Hello gang, time to dust off this old thing and get posting again.

We’ve been very quiet, in fact we’ve done very little. But, as has become a bit of a tradition now, we are once again entering the 2 Days Later Short Film Competition. As much as we enjoyed making last year’s short film our original effort is where our hearts lie, and due to the fact there are still stories to tell in this world we are returning to where it all began: Get Dead.

We’ll be talking about it more in the coming weeks but for now we’re putting the word out that WE NEED ZOMBIES. We will most likely be shooting around the end of July or start of August depending on when we get script writing and pre-production finished so there’s no pressure to commit to anything just yet. But if you are interested let us know and we’ll keep you up to date with how things are progressing.

Thanks!

Don’t you know what’s goin’ on out there? This is no Sunday School picnic!

We have news!  It comes in two flavours I’m afraid; we’ve got some good news and some bad news regarding our entry for the 2 Days Later Film Competition.

The bad news is that unfortunately we won’t be making our planned sequel to 2009’s Get Dead. I know, it’s very sad and we’re aware a lot of you wanted to get involved with it. The reason we aren’t making it for the competition is because our ideas are too grandiose and outlandish to be shot and completed within the time constraints and with a maximum film length imposed. We felt we would do the film a disservice if we tried to cram everything we wanted to do in and didn’t want to pressure everyone with the lack of time available.

For all those folks who were looking forward to getting mucked up and zombified - don’t worry, we have every intention of making this film and hopefully we’ll be able to next year depending on everyone’s availability, etc. We came up with a lot of ideas before postponing it and we don’t want them going to waste. In fact it makes me giddy just thinking about some of the things we came up with.

Okay, onto the good news. As we’re all a bit pushed for time this year anyway (what with our other hobbies like being in bands and having to work full-time jobs, etc) we’re scaling right back for this year’s film. Obviously I don’t want to go into too much detail yet and ruin the story but in the spirit of keeping it vague for now we’re taking the psychological/suspense path (if that’s a path) and have a cracking good idea we think will really work. If I say much more I’ll end up telling you everything, so I won’t, but we’re going for a very different feel with this film and it should be an interesting and creepy story to boot.

I hope you aren’t all too disappointed in our decision, it was a very hard one to make and we’re really hoping to get the sequel to Get Dead made in the near future with better production values and more time and care taken to make it.

We will be blogging here about our filming as and when we commence production with some behind the scenes stuff, the equipment we’ll be using and more info on the story as it develops (not too much though heh).

Stay a while, stay forever!

I think I’ve exclamated enough in the previous posts so I won’t do it here. All I will say is this: head over to the Videos page for something great. You know what it is ;)

It’s also available to view on our MySpace page and also our Vimeo page.

Another massive thanks to everyone who’s been involved with it and spurred us along, we’ve had a lot of fun making the film and hopefully we’ll be back with something else soon.

It’s only taken several months but now everything has calmed down we’re having our film premiere for all the cast and crew who helped make the film what it is. Whatever that might be.

So tomorrow night the whole bunch will descend on Douglas to watch the 10 minute epic, as well as end credits and extras which wouldn’t fit into the competition edit. We’ll be taking some photos of everyone so you can see what goes down.

Next week we plan on putting the film up on the internet for everyone to enjoy, just in time for Christmas. You’ll be able to see it here on our site as well as on MySpace and on our Vimeo page. To find out when the video is live, plus what our next planned movie adventures are you can now follow us on Twitter: @ragingdeath.

Bye for now!

Well as was fairly expected we didn’t win anything, but well done to those who did. It sounds like there were a lot of good films shown, hopefully they’ll put some up on their website for us all to see. Here is their press release from the showing (by the way, I know I totally got the day wrong on the last entry):

2 DAYS LATER 2009 SHORT FILM COMPETITION

HALLOWEEN SCREENING & AWARDS @ THE THEATRE ROYAL MARGATE, 31st OCTOBER 2009

The Scots Steal the Show at Kent’s Biggest Short Film Festival!

Over 300 Filmmakers and audiences came from all over the UK and abroad to watch 59 films at the ‘2 Days Later 09 Competition Halloween Screening & Awards Event’ at The Theatre Royal, Margate. The second oldest Georgian theatre in the country is home to a ghost or two of its own and the venue provided a magnificent backdrop to Kent’s biggest and scariest film screening event.

“The filmmakers really got into the ‘spirit’ of the event and experienced a very diverse and innovative programme this year. We had everything from modern day humanoid aliens taking over Sheffield, to a classic 1950’s B-movie werewolf homage, which had them all cowering in the aisles with fright and laughter!”

Mick Etherton, 2 Days Later Co-director

Since July 2009, entrants from across the Europe have been downloading the competition brief from the 2 Days Later website and then taking up the challenge to make a their mini-horror masterpieces in under 48hrs that had to feature three items from a given list as part of their film productions.

