Trash Arts Killers Volume 1

Now here's a twisted leftfield deeply disturbing absurdist collection of short films if I ever saw one. From the Trash Arts production stable and currently streaming on VersusMedia this macabre anthology explores themes from the masked corners of the human mind and will put cracks in the thin veneer of our outdated industrialised society.

Running at just over an hour it demonstrates just what is possible with a camera, a co-operative, and unbound imagination. This is not your multiplex 12A spandex CGI fest, obviously; rather grass roots risk taking fringe filmmakers with a self to express unhindered and (quite possibly) unhinged.

First up is Angel of Decay - essentially a vlog by a Ted Bundy fangirl documenting her slide into mimicry of her hero and beyond. If you ever want to know what to pack in your murder kit, this is the one to watch. Certainly lives up to the Killers moniker, plural.

Angel of Decay

After a brief insert of a plastic doll autopsy (which continues to be intercut throughout the first few shorts) we have Court of Conscience. If you've ever wondered if the soapbox loons foretelling end-times and apocalypse should be respected then this film has your answer. A simple idea, well, executed.

Court of Conscience

Then we have Arrows with a one-shot slow-cinema opening scene and an implied botched heist before we see our protagonist casual and confident strolling through the woods licking revolvers as you do. We find ourselves a masked antagonist and after a quick chase sequence the score is settled with a game of chance - namely Russian roulette. There's probably a deep multi-layered metaphor in there somewhere.

Arrows

Moving on to Here's Johnny we are left to imagine the circumstances and context of any storyline as this short jumps straight into the staple horror shower scene. Next time you're in the shower you might want to keep your wits about you and your clothes on.

Here's Johnny

Submitting to Desire we are presented with what is probably the most visually striking film of the bunch. Its abstract narrative arc is left to your own interpretation and anything unsettling is down to your own cognitive biases. Featuring blue steak, squished fruit, bondage, and music steadily building to a thrashing climax there's clues and cues to tie it all together into a coherent study of that suggested by the title.

Desire

Making you even more wary of the landline telephone, The Call sets a scene of a big local news story - so why does our protagonist keep getting calls from a double-glazing salesman questioning her sanity? A tale of ratcheting guilt until pushed over the edge.

The Call

A great use of available light in Southbank which documents the last minutes of life of the main character with a cameo from none other than Death - well this is Trash Arts Killers after all. With an emotive use of music we are in the moment with the lead with disregard for whatever came before and for whatever may come.

Southbank

Rounding up we have Attraction which explores a couple's relationship anniversary and psychological fallout when the relationship is not all you want it to be. Do you continue with the relationship or do you break up with unknown consequences.

Attraction

All in all an entertainment filled hour that should help keep you awake at night! Trash Arts Killers Volume 1 is streaming on VersusMedia from 26th January 2018.

Full disclosure: the ASMR Dolls sections are submissions from my own productions at ASMR.Show

World's First ASMR Feature Length Film

MURLYN Films International in association with Trash Arts and Deer Studios announce principal photography for the ASMR movie "P.A.I.N." being directed by britmic begins August 9th 2016 in Portsmouth, UK.

The world's first narrative ASMR feature length movie is entering production and it promises to bring fans of the aural sensation a passionate story of love mixed with the dangers of gambling in gang controlled regions of the coastal city of Portsmouth.

Not much else is known about the story other than the director describing it as "a road movie and a homage to the Wizard of Oz, created with modern techniques for modern audiences".

Part of these modern production techniques include recording the film at 60fps, also known as HFR (High Frame Rate); this is a frame rate even higher than Peter Jackson used in The Hobbit which was just 48fps. Also recording live sounds with an array of microphones to maximise chances of reproducing ASMR trigger moments with viewers (especially if they are listening to playback in headphones).

When asked about these choices (HFR and ASMR) the director tells us, "science shows humans have a great reaction to 60fps film, thrills are more thrilling. This was proven when they were designing the first Star Tours ride but unfortunately technical limitations meant they could not implement [such a high frame rate] at the time [in the 80s]. If you've not heard of ASMR then keep an eye out for this movie's release and be sure to listen to it, really listen to the textures, as well as watch and respond to the visual aesthetic."

