Upstart Filmworks

HURRICANE COUNTRY casting call

2009-11-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

HURRICANE COUNTRY, a feature film produced by Upstart Filmworks (planned shoot Spring 2010 in Central Texas) is seeking people for the following roles:

Jessica- Lead / Female / Caucasian / 25 - 30 years

Description: Jessica and her friends evacuate Houston ahead of a hurricane. While battling the furious storm in a old country house, they find themselves terrorized by two murderous strangers. Jessica is the co-lead. She eventually faces her fears and steps up to do what she can for her friends. She is BLONDE. Any submissions should be BLONDE or willing to change hair color. No exceptions.

Liz (nudity)-Lead / Female / Caucasian / 24 - 28 years

Description: Liz is a badass. Tattoos, nose ring etc...she brings her youger sister to the house during the evacuation. She is smart,sexy, strong willed and outspoken. She fiercely stands up for her sister and friends. Liz MUST have dark hair. The role requires nudity (topless, suggestive dancing for boyfriend). NO EXCEPTIONS on haircolor or nudity. Tattoos are not required, but okay.

Erin- Lead / Female / Caucasian / 25 - 30 years
Description: Erin is the smart girl of the group. Not nerdy, just clever and trendy. Zooey Deschanel type. Well read, dry, intelligent and not easily fooled.

Leonard - Featured/Male/Caucasian/ 35-40 years

Description: Large, beastly man. Threatening presence. One of the “heavies” in the picture.

The film will be SAG Ultra Low Budget, with a 21 day shooting schedule in March. Applicants should be able to present the entire shoot.

Please forward HS/resume with the subject line “HURRICANE COUNTRY - (role)” replacing “role” with the part you are submitting for to upstartfilm@sbcglobal.net or via mail to Upstart Filmworks, 5705 Cornish St. Houston TX 77007. We will be contacting people for taped auditions starting in December.

Thanks!
Mel House
Upstart Filmworks

1 & 2 Day Modules

2009-10-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

For people that are not able to dedicate the time to take the comprehensive 8-week Production Workshop, we also offer individualized modules that focus on some of the same subjects. All of our information comes from real on-set experience.

[INTRO TO INDIE FILM PRODUCTION] – Saturday, January 9, 2010 – 9 AM to 6 PM

$50

"Come on, how hard can it be, right?" Pretty damn hard, actually. This session is the ground level "orientation" and overview dealing with the nuts-and-bolts of independent, yet professional production methods. Professional is the key word. Equipment, budgeting, job descriptions, etc. will be touched upon in a fun and engaging manner. Plus, you can get to know us here at Upstart Filmworks and decide if you want to continue on with some of the other workshops. 15 person max.

[CASTING AND DIRECTING] – Sunday, January 10, 2010 – 9 AM to 6 PM

$125

No…you shouldn’t just cast your friends. If you want to make a professional product, you cast professionals. This workshop will show you how to 1) find the best possible people to fill your roles, and 2) get the performance you want out of them in a positive and collaborative manner. Directing is not just about pointing off into the distance. We will also spend some time discussing using union and “name” talent, and demystifying the Screen Actors Guild signatory process (as well as debunking some of the rumors that surround it). 15 person max.

[SCHEDULING/A.D.] – Saturday, January 16, 2010 – 9 AM to 6 PM

$150

This module will first clearly define the role of the Assistant Director and 2^nd A.D., as well as when you should bring those people in to the production. Focus will then move to discussion of duties including script breakdown, and necessary elements to watch for (and those that invariably always trip people up). We will also go over creating a correctly formatted shooting schedule and call sheets. The importance of the Assistant Director is usually lost on most independent filmmakers – but having the right person in this position can mean the difference between a) coming in on time and under budget or b) going down in flames and shutting down production. 10 person max.

