Novelist JK Rowling Speaks About The "Benefits of Failure"

While perusing the best of Ted Talks, I found one of the most-inspiring writers of all time, J.K. Rowling, has a optimism and a fresh take on how failure helped pave the path to where she got to award-winning novelist today. She mentions in her blog, "There's an expiry date on what you can blame your parents for around your own failures in life." Poverty is only romanced by fools, she goes on to describe as the harsh conditions around her upbringing was not the focal point of her speech...

As she speaks at a commencement speech at Harvard, she acknowledges how many of the students she's speaking to are not too "well-acquainted" with failure. -She shares her own personal experienced poverty growing up, a short-lived and imploding marriage and then the coffee shop she escaped to to write. Failure helped Rowling feel "set-free" as she was truly aware of who she was without any delusion and get down to the bare-bones at what her passion is in life.

"Failure helps you realize your strengths to survive," she goes on to speak. Personally a very recently, I found myself standing at a precipice of what I thought was a fulfilling life: a steady job with a paycheck, benefits and friends.... Or who I thought were my friends at the time. I was afraid if I jumped off from this rock of a what I considered a very stable existence that I would fall, get injured and never recover. I thought my day job was everything to me. In truth, I think I was brain-washed to believe that it was the best part of my life. I let myself get brainwashed.

After being un-employed (just doing odd jobs) for 8 months, I came to realize the things most important to me... My husband and our growth as individuals and a couple, our 7 zany but wonderful pets and my passion to tell good stories. If I was asked to strip away all the layers around who I am and introduce myself I would say, "I am Stephanie and I am a writer who loves to tell enigmatic stories." And like J.K. Rowling, I hope my stories will be as inspiring as the giving and helpful life I've lived.

"We make a life by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill

Become The Master of Review - Research Topics You Want To Make Into Movies

So last I checked in, I told you guys about how I became a movie-reviewer for horror-movies.ca. Well, I one-upped myself and started reviewing activities centered around Zombie and Surviving the Zombie apocalypse for The Zombie Education Alliance which is a pretty cool site for all things zombies... Not just the Walking Dead... which is going to have a new spin-off series called "Cobalt", by the way.... Probably so Robert Kirkman (creator) can kill-off more characters we care about... I digress.

The important thing here is, if I haven't mentioned it before (and I apologize if I did), it's important to constantly review the subject matter that you want to make your movie "in-the-vein" of... Sure, you don't want others ideas to taint YOUR vision... Or your movie/script idea is so art-housy that no comparison can do it justice, but you're in the BUSINESS of making a movie. So it's important to check the film market catalogs every once and a while to see if your type of movie is actually getting picked up by sales agents and if your idea is sell-able internationally.

Most importantly, when you become a critique in the horror-movie or TV business, you're getting it out there how you - as a viewer - like certain things and can see how blatantly some ideas or genres (yes, even zombies) can be played out. Often times we're so harsh on ourselves as writer/producers (I am, anyways) that we don't even take the time to let enough people that aren't family to review our work. Opposite problem - you're too afraid your idea will get taken because its so fresh, so original, you would simply DIE if someone stole your idea...

NEWS FLASH - You aren't a real writer is you have only ONE IDEA or story in your head to tell the world. And if you do have just one... Keep thinking about it....When you're done thinking about all the cool moments and things you've experienced in your life or "what if" scenarios - you'll realize you have a dozen great ideas.

The reality is, films with almost the exact same story-line get released in the theaters sometimes in the same year! -Massive stream of consciousness or conspiracy theory? -I don't think so. We all instinctually have great stories within us that we just KNOW the public will want to see. The questions is, "Do you have the balls (or lady balls) to tell a unique story or like it is?"

