Horror Highlights: SMILING WOMAN & More Horror Short Films, Travel Channel’s GHOSTOBER, MURDER IN THE WOODS

SMILING Woman and Other Short Horror Films from Alex Magaña: "Last Halloween I entered an under 3 minute horror short film contest. I lost, but since it's release, my short "Smiling Woman" has passed 2 million views on YouTube! Seeing the way people have reacted to it and the positive feed back inspired me to make more horror short films. It's been tough with the quarantine and COVID-19 but I've been finding creative ways to work and stay safe, such as filming out in the woods where we'd be away from people, writing scripts with a small cast and keeping to a 2-3 person crew. Starting July 15th, I have released an under 3 minute horror short film every Wednesday and will continue to do so.

I've been shooting skits ever since my dad let me use his camcorder as a teenager. I went to film school in Washington State and after graduating in 2009, I re-located to Los Angeles. My main work has been in the soul, R&B, hip-hop and rap music world where I've produced, directed, filmed and edited over 200 music videos, several of which have aired on MTV, BET and vh1 networks. In my spare time, I've produced, written, directed, filmed and edited three 8 episode web-series, comedy skits, short films and 4 feature films (the feature films are available to stream on Amazon Prime, Tubi TV, Google Play and iTunes).

After "Smiling Woman" I realized how much I enjoy the horror genre and how much of a fan I am of it. Some of my best music videos have been horror themed, I use to write horror stories as a kid and I'm a big fan of horror films and dark comedy. Not to mention, the horror community has been amazing! They've been very supportive of all of my horror shorts thus far and I'm excited to see what they think of my work to come. My plan for the future is to continue to do horror shorts, they're great practice and help me test concepts, develop some of them into feature films and create content that inspires people. I want to make films that people feel connected to and will create their own art from."

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Travel Channel Announces its GHOSTTOBER Event: "NEW YORK – (September 14, 2020) This might just be the year to buy lots of extra candy and settle in for “Ghostober,” Travel Channel’s third annual paranormal programming event. No need to leave the house when Halloween reigns all month long, taking viewers on spine-chilling adventures to the other side – where tales of poltergeists, ghostly creatures, demons and even a few legends will keep you company. Filled with a creepy mix of buzzy new specials, boldfaced names and returning favorites, “Ghostober” has all the thrills and chills on lockdown.

While we are all living with many unknowns, Travel Channel conjures up over-the-top specials exploring the very topic of the real unknown.  While paranormal programming is scheduled throughout October, Ghostober culminates with “7 Nights of Fright.” The top 20 of the world’s spookiest unexplained videos kickstarts the week on Sunday, October 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with the two-hour countdown “Paranormal Caught on Camera: Top 100.” Included in this week’s lineup of supersized specials are new Shock Docs focusing on two of our nation’s most terrifying tales of horror – “Amityville Horror House,” premiering on Monday, October 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and “The Exorcism of Roland Doe,” premiering on Tuesday, October 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Then, fans will celebrate the season with many of Travel Channel’s talent featured in the new “Shock Docs” tell-all holiday special, “This is Halloween,” premiering Wednesday, October 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. 

As the calendar creeps closer to All Hallows’ Eve, we crank up the terror with over-the-top tricks and treats. In the two-hour special, “Ghost Adventures: Horror at Joe Exotic Zoo,” premiering Thursday, October 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Zak Bagans and the “Ghost Adventures” crew go inside the infamous Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park to investigate sinister accounts of ghostly activity. The special is then followed by the Season Two return of “The Holzer Files,” reopening famed ghost hunter Hans Holzer’s original case files, at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

The goosebumps continue with a sneak peek of the new season of “Portals to Hell,” starring Katrina Weidman and Jack Osbourne, on Friday, October 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The duo investigates what might just be the most haunted place in all of Connecticut. And then, in a special two-hour holiday treat, the whole Osbourne family joins in on the fun. Adamant on truly living up to their position as America’s first family of darkness, Jack Osbourne takes Ozzy, Sharon and Kelly on their first-ever paranormal investigation in “The Osbournes: Night of Terror,” premiering at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Not only are they going to hunt ghosts together … but they’re going to love it.