[LIGHTING AND SHOOTING] – Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24, 2010 – 9 AM to 6 PM both days

$300

Just because you’re making your movie on the cheap doesn’t mean that it has to look that way. Learn how to avoid flat, “sitcom-style” lighting schemes…or worse, scenes that aren’t lit at all. Use natural light to your advantage. Create shots that are aesthetically pleasing and help you tell your story. Add a little movement with dollies or jibs. Add a little depth of field with cinematic lenses. After this class, your compositions will never look the same. 10 person max.

UPSTART INDIE PRODUCTION WORKSHOP

2009-09-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

You can find the 1 and 2 Day Modules HERE.

“How can I learn the basics of scripting/shooting/editing?”

“How do I schedule out my shoot?”

“What does an Assistant Director do, exactly?”

“How do I attach name talent to my project?”

Aspiring filmmakers ask these types of questions every day. We’re about to provide some answers.

In response to numerous requests, Mel House and Upstart Filmworks are presenting the UPSTART INDIE PRODUCTION WORKSHOP.

The digital revolution is a wonderful thing. A multitude of tools and technology are now within reasonable grasp of most anyone that has the desire to tell a visual story. The down side is that a lot of people dive in to the deep end of the pool before they can swim. The INDIE PRODUCTION WORKSHOP will show you how to utilize those tools correctly to make a polished, professional product.

We will draw on our years of practical, real-world, on-set experience to walk you through the “nitty gritty” of independent filmmaking. The 8 week workshop will cover everything from the initial idea phase, through scripting, casting, production, post-production, and final output/authoring. Students will learn and apply the information and skills that are taught in an entirely hands-on collaborative group environment, where they will create short subject films that will be screened at the conclusion of the workshop.

Lead instructor Mel House has written, produced, and directed several feature films for Upstart Filmworks. You can find some of his projects on Netflix, in Hollywood Video, on Amazon, at various big-box retailers, and even on DVD in Germany and Japan. Mel’s work has been featured numerous times in Fangoria Magazine, on cable channels such as FuseTV and the Ovation network, and at film festivals in the U.S., Europe, and even Brazil. He has also taught the art of moviemaking at places ranging from public access stations to suburban high schools. Mel went from making his first feature for $300…to working with distinguished actors like Glenn (Transformers) Morshower, Kathy (No Country For Old Men) Lamkin...and even some of his childhood horror genre idols.

“I totally sensed something that was different and unique about [Mel], about his directing, about his way of getting the story across, that I hadn’t sensed elsewhere. It literally made me go back to the way I felt when I was auditioning for Friday the 13th. Here was something unique and different....Here you had this incredible genius, and I do not throw that out loosely, trust me. I know enough people in the world that I rarely say the word. I think Mel is going to be quite the contender, he’s just got it in him, he knows what he wants.” – Adrienne King, star of the original Friday the 13^th and Upstart Filmworks’ Walking Distance.

“What really surprised me about Closet Space, though, was how smart it was. I mean, sure, we’re dealing with grad students here but they’re not the typical horror movie college students ™ ; these are people who are excited about what they do and are eager to learn as often as possible…you can see that Mel and crew wanted to be sure the audience got the uniqueness of the situation, but it never gets to the fast-forward point…the subject matter, intellect of the characters and solid pacing place it a step above the rest of the indie schlock that’s out there.” – DreadCentral.com review of Upstart Filmworks’ Closet Space.

“[Mel is] greatly influenced not just by the Nightmare on Elm Street aesthetic but also by H.P. Lovecraft. It’s very obvious in his writing; nothing is ever as it seems. That’s exactly what makes it so exciting to work on: levels, something a lot of indie filmmakers forget about, but they’re what make a movie of any budget great, in my opinion. This script has multiple levels and requires great detail that I know he will pull off—with style. His script for Walking Distance was so good, it enticed Friday the 13^th’s Adrienne King out of retirement; that says a lot, and Mel really is special as a filmmaker.” - Debbie Rochon, host of Fangoria Radio, scream queen, and star of Walking Distance and Imago.

Real information.

Real experience.

Real results.

