HHF/B&B Newsletter - DIY FILMMAKING, SPAGHETTI HEROES, FANTASY ISLANDS & more
Mar 08, 2024 11:26 pm
DIY FILMMAKING, SPAGHETTI HEROES, FANTASY ISLANDS & more
Hi ,
Here we are with our 4th fun and action-packed NEWSLETTER. Since it’s an election year we thought we’d have some fun and interview MIKE DAVIS, creator of the hilarious feature film PRESIDENT WOLFMAN. It's a film he made without any cameras at all. If that sounds confusing, let MIKE explain…
MIKE DAVIS - NO CAMERA DIY FILMMAKING
No lights? No camera? No problem! If ever you’ve struggled with the thought that feature-film making is simply too expensive, and that you’ll never be able to bring your script to the screen, think again. Filmmaker MIKE DAVIS has come up with an innovative solution by creating feature films out of previously existing footage. That’s correct - he painstakingly re-edits it all with new dialogue and music recycled into what he dubs “green movies.”
HHF: How did you come up with the idea for “green” filmmaking?
MD: I’d been collecting stock footage for years. Bits and pieces of old industrial shorts, educational films, public domain b-movies. It comes from years of watching weird late night cult films on television as a kid. I began making my own films out of the footage, music videos, but I wondered if I could put together a full length feature with a plot and a story.
HHF: Does this footage need to be purchased and licensed?
MD: I only use public domain material, meaning it’s lost its copyright or never held a copyright to begin with. Most films in that category are from the 1940s through ‘70s which is the disadvantage, except for me because I love the look.
HHF: By piecing together random clips, how do you maintain continuity and characters?
MD: Well, there is cheating involved. I need to start with something long form as a base in order to have enough footage of a lead character to work with. For PRESIDENT WOLFMAN I used 1973’s The Werewolf of Washington which features a werewolf running around the capital. I combined that with over one hundred other sources. Some of those had an actor who resembled the guy in the original film, so I used it. Like stories you hear of an actor dying halfway through production and they need to shoot a double only showing the back of his head.
HHF: What is the plot of PRESIDENT WOLFMAN?
MD: On the eve of his re-election, the President of the United States is bitten by a werewolf and goes on a rampage, killing off his opponents one by one. He must hide this from his young son, girlfriend and of course the public, all while dealing with China’s bid to take over America and serving as judge at the Miss America Junior Miss beauty pageant.
HHF: Did you have to keep story elements from the original footage?
MD: No. The first thing I do when compiling clips is to erase the soundtrack. I don’t want it to influence or hamper how I use it. Once it’s all edited together in sort of a “silent movie,” I write a script and have voice actors record the dialogue. I’m guided by the visuals. I plug in the words into the actors mouths like a bad kung fu movie, but the audience seem to play along with the joke.
HHF: Then the process is exactly backwards from a traditional production?
MD: I suppose. I start with the finished product first, the filmed footage. Then do the story and script. Sound, too, is really important. It’s what sells the technique to the viewers. Same with music.
HHF: Is that also public domain?
MD: In most cases, it’s royalty free, which means it’s very affordable. I actually composed the PRESIDENT WOLFMAN theme song and a couple of tunes were written by the star, Marc Evan Jackson.
HHF: Is this your first foray into “green” feature filmmaking?
MD: I’d done a previous movie called SEX GALAXY, an homage to sexy sci-fi movies of the 1960s, which has become quite a cult hit. I’m working on a new film that deals with the current social climate, police violence and racism. It’s funky, very Seventies. Should be a real kick!
HHF: This all goes to show that even without much money at all we can make feature films and keep the indie spirit alive and vital. Hope this inspires others to make their creative dreams a reality. Cheers Mike.
BTW we loved MIKE’S film so much we distributed it ourselves (through our FILMFEST DISTRIBUTION). We even made PW mugs - pretty cool don't you think?
LA'S HIDDEN GEM - LA ARBORETUM
Nestled in Arcadia, across from Santa Anita Race Track, is a true hidden gem - the LA ARBORETUM (1947 - Present). It's our very own stunning botanical garden, and what a garden! It's 127 acres of almost every kind of tree, flower and plant you can think of. What's most amazing to me is the Baldwin Lake, surrounding the Queen Anne Cottage.
