Today have a couple of things to post.  First, we have just completed our newest short film, “99 Problems…”  This was our second annual two-week film project.  You can see the details on the production and requirements on the page for the film by clicking here.

Sadly, our second piece of news is that this last week we lost a member of the DreamStalker Films’ family.  On October 30th, Monique Reddy passed away.  Nicki, as she was known by her friends, was a wonderful friend, a talented dancer, and an amazing photographer.  She was a long time supporter of DSF and was the Still Photographer on the “Who Are You?” Amoric video.   A few of her pictures from that shoot appear right in the video (which you can see here).  Additional photos from that project can be seen on our Facebook, here.  In addition, she also knit the yellow hat in the video and did Shannon Griffith’s makeup.

Nicki touched the lives of everyone she knew and will be greatly missed by everyone here at DreamStalker Films.  I have dedicated “99 Problems…” to Nicki and included a short tribute to her at the end of the credits.

Ta-Dah!

Our short film for February’s A3F 48 Hour Film Competition is finally officially completed and online.  The film was semi-completed and turned in for the competition on time, but since I felt the film was not completed I insisted on completing it before posting it.

I finally had a day to work on it this weekend and got it all finished.  You can see the film below and read all about the production on it’s permanent page here.

First, a general company update: DreamStalker Films is now a two camera film company! We now have two Canon GL2’s. The nice thing about this is we can record multiple angles (like close ups on two actors) at the same time. Hopefully, after we have a second tripod this will further help us cut down production time. It has already saved us some setup time and allowed us to quickly go from a tripod to a glidecam shot.

Now, onto the updating on our short films.  Has everyone taken a few minutes to watch our newest completed short, “Laptops’ Revenge”?  If not, now is a good time as I have gone back and corrected some of the issues of the last version to create my director’s cut.  Also, at several suggestions, I have created a brand new alternate version of the film, with audible voices for the laptops.  Be sure to check out both and let us know which version you prefer (so we know which one to send out for competitions).  Vote for your favorite by either sending an email to dreamstalkerfilms@gmail.com with either “DIRECTOR “or “VOICE ” in the subject line or giving a thumbs up to the one you like on YouTube.

Our other short film in production is a music video for the song “Who Are You(Spooky)” by our friends, Amoric.  I have just completed a very loose cut of the video and will be doing a final edit once Amoric has the newest recorded version of the song all ready to go.

Shannon Griffith in the Amoric video "Who Are You (Spooky)"

Two shorts shot on film nearly a decade ago are still being worked on.  The fanfilm, “Fall of the Sith,” is slowly acquiring finished lightsaber f/x, while sound effects are being done for “Schoolyard Ninjas” (both shorts were written and directed by Jay Montoya).

Now for updates on our features, Slayer Wars 2 & 3… that’s right each sequel to DSF’s very first film has a runtime long enough to be considered feature films.  Now, maybe everyone can understand why it is taking so long to film these (and how incredibly long it will take to finish the visual effects)…  SW2 has been through two rough cuts (and is about due for another) and is slowly getting lightsaber and force lightning f/x added. Also, if you look at the Slayer Wars 2 page, you can see that I have finally completed the poster for the film. (For artists wondering it is Prismacolor markers on Bristol paper)

Meanwhile, since my last update, another two days of shooting on SW3 have been completed.  With this, we have added a new set for the film that we should be finishing up with at our next shoot (in November, I hope).  We also added a new castmember, our friend Kane Black.  Kane is a local filmmaker and actor and we are happy he agreed to join DSF for our final fanfilm.

Kane Black as Kwon the Ninja Jedi

Going forward, the bulk of the rest of Slayer Wars 3 will be filmed over the next year at our new place starting sometime after the new year.

Additionally, we still have two more deadlined short films to complete before year’s end (one with a one week deadline, one with one weekend).  If you are interested in being in or helping with any of these projects, please contact us.

Also if you or anyone you know is looking for post production film experience (especially in visual effects but also in editing or sound) and especially if they have experience, please contact us.  We are in need of those that can do visual effects and cgi.  This is a good opportunity for anyone going to school looking for work experience to add to their resume.

That’s all for now, expect another update sometime in January.

