Laughing at the Expense of Others

It's fun to be scared in a safe environment (movie, haunted house, video game, etc), but it's even more fun to witness other people being scared out of their minds. You might have enjoyed browsing through the hundreds of petrified faces from Nightmares Fear Factory. See the example below.

Because it randomly popped into my head today, I thought I'd share one of my favorite YouTube finds: a group of inebriated dudes (who we can only assume to be bros) record audio while playing Slender, an indie survival horror FPS that is often sighted as one of the scariest video games of all time.

It's totally worth it...trust me. Or trust the 2.8 million views.

The Collection (2012): Not the Indie Horror Film to Support

When I read the critics' reviews of The Collection, I thought "what jerks." They called it a hollow and utlra-violent film lacking any purpose. I hate to say it, but for once, the critics were right. What The Collection lacks in quality filmmaking it doesn't even make up for in entertainment. 

Let's get a few things straight: 1) I liked The Collector a lot. To prove it, here's my review from way back in 2009: The Collector Review. 2) I do like gore-fests and don't necessarily believe in taking everything so seriously. I submit Exhibit B as evidence: Horror can be fun! 3) I happily give grungy indie movies a chance, such as the low budget sci-fi flick Altered.

Disclaimers out of the way, why was the movie so bad? The story feels as if it's been strung together by used dental floss: it's weak, it stinks, and the one thing you can count on is random chunks of flesh along the path. Sorry for the disgusting metaphor, but I feel it's necessary. I can think of countless ways that The Collector's tale could have continued and instead of following any storyline that makes sense, the filmmakers decided to sacrifice any semblance of a story in favor of a higher body count. The movie literally opens with a packed club getting torn apart by an impossibly-large meat grinder. Okay, movie.

Yup, lots of dead bodies. Entertained yet?

Right now, you might be thinking, what's wrong with a movie focused on gore instead of story? Because I'm not 10 years old. Gore for the sake of gore isn't enough. The bloody spectacle at the end of Dead Alive is mostly effective because we've spent an hour caring about the budding love story between Lionel and Paquita. Sure, the movie is full of stupid, nonsenical moments, but it's fun because we care. As an audience member of The Collection, I found myself as uncaring as the leather-clad villain. And that's a problem if you want me to invest $11 and 82 minutes.

If you want to get intellectual about it, Mick LaSalle of The San Francisco Chronicle described some of the problems with modern horror quite well in his review. He says, "Much better are the horror movies that tap into existential terror - the fear of losing one's soul. This can be the soul in a religious sense, as in "The Exorcist," but it can also be "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," or a movie that makes audiences question their conception of reality, such as "Carnival of Souls." In this light, "The Collection" can be seen as the ultimate (let's hope ultimate) example of secular horror in a secular age. If you see life as entirely mechanistic and the body as a machine, then the best you'll ever come up with is throwing people into a blender...But it will mean nothing, because unless you believe that life has intrinsic value, your horror movie can have no impact." I don't necessarily agree with everything LaSalle says in his review (or his critical stance on films in general), but he makes a very good point about nihilism's impact on the horror film.  

Admittedly, the film does elevate itself slightly as it goes on. I found the first act to be so excruciating, my stomach literally hurt. Once we got past the ridiculous club scene and most of the dialogue (the combination of writing, acting, and editing made any conversations look like a teenager's home movie), the film became more tolerable. What director Mark Dunstan does well is horror action, but everything in between is just plain bad. I imagine Dunstan would make great music videos or maybe even short films, but I pay to see feature films for the whole package, not rare moments of cool visuals. 

Go back! You're not supporting indie horror by seeing this movie.

There's been a lot of talk around the horror community about supporting indie horror. I think a lot of us took this film's surprising theatrical release as a call to action, but this is the wrong movie to support. The Collection is an example of why many avoid indie horror, because it has no real substance and a stunning lack of craft. Instead of appealing to the fringe or taking risks, it caters to the basest of horror stereotypes. The Collection is not a representative of the independent genre film that fans should rally behind. It is a representative of everything that disappoints me about the American horror scene today.

Rant over.

The Last Buck Hunt: My New Film!

You may have been wondering where I've been...or maybe you didn't notice. Either way, my mind has not been focused on The Horror Effect because it's been occupied with thoughts of a killer deer. In other words, I'm working on a new film! And if you're interested, you can help me out by sharing my Kickstarter page: The Last Buck Hunt on Kickstarter.