Travel Channel wraps up “Ghostober” on Halloween night with the ultimate series crossover featuring superstar paranormal investigators from two of the network’s hit shows, “Ghost Nation” and “Kindred Spirits.” The ghost-hunting teams reunite for the first time in nearly a decade to explore frightening activity inside an illustrious Newport, Rhode Island, mansion in “Ghost Nation: Reunion in Hell,” premiering Saturday, October 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. And the programming event bows with a chilling new episode of “Destination Fear” on Saturday, October 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, where the team will spend a terrifying night inside the abandoned Old Crow Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

“Halloween is Travel Channel’s Superbowl, and with more people at home than ever before, we plan to deliver an over-the-top slate of original programming. We are the only network super-serving this mega popular genre to its superfans, featuring the superstars of the paranormal field and beyond,” said Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel.

The “Ghostober” 2020 celebration is back on TravelChannel.com and Travel Channel’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Fans can check out exclusive content from their favorite shows, a new exclusive web series, “Up Close & Paranormal,” with the cast of “Ghost Nation” and “Kindred Spirits,” behind-the-scene videos, cast interviews, photos and more.  Viewers can also stream a variety of Travel Channel’s series, including past seasons of “Ghost Adventures,” on the Travel Channel Go app.

Included in this year’s Halloween lineup are some of the wildest, zaniest and scariest specials and series:

NEW SPECIALS

“AMITYVILLE HORROR HOUSE” (Two-Hour Shock Docs Special)

Premieres Monday, October 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

In 1977, the book, “The Amityville Horror,” was published and caused a sensation. The subsequent 1979 film adaptation was a surprise box office hit. Today, it is the quintessential American horror story based on true events – family moves into their dream house in an all-American town and experiences the most terrifying demonic haunting imaginable. Demon possession, demon attacks, a portal to hell – it was a situation so dire, even the church couldn’t help them. Through archival footage and re-creations, our film presents the harrowing true story of Ronald DeFeo, who murdering his entire family in the Amityville house, and the 28 days the Lutz family lived there. A rare, archival interview with George Lutz, describing the final, terrifying night in the Amityville house, is revealed for the first time. #AmityvilleHorrorHouseTrvl

“THE EXORCISM OF ROLAND DOE” (Two-Hour Shock Docs Special)

Premieres Tuesday, October 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

In 1973, “The Exorcist” shocked moviegoers. Overnight, the sinister presence of satanic evil seemed frighteningly real for millions of Americans. Archival footage shows audience members frightened out of their wits – and literally out of their seats. Some in the audience ran out of the theatre; others got physically ill or couldn’t sleep for weeks. Through rare archival footage, this shock doc will feature the cultural impact of the horror movie and explore the story of Roland Doe, the chilling true story behind “The Exorcist.” And for the first time on television, an investigator will expose a shocking secret and possible cover-up in the real-life exorcist case of Roland Doe. #ExorcismofRolandDoeTrvl

“THIS IS HALLOWEEN” (Two-Hour Shock Docs Special)

Premieres Wednesday, October 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Halloween is a time to indulge our darkest fears and live out our wildest fantasies. For those who like the spooky side of life, it’s become a yearly event. In the two-hour Shock Docs installment, “This is Halloween,” Travel Channel’s paranormal experts share their best Halloween stories in a nostalgic look back at everyone’s favorite haunted holiday. From creepy costumes to the scariest pranks they’ve ever pulled, it’s a sweet and spooky trip down memory lane. #ThisisHalloweenTrvl

“GHOST ADVENTURES: HORROR AT JOE EXOTIC ZOO” (Two-Hour Special)

Premieres Thursday, October 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The dramatic saga of Joe Exotic and his Wynnewood, Oklahoma, zoo captivated audiences and became a global phenomenon. Now, Zak Bagans and the “Ghost Adventures” crew are once again breaking new ground with the first-ever paranormal investigation inside Joe Exotic’s Greater Wynnewood Animal Park. For years, the park staff have claimed the zoo is haunted. In this two-hour special, “Ghost Adventures: Horror at Joe Exotic Zoo,” the team examines claims of sinister activity and tortured spirits believed to lurk in the shadows of a park tainted by tragic events like deadly fires and accidental shootings. Could these incidents have opened a mysterious portal to the other side? The team is prepared to confront these dark spirits as they attempt to gather evidence as to who, or what, is haunting this park. #GhostAdventures

