Indie Spotlight

We're back with the latest edition of the Indie Spotlight. Today's feature includes a zombie short film, a new trailer for Cell Count, independent genre comics, zombie soap, and more.

Zombie Short Film "Spoiler": You've seen Daniel Thron's visual effects work on Zodiac, Tron: Legacy, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and many other films. He has also written and directed a short film which we have for you to watch:

"Ten years ago, a zombie-like infection almost tore our society apart -- but the CDC managed to bring it under control and in the process created a massive national infrastructure to prevent future outbreaks. Over time, the world has returned to near-normal -- but people still live in fear; and many pay to live in 'protected' complexes, designed to quarantine and resolve any outbreak.

Coroner Tommy Rossman has one job -- determine the strain, and if anyone inside can survive it. If not, he signs the death certificates that will allow the complex to automatically sterilize the room and everyone inside -- even if they still seem human. The team can't open the door without risking exposure, so Tommy has to rely on his best guess -- and his greatest fear is that he will make the call to incinerate someone he could've saved."

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Acedia Announced: "Joe Ciminera will return with another un-scripted, game changing horror film titled Acedia, which will begin production the summer of 2012.

Acedia is set at a psychiatric hospital serving as the site of a medical experiment for a truth serum being tested on twelve disturbed patients suffering from amnesia. At the hospital, Dr. Eric Sullivan begins to experience a series of disturbing visions, which coincide with the admittance of Victoria, a 17-year-old patient who recently murdered her father. The drama in Acedia continues as Dr. Eric Sullivan and Victoria drift deeper into the abyss, as the truth serum begins to uncover the patient’s dark pasts.

Ciminera was the writer/director/star of the micro-budget horror film "Purification," which won a handful of awards and praise throughout the US. Purification is currently being distributed by Worldwide Distributors, Vanguard Cinemas and the Blairwood Entertainment group. It's due to hit DVD and VOD this September."

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Zombie Soap: Want to hide your scent from zombies during an outbreak? You might want to think about zombie soap: "The Apocalypse is here! The earthy scent tricks the Zombies which will enable you to keep your brains. Unless you are in politics then there is nothing we can do for you, good luck!

The CDC denies their existence but that is what they say about Roswell New Mexico too. You can never be too careful and while you are here don't forget to buy one for friends and family. Just the ones you want to survive. We provide each bar with a Toe Tag that you can personalize yourself."

To check it out for yourself, visit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/101238135/zombie-soap

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Clip from Last Days: Andrew Jara's Last Days has been selected as part of the 2012 Fright Night Film Festival, taking place on June 29 - July 1.

"Last Days' strives to tell a more realistic version of the zombie film by focusing on the human side of a post-apocalyptic plague. When the virus hit, John (Mark Ocedgueda) lost everything: his friends, his family, and his future. Only the presence of Michael (Algernon D'Ammassa), another survivor and his protector, kept him from giving up. Nine months later, things are looking bleak as they begin to run out of supplies, and are constantly assailed by an horrific threat that lurks in the cover of night. When they come unexpectedly upon Karina (Marcelle Bowman), another survivor, the three of them are caught in a conflict far worse than they could've imagined."

To watch the clip for yourself, visit: https://vimeo.com/37567322

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Bleeding Ink Comics: We thought readers might be interested in checking out the following independent genre comics from Bleeding Ink:

Sensory Distortion- Within this 88 page horror graphic novel, a group of college kids in New Mexico that take a Native American drug that unlocks deepest deepest fears. Each of the college students must face their fear or else it will consume them. Can a teenager and his grandfather from the local Indian reservation find them and save them in time? Or will their fear consume them?

War Zone- War Zone is a story about Johnny, an ex-marine that is suffering from post traumatic stress and has become a methamphetamine addict. He and his best friend Ray get involved in a drug deal gone bad and Johnny barely makes it out alive. The incident triggers an outbreak with his post traumatic stress and Johnny begins to hear voices telling him to seek revenge on the drug dealers and the corrupt cops of the town. He tries not to listen but they begin to take control.

Chapel- Chapel's a cop that is good at one thing, Killing Robots. In this noir style comic, Chapel does whatever he has to do to find and dismantle machines that may harm humanity.

