AX THIS WEEKEND AND MORE!

Hi Everyone!

AX is this weekend and I'm sure a whole bunch of you are already geared up for the fun! As it turns out we will not be able to attend this year (work, work, work!) it sux but please go have some extra fun for us! We also wanted to hit another event coming up soon;

SPAM TIME: manga, anime, cosplay, pop culture, and more...july 7, asian art museum! We hope you can make it. Thanks!






SAC-ANIME JULY 13-14 at it's new location the Red Lion Inn! Guests include; Yishan Li, Chris Patton, Demented Dragon, Brandon McKinny, and more! Events include Digital Art Contest, Costume Contest, and live performances by Voltaire, Art Beat, {mid:night}, just to mention a few!!! We'll be there in full force!

The lovely web-mistress over at Fatally-Yours.com has just posted an interview with one of SiliCon's guests for 2007, SFX Artist/Director Joe Castro! Pop on over and check it out. We spoke to Joe just this week and he is super excited to come to the show. He has promised to do a "how to" panel on doing your own zombie make-up, Italian Horror Film style! He is looking for volunteers for anyone who wants to get made up :-) Joe has recently released "Terror Toons 2" the follow up to his popular 2002 film. Joe joins an already impressive line up of film guests including Director Greg Lamberson, SFX Artist Ed Martinez, and Scream Queen Eliza Swenson!!!

See everyone later!

FILM FESTIVAL UPDATE & MORE!!!

Big update about the 3rd Annual SiliCon Independent Short Film Festival. The festival is filling up quickly and is already full of some great shorts. This multi-genre festival has shorts ranging from animated to sci-fi mini epics and gory horror stories to super-hero adventures! The 2 hour programming will be broken up into 2 sections- one PG-13 or less and safe for kids. We have some great prizes lined up for the winners; The Write Bros. Software Company has generously donated some of their great screen writing and movie making software suites. We will have a panel of 5 Guests Judges including Hollywood Horror director Michael Paul Girard. The festival is Friday, October 5th at the DoubleTree Hotel. Convention membership is $40 until Spetember and $45 at the door. Tickets available to the festival only onsite. (available HERE online) The deadline for submission is August 31st so any of you aspiring filmmakers submit your film today!

We also wanted to give everyone a heads up about some other movie events! Stay up late at Camera Cinemas! The Metro and KSCU 103.3 FM proudly present MIDNIGHT MOVIE MADNESS, showing a combination of new releases and cult favorites. The series screens Friday midnights at Camera 7 Pruneyard, and Saturday midnights at Camera 12 in downtown San Jose. The complete new lineup can be found here!

The California Browncoats are holding their annual charity screening "Can't Stop the Serenity" with Joss Whedon's sci-fi spectacular "Serenity" benefiting Equality Now! Held in San Francisco at the AMC 14 on Van Ness June 23rd!


And don't forget the 4th Annual "Another Hole in the Head" Horror/Sci-Fi film festival in San Francisco starting June 1st and going through to the 14th. The people behind Hole in the Head have worked very hard to put together a great festival this year and SiliCon /Horror Yearbook is very happy to be part of it.

Check out the AWESOME, lineup of films they have for you this year HERE.

NEW MOVIE UPDATE FROM SILICON 2007

Last week we brought you an update about new guests for SiliCon. This
week we wanted to tell you about some of the film programming we will
have this year. Some of these movies are undiscovered independent gems,
festival favorites, cult classics, and even first time premieres!

"Neighborhood Watch"

Adrien Trumbell welcomes his new neighbors with an odd collection of gifts; tainted chocolates, aborted pig fetuses, and poison oak. When his neighbors catch on to his insane antics and start to turn down his gifts he is not a happy man. Welcome to "Neighborhood Watch" one of the best horror films of 2007. Neighborhood watch introduces one of the most demented psychopaths we have seen in a long time, Adrien Trumbell. with the amazing special effects by Steve Johnson's award winning Edge FX shop, he has put together some of the best stomach turning scenes I have ever seen. Directed by Graeme Whifler who in between other films has shot videos for bands like The Residents and Oingo Boingo.


"El Muerto"

The character El Muerto debuted right here in the Bay Area as a comic book by Javier Hernadez in 1998. It's been almost ten years sine El Muerto first rose from the grave. Our undead hero makes his feature film debut played by Wilmer Valderama of THAT 70'S SHOW fame. It premiered at the San Diego Latino Film Festival last March 2007 to a completely sold out audience.
The story begins with Diego preparing for Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday honoring the lives of the deceased and celebrating the continuation of life. Tragically his life is cut short. As his friends mourn him he is resurrected to bare the legacy of his Aztec ancestors as El Muerto; the living dead. El Muerto isn't a tale of vengeance; it's a story about love, and the strength we draw from those we love. The creator Javier Hernadez has set out on his own romantic tale of bringing a vision to the big screen in typical Hollywood fashion, yet
retaining the Aztec mythology and Mexican culture he holds so dear. Shot just like it jumped straight from the panel onto the frame, with impressive effects, great costuming and beautiful scenery, this film is a living four-color comic.


"Slayer"

This almost zero-budget independent vampire film is a quick stake to the heart. The cast and crew poured a ton of effort into this film to make it the best possible offering they could, you won't believe this was shot for almost nothing! The real world treatment of the age old vampire myth is refreshing and adds to the gritty suspense of "Slayer". Director Ed Peduzzi also handled the digital effects, which are great and not over used. We aggressively sought to get this film for our convention and it was worth the effort!

"Slayer" is a film about a teenager who accidentally uncovers the secret that vampires really do exist and the only thing standing between them and everyone he knows is a bunch of unassuming heroes who scrape together whatever weapons they can afford to combat the vicious threat. This film pulls no punches, is a great story, and has already won several independent film awards. Do not miss your chance to see this film on the big screen!


"Stupid Teenagers Must Die"

STMD! is one of the most fun and enjoyable low-budget films I've seen in quite some time. Director Jeff Smith (who also served as co-writer, cinematographer and editor) definitely shows his love of under appreciated 80's horror films with this movie! Anyone who loves the cheesiness, preposterous situations, wacky and stereotypical characters of 80's horror movies will definitely love this very tongue-in-cheek homage to the past. Come join members of the cast crew as we screen this hilarious comedy/horror film


We have many more films we plan on showing. Here is a list of what we have confirmed so far:
"Slayer"
"Neighborhood Watch"
"Stupid Teenagers Must Die"
"Slime City" Special 20th Anniversary showing with live commentary by director Greg Lamberson
"I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer" North American Premiere!
"El Muerto" Award Winning South Bay Premeire
"Dracula's Curse"
"Over Sexed Rug Suckers from Mars" Seldom seen Michael Paul Girard classic
"Crow: Purgatory" Local Independent Production from Torrid
&
Upcoming Trailers
Independent Short Film Festival
Machinima Festival
Independent Filmmakers Panel


On top of these great new films, we have some great classics lined up for our midnight movies.Starting off the fun on Friday at midnight we present "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". You have to be living in a cave if you've never heard about this sci-fi rock musical cult classic and you must be living in fear if you've never seen it live with a cast! Seeing this at home on DVD just doesn't cut it! On Saturday night join HorrorYearbook.com for the Midnight Movie Massacre and all night slumber party of horror films featuring "Stupid Teenagers Must Die" with cast and crew appearances followed up by the outrageous "Over Sexed Rug Suckers from Mars" There will be prizes, laughs, and some great between the movie entertainment!



All of this on top of our Independent Short Film Festival, Upcoming Movie Trailers, and a Machinima Festival!