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Alumni Blog: Minos Papas

SVA Alum Minos Papas’ latest film Behind The Mirror recently won the Best Thriller awards at both the Manhattan Film Festival and the Mexico International Film Festival. Here he tells us about his next film.

I first met a veteran of the Iraq war a few years ago in 2011. We were in a busy Brooklyn bar. He was quite obviously uncomfortable in the noisy crowds. He seemed to me to be over sensitive, reacting to all the stimuli around him that everyone else was oblivious to. Until finally after the 4th beer he could start to block it out. I had no idea that what I was witnessing was hyper vigilance, one of the main symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the resulting efforts to self medicate. Until then I, like most civilians, had been largely untouched by their struggles.

When I was studying at SVA (1999-2004), we were encouraged to “make films about what we know.” Good advice. But another driving force behind making films is curiosity. I followed my curiosity about post-9/11 veterans and the specific challenges they face when returning to civilian life. I immersed myself in documentaries and articles about them in order to learn what I did not know. I joined the film workshop, I WAS THERE FILMS, as an instructor and helped veterans tell their stories through digital filmmaking, unpacking and repacking their experiences in story form. I tried to learn about and absorb the profound and varied Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran experience so I could understand my veteran friends. The image of the uneasy young man I had met in that bar haunted me. My ultimate goal was to make a film about this important social issue.

“Tango on the Balcony” is that film. I wrote “Tango” while working with my good friend and co-producer, veteran Marine, Michael Day. It is the story of Johnny, an Iraq war veteran haunted by the devastating results of a split second decision made in combat. An action that leaves him tormented by questions, that follow him into civilian life. In the film, we hope to portray the symptoms of PTSD in an authentic and evocative way. We want the audience to subjectively experience those symptoms through Johnny’s eyes. Film is the perfect medium for this approach, associated with dreams and memory, much like PTSD itself. We want to go further than the films that have been made on this subject. There are many, many great documentaries about veterans, but fewer great narrative films. In fact, many narrative films, such as “The Veteran” and “Brothers” rely on the same old stereotypes of war and reinforce the stigmas that veterans abhor. “American Sniper” gets close to the veteran experience, but stays well within the realm of political correctness. We hope to remain as non-political as possible, and to explore the human condition. It’s time to talk about a generation of veterans now dealing with the traumas of combat and deployment.

So, “make what you know,” indeed! And what you’re curious about. But also what’s socially important! I think that filmmakers have a responsibility that goes beyond entertainment. We need to tell the story of the tribe and portray the world around us as accurately as possible. ‘Truth’ is of course subjective. But we can at least make someone look a little closer at an important topic and hopefully move them to action, or even a change of heart.

“Tango on the Balcony” goes into production in late August. We ran a successful crowd funding campaign in June (PTSD Awareness Month) on the Rocket Hub platform, where we raised $27,500 from 440 funders. We partnered with nine veterans organizations, who are backing our efforts by spreading the word about our film. We are hiring veterans to be a part of the film crew. Our fundraising efforts are continuing under the Fractured Atlas fiscal sponsorship program, as we still needs funds for production and post-production.

Minos Papas’ latest feature film “Behind the Mirror” won the Best Thriller Award at the Manhattan Film Festival, and the Mexico International Film Festival. Find out more about “Tango on the Balcony” here: tangoonthebalcony.com – and on Facebook at: facebook.com/TangoBalcony. To make a tax deductible donation to “Tango on the Balcony” please click here.

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Script Pipeline

Script Pipeline is running a contest for screenwriters. Check out the deadlines and rules below.

Special Rate Deadline: August 31st, 2015

Entry Fee: $25 per script ($45 after 8/31)

Winner Receives: $25,000 | executive consultation | industry circulation (see Awards for more details)

The 14th Annual 2016 Script Pipeline Screenwriting Contest continues a long tradition of discovering up-and-coming talent and connecting them with top producers, agencies, and managers across studio and independent markets. This process has proven enormously successful, with numerous screenwriting contest alumni worldwide finding elite representation and gaining crucial introductions to otherwise impossible-to-reach industry execs.

