old news

30 June 2008


  • Saturday was my birthday and I spent part of it in Cleveland meeting with Larry ("SlingBlade") Meistrich of NEHST studios. Click the picture to visit their home page. Thanks, Larry and Greg!

    26 June 2008


  • I was at HorrorHound Weekend in Pittsburgh and had the chance to meet ChopTop himself: Bill Moseley! Here's the photo to prove it. Click the picture to visit his home page. Thanks, Bill and Greg!

    24 June 2008


  • PEEKERS has been submitted to another group of film festivals around the world. Terror Film Festival, in Philadelphia, is unique because they list all films submitted to their fest prior to making final selections. Check it out by clicking the banner above. And stay tuned to see where else PEEKERS might soon be playing. Thanks, Felix!

    25 May 2008


  • Speaking of IMDb, I've been invited to be one of the first filmmakers to showcase their work at IMDb Theaters a new initiative from the Internet Movie Database and Withoutabox, the film festival submission and promotion site. More details will be reported here as they emerge, but for now, click the image above to watch LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW at the IMDB theaters. Thanks to Withoutabox and IMDb!

    23 May 2008


  • Some more comments are trickling in from the screening at Dead By Dawn, Scotland's premiere horror film festival. I was especially pleased by a post over at IMDb (which you can read in its entirety by clicking the image above).

    "It's very low budget yes, but it affected my psyche a lot more than many of the ridiculously high budgeted shorts on display which I'll never think about again. This short really freaked me out! The idea is really simple but effective."

    Thanks, emobadger!

    4 May 2008


  • Dead By Dawn, Scotland's premiere horror film festival, has awarded PEEKERS third prize in its Cutting Edge short film competition which showcases emerging filmmakers. Thanks, Adele!

    30 April 2008


  • Josh Howard's DEAD@17: COMPENDIUM EDITION has hit bookshelves everywhere. DEAD@17: THE FAN FILM gets a nice two-page spread in the "FANS" section that closes the book. Thanks, Josh!

    29 April 2008


  • Word has been trickling in from some of the film festivals where PEEKERS has been playing. Dean Bertram, festival director at A NIGHT OF HORROR, said: "Peekers was very well received by the audience - lots of laughs and gasps in all the right places (and we had a great size audience that night - almost a full house.) A lot of folks were talking about (the) film after the screening - everyone seemed to love it - and I've even had a couple of emails from audience members who have signed off with 'Play with me!' Fantastic stuff!" Thanks, Dean!

    Here's a blog entry from the appearance at A NIGHT OF HORROR.

    Here's a blog entry from the appearance at DEAD BY DAWN.

    28 April 2008


  • Carter Smith attended the Edinboro Film Series and showed BUGCRUSH (which you can read all about by clicking the picture above), as well as behind the scenes footage and deleted scenes from his adaptation of Scott Smith's THE RUINS. Thanks to Carter, John and Greg!

    17 March 2008


  • PEEKERS has just been selected to screen at A NIGHT OF HORROR film festival in Sydney, Australia. I'm very pleased to be back at ANOH. Lovecraft's Pillow screened there last year. Thanks, Dean & Lisa!

    7 March 2008


  • PEEKERS has just been selected to screen at the White River Independent Film Festival in Vermont. This fest will be running the same weekend as Dead by Dawn in Scotland, April 25 - 27, 2008. Thanks, Steve!

    2 March 2008


  • After a successful showing at Nevermore Film Festival last weekend and the screening at Fantasporto tonight, word just arrived that PEEKERS received Honorable Mention in the Indie Short Films contest. Congrats to everyone involved.

    9 February 2008


  • Penn State Behrend and the Eerie Horror Film Festival to Sponsor Appearance by Filmmaker J.T. Petty and Screening of Controversial Film, "S&Man."

