Competition: Win The Transfiguration on DVD

The Transfiguration is out on DVD & Bluray on August 14th and to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies of the DVD to give away.

Synopsis:
Set in Queens, New York City, The Transfiguration is an atmospheric drama that focuses on 14-year-old Milo, a troubled outsider who takes refuge in the vampire mythology he studies to the point of obsession. When a chance encounter with equally lonely neighbour Sophie leads him to develop new, romantic feelings, Milo begins struggling to suppress his dark urges - and a terrible secret.

The directorial debut from indie filmmaker Michael O'Shea won plaudits at the 69th Cannes Film Festival for its bold and unusual take on the classic coming-of-age tale, with added bite.

Starring Eric Ruffin & Chloe Levine

Check out the release on Amazon by clicking the link below: (Opens in a new window)
The Transfiguration [DVD] [2017]



COMPETITION CLOSED


Terms and conditions
1. Closing date 21-08-17
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

Interview with Marko Makilaakso - Director of "It Came From The Desert"

1. Tell us about “It Came from the Desert?”
”It came from the desert” is a live-action sequel to the legendary ICFTD games by Cinemaware and set in modern times. The movie has an independent story with new characters but we do live in the same universe with the games and the fans will recognise that. It’s a campy and fun movie with heart! Kind of mix of PG13 scary movies of the 80’s, as well as horror-scifi films of the 50s. It's a tribute to Roger Corman drive-in films, Steven Spielberg produced movies and series of the 80s and Cannon Films’ style of action flicks.

2. What led you to make this famous 80s video game into a film?
It started out as an idea which I presented to the producers. I wanted to make an motocross action film set in a desert with big spiders and in the 80’s vibe. Yes, I said spiders! Inspired by Eight legged freaks and I wanted to call the movie ”It Came From The Desert”, because I loved the game as a kid. So we started to develop the project. I wrote the first draft of the script which still had spiders in it and our producer contacted Cinemaware, the company which produced the ICFTD video game in the late 80’s. He asked if we could use the title of their game in our movie and to our big surprise, not only we got to use the title, but they wanted us to make adaptation of the game! So spiders changed to ants and we started re-writing the script to accommodate the game.

3. Where did you shoot the movie?
We shot it in Almeria, Spain and Turku, Finland in many, many locations. In Almeria desert we used the same locations where ”Indiana Jones and the last crusade”, ”Game of thrones”, ”Good, bad and the ugly” etc was shot. Amazing locations! Even though we didn’t have great deal of time to make the movie, we used the time wisely and managed to pull off lots of complicated scenes in various logistically difficult locations. It was great fun!

4. How was it shooting in Spain? Would you go there again?
Yes, absolutely! I would love to shoot in Spain again and I hope someday I will. I miss the locations and the spirit they gave me. Oh, and I saw Terence Hill while shooting there, which was too damn cool to be true! Hill & Spencer movies are part of my childhood and being there in those locations and actually seeing Mr. Hill.. Awesome!

5. Tell us about working with the actors?
I loved it! It’s tricky to find a cast who gets the tone of the movie like this, but I was lucky to have group of talented actors and actresses to go with me in this crazy ride. Comedy is hard and you can’t fake it. It either works or it doesn’t, but our cast did fantastic job! Of course we all have a different opinion what we consider to be funny, but this movie is funny at least for me!

6. What does this movie mean to you?
This is actually the most personal movie I’ve ever made. Sounds funny considering the genre, but it is! ICFTD is a love letter to the movies I grew up with and movies I love. It also have been wonderful to get support from the makers who inspired the movie, like Joe Dante and the Corman’s. Dreams do come true!

7. What can the audience expect from It came from the desert?
It’s fun and entertaining movie that gives a shout-out to the old drive-in flicks from the 50s and 60s as well as movies from the 80s. You can just kick back and enjoy the ride with six pack or something else! ;)

8. What is the status of the movie at the moment?
We have still a month of Post-production and then it’s ready. I can’t wait to show the movie to the world!

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/itcame/
http://www.rogerpictures.com
http://www.horror-movies.ca/2016/12/first-official-photos-came-desert/

Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 announces Short Film Showcase

With twenty-six films over three days, including ten World, four European and seven UK premieres, Horror Channel FrightFest’s short film showcase unleashes this year’s eclectic mix of the bold, brave, bloody and barmy with films programmed to entertain, frighten, enlighten and simply amaze.

