End of the Road

Funding a feature-length film through crowdsourcing requires more than luck. It only seems to work if you have a huge pre-existing audience or a devoted cult following. A team of filmmakers decided to “get the ball rolling on [their] feature-length werewolf movie” by creating a stand-alone short film to woo studios and investors. Their 2013 campaign met its goal, and they got to work.

The result, a 10-minute horror film called End of the Road, feels like a particularly vicious Tales from the Crypt episode. Writer/director J. Spencer’s screenplay puts archetypical characters in an enclosed space and then lovingly surveys the carnage. There’s no world-building and no deep character exploration – the surprise is that everyone is exactly who you think they are – but the point is not to win an Oscar. The point is to grab audiences and investors by the shoulders, point to the beautifully-composed shots, endearingly-rendered characters (big Travis fan, here) and gore-splattered windows and say “look at the cool shit we did with $23,000… now imagine if we had a bigger budget”.

End of the Road isn’t simply a means to an end. It stands on its own as a brutal, funny and supremely-well-made horror short. There are flourishes of pacing and character detail that delighted me so thoroughly that after watching it once, I immediately started it again and attempted a goofball live-tweet session.

It’s not perfect – some of the dialogue clunks, and the werewolf design seems to vary significantly depending on whether or not it’s in focus – but perfection isn’t the point, either. J. Spencer and his colleagues are making the case for a feature-length werewolf project (which he teased in a message to me, and which sounds awesome), and in demonstrating their capabilities, they’ve created an aesthetic showcase that exemplifies the strength of crowdfunding, and the power a group of creative people can wield when they’re truly passionate about something.

You can watch End of the Road for free right now by asking for a download link and password on their Facebook page. There’s also an excellent behind the scenes gallery on the Unmanned Media web site.

Also, just putting this out there: I would pay to watch a Wes Anderson style movie about a day in the life of Travis.

Nov. 23rd 2015

Comic Review: Captain America Sam Wilson Issue #3

Captain America Sam Wilson continues to be the most fun I’ve had reading a comic book series since I was a small child. Only three issues in, it’s already managed to piss off most of conservative America with a plotline that centers on militant anti-immigrant white supremacists called the Sons of the Serpent. Issue #3 takes a back-step from the main plot to bring a pack a perennial fav favorite. That’s right! As Misty Knight exclaims, Cap-Wolf (or should I say Cap-Sam-Wolf) makes a howling return after Wilson’s encounter with the fiendish Dr. Malus.

If you haven’t been following Captain America comics these days, here’s a quick summary to get you up to speed. The original Captain America (Steve Rogers) has stepped down after being trapped in an alternate dimension for decades – aging quite a bit – before returning to his world. He passes on the mantle to Sam Wilson, who served for years as his trusty partner the Falcon. Wilson, along with fellow heroes Misty Knight and D-Man, have teamed up to prevent the world from falling into the clutches of HYDRA and other evil organizations.

In this issue, Misty finds a very wolfish Cap tied to a chair. He has fallen prey to a resurrected Dr. Malus, who had previously been swallowed by Carnage. Malus seems to also possess symbiote-like powers and is using super science to turn victims into animal hybrids, including pigs, turtles, iguanas, and other beasties. Turning Cap into a werewolf ends up being bad move for Dr. Malus, since it makes him stronger, faster, better, and way shaggier. Unfortunately, it appears to be a temporary effect for Cap, so in the next issue he’s restored to his previous form. Darn.

But don’t let that stop you from further reading! This issue in particular is a barrel of laughs and fun, with Misty Knight making jokes at Cap’s expense by referencing werewolf movies. The story reminds me of plots from the Saturday morning cartoons of yesteryear, where an evil scientist turns our hero into a monster… almost always a poor move. There’s even a nice reference to the original Cap-Wolf’s origin, with a mention of the Bloodstone. The political humor of past issues is still at work here with one slack-jawed gawker saying he can’t get behind Captain America being “a flying werewolf AND a communist” as he swoops over the city in search of Malus. Oh yeah. Did I mention this Cap can also fly?

Check out this issue of Captain America Sam Wilson and further issues if you want to read a culturally relevant series packed with humor and amazing art. After all, this werewolf has wings!

Nov. 19th 2015

John Keogh’s werewolf vs. wrestler poster for The Mountain Goats now on sale

Remember this stunning tour poster John Keogh did for The Mountain Goats? I think of it often, because the song that inspired it gets shuffled into my earbuds on the regular, and because a print of it hangs in my office. Now, it can hang in your designated art area too.

Previously, there were only four ways to obtain this poster:

  1. be a member of The Mountain Goats. Hard to do if you’re not already there.
  2. be John Keogh. Also tough to manage if you’re just starting now.
  3. run a “werewolf stuff” blog and be publicly excited about the poster and lucky and be prepated when someone nice who also has access to a test print and the Topatoco shipping facilities DMs you on Twitter. Easier than the first two, but availability is limited.
  4. purchase it directly from The Mountain Goats merch table at a live show during the spring and summer of 2015. This was the easiest way, but it required advance planning, so if you didn’t already do it, sorry.

