The Real House in the filming of The Amityville Horror

from ContactMusic.com

The creepy house which inspired 1979 movie THE AMITYVILLE HORROR is up for sale.

The five-bedroom property, situated in Long Island, New York, was the scene of a grisly multiple murder in 1974 which saw six members of the DeFeo family killed as they slept. Eldest son Ronald DeFeo, Jr. was later convicted of the killings.

The film, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder, was based on the story of a family who moved into the house after the murders, and went on to allegedly witness paranormal activities.

And now horror fans have the chance to own the infamous house – it was put up for sale on May10 for $1.15 million (£766,667).

Amityville Horror - 1979 - staring James Brolin and Margot Kidder

Joss Whedon and Morgan Spurlock

by Blair Marnell – MTV News

Back in February, word began to spread that “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon and Morgan Spurlock were joining forces to create a documentary about the San Diego Comic-Con International. And apparently, they won’t be alone.

Stan Lee

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Whedon and Spurlock will produce “Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan’s Hope” along with legendary comic book creator Stan Lee and Ain’t it Cool News founder Harry Knowles. Thomas Tull and Jeremy Chilnick are also on board as producers.

The film reportedly follows seven fans from around the world as they prepare to attend this year’s Comic-Con. It is currently scheduled to begin shooting in June and will also be filmed in San Diego during the annual fest.

Spurlock is best known for his documentary “Super-Size Me” and has previously filmed a portion of “The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special” at last year’s show. Spurlock (says) his experiences at the convention helped lead to this current project.

“It was such an overwhelming experience for me, and I soon found out that I was not alone,” Spurlock told the trade. “So for me to get to share the experience of Comic-Con with fans all over the world will be an incredible opportunity.”

“We look forward to capturing the spirit, energy and people that Comic-Con has infused into legions of fans, bringing these audiences and projects out of the Halls and onto a world stage,” added Tull.

San Diego Comic-Con International is one of the largest conventions of its kind in the world and in the past few years has become a massive staging ground for the larger world of pop culture, films, TV and video games.

The great folks at MovieMaker Magazine put together a list for us!

ACTION ON FILM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL  is an industry and moviemaker/writer favorite. Huge prize packages, awards, major celebrities and industry insiders make the AOF Fest a “must enter” for new and established voices in independent moviemaking, in both short and feature lengths. Drama, comedy, action, experimental, music videos and romance are genres the fest loves to showcase. AOF was voted one of the top “25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine. Enter now by visiting http://www.aoffest.com. Festival runs July 23-30, 2010 in Pasadena CA. Free MovieMaker subscription to first 50 entries with “MM” on entry envelope. Thanks you!

BIG BEAR LAKE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL & SCREENWRITING COMPETITION – September 17-19, 2010 – http://www.bigbearlakefilmfestival.com – Offers independent features, shorts, student films, high school films, animation, documentaries, family films, screenwriting competition, panels/seminars and a pitchfest. The fest presents honorary awards to professionals in the film industry and has lots of networking opportunities for moviemakers. E-mail: bigbearfilmfest@aol.com; Deadlines: May 5th (Film); April 7th (Screenplay).

FIRSTGLANCE FILM FEST PHILADELPHIA TWENTYTEN is calling for entries from filmmakers from across the globe for our October 14-17 2010 festival. Shorts, features, docs, animation, student, music videos, Webisode pilots, local Philly produced and, launching in 2010, the first-ever KidFest—for kid and family-friendly indie films and animation, to be showcased the entire month of October at The Franklin Institute during museum hours. FirstGlance has successfully entered the online film fest market offering both a real world event and an online event. With over $50,000 in prizes annually and a new sliding scale cash prize of $5000.00 cash for every 1000 entries, and online distribution offered to all short content selected features to be represented at Cannes or AFM. FirstGlance is the premiere truly indie film festival in North America. Named one of the “Best Film Festival Investments” by Moviemaker Magazine. www.firstglancefilms.com Deadline For Entries: MAY 13 2010

Call for entries is now open for the WILLIAMSBURG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (WILLiFEST). WILLiFEST spotlights independent moviemakers from around the world. The fest encourages you to submit your work and join them in New York City for a professional, fun-filled festival of screenings, Q&As, panels, networking opportunities and after-parties. WILLiFEST takes place from September 23 – 26, 2010 throughout north Brooklyn, New York City. This year offers film and screenplay competitions. Deadlines: April 24th (early bird); June 26th (regular); July 17th (late). See http://www.willifest.com for submission details or submit through Withoutabox.com.

