The Gemini Artifice - A Science Fiction web series.

THE GEMINI ARTIFICE

I don't like offending people, I really don't. I'm a nice guy (I hope), I have friends (both real & virtual), family (mostly real) and many acquaintances, most of whom seem not to want to cause me any real hurt. However, I do seem to have a habit of occasionally upsetting some of the people who inhabit Internetland both within and outside the sci-fi & horror genres. 

For instance, only in the last couple of months I've upset people within the Star Wars, Star Trek and Lord of The Rings communities. Now I love Star Wars et al, of that there should be no doubt. I was there back in 1977 for the opening day of the film that became a cultural phenomenon, I've seen every Star Trek episode of every series to the point where I could (and often do) quote dialogue along to certain scenes from the original series and The Hobbit + LOTR books single-handedly changed my life when I was only just past being a twinkle in Gandalf's eye. 

All I did was mention on certain forums (yes I have no life, but I'm happy so I don't care) that I thought that The Phantom Menace was actually rather good, that I much preferred Star Trek TNG to the original series and asked whether it really mattered that certain literary characters in Tolkien's books did or didnt make it into the cinematic versions by Peter Jackson. Well, lets just say that apart from unleashing the Kraken, some of the responses that I received were, how shall I put it, rather energetic in regard to my knowledge and opinions and where and in what particular orifice I should place them.......most of which would bring more than a tear to this bloggers eyes. As for assertions regarding a correlation between my intelligence and a rather unseemly relationship between me and my mother - well those suggestions would make you blush.

So when Pat Lavigne, contacted me with news of a web-based science fiction series that he was involved in producing called The Gemini Artifice, the only part of the project that made me stop to consider the proposal for a moment was the small issue of the project's inspiration. It was another of those areas that seem to attract rather high levels of passion - namely online gaming. 

Eve Online - It looks bloody brilliant.

Now I know many people who play games online and many of them are very nice, I've even been known to dabble myself in the odd arena or two, but dabbling has been my limit. It's not that I have any aversion or contempt for online gaming, it simply has never been my particular bag, man. 

The fact is that some of the people who inhabit these virtual communities scare me, because man, do they take that stuff seriously?!..... and god help any poor sucker (or noob) who may not fully understand the rules or etiquette of a particular game. The abuse I've witnessed towards those who may not be as skilfully blessed or merely learning the game has to be seen to believed. I have absolutely no problem with passion for ones genre - For example I personally believe that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the finest example of horror movie making in the history of cinema and will never be surpassed. Many will disagree with me, they'll be wrong mind you, but it's their right to be wrong.

I would like to emphasise that I have not played Eve Online, so I may well doing the patrons (all half a million of them) a disservice, so profuse apologies if i am.....But, to all to the rest of you Pseudo Jedi's, Trekkers and gamers - stop being so precious about it all. We all love this stuff, it's just that some of us are a bit rubbish at the online game malarkey and some us don't think it's the end of the world if Tom Bombardil never appeared in in the movie version of LOTR.

So regardless I carried on reading Pat's synopsis of the project and watched the teaser trailer that has been produced - and do you know what? I think it's going to be great.

The Gemini Artifice is based on the MMORPG Eve Online (www.eveonline.com). For this who may not know, MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game combines two gaming genres; role-playing video games and massively multiplayer online games. Taking the form of web browser-based games, a huge number of people interact with with one another within a self contained virtual world, with perhaps the most well known being World of Warcraft. 

Eve Online is another virtual entity which sees on average 500,000 souls interacting, er, online, which in this case is a richly textured and highly complex interconnection of star systems in which users can travel the cosmos, buying equipment and working with, or fighting against other users. Since 2003 it has grown into an online science fiction phenomenon, so much so that January of this year witnessed the largest ever online space battle with over 4000 gamers taking part in a battle that led to the destruction of approximately 100 spaceships. The truly mind boggling fact is that the financial coast to users  - the in-game currency that is used in the game meant that the damage amounted to a staggering $300,000 in real world money. 

I think that it's safe to say that these gamers take their gaming very, very seriously. And why not?

You've something on your chin....no....lower....

Set 23,000 years into the future The Gemini Artifice follows the crew of the ship "The Gemini" in a universe full of greed, murder, deceit, intrigue, and the occasional hero. Follow the crew as they lie, cheat, steal, and fight to obtain their slice of the New Eden Dream....massive piles of Interstellar Kredits (ISK).

When an employee of the enormous Sukuuvestaa Corporation goes rogue, her masters enlist the mercenary crew of the Gemini to get her under control. Snatch, grab; putting her in the bag and bringing her home would put the Gemini on the road to riches. They soon find though that in New Eden, there's no such thing as easy money.

The Gemini Artifice is filmed in Tacoma, Washington by cast and crew from the Northwest and is produced by Loyalty Entertainment Productions, a Tacoma based film company.

I would recommend that you take a little look at the teaser trailer (below) which the team have produced. I would also recommend that there is more than enough here to suggest that a full-blown series would be well-worth watching. I certainly will be looking out for it and hopefully reviewing the episodes as they come online.

