News

New streaming platform Animation+ has tapped top YouTube animators like MeatCanyon, ExplosmEntertainment, Flashgitz, Pencilmation, and Jarrad Wright for deals that offer them “real equity participation in the studio, along with real television budgets” to produce 10 original series for Animation+’s premium adult animation channel.

That’s according to Evan Weiss, co-founder of Animation+ parent company Streaming Ink Media (Sim).

“We are actualizing ‘creator economy’ in our business model and our business affairs,” he added.

Weiss co-founded Streaming Ink Media with John Fitzpatrick in 2022; the two met while working with creators at Studio71 and Collective Digital Studio. Both worked on Fred: The Movie (there’s a throwback for YouTube oldies), and Fitzpatrick went on to work with Explosm Entertainment to secure crowdfunding/distribution deals for properties like Cyanide & Happiness. Weiss is also a former business affairs exec at Disney who ran United Talent Agency‘s TV packaging department for seven years.

Exclusive: XYZ Films has acquired North American distribution rights to thriller Dash, a “one-take feature” about an adulterous rideshare driver navigating the streets of Hollywood.

Written and directed by Sean Perry and starring Alexander Molina, the film follows Milly (Molina), a rideshare driver who leads a double life. Over the course of one night shift behind the wheel, he attempts to sell drugs to his unassuming passengers. As the night progresses, his life takes a turn for the worse as he desperately tries to take the secret of his nefarious double life to the grave. The film’s locations included Hollywood Boulevard with shooting taking place in real time.

The deal was negotiated by XYZ’s Executive VP of U.S. Distribution, James Emanuel Shapiro and Spam Pictures. XYZ plans to release the film domestically late this fall.

Molina also serves as executive producer and is co-creator of Spam Pictures.

Happy Halloweekend, everyone! October 31st is nearly upon us, so for this latest installment in our Salutes Your Shorts series, I’ve put together an assortment of Halloween-themed shorts for you guys to enjoy that offer up more treats than tricks. First up is the pumpkin revenge-themed Jack Attack by Bryan Norton and Antonio Padovan, Justin Harding’s Kookie, Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol, and a delightful animated short entitled Missing Halloween.

Enjoy—and Happy Halloween!

Jack Attack (Directed by Bryan Norton & Antonio Padovan)

Synopsis: Do Pumpkins feel pain??

Kookie (Directed by Justin Harding)

Synopsis: Bree, a dishonest 9-year-old, meets a terrifying visitor after a parenting lesson goes horribly wrong.

Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol (Directed by John Fitzpatrick)

Synopsis: On Halloween night, snarky dentist Amber (Miracle Laurie) hands out toothbrushes to the neighborhood kids, only to discover that one of them may soon be brushing bits of her from his teeth.

Director John Fitzpatrick and his crew are back with yet another episode of their monthly “Scary Endings” horror anthology series, and this one blends the “home invasion” sub-genre with some rather pitch black political satire. Directed by Fitzpatrick and starring… Continue Reading →

The post U Get What U Deserve in the Latest Scary Endings Short Film appeared first on Dread Central.

“It’s a blind date. Keep an open mind…” Today we’ve got an update on award-winning Skypemare director John Fitzpatrick’s Jordan Ladd-starring short holiday horror film Brentwood Strangler, which is slated for its U.S. premiere this February in Los Angeles. Read… Continue Reading →

The post Exclusive: Director John Fitzpatrick Talks This Month’s Brentwood Strangler U.S. Premiere appeared first on Dread Central.

Ahead of its world premiere December 1st in Sydney, Australia, the trailer for John Fitzpatrick’s Brentwood Strangler has arrived along with the short film’s official website. We have all the details right here! If you’ll be in Sydney on Tuesday,… Continue Reading →

The post Brentwood Strangler Trailer Released Prior to World Premiere appeared first on Dread Central.

Over the weekend we brought you our set visit report and a few more details about the short film Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol, directed by John Fitzpatrick (Skypemare) and written by our own Sean Decker (L.A. Slasher), which is… Continue Reading →

The post See Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol in its Entirety Right Here! appeared first on Dread Central.

Earlier this month, Dread Central was invited to the set of Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol, directed by John Fitzpatrick (Skypemare) and written by our own Sean Decker (L.A. Slasher), to check out shooting on an especially gore effects-heavy day… Continue Reading →

The post Yummy Meat: A Halloween Carol Set Visit Report and Exclusive Images; Screamfest Screening Tonight! appeared first on Dread Central.

“It’s a blind date. Keep an open mind…” Today we’ve got a first look at award-winning Skypemare director John Fitzpatrick’s Jordan Ladd-starring short holiday horror film Brentwood Strangler, and it’s a Christmas doozy! Step inside for some Yuletide terror. Written… Continue Reading →

The post Exclusive First Word, Poster & Images from John Fitzpatrick’s Brentwood Strangler appeared first on Dread Central.

We’re back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes new details on Found Footage 3D and Mania, photos from Refuge and a poster from Fetish Factory, release dates announced for Skypemare, Soulmate, and The Inside, a trailer for When Black Birds Fly and Zombie Hood, and more:

New Details on Found Footage 3D: “…the producers of upcoming horror film Found Footage 3D announced the launch of their Indiegogo campaign to obtain additional funding for post-production and marketing expenses.