The result thus far is over $5 million in screenplays and TV pilots sold from competition finalists and “Recommend” writers since 2003. Last season, over 5,000 scripts were entered in the Screenwriting and TV Writing contests combined, making Script Pipeline one of the leading companies reviewing spec material.

Finalists are given exposure to Script Pipeline industry partners, approximately 200 qualified contacts, and the following:

$25,000 to winner, $1,500 to runner-up

Consultations with Script Pipeline’s Director of Development

Personal introductions to managers, producers, agents, and others searching for new screenplays, tailored to each individual project

Additional material review for potential circulation

Exclusive invitation to private industry/writer events throughout the year

Our intent: to circulate exceptional material industry-wide, support our writers long-term, and launch careers.

Final deadline is May 1st, 2016. Writers are encouraged to submit early, as the entry fee goes up after each deadline window. Email our contest coordinator if you have any questions.

Reposted from Script Pipeline

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Paola Bernardini won the 2015 Dusty for Outstanding Film. Here, she shares her experience making the film.

Puglia, a southern region in Italy, holds a special place in my heart. It holds my family. While my father’s job allowed me to grow up around the world, learning different languages and cultures, we always came back to Puglia once or twice a year. We had two lives; one of tumultuous traveling, the other a quiet life back in Italy; two different worlds. I found comfort in that, and have aspired to tell a story set in Puglia for a long time.

Thesis year was a great opportunity to finally tell my story. Using SVA resources to shoot in Italy, I finally brought my two worlds together. But it was inherently difficult, and the pressures I put on myself turned this into a challenging experience.

When I leave a place I love, I romanticize it. While developing the story with my co-writer, Dylan Gantz, a lot of my input consisted of describing the place from my romanticized memories. Only once we went to Puglia, our visions melded together. Dylan saw the country through fresh eyes, much like I do every time I go back. When the script was finished, I translated it to Italian.

Citta’ dei Sogni (City of Dreams)  is a coming of age story about two young brothers who run away from home in search of a town they call “City of Dreams.” A town in Puglia called Monopoli, where all their troubles will be solved.

I was influenced by Stand by Me, Cinema Paradiso and The Bicycle Thief.  My father and his brother told me their adventures as Boy Scouts traveling in that area as well. It all resonated with my own experiences as a kid.

I was most trying to communicate the idea of holding on to a fantasy. If you believe that what you imagine can be real, when that fantasy falls apart the consequences can be shattering, especially from the point of view of a child. Ultimately, I wanted to tell a hopeful story about basics things like friendship, love and family — the most fundamental pieces to our lives. You have this even when you have nothing but a dark past and backpack on your shoulders.

A key moment that drew me to this story was my romantic perception of a place that faded after several family members passed away. How could something so tragic happen in a place so comforting? The boys’ experience mirrored my own awakening to reality.

The size of the crew didn’t match the size of my ambition. I didn’t know anyone in Italy who worked in film, so pre-production started from scratch. It was a long, slow process. Our financial resources were limited. On set we were five crew members and five actors traveling in two cars. We all took on many more responsibilities to finish the film. Imagine gaffers as extras, actors as booming, the cinematographer  sound mixing while starring in the film. There were several never-ending problems. Thankfully everyone was professional, and I’m extremely grateful for their hard work. This was the first film experience for the two young boys who carried the film.Luckily, the locals were extremely welcoming and open to letting us film on their property.

I hope to make more films in Puglia –  the place I call home.

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People, Places, Things

SVA faculty Jim Strouse’s new film, People, Places, Things, opens in theaters this weekend. Below is a list of theaters playing the film.

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$64,000 Democracy For All Video Challenge

Filmmakers Wanted: Are you ready to take the $64,000 Democracy For All Video Challenge?