The Gemini Artifice Teaser (based on Eve Online by CCP Games)

The intention for the team is to see a full season produced so all involved are relying on the teaser trailer and articles like this to increase the word of virtual mouth, so that interest and enthusiasm for the project cannot be ignored.

I suppose that the people who may need the most convincing as to the quality of the project will be the Eve Online gamers - after all this is their baby and will quite rightly be rather protective of their online world. I've already seen some discussion forums where a few gamers have been debating the authenticity of terminology and logistics within the teaser trailer - so it goes without saying that the producers of The Gemini Artifice will need to make sure they both listen to constructive advice and argue their side of things when it comes to the dramatic adaptation. I also hope that the gamers are willing to allow a degree of flexibility that any venture like this has to employ. 

So what about the people who are going to be appearing in the web series - I mean, are they actually any good? Well below is a taster of four actors featuring in the production. These profiles are just 4 of the many that the team will be doing as a 'slow release' every week. I will try and make sure that I update the blog as soon as these releases are made - You can also check out the Gemini Artifice page at https://www.facebook.com/thegeminiartifice?fref=ts to see the release of more content. 

Monika Holm

Monika is an actor, dancer, singer, and stage combatant who loves to dream big. Monika started her love of the Performing Arts in Oakland, CA where she was born. She currently lives in Seattle, WA because of her love for rain. Monika has her BFA in Theater from Cornish College of the Arts. She has appeared in independent short films such as the Seattle Film Institute sci fi film, Chasing Wind and a feature film modern adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. She had a blast playing this Benny and can't wait to dive deeper into The Gemini Artifice. For more info about Monika go to www.monikaholm.com.

Monika will be playing Benny Caron. Benidette “Benny” Caron was a model Sukuuvestaa employee on a secluded space station. Diligent, quiet, and actually a bit nervous when she won a chance of a lifetime vacation away from the boredom of being a station maintenance tech. Benny Caron would never step out of line; would she?

Emily Fortuna 

Emily acts in film, on the stage, and silly on request. Her credits include playing Lucy Steele in the feature film Sense and Sensibility and Jenny Sunshine in Truth Like the Sun at Book-It Repertory Theatre. When not acting, she can be found programming computers, crafting, reading or gaming. She's a huge fan of scifi, fantasy, and the rich lore surrounding Eve Online.

Emily plays Lin Tetch; proof that even Hell has its angels. As bad as the crew of the Gemini has it sometimes, Lin always has a smile and some wit. She and Jordan are great friends, and as much as Davidson doesn’t want to admit it, Lin is pretty handy in negotiating those contracts for work. She gives the Gemini its soul.

Will Gilmore

Will was born and raised in Elk Grove, California. He moved to Seattle to pursue is acting/film career in 2009. Since then, Will has produced, written, and acted in a short webseries as well as numerous short films, including his current World War 2 narrative "Hinterhalt." Recently, Will was cast on Loyalty Production's series' "Legendary" and "The Gemini Artifice" and couldn't be more excited to be a part of the webseries!

Will plays Jordan Kint. Jordan lost his brother. Jordan doesn’t know why it happened, or even really what death means, but Derial just isn’t there anymore. Now Davidson Shin has Derial’s ship, the Gemini, and Jordan doesn’t always know if Davidson likes him. But the Gemini’s computer likes him; all computers like Jordan, and he likes all computers. That’s why they do anything he tells them to. Anything.

Angela DiMarco 

Angela is now a Facebook friend of mine, but please don't let that put you off her. 

She has been working in film and on stage in Los Angeles and Seattle for the past 20 years. In 2014 she is starring in the films The Device, Reliance, and The Rectory. She started Mighty Tripod Prods with her husband, creating an artistic platform in the Northwest.

Angela plays Miri Janus. Ms. Janus used to do a lot of dirty work for Sukuuvestaa. This earned her a special assignment, a special trust. She guards a Quantum Drive with information so sensitive even she doesn’t know what it is. It doesn’t matter. She does what SuVee says, and if they want the q-drive safeguarded, it will be done: By any means necessary.

Neither Emily, Will or Monika are Facebook friends of mine as yet. However, nobody can hide forever......

So there you have it. The people behind this project need our help to promote this project. So 'click' again on the youtube link for the teaser at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tSVSVQ7eg4&feature=youtu.be. 

In addition to that share this blog and its Facebook page - the fact that you'll be promoting not only The Gemini Artifice but also my blog is purely coincidental.......

You want to join the Fray - well you can......... 

The Gemini Article team have a Tumblr now. There is some excellent background material on the characters here. I would suggest that you have a looksee, you just might find something special - the link is  RIGHT HERE

Find them on Twitter @GeminiArtifice!

Find them on Facebook! 

Find them at Loyalty Entertainment Productions webpage!

Seed of Evil: An Ancient Evil Rises (Saga of Evil) - By Robert Friedrich

"THE SAGA OF EVIL BEGINS… 

From a distant galaxy far beyond our time, the most ancient of all EVIL awoke before descending upon our unsuspecting galaxy. The planet it reached never faced such a threat, but didn’t submit to it, either. In a final attempt to survive, a prison between dimensions was built, the last hope to hold the DARK POWER for an eternity. The planet withered and died, and its people found a new refuge among the stars. That planet is now known as: Mars. 

