Comic-Con Film School is back for another four-day, nuts and bolts class on how to make a movie for very little money using available video technology and desktop postproduction software. Whether you're shooting your first Doctor Who fan film or that story about the leather-clad girl who hunts vampire-werewolf hybrids, this course will take you from script to final product so that you too can enter your own movie into the CCI-IFF. This first class covers the specifics of preproduction on the cheap, including screenwriting, scheduling, location scouting, crewing-up, and getting equipment for nothing. Panelists include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Jack Conway (producer of Machinima ETC), Vera Vanguard (producer of The Building of Good and Evil), Nick Murphy (writer/director of Pizza and Bullets), Josh Perilo (writer of Wedlock), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica).
A comedy about a high school teenager who, when she discovers an alternative to the "perfect" outfit she's encouraged to wear for her senior prom, finds that her personal struggle to make the right decision escalates into a public war among her family, friends, and classmates. What will she choose, and what does that choice reveal? Participating panelists include Christina Sun Kim (director), Daniel Lee (writer), and Derege Harding (producer).
A lifetime of failed relationships leads one man down a dark path of revenge as he hunts down the person he blames for his misfortune. The film comically tackles the darker side of love and what it can lead the broken hearted to do. Participating panelists include Joe Gonzales (director), Ben Boles (editor/VFX), and actor Donovan Scott (Police Academy).
Chris Larson is stuck in a dead-end job, surrounded by people who are unaware of his existence. After he discovers a magical pen, he uses its power to draw up a life of wealth, popularity, and love. When his actions have unforeseen consequences, will Chris be able to give up the pen and the new life that came with it? Panelist include Stephanie LaJeunesse (writer/director), Farrin James (producer), and Alexander LaJeunesse (composer).
We meet Monica, a beautiful young executive, preparing at home for the meeting of her career. The following morning, she wakes up with a strange and impossible problem. She struggles desperately to find a way to make it to the meeting and save her career. Panelists include writer, producer, and star Johanna Watts (Star Trek: Enterprise), director Fortunato Procopio (Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope) and Jon Huertas (Castle).
World-famous fire-eater Tony "Volcano" Valenci has spent his life attempting to set a world record. Now, Tony plans to shock the world by attempting the impossible: blowing fire while skydiving. Participating panelists include director William J. Stribling (Bear with Us), director of photography Alex Gallitano (Bear with Us), and actor Collin Smith (Bear with Us).
A young mortician learns that not even death can stand in the way of true love. A whimsical, gothic bedtime story filled with love, loss, taxidermy, Kung Fu, and biker werewolves. Participating panelists include Stephen W. Martin (writer/director), Alexander Glua (producer), and Rudy Thauberger (story editor).
In this world puppets and humans live among each other, but puppets are considered second class citizens. Landon is a puppet adopted by the "Jamisons," a human family. When his human sister Brandi returns from college, things aren't the same and Landon goes on an adventure to make things right.
Three strangers who shared a treehouse gang as kids, decide - each for their own selfish reasons-to show up at their old nemesis' funeral procession. Alas, they've lost its tracks, and now the reunited group must go on a journey to find it.
In an air guitar war, there are only Losers! Two neighbors, one a quiet, would-be folk guitarist, the other a brash wannabe headbanger, vie for air guitar supremacy in a take-no-prisoners battle in a sleepy suburban neighborhood. Participating panelist Nathan Fleet (director/composer/actor).
Working closely with the director and production designer, location scouts are the artists who translate the script into reality by exploring the world to figure out exactly where the movies and TV shows should be made. Six location scouts will discuss the creative and logistical aspects of their jobs, relate some exciting anecdotes, and answer audience questions. ModeratorScott Trimble (Terminator: Genisys, Jurassic World) joins panelists Nick Carr (Spider-Man 3, Enchanted), Stephenson Crossley (Fear the Walking Dead, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Stacey McGillis (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Infiltrator), Kei Rowan-Young (Django Unchained, Chef), and Steve Woroniecki (Tomorrowland, X-Men: First Class).
Alan is a closet sci-fi fan and comics artist stuck in a mundane corporate job and a dull life. When an alien from the Galactic Federation of Worlds offers to improve his life, Alan has to decide what it is he really wants-and possibly save the planet. Participating panelists include Adrian Bishop (writer/director), Bria Law (actor), and Jack Wefso (actor).
Filmed in remote areas of Japan, Dust takes place in a world of rapid evolution. Each year new species and adaptations alter the balance of their ecosystems. Technology and deep tradition exist as symbiotic opposites dividing people who live in the countryside from those who live in walled cities. Amidst this cultural turmoil, nature offers up an unexpected challenge.