My next feature film goes by the name of The Last Buck Hunt. Part mockumentary and part traditional cinematic experience, the movie follows the mismatched crew of a hunting TV show out to snag a legendary killer deer. It's not long before the hunt is endangered by mysterious behavior from the show's tracker, the host's unwarranted ego, and of course the local life. As you might be guessing from the premise, the film is a horror comedy with extra emphasis on the comedy.

Oddly enough, I haven't made a whole lot of horror comedies in a professional sense -- most of my mature efforts were either standalone horror, comedy, or suspense. The reason this is odd is because I've always been inclined toward horror-comedy; most of my early, amateur films were of this genre blend. I'm so excited to be returning to the wonderful world of horror and humor.

If you'd like to know a bit more about the film, check out this post on the Indiestructible (our film production moniker) site: What is The Last Buck Hunt? Now, I did mention this was my "next" feature film. If you'd like to check out my first real feature endeavor, then give the trailer a watch:  Break Trailer.

In order to grow as a filmmaker and truly bring The Last Buck Hunt to life, I'm hoping to secure a budget that will allow me to cast the talent that the script calls for, create a cool "creature" design, and raise production value through art direction. To achieve this, we've started a Kickstarter project to help raise funds for The Last Buck Hunt. If you have a moment to watch our video and share the project with anyone that might be interested, I would be forever grateful. Go here to check out our project: The Last Buck Hunton Kickstarter.

My posts will probably continue to be sporadic as I delve even deeper into production on The Last Buck Hunt, but I'll do my best not to ignore The Horror Effect. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to know more about the project (I'm happy to talk your ear off). 

Double Ghost Feature: The Woman in Black and The Innkeepers

In the same weekend, I was lucky enough to watch two suspense-driven ghost films in a theatrical setting: Hammer's return to tradition with The Woman in Black, starring Daniele Radcliffe, and Ti West's greatly anticipated The Innkeepers. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed by either film.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm late to the game here, but bloggers don't have print deadlines. So, it's totally okay to review movies a month after I see them, right? Read on for super quick reviews of two solid supernatural horror films.

Interview with Last Ride Director James Phillips

Fellow blogger and filmmaker James Phillips kindly shares some background behind his incredibly ambitious and unique single-take found footage film: LAST RIDE. Back in July of last year, I had the opportunity to review the film: LAST RIDE review. 

In his film, a group of bikers disappear after a day-long ride in Australia's Blue Mountains. The only evidence uncovered is the footage from a helmet-mounted video camera. 

B-Movie Becky (BMB): Where did the concept for LAST RIDE come from?

James Phillips (JP): Oddly enough, it was really the tech that decided how LAST RIDE was going to be made. I saw some videos shot on the GoPro cameras, and was really impressed with it. After a day or two, pretty much the whole idea came about, involving the bike riders, the myth of the Blue Mountains Panther and the single take. 

BMB: Why did you decide to not only shoot the film in the found footage style, but to also shoot the entire film in one shot?

JP: For years I'd been looking to do something about the Panther myth, then when the wearable HD cameras came along, the found footage route was an obvious choice to go with. There's two things I always hate with found footage films. First, that the person carrying the camera never feels quite scared enough to just ditch the camera. They always keep shooting. Second, is edits. If you're so freaked out while running around, somehow managing to keep filming, then you would keep filming, the whole time. Would you turn the camera off for a split second? Never knowing if you might miss something? Or really even caring about the camera that is in your hand?

By attaching the camera to one of the characters helmets, it frees them up to use their hands, never really paying any attention to the fact that its even still on his head, let alone recording anything. And by forgetting about it being there, makes a single take make more sense.

I also thought the single take is a nice unique take on the found footage genre. There's not many single take films out there, and they may be hard to prove that they are indeed single takes right the way through anyway.

BMB: Is the film really one take? Are there any hidden cuts?

JP: Yes, it really is one continuous take. There were things I wanted to do in the film, like submerging myself underwater, as the cameras are completely waterproof, but I was adamant to not have one single black frame in the whole thing. No one spot where I could sneak in a cut. Again, we shot it in the daylight, to ensure no trickery.