But even eternity doesn’t last forever. Ignorance and an infantile arrogance of a nation leads to its release. And once again, it only leaves death in its wake. 

Read the fast-paced Sci-Fi/Horror, where the elements of OCCULT meet with an advanced MILITARY thriller, wrapped in a colossal battle between good and evil. 

The first part of a new, long-awaited Saga, from the internationally renowned author of “The Darkness Within” will give you a gulp of a SMASH HIT and will leave you wanting more…"

Well, that's the blurb from the Author's Amazon page, the link for which can be found RIGHT HERE - but what did I think of the story? More importantly, does anybody care what I think? Probably not, but at least I can happily convince my self otherwise, because self-delusion is a wonderful thing.

For a novella which consists of just 101 pages, Seed of Evil has a veritable plethora of influences and ideas. There are whisperings of the movie Aliens, smatterings of Warhammer 40K and even a dollop or two of the calamity that was Starship Troopers - but don't let that last reference put you off. My recollections of the military science fiction masterpiece by Robert A. Heinlein have been distinctly tainted by the turkey of the 1997 movie version directed by Paul Verhoeven. I've mentioned before my utter loathing and contempt for that film adaptation - and it's only Denise Richards that has made me watch it possibly half a dozen times or so. Well, she's worth it. 

When I say that this story seems (for me at least) to have a number of influences, I don't wish anyone to misconstrue that as any sort of criticism, because it's not. Any sense of familiarity, and even cliche, is more than off-set by the pacey story, plot structure and the pleasing writing style of Robert Friedrich. However, more of that in a moment or two.

Seed of Evil is set later in the 21st century when both our own Moon and the planet Mars have now been colonised in an effort to extract the wealth of their natural resources. After all, both are devoid of any sort of alien life aren't they, so what could possibly go wrong? Well, in the case of Mars, things have gone a more than a little pear-shaped after contact with the colonists has been lost, shortly after they had discovered a structure on the red planet of unknown origin. 

As a result, a team of elite marines have been dispatched to investigate the loss of contact and confront whoever, or whatever, stands in their way. I won't say any more in an attempt to stay spoiler-free, suffice to say that Corey (the marine from whose point of view the story is told) and his merry band of grunts find a little more than they bargained for.

If you read this story with the expectation of a slow build up of considered character development and a richly layered plot then this may not be the book for you. However, if you are in the mood for a fast paced, sometimes breathless story that within a couple of pages is relentlessly dragging you along by the short and curlies, along with the rest of the marines into the chaotic violence of bloody battle, then this might just be for you. 

I consumed this story in an afternoon, along with a requisite glass of red wine and was enjoyably swept along into an alien world full of excitingly written combat scenes each containing their fair share of bloody horror. And that is the very appeal of this book, for Friedrich has crafted a plot that may well be familiar, but has formed it into an appealing mix that will please both science fiction and horror fans alike. I am in no way saying that that this is a story devoid of intelligence and sub-text, for a start, as in the movie Aliens, we have an allegory of the dangers that military over-confidence and arrogance can tragically lead to. 

The cheese is optional - the rest, essential.

However, this isn't meant to be anything of an overly serious lecturing science fiction novel. This is not Asimov or Phillip.K. Dick - again that is absolutely not criticism of the author here, I for one am just as happy reading Warhammer as I am reading Phillip. K. Dick. Not all science fiction has to be overly Intellectually sermonising, which clearly wasn't the writers intention in Seed of Evil from the start. Believe me, that is no bad thing. The wonderful thing about sci-fi & horror fiction is that there are styles to suit all moods and desires and if you desire a thrilling story, high on delicious blood-soaked action then this is the book for you.

As far as I'm aware, Seed of Evil is designed to be the first in a lengthy saga, and the book has that distinct feel - in fact it could work equally well as a seperate prologue story to a large scale movie screenplay. I'm interested to see where the next instalment takes us and also looking forward to hopefully receiving my very own signed copy from Robert (hint, hint).

Seed of Evil is a highly recommended small slice of high octane sci-fi horror that will carry you along it's roller coaster ride of blood-soaked interplanetary combat! I enjoyed it immensely.

Copies of the book can be found at the Amazon link RIGHT HERE for UK buyers and HERE for those in the States.

For more information on Robert and the rest of his works then click at the link at   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Friedrich/e/B00F6N9E8A

Interview with actor, Jasper Cole.

When I was growing up I, like many kids of my age I suppose, had dreams of becoming an actor. In fact I pretty much had it all mapped out for myself. In my particular case I had no real desire to be a future James Bond or Count Dracula. No, for some reason I always saw myself as one of those familiar, but not too famous horror movie character actors that seem to pop up in seemingly every other film. You know how it goes -  " oh that's whats-his-name from that thingamajig movie". My idea of an acting career was in part to be more concerned with the craft of acting but just as importantly (well in truth, probably more so), I wanted to spend my days biting the necks of beautiful bossomed Hammer horror actress's rather than simply being famous. It was quite a few years until I realised that this was never going to happen, the fact that I had absolutely no tangible acting bone in my body may have had something to do with that. 

