Last week we rocked Z-Fest with Blood Terror of the Night Fiend! After making it to the “Best of Fest” screening – we walked away with 4th Runner up out of 32+ Films. HELL. YES.
Yes, I will take this whiskey... and trophy. But this whiskey is mine.
What’s even more – and 1000x cooler? We got BEST ACTOR!
Reed Sigmund - Ladies and Gentlemen
Well hells bells. It was an awesome night. So many great films made. How awesome IS Minneapolis/St. Paul if we house SO MUCH F@#$ING TALENT!?
Anyhow, here is your moment of zen – BLOOD TERROR OF THE NIGHT FIEND in it’s uncut and uninhibited glory:
Z-fest kicked it up a notch this year and had the obligatory photo wall. #swanky
Having left freelance filmmaking as my full time panic attack – I took a job working for a St. Paul based online clothing boutique named Soul Flower. Since starting there almost a year ago – I’ve been able to lend my production skills to their catalog team – thus producing their Spring/Summer 2012 catalog. It was a crazy amount of fun.
What’s even better? The clothing is organic, hemp, USA-made or fair trade and the company is small and local.
Also, the catalog is 100% recycled. If you want a copy go HERE.
Here’s a sneak peek behind the scenes of the photo shoots I put together. You’ll recognize our favorite HMU lady Cat Miller. Also, many new and upcoming faces in the MSP acting/modeling community.
I love this catalog. So many great threads to enable my vain streak.
This time around we invoked the super sweet skills of Leiah Stevermer to design a screen printed poster for our movie “Blood Terror of the Night Fiend“.
After reading the script and sketching around for a bit she came up with this concept we affectionately titled “moon steam.”
We wanted a 3 color design that was reminiscent of old timey posters and yet had that goofball feel of the movie.
Prints will be made at Steady Print Shop and will be available for cast and crew at the Z-Fest III screening on March 22nd at the Icon Theatre in St. Louis Park. Buy Tickets HERE. We’re in screening #3 – be sure to stay for the “best of fest” screening to see if we make the cut!
Leiah is the designer at local organic fashion retailer Soul Flower. (Read a process interview HERE!) I’ve had the great luck to work with her on the recent Spring Catalog for Soul Flower due out in April!
“BLOOD TERROR of the NIGHT FIEND” is our newest film. Created by a very small group of filmmakers for Z-Fest 3 over 10 days in February.
With a script we’ve had for 2 years and a pair of actors I adore – we entered Z-Fest for the 3rd year in a row.
We branched out into using special effects this year. Since I *hate* most CGI, the monster fx could only be practical. I partnered with my friends over at Outpost 31 Productions, who are known for their gnarly sfx, and we accomplished a charming monster effect in the movie. Since it was super low budget, we thought less is more.
Cinematographer Joe Johnson, feet and Ryan Schaddelee of Outpost 31 with the monster legs
Reed Sigmund with monster arm, Aaron Courteau looking on in jealousy.
Over the course of 3 days we found ourselves standing almost naked next to a frozen river at 7am in 7 degrees. Funny how low budget Minnesota film lands you in that pickle every year.
Reed Sigmund and Jeff Deihl freezing their asses off.
Lillydale, Freezing, 7am
After shooting Sunday morning away in the frozen landing off of the river road in Lillydale, we spend all of Monday at the Grand Cafe´in South Minneapolis.
Gabriel Wimmer pulls off the "dog" gag with Heather Jo Raiter
The coffee shop set, decked with my pops favorite taxidermied fish
After wrapping mid-afternoon Monday, Joe and I edited picture, sound, effects, music all the way until Sunday afternoon. It was a huge undertaking with thousands of favors called in and millions of text messages, hours spent watching progress bars, format/reformat and espresso. And now that it’s done and turned in for judging, I’m not quite sure what to do with myself.
Thank you to all who helped out. We will post more info on screenings.
All photos courtesy of the epic Mr. Charlie Vaughan.
Darling Emma Burghardt
Ding. Posing for Charlie.
Joe Johnson - Swear to god, this guy can do anything.