    Director J.T. Petty will be present for a screening of his controversial new film, "S&Man" at Penn State Behrend's REDC Conference Center on Monday, February 11th, at 8:00pm. "S&Man" (pronounced "Sandman") is a documentary which explores America's obsession with violence and sexuality in horror films. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with the director, Dr. Eric Corty (PSU Psychology Department), Dr. Joshua Shaw (PSU Philosophy professor) and Mark Steensland (PSU Lecturer in Media Production and Eerie Horror Film Festival V.P.). The film has played at several prestigious film festivals, including South by Southwest and the Midnight Madness segment of the Toronto International Film Festival. The free event is sponsored by the University's Communication Department and the Eerie Horror Film Festival and is open the public. You must be 18 years or older to attend.

    6 February 2008

  • Work has begun on the next short film. This time, we've acquired the rights to adapt THE UGLY FILE, a short story by ED GORMAN. The script is complete and we are location scouting and casting right now. Check back often for more news to follow.

    20 JANUARY 2008


  • A Web site called "Emcena" has posted the 2008 provisional program for Fantasporto. PEEKERS will screen on Sunday March 2. We'll be in direct head-to-head competition with some of my favorite filmmakers, including Bill Plympton and Lars Von Trier! Don't know when the festival page will have the official schedule, but in the meantime, check it out by clicking the poster above.

    19 JANUARY 2008


  • NEVERMORE has posted its 2008 program page. PEEKERS will be playing in the shorts block called "666." Check out all the details by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Jim.

    9 JANUARY 2008


  • Shock Til You Drop has picked up the story about Beyond The Pale and my work with Tom Savini's new film program. Check it out by clicking the banner above to visit their site. Thanks, STYD.

    8 JANUARY 2008


  • DreadCentral.com is the first to break the story about Beyond the Pale DVD coming later this year. The disc will feature a bunch of my short films, as well as a new original film by Tom Savini. Check it out by clicking the banner above to visit their site. Thanks, Johnny.

    26 DECEMBER 2007


  • Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone. Check out the latest news story about PEEKERS over at DreadCentral.com. Click the banner above to visit their site. Thanks, Johnny.

    21 DECEMBER 2007


  • PEEKERS has just been invited to screen at Dead by Dawn Film Festival in Scotland. I've been trying for three years to get into this festival, so I'm especially pleased to have finally made the grade. Click their banner above to visit the fest's site. Thanks, Adele.
    20 DECEMBER 2007



  • Wow! What a day. PEEKERS has been invited to screen at two film festivals. First, we'll be appearing in competition at Fantasporto, and then we'll be at the Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina. Click the pics above for more info about each fest. Thanks, Mario and Jim.

    18 DECEMBER 2007


  • Check out this mention of DEAD@17 on Film.com! Sounds good to me. Thanks, RB.

    12 DECEMBER 2007


  • Check out the latest interview with me about DEAD@17 over at Broken Frontier by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Frederik.

    28 NOVEMBER 2007


  • Check out the latest news article about PEEKERS over at Dread Central by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Melissa.

    27 NOVEMBER 2007


  • PEEKERS premieres November 29 (along with screenings of Sucker, Lovecraft's Pillow and Dead@17). Check out the mention over at Unfilmable by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Craig.

    24 NOVEMBER 2007

  • Following its world premiere at Fright Fest in London this past August, and additional dates in Toronto (at Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear), Terror Fest in Philadelphia and the Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, Pennsylvania, DEAD@17: THE SHORT FILM has been added to my line-up via YouTube. Click the poster above or click the link to the left under "watch now ." Thanks again to Josh Howard and everyone who made this film possible.

    16 NOVEMBER 2007


  • Another review for DEAD@17 has come in, this time from DreadCentral.com. Check it out by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Melissa.

    19 OCTOBER 2007


  • Tom Savini has been running a special make-up effects school since 2000. They are now launching a digital filmmaking program and I've been hired as the consultant. I'll be helping them with how to build their studio, equipment purchasing, personnel hiring and program details. I'm very excited to be working so closely with a legend such as Savini. Check out the preliminary program page by clicking the picture above. Thanks to Tom, Jeff and Pat.