An offbeat comedy about an imaginary friend who is forced to consider retirement when his best friend/creator starts to grow up. Kate Tsang (writer/director) will be a participating panelist.
Following reports of a mysterious crash, an aging farmer encounters a visitor determined on disrupting his quiet way of life. Starring Cedric Smith (X-Men TV series, Road to Avonlea) and Barbara Gordon (Dead Ringers). Participating panelists include director Mark Ratzlaff (Voodoo), producer Courtenay Bainbridge (Still), and cinematographer Lindsay George (Beauty Mark).
A woman is forced to adjust to a new life in a human zoo exhibit on an alien planet. Participating panelists include Erin Li (director/co-writer/producer), Kaz Kipp (producer), and Elena Flores (costume designer).
In the year 2084, 80-year-old Chloe begins mandatory euthanasia preparedness, as all her age are required to by law. She's resigned to her own death, until she is reunited by chance with Tom, a long-lost love from her past. Panelists include Jean Barker (writer/director), Siddharth Ganji (producer) and Cat Lee-McGowan (casting director).
In the near future, an aging and seemingly limited household robot attempts to communicate with the family dog. Participating Panelists include director Courtney Marsh (The Tulip Chair), and producer Jerry Franck (War Within the Walls).
Three bullied high school seniors get in a horrific car accident after being chased from the winter formal. Two discover that they can reappear completely healed after they die, and an argument ensues when they must decide the fate of their paralyzed friend. Participating panelists include Rob Grant (Mon Ami) and producer Peter Harvey (Picture Day).
Mazzy, a young girl fighting for survival in the back alleys of the city, has made some dangerous people angry and needs a way out. So she turns to her only ally-an old, broken-down construction robot named Three. Participating panelists include Joe Ksander (Pacific Rim), Kevin Adams (9), and Narineh Hacopian (producer).
The story takes place in 2035. In this world, the e-A&Ω Corporation can create holograms that are identical to dead people based on their social networks. Anna recently lost her husband, so she decides to create his hologram.
Day 2 of this four-day course on microbudget moviemaking focuses on the specifics of production, from shooting techniques to lighting on the cheap, crew positions you need (and don't need), and costuming, props, and set decorating for as little money as possible. Panelists include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Vera Vanguard (producer of The Building of Good and Evil), Nick Murphy (writer/director ofPizza and Bullets), Jack Conway (producer of Machinima ETC), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica).
Albert lives with her mother in the house at the end of the town. A childhood smeared with tragic events scar the poor boy, who decides to lock himself in the basement below the stairs. The last flight into his past will transform Albert in a conscious and therefore a very dangerous man.
The far future: Hess, a ruthless bandit, leads a clan of outlaws to attack and raid passing caravans for valuables. In secret, she cherishes her collection of books, the last remnants of civilization. She thinks she can keep her worlds separate - tonight, they collide. Participating panelists include creator Nicholas Dobkin (Endgames), composer Lasse Elkjaer (Resurrection), and actor Kelly DeSarla (Irene in Time).
A hunter goes in search of a mysterious monster that is destroying the environment, only to arrive at an unexpected revelation. Panelist will be writer/director/animator Bill Plympton (Cheatin', Idiots and Angels).
Chronicling the birth, life, and legacy of Thundercluck, the viking chicken with the power of thunder. Half mortal. Half god. All natural chicken. James Hunt (sound designer) will be the film's participating panelist.
During the construction of the universe, a young member of the Cosmos Corps of Engineers decides to break some fundamental laws in the name of self-expression. Participating panelists include Eric Law Anderson (Horses on Mars), sound designer Alexandra Fehrman (The Tomorrow People), and producer Anne M. Uemura (House of Lies).
Emptiness was this man's default. Every waking moment was within himself. Until one fateful evening at a restaurant, his reality collapses, with the power of music. Participating panelists include Adina Cohen (creator/animator), Steve Wilder Blumenthal (composer), and Amanda Donahue (storyboard artist).
In a universe made entirely of puppeteers, the puppet is always alone. Hitori is the story of a boy who is just trying to get back to where he came from. The film from Heather Henson and Ninja Puppet Productions uses live-action table top puppetry, computer compositing, and body movement artist to bring a world composed entirely of human puppeteers to life.
A neglected orphan abandoned on the Arctic sea ice is adopted by a polar bear elder, who teaches him the skills he will need to survive and provide for himself. Participating panelists include Neil Christopher (director/producer/writer) and Daniel Gies (animator).
Dinosaurs: the prehistoric titans who ruled the Earth for 160 million of years. Their name literally translates as "Terrible Lizards." We follow them in this animated documentary to see whether they deserved this fearsome moniker.
