Indie
WORLD OF DEATH EP. 144 – Permanent Press
Welcome World of Death-amphetamine addicts to another installment of your favorite weekly horror series! On tonight’s episode, we have a beautiful stand-alone entry that’s too insanely fun to pass up.
A tried and true horror tradition is to see what happens when we creatively take an inanimate object and turn it evil. From more serious efforts like the killer automobile in Stephen King’s novel Christine and the possessed mirror in Mike Flanagan’s film Oculus, to more tongue-in-cheek fare like the titular nightshade fruit in Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and a renegade tire in Rubber, horror revels in turning the mundane into the macabre.
Shaun Swift joins the brood by turning one of the most benign and boring locations into a scene of carnage. In “Permanent Press” a small town sheriff teams up with a devout priest to rid their town of a demon-possessed laundromat drying machine hell-bent on devouring local teens. This pitch-perfect short has all the trappings we’ve come to love from cheeky horror comedies – small town civil servants, horny teens getting their comeuppances, a “prepare for war” montage, ripped off appendages and, of course, wonderful cringe-worthy puns.
The acting and dialogue are serviceable. They delightfully move the story along, but take second fiddle to the real stars of the show – the concept, cinematography and effects. This crew must have had a laundry load of fun making this short and it shows in every frame of this raunchy 80’s throwback of a horror flick.
Shaun Swift and company clearly had a vision and, in my opinion, fired on all cylinders and succeeded. I would love to see what he comes up with given a feature script and a budget.
See you next time, World of Death Diehards!
– Ashton Golembo
World of Death is the web series that fans of independent horror have been waiting for. Featuring short horror films from all over the globe created by the largest variety of talent that a collection has ever been able to boast, WOD provides plenty of blood, guts, screams and laughs for all fans of the macabre. And with episodes averaging around eight minutes in length, WOD is the perfect entertainment for a fan base constantly on the go. Watch it anywhere, at any time, for FREE! New episodes premiere every Monday and Thursday at 10am CST.
WATCH HERE
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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