook (Colin Gray, Dir.)
In this film within a film, Alex, a young writer, is busy trying to put the finishing touches on his latest romance story, 'Emily's Sketchbook' despite a serious case of writer's block and interruptions from an uncouth housemate. Unfortunately for Alex, Quinn, the leading man in his story has aspirations of being an action hero and continually tries to steer Alex's 'mushy, sissy' plot into an adventure packed melee. Alex must fight hard to keep his innocent love tale from being lost to a horde of pirates, ninjas, zombies, terrorists and irate gourmet chefs. However, the biggest surprise of all comes when leading lady Emily decides to take matters into her own hands.

Bugbaby (Rebecca Lorenne, Dir.)

Sammy Gregory is a 'special needs' infant - special in that he resembles a giant insect, and needs a constant supply of raw meat. His parents (Lara Fisher and Jared Martzell), are understandably at the end of their rope. They invite a social worker (Mink Stole) over to see if their baby can possibly be adopted to a more capable family. But when the social worker reveals herself to be more interested in punishing Sammy's parents than in helping anyone, little Sammy proves that he might be a valued member of the family after all.

The New Suited (Niels Beekes, Dir.)

is a pilot for a series about 'Suited'. Suited, along with Sarah and the E.R.I.C, are spies fighting the more modern criminals. Suited is chosen for this job because of his Lucky Hero Gene. This episode they take on Eugene. Eugene is a fantasy game addict that receives his powers in the real world and becomes crazed with it.


M-Theory

M-Theory (Lloyd Deane, Dir.)

Meet Neil Mundus. He’s a smooth talking, self-confident, chick magnet with a skyrocketing academic career and seems destined for greatness. Well...maybe in some parallel universe. The Neil Mundus who occupies this universe is a little more, err, challenged. But when pushed into a corner, even the worm turns. Just when this universe seems to be conspiring against him, Neil finds a way to turn the situation around. But making choices can have some unusual consequences in the realm of extra dimensions and M-Theory.

Stake Land strikes April 22; Lionsgate dips into eco-horror with The Bay

New poster for Stake Land

Two new horror films explain the inexplicable as "epidemics" and "biological disasters."

Director Jim Mickle's new vampire epidemic flick Stake Land, written by Nick Damici and Jim Mickle, is set to strike on April 22, 2011.

Mickle first grabbed the attention of horror film fans with his zombie-rat thriller Mulberry Street, in which Damici also starred and served as co-writer. They have teamed up again to deliver an even darker and bloodier shocker. Drawing on the post-apocalyptic frenzy described by Richard Matheson (author of the novel I Am Legend) and George Romero, Stake Land is described as a road movie with fangs.

When an epidemic of vampirism strikes, humans find themselves on the run from vicious, feral beasts. Cities become tombs and survivors cling together in rural pockets, fearful of nightfall. When his family is slaughtered, young Martin (Gossip Girl's Connor Paolo) is taken under the wing of a grizzled, wayward hunter (In the Cut's Nick Damici) whose new prey are the undead.

Simply known as Mister, the vampire stalker takes Martin on a journey through the locked-down towns of America's heartland, searching for a better place while taking down any bloodsuckers that cross their path. Along the way they recruit fellow travellers, including a nun (Kelly McGillis), who is caught in a crisis of faith when her followers turn into ravenous beasts. This ragtag family unit cautiously moves north, avoiding major thoroughfares that have been seized by The Brethren, a fundamentalist militia headed by Jebedia Loven (Tony award-winning actor Michael Cerveris) that interprets the plague as the Lord's work.

Stake Land also stars horror movie icon Danielle Harris (Hatchet II) and was produced by indie horror producer-writer-director Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter).

More horror bubbling up from The Bay

On April 14, Lionsgate reported that it acquired U.S. distribution rights to Barry Levinson's  found-footage eco-horror film The Bay (formerly Isopod) from Alliance Films. The announcement was made jointly by Joe Drake, President of the Motion Picture Group, and Jason Constantine, President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions.

"Ingenious genre films are and always will be a specialty at Lionsgate," Drake comments. "The Bay is a shining example of the kind of truly fresh horror film that audiences are always ready for, and that we excel at eventizing with them. Thanks to Barry, we'll all be afraid to go in the water for years to come."