Except I’m not sorry! I’m excited – excited to tell you that this poster is now available to purchase directly from The Mountain Goats, in Spring and Summer configurations, for a mere $20. Go get it, friends!

Nov. 19th 2015

Enjoy the 80’s Teen Wolf cartoon intro

Today I want to take you back to a slightly more innocent time: the mid-1980s. It was a time when literally any family-friendly film might be wadded into a ball of bright colours, cheap animation and baggy plaid overshirts and then crammed into a hopefully-lucrative Saturday morning cartoon slot.

The gamble paid off for Columbia Pictures with Ghostbusters, but it did not work for Atlantic Entertainment, who tried to turn the Michael J. Fox comedy film Teen Wolf into a cartoon series that threw out pretty much everything from its parent film except some character names and the premise “there is a teen, who is also a werewolf”.

The series ran for 21 episodes between 1986 and 1987 before disappearing in the paperwork shuffle that accompanied one of the many entertainment conglomerate mergers of the era. It wasn’t a hit. It didn’t even have a consistent schedule, I don’t think – I only ever saw it once, when a local TV station needed to fill time when a live event ended early.

Some Googling will find random episodes on various video streaming sites, but as of today there’s no legal modern way to watch the show. That’s why I’m grateful for everyone who shared this Retro 80s post on Tumblr today. This one GIF contains everything you need to know about television in the 1980s.

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Nov. 16th 2015

“Hair of the Dog” full werewolf makeup preview

I got a follow-up email from Hair of the Dog director Michael Butts the other day.

Just wanted to share this picture of the “werewolf” in “Hair of the Dog.” Bennett Rodgers spent 6 hours in make-up which went from head to toe. This of course is just a shot of Bennett’s face in full werewolf make-up.

Scott Crain took the picture[,] and the make up artists were Stacy Lockhart, Caleb Paschall, and Laura Natalie Homer.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn the werewolves in this movie have a form more lupine than the wolfman-esque visuals we’ve already seen (and that I was quite happy with).

Nov. 14th 2015

Cartoon Saloon & Tomm Moore take on the wolfen shapeshifters of 17th century Ireland

Cartoon Saloon and Tomm Moore are responsible for The Secret Of Kells and Song Of The Sea, two of my favourite animated films of recent years. Now, according to a post on Moore’s Tumblr and this Den Of Geek write-up, Moore’s laying the groundwork for Wolfwalkers, a film exploring Irish (maybe-)werewolves and Oliver Cromwell’s campaign of destruction in their country.

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In a time of superstition and magic, when wolves are seen as demonic and nature as evil to be tamed, a young apprentice hunter, ROBYN, comes to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last pack. But when Robyn saves a wild native girl, MEBH, their friendship leads her to discover the world of the WOLFWALKERS and transforms her into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Cartoon Saloon’s next film is The Breadwinner, due out in 2017, so Wolfwalkers may still be in production for a few years yet. Song of the Sea narrowly beat out Patrick McHale’s gorgeous miniseries Over the Garden Wall as my favourite animated project of 2014 – lupine metamorphosis or not, I’m very excited to see what wonders Moore’s latest visit to Ireland’s history and mythology will unveil.

Thanks to Tandye for the link!

Nov. 13th 2015

Hair of the Dog updates: Whiskey poster & Sleep Nation video with werewolf action

It’s a big week for Hair of the Dog, the upcoming film about a middle-aged werewolf trying to get his life back on track through AA and a lycanthropy support group.

As you may recall from my Q&A with filmmaker Michael Butts, Hair of the Dog has evolved from a short film into a feature-length production, and filming starts this weekend. As with any big production, this is a collaborative effort, and I want to share two things that Michael shared with me.

Tennessee rock band Sleep Nation is providing the soundtrack for Dog, and they just released a music video for their song Mr. Unlucky, directed by Michael and starring Scott Crain as werewolf Ethan Russoff. I like the tune, and if this is the kind of stuff Ethan gets up to in bars, he’s going to need more than a support group to get his shit figured out.

Michael also sent me this faux whiskey poster by Caleb Paschall, “a buddy of mine who does special make-up effects for films who designed this fun poster on my behalf”. I might learn to like whiskey if this was a real brand.

Hair of the Dog Whiskey

Nov. 6th 2015

Bring a funny, dark “Gentle Werewolf” to life

Here’s a web series pilot that I’d really like to see make its Kickstarter goal for a few reasons, not the least of which is that the main character seems to be… me.

Gentle Werewolf is a comedy series about life in your late 20s and early 30s when you are feeling lost and uncertain about what your future holds. You reassess your career goals, your life goals, your personal grooming goals and you pretty much obsess over every thought that runs through your head, forgetting to allow your brain time to breathe. Now, throw in becoming a werewolf, and things get really, really messy. Welcome to Tom’s life, and that of his nearest and dearest friends who struggle with the idea that he may actually be a werewolf.

