The series of exclusive short films
The good folks at Xbox LIVE hosted a special breakfast this morning to announce their upcoming series of exclusive short horror films. Conceived by writer/director James Gunn and producer Pete Safran, the series targets key modern horror creators and provides them with opportunity to create original content for download distribution.
The question, “What makes you laugh?” was asked of eight different directors who then each created a five to seven minute short, blending horror and comedy in decidedly twisted ways.
Shot in HD, each film was made on a low budget over just a day or two. Exploring the logistics of the new media frontier, the films will be distribute for free. Additionally, the creator of each film retains the original copyright, allowing for each to potentially spin off to a full series and/or another medium. In the immediate future, there are plans for a collected DVD release, probably extended versions of each film.
The initial wave of films is currently slated for eight films, though the exact number may change before release, either adding a few or saving some of the completed films for future series.
The teaser trailer for the entire series is now available on Xbox LIVE with individual trailers to be released over the course of the weekend.
The current lineup (along with official descriptions) is as follows:
“Doggie Heaven (Woof!)” – The creative team behind the smash hit “Saw” films, James Wan (“Saw”, “Death Sentence”) and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. He’s just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning because of a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.
“Humanzee!” – James Gunn (“Slither”, “Dawn of the Dead”) directs and stars in a sitcom about his human-chimp hybrid son, the Humanzee (played by Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, from “Gilmore Girls”). It’s a delightful mix of “South Park,” “Wonder Showzen” and “Small Wonder.”
“Meatdog: What’s Fer’ Dinner” – Director David Slade (“30 Days of Night,” “Hard Candy”) presents “Meatdog,” an animated mutt made up of cold cuts. “Meatdog” is pitted against a church of evil occult pigs while being pursued by a carnivorous rabbit and a slobbering hound. It’s dogicide when everyone wants MEATDOG on their menu.
“Blue Like You” – From director Lucky McKee (“May,” “The Woods”), “Blue Like You” follows the antics of old friends Patrick and Cyndy as they get to know their mysterious and extraordinary new friend Blue, a beautiful young woman who doesn’t seem to understand how the simplest of things work.
“The Miracle of Phil” – From director Andrew Douglas (“The Amityville Horror”), “The Miracle of Phil” shows that the best relationships are full of screaming, shouting and cursing, but when Phil gets knocked up, Chris the one who feels screwed.
“Adrenaline Slam” – Director Marcus Nispel (“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Friday the 13th”) brings “Adrenaline Slam,” a high-octane hybrid of hidden camera reality and Hollywood fantasy that exposes ordinary people to extraordinary events.
“Assorted Nightmares: The Janitor” – From online director John Clisham and starring Jenna Dewan (“Step Up”), somewhere in the darkness just beyond “Tales From the Crypt” and a little south of “The Twilight Zone,” is “Assorted Nightmares,” a modern-day horror anthology show. The first episode pays homage to the 1980’s horror-slasher genre, as things at school for Jennifer don’t turn out as expected.
The series will launch this fall on Xbox LIVE.
Source: Silas Lesnick