From over 900 Internet downloads and 59 film entries to competition, the judging panel eventually decided that David Keith’s film, DEAD FUNNY, was dead good! A chilling tale of a group of campers, stalked by a clown. The Aberdeen-based director scooped BEST SOUND, BEST, EDITOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST DIRECTOR, & BEST SHORT FILM! Returning home with a car boot full of Horror DVDs and a week’s hire of a professional HD Camera Filming Kit from London sponsor’s VMI High Definition & Broadcast, worth £3000!

“There was a fantastic atmosphere here on tonight and it was great to see so many previous filmmakers return with their new films. 22 of the 59 films were made in Kent and we also had films made for the competition, from Wales, Scotland, and even Switzerland; and they all actually came over to Thanet for the screenings! The imaginatively diverse film styles made it very difficult for the judges to agree on clear winners as the standard was even higher than last year.”

Mick Etherton, 2 Days Later Co-director

The 300-strong audience had other ideas for their favourite film of the evening, as their AUDIENCE BEST POPULAR SHORTLISTED FILM vote went to the cannibalistic comedy, MEAT, by Basingstoke based director, Alex Loeseke. MEAT’s culinary lead role, played by James Burton, also won the Judges’ Award for BEST ACTOR.

From Kent; the BEST SFX Award went to Hythe based director Philip Mearns, for 1950’s B- movie homage-‘VENGENCE OF THE CREATURE FROM BEYOND’..

While previous competition prizewinners Ben Worsfield & William Thomas from Chatham, was nominated in five categories. Canterbury based filmmaker Bruce Parleton’s internet dating film LOL, was nominated for BEST FILM, BEST SCREENPLAY  and BEST ACTOR.

A SPECIAL MENTION Award went to Canterbury filmmakers Rosie Escott & Philip Benedict for the successful innovation in his stereoscopic 3 D horror ‘SHORTCUT’ using only a pair of twin mounted low-fi digital stills cameras!

BEST STUDENT FILM was won by Canterbury Christ Church University student,  Przemek Konieczny for his dreamy experimental horror ‘MOTH’.

Victoria Bailey won BEST ACTRESS for her starring role in the urban horror ‘RIAD’. shot in Sheffield city centre.

Swiss Director Sebastien Cornioley and his filmmaking team’s weekend dash across France was very worthwhile, collecting the audience vote for the BEST POPULAR MATINEE FILM, beating the other 46 matinee screenings.

The awards were presented by film industry judges; Wendy Ide (The Times film critic), Damon Wise (The Guardian film critic) and Screen South’s Co-Head of Production, Development and Training David Castro.

Murderous Marguerites were drunk by all and the fright night ended at 3.00am with an  after-party at The Westcoast Bar, Mansion Street, Margate.

This free filmmaking Event is organised by Beeping Bush, with the aid of UK Film Council’s regional film agency, Screen South funding, and prize sponsorship by VMI High Definition and Broadcast.

THE JUDGING PANEL

Kim Newman, Film Critic & Horror Author

Wendy Ide, Film Critic The Guardian / The Observer

Damon Wise, Film Critic The Times / Sunday Times / Empire Magazine

David Castro, Screen South Co-Head of Production, Development and Training

Mike Shaw, A Writer and journalist, who has contributed to various magazines & newspapers including NME, The Sun, The Independent, and The Telegraph.Film correspondent KM What’s On, Founder/editor-in chief of The Void, entertainments’ website

Barry Basset, Managing Director - VMI High Definition and Broadcast

Steve   Taylor, Operations Manager - VMI High Definition and Broadcast

2Dl09 FILM NOMINATIONS & WINNERS in BOLD

BEST ACTOR
Meat  - James Burton
Dead-Funny - Gavin Park
LOL  - Dave Reed

BEST ACTRESS
Raid – Victoria Bailey
The Lincolnshire Poacher – Rachel Button
Sarah – Nova Woodrow

BEST SFX
Vengence of the Creature from Beyond
Download
Dead-Funny
The Lincolnshire Poacher

BEST SOUND
Dead-Funny
Download
The Lincolnshire Poacher

BEST EDITOR
Dead-Funny
The Lincolnshire Poacher
Vengence of the Creature from Beyond

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dead-Funny
The Lincolnshire Poacher
Raid

BEST SCREENPLAY
Meat
LOL
Dead-Funny
Sarah

BEST DIRECTOR
Dead-Funny
Raid
Meat

SPECIAL MENTION AWARD
Cock Prosthetics – William Fitzgerald

SPECIAL MENTION AWARD
Steroscopic 3D - Shortcut

BEST GORE AWARD
Open Season
Cock
Dead –Funny
Dia Del Motor
Perfect Man

BEST STUDENT
Moth
Dead Late
MOV1

AUDIENCE BEST POPULAR VOTE MATINEE SCREENING
Holiday Bloodyday

AUDIENCE BEST POPULAR VOTE SHORTLIST SCREENING
Meat

BEST SHORT FILM
Dead-Funny
Meat
LOL

With over 900 requests for the competition brief,

59 film entries were accepted in time for screening. Of which;

32 films were from the Screen South Region,

22 films were produced in Kent

5 films were made in Thanet.