BMB: How many takes did you go through before you got it right? What was this experience like for your actors?

JP: We had locked in 4 days to get it all done. Monday was always going to be a full dress rehearsal, and despite everyone knowing exactly what we would be undertaking, I don't think it was until after this first day that it really sunk in. It was a pretty chaotic day, essentially me pushing everyone forward, calling out to people as required, it was pretty messy.The next day we were rained out, instead doing further improvising and rehearsing around the house.

Our first real take was done on the Wednesday morning, and the Thursday take is the one that you reviewed, the one that will be available as the regular release. I recently revisited the Wednesday take, and it is really good, in some parts better than the Thursday take, in other parts, not so much. One of the biggest differences is that the Wednesday take is only 63 minutes, while the Thursday is 79. The Wednesday take will also be released as an alternate angle/take of the film, for a two disc release.

One thing the actors kept saying they really liked about the whole single take aspect was how much it was like theatre. The whole cast did really well with improvisation. There were times where we'd be heading along a track, and I needed a bit more time, a bit more drama happening, so I'd tell an actor to hit the deck and give me an extra minute or two. There's a lot of pressure when you're fifty minutes into a single take feature film, and times like that they really pulled through, and delivered solid performances. 

BMB: You wore many hats in the film: a writer, director, actor, and cinematographer/camera operator. What was this experience like? Would you ever do it again?

JP: Last Ride was a really collaborative process. There is no script for the film, still only a ten page synopsis, with about four lines of dialog. The rest is all ad lib, or rehearsed and roughly remembered. This goes for characterizations as well as dialog. For a few months leading up to the shoot, I would work with the actors to develop each of their own characters and back stories. 

In terms of the actual shooting, trying to keep my head fairly steady, and my eyeline high was tough. It may not sound like much, but after hiking for 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) through rough terrain while wearing a helmet with two cameras and two microphones attached to it, keeping your chin up starts taking some effort. Especially while trying to act.

That was the hardest part for me, and the part I was least prepared for. Acting. While I didn't have to perform as such in front of the camera, I obviously was there alongside everyone the whole time, taking consolation knowing that if I was truly terrible, I could be dubbed over. 

I really enjoyed shooting LAST RIDE. Getting out into the bush like that, I love it out there. Course, when I say out there, we shot LAST RIDE literally a five minute walk from my house. 

My favourite part of shooting a single take film is the afternoon screenings. We would all trudge back to the house and get cleaned up, plug the camera straight into the projector, and have a screening. Sure, it needed some audio work done, but knowing what you would be changing and adding, you would watch your finished film, then and there. No months of editing. That was all done by my neck earlier in the day.

BMB: What was the most challenging experience for you and your crew during the production?

JP: Haha, that's my favourite word so far in regards to LAST RIDE. Crew. The crew consisted of myself and my wife Irene, the only qualified one in my crew and that wears possibly more hats than myself, from looking after the cast in terms of sleeping arrangements and meals, right up to her actual job of make up and special effects.

The biggest challenge for all of us, was the distance travelled in that location. While we would be running one way, Irene would be running another way, to get prepped and ready for the next effect gag. There were a few small bottles of blood along the track for us so she didn't have to be there for all of those, but the major ones like the camp scene... You know what, I still don't know what happened behind the scenes there! It was one of those things where if I ever saw Irene out there, then so did the camera, so it would be all over. All I know is that somehow she got to that spot before us, and I wouldn't even know if she was there or not, and then that she would have moved on by the time I returned. 

By the Thursday take, we had both found things we could do differently to make life easier, and it was a lot smoother for all involved. 

BMB: What sort of themes did you want to explore with LAST RIDE? Why did the subject matter interest you personally?

JP: Essentially, LAST RIDE is all about 'How long can you run to save your life?' This seems to be somewhat of a recurring theme for me, but I'm not really sure why. It's simply about survival, and what drives people to persevere. 

BMB: What's next for you? Any future projects you'd care to divulge? 

JP: We wrapped shooting 'The Proposal' at the end of October, and it is currently in audio post production. It is another single take film, but this time shot with a completely static camera. It is about 44 minutes long, and we're looking to release it online for free in the coming months.

Also Relentless, the film which you named all those moons ago, is just about finished. It's been a long road, but it will be worth it, and a nice change for my viewers from these single take films. 

