news    judges    schedule    film school Thu, July 20 | Fri, July 21 | Sat, July 22 | Sun, July 23 All films and programs are in Room 26AB, on the south side of the Convention Center, above Hall H. Friday, July 21 Humor/Parody | Interlude | Horror/Suspense 10:30 to 12:00 Comic-Con Film School 102: Production Part 2, and Postproduction Day 2 of the four-day course on microbudget movie-making. Part 1 of today’s class will focus on the specifics of production, from shooting techniques to lighting on the cheap, to crew positions you need (and don't need), to costuming, props, and set decorating for as little money as possible. Part 2 will revolve around what to do after your movie is shot. Panellists will go over the basics of editing on your home computer, as well as what software to use for editing, graphic design, sound design, visualFX, and finally, how to burn your finished product to DVD. Panelists for the class include Tim Cunningham (writer/director of Xtracurricular), Valerie Perez (producer and star of Tears of the Dragon, a Lara Croft Fan Film), Nick Murphy (director of Tears of the Dragon), and Sean Rourke (director of Geek-Week.net.) Festival Screenings, Day 2 Humor/Parody 12:00 Sister Agony’s Academy Produced by Kurt Gustafson and directed by Laura Lozano. At Sister Agony’s Academy of the Eternal Abyss, anyone with an affinity for black can learn how to become a true acolyte of the Gothic way. Established as an institution for weirder learning, the academy and its inhabitants must overcome negative stereotypes and fight against conservative protestors on a daily basis. Follow investigator Martin Monroe as he delves into the strange world of the faculty and students of the academy and discovers his inner Goth. 12:10 Gnomes For years, garden gnomes have been plotting the demise of Western Civilization without the realization of the general public. A young rapper by the name of Iceman stumbled onto their little secret and soon would pay the ultimate price. Fortunately, his hip-hop partner in crime, Kassim Ali, has his back while the duo seeks vengeance on the gnomes. 12:25 Hanging Out With Robots, Episode 2 In this follow-up to last year's short comedy about a group of robots killing time on their work break, our protagonists cope with a bothersome android, a shady repairman, and the difficulties of keeping up with music trends. Director Thomas Barker will stick around to answer questions afterward. 12:40 The Long Walk Home A couple's newfound relationship is put to the test during a Sunday drive along the countryside. Participating panelists include Sean Becker, co-founder of Awkward Pictures; Payman Benz, Needle Anus; and Chris Darnell, Forever Man. 12:55 I Am Lloyd Hamlin Incidents of circumstance throughout his life have warped the mind of comic book store owner Lloyd Hamlin. He believes he possesses the same powers of his beloved superheroes. Are his beliefs fantasy, or does he hold a power that could save all of humanity? Participating panelists include Mark Roush, writer/director; Louis Garre, producer; and Rob Simonsen, composer. 1:25 Learning To Fly Lesbian Mabel Mayville, a student filmmaker, decides to make a documentary about her nerdy, skydiving girlfriend, L. Schnabel. Participating panelists include actresses Natalie Plant (L. Schnabel) and Marion Kerr (Mabel Mayville), producer Matt Jenkins, second unit director Mario Rivas, and the film’s director Brian James Crewe. Filmmakers will hand out a limited number of free DVDs with bonus extras to attendees after the panel. 1:45 Squirrel Man A squirrel bite leads an elderly jazz musician to believe he is a superhero. These powers inspire him to fight crime in his neighborhood, which unexpectedly leads to the mending of his broken relationship with his son. Participating panelists include Jeffrey Lynn Shepherd, writer/producer/director; and Sonji Shepherd, executive producer. 2:20 Trouble In Theater 3 When two theater employees discover that their building has become infested with ninjas there's only one suitable exterminator—a pirate—who makes it his personal duty to eliminate the pests. Participating panelists include Nico Colaleo, actor, editor, camera; Nino Colaleo, actor, camera; Marc Padilla, actor, writer, camera; Alex Bolt, actor, camera; and Jenny Colaleo, actor. 2:50 A Fairy Tale A luckless tooth fairy faces a tough task get his first tooth. Participating panelists include Robert Warzecha, director; Robert Flowers, director of photography; and Erik Weiland, director of Ghouls From Outer Space. 3:15 The Vinyl Battle An evil drive-time radio DJ (Patton Oswalt) tries to wipe out a race of microscopic people living in his records, but one tiny resident (Dennis Gubbins) fights back. Participating panelists include writer/director Owen Hammer, star Patton Oswalt, producer Lance Lanfear, composer Michael Raco-Rands, and co-writer/editor Joel Watson. 