The Further
Days of the Dead Horror Convention Coming to Dallas, Texas
The Days of the Dead Horror Convention is heading south, announcing a show this Halloween season in Texas. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 11th for the opening night of the convention that invades the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel (4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063) for three days of horror mayhem. RSVP at the event’s official Facebook page to remain up to date on guests and ticketing as announced.
Days of the Dead is a by the fans, for the fans, convention which had its inaugural show in 2011 at the Wyndham Indianapolis West and has since expanded into a total of seven cities nationwide (Chicago, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Louisville, Las Vegas, Dallas and Atlanta). The conventions primary goal is to bring back the concept of the genre convention being a welcoming social gathering of like-minded friends and fans and not just another “pay-and-go” autograph show that has become an all too common (and impersonal) experience in the convention scene. The convention is chock full of special events tailored just for the fans, an active after-hours scene of horror-themed parties, and a massive guest list of the hottest celebrity guests, artists, and up and coming independent filmmakers.
The annual genre competition dedicated to finding and launching the next generation of horror writing talent, this year’s Killer Shorts is now officially open for entries!
Founded in 2019, Killer Shorts has established itself as a premier industry launchpad. The competition connects screenwriters and prose authors directly with the executives, managers, and producers who actively greenlight and option dark genre cinema.
But this year’s competition isn’t only about killer horror shorts…
For this brand new season, Killer Shorts is expanding its categories to include feature-length screenplays alongside its traditional short script, one-page script, and short story divisions.
The Top 10 finalists across all categories are evaluated by an elite industry jury composed of over a dozen horror legends, literary managers, and producers. The panel includes:
- Barbara Crampton (Horror Icon, Actress & Producer — Jakob’s Wife, Suitable Flesh)
- John Zaozirny (Literary Manager & Producer, Bellevue Productions)
- Tananarive Due (Author, Producer & Horror Historian)
- Lucas Ford (Producer, Ford Films — The Backrooms)
- John Squires (Editor-in-Chief, Bloody Disgusting)
- Sophie Carroll (Creative Director, ALTER & DUST at Gunpowder & Sky)
- Gigi Saul Guerrero (Director & Co-Founder, Luchagore Productions)
- Aaron B. Koontz (Producer & CEO, Paper Street Pictures)
Yes, yours truly is joining the Killer Shorts judging panel for the first time ever!
Killer Shorts has a proven track record of transitioning undiscovered writers into working professionals. Alumni success stories include Season 2 finalist Vanessa Võ, who signed with Bellevue Productions, and Season 3 finalist Kelly Nugent, who secured representation at Wonder Street.
Additionally, screenplays submitted for coverage that receive a “Recommend” rating qualify for inclusion on The Scream List. This real-time tracking board is monitored by top-tier genre companies, including Screambox, Raven Banner Entertainment, Zero Gravity Management, and Grey Matter Productions.
Submissions will be accepted across all major platforms, including the official Killer Shorts website, Scrybe, Stage 32, FilmFreeway, and Network ISA.
For full guidelines, prize breakdowns, and submission details, visit the official website!
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