Shaun Dooley & Sally Phillips in BLOOD SHED

There are twelve films from the United Kingdom, forming the centerpiece of this year’s line-up. These include James Moran’s BLOOD SHED, starring Shaun Dooley and Sally Phillips, where a man’s love of his garden shed takes a rather murderous turn. In JUDGEMENT, Neil Maskell stars as a single man looking for love in all the wrong places and Laurence R. Harvey shines as a mutated children’s’ toy in TEDDY BEAR’S PICNIC. Then there’s Katie Bonham’s MAB, about a girl who turns to witchcraft to teach someone a lesson.

The other home-grown offerings see people haunted by ghostly figures in HELD DOWN BY A SHADOW and MAYFLOWER, while humans are the threat in THE WELCOMING and MISDIRECTION. Other dimensions hold secrets and sway in EVENT HORIZON and HUM, while the house down the lane holds horror in the Cannes-selected REAL GODS REQUIRE BLOOD. And finally, SMEAR will make you laugh all the way to the most uncomfortable procedure at the doctors’ surgery.

Neil Maskell in JUDGEMENT 

Horror from around the world will creep up on you, first as a cat with a deadly secret in MEOW, then as a woman out for revenge in FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…Being alone in a strange house is no laughing matter in DRIP DROP and ROTARY, while one should be careful of what lurks behind the doors in CRESWICK and FEEDING TIME, which stars Stacy Snyder and Graham Skipper. And if you think butterflies are just cute flying insects, VOCABULARY 1 might change your mind.

Love can tear you apart or set you free in the gorgeous fantasies of BAD HEADS and NIMMER, while the loss and search for loved ones becomes an obsession in MAN IN THE MOON and AN ELDRITCH PLACE. And the lure of power is too much for some people when the realm of science fiction makes the unbelievable seem real, in KEPT and TETHER.

In addition to the showcases, there are two special short film screenings. Preceding our opening night film ‘Cult of Chucky’ is THE DOLLHOUSE, a loving tribute to growing up in the world of the psychokiller doll, directed by Kyra Gardner. And our very own short film programmer Shelagh Rowan-Legg’s new film FLOW will have its European premiere preceding the screening of DHOGS..

Shelagh said today: "This year Horror Channel FrightFest's short film selection will take you from the darkest reaches of space to the darkest corners of the bedroom closet. With babysitters who are just a bit too inquisitive, manipulative men getting their just desserts, mothers trying to help their video-game addicted sons, security guards confronted by other-worldly monsters: these shorts from the UK and around the world offer the new wave of fantastic genre cinema”.

The full line-up
FRIDAY 25 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 1 from 13:20
(Prince Charles Cinema)

THE WELCOMING (World Premiere)
Director: Russ Gomm. Cast: Isabel Calder, Ben Shockley. UK 2017. 7 mins.
A little girl goes wandering in the woods. But some who wander might end up lost in darker places.

ROTARY (World Premiere)
Director: Lorenzo P. Adams. Cast: Emma Fawkes, David M. Goldberg. US 2017. 11 mins.
This babysitter’s childminding nights are usually uneventful. But not this evening…

BAD HEADS (London Premiere)
Director: Rebekah Fieschi. Cast: Alice Dessuant, Diako Diakoff. France 2015.  14 mins.
Jenny wants love so much she is willing to create it from scratch. But what she creates might not be what she wants.

MISDIRECTION (UK Premiere)
Director: Nic Alderton. Cast: Lucy Cudden, Daniel Caltagirone. UK 2017. 9 mins.
Steph, a married but lonely woman, meets an intriguing stranger at a bar. His charm might be more deadly than she imagines.

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…(European Premiere)
Director: Izzy Lee. Cast: Sean Carmichael, Tristan Risk. US 2017. 12 mins.
A man who uploads a homemade sex video taken in secret gets more than he bargained for when he makes a pit stop.

TETHER (International Premiere)
Director: Tim Reis. Cast: Mark Ashworth. US 2017. 12 mins.
A soldier in battle. A surgical team remotely repairing him. Warfare just hit a new level.