A robot falls in love with a beautiful woman from outer space, but she spurns his love! How can he make her love her? Participating panelist is voice actor Sarah Tressler, who plays the sexy and intelligent Mistress Celina.
On the eve of the liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation, Juliet, an American resistance member, faces a final deadly encounter with a pair of German deserters who threatens to destroy the very thing she's been fighting for. Participating panelists include actor Marion Kerr (Dark Skies), director/producer Brian James Crewe (Far, Dance of the Dead), and producer/stunts Hugh Aodh O'Brien (Far, Pirates of the Caribbean).
In the tradition of science fiction like Fahrenheit 451 or Brave New World, this film tells the story of a man coming to his senses after a young woman makes him realize the true nature of the world they are living in.
In this Samurai fantasy adventure, a long-forgotten, exiled half-demon warrior must save a devout princess from the clutches of the evil Moon Goddess and her army hell-bent, on destroying the enchanted realm of Karazaya. At first, Princess Kyoko is untrusting of her rough-mannered savior. But as their odyssey unfolds, she discovers that there is more to this warrior than he lets on. Could the Sun Devil be enlisted to once again fight for her people and turn the tide of the war? Participating panelists include the two stars, actors Evan Parke (King Kong) and Mandy Amano (Crank 2) as well as the writer/director Steven Ayromlooi (Leprechaun 6).
Stuntmen and stunt actors from some of your favorite movies and TV shows like The Scorpion King, 300, Iron Man 2, Black Sails, and Jurassic World discuss their experiences in the life of a stuntman or stunt actor. Hear wild anecdotes and valuable insights about joining the Stunt industry. Moderated by Eric Cajiuat.
The Dope wakes up the morning after his victory in Rope A Dope 1, but now the leader of The Martial Art Mafia is out for revenge...and he's got a new trick up his sleeve. An escalation to extremes ensues as the two opponents one-up each other with bigger and badder weapons, culminating in a Rumble-in-the-Bronx-style finale.
Marine Sniper Carlos "White Feather" Hathcock is given a dangerous mission during the Vietnam War. He has to crawl through a 2000-yard open field to shoot a Vietnamese general. He undertakes this mission during the course of four days and three nights while avoiding being stepped on by NVA patrols and barely avoiding being bitten by a bamboo viper. Hathcock also battles emotions from not being home with family and overcomes these to finally get the general. Panelist include Brett Miller (actor/associate producer), Carolyn Zanelli (actor) and Drea Garcia (actor).
Sam Jaeger and Jennifer Morrison play a couple struggling to cope with the death of their newborn son. In his despair, the husband must transform how he sees his wife and find a way to accept her dark wisdom. World Premiere. Participating panelists include Chris Peters (writer/director), Sam Jaeger (Parenthood), and Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time).
Inspired by true events. Scott Somers mysteriously experiences sleep paralysis when his wife Marie sleepwalks at night. Unbeknownst to him, she lives with a horrible secret that slowly begins to eat away at their relationship.
Sarah and Linda are moving out Sarah's house after her mother has died. In the clearing they find an old Polaroid camera that is possessed by a dark past. Participating panelists include director Lars Klevberg (SyrianHeroBoy), producer Petter Onstad Lokke (SyrianHeroBoy) and producer John Einar Hagen (SyrianHeroBoy).
A timid housewife is jolted into a fight for her survival or sanity at her weekly bridge club when she think she hears her new partner utter a threat. Participating panelists include Gabriel Olson (director/screenwriter), producer Sean Barney (Anvil! The Story of Anvil), and actress Beth Grant (Donnie Darko, Little Miss Sunshine, No Country for Old Men, The Mindy Project)
A killer on the verge of taking his latest victim receives a phone call with an offer he can't refuse. Participating panelists include director Matt Gibson (Divergence) and actors Aleksander D'Avignon (The Turtle) and Erik Cram (Instant Justice).
In the remote village of Calder's End stands an old windmill, a repository of dark secrets. Nicholas Grimshaw has returned to this haunted place, intent on breaking an ancient family curse. A gothic horror tale in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe and horror films of the 1960s, this film utilizes bunraku puppetry and traditional in-camera practical effects. Participating panelists include director Kevin McTurk (special effects artist, Hellboy, Jurassic Park), Ryan Murphy (writer), and Eli Presser (lead puppeteer).
The paths of a desperate man and an imprisoned young woman cross unexpectedly in the den of a mysterious killer. Participating panelists include writer/director Dylan K. Narang (Dark Was the Night), composer Jacob Yoffee (Finding Carter), and actor Markus Taylor (Deadheads).
Day 3 of our course on microbudget moviemaking deals with how to direct actors, organize a crew, and keep them all happy without anybody making a dime. Panelists for the class include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Nick Murphy (writer/director of Pizza and Bullets), Jack Conway (actor, Nazis at the Center of the Earth),Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica), and actors Josh Perilo, Megan Rees, and Bradley Upton.
