Contrary to popular opinion…

…this movie is most certainly NOT dead.  There’s been a lack of updates lately because it’s been a very slow and labor intensive time tweaking the edits to make sure we have the best movie possible.  I didn’t think anyone would be interested in hearing stuff like, “cut two seconds out of scene 13, reel 4 today”.  I hope it hasn’t given anyone the wrong impression about what’s going on with the film.  We’ve got a really great film on our hands and we’re all very, very proud of it.

In fact, as some of you may have heard through other sources, we have just officially locked picture on the editing of the film which puts us in a whole new phase in the life of this film.  There are still a few shots to polish by the good folks at Prana (our VFX partners on the film), but we should be starting the PR machine in motion while those finishing touches are put in place.

To celebrate that, I have a little present for all of you for being so patient.  This will be the first in a series of photos I’ll be releasing exclusively right here, so check back often.  I’m specifically choosing these for our Italian friends, hoping it will illustrate how much we love the source material, despite changes we may have made to it because of the realities of the film.  Enjoy!

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/HYASA (Happy You All Stuck Around)

Holiday wishes and more polls

Hi, everyone.  Sorry for the delay in posting again.  I was out of town visiting family for a few weeks.  Hope everybody had a great holiday season.  We’re back at it now, putting the finishing touches on the film which should be delivered completely in the next few weeks!  Woo hoo!!!  Feels like the end of the longest marathon in my life.    That should finally free us up to start the hype machine in full force!!!

And, if you feel like it, you might want to drop in at another poll a friendly little elf just dropped my way: http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2010/01/2010-comic-book-movie-preview.php#.  Let people know how excited you are to see this movie!  We’re currently in 4th there, but I think we should be a lot higher!

More news soon!

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stuntman/LTDSHP (Looking To Drop Some Holiday Pounds)

Thanks, everyone!

Thanks to you guys and your passion for this project, people are starting to use phrases like “sleeper hit of 2010“.  (And believe me, the sleeper part is not a bad thing AT ALL.)  Really appreciate everyone jumping on board like you did and thanks to Rick over at MTV Splashpage for being such a good sport about some of your more…uh…passionate posts there.  He’s been great about this movie and I don’t blame him at all for not including it on the list initially, as it HAS fallen out of a lot of people’s view at this point.  I’m working to fix that, I promise!

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/PCT (Passionate Crusader, Too)

No love?

MTV Splashpage today announced a poll about which comic book movie you are most excited about in 2010 and we weren’t even included?  Clearly a case of cultural bias against one of the most beloved comic book characters in the world just because he’s Italian.  I think all of our Italian fans should let them know how they feel by visiting and writing in “Dead of Night”.  Here’s the link: http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/12/01/poll-which-2010-comic-book-movie-has-you-most-excited/#more-25687.  Heck, even you Brandon fans can if you like.  Clearly there is no appreciation for Mr. Routh there, either!

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/FMT (Feeling Mischievous Today)

Moving right along…

We’re still making little tweaks here or there, but we held another screening last night (sorry I couldn’t inform anyone about it!) and the audience really, really loved it.  I continue to be more and more proud of the movie as it’s coming together.  We even had some of the effect shots from our partners at Prana Studios (the effects house we’re using) and they look GREAT!!!

I know this is a frustrating time and everyone is dying to see something new from the film (photos, trailers, anything!) but it’s all about the timing right now.  We don’t want to give too much away this far out or else everyone will get excited about something and then have to wait months to see it.  Too soon and we risk those of you who aren’t already on the edge of your seats forgetting about the movie!  However frustrating it is for you guys, it’s ten times more frustrating for us that no one gets to see all the great work we’ve done!

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/FLAEM (Feeling Like An Expectant Mother)

Where are we?

Been getting lots of questions like that so I thought I would pass along what update I can.  Right now we’re in the long, somewhat tedious portion of movie-making known (with an almost universal groan) as POST.  (And I put it that way for dramatic effect, not because I think people don’t know what “post” is.)  What that means from my perspective is that, while Kevin and Paul Hirsch (our editor) lock themselves in a dark room in Burbank and go over every inch of footage of the film again and again and again, every few days myself and Gioy Demarco (our resident Dylan Dog expert) get a new cut of the movie with some scene tightened or some new shot inserted or, sometimes, with an entirely new scene that, two weeks ago, had been eliminated completely now put back in.  I have to say that not since I went to see Star Wars 27 times when I was a wee lad have I seen a movie this many times in such close proximity.  Effects shots are slowly being layered in with wires suddenly disappearing and sometimes also complete body parts disappearing.  (Part of the fun of having zombies in your film!)  In addition, every day Gioy pours through the shots coming in from our partners at Prana Studios who are doing the effects, approving them, providing notes or just generally enjoying watching the magic come together.  It’s exciting, but it’s also slightly tedious, I have to admit.  Makes me long for the days of getting thrown off balconies where you do it and it’s over and you move on to the next gag.  This part is really about fine-tuning and tweaking all the great stuff you have to make it the best it can be.  And Kevin, probably due to his background in animation, is really shining in this part of the process.  Not that he’s becoming a “Lucas” and using technology to shape what is in his head, he’s just incredibly detail oriented and is willing to tweak and tweak and tweak until he has things exactly like he wants them.  It’s actually been amazing to watch.  I know I don’t have the patience for that sort of work.

Anyway, things are progressing nicely and the film just keeps getting better and better.  Looking forward to our next test screening to see how the audience reacts.  (And before you ask, we haven’t scheduled one!  )

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/CIP (Chronically Impatient Person)

Apology

Sorry for the gap in news, folks.  I’ve been out of the country on vacation.  Well, truth be told, picking up my wife who is finally immigrating here from London.  Will be back at it very soon, though.  Thanks for your patience.

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/HMM (Happily Married Man)

Youtube Movie Page

Wow.  Thanks to Ron (who also goes by Madddog Mickee and about a dozen other names around the net) who put together some amazing videos that are now featured on the Dead of Night Youtube page.  Thanks a million, Dog.

http://www.youtube.com/user/DylanDogFilms

Somewhat related…

Not directly related to the film, but here’s an excellent article delving into Dylan’s character that I just found:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/109764-dylan-dog-vs.-hellboy-a-study-of-pulp-and-pop-pastiche/

Hope you enjoy.

BTW, saw the second director’s edit of the film on Friday and it looks BETTER than the first one.  Really, really excited about the film.

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Former Stunt Guy/NBTDTRIA (Nothing Better To Do Than Read Internet Articles)

Quick note

Probably more worthy of a tweet than a blog post, but I just saw the director’s first cut of the movie and it is AWESOME!  It can only get better from here and it’s really freakin’ good.  Just too much of my ugly mug, but I’m sure they’ll get rid of a lot of that.    Was kind of surreal to see it all put together, especially the scenes I hadn’t seen in filming, but very, very exciting!!!

More tales from Comicon coming soon, just swamped at the moment.

-Dan Forcey

Development Exec/Stunt Guy/NSMTD (Not Sleeping Much These Days)