KEPT (World Premiere)
Director: Jaime Gonzalez. Cast: Jairo Camargo,  Manuel Sarmiento. Colombia 2017.m18 mins.
Scientists have discovered a way to record dreams, and those with ulterior motives waste no time exploiting those whose dreams are the most powerful.

MEOW (European Premiere)
Director: Chris Jopp. Cast: Eleonore Dendy, Charles Hubbell. US 2016. 13 mins.
Samantha has a new apartment, and a cat she must keep hidden from the landlord. But that might be hard with all the bodies that keep appearing.

SUNDAY 27 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2 from 11:15

EVENT HORIZON (UK Premiere)
Director: Joséfa Celestin. Cast: Kate McLaughlin, Lori Stott. UK 2016. 10 mins.
Julianne is reluctant to leave childhood behind. But her fear of the future manifests in a strange celestial object that she must confront.

MAN IN THE MOON (UK Premiere)
Director: Monique Mulcahy. Cast: Pauline Grace, JC Innamorati. Australia 2016. 13 mins.
A single mother is concerned about her son’s obsession with a homemade video game. But her obsession turns to fear when she intercepts a strange transmission.

MAYFLOWER (World Premiere)
Director: Christopher Goodman. Cast: Jason Ryall. UK 2017. 7 mins.
A young engineer wakes up from cryo-sleep during a routine deep space flight. Was it due to a false alarm, or something more sinister?

VOCABULARY 1 (London Premiere)
Director: Becky James. Cast: Emma Roselle. US 2016.
Snakes are dangerous, and butterflies are cute. But is that really the case?

NIMMER (London Premiere)
Director: Lieven Vanhove. Cast: Geert Vandyck, Sarah Eisa. Belgium 2016. 16 mins.
A lighthouse. Two lovers. A dangerous cliff and the turbulent sea. Time is running out.

FEEDING TIME (UK Premiere)
Director: Matt Mercer. Cast: Stacy Snyder, Graham Skipper. US 2016. 13 mins.
When a young woman fills in for her friend on a babysitting job, she begins to suspect things are not as they seem.

REAL GODS REQUIRE BLOOD (London Premiere)
Director: Moin Hussain. Cast: Anna Berentzen, Kirsty Doyle. UK 2017. 20 mins.
A young woman does her neighbour a favour and looks after her young children. But something is lurking in the shadows.

BLOOD SHED (World Premiere)
Director: James Moran. Cast: Shaun Dooley, Sally Phillips. UK 2017. 13 mins.
Jack loves a bargain. And he loves sheds. But when he gets his very own dream shed, it might be a little more than he bargained for.

MONDAY 28 AUG – SPLICE MEDIA DISCOVERY SCREEN 2 from 11:15

TEDDY BEARS PICNIC (World Premiere)
Director: Thomas Hodge. Cast: Abby Miller, Laurence R. Harvey. UK 2017. 5 mins.
When this young mother and her daughter go out in the woods today, they are definitely in for a big surprise.

MAB (World Premiere)
Director: Katie Bonham. Cast: Maria Teresa, Lucy Clements. UK 2017. 15 mins.
Rosie makes strange daily deliveries to an isolated woman in the woods. But one day Rosie needs the woman’s services, which she never imagined.

AN ELDRITCH PLACE (UK Premiere)
Director: Julien Jauniaux. Cast: Ludovic Philips, Habib Ben Tanfous. Belgium 2016. 16 mins.
When Abdel accepts a night watchman job for Francis, he'll soon discover his obscure secret.

HUM (London Premiere)
Director: Stefano Nurra. Cast: Adam Shaw, James Bryce. UK 2017. 15 mins.
A grieving plumber seeks out a disgraced quantum physicist to rid himself of a tormenting "Hum".

DRIP DROP (UK Premiere)
Director: Jonna Nilsson. Cast: Siham Shurafa. Sweden, 2016. 8 mins.
A woman returns home to find there is no water in the house. Later that night, the water returns in the form of a steady drip.

JUDGEMENT (World Premiere)
Director: Sean Healy. Cast: Neil Maskell, Sura Dohnke. UK 2017. 5 mins.
Tom is getting on well with Ann, so well that she introduces him to her son, Jed. But Tom might be in for more than he had in mind….

CRESWICK (London Premiere)
Director: Natalie Erika James. Cast: Dana Miltins, Chris Orchard. Australia, 2016. 9 mins.
While a woman helps her father pack up his house, they are both increasingly aware of the presence that they always knew was there.

