Wednesday 26 July 2000

Apocalypse Later Film Festivals

In 2013, I was asked to put together a film festival for LepreCon, a small sci-fi/fantasy convention in Arizona, as their previous film festival efforts had floundered. I ditched their existing model, which was to treat it as a fundraising opportunity through submission fees, and set up something completely different.

I carefully selected 90 minutes of quality short sci-fi films from around the world, I brought some local filmmakers out for a Q&A, and I finished up with a feature. I also stipulated that the film festival be on the opening night, free of charge and open to the public. I screened to an appreciative crowd and some bought memberships to the con.

This success led to me programming a similar film festival for CopperCon later that year, then no less than eight events in 2014, including a trip to California to present two steampunk sets at San Diego Comic-Fest. I may well exceed that number in 2015 and I'm already planning some of what I'll be doing in 2016.

It certainly keeps me busy and out of trouble but I'm having a blast bringing amazing films to audiences who might otherwise have never seen them. I'm looking forward to expanding to other conventions, other cities and other states.

Here are all the films that I've screened at these various conventions, with titles linking to my reviews and the IMDb pages added for reference. The most recent event is at the top and the earliest at the bottom, with headers breaking up individual sets. FearCon is the only event where I've selected my sets primarily from submissions; almost everything else is researched and programmed by me.

Rating System
1 - Abysmal | 2 - Bad | 3 - Poor | 4 - OK | 5 - Good | 6 - Excellent | 7 - Classic

LepreCon 41 - Phoenix, AZ (Jun 2015)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Japanese Doctor Who 2014 4 4 Joshua Kahan IMDb
Slipperssssssss 2014 4 4 Tuomas Hakala n/a
Focus 2014 5 5 Matt Chesin IMDb
Time Trap 2013 6 6 Michael Shanks IMDb
The Class Analysis 2014 6 6 Webb Pickersgill IMDb
Frank DanCoolo: Paranormal Drug Dealer 2010 5 5 Andrew W Jones IMDb
Ouroboros 2014 5 5 Alexander Broderick IMDb
Losers 2013 5 5 Carlos del Rosario IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Fortress 2014 5 5 Dima Fedotof n/a
Flight Fright 2015 5 5 James Politano IMDb
Man vs Woman 2006 5 5 Juan Carlos Vargas IMDb
LiFi 2014 6 5 Preston Peterson & Jason Boesch IMDb
Step Forward 2013 5 5 Ben Jacobson IMDb
Evil Twin 2013 4 4 Christian Pfeil IMDb
RomantiCorp: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Computer 2014 5 5 Kirill Kripak IMDb
Double Trouble 2013 5 5 Andreas Climent & André Hedetoft IMDb
The Developer 2013 6 5 Robert Odegnal IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Chronoscope 2012 4 4 Mario Daoust, Vincent Laurin, Étienne Marcoux & Dominic Remiro n/a
Aether: The Rise of Specter 2015 4 5 Drew Hall & Horst Sarubin n/a
The Mechanics of Underwear 2011 5 5 Charlotte Bolton IMDb
Virus 2005 5 5 Stephen Amis IMDb
Sherlock Holmes and the Stolen Emerald 2013 4 4 Céline Terranova IMDb
Tempus ex Machina 2009 4 5 Andrew Fogel IMDb
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo 2010 5 5 Joseph Gordon-Levitt IMDb
Valiant 2014 5 5 Robin Phillips IMDb

Phoenix Comicon 2015 - Phoenix, AZ (May 2015)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Steam Speed 2014 6 6 Andrew Ledenev n/a
Tea Time 2014 5 5 J Derek Howard IMDb
SPAGHETT-1 2009 5 5 Adam Varney IMDb
The Clocktower 2008 5 5 Cara Antonelli IMDb
Tick Tock 2014 5 5 Emma Needell & Jake Sally IMDb
The Mechanical Grave 2012 5 5 Jon Keeyes IMDb
Jeff Hunt Band - Caravan 2014 Katherine Stewart n/a

