A message from the editor
The Indie Digital Buzz is a new feature from Monsters at Play and Horrorview that allows our readers to get the inside scoop straight from the source in the world of indie horror. I felt that indie horror was an untapped medium and not given the proper respect it surely deserves. Yes, there are those indie horror flicks out there that are slapped together in a heartbeat and passed off as quality cinema, while they remain complete and utter garbage. Then there are those who really enjoy the craft of filmmaking and pour their heart, sweat and tears into each production. Most of these people work normal 9-5 jobs and make movies on the weekend as a hobby. They spend little money on these flicks and they make little money from them, but the films speak for themselves. I felt our readers could benefit from some inside knowledge including anecdotes from the indie movie set and info on upcoming titles that may be of interest. I hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as I have. Expect to see 3 or 4 of these a month, enjoy!

...and don't forget, Beware the Monsters!!!
Lawrence P. Raffel, Editor-in-Chief, Monsters at Play

Introduction
The idea of this column is to bring to light some of the great independent movies that are coming to DVD. Now when I say independent, I am not talking about movies that were financed by Tom Hanks or Drew Barrymore or any other high profile celebrity. No, none of these. I am talking about the people who slave over a script for months or years, finance the project them selves or through family and friends, shoot it themselves, and sometimes act in the project. These titles have budgets that would not even cover catering on one day of a Hollywood movie. A typical budget on a true independent project could range from $100 to $500,000 and they've been shot on anything from VHS to 35mm film. The thing that sets these movies apart is the amount of love, blood, sweat, tears and dedication that goes into an independent production. The hard work is evident when the finished project is viewed.

A lot of these great movies are coming or are already out on DVD. I have an inside track to quite a few of these titles and I really hope to open some eyes and draw in new fans to these fantastically entertaining movies.

There have been great strides made in recent years in the distribution of these titles. Sub Rosa Studios has been able to get titles like these all over the world and in many major retail stores. The Internet and sites like Monsters at Play are another major reason why indie movies are gaining popularity at a terrific rate. These factors coupled with the fact that the current slew of indie moviemakers grew up in the age of the camcorder make the recipe of success definite.

I have 15 years experience in the independent movie scene. I have performed the duties of everything from grip to director. Each week I would like to share a story with you about my time in the scene. This story may be about something that happened on the set or during any stage of the production process. I feel as if I have a lot to share with budding filmmakers and fans in general. In addition to my story I will also bring to light a few of the great indie titles that are on DVD.

A Story from the Set: The Greenhouse Effect
Indie filmmakers have ZERO money!! A lot of the times they have to borrow money, houses, barns, fields, lights, actors, vehicles, food, and even a camera. I borrowed all of the above when shooting a movie this past summer called THE UNDERTOW. Most of the shoot was on water, in canoes. We were shooting this movie on a borrowed SONY VX1000 DV camera. We had borrowed it from another independent movie studio here in St. Louis. The nice people at BULLET PEN PRODUCTIONS were kind enough to let us use their camera all summer long. I almost ruined their camera!

When writing the outline and story for THE UNDERTOW, I decided that it would be super cool to have some underwater shots. I wanted death scenes and just general frolicking in the waters. This would add production value to the movie. The first problem was finding an underwater housing to fit the SONY VX1000 camera that we would be BORROWING. Eric Stanze and I searched the internet for days looking for a good deal. We found camera housings on ebay that ranged anywhere from $600 to $2500. Way, way too much! It looked as if my desire to have underwater shots in THE UNDERTOW was going to be left as just a desire and not a reality. Then I found a different style housing that was made just for the camera that we would be borrowing. And it was only $300! PERFECT! We bought the housing and had it shipped to us immediately. We had lots of testing we wanted to do to be sure that we would NOT ruin the borrowed camera we were using. We tested it in a bathtub, completely submerged in water. No leaks! What a great find!

We had another obstacle to overcome if we were to get the underwater shots. How were we going to hold our breath long enough to get effective shots? Well, luckily enough we had a certified scuba diver, Mark W. Kettler in the crew. He just so happened to have all of his own gear. Problem solved! All that is left is getting the shots.

The day of shooting was upon us. We had everything, a perfectly working camera housing, and a certified scuba diver. Mark brought an extra wet suit and gear for Eric Stanze, who was operating camera. Now it was time to put it all to the test.

We set all of the actors in place and then Eric and Mark entered the water. After a few tries we were getting all the shots we wanted. Everything was working out great. We decided to stop and make sure that the footage was turning out okay and to see if any adjustments were needed to the camera to assure good shots. We pulled the camera out of the water then pulled the camera out of the camera housing. The shots were looking good. We then placed the camera back into the housing and sealed it back up. Eric and Mark were set to re-enter the water and continue the shoot. Then it happened…THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT! When we pulled the camera out of the housing, a few drops of water from one of our hands must have dripped into the housing. When we placed the camera back into the housing, the moisture coupled with the hot sun resulted in steam filling the housing. The moisture also entered into the guts of the camera and the camera stopped working. The rest of the shooting day was ruined and, potentially, so was this borrowed camera. And it was not because of the housing or anything we did wrong - it was because of the freakin' greenhouse effect!