DATES:

Tuesdays/Thursdays: January 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 2010

February 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25

Saturdays: January 30, February 6, 13

Sunday: February 7

(Editing labs will be scheduled by groups during the entire week of February 15 and 22 as needed.)

Tuesday/Thursday sessions run from 6:30-10 pm.

Saturdays/Sundays are casting and/or production labs that will run roughly from 9 AM – 6 PM each day.

Final schedule will be distributed to students by December 22, 2009. Schedule subject to change as needed to best serve the needs of the workshop.

LOCATION: Upstart Filmworks’ warehouse/studio loft in Houston, Texas, located in the Memorial Park area, just minutes from Downtown and the Galleria. Production labs may take place off-site in suitable locations to be determined.

2009-06-03T21:42:00.001-07:00

This weekend I will be in New York for the East Coast Fangoria Weekend of Horrors (taking place Friday - Sunday) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. We'll be promoting WALKING DISTANCE all weekend, and maybe even talking about some of our upcoming projects (cough...IMAGO...cough cough).

First off, I will be on FANGORIA radio this Friday night. The show starts at 10 PM EST. You can tune in on Sirius 108/XM 139. For those that don't know, the show is hosted by Dee (Twisted Sister) Snider, and the lovely Debbie Rochon (who also stars in WALKING DISTANCE). Not sure what time I'll be on, but you should listen to the whole show anyway, as they're always great. Radio show info is right here.

Next up, at 4:30 pm on Saturday, is our WALKING DISTANCE panel at the show. Debbie will be joining me on the panel as well as actress Natali Jones. We'll also be showing a new clip from the movie.

Sunday I'll just be hanging out at the convention being a dork. Some things never change. You can get info on the convention and guests athttp://www.fangocon.com

Lastly, DISTANCE stars Adrienne King and Reggie Bannister will be at Seattle Crypticon this weekend as well, so don't feel slighted, Left-Coasters. Drop by their tables and check out what they have going on. Info at http://www.crypticonseattle.com/2009index.html

So...if you're on the East Coast or have the opportunity to tune in to the radio show on Friday, please check us out! And if you're in Seattle, check out Adrienne and Reg! And, as always, thanks for all the support. Look for more WALKING DISTANCE and IMAGO-related happenings in the coming weeks.

2009-05-27T22:45:00.001-07:00

Like a lot of folks lately, I've been a bit neglectful of my blogging duties. If you really want to keep up on my ramblings, I suggest you keep an eye toward my personal blog, or my Upstart Filmworks blog. I'm trying to streamline things and put everything in one of those two places from here on out.

So, for the last couple months I've been slowly putting the pieces together for the next Upstart Filmworks project. I won't be directing this one, but I'm producer and co-writer. The picture is called Imago, and Chris Warren is going to be the captain of the ship this go round. Today, Fangoria put up our first cast announcement, and it's a doozy. Lisa "Alice Johnson from Nightmare 4 and 5" Wilcox has joined the cast of Imago, and I'm freaking ecstatic. That should come as no real surprise to anyone that's known me for any length of time. Melanie and I had the pleasure of having lunch with Lisa a while back, and she's one of the coolest ladies on the planet. I can't wait to work with her. We also have a ton of Walking Distance people returning both in front of and behind the camera, so I'm excited about that as well. I know things will run smoothly and look great...and as a producer, that's all I can really ask for. Well, that and more money. HA! If you want to keep up on Imago, you can add the MySpace page here, or add the Facebook page here.

As for Walking Distance, we are in the very late stages of post production. CG and color timing are being worked on, sound design is starting soon, and Dwayne and I have begun the scoring process. The full website is also about to go live over atwalkingdistancemovie.com. East Coasters can catch us at the upcoming NYC Fangoria Weekend of Horrors, where Natali Jones, Shannon Lark, Debbie Rochon and myself will be on a Walking Distance panel to rap a little about the flick. We should actually rap. Like Whodini in Nightmare 5. At any rate, I can't promise the spitting of hot fire, but I'm sure we'll have a clip or something.