Anne Lu – AllHeadlines.com

Hertfordshier, United Kingdom (AHN) – “Harry Potter” may have cast a little too much spell on Friday as a fire broke out on the set of the boy wizard’s latest film. Production on the set of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” was halted when the blaze at the Leavesden Studios destroyed an outdoor set on Friday night.

According to Coventry Telegraph, explosives were set off during the filming of the Battle of Hogwarts scene, where a mocked-up castle made of timber, steel and plastic was involved.

It took 40 minutes to bring the flames under control. No one was injured but the set was destroyed.

A source told the website, “We were shooting the scenes where Hogwarts gets blown up during the battle. But fire managed to catch hold of the set and it went up in flames. It was completely out of control at one point.”

The estimated cost of damage is $150,000.

Warner Bros says production will still go ahead, though there will be a setback for the schedule.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” will be released in November this year and its second part in July next year.

By John R. Platt – Tonic.com

Saturday is Obscura Day, an international celebration of wondrous and esoteric places with events taking place all over the country, and around the world.

Saturday, March 20th, doors will be opened, secrets will be revealed, hidden corners of the world will be explored, and you can be a part of it.

It’s all part of Obscura Day, an “international celebration of wondrous, curious, and esoteric places” with events taking place all over the country, and around the world.

In Los Angeles, Obscura Day participants will board a bus and explore some of the city’s weirdest historical treasures, traveling back to the days of cane sugar sodas, panoramic paintings, and whimsical marionette performances.

In Groton, Conn., visitors will explore the unique stone circles and hidden chambers at the Gungywamp archaeological site.

In Portland, Maine, you can visit the world-infamous International Cryptozoology Musuem, a facility rarely open to the public.

Across the pond, in London, England, you can walk the three miles of the Lost Fleet River, which lies hidden beneath the city’s streets.

There are dozens of other events, in places as far ranging as Albuquerque, N.M. to Budapest, Hungary. The events are all free, or available at minimal cost.

The whole thing is organized by the people who run the Atlas Obscura web site, which compiles information on the world’s “wonders, curiosities, and esoterica.”

India Blooms News Service

While the world is waiting for the 82nd Academy Awards tonight (Sunday), not many knows that the first Oscars were held out of public eye and there was almost no razzmatazz about the ceremony.

Two hundred seventy people attended the May 16, 1929 dinner in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room; guest tickets cost $5. It was a long affair filled with speeches, but Academy President Douglas Fairbanks made quick work of handing out the statuettes, said Oscars.Org.

Cutting down the excitement, the awardees were already announced three months earlier.

However, the format was changed the very next year; the award winners’ names were not disclosed till the last hour. But the Academy used to send the list to the newspapers in advance to be published at 11pm on the Awards night.

This policy continued until 1940 when, much to the Academy’s consternation, the Los Angeles Times broke the embargo and published the names of the winners in its evening edition – which was readily available to guests arriving for the ceremony. That prompted the Academy in 1941 to adopt the sealed-envelope system still in use today, said the website.

Only 15 statuettes were presented for cinematic achievements in 1927 and 1928.

The first Best Actor winner was acclaimed German tragedian Emil Jannings, who had to return to Europe before the ceremony. The Academy granted his request to receive the trophy early, making his statuette the very first Academy Award ever presented.

The Academy continued to hand out the awards at banquets – held at the Ambassador and Biltmore hotels – until 1942, when increased attendance made these dinner ceremonies impractical. Starting with the 16th Oscar ceremony, which was held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, the event has always been held at a theater, according to Oscar.Org.

In 1953, the first televised Oscar ceremony enabled millions throughout the United States and Canada to watch the proceedings.

Broadcasting in color began in 1966, affording home viewers a chance to fully experience the dazzling allure of the event.

Since 1969, the Oscar show has been broadcast internationally, now reaching movie fans in over 200 countries.

Academy Awards Milestones :

1st Awards – Recognizing the need to honor achievements that didn’t fit into fixed categories, the Academy presented two special awards at the very first ceremony in 1929: one to Warner Bros. for producing the pioneering talking picture “The Jazz Singer,” and one to Charles Chaplin for producing, directing, writing and starring in “The Circus.”