    • 18 OCTOBER 2007


  • The 2007 Eerie Horror Fest is a wrap. Read the complete report by clicking the picture above. There were many great moments, but I think this has to be one of my faves. That's EHFF President Greg Ropp and yours truly with Jerry Only of the Misfits. Thanks, Melissa.

    • 17 OCTOBER 2007


  • As posted here before, the fiction version of LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW that Rick Hautala wrote based on our short film, will appear in the Exotic Gothic anthology from Ash Tree Press. However, you can hear the story now, read by me, by clicking the cover above. Thanks, Danel.

    16 OCTOBER 2007


  • Production has started on the short film adaptation of Kealan Patrick Burke's incredible short story, PEEKERS. Stay tuned for more details. Thanks to everyone who is involved.

    • 19 SEPTEMBER 2007


  • DEAD@17 has been selected to screen at this year's EERIE HORROR FILM FESTIVAL, taking place in Erie, PA, from October 10 - 14. We'll be screening at 3:30 P.M. on Sunday, October 14. Thanks, Greg!

    • 18 SEPTEMBER 2007


  • The fiction version of LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW, co-written by Rick Hautala and Mark Steensland, will appear in the EXOTIC GOTHIC anthology, edited by Danel Olson. The book, from Ash Tree Press, will make its debut at this year's World Fantasy Convention in Saratgoa Springs, New York, and will also include stories by Peter Crowther, Thomas Tessier, Neil Gaiman, William F. Nolan, T.C. Boyle, Nancy Collins, Thomas Ligotti, Joyce Carol Oates, and more! Click the book cover above for a complete look at the table of contents and the preface.

    • 13 SEPTEMBER 2007


  • DEAD@17 has been selected to screen at this year's TERROR FILM FESTIVAL, taking place in Philadelphia, PA, from October 16 - 21. We'll be screening at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 20.

    • 17 AUGUST 2007


  • DEAD@17 has been invited to screen as one of only 10 films in the short film showcase at Rue Morgue magazine's Festival of Fear in Toronto. Click the banner above to see the full guest list and schedule and stay tuned here for exact screening times. Thanks, Rodrigo.

    • 12 AUGUST 2007


  • Yes, it's true: Tom Cruise called me on Oscar night (in 2003) and today, I earned some local coverage for it in a story about celebrity sightings. Check it out by clicking the banner above. I'm the last part of the story, under the heading "Risky Business." Thanks, Sharla.

    • 7 AUGUST 2007



  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW screens tonight at MusikFest in Bethlehem, PA, as part of the Cinema & Draft night, brought to you by the Eerie Horror Film Festival. Thanks, Kim!

    • 2 AUGUST 2007

  • I'm usually not this far behind, but I'm only now getting to include a link to a very cool comic Web site called OOF! BLOG! ARGH! Check out this article where they call DEAD@17 the "coolest thing to ever happen in Erie, PA!" Wow! Thanks, O.B.A.!

    1 AUGUST 2007


  • A new review for DEAD@17 has just been posted at Fatally-Yours.com, a Web site devoted to horror reviews and news. Click the banner above to check it out. Thanks, Sarah!

    27 JULY 2007


  • UPDATE! FrightFest has finally announced the titles in its Short Film Showcase, scheduled for Saturday, 25 August 2007 at 3:00 P.M. DEAD@17, which will have its World Premiere at FrightFest, is one of only EIGHT shorts chosen for the fest. Click the banner above to check out the full schedule. Thanks again to Paul and Ian!

    5 JULY 2007


  • "In a day and age when big budget execs who have never even picked up a comic decide how a comic book movie should be made, it's refreshing to see a comic book film that pays attention to the source material."

    That's just one line from the latest review of DEAD@17 over at AIN'T IT COOL NEWS. Click the logo above to read the whole thing. Thanks, Ambush Bug!