Well folks, by now our film will have probably been shown. I wonder how we did? Although we’re not expecting any great prizes or anything (due mainly to the slot that we got) hopefully the people in the theatre enjoyed it.

We’ll keep you posted on how it went and also what plans we have for a local showing. Unfortunately the plan we did have hasn’t managed to come to fruition but don’t worry, we will sort something out eventually.

Stay tuned!

Raging Deathers!

We have had word back from the 2 Days Later chaps, they now have our film and have announced the times of all the films. As a bonus they even mentioned the IOM in their e-mail to all entrants:

We received over 800 requests for this year’s 2DL09 competition brief, so word is rapidly spreading about the event. We have received films from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, & Isle of Man; two films from Switzerland and one in 3D!!!

(yeah, there is apparently one in 3D)

At the moment we don’t quite know how the judging is going to work, if the shortlist of 13 films given an evening viewing are the category winners then there’s a good chance we won’t be winning anything, but since this hasn’t been confirmed we’re staying confindent.

There is some pretty good news though; they had 58 films entered this year (the most ever, apparently) and since there are so many it has been a sqeeze getting them all in. They have a number (three) of monitors in the theatre where the premiere is shown, which are dotted around the complex, as well as the main showings in the cinema screens - we have managed to score a 4pm showing slot as part of the Matinee Screening which is great news!

Unfortunately it’s looking like we’re not going to be able to make it to the showing due to cost and time restrains, but if anyone happens to be in or near Margate (however unlikely) you could do worse than popping into the Theatre Royal on the afternoon of Saturday 31st October to see Get Dead on a proper cinema screen.

We are still working on a local showing of the film, which if all goes to plan will actually be a longer version of the one being shown for the competition (we had to cut it down by several minutes to fit into the entry specifications). Our plan was to try for something over Halloween (well, Hop-tu-naa) but we’re getting close to that date now and people are already making plans for the weekend - a rare sighting of Swound! in particular. Our original screening plan was pretty cool and hopefully we can still pull it off, but if not don’t fear, you will definitely get to see it in some shape or form.

Also try and grab a copy of the October issue of Banter if you can to read an article all about us and our making of this film.

Let’s leave it there for now and hope we hear some good news from the competition and for the local screening soon!

Well folks we started on this adventure around mid-July and after hours of planning and filming and editing we have finished the film! Here is the proof, all packaged up and ready to be sent to the competition people: http://twitpic.com/iuh49.

Get Dead has been officially completed.

Of course they may still decide that, for some unfortunate reason, we shouldn’t be accepted into the competition. That would be a shame but we shouldn’t dwell on it. After all, we’ve had loads of fun making this film and it has turned out a lot better than expected, and in the process it has taken on a life of it’s own rather than just an entry for a competition.

We’re going to take a short break now. When we return we will post up a trailer for film and various other bits of promotional wizardry and hopefully have some news on a local premiere, which has yet to be finalised and confirmed yet. Stay tuned.

Yes indeedy, this weekend marked a major milestone in the post-apocalyptic world of Get Dead - we’ve finished ‘Principle Photography’ and are now into post-production! Meaning we’ve filmed all we are going to film and we can crack on with making it look smart now.

We really want to thank everyone that has got the film to this point so far, we couldn’t have done it without all the help we’ve had. Although it’s only a short 10-minute film, we have all put a lot of effort into making sure it doesn’t turn out crap and most importantly we’ve had fun doing it too. So thanks.

If you haven’t already, go and have a look at the the short behind-the-scenes video in the Videos section and some more photos in the Photo Gallery.

Upcoming news - we are now working on editing and finishing the film so we’ll keep our heads low for the next week or so with the aim of getting the film in for the competition deadline of 30th September. After that we’ll work on getting an official trailer up to keep you all enticed ;). With the competition premiere (for winners, obviously, which we won’t count ourselves being just yet) held at the end of October we haven’t made any plans yet for a local showing, but we are keen to work something out so we’ll let you know as soon as we have something definite planned.

That’s all for now though.

Another quick blog post (I promise I will talk about the film some more when I have some tasty visuals for you to look at as well, which are coming), this time to say - check it out! We are now on MySpace.

The address is http://www.myspace.com/ragingdeathfilms and the page has been designed so when we have some cool footage to release for everyone to see it will take up the whole screen, just as nature intended.

Until now go and make friends with us if you use the site and leave us a comment if you like, it’s much appreciated.

(by the way it may look a little screwy in IE, but then all sites do and this is MySpace so extra-screwiness is what you’ll see)