2nd Awards – The number of categories was reduced from 12 to seven: two for acting and one each for Outstanding Picture, Directing, Writing, Cinematography and Art Direction. Since then, the number of awards has slowly increased.

7th Awards – Film Editing, Music Scoring, and Song were added to the categories honoring films released in 1934. The year also brought the first write-in campaign, seeking to nominate Bette Davis for her performance in “Of Human Bondage.” (Academy rules now prohibit write-ins on the final ballot.) Also that year, the Academy retained the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse to tabulate the ballots and ensure the secrecy of the results. The firm, now called PricewaterhouseCoopers, continues to tabulate the voting to this day.

9th Awards – The first Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress Academy Awards are presented, for performances in films of 1936. The honors went to Walter Brennan for “Come and Get it” and Gale Sondergaard for “Anthony Adverse.”

10th Awards – The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award was presented for the first time at the ceremony held in 1938. The honor went to Darryl F. Zanuck.

12th Awards – Fred Sersen and E. H. Hansen of 20th Century Fox were the first winners of the Academy Award for Special Effects. They were honored for their work in the 1939 film “The Rains Came.”

14th Awards – In 1941, a documentary category appeared on the ballot for the first time.
20th Awards – The first special award to honor a foreign language motion picture was given in 1947 to the Italian film “Shoe-Sine.” Seven more special awards were presented before Foreign Language Film became an annual category in 1956.

21st Awards – Costume Design was added to the ballots for 1948.

25th Awards – For the first time, the Oscar presentation was televised. The NBC-TV and radio network carried the ceremony, honoring the films of 1952, live from Hollywood with Bob Hope as master of ceremonies, and from the NBC International Theatre in New York with Conrad Nagel as host.

29th Awards – The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was established and Y. Frank Freeman was its first recipient.

36th Awards – The Special Effects Award was divided into Sound Effects and Special Visual Effects beginning with the honors for films released in 1963.

38th Awards – The Oscar ceremony in 1966 was the first to be televised in color.

41st Awards – The April 14, 1969, Oscar ceremony was the first major event held at the new Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles County Music Center.

54th Awards – Makeup became an annual category, with Rick Baker winning for his work on the 1981 movie “An American Werewolf in London.” The Gordon E. Sawyer Award, recognizing technological contributions to the industry, was established.

74th Awards – The Animated Feature Film Award is added, with “Shrek” winning for 2001.

Reuters Life -A Bollywood filmmaker has issued a lucrative challenge to horror movie fans: a $10,000 reward for anyone who can watch his latest supernatural thriller, alone, in a cinema until the closing credits.

Ram Gopal Varma’s “Phoonk 2,” a sequel to his 2008 film of the same name, is about an evil spirit that traumatizes a family. “Anyone who says the movie cannot scare him is going to be put in a theater by himself,” Varma told reporters in Mumbai at an event to promote the movie.

Varma said the film fan who steps up to the challenge will be wired up to a heart monitoring machine as well as a camera that ensures they keep their eyes open during the whole movie.

Readings from the machines will be shown live on a screen outside the cinema, Varma said, and if the contestant succeeds, they will win 500,000 rupees (approximately $10,850).

Varma issued a similar challenge ahead of the release of the original “Phoonk” but the promotional contest was withdrawn after allegations the selection process was rigged.

Varma said the contest winner ran out 30 minutes after the film started, but newspaper reports said a film fan in the southern Indian city of Bangalore booked an entire cinema to prove the director wrong and watched the film alone with a doctor on call and security personnel stationed outside.

(Writing by Tony Tharakan, editing by Miral Fahmy)

Andrew Pulver and Xan Brooks – Guardian.co.uk

It was the independent, art-house studio that became a major industry player in the 1990s, courtesy of such Oscar-winning hits as Pulp Fiction and The English Patient. But there was no Hollywood-style happy ending for Miramax studios, which shut up shop today with the loss of 80 jobs.

Founded by producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein back in 1979, Miramax flourished as an independent distribution and production outfit, before becoming part of the Disney empire in 1993. The company scored with low-budget hits such as Clerks and sex, lies and videotape and won Oscars, helped launch the career of Quentin Tarantino and scooped Oscars with the likes of The English Patient and Shakespeare in Love. The Weinsten brothers – who named the company after their parents Max and Miriam – quit to form the Weinstein Company in 2005.