The film was directed by Barry Levinson (Good Morning Vietnam, Rain Man) from a script he co-wrote with Michael Wallach.  The Bay was produced by Levinson, Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, and Oren Peli, and co-produced by Mythodic Films, with Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Jason Sosnoff, Colin Strause, and Greg Strause executive producing.

"It's exciting to see a company like Lionsgate embrace The Bay so enthusiastically," says director Barry Levinson. "The found footage / multiplatform approach opened up the film to creative possibilities I hadn't encountered in my previous films, and I think these sorts of films will only continue to push boundaries as the technology changes."

This "biological disaster" film is another from the producers of Paranormal Activity. The sci-fi horror flick features Michael Beasley, Lauren Cohn and Christopher Denham.

The film follows the producers' work on Insidious, and chronicles an unprecedented biological disaster unleashed from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay -- an isopod parasite, carrying a horrific untreatable disease that jumps from fish to human hosts. The horror and scope of the event unfolds on footage captured on home videos and the internet by the town's victims.

"We have been big admirers of Jason Blum, Steven Schneider and Oren Peli since their breakout hit Paranormal Activity, and are thrilled to be in business with them," says Constantine. "This film works so effectively because it establishes a very natural, everyday world, places the audience intimately within it, and then sits back as everything takes a horrific turn. Barry has incorporated found footage to the most satisfying possible effect, and it's all the scarier for not relying on anything supernatural."

The Bay is an Alliance presentation in association with IM Global. IM Global handled foreign sales, and Alliance will distribute in Canada, the UK and Spain.

The deal was negotiated by Lionsgate's Constantine, with Eda Kowan, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, and Wendy Jaffe, Executive Vice President Business & Legal Affairs for Acquisitions.  The sale was brokered on behalf of Alliance by ICM and CAA.  ICM packaged the film and represents Levinson and Wallach.

Brandon Routh goes from Superman to supernatural sleuth in DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT

Brandon Routh is abandoning the cape and packing silver bullets in the new horror/comedy DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT, scheduled for theaters on April 29, 2011.

While DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT is based on a popular comic book, which has sold over 60 million copies worldwide, this is a different kind of comic-book hero.

Dylan Dog is a private investigator specializing in affairs of the undead.  His PI business card reads "No Pulse?  No Problem." Armed with an edgy wit and carrying an arsenal of silver and wood-tipped bullets, Dylan must track down a dangerous artifact before a war ensues between his werewolf, vampire and zombie clients living undercover in the monster-infested backstreets of New Orleans.

Routh stars as Dylan Dog. The cast also includes Sam Huntington, Anita Briem, Peter Stormare and Taye Diggs. The film is directed by Kevin Munroe and written by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.

For more info, check out:

The official website:  http://www.dylandogdeadofnight.com

The Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DylanDogDeadofNight

The YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/dylandogdeadofnight

Submit to the Tickle Me Ottawa Film Festival by April 15

Lloyd Dean of Bikeboy Productions and writer/director of M-THEORY is seeking comedy films from Ottawa area filmmakers.

Info follows on the Tickle Me Ottawa film fest, to premiere in May: 

Hey Ottawa filmmakers!  Think you’re funny? Make us laugh and you could get your film screened at Ottawa's Mayfair Theatre!

Submit your comedy short film to the 1^st annual Tickle Me Ottawa Film Festival

To enter, send two copies of your film (on DVD), a short description of your film (max. 100 words), along with your $10 entry fee to:

Tickle Me Ottawa

Lloyd Deane

c/o 214, 140 Mann Avenue

Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1E5

The (not so) fine print:

To qualify your film must be less than 20 minutes in length, and produced in the National Capital Region.  Entries must be postmarked no later than April 15, 2011. Official selections will be screened at the Mayfair theatre in May 2011. 

For more information, email: lloyddeane@yahoo.ca

Scene from M-THEORY

Meanwhile, M-THEORY will be screened on Friday, March 4, 2011 at 7:15 p.m. the University of Ottawa's Cinema Academica. The screening will be followed by a Q&A will Lloyd Deane and other members of the cast.

The Hobbit movies begin shooting March 21

Weta Workshop was kind enough to share The Hobbit movie news, saying that production company 3Foot7 Ltd. has announced that that the first day of principal photography for The Hobbit will be Monday, March 21, 2011.

This date was chosen to accommodate filming schedule requirements, actor availability and New Zealand seasonal weather. Shooting will take place at Stone Street Studios in Miramar and on location around New Zealand. 