“PORTALS TO HELL” (One-Hour Sneak Peek)

“Frightmare in Connecticut”

Premieres Friday, October 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

“THE OSBOURNES: NIGHT OF TERROR” (Two-Hour Special)

Premieres Friday, October 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

In the new special “The Osbournes: Night of Terror,” the Osbourne family – Jack, Kelly, Ozzy and Sharon – are going on their first-ever paranormal investigation together! The First Family of Darkness are in for real chills with a ghost hunt inside Los Angeles’ historical Heritage Square, a collection of horrifying, active haunted houses believed to be the most haunted hotspot in the area and never before been investigated for TV. As Jack and Kelly go deep into the night to investigate prolific spirit activity, Ozzy and Sharon monitor the action from basecamp. Terrifying encounters aside – of which there are plenty – in true Osbourne fashion, there’s a never a dull moment. With Kelly and Jack on the front lines of the investigation confronting unexplained disturbances, skeptics Ozzy and Sharon provide lively feedback and guidance hoping to mitigate the paranormal danger their kids are sure to face. It’s a family fright night like no other. Not only are they going to hunt ghosts together…but they’re going to love it. #OsbournesNightOfTerror

“GHOST NATION: REUNION IN HELL” (Two-Hour Crossover Special With Amy Bruni and Adam Berry From “Kindred Spirits”)

Premieres Saturday, October 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

In this spine-tingling, two-hour Halloween special, “Ghost Nation” stars Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango are calling in their old paranormal pals, Amy Bruni and Adam Berry of “Kindred Spirits,” to reopen a case that has taken a sinister turn. Seaview Terrace is the 40,000-square-foot Rhode Island mansion famous for being featured on the TV show “Dark Shadows,” but the owners were shocked to find out that a recent visitor – a self-proclaimed warlock – had performed some sort of blasphemous ceremony in the house. Now, they’re experiencing a shift in the mansion’s energy, unleashing something more menacing. The team scours 100 years of history to discover a notoriously patchwork past, filled with lavish high society parties and possibly a scandalous murder. #GhostNation and #KindredSpirits

NEW SEASONS

“GHOST NATION”

Premieres Saturday, October 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango are back for more adventures to the other side in all new episodes of “Ghost Nation.” The locations have bigger mysteries, are more chilling and have never been investigated on television. And they are calling in an old friend for some help – paranormal investigator Shari DeBenedetti. With the help of their local contacts, they embed themselves in the community, conducting multi-day investigations in an effort to track down the true source of hauntings and restore peace to the living. They’ll do whatever it takes to entice the ghost into telling its story and stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the paranormal phenomena. (Two-hour Halloween special and 13 one-hour episodes) #GhostNation

“DESTINATION FEAR”

Premieres Saturday, October 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

Buckle up for more fright-fueled episodes of “Destination Fear” – a haunted road trip turned terrifying sleepover. Brother and sister duo, Dakota Laden and Chelsea Laden, and best friend Tanner Wiseman, along with camera operator Alex Schroeder, confront their fears, as they pile into their RV and hit the road on a nail-biting cross-country journey to pursue paranormal evidence, spending the night inside America’s most haunted abandoned buildings. Lured by the unknown and with a greater understanding of fear, the crew explores a whole new set of abandoned locations with grim histories – this time the destinations remain a surprise, not just to Chelsea and Tanner, but to Dakota as well. In the premiere episode, Dakota leads Chelsea, Tanner and Alex to Saratoga County Homestead Hospital, a decaying sanitarium in upstate New York, where some patient corpses were unclaimed due to a flu pandemic. Screams and darting shadows play mind games with the team as they struggle to pin the activity on the living or the dead. (Seven one-hour episodes)

“THE HOLZER FILES”