HELD DOWN BY A SHADOW (UK Premiere)
Director: Alex Peace. Cast: May Kelly, Katie Marie-Carter. UK 2017. 18 mins.
Scarlett hasn't gone to bed with the light off in a very long time. But every night, she wakes up in the dark unable to move...and she's not alone.

SMEAR (World Premiere)
Director: Kate Herron. Cast: Sophia di Martino, Isabella Laughland. UK 2017. 4 mins.
Chloe has to get a pap smear. Things are going to get messy.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

THE DOLLHOUSE (World Premiere) Preceding CULT OF CHUCKY
Director: Kyra Gardner. Cast: Don Mancini, Brad Dourif. US 2017. 7 mins.
A filmmaker who grew up with the Chucky doll seeks out the other families surrounding the franchise to get their perspective on life with Chucky.

FLOW (European Premiere) preceding DHOGS
Director: Shelagh Rowan-Legg. Cast: Jamie Birkett, Lucy Clements. UK 2017. 5 mins.
When two women rebels are involved in a skirmish, they have more to argue about than the enemy...

Horror Channel FrightFest runs from 24th - 28th August 2017 at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema.

Single tickets and passes are available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

For full programme details and timetables go to: www.frightfest.co.uk

Follow: @frightfest on Twitter.

FILM NEWS (UK): Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 reveals guest-list, kick-ass trailer and JACKALS joins the pack.

Kane Hodder, Joe Lynch, Adam Green, Don Mancini, Jennifer Tilly, Fiona Dourif, Barbara Crampton, Dominic Brunt, Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Annette Crosbie and Steven Berkoff amongst monster guest-list.

Official festival promo trailer

The 150 plus guest-list this year is as vibrant and eclectic as ever, with nearly 40 of the films represented. It is a year when fan favourites are reunited and the new wave of genre talent is firmly embraced within the FrightFest fold.

It’s been five years since Don Mancini and Fiona Dourif raised the Empire roof with CURSE OF CHUCKY and this year they are joined by the irrepressible Jennifer Tilly for the opening World Premiere of CULT OF CHUCKY.  Also attending five years after his previous appearance will be the one and only Kane Hodder, Together with director Derek Dennis Herbert, Kane will be launching his remarkably honest and moving documentary TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY as well as supporting another returning favourite, director Adam Green, who will be here to launch his HATCHET redux.

You can’t have Green without Lynch, and ten years since they first put FrightFest on the international map with their brilliant ‘Road to FrightFest’ shorts, they are in the building, with Joe Lynch in town to big up his uber-exciting MAYHEM. And the bad boys of horror have something special planned – a live edition of their famous Movie Crypt Podcast.

Hollywood horror royalty Barbara Crampton lit up FrightFest in 2015 when she presented a record four of her latest releases and the popular icon is back with REPLACE, alongside the film’s director Norbert Keil. Barbara is also one of the NEW BLOOD mentors, alongside prolific 68 KILL producer Travis Stevens and ATTACK OF THE ADULT BABIES director and TV star Dominic Brunt. He will be joined for the film’s World Premiere by producer and actress Joanne Mitchell, and lead actress Sally Dexter.

Attack of the Adult Babies

FrightFest has shown all of their previous movies, so it’s a special honour to welcome directors Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, who will be attending for the world premiere of their exceptional prequel LEATHERFACE, alongside cast members Vanessa Grasse, James Bloor and Jessica Madsen. Also welcome are director Tyler MacIntyre with his superb slasher satire TRAGEDY GIRLS and actor Graham Skipper with his directorial feature debut SEQUENCE BREAK. Another actor making his directorial debut is Jason Flemyng with his comedy horror EAT LOCALS, part of the ‘First Blood’ strand. Jason will introduce the film alongside the cast, including Annette Crosbie and Dexter Fletcher.