If that looks familiar, it sure is - to fans of the original FANTASY ISLAND TV series (1977-84).
It's an amazing location for anyone looking for an exotic jungle project, and surprisingly inexpensive. What's great is it's in the middle of Los Angeles! The lake looks like it's deep in the Amazon and has a uniquely eerie feel. Some even say the Queen Anne Cottage is haunted.
Unsurprisingly the lake area has been used as a Hollywood location since 1936 for countless TARZAN movies, plus THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951), ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959), and more recently for LORD OF THE FLIES (1990), TERMINATOR 2 (1991), ANACONDA (1991) and BRIDESMAIDS (2011).
The LA ARBORETUM is open to the public daily, closing only on Christmas Day. For more info go to their website. So go visit and maybe even shoot your next short or feature there.
FUN AROUND TOWN
Last week we were lucky enough to meet up with the great FRANCO NERO, one of the great European superstars, and star of countless Spaghetti Westerns, Epics, Giallos and Poliziotteschi classics including DJANGO, THE FIFTH CORD, ENTER THE NINJA, CAMELOT, STREET LAW and THE MERCENARY. He was in town for a rare screening of SERGIO CORBUCCI'S groundbreaking Western DJANGO (1966).
FRANCO told a very funny story about the DJANGO shoot and how he discovered director CORBUCCI had a wicked sense of humor. Which makes sense when you consider his deft hand directing the BUD SPENCER & TERENCE HILL comedy classics ODDS & EVENS (1978) and WHO FINDS A FRIEND FINDS A TREASURE (1981). But we digress, now back to FRANCO'S story.
The film opens with the iconic shot of NERO dragging a heavy coffin uphill, through thick mud. Well, before this was shot CORBUCCI told NERO to keep dragging the coffin, no matter what, until he heard the director shout "Cut." It was an important shot and CORBUCCI wanted it to be an impressively long take. Ever the professional, NERO started dragging the incredibly heavy coffin as the shot began. On and on he went, higher and higher, up the mud drenched hill. For what seemed like forever. Until much, much later, tired and with arms aching, FRANCO finally reached the top and simply had to stop. But what was odd was he still hadn't heard "Cut." Nevertheless he turned round. And saw that the entire crew had packed up and left! NERO eventually saw the funny side. "CORBUCCI could be quite the jokester. It was a fun shoot with him."
It was wonderful to finally meet FRANCO NERO, who also kindly signed my rare Italian poster for DJANGO.
Photography: Thanks to MARISSA SLOAN and KYLE GUNN
AND FINALLY …
B&B MAGAZINE - BACK ISSUES
Don’t forget there are back issues of our beautiful, coffee table art & culture B&B magazine available online. New issue coming soon.
Check then out here:
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/magazine/1652452
FESTIVAL 'DISCOUNTED' PRICING ENDS SOON
We're still accepting discounted submissions for both our 2024 festivals through FILMFREEWAY. HHF "Regular" pricing till April. 26, and B&B "Early Bird" till March 31st.
https://filmfreeway.com/BoobsandBlood
https://filmfreeway.com/HollywoodHorrorfest
So spread the word and get your friends to subscribe to this essential and always fun newsletter.
That's it for now. I'm still busy working on my feature film THE WHISPERERS. Hope to have some words for you on that shortly.
NEXT TIME...
In our next NEWSLETTER we'll be catching up with past HHF Award Winner ELENA FABRI, and finding out what the win meant to her and how her projects have benefitted.
We'll also be announcing exciting details of our new bi-monthy INDIE FILMMAKERS MEETUP. We have secured a very cool LA venue for in-person casual gatherings. It's a great way to get together with a drink or two. Hanging out with like-minded filmmakers, networking, problem-solving, sharing WIP footage, trailers and making friends for life. So we hope you'll keep supporting us. More on that in 2 weeks time.
If you have any feedback or questions, just reach out.
And enjoy the Oscars! I'll be working there over the weekend. Always fun!
Cheers,
Miles
Festival Founder/Director
To unsubscribe, just click on the "UNSUBSCRIBE" link at the bottom of this page. It's that easy. But of course we hope you'll stay.