Local author, filmmaker keeps busy
These are busy days for Matt Warner.
“I’m blurring the lines,” said Warner, a novelist now making his way into the world of filmmaking with the November premiere of his short “The Good Parts” on the schedule.
The movie is based on a short story that Warner wrote in 2002. Warner produced the movie in conjunction with the Charlottesville-based Red Army Films, whose principal, John Johnson, worked with Warner through Johnson’s Darkstone Entertainment on a three-movie anthology, “The Lovecraft Chronicles: Vol. 1,” that is for sale along with a booklet insert on the characters featured in the films written by Warner, Raven.
Not done yet – Warner has his latest novel due out for release in January, Blood Born, which involves the story of a supernatural serial rapist who returns to claim his progeny.
Warner is producing a live-action trailer for Blood Born that will debut online on Halloween. “The Lovecraft Chronicles” is available for purchase exclusively through Darkstone Entertainment, for whom the project is a first entirely in-house release.
The anthology stars Mariah Smith as Harriet Lovecraft, an illegitimate descendant of the pulp writer H.P. Lovecraft, who joins a group of descendants of other famed writers to hunt down rampaging monsters.
“The Good Parts” stars Monique Dupress and Mikiah Umbertis with a storyline that links a young woman who can slow down time to enjoy the moment in full and a young man who conversely fast-forwards his way through life to the point that he skips everything but the good parts.
The premiere for “The Good Parts” is set for Saturday, Nov. 13, at Exile, 18 W. Beverley St., Downtown Staunton. Space is limited, so if you’re interested in attending, RSVP to goodparts@matthewwarner.com.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Monster’s ball: Movie makeup artist brings fright to light
Posted by afp on October 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment
I had a special-effects movie makeup artist at my disposal. Mariah Smith has been working the movie circuit since 2003, and she’s done a little bit of everything – from simple burns and cuts to head-to-toe zombies and boogiemen.
We decided on a deep gash on the left side of my face, and Smith got to work, beginning with cotton balls and adhesive.
“I was very nervous,” said Smith, of her start in the movie makeup business, which is now her full-time gig with her business, Bioduck FX. Her first paid gig was on the set of an independent movie, “Freshman Psych,” where she got a primer on the basics of doing burns, scars and other special-effects makeup and was on her way.
“There’s so much out there in terms of resources – online tutorials, books. What it really comes down to is experimenting. You experiment until you get it right. A lot of the more difficult things, you have to do that,” she said, applying color and texture to my gash.
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