Welcome back fans!  It’s been quite awhile since I’ve had a chance to update the site so there’s a lot to go over.  First, I am proud to announce our second completed short film of 2010, “Laptops’ Revenge”  is now live!  This project has pretty much consumed every waking moment (not already consumed by my day job) for the last couple of weeks.  It was a difficult pre-production and the most complicated post-production I have ever had to do on a deadline.  So thanks to everyone for their patience on this, and thanks especially to the entire cast and crew that made the actually shooting of the film fast and painless.  Watch the video below and  check out the full page for the film here.

Second, I’d like to update everyone on the Slayer Wars 3.  In June we shot the last external day sequence for the film and the last night of several that it took to complete the Zombie Onslaught of the VSJ HQ sequence.  I’d like to thank everyone for both shoots, but especially for coming out and shooting in the very, very hot day (especially little Beverlee for enduring the heat under the dreaded Jar Jar mask for much of that time).

Completion of these shoots marked passing the halfway point in the shooting of the entire film.  We have since been on hiatus on this project for two reasons.  1) To give us time to complete some quick short films before the end of the year.  2) To allow the hot Phoenix summer to pass the hottest months.  3) Finally, to give us some time to figure out where our sets will be for the last half of the production schedule (we’re still working on this, but I think we have some good ideas).  We should be going back to Slayer Wars 3 hopefully by mid-September to complete at least one of the sets that takes up the bulk of what is left.

Additionally, I have continued to work with local band, 49 ‘Til Midnight.  I recently videoed 3 songs for them at their studio in Tempe (You can see the A Camera footage on our YouTube page).  I recorded A and B Camera footage and hope to have those all edited together to make a full video for each of the three songs soon.

Next up for shooting, a short shoot for a video of the Amoric song, “Who Are You (Spooky)”

Keep checking back and become a fan on Facebook for all the most up to date info from DreamStalker Films!

Welcome, DreamStalker Films fans!  We have a brand new section on the site for Music Videos/Performances.  The section has been set up to showcase local bands and composer’s works filmed by DSF.  We’ll be adding music videos that we will be producing for artist Scott Kos, composer of most of the DreamStalker Films.

Now, however, we are proud to announce live performances by local AZ band, 49 ‘Til Midnight, available on our website.  The first 3 songs from their 6/5/10 show are now live, check out the new 49 ‘Til Midnight page on DreamStalker Films here and be sure to check back on the site soon for more songs from this show!

Welcome back everyone!  It’s been quite awhile since I’ve had any updates here so we could get everything prepared for the Phoenix 2010 Comicon May 27-30.  Here are the DreamStalker Films’ details on the event.

Firstly, DSF will have a table for the entire Comicon, located at the Phoenix Convention Center in the Vendor Room, table T120 (look for the DreamStalker Films banner).  We’ll be showing the DreamStalker Films DVD Reel with all of our completed films, trailers, and special features on a small T.V.  We will be selling copies of the DreamStalker Films Shorts Vol. I DVD ($5 each), DSF logo T-Shirts ($20 each for S, M, L, XL, or XXL -Small pictured left as modeled by Shannon Griffith and the logo above), and DreamStalker Films logo car decals ($5 each, pictured below).  Additionally, the first 10 people to buy any item will receive a free copy of the original Slayer Wars: Uber-Special Edition.  Don’t worry if you’re not one of the ten, everyone else that buys anything will receive a ticket for our prize drawing that will be on the last day of the Comicon when we’ll be giving away another ten copies of Slayer Wars!

While you’re there sign up for one (or all) of our e-mailing lists so you can keep up to date on everything DreamStalker Films is up to and volunteer to help out with upcoming projects!

Secondly, on Friday, May 28th, at 1:43 pm, DreamStalker Films’ most recent film, “The Family That Decays Together…” will premiere at the Phoenix Comicon Film Festival!  Be sure to check it out, and then, feel free to stop by the DSF Table and talk to the creators about it (and pick up your own copy of the film on the DreamStalker Films Shorts Vol I DVD )

Finally, a Slayer Wars 3 update:

Last weekend we had two more nights of shooting on Slayer Wars 3 that went extremely well.  We got more great footage for the Zombie Onslaught of the VSJ HQ Scene and it’s really coming together now.  I’d like to thank everyone who came to be extras and help out this weekend (especially the whole Noel clan, Morgan, and Matt who made up our zombie cast this weekend and made it easy for me to fill up each shot with zombies).