Feel free to leave your comments on my Walking Dead Mid-Season 5 Finale Recap or on my Blogger below:

http://www.zombieeducationalliance.com/walking-dead-mid-season-5-finale-recap/

Don't Just Write, Podcast! - MAD Podcast3

My husband and I have been working on a "Mad About Comics" podcast as we love to also talk about successful comic-to-movie cross-overs and not-so successful. What we like about our podcast is that it really is a video cast that includes pictures around the subject matter we are talking about.

Our latest episode has been a little delayed as I've been super sick with the flu that's been going around. But we finally edited the damn thing and here it is!

Adding Marketing Value With Zombie Comic Book

So yesterday marked a mile-stone in my career as I have my first published work finally available on the comic digital platform site, ComiXology. Just one year ago, I was wishing to be a writer that attended Comic Cons, but not only as a fan you see. I wanted to be a part of the creative world of artists that get to motivates and share their stories.  And in the world of comics-turned-movies, its not a bad idea to start with a written work first before jumping in and making your film dream project.

This is just one leg in the long marathon that is making a feature film, always keeping marketing in-mind first. And while we're no "Walking Dead" zombie series, we are the first series that explores different type of corpse anamolies and exposes the idea of "what ifs" when people get fun moments turned upside-down in a blink of an eye.

The story is basically about a 5k Zombie race gone horribly wrong and what regular civilians do to survive during a secret military recruitment program. -So my story begs the questions that I will ask any reader that check it out, so I will ask them, "What would you do if this happened to you?"

Here is the full synopsis shared from the ComiXology site:

"Go on a zombie run," they said. "It'll be FUN," they said.

Well, a group of friends discovers just how unreliable "they" can be when they participate in a 5k zombie race and encounter genuine maniacs who take to being zombies a little too literally.

Dead Last is a short concept version of a feature-length film currently in pre-production. Some might say it's The "Hunger Games" meets "28 Days Later", but all you'll be saying afterwards is, "When can I watch the feature?"

Check out more about Dead Last here and continue doing what you love. :)

When Making Films, Make Time For Philanthropic Work!

Reflecting back on my class and classes I’ve taken in my Entertainment Business program (I am a "serial student" with 2 Undergraduate degrees and 2 Masters Degrees), I realize that I’m on pare with my goals I’ve outlined for myself when I created a video timeline of what I wanted to accomplish. Why do I do video timelines? Well, the video part is so its fun to re-review every once and a while and creating timelines, lists and diaries is a way for you as a filmmaker to keep yourself accountable.

During one class in particular (as I'm currently taking a Project & Team Management Course), I wanted to learn how to effectively manage a team and include everyone in class exercises such as creating a team project while leveraging each individual’s strengths to get a project done even better than I would have originally imagined. Taking this class has also inspired me to continue building me team for my feature film and reach out to my mentors continually for feedback to make sure my project is on-track and have the viability it needs to return a profit once my team gets to the production phase of things. I also collaborated with a local film director in my home-town to get perspective from a filmmaker that I feel has great instinct for shots and would make a great assistant director on my feature. You can see him, Jamie Rivera, pictured above with one of our cast members and we shot at a historical site in downtown Phoenix. I let the site manager know that we were shooting for educational purposes as I was “auditioning” team members to round out my crew. You can save a lot of money on locations if you're a student! But then you have to worry about the paying the loans later. But hey, everything is an investment in your professional career. Even if your not making any money as an artist YET, you have to have full-faith that it will all pay-off someday.

Also, I’ve been keeping myself sharp and (as I promised myself in my goals and timeline), I’ve had Sales Agents cover my script to see if there’s anything I could add to the story to spice it up a bit and I also attended a 5K Zombie Run this month that went to a good cause titled “Hoofbeats With Heart” which helps people rehabilitate themselves by pairing them up with horses! I get excited about these causes because I love animals and can attest to the healing powers that these friendly creatures can have in our lives. While I love philanthropic work as I offered free news coverage as I work for horror-movie.ca, I also used this opportunity to take notes for my feature project as my story is about “a 5K zombie race gone bad”. Priscilla Barney, the event coordinator, has agreed to meet with me to see if we can bring more attention to the race and also do a collaboration that would help promote my movie “Dead Last” as we would love to interview people that come “dead last” during these races as its not about what place you come in, but how you finish and what your race represents.