Big money in politics affects all of us. Decisions like Citizens United have unleashed an onslaught of spending in our elections, creating a government beholden to wealthy interests, rather than “We the People.” The question of how we get our democracy back has become the $64,000 question – the big question – of our day.

Fortunately, taking action to fight the influence of big money just got a lot easier and more fun. SVA is teaming up with more than 130 other groups to offer a video contest, launching TODAY, where you can submit a video about money in politics reform and inspire others to take action, too.

Between August 12 and December 2, just go to www.DemocracyForAll.com and submit a short video (30-90 seconds) about big money in politics and the need for a constitutional amendment – the Democracy For All Amendment – to overturn Citizens United. You may want to enter early: there’s a $1,000 prize every week, in addition to five category prizes of $5,000 each and a grand prize of $25,000 at the end of the contest.

The videos can be funny, serious, creative, dramatic, or musical. You can talk about other issues that are important to you, as long as you tie it back to the influence of money in politics and the need for the Democracy For All amendment. It’s become increasingly clear: big money in politics affects many of the most pressing challenges we’re up against… climate change, economic inequality, race and sex discrimination, gun control, student loan debt, for-profit prisons, financial fraud… the list goes on and on.

Think you or others you know may be interested in taking the challenge? Go to www.DemocracyForAll.com. Write your member of Congress. Make a video. Maybe win some money. Together we can build some real momentum for the campaign to get big money out of politics.

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’15 graduate Alex Kopec’s The Artificial Womb documents the fight for life of the tiny premature newborns who go into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as soon as they’re born.

One of the things I love most about documentary filmmaking is that you never know what you are really getting yourself into. Filming The Artificial Womb was hands down one of the greatest experiences of my life. I was completely immersed into the world of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a world I was only semi-familiar with. Documentary filmmaking requires a lot of time, patiences and the ability to connect with those you are observing over those long periods of time. I made 3-4 trips a week to the The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, documenting the lives and progress of the babies in the NICU, and I quickly became friendly with the NICU Nurses, doctors, and parents. Being able to connect with these people allowed me to approach this delicate topic with more understanding, and I quickly found myself invested in their lives.

I think one of the most incredible things about this entire process was that as I was editing The Artificial Womb together, I would have these emotional moments that would catch me off guard. I had spent countless months documenting these families and babies, becoming more familiar with their world, but the material was so powerful that there’s really no way to be desensitized by it. There was one night where I was editing a sequence of the babies together to the music my amazing composer had composed for me that I will never forget. After laying out all of the shots into the sequence, I pressed play to watch what I had. Within seconds I started to cry and I felt so in tune with the story I wanted to tell. There is no greater feeling than being emotionally connected to your work as it comes to life.

Watch Alex’s film here.

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Student Blog: Matvey Fiks

Moscow — one of the birthplaces of cinema — has always given us original film artists. Thesis student Matvey Fiks is the next generation of global filmmakers — born in Russia, but baptized by fire in New York. Now he’s won the prestigious Kodak Student Scholarship Award — not just an honor, but a chance to shoot on film.

My third year short film Babushka was shot in a freezing cold Moscow over the course of three nights. While filming in the subway, the train, and on the streets of the city and suburbia, my intension was to realistically document today’s Moscow while keeping a cinematic look. That’s why my initial plan was to shoot ‘Babushka’ on 16 mm film, but because of the varied and numerous locations, our required budget was too too much for us to take on. We were hoping to make it work, but we simply couldn’t get the necessary funding. When I heard about the Kodak’s Student Scholarship I decided to apply for the grant, without any hope of winning. It was a great surprise to know that I will finally shoot on film. This is a very rare opportunity and I am very thankful to SVA for nominating me for Kodak’s Scholarship.

Below is Matvey’s Kodak letter:

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Let’s spread the word!! Tag @svafilmandanimation and don’t forget #sva and #ERAnow

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LIVE FROM THE INTERNET, IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!