So, keep your eye on all those sites and blogs for updates throughout the next few months. Lots will be happening. LOTS. Stay tuned.

Fango L.A. - Best Promotional Experience Ever. (So Far.)

2009-04-20T13:24:00.001-07:00

Don't Dwayne and I look like we're having a Super Awesome Happy Fun Time Jamboree? I assure you that we were.

Man...where to start? This trip was literally mind-blowing, humbling, exciting, and exhausting. The good kind of exhausting, of course.

Thursday night a few of us went to the pre-party shindig at the Griffin, and that was pretty damn fun, if a bit packed. Met some cool folks, got to hang with Adrienne, and Chris got picked on by Derek Mears. El oh el.

Friday was a little hectic, just because it was the first day of the show, and people were still arriving in town, but we were set-up and running by the time the doors opened. Fridays at these things are historically slow, but from my experience, the turnout was pretty good. The Walking Distance panel was the first panel after the "Previews" section, and although we got off to a shaky start (our DVD was jacked up, so no clips to show) we totally rocked it anyway with the help of Rob G. from Icons of Fright.

The audience was fairly large, and they all seemed to be genuinely interested in the movie, and us - even without really knowing what the movie is about. Actually, our friend Paul suggested that the non-playing DVD just added to the mystique of the whole production and that it worked for us. Seemed like that was the case. We got some great audience questions, bantered for about 45 minutes, and I think I said the phrase "Cronenberg-ian penis" about four times. At the end, we encouraged folks to come check out the trailers and BTS clip at our table in the vendor room, where we'd be playing them all weekend. Guess that worked out, as we had a constant crowd of entusiastic viewers all weekend.

Friday night, Sam Raimi did a Drag Me To Hell panel to close out the day which was awesome (at least for the small amount of time I could stay in there and check it out). Afterwards, through a series of strange events, I found out that Sam has heard of Walking Distance and looks forward to checking it out. WHAT THE F%$K?!? So begins my first trip-out moment of the weekend. Of course, I had to make everyone go to Roscoe's to celebrate.

As always, Saturday was freaking nuts. Lots of celeb sightings - both folks that were part of the lineup, and otherwise. And the Walking Distance table was packed ALL DAY. People were literally stopping dead in their tracks to watch the trailers and tripping the f&%k out over them. "This looks amazing". "The music is awesome". "Holy s&*t, that looks crazy". "It's shot beautifully". "The trailers are excellently put together". "You did this in TEXAS?!?". I'm not trying to brag, but dude...the response was phenomenal. Not just from horror fans, but horror industry folks - actors and filmmakers who's names/movies you'd recognize were seriously digging the Distance. Even a member of a three-time Grammy-nominated rock band talked our ear off about the flick. And the "trailer editing" quote above came from a founding member of a very prominent (arguably the MOST prominent) FX house.

I think that experience was best summed up by the moment when Reggie turned to me at the table and said, in his measured, laid-back tone:

"Mel...I think we kinda kicked ass with this".

Hello, parallel universe.

Of course, the fact that Adrienne, Reggie, and Shannon are all out there as our biggest cheerleaders really helps the cause. And it makes me feel fucking fabulous that these people that I look up to respect and believe in me that way. I mean, I felt that on-set, but this is the real payoff in a lot of ways...the finished (or near-finished) product.

We did several interviews and spots throughout Saturday, which will begin to hit the net in the next few days, I imagine. I'll post them, of course.

Sunday was...surreal. Melanie and I spent the earlier part of the day having lunch with one of my favorite horror movie actresses. Ever. It was a business lunch, of course (talking to her about the next couple of Upstart projects), but damn...we had a blast. I seriously can't wait to work with her, mainly because she's a genuinely cool person...aside from the fact that she's in a couple of my favorite movies of all time. We even chatted about my favorite moment from said movies, and it didn't seem like I was fanning out - we discussed the pathos behind the moment, etc. etc....HOLY CRAP I'M DISSECTING THIS SEQUENCE I SAW IN A THEATRE IN 1989 WITH THE ACTRESS IN THE SEQUENCE!!!