My experiences so far during my class coupled with my drive to better myself outside my scholastic works is indicative of what I think my project represents. We’re all in this “human race” together and if I can eventually make my feature movie dream come true, my passions and marketing sensibilities that highlights teamwork will eventually come to the forefront.

Kids vs. Monsters: Interview with the Producer and Director!

I had the fortunate opportunity to get an exclusive look at this thrilling throw-back treat of a movie that reminds me of such classics like Monster Squad and the Gremlins movies from the 80s. What movie am I talking about, you ask? Well, none other than the best kept secret to what I believe will be one of the best come-backs to critter features with bratty kids put in the mix with a little hellish fun peppered in. While some can say this is like Willy Wonka held in the underworld, there will definitely be one thing you will be saying by the end of this story: Why haven’t I heard of Kids vs. Monsters before!?!
Here is the synopsis:

The six richest people in the world each have the same problem: their intolerable and very expensive children. Fortunately for them, there is a mysterious entity called Boss Monster that is happy to help. He has some terrors of his own and cannot wait to clash them against these insufferable kids during one night of mayhem and monsters.

Currently in the middle of post, the folks over at Dark Dunes Productions took the time to talk to horror-movies.ca to chat about what makes practical effects so great in horror films and why “old school” aesthetics is one of many nostalgic reasons why anyone who grew up in the 80s would love to make a movie like this.

Read at your leisure and take notes as any filmmaker or writer like myself just loves to learn “how they do it.” And, if you’re at all like me, get energized by the fact that there are people making cool, zany projects like this and taking their chance at the multi-billion spooks and scares business that surrounds Halloween. So get in on the fun, but read this first.

Q:  What drew you to Kids vs. Monsters? What influenced you to make this film? 

 A: (Sultan Saeed Darmaki – Director) I grew up watching a lot of monster movies, with my first being the original King Kong, and have always been an avid fan of the genre. However, monster movies weren’t the only influences on Kids vs Monsters, the other influences include: Roald Dahl, Monty Python and classic cartoons.

A: (Mallory O’Meara – Producer) The story. It’s as if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory crashed into The Cabin in the Woods. It sounded so crazy in the very beginning, with all the kids, monsters, parents and locations. But when we all sat down for the first script read-through, it was clear that we were all going to have a blast in the midst of the madness. Sarah Daly, our writer, really took the doors off in terms of satire, slapstick and fun. And what influenced me to be a part? What we always say at Dark Dunes Productions – we love monsters!

Q: What excites you about Kids vs. Monsters? What’s the most surprising part of story? 

 A: (Sultan Saeed Darmaki – Director) Apart from being my directorial debut, what excites me about KVM is that I got to work with a great cast made up of veterans of the genre and upcoming stars, an awesome crew and practical monsters, not to mention the amount of fun I had while I was directing it! It is very-lighthearted for a monster movie and yet, there are instances when you realize that this is very different from traditional kid’s movies. Also, they will be surprised by the amount of monsters we have in this film and all of them are practical (Puppets, Animatronics, Make-Up and Suits).

A: (Mallory O’Meara – Producer) The practical special effects in this film are the most exciting part for me. A lot of great strides are being made to bring PFX back to films, but the ones that get the most press are usually horror, or science fiction. It’s exciting to remind the world that practical make-ups, suit performers, and animatronics can all be paired with comedy for amazing results. With a film that doesn’t take itself seriously like KVM, it’s easy to forget that underneath all the mayhem, the story is a satire. It’s actually a pretty dark story, with the richest people in the world wanting to kill their own children to save themselves money.


Q: What was your favorite stunt or practical effect that you pulled off in the movie? 