There's a stack of films I'd love to start making now, but at the moment I'm putting all productions off until all three of these films are released. Which is tough, because I love being in production!

Head on over to www.lastridefilm.com, where the full film is now available via streaming or download. If you're still not convinced, check out the the teaser below and see if you're not intrigued.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Happy Friday the 13th all! Hopefully some of you are finding your own little (or big) ways to celebrate. Generally, I at least try to watch a Friday the 13th film or two. This year, I have a couple plans...

My Anticipated Horror Films of 2012

Here are some of the films rolling around in my head, as I await their alleged 2012 release. I'm sure there are movies I'm missing that I will later learn of and I'm sure some of these selections will turn out to be disappointments, but nonetheless, I'm excited at the idea of the following...

Apollo 18: What Could Have Been

 A smart premise does not take advantage of its potential in Apollo 18. 


I'm definitely late to the game on this one. Though the trailers looked mildly interesting and plot was intriguing, the negative reviews circulating the interwebs kept me from paying top dollar to see Apollo 18 on the big screen. Now that it's playing at the local $3 theater, I thought I'd give it a shot.

Hopes were high in the beginning, as we are introduced to our astronaut heroes through scratchy film footage. In a 4x3 presentation, we are delivered the basics: 3 men on a top-secret mission to the moon to retrieve rock samples. The aesthetics or so basic and the story presented so plainly, that it truly felt like an Errol Morris documentary for a while. In fact, a woman, who we can only presume is not of the highest intellect, turned to her husband and asked in between popcorn chews, "Is this a doc-u-men-tareeee?"

Things slowly become less subtle as time goes on. CGI, white noise effects, frenzied edits, and shutter speed effects necessarily dilute a look that I was otherwise digging. The cool color pallet, occasionally contrasted with desaturated yellows and reds, created a wonderful sense of isolation on the moon. Just as the aesthetics of the film are encroached by needless effects, so is the story convoluted with too many elements and not enough basic scares.

VAGUE SPOILERS BE FOLLOWING
Government conspiracy, alien lifeforms, infections, mental instability, Russian cosmonauts, blah, blah, blah. Found footage films work because they are usually focused on a simple premise. The Paranormal Activity films have become less effective as they wander away from the core story. Blair Witch worked so well because it didn't explain everything. I would have liked to see Apollo 18 with one simple threat and less explanations. 

SPOILERS BE DONE

Ultimately, Apollo 18 is just a bunch of wasted potential. Throughout the film, there are some great uses of negative space and darkness, but nothing ever really pays off. It misses so many opportunities to elevate suspense. Instead, the film plays slowly, with in-your-face scares every 20 minutes or so. This couldn't even be called a slow burn, because that would suggest a steady progression. 

It may be worth a look if you're really into sci-fi horror or found footage films, but definitely don't go out of your way to see Apollo 18.

Happy Halloween!

A quick short, wishing everyone a fun, safe, and merry Halloween!

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil: Super Funny, Extra Bloody

An outstanding horror comedy that fully delivers on its hilarious premise.

Heading into the Varsity Theatre in Seattle's University District, I was happy to see that my husband and I weren't the only ones who felt like a horror comedy starring Firefly's Wash was a good idea on a Monday night. Of course, I wonder what all of the moviegoers thought of my husband and I's guttural laughter, as the charming tale of Tucker and Dale unfolded.

Heading to their fixer-upper vacation home, Tucker and Dale run into a group of good-looking college kids who misread the hillbilly pair as murderous backwoods freaks. After Dale saves one of the girls from drowning and brings her back to his cabin to recover, her friends believe that she has been kidnapped. What ensues is a series of misconceptions, as the dim-witted college students end up doing more harm to themselves than to the hillbilly's they are trying to rescue their friend from.

You know you're a redneck if...

Basically, we have a reverse hillbilly horror story that plays on stereotypes. Tucker and Dale turns this horror sub-genre on its head with ease, while providing plenty of gore and laughs. These kids don't just trip and fall off cliffs, they somehow find ways to die horribly painful and grotesque deaths all by their own hands. In fact, I'd say Tucker and Dale has the best use of a wood chipper in film history. Yes, it even beats Fargo.

