So a few people wondered why I didn't go to Texas Frightmare Weekend this year (2012) after I've been there every year since 08. "But Robert you drove all the way to Dallas just to see Robocop a few weeks ago but you didn't go to TFW?" Yyyyyup!
So first of I'm not dropping out of filmmaking or anything like that. I have been laying low. I'm doing a something. Trust me. This thing I'm working on is taking longer to develop than I fantasized about so I may make one more short film in the mean time. If I do that, I'll combine Nonexistent, Succubus and this third short film to make an anthology film. I feel like I'm waiting and therefor I need to stay busy.
So back to TFW. At this point, I feel like this horror convention doesn't serve me as a film maker like it did before. In 08, I was starting out and figuring out how to exist in the indie world. 09, I had matured (so I thought) and was there to flex my cinematography muscles with the Possum Walk trailer as well as reunite with all my friends from Psychic Experiment (AKA Walking Distance at the time). The following two years I really had no purpose to be there other than get drunk with Mallory. I was quite disapointed that after so many years of promoting the film there that Possum Walk was not shown at TFW 2011. Although they did host a great screening in Dallas the December before.
This year, Mallory has moved away and truthfully I had no reason to be there as a film maker. Ya see artistically I'm moving away from horror and realizing that this entire time I was inspired by science fiction films while horror was just an easier jumping off point. And it was. I'm not dissing the genre. I like horror as equally as I like any genre. A Nightmare on Elm Street and Evil Dead 2 are still some of my favorite films. But if I'm asked to define my style with a genre, it's not horror. So with no film playing, nothing to "promote", I truthfully had no reason to be there. There were a few friends I wanted to see but I couldn't muster up the strength and cash for a Dallas weekend visit.
I did hear back from a few people on Facebook who bought the limited edition Possum Walk copy. That was pretty cool. Since I didn't have to sit through a screening (torture for any film I work on), it was great to hear people compliment my cinematography. Truthfully at the end that's all I was the actors. I thought the cast I filmed and edited was great. Particularly Maggie Conwell and Tyler Tackett. I know the audience loves them and I want those two kids to shine. I also loved working with Andrew Sensenig and Tim Taylor. Okay I liked every actor on the set so just read the cast and that's who I liked working with and those are the guys that inspired me to finish the project past the point where I was artistically ready to move on.
Local DJ, Dale Dudley has a small part at the end. Therefor I spread the word to the Dudley & Bob fans on twitter, known as the #warriors that the movie was being sold there. A few of them tried looking for the table and couldn't find it. So for those that looked for it, thank you; I'll make sure you guys can see it or let you know when you can order it.
TL;DR= didn't go to TFW but glad people I've never met saw Possum Walk.
