"Killswitch Part 2" new music and poster!

OK, well if you read my previous post about Killswitch Part 2 and the badass song Michael Yammine and Patrick Campbell made for the film, you'll be happy to know that the song is now available to hear! You can check out the song at the link below. The song features director and star of Killswitch Part 2 Michael Yammine on the vocals. The music is entirely performed by Patrick Campbell who is also the cinematographer for the film.

"Fight the War"

Along with the song, two teaser posters were released for the film. I'm very excited to see how this project will progress. 

"Killswitch" Part 2 and More

Yesterday I awoke to a text from a friend and fellow filmmaker Michael Yammine stating he wanted to grab breakfast and share something he has just finished up working on related to his next film he is working on entitled Killswitch Part 2. Fifteen minutes later, I found myself riding with him in his car listening to a song that he and his business partner Patrick Campbell wrote and composed for the film.

The song is titled "Fight the War" and all the music is composed by Campbell and Yammine and features them both singing on the track as well. The song isn't available for the public to hear yet, but I will say it will not disappoint. If this song is any indication to how the film is going to make you feel, Killswitch Part 2 is not only going to be exciting, but it's also going to have an emotional intensity to it as well. 

I was told that production is right around the corner after a few more props are gathered and the last few roles are cast. If anyone is interested in being a part of the film, you should contact either Yammine or Campbell on Iris Media's official Facebook page here. Killswitch Part 2 is definitely something to keep and on and The Cinema Outlaw will be providing updates on the film as production begins.

Michael Yammine and Patrick Campbell both make up Iris Media and Productions. Their company is based in Binghamton, NY where they produce company commercials, event videography, and films.

Check out more work from Iris Media Productions at their vimeo page here.

The Mother in Me

My friend Beccah Pope made a documentary called The Mother in Me and it is an official selection for the The PovertyCure Film Festival! Her film is eligible for a 3,000 dollar audience choice award! You can watch the opening sequence of her film here and also you can cast your vote for her as well!

1,000 Views!

So the blog has reached over a 1,000 views! I'm glad to know that people are checking it out and I've received some very positive feedback so far! As of right now Cinema Outlaw is still finding itself on exactly what it is, but I can say that there are some big plans for the coming new year, so be in the look out! I'm also open to suggestions if there is something you would like to see on the blog. Right now I'm looking into doing interviews with filmmakers and local actors and providing links to where there work can be found and how they can be reached if you would like to work with them. Along with that I'm thinking of starting a Cinema Outlaw youtube or vimeo page that will provide behind the scenes looks at different films being made in New York State. I will also be looking for content contributors so if you would be interested in helping provide content please contact me on Facebook or at my email which is jonrigler@gmail.com . Thank you for all the support and keep supporting independent cinema!

Watch Transparency the Movie Today Only

Remember when I told you about my very talented friend Anthony Mormile and his movie he was working on called Transparency? Well, the movie is finished and you can now watch it. However, he has made the movie available to watch for free instantly today on October 31st only. After that you'll have to go see it at it's premieres in Syracuse, New York and in New Jersey. I encourage everyone to watch it today if you have the time because it may be awhile before you get a chance to see it again. It will be available to watch at the link below from 3pm today until 3pm November 1st. Mormile worked extremely hard on this movie and it definitely shows. So watch this movie while you have the chance because he will be someone you hear about again in the future!

Here is the link to watch it

Transparency 

And feel free to leave a comment here with your thoughts. Enjoy!

Heroes of Horror - Syracuse International Film Festival

Brian C. Tyler who wrote the killer Don't Go to the Reunion review wanted to contribute his thoughts about the Syracuse International Film Festival this past Friday night!

Horror fans in the 315 area were in for a real treat when they showed up to Syracuse's Palace Theater Friday night for a special screening of Adam Green's "Frozen" and Joe Lynch's "Wrong Turn 2" with a couple other surprises hosted by the directors themselves.