Move over Jimmy Fallon, hilarious news-tellin’ is going to the dogs!

For the past 10 months I’ve had the pleasure of working at a kick ass company called Bark & Co (specifically BarkBox), and a couple weeks ago fellow SVA alum Eric Paperth and I rolled out the pilot episode of Weekend Pupdate. If you couldn’t already tell, Pupdate is a parody of Weekend Update from Saturday Night Live. In short, it’s dogs telling the news through ridiculous jokes/situations. What more could you ask for?

Many of you have probably never heard of BarkBox (especially if you’re not a dog owner), so the best way I can describe it to you is it’s basically BirchBox for dogs. They send your dog a box full of amazing products each month, it’s probably one of the best ways you can pamper your pup. My journey to BarkBox began at BarkPost, which is essentially the dog version of BuzzFeed. After four months of writing for Post I randomly ended up on the marketing team to help to grow BarkPack, which is their influencer network of online celebrity dogs (yes, I have met and rubbed the bellies of Marnie The Dog and Tuna Melts My Heart!!!). I could go on and on about how friggen awesome BarkBox is (e.g. flying every single employee to Disney World for a weekend), but that’s a whole other article. But you get the point, BarkBox is awesome. Did I mention we have a bunch of dogs roaming the office?

As a film student, post-graduate life is a rough wakeup call. After doing well in school, you unconsciously expect that to carry over into the “real world” and you’ll get to keep creating and doing what you love. Unfortunately that’s almost never the case, as I found out the hard way. After two years of rough post-grad life, I finally hit a stroke of luck and ended up at Bark & Co. While my role wasn’t video related, after a few months I decided to go ahead and make something and hope it would lead to more video opportunities. That’s when I reached out to Eric (who enlisted the ridiculously talented fellow alum Justin Ho) and after 7 months of hard work we ended up with this:

Paws crossed we’ll be rolling out more pawsome videos!

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Alumni Blog: Katie Madonna Lee

Katie Madonna Lee uses the storytelling skills learned at SVA in a way she never imagined – combining Oral History and field research.

Filmmakers, if you want to tell really good stories, sometimes you have to switch your medium. To some this sounds frightening, however, when you find yourself in positions conflicting with who you are, it is time to be honest with yourself regardless of what your supporters and peers expected and hoped for you.

I’ve realized there a simpler way to tell stories. Similar to film, my new identity as an Oral Historian and field researcher, came about through years of work, relationship building and knowing how to listen to people. In partnership with Indiana University-South Bend, I founded and developed the only LGBT and AIDS/HIV Historical Collection that is local and focused on Northwest Indiana. Currently the collection is growing quickly, gaining community and institutional support. Our partnership team will be presenting the collection at The Great Lakes History Conference and 104th Annual Conference of the College Art Association. Out of establishing two prolific collections, I found a position as an Oral Historian and Lead Archivist for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

Now, you may think “Where does filmmaking play a role in this?” Skill sets: emotional stamina, persistence needed to continue regardless of losing a donor to an unexpected death, compassion, planning and fund development: every skill is an asset as I weave in and out the daily maze of piecing together invisible histories. Believe it or not, these skills are transferable. I never regret making movies. It has given me my truest friends yet it has also shown me how ugly fame is when there is a lack of infrastructure to protect the artist. Sometime it is necessary to change lanes. I am a better storyteller for it.

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Zachary Towlen talks about his new film Like We Were, and the struggles of self promotion in today’s DIY indie filmmaking scene.

Self promotion is essential for independent filmmaking.  As someone starting my first Indiegogo campaign, I feel like I’m dancing a fine line between spreading awareness and spamming.

Like We Were tells the story of two middle-aged couples over the course of an ill fated dinner party. All four characters are put to the test to see how can be pushed and also the kind of person they have become. This is story about being human with warts and all. My goal is to achieve a piece that is primarily based on performance. I hope that there is a way you can help the film and letting others know.