Okay, so I’m in my mid-30’s and I may not actually be a werewolf, but the rest of that stuff? I guarantee I’ll stop writing this post at least twice* to worry about one of those things.

It’s refreshing to hear about a werewolf film/video project that’s leaning on comic and character beats. I particularly like director Ally Zonsius‘s vision:

Gentle Werewolf is a dry buddy comedy with a touch of romance, drama, and werewolf transformation. I was flying to Seattle when I first read the script myself, and I laughed aloud, which doesn’t happen often. My overall approach for Gentle Werewolf is to celebrate the humor and find unique ways to keep it relatable, with characters just like people you may know. In our present, everyday world, Tom’s transformation to become a werewolf fits awkwardly, and I want that to show. Sam Esmail’s film Comet and TV show Mr Robot serve as visual inspiration – both have wonderfully uncomfortable ways to compose a frame to suit the discomfort happening on screen. Tonally, Silicon Valley and Catastrophe set a good par for Gentle Werewolf and they, along with The Last Man on Earth, match the style of humor I am going for – part real, part ridiculous and a little dark too. We have a fantastic cast on board that will bring this group of friends to life with a camaraderie, and well-written, witty dialogue. Gentle Werewolf was written to become a guilty pleasure for all. We appreciate your support.

I enjoy (or have in my must-watch queue) every show mentioned, and as demonstrated in the pitch video, they’re not just called out for the sake of positive association. Catastrophe tone and Mr. Robot shot framing? That alone gets my pledge, werewolf angle or not!

This project has been carefully considered for at least a year or two, and given the concept and the impressive experience of everyone involved in the campaign, this looks like it would be a fantastic series. I’d like them to make their goal (at least!) and be able to make Gentle Werewolf the way it ought to be made. Check it out on Twitter and Facebook, and do consider chipping in a few bucks.

*it was three times

Nov. 4th 2015

Vote for “Wolf Hands” screen adaptation in Storyhive competition

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A Canadian werewolf film needs your eyeballs and votes in a film competition!

Wolf Hands is a proposed film adaptation of a serialized weekly comic of the same name by Justin Heggs and Nick Johnson. It’s part of Storyhive, a competition similar to the one that gave the world WolfCop. In Storyhive, “local creative talent in Western Canada” vie for one of thirty $10,000 production grants and the chance to have their completed projects shown on TELUS Optik TV.

You don’t need to register, log in or sign up to vote, and you get five votes per day. Voting ends on November 9th, and in literally two clicks, you can vote for Wolf Hands, so please, get clickin’!

But, you ask, what am I voting for? Well, if you didn’t click the serialized weekly comic link above (or the first page, embedded in this very post), here’s an excerpt from the press release:

Calgary, AB – Two Crater Moon is proud to announce the official Telus Storyhive campaign launch of Wolf Hands, an adaptation of the revered local comic book series, starring Shane McLean and directed by Braden Brickner.

Wolf Hands tells the story of Vaughn Miller, who after being mauled by a dying werewolf, must go on the run in fear of his developing curse hurting the people he loves. Trouble follows him in the form of Professor Orchid, a maniacal scientist hell-bent on capturing Vaughn and exploiting his newfound abilities for his own nefarious ends.

A horror/comedy in the vein of Edgar Wright and Sam Raimi, Wolf Hands is a viciously entertaining romp that strives to capitalize on the coming Halloween festivities as the Telus Storyhive short film competition officially commences on October 26th, 2015.

Basically, Two Crater Moon wants to make a weird horror-comedy out of a nonsensical comic with a ludicrous premise. I like it so much I say they deserve two of those grant slots. Go vote!

You can also follow Two Crater Moon on Twitter, and Wolf Hands the comic on Twitter or Facebook.

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Nov. 2nd 2015

Sam Wilson: The Falcon, Captain America and werewolf (again)

I’m a dummy when it comes to Marvel and DC comics. I spent my peak comics-collecting years ferreting out all the Predator stuff Dark Horse published, preferring alien big game hunters to capes and superpowers. It takes a lot to get me interested in anything The Big Two are doing, but turning one of your marquee characters into a werewolf (again) definitely qualifies.

Issue 3 of Captain America: Sam Wilson, written by Nick Spencer and with art by Daniel Acuna, comes out in November. I don’t know anything about the previous two issues, but I guess Sam Wilson used to be The Falcon, and now he’s Captain America? And also a werewolf?

Because you demanded it– the return of Cap-Wolf (er, Fal-Cap-Wolf)! What horrors await– IN THE DUNGEON OF DOCTOR MALUS?

I… don’t know! But Acuna’s  cover art alone is enough to make me want to know!

Thanks to Nemo for the link.

Oct. 29th 2015