During its heyday, Miramax was regarded as arguably the industry’s most respected and influential production company. But in recent years its output has been downscaled by Disney, and its demise was predicted long before today’s closure of its offices in LA. The six Miramax pictures that are currently awaiting distribution – including John Madden’s The Debt and Last Night, starring Keira Knightley – now face an uncertain future.

“I’m feeling very nostalgic right now,” Harvey Weinstein said today “I know the movies made on my and my brother Bob’s watch will live on … Miramax has some brilliant people working within the organisation and I know they will go on to do great things in the industry.”

by Nicole Sperling – HollywoodInsider.EW.com

Despite the fact that none of the 15 films on the Academy’s documentary short list this year have grossed more than $5 million, four of the top documentary filmmakers working today remain optimistic about their future and the future of non-fiction filmmaking Alex Gibney, director of Casino Jack and the United States of Money, Lucy Walker, behind the new film Countdown to Zero, Mark Lewis who directed the first 3-D documentary Cane Toads: The Conquest, and Davis Guggenheim, whose latest film Waiting For Superman marked the first sale of the Sundance film festival, participated in a panel Sunday afternoon, hosted by Entertainment Weekly and Participant Media, to discuss the state of documentary filmmaking. Said Guggenheim, “I think features are stuck. There are not a lot of movies out there that I’d like to direct. But I’m very envious of all these other guys sitting up here with me today.”

Of the four films, all of which Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media financed or co-financed, only two have secured distribution. Paramount Pictures will likely debut Superman this fall with hopes of drawing Academy interest, while Casino Jack will be released by Magnolia in May. Still Cane Toads and Countdown to Zero are trying to find theatrical distribution for their films. “I’m optimistic,” says Gibney, who chronicled the rise and fall of Jack Abramoff, the corrupt lobbyist who bought and sold Washington D.C. with gobs of money from special-interest groups. “It will be difficult and hard, but the future is bright.”

The four films featured, while all very different, all tell stories that you don’t see elsewhere. “There are things beneath the surface that must be talked about,” says Guggenheim, who examines why our nation’s public school system is completely broken in Superman. “If we don’t talk about them, no one will. And I think god for Participant because we are saying things that no one else will say.”

Lewis, who has a fascination with Australia’s leading natural menace, the Cane Toad, has spent his career making fascinating nature documentaries about animals. “The subjects I make films about can’t speak for themselves…like the chicken,” he laughs, reminiscing about his 2000 film The Natural History of the Chicken.

Walker’s films consistently feature unbelievable access to her subjects. This time around, the British filmmaker secured on-the-record interviews with Valerie Plame, Tony Blair, Jimmy Carter and Mikhail Gorbachev, as she reveals just how easy it would be for terrorist groups to secure the materials necessary to put together nuclear bomb. “The best weapon in making a documentary is picking the most interesting topic. We worked tirelessly with our producers to get to these people and it worked. I kept showing my friends my iPhone pictures of me with these people but I had to stop. It was getting obnoxious.”

From MovieMaker.com
The 4th Annual BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM FESTIVAL (BNFF) spans 10 days and presents a thoughtfully selected program of independent films at various landmark venues around Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York, with its sparkling Niagara Falls situated right in its backyard. The BNFF has been built around the needs of filmmakers and aims to be an annual destination for film-lovers and industry to come together and celebrate a shared passion for film. The BNFF 2010 introduces a FESTIVAL FILM MARKET & EXPO, TOURISM & SCOUTING PACKAGES, Dov S-S Simens’ 2-DAY FILM SCHOOL (April 24th and 25th, 2010), as well as MAJOR MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION PLANS for selected filmmakers. For more info go to http://www.buffaloniagarafilmfestival.com/.
 
CALL FOR ENTRIES! The DC SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL (September 9-16, 2010) turns the spotlight on truly independent short films, created by new and established filmmakers in an era when the art of filmmaking is opening to all. DC Shorts selects films of every genre and niche for  competition screenings—with a special focus on films created by metropolitan Washington, DC-based directors and writers. Cash prizes and more! Judges’ feedback given to ALL entrants. The DC Shorts Screenplay Competition (October 2010) is a very different kind of screenwriting competition. A panel of judges consisting of moviemakers, screenwriters and critics will review and provide feedback on scripts of 15 pages or less. Five to seven finalists have their scripts read in front of a live audience—and one will walk away with $2,000 to shoot their project!  http://www.dcshorts.com/ 
 