Aren't you worried at the reception 48fps screenings of The Hobbit received? "Not at all. The main criticism of The Hobbit screened with HFR was that it seemed too real and exposed the limitations of presenting Hollywood production values in anything but the same old mould. Kubrick once said 'a truly original person with a truly original mind will not be able to function in the old form and will simply do something different' - welcome to my world."

At time of writing confirmed headline cast members include Suzy Weatherall, Patrick Olliver, Phil Lyndon, Simon Berry, Chris Mills, and Michel du Vagin.

Release date for P.A.I.N. is expected to be early 2017.

PAINthemovie Gets Green Light

The spiritual successor to GAINthemovie will be shooting in summer 2016. The corridors of power in Hollywood are describing it as 'They Live' meets 'The Wizard Of Oz'.

GAINthemovie (Ghostly Apparition Investigation & Neutralisation the movie) pioneered the modern airninja movie method in 2012 and went on to win multiple awards internationally, including the esteemed Wingnut's Choice at the BUFI organised #FrugalWave Power Awards.

Whereas GAIN was directed by Evil C vs britmic, PAIN will be directed solo by britmic (does this mean we can look forward to a solo project by Evil C in future? Let's hope so).

Scant clues to the storyline exist, although rumour has it that 'PAIN' is an acronym for Personal Area Interurban Navigator', inspired by the 'PANIC' - Personal Area Network Internet Computer' - which was cut from britmic vs Evil C flick 'The Fix:'

Although the leads of PAIN have been cast, we are left to guess as to which parts they are playing. Actors include newcomer Suzy Weatherall through to industry veterans Patrick Olliver and Phil Lyndon.

Full listing of known cast below.

Jackson Batchelor

Phil Lyndon

Suzy Weatherall

Chris Mills

Patrick Olliver

Thomas J. Davenport

Sam Mason Bell

Top 5 Things I Learned Directing for TrashArts

Tuesday evening during a live film screening event an episode of "Making Of" being produced by TrashArts was shot before, during, and after. Directed by me.

DSLR and stereo X/Y mic atop for POV experience

Fortunately the actors knew their characters really well so it was more a case of AD'ing myself and being continuity person (fuck continuity) to ensure enough coverage for the edit.

What a luxury to just turn up, direct, and go home!

The current cut of "Episode 2" is a shade under 20 minutes. We shot it all in one location in just over four hours.

Anyhow, what did I actually learn?


1. Microphone technology, and audience tastes, have shifted to the point where the camera can truly become a character (indeed this was part of the brief).
Despite shooting at a noisy event in a pub screening the football and a short film night the Røde Stereo Videomic picked up a fine stereo soundstage and intelligible dialogue (at my direction, natch - move closer!)

2. The film clips of the late Michael J Murphy went down a storm.
Part of the script called for reactions to local low budget films. I opted to show excerpts from Murphy's Avalon (German release) and his commercially unreleased super8 Bloodstream.


Boy did those clips get reactions! Secretly, I think MJM would be proud even from the afterlife.

3. Let go but keep time.
This was shot from a five page treatment (by the time I'd added my notes) and then completely performed improv. In the chaos of the venue it was pointless to have done too much planning - but doing just enough to, well, provide direction (as the director, see?)

Antagonists

4. Texan four bean soup sure does look like puke.
I wasn't sure whether to go for the brown realism or the camera friendly yellow-y GAIN style demonic possession vomit. The brown stuff worked out just swell in context.

5. Great actors can appear from nowhere.
I don't know where Sam Mason Bell finds them, but the casting really works. Like I say it probably helps that the majority have already been through the award winning "Episode 1" experience. Those that hadn't were well prepared and researched - leading to some great ad-hoc exchanges between the protagonists and antagonists.


So despite the football running into extra time (I have no idea what the final score was) and a room full of local film nerds watching what film nerds watch at these events I brought a 20 minute episode in on time and under budget (the Texan four bean soup is a tax deductible line item I assured them).

All in all, 21st Century Fat Fox movie magic.