If you haven't heard of it, "Frozen" is the story of three young adults who end up stranded on a chairlift in the dead of winter and are forced to make some difficult choices in order to survive. It has been said that "Frozen" has done for skiing what "Jaws" did for swimming, and I would say that is a pretty fair statement. After making the bloody, over-the-top 80's slasher throwback "Hatchet", Adam Green steps up to the challenge of making an intense, edge-of-your seat thriller with nothing but three actors, a chairlift and lots of snow. Oh and there's wolves too. That takes a lot of talent and I think everyone who attended Friday night will agree that he did a pretty amazing job.

In between films, Green and Lynch answered some questions for the fans and gave a lot of insight into their films, their sitcom and their careers in general, giving a lot of useful advice to all the aspiring filmmakers in the theater. Next we got to see a season-two episode of their show "Holliston", which they both write, direct, produce and star in. For those who don't know, "Holliston" is a sort of "Big Bang Theory" for die hard horror fans, filled with in-jokes, homages, sick humor and most importantly lots of heart. The particular episode was a sort of spoof on 'found-footage' horror films such as "The Blair Witch Project" and "The Devil Inside", and lots of laughs were had by the audience. Just after, Joe Lynch surprised us all with a well made short film he directed that comic-book fans would love before beginning the final film of the night.

"Wrong Turn 2" is a low budget DTV sequel to the 2003 film about a cannibalistic family in the woods of West Virginia. While the first film had a very serious tone and fit in very well with the (then) current trend of theatrical horror films echoing 1970's exploitation, Lynch made the sequel into a bloody, fun, disgusting and surprisingly suspenseful throwback to the 1980's. Fans of films from that era such as "Re-Animator", "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" and "Evil Dead II" would find lots to love in this film. And on top of all that, we have a scene-stealing Henry Rollins who goes all RAMBO on the deformed cannibals. It was the perfect way to cap off a great night.

After the films were done, Adam and Joe took the time to sign autographs, take pictures and talk with the fans, who all could not have asked for a better experience. As a horror fan, I have had many great nights at the Palace Theater thanks to Jeff Meyer who works year-round to put on several great shows there, but that was by far one of the best.

10th Annual Syracuse International Film Festival - "It" (1927)

Well, it's finally here! Wednesday was the opening night of the 10th Annual Syracuse Film Festival and it will continue on for the next four days until October 6th! The opening night of the film festival did not have a film screening, instead it had a showcase of art pieces from the artist Silvano Campeggi. His work goes back to the Golden Era of Hollywood Cinema. He did posters and artwork for films such as Casablanca, Gigi, An American in Paris, Ben-Hur, and many more. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the opening night and see all the work of this master of his era.

Last night was the first screening which was the silent film It (1927) starring the magnetic Clara Bow and it was accompanied by a live 17 piece orchestra performing a score by Patrick Doyle. Doyle has composed music for films such as Sense and Sensibility, Gosford Park, and Thor. Both the film and music was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed myself immensely. The Palace Theater had a packed house and it was great to see people enjoying such a classic film. After the film there was a party held upstairs for guests to mingle. I would also like to thank Rebeccah Pope for being such a great festival manager and the rest of the people working the Syracuse Film Festival.

Don't forget the festival is going on for three more days and there will be a lot of great movies being screened. Today Joel Schumacher will be there presenting his 1993 independent classic Falling Down. Then later Adam Green and Joe Lynch will be presenting there films Frozen and Wrong Turn 2. It should be an awesome night and I will be there volunteering so if you see me please come and say hello!

A lot of great things going on Saturday and Sunday as well the premiers  of Willow Creek (2013) and Adult World (2013) starring John Cusack and Emma Roberts. 

For full festival information please check out Film In Syracuse.

First Stills from "Black Magic"

Earlier this week on the official Black Magic Facebook page, the first two stills from the movie were released. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Black Magic, it is a fantasy horror movie that was written and directed by Syracuse native Connor Strader and one of my fellow graduates at OCC Jared Morales worked on it as director of photography. I'm not quite sure what to think of the stills, other than they look pretty eery, but hearing about the overall inspiration and concept of the story I am quite eager to see the film. The movie is still currently in post production and no release date has been set. However, you can watch Connor Strader's short Psychomantum, which recently had a screening at Scare-A-Con Film Festival. It's a pretty basic horror short, but the production is great. My main complaint is how poorly written the only female character is, especially considering that she is probably the most talented of all the cast. Check out the stills and Psychomantum below and leave a comment with your thoughts!