We had to send that camera off to SONY to get fixed. Luckily we had insurance to cover the cost. We then had to borrow a different camera to continue shooting the following weekend. We borrowed the second camera from 88MM PRODUCTIONS, another independent studio in the area. The head of 88MM was also an actor in THE UNDERTOW. The next weekend we went back to the same location with another borrowed camera and yes, we tried again! We felt as though the shots underwater were important enough to risk ruining another camera! So, with the owner of the camera on set nervously pacing back and forth on the shore of the river, we did it again. But this time we did it correctly! No greenhouse! So, if you ever use such a waterproof camera housing, do not open it and then close it again! Keep it closed tight until you're done for the day!

The original camera came back from SONY in perfect working order and everyone lived happily everafter.

This weeks featured title(s):
Enjoy dark demented humor? Enjoy cornball humor? If yes then you will enjoy both of the featured titles. Barak Epstein's demented super hero comedy, CORNMAN: AMERICAN VEGETABLE HERO and the slasher comedy from SUB ROSA EXTREME, THE CHRISTMAS SEASON MASSACRE.

CORNMAN: AMERICAN VEGETABLE HERO

Synopsis from the back of the box:
A laughable loser stumbles onto a bucket of toxic waste in a cornfield and gains the ability to communicate with corn. He obtains the sidekicks and spandex necessary to become a superhero and vows to protect the corn from the evil villain Dr. Hoe. The one-armed-hoe-bad-guy enlists the aid of a giant mutant-hybrid-freak and several crappy foot soldiers in an attempt to dominate ALL THE CORN IN THE WORLD! Only CORNMAN: AMERICAN VEGATABLE HERO can save the day!

Directed by: Barak Epstein

Run time: 72 minutes

Layer format: DVD-9

Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo

Picture Quality: The image is crisp and VERY clean. A small bit of picture distortion from either the edit or film transfer, but overall, a very nice viewing experience.

Facts: Even though TROMA lost the bidding war for the rights to this movie to SUB ROSA STUDIOS, TROMA's head honcho, Lloyd Kauffman , still wanted to do the introduction to the movie.

Extras: Two different audio commentary tracks, preview trailers, deleted scenes, footage from behind the scenes, and a special appearance by TROMA head honcho, Lloyd Kauffman.

Easter eggs: DVD credits. Hidden preview trailer.

What the critics are saying:

Winner: Best Comedy
-Deep Ellum Film Fest

"…delivers more action, laughs and cheap special effects than any other corn superhero movie has before!"
The MicrocineFest

"A weird, crude little gem."
-Austin Chronicle Review

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON MASSACRE

Synopsis from the back of the box:
Tommy is a loser. He wears a pirate eye-patch, a Christmas gift he was given as a child. It is a symbol of the humiliation Tommy endured in high school. Tommy was the subject of so much torment from his classmates that he became a bloodthirsty maniac! Tommy disappeared, vowing to eventually slay all of his schoolyard tormentors. Over the years, he has slaughtered all but six of them. Now, these six former schoolmates unite to end Tommy's reign of terror. Will they put Tommy six feet under? Or will Tommy win by slicing and dicing the six remaining on his victim list? Watch as knife blades, shotguns, ice picks, and chainsaws create crimson mayhem in this blood-drenched slasher comedy!

Directed by: Jeremy Wallace

Run time: 72 minutes

Layer format: DVD-9

Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo

Picture Quality: The movie was shot on digital video and it holds up excellently in the encoding. The image is clear and the DVD was authored perfectly.

Facts: This was the directorial debut from the producer of SCRAPBOOK and ICE FROM THE SUN.

Extras: Two commentary tracks, two behind the scenes featurettes, preview trailers, and a bonus short movie called FRANK WANG : THE VENGEANCE.

Easter eggs: Music videos

What the critics are saying:

"From the over the top stereotypical characters to the brilliant theme music that constantly introduces the killer, CHRISTMAS SEASON MASSACRE screams parody done right."
-Monstersatplay.com

"…short, to the point, and with plenty of bite, just like a rabid Doberman puppy."
-Sleazegrinder.com

"…I started laughing, and barely stopped for the entire 70 minute running time of this film."
-Horroview.com

"MASSACRE gets a firm grasp on those slasher film conventions that best deserve to be skewered and runs with them."
-FILM THREAT Magazine

That completes this edition of the Digital Indie Buzz!