Homegrown talent will be present in abundance this year. Director Christian James will introduce the world premiere of FANGED UP with cast members including Stu Bennett, Dapper Laughs (aka Daniel O'Reilly), Steven Berkoff, Danielle Harold, Dan Palmer and Aaron Crascell, DOUBLE DATE has been making a real splash on the current festival circuit and we are delighted to say hello to director Benjamin Barfoot and stars Danny Morgan, Michael Socha, Georgia Groome, and Kelly Wenham. Director Simon Rumley will do the honours for FASHIONISTA, as will director Dominic Bridges and star Mim Shaikh for FREEHOLD, Director Matthew Heaven and lead actor Oliver Towner for ACCOUNTABLE and director Tom Paton with lead actor Mike Beckingham for REDWOOD. Plus, Jake West and Marc Morris will be introducing their lovingly restored version of proto-giallo DEATH LAID AN EGG.

Death Laid An Egg

The FIRST BLOOD strand goes from strength to strength and all the helmers will be around, supported by their cast and crews. Aside from Jason Flemyng, there will be Louis Melville for BOOTS ON THE GROUND, Peter Stray for CANARIES, Hendrik Faller for MOUNTAIN FEVER and Michaël Boucherie for WHERE THE SKIN LIES.

And the list goes on. Internationally, Horror Channel FrightFest welcomes DEAD SHACK director Peter Ricq, DIANE director Mike Mongillo, BAD MATCH director David Chirchirillo, GAME OF DEATH co-directors Sebastian Landry and Laurence Morais-Legace, IMITATION GIRL director Natasha Kermani and star Lauren Ashley Carter, KING COHEN; THE WILD WORLD OF FILMMAKER LARRY COHEN director Steve Mitchell, LOWLIFE director Ryan Prows, RUIN ME director Preston DeFrancis, RADIUS co-directors Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard, THE TERROR OF HALLOWS EVE director Todd Tucker. 3RD NIGHT director Adam Graveley, THE END? director Daniele Misischia and producers the Manetti Brothers, THE GLASS COFFIN director Haritz Zubillaga, MINDHACK director Royce Gorsuch, FREDDY/EDDY director Tini Tüllmann, OUR EVIL director Samuel Galli and INCONTROL director Kurtis David Harder.

In addition, we will be welcoming many producers, writers, cinematographers, special/visual effects artists and composers who will also be supporting their screenings.

PLUS, we are pleased to announce that we will be showing JACKALS, Kevin Greutert’s potent blend of horror thriller, home invasion terror and murder cult chiller. Starring Stephen Dorff and Deborah Kara Unger, this is a tense and claustrophobic experience that will shatter your nerves to the bone. Thanks goes to Tommy Alastra Productions. The film is scheduled for Saturday 25th August, 4pm and 4.30pm in the main screens at the Cineworld Leicester Square.

And there’s more! Who will follow in the bloody footsteps of last year’s inaugural winner Alice Lowe? In its second year, The Screen International genre rising star award once again celebrates the work of an emerging UK genre talent, Hosted by film writer and Screen International contributing editor Nikki Baughan, this year’s five shortlisted nominees will be announced soon.

There’s also the launch of ‘The FrightFest Guide to Monster Movies’ by celebrated writer, editor & critic Michael Gingold, who will be present to sign copies of the book.  The book is exclusively on sale during the festival.

Horror Channel FrightFest runs from 24th -28th August 2016 at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema.

Single tickets go on sale Sat 29 July at 9am and, alongside the few remaining Festival and day pass sales are available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

For full programme details and times go to: www.frightfest.co.uk
Follow: @frightfest @cloutcomcouk

Interview with Producer of WTF! - Steve Parker

From prolific producers Steve Parker and Jody Parker and director Peter Herro comes WTF!, a love letter to classic horror films arriving via Midnight Releasing on August 1.

Three years ago, twenty-two year old girl-next-door Rachel (Ott) barely survived a brutal massacre that left her friends in pieces. Time has passed, Rachel has moved on, but unfortunately history has a way of repeating itself. 

Her close friends are spending spring break in a secluded house in the woods, and they have cordially invited her to join. Little does she realize that another bloodbath will be showing up as plus one. Once Rachel and her friends arrive at the cabin, the partying, sex, and terror begins.

We caught up with Steve Parker to get the 411 on WTF!

How long of a journey has this been for the WTF! Producing team? How did it come about?

Over three years ago Peter brought us the script, and we sent him back to writing with a lot of notes. When he came back a year later, the script worked. Six months later we wrapped production, and then we spent two years in post. We were busy on major projects (Beverly Hills Lizard People, and the best-selling Belgian book series The Dark Numbers) and this was simple enough and Peter was going to do the line producing.