 A: (Sultan Saeed Darmaki – Director) All of them, to be honest! There are a number of stunt scenes in this film and I enjoyed doing all of them. Capturing monsters and slapstick comedy on camera is probably the best thing that can put a smile on my face, any day!
A: (Mallory O’Meara – Producer) My favorite stunt, easily, is the atomic wedgie moment (that I won’t ruin for you)! Sitting down with a team to discuss the logistics of an atomic wedgie is one of the coolest things in the world. But favorite practical effect? Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. really outdid themselves with the diversity of the monsters in this film. Everyone will end up with a favorite, and mine is the tentacled, Cthulhu-inspired character of Rebecca. The team at ADI even had little motors in the tentacles to make them move!

Q: What was the most challenging/rewarding part of making this film? 

 A: (Sultan Saeed Darmaki – Director) The most challenging part of making this film was directing a feature film for the first time. Luckily, I was blessed to have an experienced crew that taught me a lot. By the time we finished filming, I had learned so much, all of which I will definitely implement into my future films and that itself was the most rewarding part of making this film.

A: (Mallory O’Meara – Producer) Keeping all the craziness contained and moving forward. With such a huge cast and crew, lots of monsters (suit performers, actors in make-up appliances, and puppets) and sometimes live animals, it was quite a balancing act. But the most rewarding part? We absolutely did it! And now we feel like can really do anything.

Kids vs. Monsters stars Malcolm McDowell, Lance Henriksen and Armand Assante. It is also produced by Adamo Cultraro of Taormina Productions and Lawrie Brewster of Hex Media, with special effects by Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. Personally, I’m super excited to continue the chat with another female producer making it in the biz as I had the fun, fortunate chance to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Mallory. Long story short, we were both guest speakers at a “A Bloody Good Horror Movie Screenwriter’s Party” panel at the Phoenix Comic Con just this past summer and it’s just great seeing another writer/producer “walk the talk”.

Since this movie is so fresh, the trailer hasn’t come out you, but you can bet your butts that horror-movies.ca will get our hands on it as soon as it’s sliced and ready to serve.

The Importance of Makeup and Production Design in Movies

I’ve had my fair share in working with special effects make-up and production design teams. And what do I remember the most about working with these people? They are the most fun and well put-together bunch of folks you will ever meet! No, really. If you ask Clive Barker what kind of nightmares he has at night he would say, “None. They are all out here in the world already.” Of course, he’s speaking to the characters that graces such movies like Hellraiser and Midnight Meat Train. This being said, this has a lot to do with why special effect make-up and production designers in the horror genre are so pleasant to be around.

In an interview with Variety, we get an in-depth look on how American Horror Story Makeup artist Christien Tinsley creates the chilling looks one of the most popular shows on TV. For Tinsley, creating characters is what it’s all about. “The actors try to create an arc with their character,” he says. “Makeup is there to enhance that idea. That’s what we do. And sometimes with makeup effects, you’re building who that character becomes. And who they are is the way they look.” A lot of people, when joining my crew for the first time, wonder why I put a huge emphasis on makeup and production design. When I ultimately reply “They are the funnest and easiest people to get-along and work with,” well, anyone can identify with that. And in the world of horror, good make-up and production design is kind. I mean, it practically sets the whole mood and tone of the film!

"Jersey Devil" in Dark Haul - Interview with Creators at horror-movies.ca

In an article for filmmakermagazine.com, the issue about making horror movie around design and makeup aesthetics is very succinctly addressed.  “Learning more about the psychology of fear and the design patterns that make these films work can really shed light into the darkness.” -It’s all based around what scares us, atmosphere, suspense and the monster (star of the film). To create a good horror movie takes one that is truly a fan of the craft. By study effective films in the department of “scare” and “gore” I’m admitted myself into the school of spooks and learning what scares on the screen as much as off - what we don’t see or know. But these two elements are built upon the real psychology of fear and are important for me as a filmmaker to respect and take notes on.