Thank you and I’ll always remember that this film couldn’t have been done without the support of all movie lovers out there.

You can support the campaign at igg.me/at/likeweweremovie or at www.zacharytowlen.com

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Screenwriting Alum Henrik Hanson is working around the world – South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and New York. His latest work comes from his hometown of Stockholm, where he’s created a behind the scenes mini doc about pop band Roxette releasing an updated version of their hit song The Look.

The Making of The Look

A few months ago, while shooting a music video in LA, I was asked to work on an ad campaign for Kappahl (A European clothing company, similar to H&M or Gap). The campaign would feature a new recording of The Look by the Swedish band Roxette, played over multiple 30 second clothing commercials. The agency that hired me liked my Swedish House Mafia video, and wanted me to make this short documentary about the making of The Look to go along with the campaign. Surprisingly, I was hired before the song was recorded. Nobody knew how the song would turn out, but Kappahl had a lot of trust in this idea.

To create something totally fresh and new, yet still sound like the original song, Roxette worked with the Swedish producer duo Addeboy vs. Cliff. The result was amazing. My first album was a Roxette CD my mother gave me when I was 8, so I’d grown up listening to this band. Hearing their new version now, I can’t decide which one I like better.

It was a lot of fun working with them, though a bit overwhelming at first. The band members were busy with their world tour, and could only shoot for one day. With such a limited amount of time, any drama on set would have been a disaster and I was relieved to see how friendly and professional everyone was.

Planning the whole thing, however, took two months. We had almost 3 weeks of pre production – developing the concept, casting, getting locations, etc. I like to plan my shoots as much as possible – especially when time is an issue (and it always is), so everything in the video is scripted. Even the dialogue between the band members. We had a theme and a script and worked from there.

After shooting ended, Jacob (my assistant) and I edited for 3 weeks straight. It took us 2 weeks to get the whole thing together into a rough cut and then another week for revisions. The magic always happens the last week when you’re under pressure.

Now they want to shoot another round of films in August, using the same song but more advertisement and fashion shoots. This is great for me not only because I loved working on this project with so many talented people, but also because I get to be home with my family & girlfriend.

Read Henrik’s previous blog with us here.

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Student Blog: Robert Cuollo

Who knew that majoring in directing could come in handy with senior citizens. Robert Cuollo is bringing his skills  to the stage with a very special cast and crew!

The Theatre Club of The Villages is an all senior citizen group (55+) who put on two shows a year in their community. A holiday show in December and a themed variety show in June. My grandpa created the club in 2005 and I have helped out backstage with their shows since 2007. In 2013 I started to co-direct and choreograph their shows. Everyone in the club is talented in their own way and they’re not afraid to be pushed to their limit.

I love theater, and have been interested in theater for as long as I can remember – even before my interest in filmmaking. I enjoy every minute of working with these seniors each year to create great entertainment. I am there to push them and help them throughout each journey. I love doing these shows, it’s such a thrill and I always feel proud and accomplished after each show. They allow me to be creative in many ways and I learn so much from them. It’s an amazing theater experience. Do not underestimate anyone, because you don’t know what these seniors can do until you see them on stage.

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Student Blog: Derek Sturdivant

Thesis cinematographer Derek Sturdivant sees deeply into the moment — our moment. On the occasion of the Fourth of July, he reflects on the burning of black churches, and how there can still be “other” Americans.

Image by Derek Sturdivant.

Holidays by Derek Sturdivant

The most interesting thing about holidays in America is they are almost a giant Etch-N-Sketch for issues happening, directly and indirectly, in our lives. On July 4th, 2015, all across America, children were being put into their “red white and blue,” beer and drinks were in abundance, and chants of freedom, glory, and patriotism are lifted into the grand finale of evening fireworks. The country, “comes together” to celebrate our progress and development from the oppression it once faced. How much progress have we made? Tons; a raise in wages, marriage equality, loan forgiveness, a and a growing economy. But what about those who aren’t treated with the same respect and justice we’ve all been promised?