Our next shoot will be on Sunday, May 16th, 7PM.  This will be a short shoot (I hope to wrap by 9) that will allow us to get the last shots we need with Jake, which are only a few but at least one is going to be rather difficult and is important to get right as it’s the whole reason I wrote the scene.  So, any of our principle actors that can show I hope to see you there, and we’ll also need at least a few zombies, so anyone else that can come would be appreciated, whether they have played another role in the film yet or not.

The shoot after that is planned for the morning of Saturday, June 5th, which we’ll be filming the scene that will be at the very end of the film.  Tentatively I am thinking of also filming that evening in what would likely be the final night for the Zombie Onslaught scene.

Alright, that’s all for now (isn’t that enough?)…

Click here to view the film or for more details on the production of the film.

For more behind the scenes pictures, check out the Facebook album for this film here.

Upcoming Events:

More filming for the final chapter of the Slayer Wars Trilogy picks up this weekend with Day 11.  This should be our first glimpse of zombies for the film.  Still plenty more to do on this project (as I have seen in my immense shot list for the rest of the film) so watch for more updates coming throughout the year.

I am focusing strongly on the Phoenix Comicon coming up at the end of May.  In the next few days I should have a special feature for the DreamStalker Films Short Film Collection Volume 1 DVD completed.  This will be a short preview of the films to come from DSF.  The DVD will be available for a small fee at the Comicon.  For certain it will include “Dreamscape Excursion,” “Game of Stamina,” “Down and Out,” “PSA: Don’t Drive and Text,” and “The Family That Decays Together…”  In addition to the preview special feature I’d like to get a gag reel assembled for it, and possibly some short films from some friends who’d also like to help get their names out there, but no promises.

The original Slayer Wars will be available for free on DVD at the Comicon on either a first come/first serve basis or we’ll be raffling them off as we will have a limited supply.

More to come on the Comicon as it develops.  Hopefully we’ll have more swag to give away as well as shirts and decals to sell.

It’s gearing up to be a pretty hectic few months coming up, so come back often to read more updates on the happenings of DreamStalker Films.

After a very short post-production, the Public Service Announcement on not texting while driving is finally complete.  I’d like to thank Nick and Scott for there fast work on the soundtrack over the holidays.  Thanks to everyone else (especially Shannon) for their patience with me while I absorbed myself into finishing this project.

Now that the films are online we need all of our fans to be sure to watch all of the versions (and as many times as possible) and pass the link onto your friends.  The more hits we can get the more that will help us in getting the 30 second spots to be broadcast on local television.  So please help us out with that.  We encourage you to also leave comments on the film here on the main page and/or on the YouTube pages (where the films are actually hosted).

Here is the direct link for the PSA page on this site so you can email it on:

http://www.dreamstalkerfilms.com/films/psa-dont-drive-text/

Click here to go to the PSA page and view the films now.

Remember DreamStalker Films is also on Facebook and MySpace.  Click here to see the Facebook page. Be sure to become a fan on that page.  Click here to see the MySpace page. Be sure to send a friend request.

The 30 Second Spots will also be available directly on the Facebook and Myspace pages.

Don’t forget to bookmark dreamstalkerfilms.com if you have not already and come back often.  Stay tuned for our next post about 2009 in review and our upcoming plans for 2010.

Welcome DreamStalker Films fans and anyone visiting the site for the first time!

First, I’d like to update everyone on the Public Service Announcement that we have been working on with Boy Scout Troop 87 about not texting while driving.  The project is going amazingly well, especially considering the short amount of time that there has been to work on it at this point.  It has only been about a month since we first broke down the concept.  We finished the pre-production in a week and a half, shot the film in one weekend and two weeks later we have a third take at a rough cut that is pretty close to a finished cut.  You can see it here.

Second, a quick update on Slayer Wars 3.  Day 8 was completed amidst the shooting for the PSA.  This finishes up all of the “graveyard” shooting.  We should be getting back to shooting in the early part of January.