Most importantly, Tucker and Dale stands out as a brilliant horror comedy because of one reason: the story is told with good characters. Even in its short 89 minute run time, it takes plenty of time to develop Dale, its central character. As an audience member, you truly want Dale to succeed in romancing the pretty, sophisticated college girl. Without setting up Dale as an empathetic character, it wouldn't nearly be as funny when he is accused of being a vicious psychopath and it wouldn't nearly be as interesting to watch him fail at explaining himself to others. In the vein of Shaun of the Dead, Tucker and Dale creates strong characters in a world of comedic situations.

The finest that higher education has to offer

Thematically, Tucker and Dale also brings out some intriguing discussion on what it means to be intelligent, sophisticated, and open-minded. The moral of this horror story is that being judgmental leads to a hideous death. While it is a common theme in horror films for a group of "normal" teenagers to judge an outcast, it is uncommon for that outcast to actually turn out to be the sympathetic character. Instead, this outcast falls into those judgements and takes revenge, becoming the film's villain. In Tucker and Dale, the outcasts are never once the villains.

You don't have to read much into Tucker and Dale vs. Evil as you watch it. Though it provides some nice color, it is still entirely watchable as a comedic gorefest. If it happens to be playing in a theatre near you, by all means check it out and bring your hillbilly friends!

For Shame: Halloween II Blu Ray

Now, I haven't seen the transfer of Halloween II (1981) and so I'm not complaining about technical details here. The reason I am urging you not to purchase this newly released Blu Ray is based on principle. Moustapha Akkad's title card has been removed from the opening credits and replaced with Universal's. Moustapha Akkad is the executive producer behind all of the pre-Zombie Halloween films. In 2005, he was killed during a tragic bombing in Jordan. His son, Malek Akkad, has carried on his father's role in producing several Halloween films, including the Rob Zombie reboots.

Without Moustapha Akkad, there would be no Halloween. By stripping "Moustapha Akkad presents" from the film, the producer's memory has been disrespected and it shows a callousness for preserving the authenticity of the original film. If something like this is altered, then what else might be changed under the guise of "updating" a film? Don't even get me started on George Lucas.

In a landscape where we have countless versions of what is supposed to be the same movie--director's cuts, unrated cuts, producer's cuts--what version of the film will be preserved in the future? Who chooses which one is the right cut? If you watched the theatrical cut of Zombie's Halloween, then you might be confused why Dr. Loomis appears in the second film at all since Michael crushes his skull, leaving a lifeless body behind. You see, in the unrated director's cut, Dr. Loomis doesn't die after all. In order to understand the series, you need to see the unrated DVD, not the theatrical version.

If there needs to be so many iterations of a film, then there is surely something inherently wrong with the film industry (surprise!). A filmmaker should be able to release the film that best communicates the story. Period. The version released in theaters should always be the director's cut. If not, who's cut is it? The studios?

I know I'm not bringing up anything groundbreaking here, but the controversy with the Halloween II Blu Ray has just reminded me of the convoluted, studio-centric state of the film industry. Stories are rendered  through so many channels that the original purpose becomes lost.

Although word on the street is that Universal plans to respond to these complaints, I'm not holding my breath. If you'd like to join the Facebook boycott, here is the page: Boycott Universal's Halloween II.
 

Summer Memories of a Horror Fan

While the rest of the nation is suffering a massive heat wave, Summer has only started to rear its sunny head here in Seattle. Now that Summer has arrived just in time for it to disappear, I thought I'd share some of my favorite memories of summer from childhood. Because horror movies were such a big part of my life, horror-centered activities dominated many of my adolescent activities. Here are some I'm particularly fond of:

-Dressing up in the Ghostface mask and hiding outside my friend's house, while threatening them with menacing phone calls. There were tears and it was awesome.

-Inventing a Jaws-themed game in the pool. Chlorine-water sharks will be the next big thing.

-Creating another game of tag that was based off of Predator. Sometimes this involved Schwarzenegger impersonations.

-Making a feature film over the course of several months on a VHS-C camera with no editing equipment. Not to mention it didn't have a script and involved every slasher cliche known to the human race.

-Using fake blood and latex wounds leftover from Halloween, we loved to pretend some terrible accident had occurred to us and freak our parents out.

-Buying tickets for PG-13 movies, only to sneak into the R-rated horror films. Dang you cinema nazis.