Image by Derek Sturdivant.

A few weeks ago, a black church was set on fire— the day before that another, and each day for five days before that, five more. That’s one per day. An act of hate. It’s a shame, and embarrassing. This is terrorism in our own land. These fires, along with many other negative actions, are part of a chain reaction to the slaughter of innocent black people who were in church, murdered by a self-proclaimed “white supremacist.” Such incidents are only a small portion of a larger issue being faced by Black Americans.

On an intriguing note, those of a darker skin color are thought to be a subdivision of American. “African-Americans” or “black Americans” are not just referred to as standard Americans, which seems odd considering the amount of time spent on this continent alongside the first settlers. As history clearly shows us, when paired next to the majority, any one darker is a lesser individual. Yes, we have a president of African-American heritage, but does that change the treatment of black people state to state? Community to community? No. There are still people in America who believe in the principles of the confederacy, and do not believe in equality among those who are different. Racism isn’t natural. It is a taught.

These holes in our “free” and “patriotic” society go unnoticed and ignored during holidays. We unconsciously neglect the knowledge and awareness we have about what is happening around us, like it’s our duty to celebrate, ignoring what’s transpiring in our country. One can only hope that the circumstances change, and not only for those whose skin appears darker than others but for every American citizen currently categorized as anything other than American.

You can see Derek’s work at his website, Zhetut.com.

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Student Blog: Isabel Montes

Second year student, Isabel Montes, takes 3rd place in Miami Film Month Video Contest. With a film she shot and edited in 4 days!

For the past four years, June has been recognized as Miami Film Month down in South Florida. This summer, I entered the #MiamiFilm Month Video contest.

The task was to create a one to two minute video showcasing “What you love most about Miami and what makes your Miami a reason for visitors to explore.” Being born and raised in Miami until the ripe age of 18, I thought I could do the topic justice. Unfortunately, I found out about the contest about 4 days before the final submission day. But I adore a challenge, so I grabbed my camera and scurried all over Miami shooting every nook and cranny of the city. I spent my last day watching all the footage and editing until I found my concept.

I had the two songs I was going to use set aside and while re-watching what I shot, I noticed two prominent contrasting elements: the stark difference between Miami’s day life and night life. For example, Miami Beach, Little Havana, downtown, and Bayside versus Wynwood’s Art Walk, the food trucks, galleries, various dance clubs and bars. Add to this my cuban heritage versus who I am in present day, represented through the salsa played at the beginning of the video fading into the dance music of my generation.

With about an hour to spare, I successfully submitted my film titled, “Miami Beat”

The judging criteria went as follows: adherence to contest theme (25%), creativity/originality of entry (25%), video quality (25%), and public vote (25%).

After a week of sharing and tweeting my film out to everyone I’ve ever made eye contact with, it was finally time to choose the winners.

As you can see above, I won 3rd place out of about 40 submissions. Another interesting bit to notice is that I happened to be the only one-person group, the youngest, and the only woman to win.

So, 3rd place ain’t too shabby.

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Have you seen one of the best reviewed horror film of the past decade, The Babadook? Not like Roy Frumkes has. Here, he gives his thoughts and examines the film’s classical subtext.

A number of students have been praising The Babadook, an Australian horror flick released in theaters late last year, so I picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble for fifteen bucks and watched it (apprehensively, I should add. I still get spooked by certain types of scare shows – recently, one evening, I had to turn off Jessabelle about halfway through, and finished watching it the following day).

The title had turned me off when the film originally played the cinema circuit. But I suspected it was good based on my students’ praise. And it was. A demon-tormenting-a- broken-family tale, it has a powerful central performance by actress Essie Davis, who’s all repressed rage and despair in the first two acts, then lets go with pyrotechnics we didn’t know she contained. It’s her performance that really ennobles the film.