Me+You Kickstarter

Just today I found the Kickstarter campaign for the feature film "Me + You" and I was extremely touched by the video and story of the filmmaker. It's films like this that I feel are important to be made because they actually set out to have a positive impact on it's audience. Major motion pictures often tell the same familiar stories of the same type of people and it's time we get a chance to see life through a different perspective, one that doesn't portray it's characters in boring stereotypes. There is literally only 19 hours to go for the campaign and it's still pretty far from its goal. If you are able to, I strongly encourage you to donate to this film and help change the face of cinema.

Me + You Kickstarter

Briarwood Auditions

After successfully raising $5,622.00 through it's Kickstarter campaign, which happens to be $1,000 dollars more than it's initial goal, Briarwood is getting ready for production. Right now the director is still casting for the film and will be holding auditions September 28th and 29th. Check out the image below for my details! Briarwood is definitely something to keep an eye out for.

Networking Opportunity

This month there is going to be a great opportunity for filmmakers in Central New York and the surrounding areas on September 21st at Jazz Central located at 441 East Washington Street in Syracuse New York. Actors, directors, producers, scriptwriters, and crew people are invited to come to a casting call and meet with each other to discuss and find the person you are looking for to make your film happen! Everyone is invited, but you do need to register to attend. You can find more information about the event and how to register here at Film in Syracuse. Hope to see everyone there!

Web Series!

I wanted to talk about a couple Web Series that are in the works. One is being produced by the Patrick Epino and Stephen Dypiangco from The National Film Society called Awesome Asian Bad Guys and the other is produced by Ed Rodriguez and Dave Ragone from the The Media Zone and is called Monster of the Week.

The guys at National Film Society are absolutely hilarious and I am extremely ecstatic to see Awesome Asian Bad Guys which is currently in post-production. For those of us who grew up watching movies like The Karate Kid, Diehard, Bloodsport, and Big Trouble in Little China this Web Series is sure to be extremely entertaining. Here is a synopsis from the their website and check out a video about the series below. 

"Awesome Asian Bad Guys (AABG) is a 5-episode action comedy web series that’s a cross between The Expendables and Dumb & Dumber.

The story follows two filmmakers who rush to assemble a volatile group of Asian bad guy actors to take down LA’s most nefarious mobster. But in order to pull off this deadly mission, this unpredictable batch of misfits must do the one thing they hate most – work together."

National Film Society Website

National Film Society Facebook

National Film Society YouTube

Awesome Asian Bad Guys Facebook

Monster of the Week is aimed towards those who love the classic horror films from the Universal era and the Hammer Horror Productions era. Check out the synopsis and watch the trailer below!

• "After seeing so many others make web-series, we decided it was time for us to make our own.  We had been making original films since the early 80’s using super 8. 
• As technology advanced, others have taken our ‘ahead of our time’ film making ideas to extraordinary levels.
   We focused our efforts on Public Access television with movie review programs Screen Scenes and The Media Zone, providing our viewers with a preview of upcoming films and chances to win free movie tickets.  Our show has been on Public Access for nearly 30 years.
  As appreciators of horror films, we have always had an interest in how far horror films would go.  Culminating with the gross out films like Human Centipede, we felt the original horror film genre by studios like Universal Pictures (and later Hammer Films) was being forgotten, or at the very least neglected. 
  Classic tales of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, Dracula and the Mummy have largely been overlooked in recent years.  We wanted to bring them back with a touch of ‘Abbot and Costello’.  These are the creatures and multi-layered stories we had grown up with. The pathos of Frankenstein, the romance of Dracula, the misery and despair of Lawrence Talbot (aka The Wolf Man), and the anguish of The Mummy – these had stories, not just body counts of today’s horror films.
   While our web series cannot delve into a deep story, we wanted in our own way, to bring them back to prominence and pay homage to the original creatures that spawned an entire genre."