3:40 Confederate Zombie Massacre It’s love and gore in the Civil War! The very true story of a fictitious battle during which the use of chemical weapons resulted in mayhem of zombie-astic proportions. Heads fly, breasts heave, and love is in the polluted green air in this romantic musical horror comedy. Participating panelists include writer/directrix Devi Snively (Teenage Bikini Vampire) and Agustin Fuentes, executive producer for Deviant Pictures. 4:10 Blood-O-Ween This tongue-in-cheek mockumentary follows Chaz and Reginald, two eccentric entrepreneurs trying to make a Halloween scary sounds tape. Through the process the duo are faced with a variety of challenges and obstacles, but with the help of their friends and colleagues they come away with a product that will truly make your ears bleed guts! Participating panelists include Nathan Fackrell, co-director/writer; Matt Mangus, co-director/writer; Zach Carr, composer; Matt Reader, associate producer; and David Lefler, actor. 5:00 INTERLUDE 2: Chris Gore: Indie Film’s Final Frontier Chris Gore (filmthreat.com) will present an indie film primer on cutting-edge promotion techniques. Additional topics include the future of indie film as downloads from the web. Horror/Suspense 6:00 Witchwise The world premiere of the twisted new film from Hollywood horror screenwriter and Marvel Comics vet Joe Harris! Everyone adores Andrew, including his old Aunt Mary. Rather, she did...until she died. Now, standing at her funeral, his Aunt’s casket open before him, Andrew reflects on the last time he saw Mary alive, the shocking events that led to her death, and the terrible secret she took to her grave. Was Andrew’s Aunt Mary a witch? What was the source of her power? And, most important, how can he make it his? Featuring stunning digital fx and brilliant special makeup effects by Vincent Guastini (Kevin Smith’s Dogma, Requiem for a Dream), Witchwise is a swirling tale of horror and magic, murder and vengeance in which one bad little boy learns an important lesson: Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! Join writer/director Joe Harris (creator of Tooth Fairy and Sony’s Darkness Falls, co- writer of The Tripper with David Arquette, Marvel Comics’ Slingers, X- Men); producers Amanda DeSeta and Hunter Shepherd; and cast members Spencer Daniels and Mary Eileen O’Donnell for a coven and discussion following this premiere screening. 6:20 There’s Something Out There Life is going along great for Brad and Penny until Brad brings home a garden gnome. The gift turns into a murderous nightmare as the pint-sized menace takes protecting the garden to a terrifying extreme. Participating panelists include Brian Pulido, creator of Lady Death, Evil Ernie, writer Nightmare on Elm St., Friday The 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and founder of Chaos! Comics. 6:50 Serial Killer Cereal Ever dig into a cereal box to find the “secret surprise” inside? Of course! Everyone has. Well here's one cereal box that really provides a “surprise”! Filmmaker Eric Kurland introduces his film. 7:05 Times Like These A hopeless romantic, a disinterested girlfriend, a mysterious stranger, and the lore surrounding the death of a famous Hollywood starlet. It seems fates will collide when history begins to repeat itself, in this dark noir-styled comedic thriller. Participating panelists include Richard Bosner, director/producer; Matthew Barrie, producer; Meggie Caplan, still photographer; Mark Rosera, Will to Power. 7:35 Post-Mortem During a mysterious epidemic, an intern and a security guard at an emergency morgue must survive the night as they watch over the dead. Filmmaker Jennifer Soemantri will be on hand to discuss her film. 8:05 07-07-13 A young woman slowly awakens. Her digital alarm clock isn't working. Still half asleep, she stumbles into the kitchen. The fridge is dead, as is the TV. She seems to be in the midst of a power outage. Throughout the day, she makes a series of horrifying discoveries. Whatever is happening is a far more terrifying and bizarre chain of events than she ever could have imagined. 07-07-13 is a short Twilight Zone–like story from Batturtle Productions. Filmmaker Josh Stafford will be in attendance to discuss the movie and upcoming projects. 8:35 Déjà vu Del Martin buys a memory at an underground auction unbeknownst to his girlfriend, Monica. After his "trip" on the memory, he becomes obsessed by the images he saw and the potential for wealth he imagines. He can’t help the draw to fortune and becomes entwined in the search with surprising consequences. Participating panelists include Chase Masterson, Lita on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Robert Michael Conrad, producer. 9:00 DAY 2 PROGRAM ENDS

return to top

This year Comic-Con is pleased to welcome the Independent Film Channel (IFC) as the exclusive sponsor of the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. The Independent Film Channel (IFC) is the first and most widely distributed network dedicated to independent film 24 hours a day, uncut, uncensored and commercial-free. The network is part of IFC Companies—the only brand to operate in every area of independent film to include television, production, financing, distribution, digital, on-demand, and exhibition.