Coming Soon: Volumes of Blood

I’m thrilled to announce here on the blog that I have been tagged to direct a segment of the upcoming Verite Cinema feature film Volumes of Blood (2015). 

As is clear from the (awesome...) art-work featured at the top of this post, the project is definitely in the horror genre, and the format is one I absolutely adore: the anthology.

Here’s a synopsis from the press release:

“Five tales of dread are interwoven when a sociology student gathers several of his friends at the local library to help him create a new urban legend with deadly consequences; Lily is in for a late night of researching and needs something to keep her going. It isn't until she's approached by a mysterious stranger that her luck may change... for the worse; a typical night of work for a librarian becomes a classic ghost story with a modern twist. Sometimes you can't keep a bad book down; Sidney is allowed to stay after hours to study for a test. But when she suddenly awakens in the darkened library, she realizes the horrifying truth of what lurks among the stacks of books after midnight. She better pray she doesn't become the prey; finally, Paige faces regrets that she'd do anything to take back. When an ancient and arcane spell book literally falls into her lap, she decides to make a grave decision. Be careful what you wish for, it might just kill you...”

Volumes of Blood is being produced by P.J. Starks and Jim Blanton, who created the short Lucky (2013), and it falls under the rubric of the Unscripted Film School Program.  This means that it is both a feature film and a training ground for new talent looking to explore film production. It pleases me greatly that I will be involved with a film, and with an academic or educational project too.

The upshot of all this is that I’ll be headed out to Kentucky in mid-September to shoot a vignette called “A Little Pick Me-Up,” and I’m pleased as punch about it.  The script is a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to get started.

Here’s a bit more info on the project:

“The production will take place from August through November 2014; where 5 indie horror directors will create their visions of terror in Owensboro, KY with an all local/regional cast and crew. The films are:

That’s A Wrap! – Directed by DP Bonnell (Happy Hooker Bang Bang)

A Little Pick Me Up – Directed by John Kenneth Muir (The House Between)

Ghastly – Directed by P.J. Starks (Hallows Eve: Slaughter on Second Street)

Encyclopedia Satanica – Directed by Nathan Thomas Milliner (A Wish For The Dead)

13 After Midnight – Directed by Jakob Bilinski (Three Tears on Bloodstained Flesh).”

Now, onto the sausage-making:  Volumes of Blood is definitely being made --  no ifs, ands or buts about it (or I wouldn't have signed on...) -- but the producers have also launched a Kickstarter campaign to attempt to expand out visual effects budget.  

I know that you see dozens of Kickstarter come-ons a week at this pont about start-up projects, all asking you to open your wallets.  But seriously, we want the effects to pass muster, and we want our film “students” to have the materials they need to craft something really special in terms of the visuals.

Below, our producer, P.J. Starks, presents a clip about the project, and the importance of the Kickstarter campaign.  (And here is the Kickstarter url: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1024621484/volumes-of-blood)

I’ll be posting more about Volumes of Blood here on the blog in the months ahead, as I go from prepping “A Little Pick Me Up,” to shooting it, to taking it to festivals.  I’ll be uploading photographs from the shoot, and more.  

But in the meantime, check out on the project on Facebook: www.facebook.com/VOBanthology