Monster of the Week Facebook

The Media Zone Youtube

Don't Go to the Reunion Review

In December 2012 Steve Goltz and Kevin Sommerfield who run Slasher Studios and are responsible for the Slasher shorts Teddy, Blood Brothers, and Popularity Killer launched a Kickstarter campaign for their first full length feature Don't Go to the Reunion. After having the film successfully funded they made the film and now its available for release on DVD. My good friend and Horror/Slasher Film Buff Brian Tyler wrote up a nice review to share. Also check out the trailer below and if it sounds like something you're into, head over to Slasher Studios and order it!

"Don't Go to the Reunion" starts out at Hamilton High School (if you get that reference... you'll enjoy the movie) where a group of seniors are planning a prank on Scott Rantzen (again, if you get the reference, this movie's for you) which of course ends up having terrible consequences.

Ten years later, the cruel kids have moved on with their lives, sort of. Each of them are invited to a high school reunion party at a creepy lakeside house. If you got those references above, I'm sure you can guess what happens next... and you should be pumped for it.

When I first heard that the talented freaks over at Slasher Studios were tackling their first feature length film, I was pretty damn excited. These are the guys who brought back that old school slasher feel with "Teddy" and "Popularity Killer", two shorts that are exactly what most full length, big budget slasher films of recent years wish they were. As a slasher buff, I just didn't want either of those to end but sadly they had to, and only after 11-20 minutes. So that's the main reason I got my hopes up so high for "Don't Go to the Reunion". Same writer, same director, same subgenre AND a longer running time. And as soon as the "Friday the 13th"-style credits started after an opening scene that echoed "Carrie" and "Slaughter High", I knew I would not be disappointed.

This beautiful piece of splatter art is filled with references, in-jokes and one-liners that only the most die-hard fans will understand. And I won't spoil the death scenes, but I will say that they are so much fun and I guarantee you will love the killer's M.O. However, even if you didn't grow up with films like "Prom Night" and "Happy Birthday to Me", there's plenty more to love here. For such a low budget film, it looks fucking great. They fully capitalized on the eerie settings, especially in that wonderfully executed playground scene. You also get lovable performances from Slasher Studios regulars Matty Dorschner, Hannah Herdt and Mike Goltz as well as newcomers Stephanie Leigh Rose and Spencer Harlan.

If I were to complain about anything, it's that this still just didn't feel long enough. It was the same problem I always have with these damn Slasher Studios productions, it was just too much fun and I didn't want it to end. Even though it had a longer running time, I was still like "No wait... I want more!" as the end credits rolled. I guess that's more of a compliment than a complaint though. If you recognize and appreciate any of the above references, what are you waiting for?! Head on over to slasherstudios.com and grab yourself a copy, so that you can enjoy some good old fashioned slasher fun and support the guys who are keeping the slasher subgenre alive.

- Review by Brain Tyler

Head over to the Slasher Studios Facebook more updates!

Transparency Teaser Trailer

Recently I had a great opportunity to help crew on a movie entitled Transparency written and directed by the very talented Anthony Mormile. My experience working with him was really enjoyable and I couldn't be more excited to see the final project and what Mormile will do in the future. Check out the teaser trailer below and leave a comment sharing your thoughts!

Also don't forget to head over to the Transparency Facebook page for more updates on the film!

Briarwood

I wanted to draw attention to a project on it's way entitled Briarwood which is going to be directed by Ryan Farmer. I became aware of the project through Kyle Crowell who is going to be working on the project as the cinematographer. I received an invite to a the Film's Facebook Page and then found the pages Kickstarter page. Immediately I was impressed by the amount of effort and thought they put into their Kickstarter project. The video, description, budget outline, and incentives are all very well thought out and professionally presented. The effort seems to have already paid off. Within just two days they reached half of their $4,500 goal and now are nearly there with still 22 days to go. Now I haven't seen any of Ryan Farmer's work, but I have seen some music videos done by Kyle Crowell and Joseph Kachnic and their work has always impressed me. So I'm excited to see how Briarwood will look visually. This seems like a great project to be a part of so definitely check out the Kickstarter video below and donate if you're into it. Also, they have not finished the casting process and are still looking for crew members, so if you are an actor or are looking to work on what seems will be a solid project - definitely contact them!