It all came to a depressing head during auditions for the School Nativity play when I was 12 and losing out to Craig Witherspoon for the role of shepherd number 5 - Not only did I lose out to the only other boy left in the class, he also had a bloody speech impediment that made 'Jesus' come out as sounding more like "JESHUSH'. In my nightmares I can still clearly hear "Hail baby Jeshush, the Messhia!".

I knew at that point that my career as any sort of actor was dead right there.....not that the painful memory still lingers, you understand.

Well I'm not going to mess with him - are you?

So It is my absolute pleasure this week to have the chance to speak to an experienced actor (I won't use the word 'veteran' as I always think it makes one sound decrepit and ready for the knackers yard) who has well over a century of television and film credits, not to mention a veritable string of theatre and writing credits to his name.

Jasper Cole definitely has that familiar "I know him from something" look, being a long-time stalwart of TV and film. As recently as 2013  he appeared in the much maligned (well I liked it actually) hit horror film, Hansel & Gretel as "John", the son of the legendary actress, Dee Wallace. His film credits also Include 18 Again, Alien Nation, Get Your Stuff, Friday the 13th Part VIII, and Urban Assault-TKO. Jasper is perhaps most well known for his portrayal of the genuinely creepy Zeke Pleshette in the film MacGruber, alongside a certain Mr Val Kilmer.

As well as film he's also appeared in numerous theatrical and television productions, with his TV work continuing notable appearances on shows such as C.S.I., Married With Children, Saved By The Bell, Touched by An Angel,Party Of Five, La Femme Nakita, Tales From The Crypt,Baywatch,PacificBlue and Clueless. Jasper has been regularly nominated for awards (nominated for best actor in the stage production of A Quiet End in 1996) besides achieving best supporting actor in the Drama-logue Awards for his role in Fool for Love in 1995. As recently as he received critical acclaim for his work on Michael Eisner's Emmy Nominated series, Prom Queen. 

Prom Queen

It's clear that Jasper's career has been somewhat varied, though it would be fair to say that in recent years he has become a firm favourite of the contemporary horror community. In the last few months he has become a Facebook friend of mine (I know, get me) and not only is he talented and successful, he's also a bloody nice guy. As you'll now see for yourself. 

Me) Firstly many thanks for taking time out of your schedule, Jasper. how's life treating you at the moment?

J) "All is good and thank you...just chillin here at my house in Palm Springs. If I'm not working in Hollywood I'm here every chance I get."

Me) For those foolish enough not know much about you, could you tell us a little about yourself - I understand that you are part Native American for example?

J) "Yeah I'm part Cherokee Indian and part Irish so needless to say there was a lot of alcohol involved lol...I grew up in Athens Georgia and moved to LA when I was 23 so I have been here 27 yrs this coming September. It's been an AMAZING journey!"

Jasper & Val Kilmer in the 'who's bum looks best?' competition

Me) I know you're probably sick of being asked what Val Kilmer was like to work in MACGRUBER - BUT,  I'll ask you anyway!!  I think he's often had something of a raw deal over the years in the press. What was the experience like?

J) "Well, I was and am a big fan of Val's so it was an honour to just work with him at all and it was a great time. He's very funny and eccentric in the best way possible. We shot out in New Mexico and Val actually lives there as well and in fact at that time there were rumours he was gonna run for Lt. Governor of that state so we had some "interesting" conversations about politics. Needless to say he was GREAT in the film and a true highlight of my career."

Me) I've often thought that it would be preferable to be a regular working character actor than a more wider known famous figure where the craft of acting might be lost in the publicity machine. Would you exchange being well-known within horror and other genre's but perhaps lesser so in the wider public consciousness as you are now or to be transported into the fame and money stratosphere of a Val Kilmer? 

J) "lol the "grass is always greener" right? Honestly, all I ever really wanted when I started out was to be a working actor who is respected within my industry and it has taken me many years to get here but I wouldn't change a thing...HOWEVER as I get older I would really love a steady television gig....second or third side kick maybe just recurring who shows up periodically and does his thing. Otherwise I'm good to go!"

Frank Giamona (left) & Jasper with 'mum' Dee Wallace

Me) Does it bother you (as it does me) that horror is still regarded as the poor man of movies and something merely to "move on from" for an actor? 

J) "Its a real mystery to me because horror is one of the most profitable at the box office consistently...low budget or studio level and for me I have moved "into horror" rather than "move on" from...I'm truly grateful to be a part of this genre on any level. The fans are the most loyal and diligent in the world."

Me) You have a distinctive look (you know, good looking with more than a hint of menace) :-) . Have you had to fight against being typecast in movies as 'bad guy number 1' ? 

J) "Thanks,,I always laugh and say it took me so many years to be TYPECAST that I hope to stay on this beloved "list" til the very end...Theatre is the place to stretch as an actor and try different parts....TV/film is where you do your consistent thing and I am forever grateful to be typecast."

