A woman suspects she is being watched.

My new short film “A Variation on the Old In ‘n Out” (2025) will make its World Premiere at the FogFest Horror Film Festival on November 7-10th in St. John’s, Newfoundland! It is wonderful to be welcomed back by the same supporters of independent film that screened my award-winning “SIREN: A Police State of Mind” (2020) in 2022.

This is the first time I shot a movie on analog film.

Last summer I attended a 8mm filmmaking workshop so I could work with analog film for the first time. I had only made my movies using digital cameras and wanted to change that. My instructors at Cineworks, an independent filmmakers society that I belong to as a member, were amazed that I brought in an actor and storyboards for the filmmaking session. Nobody had ever made a short movie in that program before. In back of mind were some of my favourite silent films such as “The Man with a Camera” (1929) and “Begotten” (1990). Without deliberation in the making of the movie, this film ultimately pays homage to one of the greatest scenes in film history that belongs to “Un Chien Andalou” (1929). I even scanned my developed film several times using a variety of changes in exposure and resolution size. After a very rewarding period of post production, I completed my first short shot in 8mm film, “A Variation of the Old In ‘n Out.”

The actress starring is Eryka Alanna who was featured in “SIREN”.

The music is by film composer Suzanne de Montigny.

Special thanks to everyone who made this film possible with me.

IMDB

“SIREN” Electronic Press Kit (EPK)

Award-Winning Horror/Thriller Film (16 Minutes)

Driving on a highway late at night, distracted driver April (Dalit Holzman) and her combative lover Brooke (Erin Morgan) are pulled over for speeding by two sinister police officers (Eryka Alanna and Madison Isolina). During a strange and increasingly frightening interrogation, the two women find themselves under the power of a supernatural force that changes everything they ever knew about themselves… and each other.
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Todd Solondz is one the most distinct filmmakers we have working today. Like watching one minute of a random movie by either Neil Labute or David Fincher without warning, you know it is by Solondz when you see one of his. My high anticipation for his new film Life During Wartime (2010), which premiered last year at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festive), is matched by seeing what its movie poster will look like — and for good reason. Over Solondz’s career from Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) to Palindromes (2004), the posters of his films have been consistently inspired and in tune with each other. Their designs and illustrations(!) convey the sweet and sour qualities of his controversial themes, which engage and then subvert our expectations.  Whether it is Solondz’s direct influence or just what each different advertising company happens to come up with when facing his material, the results in style are remarkably alike.

Illustrated movie posters have been a dying breed for the past quarter of a century. Most of Todd Solondz’s films have kept that art on the respirator starting with Daniel Clowes’ take on Happiness (1998) and then what Kathryn Rathke ran with in Palindromes (2004). Life During Wartime (2010) continues down that illustration path – it’s very appropriate since Life is the sequel to Solondz’s Happiness – but not before some photographed design comps were made. Before unveiling the illustrated version, I will take you through how it evolved starting with the international poster made for the film.

LIFE DURING WARTIME (2010) International Poster

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“The Decalogue” (1988 – 1990)

Illustration (27.8” x 39.4”)
Krotki Film O Milosci
A Short Film About Love (1988)
Illustrator/Designer: Andrzej Pagowski

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Two weeks ago, Chicago-based film reviewer codenamed Quint (real name: Jim Fyfe) from Ain’t It Cool News challenged graphic designers and film fanatics alike to participate in a contest: Make An Insane Movie Poster of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Quint being a great admirer of the new Werner Herzog film from this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) – not to mention Jaws (1975)! – has had mixed feelings toward what its distributors First Look Studios and Polsky Films have done in the way of movie posters. First, they made an edgy poster that the MPAA threw its gavel down hard on for showing its title character pointing a gun at someone. Harvey Keitel, the original 1992 Bad Lieutenant from the 1992 Abel Ferrara film, amongst thousands of other trigger-itchy characters can point their gun at us gazers, but according to the MPAA we can’t handle anyone inside the poster being promised some bullets. Finally, First Look settled on a poster that looks like your generic rogue cop-seeks-killer thriller complete with two famous giant heads suspended over a landscape of dread and action.

Just like these ones!

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Only eleven more days left…

“Normal criminals usually have logical motives, but the Joker’s insane schemes make sense to him alone.”
—Batman in The Laughing Fish by Paul Dini.

FUN FACT:

The Joker was inspired by Gwynplaine, the title character with the deformed grin, in The Man Who Laughs, who was played by Conrad Veidt.

Smile everyone!