Briarwood Facebook

Briarwood Kickstarter

Save these Dates

There are lots of events in the coming months that are very exciting - especially for cinephiles and filmmakers. Not only are there are great deal of fantastic movies being screened at various theaters, there is also multiple chances to listen and learn from other successful directors. Also plenty of opportunity to meet new people and network. I plan on attending as many of these events as I can - so feel free to say hello.

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 30th (8:30 PM) - Everson Museum Film Under the Stars - Syracuse, NY - Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) (Free Admission)

September 12th-15th - Turning Stone - Verona, NY - Scare-A-Con Horror and Sci-Fi Fan Convention

September 21st (7:00 PM) - Rome Capitol Theater - Rome, NY - Double Feature Terror Aboard (1933) and Charlie Chan in London (1934) ($6 Dollars)

SYRACUSE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 

October 3rd (7:30 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse NY - It (1927) with live music composed by Patrick Doyle 

October 4th (7:00 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Director Joel Schumacher (in person) presents Falling Down (1993) 35mm Print

October 4th (9:30 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Directors Adam Green and Joe Lynch (in person) presents Frozen (2010) 35mm Print and Wrong Turn 2 (2007) Digital Presentation - Q&A to follow

October 5th (1:00 PM) - Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY - The Image of Disability in Film

October 5th (3:30 PM) - Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY - The New Filmmakers Showcase 

October 5th (7:00 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Bobcat Goldthwait unveils newest film Willow Creek (2013)

October 5th (11:00 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Shakes the Clown (1991)

October 6th (1:00 PM) - Le Moyne College - Syracuse, NY - Peace & Social Justice Film Honoring George Gittoes: Australian Filmmaker and Activist with Bassel Shehade Award

October 6th (3:00 PM) - Landmark Theater - Syracuse, NY - PIXAR & the making of Wall-E (2008) (plus a screening)

October 6th (6:00 PM) - Landmark Theater - Syracuse, NY - Festival Close Premiere of Adult World (2013) and special guests

October 26th (2:30 PM & 7:00 PM) - Rome Capitol Theater - Rome, NY - Double Feature Dracula (1931) 35mm Print and Frankenstein (1931) 35mm Print ($6 Dollars)

October 26th (6:00 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Double Feature Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (1943) 35mm Print and The Rock Horror Picture Show (1975) Digital Presentation ($10 Dollars)

November 8th (6:30 PM) - The Palace Theater - Syracuse, NY - Ray Harryhausen Tribute Triple Feature 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) 35mm Print, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) 35mm Print, and Destroy All Monsters (1968) 35mm Print ($10 Dollars)

Please come out and show your support for the film community!

Hello and Welcome!

Welcome to the Cinema Outlaw Blog! Here is a place to share and promote Independent Film Projects, other film related events, and the occasional film review. The idea is to go beyond being just a blog, but to become a network to build connections between filmmakers, actors, and film enthusiasts.

Over the past year I've noticed a lot of young talent emerging from Central New York and surrounding areas. Which is great! I love that people are taking advantage of technology available to them and are using it to tell stories! I've also noticed though with the amount of directors, actors, cinematographers, and editors there are, it's so easy to have your work go unnoticed. Many filmmakers are even unaware of each other's existance. However, it seems to me if filmmakers and cinephiles knew about and better yet, supported each other, we could create something extraordinary. A community of creative individuals with a shared passion who could help each other's visions be realized. This is simply done by sharing other peoples Kickstarter Projects, trailers or short films, introducing actors, helping crew on each others films, going to a film screening, or simply showing someone a new movie. That's what I hope to accomplish with The Cinema Outlaw Blog. Of course the more people involved the better - So feel free to contact me if you have anything you would like to contribute!

About myself… my name is Jon Rigler and I am from Central New York. I'm very passionate about Filmmaking and Cinema in general. I love watching, learning about, and making films. I hope to be able to share my passion with others.

As far as the name of the blog… The Cinema Outlaw, I've always loved filmmakers who rebelled against filmmaking conventions of their time. And part of The Cinema Outlaw blog is to create an outlet to share our visions and celebrating work that is fresh and new. We have no rules. Some of the greatest and most influential filmmakers went against what was popular in filmmaking in their time and have introduced new ways of making, viewing, and understanding movies. 

“It's not where you take things from — it's where you take them to.” - Jean-Luc Godard