Ms. Davis, like Hollywood icon of yesteryear Merle Oberon (Wuthering Heights), was born in Tasmania, but has appeared in plays, films, and on TV worldwide, including winning two Laurence Olivier awards from the Royal National Theater in England, as well as being nominated for a Tony for her role in Tom Stoppard’s “Jumpers” on Broadway. But we’re not familiar with her face just yet, which serves the role in The Babadook well.

Still from The Babadook

However, it’s the derivation of The Babadook that most startled me, more even than Ms. Davis’s bravura performance.

Only two weeks ago in my History of Horror class, I showed the 1961 version of The Innocents, the best of many cinematic translations of Henry James’ “Turn of the Screw,” directed by Jack Clayton, adapted by Truman Capote, and starring Deborah Kerr. The story is about a governess hired to take care of the education and welfare of two willful children at a vast, secluded country estate, where the previous governess died under mysterious circumstances, as had her sexual tormentor, Quint. In the end, we’re not sure if the mansion is haunted, if the children are possessed, or if the governess is insane. Or all three.

Deborah Kerr in The Innocents

Much to my surprise and delight, I found myself watching a remake of The Innocents buried just below the surface of The Babadook. A woman who we see from the first scene is unhinged, barely endures the emotional turmoil of a difficult, aggressive child. As in The Innocents, the boy is forced to leave school for bad behavior. In The Innocents a bug crawls out of a statue’s mouth. Here the bug emerges from a crack in the wall. In the 1961 version, the governess puts a face on the ghostly specter after she’s seen Quint’s picture in a locket. Here, the mother begins to see the Babadook in her bedroom after having read her son from the book about the creature and seeing what it looks like.

That’s as far as I’ll go with the comparisons, since I don’t want to ruin the film entirely with spoilers. However, one more fascinating comparison with a previous work needs to be pointed out.

The look of the Babadook is also derivative. In my first Horror Class I discuss and show the work of Lon Chaney, the first great horror actor/make-up artist. His films are well known even if his name isn’t – The Phantom of the Opera, The H, etc. Chaney made 160 films, a hundred of which are considered lost. One of his lost films –London After Midnight, released in 1927, was named in a court case. A man in England was put on trial for murder and attempted suicide and, in his defense, claimed he’d just seen London After Midnight and was rendered temporarily insane.

Lon Chaney in London After Midnight

Well, Chaney’s ‘look’ in that film, as a vampire with two rows of plentiful sharp teeth, a black cape and black high hat, is exactly what the Babadook looks like. Co-incidence? It can’t be, but just in case any of you doubt my claim, later in the film the mother and her son are watching TV and the program being show is Chaney’s Phantom of the Opera in an obvious admission that they took one of his great creations to be their monster.

If I’ve gotten you curious, you should check The Babadook out. In addition to all its classical subtext, it’s a good film.

Read more Little Blogs of Horror, here.

And view Roy’s faculty bio page, here.

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HEY WRITERS!!!!

The Odyssey is looking to build a team of student writers! It’s similar to sites like Buzzfeed and Thought Catalog. SVA student Laura Fowler is in the process of forming a team of writers to produce weekly articles. This is a great opportunity that gives students a chance to weigh in on current events, pop culture, or share something that they’re experiencing personally. Check out more at theodysseyonline.com. Also go check out Laura’s awesome blog at http://laura-fowler.tumblr.com/

Here is a little blurb about the site:

The Odyssey is one of the fastest growing media properties, with an average of 10 million digital page views per month. The Odyssey flips the content industry on its head, giving their writers the freedom to add the material they choose to the customized digital space we provide. The Odyssey connects thought leaders in communities across the country, and they want SVA students to take part in this national movement.

To be involved with the Odyssey means gaining experiencing with a nationally recognized company through which you can develop a portfolio of published writing samples. The time commitment is extremely manageable, and they are looking for self-motivated and reliable students who dominate both the social and academic scenes.

While we are currently at about 80 campuses, we are rapidly expanding in the coming months and have targeted SVA as one campus we would love to connect with.