Me) It seems that you're not that busy at the moment - well that is apart from appearing in THE PURGE ANARCHY opening in July. You apparently also have two horror thrillers coming out soon, CAPTURED and MODEL HOME. In addition to those I hear that you are about to start the horror film SAVAGE SISTAS.   Oh yes, if that wasn't enough you're in the middle of shooting DARK SPIRITS  opposite the gorgeous and talented Lynn Lowry and Mindy Robinson. What can you tell us about some of these productions? 

Jasper and Erica Renee Johnson from the set of Savage Sistas

J) "Wow..when you put it like that I do seem busy..lol...seriously I'm beyond blessed to have worked on these great projects Obviously to work with Michael Bay and Jason Blum in THE PURGE: ANARCHY was a huge  honor and its an amazing script and film. I play a "Homeless Man" who lives in a dipsy dumpster trash can and appears during the purge in a very scary way.......CAPTURED is another great script written and directed by Joe Arias and its stars Brittany Curan and Kristin Prout and a ensemble of amazing young actors...I Play "Shelly" the creepy groundskeeper who holds a lot of family secrets that get revealed throughout the film......MODEL HOME was a thrill to work with Monique Gabrilla Curnen and Emmy winner Kathy Baker. I play "Walker" a desert rat who stumbles into a nightmare and cant get out. Patrick Cunningham was a superb director to work with and his script is one of the best ever and a concept we haven't seen before...... SAVAGE SISTAS is my first lead in a horror film and it's a blessing to actually play a "Cop" for a change although he's not necessarily a good cop after all. Dan Smith has written and directed a true original film and the female leads are unique to the horror genre and KICK BUTT!......DARK SPIRITS was a chance to reunite with one of the CAPTURED producers Ewan Bourne and I play a "Dark Butler" who is up to no good but is enslaved to his "Master" who is played by the stunning  Mindy Robinson."

Me) Would you possibly be ably to tell Lynn Lowry that I've been more than a little smitten with her for quite a while and that I'd love to interview her.......pretty please? 

J) "Lynn is so lovely and kind and I will most definitely tell her and I'm sure you will love her too!"

The lovely Lynn Lowry

Me) Have you ever worked over here in the UK? 

J) "I have not worked there but two of my goals left for my career are to do theatre in both New York and London."

Me) Finally, the most important question (remember, I'm a psychologist) - Alien or Predator? 

J) "Wow that's a tough one but I'm gonna have to go with PREDATOR"

Me) Thanks Jasper, mate for taking the time to answer the questions. Take care!  

J) "Thanks so much and keep up the great work!"

So there you have it. He has a varied & successful career that keeps on going from strength to strength. He lives in Palm Springs, works in Hollywood but has managed to stay a genuinely nice guy with a good line answering my inane interview questions. So I will forgive him for getting the Alien or Predator question wrong - though obviously the man can look after himself so maybe I'll keep that piece of information from him.....

Seriously though, I would like to thank Jasper Cole for the interview. A good guy & a good actor. 

Jasper can be viewed, contacted and researched at the following links;

www.jaspercole.com 

www.onthesetwithjaspercole.com 

 www.imdb.com/name/nm0170594/

 http://activesubmissions.com/jaspercole/

Interview with producer/director & writer, John Portanova

It was a genuine pleasure to receive the amount of positive feedback about last week's blog article for the May DVD release of the rather excellent The Invoking. The fact that the positive vibes weren't just from those involved in the project, but others who had both enjoyed the article and been inspired to possibly go out and buy it when it's released.

John Portanova standing in the 'stalkers' section

 -  nope nothing to infer from that......

If that wasn't enough, just a couple of days later I was more than a little pleased to be contacted by writer/producer/director and member of a mysteriously named group known as The October People, John Portanova.

If truth be told I was pleased on two counts. Firstly, it gave me the chance to pass onto my reader just part of the process behind the production of an indie horror movie. Secondly, it was the opportunity for me to gain answers to a few important burning questions that I had, such as; Was the rather excellent The Invoking really made on a shoestring budget? Just how annoyingly talented is Mr Portanova and his team? And are The October People really some shady group whose true intention to suck out the brains from our still breathing bodies?

As you'll see below, John is a rather deft and excellent interviewee with a good line in intelligence, humour and detailed oration, besides, anybody who uses the word 'cryptozoology' in an interview is fine by me. Not only that, but it seems that he has the need also to get the odd rant off his chest - nothing wrong with that. So I hope that he doesn't mind the odd minor amendment that I've made to his responses to my once again legendary, almost interrogatory in nature, interview questions by my altering his American English spelling (i.e incorrect) to UK English (i.e correct).

Q) Let's start with me asking you just who and what are The October people?

"The October People is a production company started by myself, Jeremy Berg, and Matt Medisch. It is based in Seattle and San Diego and specialises in producing independent films with a strong focus on character. Our first film was The Invoking, which Jeremy directed and co-wrote, I co-wrote and produced, and Matt produced and helped come up with the original story for. On future projects we will have similar positions some of the time, but other times we will switch things up and I could be directing, for example. We want to tell quality, character-driven stories through the prism of our favourite genres."