Premieres Thursday, October 29 at 11 p.m. ET/PT

After a groundbreaking freshman run, “The Holzer Files” returns with all-new investigations from the trail of John Wilkes Booth in Maryland to a serial killer in Ohio. Led by investigator Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and equipment technician Shane Pittman, “The Holzer Files” investigates terrifying true hauntings from the recently discovered case files of America’s first ghost hunter, Dr. Hans Holzer. Recognized as the “father of the paranormal,” Holzer’s legendary four-decade exploration into disturbing hauntings like the Amityville Horror house helped spawn legions of supernatural enthusiasts, more than 120 books and even inspired Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis to write “Ghostbusters.” Now, with the help of Holzer’s daughter, Alexandra Holzer, Travel Channel exclusively reopens Holzer’s most captivating case files – digging into thousands of documents, letters, photographs and chilling audio and visual recordings dating back to the 1950s. (13 one-hour episodes) #HolzerFiles

NEW EPISODES

“GHOST ADVENTURES: SCREAMING ROOM”

New Episodes: Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Paranormal investigators Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Jay Wasley and Billy Tolley open up to viewers as they’ve never done before in “Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room.” The guys are kicking back in their screening room to watch their favorite episodes of the hit series and get candid with fans – and each other – about their craziest experiences over the past decade. Away from the haunted locations we usually see them in, with no equipment or investigations, the crew relives some of the most terrifying, shocking and even comedic moments from their career, as they re-watch their most memorable investigations with never-before-heard stories from the moments that created a legacy. (One-hour episodes) #GhostAdventures

“PARANORMAL CAUGHT ON CAMERA: TOP 100”

New Episodes: Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT With Two-hour Finale on Sunday, October 25^th 

Travel Channel’s hit series, “Paranormal Caught on Camera,” is counting down the top 100 paranormal encounters of all time. This eye-opening compilation features the most compelling evidence, expert analysis and eyewitness accounts ever documented including: Bigfoot, UFOs, aliens, poltergeists, ghosts and a whole lot more. Seeing is believing. The countdown begins September 27. (One-hour episodes) #ParanormalCaughtOnCamera

ABOUT TRAVEL CHANNEL

For the bold, daring and spontaneous; those adventurers who embrace the thrill of the unexpected; those risk-takers who aren’t afraid of a little mystery; if you’re up for anything, down for whatever, and above all, love great stories, journey on to Travel Channel. We’re more than you expect and everything you didn’t know you were looking for. Reaching more than 79 million U.S. cable homes, Travel Channel is the world’s leading travel media brand. Fans also can visit Travel Channel for more information or interact with other fans through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Travel Channel is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories, whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network."

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MURDER IN THE WOODS on VOD / Digital: "MURDER IN THE WOODS is centered on a group of college friends who plan a getaway to celebrate a birthday party at a desolate cabin in the woods. Against his grandmother’s (Soledad St. Hilaire) demands, Jesse (José Julián), a loner-type decides to go on a trip with his friends. He is immediately smitten with Fernanda (Jeanette Samano), a sweet girl from Chicago whom he hasn’t seen in years. She is in town visiting her loudmouth cousin, Chelsea (Chelsea Rendon), who is ready to celebrate her birthday and plans to let loose with her boyfriend Gabe (Jordan Diambrini). Tagging along at the last second are Jule (Kade Wise), the class clown pothead, and the very out-of-his-league Celeste (Catherine Toribio). Soon after arriving to the mysterious cabin in the woods, the group of teens discover the dark secret it holds, which forces them to fight for their lives."

Directed and produced by Mexican filmmaker Luis Iga Garza (The Call) and produced by Yelyna De León (Will and Grace, A Better Life), the enjoyable thriller stars a multicultural cast in non-stereotypical roles, including José Julián (A Better Life, Shameless), Jeanette Samano (ISA, Female Fight Squad), Chelsea Rendon (Vida, Bright), Catherine Toribio (Jane the Virgin), Jordan Diambrini (The Outfield) and Kade Wise (Empire), with Danny Trejo (Machete).

MURDER IN THE WOODS is available on Digital/VOD nationwide on Sept. 18. The slasher film will be available on retailers such as FandangoNOW, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Video, and more.