My pops, Jeff Deihl. Grip, Transportation, Craft Service/Catering, Joke Teller
Reed Sigmund
Tom Colvin, TC_Sound
Heather Jo Raiter - Year 3 in appearing in Tiny Orphans Z-Fest Films!
Gabe Wimmer, Knife Wielder, Set Dresser, Year 3 of Tiny Orphans Z-Fester
Aaron Courteau
ShannyMac
Once the festival runs it course, we will be submitting to other festivals and sharing a Youtube link to the film itself.
Happy New Year from the Tiny Orphans Country House!
What a year! Holy Hannah! We were present for the wrap of production on Souvenirs (now called ‘Memorial Day‘), produced a short called Icehouse, judged the Minneapolis chapter of the 48 Hour Film Project and ran a documentary production company.
I’m somewhere between sad it’s over – and wholly exhausted!
At the moment I’m convalescing in the country over the long holiday. I’ve seen Time Square on a NYE midnight, smelled the sharp wind off the Grand Marais bay, danced and drank and argued and laughed on any number of my last thirty Eves.
This year I’m watching Lady Gaga perform on the tv and listening to my mother confound herself over performance art and pop culture. (CLASSIC!)
There’s a whole list of goals for 2011 taped to my edit station back in Minneapolis.
I don’t *really* remember what was scribbled on that napkin – other than making at the very least – two whole films in 2011. And finding screening venues in exotic countries and drinking martinis with WIFT chapters hither and yon.
Whelp, I got 1 film made. The art of being an independently funded film entity is not starving too much or squatting on friends’ couches more than 30% of the year.
Oh the glamor of living the dream!
I left the freelance world in May, in all its potentially lucrative panic attacks, to have a go at organic fashion and settle into something of a more “settled” life. It’s been hard. My god I miss the 5am call times, drinking Brueggers coffee boxes and the feng shui of hauling beefy baby stands in my bombed-out Saab. I really do.
But there’s a wall one hits – with an expensive vanity degree that turns into an all consuming hobby – where you wonder why you’re compulsively broke and still trying to push the sisyphean boulder up that hill.
So I took the summer to write and reevaluate my masochistic love affair with film production. As a result Tiny Orphans has a episodic length script in preliminary prepro. So I guess that answers that question.
We’re also preparing to shoot another film for Z-fest again. Come 2012 (next week) we’ll be entering rehearsal and prop construction. I’m more excited than I know. It could be the amount of moonshine my pops keeps handing me that’s taking the edge off of just about everything. (Thanks dad!)
I’m so thankful to have so many great collaborators, both new and old, and I’m looking forward to what Tiny Orphans will accomplish in what is gong to be a great year. We’ll make a detailed list of accomplishments to forget about once back in the city.
Well it’s 11:02PM and the ball dropped on NYC. There’s so much confetti on the telly that I’m getting it in my eyes. Pops just handed me a plastic glass of purple champagne (?) – so…
My Heart is ravisht with delight, when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight, and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face, so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease, for Old long syne.
The 48 Hour Film Project here in Minneapolis wrapped up its last screening tonight – with the exception of the “Best of” Screening (6/23) us Judges have to convene for.
Incredible films were made last weekend. I’m super proud of everyone / super jealous that I wasn’t contending. But alas, I did have a nice relaxing weekend, involving naps and bike rides and not spending every penny I have as quickly as I can on props, food, bribes, booze, unexpected rentals and 1970′s era snowsuit onesies. For a change, anyhow. Next time for sure.
Instead, I get the honor of judging this years entries. With such a strong film community, I feel a little weird being selected to judge my peers, but maybe I should just save the modesty and accept the fact that I’ve produced some pretty awesome little ditties for time based festivals. I’ve got great people around me – so awesome film is just gonna happen. (Again profusely thanking Richard, Joey, Gabe and Tommy)(and Sam and Heather and Cat)
So this weekend I will watch them all again and find the best of the best.
Also, extra huge HIGH FIVE to 48HFP Producters Towle Neu and Ryan Strandjord for picking up an institution that was seriously tarnishing and giving a new glow. The screenings went awesome and everyone had a great time.
Check out the best of screening next week. I’ll be there, shaking hands and getting dirty looks. -Bri