Demigods- Demigods takes aspects of what it means to be a super hero and mixes it with heavy sci-fi elements. In a future where super heroes are designed there’s a compound that houses teenagers with super powers. Once the teens discover they are nothing more than weapons being trained to enforce a police state they turn on the ones that raised them and are forced to fight for their very lives.

Learn more about these titles or pick them up for yourself at: http://graphicly.com/bleeding-ink-productions

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New Trailer for Cell Count: "Russell Carpenter reluctantly admits his wife Sadie into an experimental treatment facility for her life threatening disease. While locked in this prison like surrounding they, along with 6 others, are unknowingly subjected to a cure that might just be worse than the disease itself."

Wooden Frame Productions is in negotiations to bring Cell Count to a Worldwide audience by the end of the year including all digital platforms, VOD, as well as cable television. Find out more and learn about upcoming festival dates at: http://cellcount-themovie.com

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The Hospital: "Allied Horror and Lazy Donkey films are moving full steam ahead on their new horror project THE HOSPITAL, which has been generating quite a bit of buzz in the media. This brutal film that craftily combines the slasher and paranormal genres has added quite an impressive cast list of horror veterans with a mixture of newcomers, including John Dugan (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), Scott Tepperman (GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL), Daniel Emery Taylor (RETURN OF SWAMP THING), Jim O’Rear (THE DEAD MATTER), Jason Crowe (DEAD MOON RISING), Christina Schimmel (AMERICAN PIE), G. Larry Butler (FRANKENSTEIN VS THE MONSTER FROM BLOOD COVE), Fangoria Magazine’s 2011 Scream Queen Of The Year Melanie Contreras, Megan Hunt (THE BASEMENT TAPES), and many more.

For those who missed the previous report on this exciting project, the story is this… Old St. Leopold's Hospital has many urban legends surrounding it, but the residents of Bridgeport all agree on one thing: tortured souls roam its abandoned halls. The mystery proves too much for a pretty young student who decides to investigate for her senior class project. Unfortunately, she does not find ghosts. She, instead, finds Stanley... serial rapist, murderer, and psychopath. As the young girl becomes Stanley's new pet, a team of young investigators descend on the hospital to "hunt some ghosts." Stanley sees nothing but fun and games in his future. But, what Stanley does not know is that the hospital truly is haunted and the restless spirits there are not happy with what he has been doing."

Learn more about The Hospital at: http://www.facebook.com/SIBpresentsThehospital

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First Trailer for Treasure Chest of Horror II: "From Executive Producer's James Cullen Bressack and Jarret Cohen at Psykik Junky Pictures and directors Doug Waugh, Shawn C. Phillips, and Alex Powers comes this HORROR ANTHOLOGY starring Penthouse Pet Veronica Ricci (Bloody Mary 3D) Shawn C. Phillips (Don & Murph), Joseph Frantz (CKY & VIVA LA BAM), and Miles Dougal (Detroit Rock City & Chillerama)

The anthology is hosted by Mona Screamalot (Veronica Ricci). Prepare yourself for party killers, Giant Killer Babies, Satan, A angry murderous child, A bacterial infection like no other, a murderous cross dresser and A ton of that redstuff we know you all love! The Film is currently looking for distribution and just finished post-production."

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First Poster for Witchfinder: Daredevil Films has released the first teaser poster for their upcoming short horror film, Witchfinder.

"In a small cabin in the woods... something evil is rising. A lovesick villager sets in motion a horrifying sequence of events when he seeks out a rural witch to cast a spell upon an unsuspecting village girl."

Witchfinder stars Dave Juehring (What They Say, Afraid of Sunrise) as William Thatcher Blake, witchfinder; Valerie Meachum (Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer, Rose White) as The Witch; Travis Worthey (Raven's Hollow) as John Hawthorne; and Chloe Konieczki as Mary Blake. Witchfinder is the first live action short from writer/director Colin Clarke, director of Raven's Hollow and Frankenstein vs the Wolfman 3D.

The project will being filming in November and you can learn more at: http://daredevilfilms.net/witchfinder