Confirmed cast include Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Rob Kazinsky, Aidan Turner, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Adam Brown, Cate Blanchett, Andy Serkis, Mikael Persbrant, Sylvester McCoy and Elijah Wood.

“Despite some delays we are fully back on track and very excited to get started,” commented director Sir Peter Jackson.

Weta Workshop houses a range of artistic disciplines under one roof, including conceptual design, weapons, armour and chainmaille, specialist props, vehicles, specialty costumes, models and miniatures, special make-up and prosthetics, public art and displays.

Drawing on more than 20 years of filmmaking experience, five-times Oscar-winning design and effects supervisor Richard Taylor is intimately involved in all projects from concept through to delivery.

Although best known for the company's design and effects work on award-winning film projects, including Lord of the Rings Trilogy, King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia and Avatar, Weta Workshop offers services to all creative industries throughout the world.

The company also offers high-quality collectibles, like Hobbit ears and a New Zealand map of Middle-Earth.

Chad Lindberg on The Cape February 7 and I Spit on Your Grave February 8

It’s a busy February for Chad Lindberg.

The actor appears as “Hicks” in an episode of NBC’s The Cape called “Goggles and Hicks” at 9 pm on February 7, 2011, and stars in I Spit on Your Grave, a remake of the 1970s horror classic, being released by Anchor Bay Entertainment on Blu-ray and DVD February 8.

Chad Lindberg

NBC’s description of the “Goggles and Hicks” episode recounts how The Cape (David Lyons), heeds advice from Max (Keith David) to take some time off to recover from bruising and exhaustion.

Determined to finally kill The Cape, Peter Fleming (James Frain) hires a tech-savvy team, including Goggles (guest star Pruitt Taylor Vince) and Hicks (guest star Chad Lindberg), to track and destroy The Cape. Meanwhile, Orwell (Summer Glau) faces digital challenges against the team’s strong expertise and Dana (Jennifer Ferrin) becomes more involved in uncovering the truth about Vince’s case.

Lindberg has over 25 film and 20 TV credits to his name, but is perhaps best known for his roles as “Ash” on The CW’s Supernatural and “Jesse” from the film The Fast and the Furious.

In addition to recurring roles on Supernatural and CSI: NY, Lindberg has guest-starred on many other genre-popular TV shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and The X-Files, garnering a fan following. In fact, a Twitter campaign helped resurrect his character of “Ash,” who had been killed off.

Chad Lindberg in I Spit on Your Grave

In celebration of the February 8 Blu-ray and DVD release, the cast and filmmakers of I Spit on Your Grave will be signing at Burbank’s Dark Delicacies bookstore at 7 p.m.

Chad Lindberg will be joined by director Steven R. Monroe (2010); producer Lisa Hansen (2010); executive producer (2010) and along with 2010 stars Jeff Branson, Sarah Butler, Rodney Eastman and Daniel Franzese. The writer/director of the 1978 original, Meir Zarchi, will also attend.

Fans need to purchase the I Spit on Your Grave DVD or Blu-ray at Dark Delicacies for this signing. One additional item may also be autographed at the celebrities’ discretion. For more information, contact: Dark Delicacies Bookstore, 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505; 818-556-6660.

Second chance to watch best films from the 2010 Ottawa International Animation Festival on January 29

The Canadian Film Institute (CFI) is giving moviegoers in Ottawa, Canada, a second chance to view the best films featured at the 2010 Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF).

The CFI is presenting the Best of the OIAF, which is currently touring at various venues in Canada and around the world, with a stop in Ottawa on January 29, 2011. The program showcases films that were awarded top honours from the festival’s official competition as well as films that were audience favourites.

“The program is a great opportunity to view films that you may have missed during our 2010 packed-out edition or even just get a chance to enjoy the films again,” said OIAF Managing Director Kelly Neall.

The program includes extraordinary films such as: David O’Reilly’s 2010 Grand Prize-winning, The External World; the pulsating metamorphic madness of Andreas Hykade’s, Love & Theft; Dustin Grella’s deeply moving and brilliantly executed award-winning film, Prayers for Peace; the heart-thumping tale of Sinna Mann (Angry Man) by Anita Killi; and the snap-crackling goodness of Masaki Okuda's, Kuchao (A Gum Boy).

Be warned though, several of the films are sexually explicit.  This is not a program to bring the kids or your mother to.

