Connect with us

Exclusives

[Interview] YouTube Launches Genre Channel ‘BlackBoxTV’; What Horrors Can We Expect?!

Published

on

BlackBoxTV

It was only a matter of time before YouTube used its domineering online presence to transform into an authentic television medium. Launching this April on Friday the 13th is “BlackBoxTV”, a new online television station dedicated to our beloved genre. Moving away from independently produced content, “BlackBoxTV” is the real-deal folks, a genuine web-based channel that will be jam-packed with all sorts of horror goodness from scripted anthology shorts to a documentary-style visit to haunted location across the planet. The most exciting endeavor, though, is that Bloody Disgusting will be partnering on “Black Friday,” their weekly program dedicated to what’s new and cool in the genre!

Now that the “BlackBoxTV” initiative has officially been announced, Bloody Disgusting caught up with creator Tony E. Valenzuela and producer Anthony E. Zuiker (“CSI”) who both exclusively reveal what we’ll see in the coming year on the new station! Dig on the interview after the break and go join the 350,000 subscribed members here. Watch this spot for tons more in the coming months. BLOODY DISGUSTING: Can you tell us the origin story of how the two of you came to team up on BlackBoxTV?

ANTHONY E. ZUIKER: About a year ago, I was shown BlackBoxTV on YouTube. I was blown away by the quality of the storytelling, the visuals, as well as, admittedly, the viewership. We sat down with Tony and initially set about developing an anthology TV series based on the shorts. Right around this time, Tony approached us and said that YouTube was interested in him pitching a channel idea for their new Premium Content initiative. He asked if my company, Dare to Pass, and I would come on board and, of course, it was a no-brainer! We pitched our take and fortunately for us YouTube loved it and we received this really amazing opportunity.

Bloody Disgusting: Tony, you are one of the pioneers of horror and thrillers in the new media space on YouTube. What made you decide to jump into this world?

TONY E. VALENZUELA: For me it’s about Ray Bradbury, Alfred Hitchcock and my general love of short stories and scary tales. I decided to start making content for YouTube that I wanted to watch, and wasn’t already on there. I wanted horror, science fiction, thrillers that I could only get through classic TV and film. When I worked on my first project, “2009 A True Story”, I really became involved in the art of online scripted content, and from there I knew it was something that grabbed me.

Bloody Disgusting: What does this new deal with YouTube mean for scripted programming in general?

Anthony: I think we have a really amazing opportunity here. Our goal is to bring the same level of storytelling that you see on television and in features to the web. Thanks to YouTube, not only have been provided the means to produce those stories at an exceptionally high level but we also have a distributor who is interested and willing to provide that content to the masses. Tony started that with BlackBoxTV. Using little more than a 5D and favors, he’s built up a loyal following that any writer/director would love to have. And he did it with story and characters and concepts that connected to the YouTube audience. We’re looking to build on top of that foundation, expand the content a little bit, bring in high-level writers and directors, and say, here’s what web content can be.

The Evil Dead

Bloody Disgusting: Can you gives us an overview as to what the content of BlackBoxTV will be releasing when the new channel goes live?

Anthony: The bulk of our programming will be the return of BlackBoxTV, in the form of a series. It’s a new anthology genre series, containing horror, thriller and sci-fi, that we’re describing as “The Twilight Zone” set in the town of Twin Peaks. We’ll be premiering two of those a month. Once a month we’ll have a short film of the week in the form of Anthony E. Zuiker Presents. High-level writers, directors, stars coming in and delivering a new, fresh short film. Another show we have is called “True Stories,” a doc-style show that is an overnight experience where unexplained events have occurred, which will have both a live and edited component to it. “Black Fridays,” in partnership with Bloody-Disgusting.com, is a hosted show featuring what’s new in genre programming, from debuts of movie trailers, to video games, TV and more. And finally, a couple times a year, we’ll have a “Film Festival” style show where we premiere or highlight the best of short films, web series and more. As you can see, it’s a lot.

Bloody Disgusting: Tony, how does this new line of programming and original content differ from the BlackBoxTV that so many fans have learned to love.

Tony: I think the main difference is that we want to not only have the anthology series but really draw and support the genre-based stuff that Anthony and I love so much. Bloody-Disgusting is one of my favorite sites out there, so I feel very lucky to partner with them. Through our live “Hauntings,” we’ll get to go to some amazing locations like the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa. Dive deeper into narrative and anthology with the plethora of directors and talent that Anthony is bringing in for Anthony E. Zuiker Presents. Anthony has a twisted and awesome mind, and to work with him on a project like this is truly amazing. We also have an amazing production team working with us, including Carly Feingold, who had worked with Wes Craven for so long.

We are going to show YouTube and the world exactly what we can do with the medium. I honestly don’t see a limit to YouTube and I want to see how far we can push it. This is something very different. Not a cookie-cutter reality series, that fans of the genre can really sink their teeth into.