Wild Wild West Con 4 - Tucson, AZ (Mar 2015)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Lindsey Sterling - Roundtable Rival 2014 Everdream n/a
Trial of the Mask 2013 4 4 Cory McBurnett & Bill Reichardt n/a
Step Forward 2013 5 5 Ben Jacobson IMDb
Valiant 2014 5 5 Robin Phillips IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Steam Speed 2014 6 6 Andrew Ledenev n/a
Tea Time 2014 5 5 J Derek Howard IMDb
Tick Tock 2014 5 5 Emma Needell & Jake Sally IMDb
The Clocktower 2008 5 5 Cara Antonelli IMDb
Cowboys & Engines 2015 4 4 Bryn Pryor IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Savant - Kali 47 2014 Mike Diva n/a
The Mechanical Grave 2012 5 5 Jon Keeyes IMDb
The Mechanics of Underwear 2011 5 5 Charlotte Bolton IMDb
1873: The Insidious Intrigue 2013 6 5 Steve Ziolkowski IMDb
Gurdybird - Defiant 'til Tyburn 2014 Tamsyn Swingler & Paul Betowski n/a
Title Year H D Director IMDb
The Deep 2010 5 5 PES IMDb
Sherlock Holmes and the Stolen Emerald 2013 4 4 Céline Terranova IMDb
SPAGHETT-1 2009 5 5 Adam Varney IMDb
Virus 2005 5 5 Stephen Amis IMDb
Jeff Hunt Band - Caravan 2014 Katherine Stewart n/a

FearCon de los Muertos! - Phoenix, AZ (Nov 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Night Mare 2014 5 5 Juan Carlos Camardella n/a
Sometimes It Comes 2013 5 5 Félix Llorente IMDb
Martyn 2013 5 5 Francesco Picone IMDb
Dust Jacket 2013 5 5 Kenneth Miller IMDb
Plush 2011 6 7 Ryan Denmark IMDb
Ghost Light 2014 5 5 P J Germain IMDb
Waterborne 2014 5 5 Ryan Coonan IMDb
Special 2014 5 5 Mikeal Burgin IMDb
Woodman and the American Woman 2013 6 5 Jesús Hernández IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Hellytubby 2012 5 5 Matt Iseminger n/a
Cowboy Ben 2014 5 5 Jon Shaikh & Scott Rawsthorne IMDb
Tin & Tina 2013 5 5 Ruben Stein IMDb
The Heebie-Jeebies 2014 5 5 Todd Slawsby IMDb
Night Guards 2014 5 5 Marko Marinkovic n/a
Sector C-17 2014 5 5 Tim Mattson n/a
Mr Dentonn 2014 5 5 Iván Villamel IMDb
Helsing 2014 6 6 Ryan Johnston IMDb
Bar Talk 2013 6 6 Lowell Northrop IMDb
Roulette 2013 6 5 Dídac Cervera IMDb

San Diego Comic-Fest - San Diego, CA (Oct 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
High TNT 2013 4 4 Kevin McGuiness IMDb
Tea Time 2014 5 5 J Derek Howard IMDb
Valiant 2014 5 5 Robin Phillips IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
The Mechanical Grave 2012 5 5 Jon Keeyes IMDb
The Wishing Skull 2013 5 5 Ben Juhl IMDb
1873: The Insidious Intrigue 2013 6 5 Steve Ziolkowski IMDb
Sprocky Spittoon 2013 4 4 Veronique Chevalier n/a

FANtasm - Avondale, AZ (Aug 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Fhtagn! 2009 5 5 Miguel Santín n/a
Closed Quarters 2014 5 5 Bonnie Sowle IMDb
All I Think of is You 2012 5 5 Shad Clark IMDb
Bar Talk 2013 6 6 Lowell Northrop IMDb
Air 2011 5 5 Keir Burrows IMDb
Restitution 2011 6 5 Justin O'Neal Miller IMDb
Cargols! 2011 5 6 Geoffrey Cowper IMDb
Where Terror Sleeps 2014 4 4 Jake Roberts n/a
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Bad Taste 1987 6 6 Peter Jackson IMDb

Geeks4Good Charity Show for Oakwood Creative Care - Mesa, AZ (Jul 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Logan Must Make Star Wars 2014 5 5 Nathan Blackwell IMDb
Bar Talk 2013 6 6 Lowell Northrop IMDb
Old Jazz 2012 5 5 Elena Albán Lombao, Cintia Fernández Patallo, Josep Miquel Jové Company & Lorena López Pérez n/a
Secret Identity 2011 6 6 Tyler MacIntyre IMDb
Present Tense 2013 5 5 Jaz Garewal IMDb

Jerome Indie Film & Music Festival 2014 - Jerome, AZ (Jun 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Red Sand 2012 6 6 Caleb Evans IMDb
The Duel 2012 5 4 Robert Garcia IMDb
Black Gulch 2003 5 5 Michael Strode IMDb
Secret Identity 2011 6 6 Tyler MacIntyre IMDb
The Wishing Skull 2013 5 5 Ben Juhl IMDb
Gadget 2012 4 4 A J Young IMDb
Logan Must Make Star Wars 2014 5 5 Nathan Blackwell IMDb
Terminus 2014 5 5 Angel Ruiz n/a
Present Tense 2013 5 5 Jaz Garewal IMDb
Heart Pumping Oil 2014 5 5 Ben Juhl IMDb
Closed Quarters 2014 5 5 Bonnie Sowle IMDb