On his deathbed, Stanley Simmons meets his estranged family. However, his son won't talk to him and he finds the only way he can communicate with his grandson is by telling him a story about The Night Guardian-a real-life superhero. Participating panelists include writer/director Brian Ott (John Wick), producer Kyle Dare (O-Star), and cinematographer Ruben Contreras (Hellblazer).
A superhero romance surrounding a war waged between Capes and Masks, one of which questions his arch-rivalry after the planet's inhabitants become powerless for one night. Participating panelists include writer/director/lead actorJames Noir (Shooting Clerks: The Kevin Smith Biopic), producer Dan Ballester, and actor Sendi Avdic.
Traces the fascinating history of women in the comics industry. Despite popular assumptions about the comics world, women have been writing, drawing, and reading comics since the medium's beginning in the late nineteenth century. And today, there are scores of women involved in comics and its vibrant fan culture.
The story of America's first Electro-naut, Dr. Austin Richards, a.k.a. Dr. MegaVolt, a Ph.D. in physics who has been performing in a metal Faraday suit with Tesla coils since March 1997. Participating panelists include writer/producer/director Victoria Charters (Mistress MegaVolt herself), producer Austin Richards (Dr. MegaVolt himself), and Gunthar Hartwig (himself).
You will learn how to understand the specific nuances of nonfiction film and how to produce and direct your own with a minimal budget and existing, commercially available equipment. Topics include documentary narrative structure, how to conduct interviews, "writing," documentaries, the importance of access, when and how to use voiceover and/or re-creations, necessary gear, ethics, and releases and other legal necessities. Panelists include director/host Edward Doty (Fighting in Plain Sight, Documentality podcast), editor Jessica Hernandez (The Punk Singer, Bhutto), director Jeff Unay (Greaywater, Free to Play), and director Andie Bolt (WoWMoM).
The first award-winning film about the reality and fantasy of "costume play" shot in 3D! A diverse cast of characters share their stories and dreams, as they join hundreds of passionate and inspiring cosplayers at the most famous conventions and fantastical gatherings in the U.S. Starring Yaya Han (Heroes of Cosplay), Traci Hines, Fanboy Brandon, and featuring dazzling visual effects, the film brings the world of cosplay to life like never before! Participating panelists include Gulliver Parascandolo (director), Christine Parascandolo (executive producer), and Fanboy Brandon (cast). *Presented in 2D.
Richard Thompson is renowned among cartoonists as the "artist's" cartoonist. Little known to all but those close to him is the extent of his extraordinary art, a gift so rare that it compelled "Calvin and Hobbes" creator, Bill Watterson, not only to break an almost 20 year silence and declare, "Now I have a reason to read comics again," but also inspired him, along with Washington Post cartoonist, Nick Galifianakis and Illustration art blogger and historian, David Apatoff to co-author the book, The Art of Richard Thompson. Participating panelists, Galifianakis and Apatoff, will discuss Thompson after this warm and moving portrait that will enlighten and delight the viewer with the sheer beauty of his work.
Artist Howard Terpning painted over 70 iconic pop culture movie poster images during the 50s and 60s. Terpning discusses his poster art for classic films such as The Guns of Navarone,The Sound of Music, Lawrence of Arabia, and Cleopatra to name just a few. Filmmaker Paul Jilbert (Robert McGinnis Painting The Last Rose of Summer) interviews and profiles Terpning in this film.
What is steampunk, and why is it suddenly everywhere? The documentary examines the steampunk movement's origins, explosive growth, and cultural significance. What can we learn about today and tomorrow from steampunk's playful visions of yesteryear? Participating panelists include Byrd McDonald (director) and Alan Winston (editor).
Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos, and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death, and sex. Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary shares the intimate last years of the artist's life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
The final day of our comprehensive course on microbudget moviemaking revolves around what to do after your movie is shot. Panelists will go over the basics of postproduction on your home computer, as well as what software to use for editing, graphic design, sound design, and visualFX, and finally, how to optimize your movie for uploading to the Internet. Panelists include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Nick Murphy (writer/director ofPizza and Bullets), Jack Conway (producer of Machinima ETC), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica).
The films have been shown, now it's time to award the recipients of the 2015 Comic-Con Independent Film Festival with their trophies and recognition! Comic-Con's Adam Neese talks to this year's trio of judges, director Dan Sachar (director of last year's CCI:IFF Judges' Choice award for Last of You), director/writer/actor Letia Clouston (In the Dark, AB Negative), and actor/writer/producer Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hollow, Bedazzled, MADtv) about the films and presents prizes and trophies to the winners.