The screening of the Best of the OIAF in Ottawa happens at 7 p.m. on January 29, 2011 at the Library and Archives Canada (395 Wellington Street at Bay). Free parking is available on the west side of the building.

Admission is $8.00 for CFI members, seniors and students, and $12.00 for the general public. Annual CFI memberships are available at the door for $15.00. For more information, call: (613) 232-8769 or email info@animationfestival.ca.

Quantum Quest to premiere January 22

Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo and producer/director/writer Dr. Harry Kloor will host the U.S. premiere of Quantum Quest, the 3-D computer animated large format adventure film, at the gala preview party of "Science With A Twist: An Evening Aboard The Enterprise" on Saturday night, January 22, 2011, at the Louisville Science Center museum.

Quantum Quest interweaves animated sequences with actual space imagery captured from seven ongoing NASA and NASA/ESA space missions. In addition to Picardo, the film boasts an A-list voice cast including two Captain Kirks (veteran William Shatner and Chris Pine), two Jedi Knights (Mark Hamill and Samuel L. Jackson) and two Darth Vaders (James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen) – a first for Hollywood and the galaxy.

Quantum Quest will be released in large format and conventional theaters in spring 2011. 

Quantum Quest is the first time that NASA’s iconic Jet Propulsion Laboratory has ever initiated a film project and the first time that Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the surface of the moon, has participated in a feature film, lending his voice to one of the characters.

Combining solid, “real” science with Hollywood-style narrative story-telling, Quantum Quest is designed to communicate the excitement of space exploration and science discovery to students K through 12.  Quantum Quest will provide more free educational materials, prepared by leading educators, scientists, space and science organizations (including the Fleet Museum and the Planetary Society), than any previous large screen film.

“This is a stealth science education film disguised as fun Hollywood entertainment,” says Dr. Kloor. “Whenever we talk about science, it’s exact, but QQ’s message is to tell kids – and grownups of all ages – that science is cool.” 

Telltale Games goes Back to the Future

Rev your engines and adjust your Flux Capacitor, because Back to the Future: The Game is coming to PCs and Macs on Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

Telltale Games advises that there are few days left for special preorder as the game will make its debut on Wednesday. The five-part season's first episode "It's About Time!" will be available for PC and Mac platforms. Fans can still get the bonus Puzzle Agent game free with their preorder from http://www.backtothefuturegame.com.

Telltale also donates $1 to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation with each purchase up through the launch. The series will debut on the PlayStation Network and iPad platforms in early 2011.

Back to the Future: The Game brings the iconic 'Marty McFly', 'Doc Brown' and the DeLorean Time Machine together in a completely new cinematic adventure, which unfolds over five episodes. Six months after the events of the third film, the DeLorean Time Machine mysteriously returns to Hill Valley. 'Marty' must go back in time and recruit aid from a resistant teen=age 'Emmett Brown', or else the space-time continuum will be forever unraveled.

Back to the Future: The Game features the likenesses of the original stars that made the characters of 'Marty McFly' and 'Doc Brown' legendary: Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.

Lloyd is voicing 'Doc Brown' for the full game series.

Bob Gale, the co-creator and co-writer of the landmark films says, "Telltale's Back to the Future game is the first videogame in the space-time continuum to be truly worthy of being called 'Back to the Future.' This new adventure of 'Marty McFly' and 'Doc Brown' is true to the spirit of the movies, and I couldn't be happier about the great working relationship I've developed with the team at Telltale. Via the game, the player gets to explore and experience more about the history of our characters and Hill Valley... along with some very interesting alternate time lines. It's a game for people who loved the movies, made by people who loved the movies."

"It's a testament to the commitment and creative energy of our team that Telltale can deliver high-quality gaming experiences with such a timely schedule," comments Dan Connors, Telltale Games CEO. "And what a great way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this all time great franchise."

"Back to the Future is one of the true gems of the Universal Pictures library," says Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. "The collaboration with the talented team at Telltale Games and Bob Gale was fantastic, and we are excited to deliver all-new interactive adventures to fans of the franchise."

Telltale will also offer Back to the Future: The Game with complete voice and text translations for German language speakers, as well as a version with French text localization. The German language version will be available from Deutsche Telekom AG's gaming platform Gamesload (http://www.gamesload.de), as well as from telltalegames.com and Steam. The channels will share more information on localized versions as they prepare for release.

Full game information including videos, story synopses, character profiles, and more is available at http://www.backtothefuturegame.com.