LepreCon 40 - Phoenix, AZ (May 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Logan Must Make Star Wars 2014 5 5 Nathan Blackwell IMDb
Trial of the Mask 2013 4 4 Cory McBurnett & Bill Reichardt n/a
Terminus 2014 5 5 Angel Ruiz n/a
Timeholes 2013 5 5 Ben Mallaby IMDb
The Secret Keeper 2011 6 6 Bears Fonté IMDb
Present Tense 2013 5 5 Jaz Garewal IMDb
Elephants Dream 2006 4 4 Bassam Kurdali IMDb
Sight 2012 6 6 Daniel Lazo & Eran May-Raz IMDb
Evergreen 2006 6 6 Iphigeneia Kotsoni IMDb

Wild Wild West Con III - Tucson, AZ (Mar 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
A Gentlemen's Duel 2006 5 5 Sean McNally & Francisco Ruiz-Velasco IMDb
Legacy 2012 5 5 Adam Floeck IMDb
Airship Dracula 2012 5 5 Mike Roberts IMDb
Invention of Love 2010 5 5 Andrey Shushkov IMDb
Consurgo 2009 5 5 Tom Hankins, René Hoekstra & Gijs van Kooten n/a
High TNT 2013 4 4 Kevin McGuiness IMDb
Sprocky Spittoon 2013 4 4 Veronique Chevalier n/a
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Dr Grordbort Presents: The Deadliest Game 2011 5 5 James Cunningham IMDb
Gadget 2012 4 4 A J Young IMDb
Tinkerbell 2011 5 5 Nicholas Humphries n/a
The Anachronism 2008 5 5 Matthew Gordon Long IMDb
The Wishing Skull 2013 5 5 Ben Juhl IMDb
The Watchmaker's Son 2008 5 5 Brandon McCormick n/a

DarkCon 2014 - Phoenix, AZ (Jan 2014)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Exoids 2012 6 6 Aristomenis Tsirbas IMDb
Perspective 2011 5 5 Mehmet Can Kocak IMDb
Consurgo 2009 5 5 Tom Hankins, René Hoekstra & Gijs van Kooten n/a
Old Jazz 2012 5 5 Elena Albán Lombao, Cintia Fernández Patallo, Josep Miquel Jové Company & Lorena López Pérez n/a
Sebastian's Voodoo 2008 6 6 Joaquin Baldwin IMDb
High TNT 2013 4 4 Kevin McGuiness IMDb
Retina 2003 Violet Suk & Martin Koch n/a
Reign of Death 2009 6 6 Matthew Savage IMDb
ROSA 2011 5 5 Jesus Orellana IMDb
The Wishing Skull 2013 5 5 Ben Juhl IMDb
Frank DanCoolo: Paranormal Drug Dealer 2010 5 5 Andrew W Jones IMDb
The Maker 2011 6 6 Christopher Kezelos IMDb
Helsing 2014 6 6 Ryan Johnston IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Eyeborgs 2009 5 6 Richard Clabaugh IMDb

CopperCon Revolution - Mesa, AZ (Aug 2013)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Freeborn 2010 5 5 Carlo Treviso IMDb
Chameleon 2012 6 6 Samuel Lemberg IMDb
Ellie 2012 6 5 Ricky Lloyd George IMDb
R'Ha 2013 6 5 Kaleb Lechowski IMDb
Secret Identity 2011 6 6 Tyler MacIntyre IMDb
Doctor Glamour 2011 5 6 Andrew W Jones IMDb
Archetype 2011 6 6 Aaron Sims IMDb
Tears of Steel 2012 5 5 Ian Hubert IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
The War of the Worlds: The True Story 2012 5 5 Timothy Hines IMDb

LepreCon 39 - Mesa, AZ (May 2013)
Title Year H D Director IMDb
Rampage: Project Vermillion 2012 5 5 Justin Calen Chenn IMDb
Red Sand 2012 6 6 Caleb Evans IMDb
The Duel 2012 5 4 Robert Garcia IMDb
Second Chances 2013 4 4 Jon Ray IMDb
We are One 2012 5 5 Andrew David Clark IMDb
Black Gulch 2003 5 5 Michael Strode IMDb
The Guy Knows Everything 2012 6 6 Joops Fragale IMDb
Title Year H D Director IMDb
The Constant Epiphanies of Billy the Blood Donor 2007 4 4 Nathan Blackwell IMDb

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