    1 JULY 2007


  • It's official! DEAD@17 will have its WORLD PREMIERE at this year's FrightFest in the UK. This is an incredible honor for us as FrightFest, now in its 8th year, is simply the biggest genre event in England. Click the banner above to check out the current feature film line-up. Shorts (including DEAD@17) are in the process of being placed in the program and our exact screening time will be revealed sometime next week. Check back here for an update. Very special thanks to Paul and Ian!

    28 JUNE 2007


  • DEAD@17 earned some local coverage today in advance of tomorrow night's cast & crew screening. Check it out by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Floyd.

    26 JUNE 2007


  • It's official! DEAD@17 will screen at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego during a special panel taking place on Saturday, July 28, from 6:30 - 7:30 P.M. in Room 10. Here's the program guide entry:

    "Josh Howard/Dead@17 — After its remarkable debut in 2003, plus a fistful of sequels, prequels and spin-offs, Dead@17 has finally gone monthly. Join Josh Howard (The Lost Books of Eve) for this Q&A session including a special sneak preview showing of the Dead@17 short film (by Mark Steensland) a month before its world premiere in England!"

    Thanks, Eddie and Gary! And special thanks to Shea!

    23 JUNE 2007


  • Click on the banner above to read what "Cinema Crazed" thinks of DEAD@17. Thanks, Felix!

    21 JUNE 2007


  • Click on the banner above to read what "The Movies Made Me Do It" thinks of DEAD@17. Thanks!

    20 JUNE 2007

  • Thanks to DreadCentral's on-line sneak preview (which is now over), yet another long review for DEAD@17 has popped up, this time over at venangago-go.blogspot.com. Click on over to read what a self-confessed "comic book nerd" has to say. Thanks, Michael.

    19 JUNE 2007

  • "Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!" That's a quote from the first of the fan reviews for DEAD@17 which are now popping up in Josh Howard's MySpace blog. Click on over to read the rest (and to get info on how you can see the on-line sneak preview, which will only last for 24 more hours). And if you've seen it, post your review, too. Because a movie ain't a movie until it has an audience. Thanks to everyone for all your support!

  • EXTRA! Check out this longer review from one devoted DEAD@17 fan over at BUSUFILMS. Thanks, Mic!

    17 JUNE 2007


  • I am *very* pleased to announce that both SUCKER and LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW have been selected as finalists in the first annual CRYPTSHOW Film Festival which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, on the 12, 13 and 14 of July, 2007. Thanks, Estaka!

    14 JUNE 2007


  • The first official review for DEAD@17 is in and I'm happy to say we scored a 4 skulls out of 5 rating from Creep-A-Go-Go. Click the banner above to read the full review. Thanks, Ray.

    12 JUNE 2007


  • Check out Fangoria magazine's coverage of Dead@17 by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Sean.

    9 JUNE 2007


  • Check out the first news article about Dead@17 over at Dread Central by clicking the banner above. Thanks, Johnny.

    7 JUNE 2007

  • BIG Dead@17 news. I've gotten final permissions from three incredible bands to use their music in the film (along with Patrick Savage's brilliant score). FEWLEFTSTANDING, IMPELLITTERI, and DEMON HUNTER (!). And if you click on the new poster to your right under "coming soon," you'll get a bigger look at this amazing one-sheet design by "Monster" Mark Kosobucki.

    29 MAY 2007

  • Sorry for the lack of front page updates, but as many of you know, I have been hard at work on the latest production, a short film adaptation of Josh Howard's graphic novel series, "DEAD@17." Principal photography wrapped just over a week ago and I am deep in post-production now. Click on the teaser poster to your right to see more details.

    25 APRIL 2007


  • "LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW" will be playing at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner, 16 - 26 May. Click on the badge above to be taken to the festival's page on the film. Interested buyers should contact me directly by sending an e-mail here.

    10 APRIL 2007


  • Click on the banner above to read DREAD CENTRAL's review of "The Special," a script that I wrote with Rick Hautala (who also wrote the script for "Lovecraft's Pillow"). We wrote it to be considered as an episode of Masters of Horror, so here's hoping season 3 will get a greenlight. Thanks, Johnny.