Q) The Invoking seems a little old-fashioned in terms of character development (and I mean that as a compliment) Was this an intentional approach from the start?

"It was. We are all lifelong horror fans and of course a big part of that is loving the gore effects and monsters. But when you see as many horror films as we have, you start to see those same things over and over. We knew we didn't want our first film to be another micro-budget zombie or slasher movie, so we decided to tell a story that was more about the characters and that took a more psychological approach. But even our upcoming projects, which do focus on different sub-genres of horror including monsters, will still be very much built off of a solid character foundation. Instead of just giving the audience cookie-cutter types that they've seen over and over again, we want to make sure there is interesting drama going on so that they are invested  in the story even before a monster comes rampaging across the screen."

Q) The film looks amazing - where is the location and how did you find it?

"Thanks. We shot the film in Red Bluff, CA. It was actually the home where our producer Matt grew up. Coming into The Invoking, we had a handful of short films and no money. We knew we wanted to make a feature and so we decided to do something in the vein of El Mariachi or the original Paranormal Activity, where the directors used what they had access to (locations and props) and wrote the film around those things to keep the budget low. So we wrote the script based off of this property we had the full run of. If something wasn't there and available to us at the location, we didn't write about it."

Q) Did The invoking only cost $11000 and one week to make? If so, just how was that managed ?

"Yes. The budget for the film was $11,000 and principal photography happened in Red Bluff over the course of one week. Like I was mentioning earlier, the script was written with this budget and shoot schedule in mind. We only had so much money we could charge onto credit cards and so much time we could take over the location. So keeping to this schedule was easy in one sense because we were staying at our location and everything was shot within walking distance from the house. But, on the other hand, it was hard because we had so many shots to get. Some days we did up to 40 set ups and had a maximum of 3 takes for each shot. Having an awesome crew and a great cast of actors really helped us stay on schedule and get good stuff during the few takes we had."

Q) What productions are next in the pipeline?

"We are actually getting ready to shoot the next October People horror feature next week. It's an alien abduction horror tale entitled The Device. Once again it'll be directed by Jeremy Berg from a script the two of us wrote and Matt Medisch will be producing. It'll be another very low budget picture, but this time we will be shooting all around Washington State with an awesome cast and crew made up of local talent including a nice mix of old friends and new collaborators. The film centres on a fractured family coming together after the loss of a loved one and then spirals into a story of alien terror. We're all big fans of alien abduction mythology and films in the sub genre such as Fire in the Sky, so we're excited to film our version of an alien abduction story. The plan is for the film to be out before the end of the year on home video after playing at a couple of film festivals.

Two months after we wrap The Device, we are going to be moving onto Valley of the Sasquatch. This film is based on a script I wrote many years ago and will be my directorial debut. Jeremy will be the cinematographer (a job he has performed on all of our films) and Matt will be producing. I grew up loving Bigfoot as much as alien abduction mythology (I was a big Unsolved Mysteries fan) and so I want this to be a film that treats the creature seriously. It's not a slasher movie where Jason is replaced by a Bigfoot. The story treats them like wild animals and gives a reason for why they have begun to amass a body count. I think cryptozoology fans as well as horror fans will dig it. It takes a serious look at a monster that has been on film a lot, but not always in the best stories. We will be shooting on our biggest budget yet (although still conservative even by indie film standards) and with some awesome actors that fans of the genre will recognise. The plan is for the film to be completed by the end of the year and then go into a film festival run."

Q) If there is anything, and I mean anything that you or the rest of the crew want to add/rant about/get off your chest/shout from the rooftops or just plain big yourselves up about - then here's your chance...fire away!!

"We are very happy with the response the film has got. For a film made for no money in no time, we've gotten many outstanding reviews and won a handful of awards from our film festival run. We even got a distribution deal that put the film out on store shelves and all over the net in a much wider fashion than a film of our size is usually afforded. So we don't have much to complain about. But there are a few misconceptions about the film that people have had since our wide release that I want to clear up. 

Most of the crew of The Invoking

1. We know that the set-up of the film (young people go to a cabin) has been done before. We had a microscopic budget that dictated how many characters and locations we could use. So we went with a classic horror set-up and then moved from there into our brand of psychological horror. 

2. We intended this to be a slow paced, character-driven film. We keep a lot of potential story tangents in the air (Is the house haunted? Will one of the characters snap and turn the film into a slasher? Is everything in the lead character's head?) and slowly reveal the true nature of the plot in order to keep those questions going through the audience's head. If that doesn't sound like your bag (which is fine, different strokes for different folks after all) you might be better off watching something else.

3. We shot the film in January of 2012 under the title Sader Ridge. We had no idea what The Conjuring was at that time as it would not be released for a year and a half. The distributor chose to change the name of the film to The Invoking and designed the key art which sells the movie as a classic ghost story (which it really isn't).

4. The film was shot a year before Texas Chainsaw 3D was released and before we had ever heard of it. The similarity in the plot set-up is a coincidence.

