What's Kraken with Jo Szewczyk

Join host Jim Phoenix as he delves into the chilling world of horror with Lauren Jane Barnett, author of "Death Lines: Walking London Through Horror Cinema". Discover the eerie connections between London's landmarks and classic horror films, explore Barnett's "London Horror Movie Book Club" podcast, and get exclusive insights into her upcoming movie "Darner", featuring Friday the 13th star Adrienne King. From "The Witches of Sand" to Barnett's first horror convention appearance, this episode is a must-listen for horror aficionados and London history enthusiasts alike. Tune in for a spine-tingling journey through the streets of London and the silver screen!
Catch up with Lauren Jane Barnett at her site: https://laurenjanebarnett.com/

Clone Cops premiered at Gen Con 2024 and walked out with Best Comedy Feature. Jo caught it there — ditched a gaming event to do it — and then got director Danny Dones and co-writer/star Phillip Cordell on the show the morning after their hometown premiere at the Nashville Film Festival sold out. They talk about designing a helmet to be bad on purpose, shooting an entire feature in one decommissioned building in three weeks, and building an army of clones out of four 3D-printed helmets and three body doubles.

KEY MOMENTS

• The helmet is bad on purpose — Concept artist Chris Butler built the clone cop look around a single idea: designed by committee. Every department got a thumbprint on it, and the result is the amalgam of awfulness that every corporate entity produces.
• Four helmets, twelve clones — They contracted a 3D printing firm for twenty helmets and had four by the time cameras rolled. Phillip plus three body doubles, composited by VFX supervisor Charles Royce into a room full of clones.
• One location, three weeks — The whole film was shot in a single decommissioned asylum outside Nashville. No running water, real cobwebs in the boiler room, a filing cabinet labelled DEATH REVIEW FILES used as cover in a shootout. They rewrote the script around the building once they locked it.
• Comic books instead of swag — Two thousand limited-edition prequel comics handed out over two days at Gen Con, because most convention swag goes straight in the bin. Then they trawled the Gen Con subreddit looking for their comic in people's hall photos.

THE TAKEAWAY

Danny drove to the sold-out Nashville premiere nervous, and somewhere on the way it turned into calm — twelve-year-old me would be so pumped right now. That's the whole thing. They were the leads from inception through execution instead of assembling from disparate pieces, and they deliberately handed crew members their first shot at the role they actually wanted. Three weeks of maximum effort, and then all your dreams could come true.

GUESTS

Danny Dones — director, co-writer, editor Phillip Cordell — co-writer, producer, and every clone cop in the film Clone Cops — https://clonecopsmovie.com Socials: @clonecops on Instagram and TikTok

Clone Cops (2024), produced in Nashville by HiPhi Productions. Directed by Danny Dones from a screenplay by Dones and Phillip Cordell. Produced by Charles Royce, Nate Eggert and Phillip Cordell. Cinematography by Corey Allen, production design by Ben Johnson, score by Christopher Gentle. Starring Quinnlan Ashe, Ted Welch, Allison Shrum, Laura Holloway, Schyler Tillett, Ravi Patel, Henry Haggard and Phillip Cordell. World premiere at Gen Con 2024, winner of Best Comedy Feature Film.

Rating: five Cthulhu out of five.

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Prepare for spine-tingling tales as Barb Dexter unveils her shocking personal ghost encounters on T+E Channel’s gripping paranormal series, “My Haunted Hometown”. Don’t miss exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and emotional revelations that will leave you questioning reality. Check out Barb’s episode Friday, September 30th at 10 PM ET/PT. Catch the free preview on T+E Channel from Sept 2 to Nov 3 – your gateway to the supernatural! Tune in and share the thrills with #MyHauntedHometown and #TEonTV. Are you brave enough to watch?