The goal of DUKE CITY DOCFEST is to become one of North America’s premier international documentary film festivals.  The festival takes place each year in Albuquerque, New Mexico immediately following the city’s world renowned Hot Air Balloon Festival. Screening venues include the KiMo (650 seat) and El Ray (750 seat) theaters, located in the heart of Albuquerque’s entertainment district and at the edge of historic “Old Town.” Santa Fe and the majestic Sangra de Cristo Mountains are just a 40-minute drive or an hour by rail. New Mexico is now rated third behind New York and California as one of America’s best venues for filmmaking. http://www.dukecitydocfest.com/

One of MovieMaker‘s 25 “Coolest Film Festivals,” the annual INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL utilizes Memphis’ rich cultural history to serve as a connecting point for regional filmmakers from all corners of the country and provides a showcase for films celebrating Southern stories and storytelling. Each October, the festival inspires filmmakers and film-lovers to connect and collaborate within the unique creative landscape that is the home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Submission deadlines: April 1/May 15/June 15. For details, call 901/251-5171 or visit http://www.indiememphis.com/.

LANDLOCKED FILM FESTIVAL will take place August 26-29, 2010, in Iowa City, IA. Landlocked celebrates and welcomes independent filmmakers and scriptwriters, providing superb educational opportunities and screenings, most at no cost. Founded in 2006, this competitive festival brings thousands of people into the pedestrian-friendly heart of downtown Iowa City to experience independent cinema, meet visiting film artists and learn the crafts of filmmaking and scriptwriting. The historic Englert Theatre is the flagship venue, with multiple screenings and workshops taking place within walking distance. For details and further information, please check http://www.landlockedfilmfestival.org/

The 5th annual OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL (OFF) is almost here! The OFF provides emerging film artists with opportunities for developing and presenting new works that inspire, educate, take risks and stir the imagination. The OFF also offers outstanding education opportunities for filmmakers and the general public through its Film Education Initiative, hosting an annual Filmmaker’s Conference and ongoing workshops throughout the year. Instructors have included Mauro Fiore, Neil Krepela, Shane Black, Mike Hill, Lew Hunter, Josh Stolberg and Tom Elkins. Don’t miss out on what OFF has to offer! Conference: March 6 – 7, 2010. Festival: March 8 – 14, 2010. http://www.omahafilmfestival.org/  
 
The OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL (http://www.oxfordfilmfest.com/) brings indie filmmaking to Oxford, Mississippi in early February.  Home to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), past haunts of Faulkner, Grisham and Larry Brown, current home of Barry Hannah, Jack Pendarvis and Joey Lauren Adams, Oxford offers a unique blend of literary and artistic appreciation within the setting of a vibrant college town. The festival brings filmmakers and film goers together to enjoy four days of workshops, panels and parties.  Recent years have included Academy Award winners and nominees, Independent Spirit Award nominees, festival circuit favorites, plus local and regional films. Call 877/560-FILM.

THE 2010 PAGE INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITING AWARDS Presentingover $50,000 in Cash and prizes, including our huge $25,000 Grand Prize! The PAGE Awards have rapidly become one of the most important sources for new screenwriting talent within the Hollywood community and worldwide. Each year our award-winning scripts are solicited by dozens of producers, agents and development execs and, as a result, many of our winning writers land script assignments, secure representation and sign option agreements on their work. Are you the next award-winning screenwriter? EARLY ENTRY DISCOUNT DEADLINE: Friday, January 15th! Enter online at: http://pageawards.com/

The 16th Annual SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will take place February 21 – 28, 2010 in Sedona, Arizona. The week-long festival features more than 125 films, including features, documentaries, shorts and animation. Filmmakers and audiences from around the world have heralded Sedona’s festival as one of their favorites. The fest’s workshops bring Academy Award-winning, industry professionals to Sedona to teach, inspire and share their knowledge with the next generation of filmmakers. For more information, call the festival office at 928/282-1177. Visit http://www.sedonafilmfestival.com/.

Now in its 19th year, the WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL, set on Cape Cod, Massachusetts is one of the oldest film festivals in New England. Designated as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the world by MovieMaker Magazine, each year the festival screens more than 100 films submitted by filmmakers from around the world. The WHFF accepts features, documentary, shorts, animation and experimental films at http://www.woodsholefilmfestival.org/2010/. For more information, contact Deadline:May 1, 2010.