So Kenny and I road-tripped up to Modesto this past weekend. En route we stopped at James Dean’s Memorial and left him a little token of our appreciation…
The real purpose of this trip was another fest. Death in Charge was screening at Shockerfest. What was doubly cool about that, however, is that I originally met horror aficionado Stacey Hammon there 6 years ago, we lost touch, then met up again on the Queen Mary of all places for the Paranoia Horror Film Fest this past spring. We’d had a half a dozen drinks before she finally said, “Hey, you look familiar.” And I responded, “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.” And we finally pieced it all together.
Anyhoo, it was Stacey who hooked us up with Middagh Goodwin who hooked us up with most of the bands who contribute to trippin’s soundtrack. So, once again we come full circle. So never poo-poo the fest circuit – it’s a bounty of wonderful connections.
As luck would have it The Secretions and Final Summation were playing a concert at the Plea for Peace Center the first night we got there, so we decided to hold a private screening for the local bands to see the film to which they so generously contributed.
It was fun, albeit exhausting as we didn’t start the movie until 1am after 6 bands had already played. Sadly, we missed Final Summation due to a festival engagement, but how fun to hear the Secretions play live – particularly “Back in the Day Punk” after hearing it so many times whilst editing. It was also a treat to see their patented sitting mosh pit – okay so they had a way cooler name for it, but I was tired and 4 margaritas into the night, so that’s as best as I remember.
It was a blast to meet the zany guys of Outlaw Dance Society as well. They seem like total fun party guys and I so 
want to shoot a spaghetti western now and have them do the entire soundtrack. The screening itself was fairly mellow and I might have fallen asleep if it weren’t for a raucous laughing guy behind me calling fun shit out. May we always be so lucky as to have one of those.
The fest was fun, too. I ran into the fabulous Shumway Brothers whom I’d met at Dragon*Con a few weeks back (you MUST check out their fabulous film Enigma) and also ran into other old fest friends including Brinke Stevens and George and Louise Baker who run the fest.
Kenny, Stacey and I found a new fave short – Element. Just when you thought it was safe to buy creepy statues at the African market…Sadly, I don’t think they have a website. I’ll be sure to post it if they ever get one.
Other highlights included a trip to the Material Grill – an 80’s themed bar, Final Destination IV in 3-D (sweet FX! – who needs a script and good acting?) and an idea that will soon become our next short film if I can ever find the right title for it.