    31 MARCH 2007

  • Be sure to pick up issue #57 of CEMETERY DANCE magazine. Bev Vincent was kind enough to give LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW a write-up in his Stephen King column. Thanks, Bev.

    30 MARCH 2007


  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW and SUCKER screen today in Toronto, Ontario, at the 2007 World Horror Convention. Special thanks go out to Stephen Jones.

    25 MARCH 2007


  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW screens today in Sydney, Australia, at the "A NIGHT OF HORROR FILM FESTIVAL." Click the banner above to get your tickets now. Thanks, Dean and Lisa!

    10 MARCH 2007


  • All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Whoops...I mean, look: I'm in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY as the OFOTW. Thanks, Erin!

    9 MARCH 2007

  • Although the *official* announcement won't be made until the World Horror Convention in Toronto later this month, you can click over to Josh Howard's Web site to see what he has to say about my next project, a short film adaptation of the first part of his DEAD@17 series of graphic novels. For all the details, click on the teaser poster image to the right under "coming soon." Thanks, Josh!

    8 MARCH 2007


  • Both SUCKER and LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW have been reviewed by The Creepy Kentuckian and Uncle Bill on this week's show (9 March 2007) over at Deadpit Radio. You can download the whole show by clicking on the link above. Check it out, ya'll hear? Thanks, Aaron!

  • UPDATE: WORLD HORROR CONVENTION SCREENING TIME SET. Both SUCKER and LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW will be featured on a double-bill screening from 4:00 - 4:30 P.M. on Friday 30 March 2007. Both films will be introduced by yours truly and there should be a few minutes for questions if there are any. Thanks again, Steve!

  • My film HAUNTED is the first official entry accepted into The First Annual "Doorways Unhinged" Horror Film Festival. Check out their site by clicking on the image above, find the link to my film and leave some love. Thanks, Brian!

  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW will have its Australian premiere at A NIGHT OF HORROR film festival, taking place in Sydney from 23 March to 25 March 2007. This is a great honor for us and we have high hopes for a great showing. Thanks, Dean and Lisa!

  • Both SUCKER and LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW will be screening on the film programme at this year's World Horror Convention, taking place in Toronto from 29 March through 1 April. This is the big daddy of literary horror bashes and especially symbolic since it was at just such a convention back in 1979 when Stephen King came up with the original idea for Lovecraft's Pillow.

  • I've been interviewed about LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW again, this time by the South American online Stephen King magazine called Insomnia (the original page is in Spanish, but I've provided a link to the "Googlish" translation). Thanks, Ari.

  • My short story, "The Book Smeller," which was published in Issue #34 of Not One Of Us, received Honorable Mention in the 19th Annual Year's Best Fantasy and Horror.

  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW was on the program at the Stephen King Short Films Festival that happened back in October in Argentina (the original page is in Spanish, but I've provided a link to the "Googlish" translation). Thanks, Ari.

  • Another interview with yours truly about LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW appears at the Stephen King Short Movies site. Thanks again, Bernd.

  • A new review of LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW appears at the Razor Reel Web site . Thanks, Patrick.

  • SUCKER appears on the "Best of ShockerFest 2006" DVD, available at the ShockerFest Store. Thanks, George.

  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW continues to reach around the world. We've made our way onto a site called CREEPSHOWS. And we've been added to the Stephen King Short Movies site. Potential future festival appearances include Brussels and Australia. Check back for more updates.

  • Two new reviews have recently appeared. One for SUCKER has been posted at Dread Central and the other, for BEYOND THE PALE (a disc which contains The Visitor, Sucker, and Lovecraft's Pillow) has posted over at Fatally Yours. Thanks, Sarah.

  • Check out this review at Dread Central for Lovecraft's Pillow. Thanks, Dave.

  • Camille Jones has won Honorable Mention in the "Rising Star" category at the ShockerFest International Film Festival in Riverbank, California. Congratulations, Camille, from everyone on the Sucker crew.