I think reality folded in on itself for me a little at that moment.

So Melanie and I were pretty much on a high for the rest of the day, and when we got back to the con, it was all STILL going so well. Basically icing on the cake. More of the Saturday-type mind-blowing stuff...getting accolades from "Masters of Horror", big distro companies, and people that I respect.

Sunday ended on the high note of Cesar forcing Melanie to take a picture with William "Charlie Brewster" Ragsdale. He's one of the few people she totally fans out on, and it was pretty hilarious to watch. You'd think we'd be jaded...but no, we are not. At our core we are still big freaking horror dorks...and that's what makes all this so very awesome.

James then took us out for the best sushi ever, and then it was one red-eye flight back to H-town.

Texas Frightmare Weekend, here we come.

Upstart update, Spring '09 edition

2009-03-23T21:31:00.001-07:00

Seems like it's about time for an update.

Walking Distance is entering what I would guess would be the final phase of post-production. We just had a meeting/movie viewing with our Visual FX producer this evening, so that side of things is starting to move. We've also been coordinating with our post-production supervisor to get the rest of the pieces of the puzzle into place - sound design, titles, ADR, etc. And finally, Dwayne and I are about to start up scoring duties very soon. Dwayne is still working on finishing up another score, so I'll probably start roughing out some ideas on my own. I'm sure it will involve lots of stuff in drop D and lots of tritones.

In response to the oft-asked question: yes, we have a target date in mind, yes things are on the fast-track, and yes, we are thinking about premiere plans. These things take time, though...and WD is a pretty complex movie post-production-wise....especially the second hour. So of course we want to make sure everything is on point. Sooner rather than later though..we promise. After all, we're excited to show it to you. Smart money says before Labor Day - but don't quote me on that.

Until then, you'll have to satiate yourself with one of our promotional appearances. West Coasters can catch us at the Los Angeles Fangoria Weekend of Horrors next month (April 17-19) where the Walking Distance crew will consist of Reggie Bannister, Adrienne King, Denton Blane Everett, James LaMarr, Shannon Lark, myself, Melanie Donihoo, Cesar Castillo, Omar Adam, and maybe some others. Reg, Adrienne, Mel, Denton, Shannon, and James will be speaking on a panel as well as showing some clips.

After that, Walking Distance heads back to the home front for Texas Frightmare Weekend (May 1-3) in Dallas. Here the WD crew will be Adrienne, Denton, myself, James, Melanie and maybe even a few others. Again, we'll be doing a panel and showing some clips. Come out and see us if you can.

Beyond that and the somewhat-amorphous-yet-hopefully-in-the-summer-months Walking Distance premiere, Upstart Filmworks will be ramping up at least one, possibly two more features. One will definitely be the Untitled Mel House Ghost Project (which actually has a title, I just don't want to put it out there and jinx it yet) which we'll probably shoot in the fall, and another smaller-scale horror flick that I'll be producing for one of my proteges. It feels weird to type that, but it's pretty much the truth, so whatever. Anyway...I had sworn off being involved in anything that I didn't have utter control over (or shared utter control with someone competent - hi James), but I feel confident enough about this situation to give it a go. And ultimately, I'm still the puppetmaster.

So don't screw it up, protege.

Anyway, I guess that's it for now. Updates as they come.

2008-12-24T07:23:00.002-08:00

The two Walking Distance trailers are making their rounds, and response has been phenomenal. Glad I went through with the dual trailer idea - people seem to be digging it/them.

My favorite quote so far:

"Man, I've seen both Walking Distance trailers now, and I feel like I'm putting together a puzzle without the border... and I love that." - Matthew Orsman

Here are a few more online mentions:

Arrow in the Head did a story on the Black trailer.

Our friends at Horror-Movies.ca did a piece on the Red one (and reposted the Black).