Bloody Disgusting: When can fans expect to see these shows go live?

Tony: Weekly programming begins April on Friday the 13th 2012. Leading up to that, however, we are putting out a series of prequels on the main channel, YouTube.com/BlackBoxTV, as well as a few live “Hauntings” fans can tune in to. Also, over at YouTube.com/BlackBoxTVExtras, we will have plenty of content going up before the April launch which will include casting news, weekly behind-the-scenes features, and production diaries. You won’t want to miss it!

Bloody Disgusting: Anthony, given dabbling in the macabre on the “CSI” properties, you aren’t a stranger to death and mystery. What can we expect to see from you and your Anthony E. Zuiker Presents label?

Anthony: Honestly, great stories – well told. We’re looking to have a little fun, toss in a little darkness and try and do something you’ve never seen before.

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

Exclusives

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Film Festival Announces Second Wave of Titles for Epic 20th Edition This April

Published

on

Azrael SXSW 2024
Pictured: Samara Weaving in 'Azrael'

Brazil’s Fantaspoa film festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the festival is breaking numerous records, presenting an impressive total of 114 feature films, 22 of these as World Premieres, marking the largest number of feature films in Fantaspoa’s long history.

The final selection of feature films for Fantaspoa’s highly-anticipated 20th edition has been exclusively presented to Bloody Disgusting, so read on for everything you need to know!

The festival tells us this week, “With a diverse selection, the feature films screening at Fantaspoa XX have been divided into seven distinct competitive categories: International, Ibero-American, National, Documentary, Animation, All-Nighter, and Low Budget, Great Films. These categories promise audiences a variety of cinematic experiences, from the fringes of horror and fantasy to the depths of the human imagination.

“In addition to feature films, Fantaspoa will screen 123 short films, totaling 237 participating works, making this edition of the festival the largest in its history.

“The stunning lineup of competition titles includes the International Premiere of E.L. Katz’s SXSW charmer AZRAEL and the World Premiere of The Butcher Brothers’ new Devon Sawa-starring thriller CONSUMED, and Fantaspoa is also proudly presenting a diverse selection of special screenings, including Demián Rugna’s recent Argentinian hit WHEN EVIL LURKS with the writer/director in attendance. The fest will also feature special screenings of two Argentine films, 2014’s JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS, Fantaspoa’s first original production which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and TRENQUE LAUGUEN, which was selected as the best film of 2023 by Cahiers du Cinéma.

“Fantaspoa XX will also have the honor of presenting a special screening of Robin Hardy’s classic British folk horror film THE WICKER MAN (1973) in the presence of the director’s sons, Justin and Dominic, who will be also attending the festival for the previously-announced World Premiere of their stunning new documentary, CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN, which offers a very unique perspective on the lasting legacy of this cinema masterpiece.

“Among the confirmed guests for the festival’s second wave of films are Alejo Rébora and Daniela Jimenez (7 Lives), Paulo Caldas (Atmosphere), Jaco Bouwer (Breathing In), Karim Lakzadeh and Arash Jooyandeh (Dark Matter), Ryan Ward and Mackenzie Leigh (Daughter of the Sun), Nando Martínez (Fantastic Golem Affairs), Mike McCutchen and JJ Weber (A Game in the Woods), Mario Mayo and Jaime Arnaiz (I’ll Crush Y’all), Roger Elarrat (I, Nirvana), Mike Hermosa (The Invisible Raptor)Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana (Jorge & Alberto Vs. The Neoliberal Demons), Benjamin Pfohl (Jupiter), Gabriel Papaléo (Liminal Space), Igor Bastos (Motherboard), Armando Fonseca (Remind), Julio Cesar Napoli (Road to the Mouth of Hell), Gonzalo López-Gallego (The Shadow of the Shark), Máncel Martínez (Shit Happens and Miracles too), Guto Parente (A Strange Path), Juliana Muras (Trenque Lauquen), Kenichi Ugana (Visitors – Complete Edition), and Demián Rugna (When Evil Lurks).

The 20th edition of Fantaspoa takes place between April 10 and 28, 2024, and is presented by the Ministry of Culture, Fantaspoa Productions, and Instituto Ling, with sponsorship from Crown Embalagens, America Embalagens, and Banrisul.”