Step into the mind-bending world of Eldritch Automata as we sit down with Game Designer Nick Francia at GenCon 2024! Uncover the secrets behind this Lovecraftian mecha-masterpiece and get a glimpse of what’s to come. In this exclusive interview, Nick Francia shares:• The intricate game development process• Inspirations behind the eerie Lovecraftian elements• Unique mecha-infused gameplay mechanics Calling all Lovecraft fans! Dive into a world where eldritch horrors meet steam-powered marvels. Eldritch Automata promises an unforgettable gaming experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Ready to embrace the madness? Check out our playable demo at […]

In this episode of What's Kraken, Jo Szewczyk sits down with Chris Dane Owens and Jason Schulz — co-writers, co-directors, and co-stars of Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic — about landing two hours before an awards ceremony, winning Best Feature at the Sweden Film Awards, building a 2.5-hour fantasy that actually moves, and scoring the whole kingdom with an 80-piece orchestra.

They shot most of Allerian inside a five-mile stretch of the San Fernando Valley (plus Portland, a lucky California rain, and some very patient framing that keeps Starbucks out of shot), stacked set pieces instead of fluff, and built the movie around Ciel Post and Mary Elise Hayden from the original Shine On Me videos. Sequel's mapped. Iceland and New Zealand are on the wish list. The advice is not subtle: go as big as the itch in your chest.

The Takeaway:

Aim so high that 80% of the vision still looks impossible from the outside. Limitations are just where the resourcefulness starts.

Key Moments:

• Two hours off the plane, one minute late, Best Feature — Sweden Film Awards, then Telly hardware, and they only entered a handful
• 2.5 hours that flies: ADD pacing, no waste, set pieces first, connective tissue second
• Nicolas Repetto's score as a character — 80-piece orchestra out of Budapest and L.A., two hours of original music, mixed at Sony
• Built around Ciel Post and Mary Elise Hayden; advice to anyone with a passion project: be ambitious on purpose, the hungry 21-year-old After Effects wizard exists

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Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic — Chris Dane Owens & Jason Schulz. Film site: https://empirequeenmovie.com

Dive deep into the chilling world of serial killers with Jim Phoenix as he welcomes the intriguing and brilliant Rhiannon D’Averc, author of the riveting book “Unmasking the Shadows: A Journey into the Minds of Serial Killers.” In this spine-tingling episode, Rhiannon unveils the dark psychology behind some of the most infamous serial killers in history, drawing from her extensive research and gripping narratives. You’ll get an exclusive peek into how Rhiannon crafts her compelling true crime stories, her personal encounters with the macabre, and what drives her passion for exploring these dark corners of human nature. From notorious figures […]

Dive into the quirky world of Munchkin Big Box with Steve Jackson Games’ very own Will Schoonover on our latest podcast episode. Get the inside scoop on your favorite role-playing game, discover behind-the-scenes secrets, and join the fun with insights that’ll make you the master of your next game night. Tune in now for a session full of laughs and strategy! Don’t forget to back the game here: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/steve-jackson-games/munchkin-big-box?ref=bk-discover-trending

If you’re having withdraws from T+E’s Spring Shivers? Don’t worry, we got you covered. On today’s What’s Kraken?, Jim sits down with the social media maven (and killer jump scarer), Krista Maryk. Check out this episode as you wait for Krista’s Haunted Hospital episode 7 to drop only on T+E! You can also catch Krista on insta: @hauntinglykrista

Don’t forget to check out Meg’s episode on T+E Channel starting May 10th! As you wait for this spookville show, why not check out the first episode of season 5 on April 5th at 10PM ET/PT only on T+E!

Hey there, fearless thrill-seekers! To get into gear for T+E’s Spring Shivers (150 hours of horror starting April 1!), we’ve got none other than the star of Season 5’s Haunted Hospital–Kim Kidson! Join us as we uncover the hair-raising experiences and bone-chilling encounters of someone who’s dared to explore the paranormal activity lurking within the haunted halls. Get ready to be spooked and intrigued as we chat with Kim about all things ghostly and ghastly! Don’t forget to check out Kim’s episode on T+E Channel starting April 12th! As you wait for this spookville show, why not check out the […]