Produced by Kim Henkel, co-creator of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Found Footage 3D tells the story of a group of filmmakers who set out to make “the first 3D found-footage horror film,” but find themselves in a found-footage horror film when the evil entity from their movie escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage.

“What Scream did for slasher films,...

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2

Richard Gere is being courted to star in the sequel to 2011's sleeper hit "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" at Fox Searchlight. Gere would play a new role in the film when shooting begins early next year

Original cast members Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith are expected to return. [Source: Deadline]

Candy Store

Worldview Entertainment is set to finance and produce Stephen Gaghan's action thriller "Candy Store" which begins filming next year.

The story is set in the criminal underworld of Brooklyn and follows a former operative (Jason Clarke) who discovers the global organization he fought is now in his backyard. [Source: Screen Daily]

Patient Z

Screen Gems has bought "Dark Summer" director Mike Le's zombie thriller script "Patient Z". Vincent Newman will produce.

Set during a zombie apocalypse, the story a man who has the ability to speak with the undead and hopes...

Here’s a little Halloween gift to our amazing readers: the online debut of the John Fitzpatrick-directed, Cerina Vincent-starring short film Skypemare! Don’t delay in watching it as this horrifying Skype session will end on November 1, 2013!

Having debuted to thunderous applause this past Monday, October 14th, at the venerated Screamfest Film Festival in Los Angeles, Skypemare revolves around the character of Allison (Cerina Vincent), who, home alone on Halloween night while Skyping with her best friend Jenna (Annika Marks), witnesses something terrifying that unfolds on both sides of her computer screen; and now you can witness it, too!

Stated writer, producer and director Fitzpatrick of the film’s Screamfest festival bow, "When the screening began and the audience really started getting into it, I couldn't help but to think of Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Alfred Hitchcock when he was dancing in the lobby during a screening of Psycho,...

With Skypemare and The Summoners (among many other notable short films) having had their world premieres last night, October 14th, at the 13th annual Screamfest Film Festival, we were there to photograph the black carpet. Step inside to check out our photo gallery.

In addition to Skypemare writer, director and producer John Fitzpatrick, stars Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever) and Annika Marks attended the premiere, as did co-star Adam J. Yeend, editor James Pickel, producer Sarah Fitzpatrick, co-producer Ryan Dillon, cinematographer Nicholas Kaat and musical artist Jason Italiano (who lent a track to the film).

Revolving around the character of Allison (Vincent), who, home alone on Halloween night while Skyping with her best friend, Jenna (Marks), witnesses something terrifying unfold on both sides of her computer screen, Skypemare received a thunderous audience response (and we'll be exclusively hosting the flick here soon so stay tuned).

For more on Skypemare, "like" the film on Facebook here,...

Screamfest La 2013 kicked off with a bloody bang last night in North Hollywood, CA, at the Laemmle NoHo 7, and we were there to shoot the black carpet, catch the premiere of Ben Ketai's feature Beneath, and hit the opening night party. Read on!

Gracing the carpet, in addition to director Ketai, were Beneath cast members Kelly Noonan, Joey Kern, Eric Etebari, Lauren Gores and Rene Rivera, along with producers Kelly Wagner and Nick Phillips. Joining them for opening night were the following Screamfest 2013 film selection attendees (take a breath): director Matt Eskandari and writer Matt Lawson of The Gauntlet, The Banishing’s director Erlingur Ottar Thoroddsen and writer Brian McAuley, The Summoners' filmmaker Christian Ackerman, director Paul Hyett (The Seasoning House), Frost producer Ingvar Thordarson, director Samuel Gonzalez Jr. and actress Danielle Adams of Woodland Heights, Luna director Antonio Perez, director of Cannon Fodder Eitan Gafny, director...

With filmmaker John Fitzpatrick's horror short Skypemare set to premiere October 14th in Los Angeles at the Screamfest Film Festival, we got our hands on the brand new poster art for the Cerina Vincent-starring flick.

Directed, produced and written by Fitzpatrick and starring Vincent (Cabin Fever) and Annika Marks, the seven-minute horror short Skypemare revolves around the character of Allison (Vincent), who, home alone on Halloween night while Skyping with her best friend, Jenna (Marks), witnesses something terrifying unfold on both sides of her computer screen.

Skypemare premieres during "Shorts Program 3" on Monday, October 14th, at 7:45 Pm and will play alongside Desolate Road, The Body and The Horizon Project. Tickets can be purchased here , and for more on Skypemare, 'like' the film on Facebook here.

For more on Screamfest, which runs October 8th to the 17th at the Laemmle NoHo 7 (5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601), visit Screamfest's website,...

In just one week the fourth annual Telluride Horror Show kicks off in picturesque Telluride, Co, with Ben Ketai’s anticipated trapped-in-a-mine thriller Beneath rounding out the weekend.

Other films in the line-up include All Hallow’s Eve, a Halloween-based anthology that features the return of the demonic Art the Clown, who was first seen in the terrific short film Terrifier; Jesse T. Cook’s subversive and incredibly divisiveSeptic Man; and the World Premiere of Chemical Peel, directed by Grand Junction, Colorado, native Hank Braxtan.

Joining the fest will also be Guest Director Phil Tippett, who will be on hand to present a special sneak preview of Phil Tippett’s Mad God: Part 1, a surrealistic stop-motion nightmare featuring hundreds of detailed puppets. He will also present a special screening of his short film Mutantland.

For more info visit the official Telluride Horror Show website, "like" Telluride Horror Show on...