Indie
[AFM ’12] Announcements: ‘Dracula: The Dark Prince’ Targets ‘Twilight’ Fans, Empress Road Pictures Announces Genre Slate
Screen Daily reports that Steven Paul has wrapped production on Dracula: The Dark Prince, one of 10 features he has committed to producing in the next 12 months through his group of companies SP Entertainment Group, Crystal Edge and Crystal Sky (who had originally been behind Castlevania). The vampire project shot in Romania and stars Luke Roberts, Kelly Wenham and Jon Voight as Van Helsing. Pearry Teo (Dead Inside, Necromentia) directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Nicole Jones. “It’s a film that will appeal to the legion of Twilight fans around the world,” said Paul, making my stomach churn. “Our Dracula is a young, good-looking hero who is betrayed by those closest to him and exacts his revenge on a grand scale.”
Empress Road Pictures has unveiled a slate of horror titles, building on last year’s success with Elevator. Screen Daily reports that the LA-based firm is selling worldwide rights here to Dose of Reality, starring Fairuza Balk. “2AM, closing time: A cocky bar manager with a shady past and a young handsome bartender discover a beautiful woman bloodied and unconscious in the bathroom of a late night lounge. When she awakens, Tony, Matt and the mysterious Rose are plunged into a stirring evening of dangerous role playing in an ever-escalating game of cat and mouse that forces them to face the dark shadows of themselves. As we begin to piece together the elaborate puzzle, nothing is what it seems. However, one thing is for certain: this Rose is full of thorns.” Trailer inside, more at the official website.
They’ve also revealed JMR Luna’s found footage horror Stripped (pictured), “Five friends head to Vegas for a 21st birthday in hopes of finding adventure, debauchery and memories that will last them a lifetime.” Trailer inside, more at the official website.
It also has worldwide rights, excluding North America, to voyeurism thriller Gut and road trip horror Killer Holiday.
In Killer Holiday, “Taylor, a former juvenile delinquent, convinces straight-‘A’ student, Cammi to join her and her friends on a Spring Break road trip through the California desert. Ignoring evil premonitions from Cammi, the 8 friends party heavily as they get farther and farther away from civilization along old Route 66 with a killer in pursuit. Anxiety builds as each stop along the way proves stranger and stranger until the group is lured to an abandoned amusement park with a mysterious past far off the main highway. There the group discovers that the park comes complete with broken down vintage carnival rides, shocking surprises, the smell of death, and an enticing, young tattooed serial killer named Spider.”
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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