  • Check out these reviews from Ray Noir over at Creep-A-Go-Go for Sucker and Lovecraft's Pillow. Thanks, Ray.

  • Check out this interview with me by D.W. Bostaph over at the new home of horror, Dread Central.

  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW will have its U.S. Premiere at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, which will take place in Portland, Oregon, from October 6 - 8, 2006.

  • LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW, my short based on the Stephen King idea, with a screenplay by Rick Hautala, has been invited to World Premiere in the Short Film Showcase of the British Fantasy Society's FantasyCon XXX, which will take place in Nottingham, England, from September 22 - 24, 2006.

  • I've just been selected for induction into the Erie Filmmakers Hall of Fame at this year's Eerie Horror Film Festival. Check out the full announcement on Rev. Greg's MySpace blog page.

  • SUCKER has just been selected to screen at the ShockerFest International Film Festival in Riverbank, California. And Camille Jones has been nominated for the "Rising Star" award.

  • I've just been interviewed by The Film Chair, a very cool Web site by Dan Stasiewski. So click on over and read the latest about "Sucker" and "Lovecraft's Pillow."

  • Good news and bad news. The bad news is that my script, "The Special," did not make it to the finals in the Shriekfest competition. It is still entered in a few others, so we'll see what happens. The good news is that "Sucker" did make it to the Independent Film Award finals in the Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester, England. It's one of 11 films chosen (and one of four from the U.S.A.).

  • I just received this e-mail...

    "Mark, Congratulations! "The Special" is a semi-finalist in the feature screenplay category of the 2006 Shriekfest Screenplay competition. The quality of the screenplays this year were excellent. Making it this far is quite an accomplishment. The judges are in the final stages of selecting the finalists for the festival. We will be contacting the finalists within the next week.

    Denise Gossett, Shriekfest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition Festival Founder/Director"

  • SUCKER has just been selected to screen at two festivals. First, it will screen in competition at the Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester, England. Then it will screen out of competition as part of the regional filmmakers' night at the Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, Pennsylvania.

  • I am in pre-production on my next short film. It's called LOVECRAFT'S PILLOW. My good friend (and multi-million copy bestselling author) Rick Hautala has written the screenplay based on my story from an idea by Stephen King. We are hurrying to make the deadline for this year's HP Lovecraft Film Festival. More on this soon, so stay tuned.

  • SUCKER, the next episode of Channel 99's new Web series, BEYOND THE PALE, is nearing completion. The bad news is that it won't be on-line for awhile. The good news is that this is because I am so pleased with the results, I am submitting it to a slew of horror film festivals, including Screamfest LA, The New York City Horror Film Festival, the Festival of Fantastic Films and San Sebastian. Stay tuned for more news. Click here for some photos.

  • THE VISITOR, the pilot episode of Channel 99's new Web series, BEYOND THE PALE, is on-line. Click the banner above to watch it.

  • I have been invited to be a judge in the screenplay contest at the 2006 EERIE HORROR FEST. George Romero will be this year's GoH. I'm also planning a screenwriting seminar during the Fest. More still to come. Check back often.

  • I just completed my latest feature-length screenplay, "Graffito," which is what the new opening to my site is all about. I'm hoping to shoot a short film based on the first 10 pages or so. Check back often for more updates.

  • I recently scored "Roommates," a short film, for director Brad Cliff. You can view it at Trigger Street.

  • My latest short film, "The Sock," is now available for viewing here (on the MOVIES page) or at Trigger Street.

  • My digital painting, "The Mask," was published in "Change," an annual anthology from the publishers of Not One Of Us.

  • My feature-length screenplay, "The Redeemer," has been optioned by Wolfpack Pictures.

  • I'm sorry to report that my column, "Write Handed," which had been appearing weekly at Broken Frontier, has come to a close. You can read the last column here.

  • My short story, "The Barn," which was published in Issue #32 of Not One Of Us, received Honorable Mention in the 18th Annual Year's Best Fantasy and Horror.

  • My short story, "The Book Smeller," was published in Issue #34 of Not One Of Us.


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