Below is the full second wave of feature films to screen at Fantaspoa XX:

  • 7 LIVES (dir. Alejo Rébora. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • ALBERT PYUN: KING OF CULT MOVIES (dir. Lisa D’Apolito. 2023, United States, International Premiere)
  • ANNA’S FEELINGS (dir. Anna Melikyan. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ANOTHER CURSED MOVIE (dirs. Alberto Andrés Fasce and Mario Gonzalo Varela. 2023, Argentina, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ATMOSPHERE (dir. Paulo Caldas. 2023, Brazil/Germany, Regional Premiere)
  • AVIVA (dir. Boaz Yakin. 2020, United States, France)
  • AZRAEL (dir. E.L. Katz. 2024, United States/Estonia, International Premiere)
  • BA (dir. Benjamin Wong. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • BABY ASSASSINS 2 BABIES (dir. Yugo Sakamoto. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (dir. Junta Yamaguchi. 2021, Japan)
  • BREATHING IN (dir. Jaco Bouwer. 2023, South Africa, Latin American Premiere)
  • CLARICE’S DREAM (dirs. Fernando Gutierrez and Guto Bicalho. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE COMPLEX FORMS (dir. Fabio D’Orta. 2023, Italy, Latin American Premiere)
  • CONSUMED (dir. Mitchell Altieri. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • DARK MATTER (dir. Karim Lakzadeh. 2023, Iran, Latin American Premiere)
  • DAUGHTER OF THE SUN (dir. Ryan Ward. 2023, Canada, United States, Brazilian Premiere)
  • DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS (dir. Chris Huang Wen-Chang. 2022, Taiwan, Latin American Premiere)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: KRIEMHILD’S REVENGE (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: SIEGFRIED’S DEATH (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • EIGHT EYES (dir. Austin Jennings. 2023, United States/Serbia, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ENCOUNTERS (dir. Dmitry Moiseev. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (dir. David Gregory. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FANTASTIC GOLEM AFFAIRS (dirs. Juan González and Nando Martínez. 2023, Spain/Estonia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FUNERAL (dir. Orçun Behram. 2023, Turkey, Latin American Premiere)
  • A GAME IN THE WOODS (dir. Mike McCutchen. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • THE GLASS HOUSE (dir. Taras Dron. 2023, Ukraine/Cyprus/Romania/Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE HANDS OF ORLAC (dir. Robert Wiene. 1924, Germany, Austria)
  • THE HYPERBORIAN (dir. Jesse Thomas Cook. 2023, Canada, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I’LL CRUSH Y’ALL (dir. Kike Narcea. 2023, Spain, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I, NIRVANA (dir. Roger Elarrat. 2024, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE FIGHT (dir. Rainer Sarnet. 2023, Estonia/Greece/Finland/Latvia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE RAPTOR (dir. Mike Hermosa. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS (dirs. Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana. 2014, Argentina/Brazil)
  • JUPITER (dir. Benjamin Pfohl. 2023, Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • KIM’S VIDEO (dirs. Ashley Sabin and David Redmon. 2023, United States, Regional Premiere)
  • THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE (dir. Piotr Biedroń. 2023, Poland, Latin American Premiere)
  • LIMINAL SPACE (dir. Gabriel Papaléo. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • M (dir. Vardan Tozija. 2023, North Macedonia/Croatia/France/Kosovo/Luxembourg, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MONSTER WITH MANY NOSES (dir. Abigail Schaaff. 2023, Spain/France, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MOOR (dir. Chris Cronin. 2023, United Kingdom, Brazilian Premiere)
  • MOTHERBOARD (dir. Igor Bastos. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE MUTATION PROTOCOL (dir. Marcelo Leguiza. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • THE OTHER SHAPE (dir. Diego Felipe Guzmán. 2022, Brazil/Colombia, Regional Premiere)
  • PANDEMONIUM (dir. Quarxx. 2023, France, Brazilian Premiere)
  • REMIND (dir. Armando Fonseca. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • RESTLESS WATERS, SHIVERING LIGHTS (dir. Ángeles Hernández. 2023, Spain, International Premiere)
  • ROAD TO THE MOUTH OF HELL (dir. Julio Cesar Napoli. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • SATRANIC PANIC (dir. Alice Maio Mackay. 2023. Australia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE SHADOW OF THE SHARK (dir. Gonzalo López-Gallego. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • SHIT HAPPENS AND MIRACLES TOO (Dir. Máncel Martínez. 2024, Colombia, World Premiere).
  • THE SLEEPING WOMAN (dir. Laura Alvea. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • A STRANGE PATH (dir. Guto Parente. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE TENANTS (dir. Eun-kyoung Yoon. 2023, South Korea, Latin American Premiere)
  • TRENQUE LAUQUEN (dir. Laura Citarella. 2023, Argentina, Germany)
  • VISITORS – COMPLETE EDITION (dir. Kenichi Ugana. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE WAIT (dir. F. Javier Gutierrez. 2023, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • WAKE (dirs. Thom Arizmendi and Austin Parks Stewart. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • THE WEIRD KIDZ (dir. Zach Passero. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • WHEN EVIL LURKS (dir. Demian Rugna. 2023, Argentina)
  • THE WICKER MAN (dir. Robin Hardy. 1973, United Kingdom)

Head over to the official Fantaspoa website to learn more.

Devon Sawa in ‘Consumed’

Continue Reading