All right, that's all my ranting." (laughs).

Q) Finally, Alien or Predator? (This is important!)
"Alien. I think Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett came up with the perfect horror creature with that film. The life cycle is great and keeps the terror constantly evolving. And the fact that the alien has acid for blood was a stroke of genius because the characters had to outsmart it as opposed to outgun it, which is usually the path the ending of a monster movie goes down."

Q) Finally finally, any chance of me getting hold of one of them there The Invoking signed T-Shirts?

"The shirts were made by a great company who I buy most of my wardrobe from called Fast Custom Shirts. You can get one here: http://www.fastcustomshirts.com/servlet/Detail?no=1619. 

On our Facebook page (facebook.com/theoctoberpeople) we recently ran a contest giving away a signed DVD & a shirt, but unfortunately the contest is already over. But if you buy the shirt and then find yourself in Seattle I'm sure you could find the cast around town and get it signed.

Thanks for the great questions Stu!"

No worries mate, and thanks for the detailed responses and in getting the answer to the Alien/Predator question correct! :-)

I would sincerely like to thank John for taking the time to put up with my vague and shambolic  attempts at cutting edge questioning, hopefully he and the rest of his team haven't been put off too much in letting me see the fruits of their forthcoming productions. However I cannot guarantee that The October People isn't in fact a covert organisation whose ultimate aim is to suck your brains out, luckily I'm safe as I'm often told that I don't have the brains I was born with.......

The Invoking - DVD release from Image Entertainment

Release Date: 12 May 2014

Certificate: 15

Special Features:

* Commentary with Writer/Director Jeremy Berg, Producer Matt Medisch and Writer/Producer John Portanova.

* Commentary with Actors Trin Miller, D'Angelo Midili and Andy Morris.

* The Making Of The Invoking Documentary

RRP: £12.99

I suppose that one of the many reasons why I love the horror movie genre so much is in part due to the plethora of tasty little sub genres within it; Slasher, Religious, Vampire/Zombie/Monster, Gore and Supernatural - to name but just a few. Now while I would normally shy away from categorising and labelling everything and anything within an inch of its life, it's safe to say that horror for me is a genre that, whatever mood I may find myself in, has always had something that managed to well and truly hit the horror spot in my soul. 

Each of these sub genres have their rightful place in my (black) heart and each to a certain extent have been known to divide opinion both within and outside the horror community - for instance, I even know someone who doesn't like The Texas Chainsaw massacre......yes Mikhail Mulvihill, I'm talking about you so hang your head in perpetual shame :-).. 

For some reason, the sub genre of the Psychological horror, where the power of suggestion, character building and a gradual acceleration of atmosphere seems to divide said opinion more than most........and for a few months I've been hearing those same whispers and heated disagreements about a certain new addition to the collection, but I'll talk about some of those conflicting views in a little while.

So it was with gleeful chuckle and skip that I received a preview disc sent to me on behalf of Image Entertainment UK by the lovely people at Aim Publicity. Not only was the theme heavily psychological, so I was going to have to think just a little bit(that will be a first, I hear you say), but also it was also another thing very close to this blogger's heart, a low-budget independent production, being shot in just one week for an amazing $11,000 dollars.

The film concerned is called The Invoking and I'm saying to you know, you should see it, you really should. But before I get well and truly carried away........... a little on the what the film is actually about.....

As usual, I will endeavour to shy away from an in-depth spoiler strewn review as seems the annoying habit of many a blog reviewer - just why anybody would want to regurgitate a scene by scene account of a movie and thus removing any semblance of mystery for the potential viewer is simply beyond me. As for those who think they are being cleverly cryptic by suggesting that the ending is a sting/twist/surprise/open ended/closed/satisfying/ambiguous or serenaded by harp playing angels, you still are giving it away you plonkers. So for those of you in bloggerland and reviewland who feel the need to divulge every nuance of a plot, stop it, stop it now.

'Nothing wrong with this house, nope, no sir."

Anyhoo, I once more digress. In a nutshell, the plot is as follows....

"Raised by foster parents, Sam claims to remember nothing of her childhood...but it remembers her. When she discovers she has inherited a property, she invites three friends to join her on a trip that will change their lives forever.

A young reclusive caretaker (played by the truly excellent D’Angelo Midili), a childhood friend of Sam's is there to greet them, but something else is waiting for her in the house, something dark and deadly. The ghosts of a past she has long forgotten are coming back to haunt her with a pounding, slashing, raging terror."

If you want just a taste of that taster then the trailer for the film can be found RIGHTY HERE MATEY

Originally titled Sader Ridge (taken from the name of the location in the movie), The Invoking has already gained a number of film awards including Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Music Score at the 2013 Dark Carnival Film Festival. The film was named the best horror film of 2013 by Horror-Punks.com. The website also named D'Angelo Midili as the best actor of 2013 for his portrayal of the caretaker, Eric. If that wasn't enough, it also won the Audience Award at the  Seattle True Independent Film Festival last year.

That awkward moment when you run out of milk.....

