Horror Highlights From MegaCon 2009
Lloyd Kaufman, Darcy DeMoss, Ami Dolenz Share Views on Scary Movies
Mar 2, 2009
MegaCon 2009, a celebration of science fiction, fantasy, horror, anime, and animation provided a glimpse behind the scenes of horror movies, among the many interesting programs offered throughout the weekend event. Attended by more than 30,000 fans, gamers, guests, and vendors from all over the world, MegaCon provided the following events for horror film lovers.
Troma Presents at MegaCon 2009
Independent director and producer Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Entertainment and chairman of the Independent Film and Television Alliance, presented an entertaining program on making movies. Kaufman offered lessons from his new book Direct Your Own Damn Movie, with accompanying promotional footage that explained key ideas.
The creator of such outrageous low-budget horror films as The Toxic Avenger, Tromeo and Juliet, and Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead, and the founder of the free film festival TromaDance, suggested that struggling independent filmmakers raise money by holding investors’ auditions in which potential investors attend a presentation designed to attract their interest and their money.
Kaufman also gave a mixed review of movie pirating. Although stolen material obviously cuts into profits, pirating can be helpful in spreading the word for small independent projects with little or no marketing budgets.
“Pirating can give you an audience even when you don’t have distribution there,” he said, citing an example from his own career in which he had an established audience in a country where his films had never been distributed legally.
Kaufman’s anecdotes and advice were punctuated by humorous film clips he described as public service announcements, but were actually advertising for his various products. Through a mixture of entertainment, education, and exposure (many of the clips had nudity), he gave an enjoyable introduction to Troma and the world of low-budget independent horror films.
Talk to the Girls of Horror
At this event, Ami Dolenz (Witchboard Two: The Devil’s Doorway and Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings) and Darcy DeMoss (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood and Return to Horror High) answered questions from host Jimmy Palmiotti and the audience. They discussed their first jobs, lost jobs, and work on horror films.
Dolenz and DeMoss agreed that performing scenes in horror films isn’t scary at all – that these movies are as much fun as any other film to make. In addition to Pumpkinhead, Dolenz said that working on the television show She’s Out of Control was among her favorite projects. DeMoss cited Friday the 13th (Parts VI and VII) and the film Can’t Buy Me Love as two of her most enjoyable jobs.
The Graves: New Horror Franchise
Writer-director Brian Pulido offered behind-the-scenes information and a preview of his new horror film The Graves. The movie stars Tony Todd (24 and Candyman), Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects), and Lamb of God frontman, D. Randall Blythe.
Pulido also attended the screening of his trailer during Friday night’s Fifth Annual MegaCon Indie Film Festival, in which shorts and trailers in the genres of action, anime, animation, horror, superheroes, and science fiction competed for a cash prize. At this screening, Pulido encouraged the projectionist to crank up the volume on his trailer so high that the walls of the convention center seemed to shake from the movie’s ear-piercing cries of terror.
For more information about MegaCon, visit the official website.
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