Dread Central ran a piece linking to the Red trailer as a companion piece to their earlier Black trailer exclusive.

Icons of Fright reposted a link to the Dread Central story.

Horror Yearbook also did the same for us.

Totally bitchin', as the Regman would say. I'm extremely pumped that everyone is so excited to see Adrienne, Reggie, and Debbie go after it (which they do, with gusto).

Quick answers to a few repeat questions that I've recieved:

Q: I thought there were supposed to be zombies in Walking Distance?
A: The first few drafts I wrote in the late 90's had zombies. Actually, it was envisioned as a zombie movie. Then we had a couple of really good zombie movies come out, re-igniting interest in the sub-genre. THEN we had a shit-ton of bad ones come out. I got pretty sick of zombies/infected/the walking dead, so I began an overhaul around the time we started Closet Space. And here we are, sans zombies, and all the better for it, I think.

Q: Wow, it looks like a REAL movie.
A: I hired a great DP by the name of Philip Roy. Check out his other projects. Hopefully I can continue to "borrow" him from the other Phillip :). We agreed early on to step outside of the accepted "context" of horror movie cinematography. Additionally, my goal is to keep raising the bar as far as production value - steadily climbing as we go along. That seems obvious, but a lot of folks are content with spinning their tires (or "waiting for funding").

Q: How'd you get all those people in your movie?
A: Have you ever read Faust?

Seriously, everyone pretty much responded to the script. Which was kind of a shock to me, because I figured it was too esoteric, personal, and dark. Apparently they all like projects that are esoteric, personal, and dark. Who knew?

Q: Where'd you get the CG for the liquidy trailer stuff?
A: If by "CG", you mean "Carport Gestated", then you'd be right. Dwayne, Chris, Melanie, and I did it using an aquarium and some basic science I picked up when I was almost an engineer. I also shot it overcranked on the HVX200 at 720p to make it look even cooler. If you want more details, you can email me about it.

Q: Why "Red" and "Black"?
A: Have you looked at the poster?

Q: Why do two trailers?
A: 'Cause there's a lot going on. I preferred to do two shorter trailers that give you some info/background, rather than one overstuffed one, or one with just a bunch of flashy shit and no story beats at all. There are other reasons as well, but the depth of the story is the main reason.

I almost did a trailer as Mel House, head of the House Travel Agency, enticing you to come take a trip to the community featured in the movie. Then I realized that I had heard that one before.

Q: Why no "Made In Texas" tag at the end?
A: Lots of reasons. Some personal, some professional, some probably irrational. But that's how I roll.

Q: What's the movie about, really?
A: Anger, family, racism, something evil, arson, sexual deviancy, emotional stuntedness, betrayal, revenge, selfishness, pseudo-science, sickness.

Among other things.

Q: What's next?
A: Fangoria Chicago. Another trailer ("White") in Spring 2009.

2008-12-24T07:23:00.001-08:00

Walking Distance trailers are up and running.

BOTH trailers are now live:

The BLACK trailer is right here on Dread Central.

The RED trailer is right here on Fangoria.com!

Make sure you watch both, as they are totally different. Each accompanying story and pictures are different as well.

Many thanks to Dread Central and Fangoria for the love!

On a side note, these trailers are causing some really...uh..."strange" things to happen. I guess they're not all that strange, but still. "Funny" might be a better word (in the Funny Games sense, of course). Maybe I'll get into it later. For now, back to editing the movie proper.

Here we are now, entertain...us? Entertain you?

2008-12-11T21:16:00.000-08:00

upstartfilmworks.net is a long way toward going fully live. Actually, it's most of the way there already. Big thanks to Wes "No Joke" Jones and his crew for hooking us up with the nice new virtual home.

So, going forward, this blog will serve as the "official Upstart Filmworks" news and updates source. I'll still maintain my other blog, and the MySpace and Facebook stuff as well, but those will skew more personally. As if they haven't already, right?

At any rate, the timing on this site couldn't be better, as we have a couple of huge things coming up next week. Stay tuned....