Now, so far so good? Well yes......and no. Yes, because of the aforementioned critical accolades, but also no, because from what I've seen so far there are some who have rather misread and misjudged this movie on two major counts. Firstly, for some people it seems that this is a plot theme that is all too familiar, namely a group of young college kids taken out of their city comfort zones and who find themselves locating to an isolated, countryside setting only to find out that the locals may not be quite what they seem. And yes, when one first watches The Invoking, I too felt more than a twinge of deja vu at the very beginning as I waited for the family of slashers or Blair Witches to jump out faster than Bruce Campbell himself could hope to cope with. However, I soon realised my mistake, because the filmmakers have added a clever and subtle subtext to plot that many people clearly have missed - but more of that shortly. Instead I've noticed a few somewhat lazy comparisons to other movies.

In fact if I see another comment (and there have been one or two) that it has any sort of resemblance or connection to The Conjuring I may well pick up the nearest chainsaw myself. You see, this superficial assumption would be a mistake, because underneath this veneer of cliched familiarity, there is far more intelligence and textured character building on show here than you could shake at Hitchcock thriller at. If there is any resemblance at all between this and any other production I would wager that it is due far more to the films distributors than to the filmmakers themselves.

The annual Sader Ridge staring contest is in full swing....

This then leads on to what seems to be the second misjudgement that in my opinion, some who have viewed the movie seem to be making, namely the films pacing. Yes, the pace of the film may not quite be at the 'lets slash em up before the words character and development can even be muttered', but this doesn't mean that it is tedious or boring. On the contrary, we are given time to listen in and experience the relationships of the characters as grow (and in some cases, deteriorate) with the story. We may not necessarily like all the characters, but we certainly get to know them and empathise with them when events reach their inevitable climax.

I really don't want to sound like an elitist horror snob - I love mindless onscreen violence as much as the next person.......but just because we are asked to think and consider the actions and behaviours on screen doesn't mean that the tension and chills are any less than a good old gore-fest. There is room for both you know.

But the inverted snobbery from some who regard the slow build up as an exercise in tedium have made a misjudgement of the film of major proportions. Yes the build up may be slow, but as a result of the time spent on developing certain characters, by the time events start to become violent when we the audience have become so emotionally invested the eventual impact is tenfold. For example, we even genuinely sympathise with one particular individual who has to commit the ultimate act of violence. This person clearly wrestles with the act but commits to it without hesitation once the decision is made. It looks at face value like a casual act of violence, but that would be a mistake to assume so - it is a scene of beautifully subtle acting and results in genuine horror.

Hey, I can see my house from here!

In addition we have the rather clever and distinctive subplot that underpins the the whole of the story. For the writer/director (have I told you that I don't like annoyingly talented people?) Jeremy Berg has developed a story of psychological repression and combined it with a distinct supernatural tone - to great effect. The film's pacing helps us to witness Sam slowly coming to the realisation that her lack of childhood memories may possibly be the result of her internal unconscious conflicts as she 'witnesses' the various elements of her personality and memory manifest themselves in her friends. To the films credit,  we the audience have to decide whether it is the house, the land or something/someone else who is invoking the internal conflicts of her unconscious. Is it really happening at all? Clever, very clever.

I mentioned earlier that I understand that the film was filmed within the space of just one week for a measly 11,000 dollars. If that is true (and I have absolutely no reason to doubt otherwise) then that fact is simply incredible.It seems that the annoyingly talented Berg has created a movie that looks as if more, far more money, was spent on it than that. Because at times it looks truly beautiful. It helps that the location is genuinely stunning on occasion, but it still has to be well lit, photographed, filmed and edited to be effective - and the makers of The Invoking do just that in a way that belies the actual amount it cost to produce.  It looks and sounds wonderful.

I can't lie and say that this is a flawless piece of Psychological horror, because it's not, the acting from some of the cast is less than effective. 

On the one hand  the two main players, Miller and Midili are excellent and more than hold the film together, with D'Angelo Midili's performance in particular being something of a revelation and definitely on the 'destined for grand things' list. 

The excellent D'Angelo Midili.

His role as the mysterious caretaker could easily have been 'hammed up' to levels of cliche and caricature, however a performance of measured understatement is instead on show. The problem is that the quality of acting from the rest of the cast at best doesn't quite measure up to the two leads, at  its worst at times it is downright poor. Far be it from me to single out one particular performance as being bad, but one of the actors obvious attempt at being wacky and quirky is simply too over the top and and at times completely distracted my attention from whichever scene they're in. 

The Invoking hasn't completely reinvented the wheel or transformed the genre, I doubt that was ever the intention of Jeremy Berg and his crew. However, what he and the rest of his team have created is a wonderfully subtle, intelligent, beautiful and at times chilling tale that may indeed seem familiar at first glance. It is though, far more than that and it works wonderfully well. It's not just a good film, it is simply excellent.

The Invoking is due for its UK release on DVD on 12th May 2014.

Image Entertainment is a relatively new label from RLJ Entertainment which was launched here in the UK in January 2014, as the UK arm of the thriving Image Entertainment US label, with an exciting new range of sci-fi action, thriller and horror genre films selected from the US schedule.