-Sitting around the campfire, telling ghost stories, zombie stories, vampire stories, mass murderer stories...you get the idea.

-Getting my friends in trouble by watching Children of the Corn, even though PG was as extreme as they could go.

-Explaining to my 6th grade teacher why Halloween was my favorite film and why I was allowed to see it.

-Debating with a friend who thought I Know What You Did Last Summer was better than Scream. Who makes Direct-to-Video sequels now, huh?

Well, there you have it: a selection of my treasured memories. Feeling all nostalgic yet? I know I am...maybe I'll go home and listen to Bush, while talking on my brick (I mean cellular telephone).

Last Ride (2011): Into the wild

A high concept found footage film that sucks you in.

Set in the trails of Australia's Blue Mountains, a group of bicyclists head out into the wilderness, unknowingly headed towards the last ride of their lives. Our point of view is that of James, who also happens to be the film's director, as he straps a helmet cam on himself to catch the action. Writer, Director, Actor, Cinematographer James Phillips delivers the entire 80 minute film in one continuous shot, giving the amateur footage vibe all the more authenticity.

Unlike countless other found footage films, the camera setup actually makes sense here. The wide angle lens is specifically designed for sports, so the aesthetic and the reason for bringing a camera are justified. Also unique is that the camera operator need not hold on to the camera. So when things get intense, the character can run, climb, and jump, since the camera is completely hands-free. So instead of asking, "Why does so-and-so keep filming?"; we ask, "Why would he bother to take the time to stop recording?" Any writer can tell you, giving the characters reasons to keep filming in a found footage film is challenging. Thankfully, Phillips avoided this problem.

One of the great things about this film is that it is quite literally experienced through the eyes of the characters. Precariously crawling through the foliage, the characters desperately want to know what is hiding in the woods, but are also afraid to look too closely. As the camera cautiously turns each corner and spins around to capture movement, the audience is holding its breath, experiencing surprise and anxiousness in the same way as the film's characters. I found myself leaning in to the screen and turning up the volume on my speakers, eager to discover what was hunting the group. This interactiveness was refreshing, as traditionally, we are aided by zooms and close-ups that cater to the viewer. Because we are not handed anything so easily in Last Ride, the film becomes more captivating.


On the other hand, one of the flaws of the movie is its simplicity. Much of the film is spent watching characters trek through the woods, with lots of "Did you hear that's?" and "Which way should we go's?" The three act structure that us movie fans have become accustomed to is hardly present here. With the exception of the beginning and the end, the film is pretty even -- giving us the same struggles, characterization, and visuals throughout the runtime. I would have personally liked to see more unique challenges thrown in the way of the bikers, which would have provided more opportunity for character development as well as a generally more enthralling experience for the mainstream moviegoer.

Ultimately, this film is quite an achievement. The actors cover a tremendous amount of ground and emotional ranges all within a single take. The coordination and planning on behalf of Phillips and crew must be commended. While I would have appreciated more diversity in the story structure and more payoff as far as action goes, I thoroughly enjoyed Last Ride and fans of the found footage genre should seek this one out.


Check out the Last Ride Facebook or IMDB pages for more information! 

Fledging Serial Killer Needs Your Help!

A few years back, I happened across a seemingly random independent film that ended up being one of the best horror films of the decade. In fact, it became one of my all-time favorites. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon was the witty, homage-y mockumentary that earned my adoration.

It is with great anticipation that I discovered (thanks to Freddy in Space  and I Like Horror Movies ) the legend of Leslie Vernon shall live on! Upon hearing this glorious news, I ran around the house like a gazelle and woke my husband up from his sensory deprivation tank.  However, let us hasten our excitement for a moment, because there's still a chance that this prequel/sequel may not be made. I know, you may need a tissue just thinking about such potential gone to waste.

The filmmakers are calling out to fans for support. How can you help? Easy. Just pre-order a copy of the film to help Leslie find paradise. If the film doesn't get made (sniff), you won't be charged. "Like" the Facebook page, "Attend" the event, and be a hero! Follow the link for details: HELP Get "Before The Mask: The Return of Leslie Vernon" Made!

In case you haven't seen the original film, you can read me gloating about it here. So if you're a fellow Vernonite or even if you're just curious, it can't hurt to throw a little bit of cash at some talented filmmakers who are delivering straight to the fans.