What was the appeal for you?

It was a cute little script, and had great potential.

Was it shot in your neck of the woods?

I’m the weirdo—I’m San Francisco-based. The production was in L.A., and even my business partner Jody Wheeler is based there.

Do you imagine a much different series had a major studio got hold of it?

I think they’d have re-written the details to fit marketing wisdom.

How would you describe the tone?

It’s a very Cabin in the Woods kind of setting where you gradually become aware how creepy and isolated a place you are.

Tell us about the cast….

We found a great cast of newcomers. Callie Ott (Rachel) has a previous feature credit, but for everyone else it was a first feature opportunity. They’re talented, attractive and you’ll be seeing more from the all. Andrea Hunt has a role in the up-coming Awaken the Shadowman, for example.

How has advances in technology opened up doors for filmmakers?

Shot on a RED Scarlet, there are really great cameras and the ability to do VFX and other post magic at low cost helps us make movies that look like a million dollars for a small fraction of that budget.

Can you tell us about your next film?

We’re planning to shoot Beverly Hills Lizard People in spring of next year in Vancouver. An extension of the L.A. subway into Beverly Hills disturbs the underground lair of the lizard people who live beneath it. It should be fun! Look for parodies of the current administration’s cabinet! Kelly-Ann lizard?

WTF! Is available August 1st on Cable VOD and Digital HD

Graham Humphreys' stunning artwork for Horror Channel FrightFest 2017

Horror Channel FrightFest is delighted to present Graham Humphreys’ stunning artwork for this year’s annual Bank Holiday event, the UK’s largest celebration of genre cinema, taking place at Cineworld Leicester Square and The Prince Charles Cinema between Thurs Aug 24 & Mon Aug 28, 2017.

Celebrating a return to one of FrightFest’s former homes (The Empire) and the revival of some familiar characters to the festival line up, such as Chucky, Victor Crowley & Leatherface. were inspirations behind the concept.

Graham reveals: “My image is an attempt to amalgamate the Gothic roots of horror with the 70s Monster revival that saturated the US and UK, inspiring generations of filmmakers that created some of the most successful film franchises and oddities of the last 40 years. Universal monsters meets 70s bubble gum pop. I also thought it would be fun to play with the idea of a FrightFest Phantom, the face behind the best in horror and added the scratches and dirt to make it look like old damaged film stock.”

Interview with Stephen Biro by David Kempf

Stephen Biro has been the President and founder of Unearthed Films Inc. A horror DVD label in the United States. He has written several novels, ghost writes on occasion and writes screenplays. Stephen has recently wrote the film adaptation for the underground comic book, "Bubba The Redneck Werewolf" and is working on the new American Guinea Pig Series. He directed the first film, "American Guinea Pig: Bouquet of Guts and Gore" and wrote and produced, "American Guinea Pig: Bloodshock", directed by Marcus Koch. AGP: The Song of Solomon is about to be unleashed as his second directed film. Stephen just moved to Los Angeles.

Interview with Stephen Biro by David Kempf

When did you first become interested in writing?

Back when I was in the 10th grade. I was atrocious at it though. Took me a long time to teach myself the ins and outs of writing. I will always need an editor though. 

How did you get your start in making independent movies?

Since I have distribution locked and handle international sales for a lot of other films and film makers. It is safer for me to make a movie then the average filmmaker. I have all the venues set in place and don't have to run around, sercing for distribution so it gives me a safer avenue to actually make this a business instead of an expensive hobby. 

How did you get involved in fantasy/horror?

I've always been a horror fan since I was under the age of five. I blame my mother for that. Instead of a quarter under my pillow when I lost a tooth, I would find a rubber frankenstein or monster instead.  I've always been attracted to the darker things in life but mostly I blame mom. 

Is horror a full time job?

Very much so. Handling Unearthed, distro, making my own films, writing books and screenplays all in the horror genre, I have little time to do anything else. 

How would you classify the genre you write?

Theological Horror is my bag. The afterlife, Heaven and Hell, demons, possession. I've been thru quite a lot of it. It's not often you talk to someone who admits they have met the Lord and the Devil and have been to Hell... but I can. So, i write from the heart and soul of my experiences. It's what Hellucination is all about. 

Why do you think horror and fantasy books remain so popular?

People need an escape or they need to have questions answered about who they are and why they exist, so I figure were all searching for something and horror and fantasy can make us ask those questions and keep it hidden within the confines or a fantasy story while horror can delve into our nightmares and show us who we really are as people. 

Why do you think people are so fascinated by the Devil?

The ultimate turn away from all that is Holy. The other side of good... everyone thinks they are good, but are we really? Lucifer is the opposite of the Lord and is used as a scapegoat many times over in this world but then again, the war between Heaven and Hell has been raging since the beginning of time and while we are stuck in the middle, pawns in the ultimate game of chess we don't see but can feel. He is a fascinating character and has been given many attributes, some false and others, on the nose. 

If you remember, “He Man and the Masters of the Universe”, everybody loved Skeletor... I didn't like He Man at all. I always wished Skeletor won, just once. Now this doesn't mean I want Lucifer to win the battle for Armegeddon because he does win his share of battles because the pawns, really don't know the arena they are stepping into. 

I could go on and on... 

Demonic possession. Are you a believer or a skeptic?

Believer, but it's totally different than what movies portray but yet, the same in many ways. That person who killed their family and said that the voices told them to do it... very much so. Some people have the Id and Superego, angel or demon on your shoulder. Some people do not. Psychologically there is the Id and Superego... so when science has a term for the angel and demons on our shoulders... that should give us all pause. 

What inspires your stories?

God, Satan, Heaven and Hell... My trip to Hell would change any man or woman. My dealings with things from the other side has changed my perspective and I cannot write about anything else now... Even my screenplay, Bubba the Redneck Werewolf, a goofy horror comedy has the Devil show up to down and begin his sheenanigans. So yeah, imbeded into my soul so to speak. 

What do you think the difference between American horror and British horror is?

British is more classy, gothic while American is more in your face. That could change but Hammer Horror really did change the landscape that I don't think you can ever get away from. 

What are your favorite horror books?

Early Clive Barker, early Poppy Z Brite, Dantes Inferno (You knew that was coming) Paradise Lost by Milton and Hp Lovecraft. Some King and of coarse, William Peter Blatty.

What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Guinea Pig Films, (Original) Hellraiser, Frontiers, A Serbian Film, Salo, Cannibal Holocaust, Opera and Tetsuo the Iron Man

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as an author?

Getting that late night message from a reader who says they haven't been able to sleep well after reading one of my books. I actually get a lot of them since my books usually push the boundaries of what a book actually is. Their more of a thought experiemnt and I usually force the reader to answer questions in their own minds about what life is about, what do you believe and who you are as a person. Some people are not ready for those sort of questions when they pick up a book to escape from the normal realities, of our reality. 

              

Do you have any advice for new writers?

That's a hard one since the industry is flooded but this is my best advice. Write what you know. What affects you as a human being and make your voice stand strong and proud and allow the characters to envelop your mind and give them the room to grow so they can explore the boundaries of your own mind and don't ever stop them from going to places you don't want to go to. That is the magic of writing. 

      

What is your opinion of the new self-publishing trend?

Flooded the market and makes it hard to find the diamonds in the rough. I love it, since it gives everyone a voice but if everyone has a voice, it's hard to hear the actual ideas and novels you want to find and read. It just made everyone choosier so a lot of talent is falling to the wayside.  

What are your current projects?

Finalising the sound design on The Song of Solomon, working on A Serbian Documentary, working on the Extended cut of A Serbian Film, Working on The Unnamable full restoration, color correction and working on several releases thru Unearthed Films

Please in your own words, write a paragraph about yourself & your work. 

My name is Stephen Biro. I used to be a comic book collector and I am still a ravenous horror hound. I got to a point in my life as to were I had to search for God using anything I could to accomlish that goal. I have. I have used enough LSD and nitrous oxide to peel back the layers of reality to find the Lord, the Devil and I have been to Hell, and I have achived Salvation. Not all was drug induced mind you.  Since then, I have used films, books and visual interpretations to spell out the war between Heaven and Hell and I have done it in a way that has never turned anyone away. I'm a theologian and I am a gorehound and I understand what you must be thinking as you read this. Luckily, I am who I am and I no longer fear death and I will embrace it.

Stephen Biro Links

Unearthedfilms.com