Texas Frightmare Weekend (a.k.a. MaT has a heart attack and dies)
Now that Outpost Doom is pretty much in the bag, Deejay and I were discussing ways in which we could better promote our films, the Splattercast, and Deadlantern.com in general. We figured conventions would be a great place to do that so I started searching around. Unfortunately, most of the big conventions either already happened, or are going on this month to coincide with the celebration of Halloween. Then I came across the Texas Frightmare Weekend site. The first thing that popped out was the fact that John Carpenter would be there. As all of you know, he’s pretty much my directorial idol and the reason I wanted to start making movies in the first place.
Then I noticed something even cooler: The VIP pass. For $200, you not only get to meet John Carpenter (I’m totally bringing my copy of Big Trouble in Little China for him to sign) but you get “Admission to our fan-favorite Celebrity Party where VIPs meet and mingle with our guests in a more intimate setting”, among all the other cool things like preferred seatings at the screenings/panels/etc. Only 200 VIP tickets are available and my family decided to get me one as a graduation gift and Deejay grabbed one as well.
That’s right, Deejay and I will be hobnobbing it up with the horror elite next year (and I know you are wondering, so I’m saying here and now: I’ll personally give that Splatcademy Lifetime Achievement award to Bishop!). If I sound a bit fanboyish, sue me. I’ve been a rabid horror fan my entire life but this will be the first time I’ve ever actually gotten to meet any of these people I think so highly of. Kane Hodder? Sid Haig? Mosely? Bradley? Henrickson? I’m slobbering. Excited wouldn’t even begin to describe my mood right now. And to be there with Deejay will make it a trillion times more entertaining than it already would be (I can just see Deejay challenging Kane Hodder to a drinking challenge…).
But John Carpenter? I have no idea how I’ll react or what (if anything, I’ll probably be in stunned muted silence) I would say. If I had never been exposed to his films, there would be no Outpost Doom and there probably wouldn’t be any DL or Splattercast, for that matter. Strange when you think about how someone you’ve never met (and figured you never would) could have such a dramatic impact on the formation of which way your life would go.
So next April can’t get here soon enough. Deejay and I would absolutely love to go there with some Texas Splattercast listeners. If you can afford it, you should try and get VIP tickets. There are still about 150 left. $200 is pricey, but I guarantee you’ll get your money’s worth with Deejay and I in tow.
And Evil-Lyn will be there. Totally worth it for that alone 
Giddy in Lincoln!
Filed under: Dead Lantern News, News
Professor Bleak said:
You are going to have a blast. I have been to several horror conventions across the country and last year a couple of ex-coworkers and I drove half-way across the country for TFW. Other than the very first Fango convention I attended back in ’98, it is by far my favorite, and I didn’t even have any vip tickets.
Plus, a chance to mingle with Carpenter, you lucky bastard.
Oh, and congratulations on graduating. The more you know…is half the battle…or something like that.
Jeff said:
Challenging to a challenge, eh?
We’d better get some slick business cards and stickers and junk printed up for you guys to hand out. Sounds like a lot of fun and a great opportunity to promote.
MaT said:
Definitely. We’ll need business cards, stickers, Outpost Doom, and 2 awesome DL T-shirts
newty28 said:
I once met Kane Hodder at a Place Called Spooky World In Massachusetts.It was a Halloween Amusement Park with Haunted Houses & Such. Kane was awesome I actually saw him walking behind a haunted house I said hello shook his hand and asked about a new Friday 13th movie (part 7) was on the drawing board.Anyway he was totally awesome & very friendly. i met alice cooper there Also saw The Monster Mash Performed Live By Bobby Boris Pickett I think his name was . FUN FUN FUN
Bugsyoz said:
Mate, that is freaking ORSM. How can I say this without an erm ‘here’s my story’ type thing. I absolutely know how you are feeling. Last weekend I met Robbie Fowler. Soccer (football) is no big deal in the states, likewise here in Oz. Unless you are in to the game. For years and years and years I would be up watching my beloved Liverpool and my Liverpool idol Robbie Fowler. Out of nowhere last year he signed to play with an Australian team. !!!!!! I hung around where the players walk out of the dressing rooms and not only had my vhs slips/my 9 Fowler shirt and my Robbie Fowler biography signed….I actually met the man, shook his hand and had a brief yarn.
All this probably means next to nothing to those in the states…but believe me Mat, I know what you’re feeling. I was literally shaking the steering wheel as I was driving home.
Have a fantastic time, you will remember it always.
B
Bryan (Drunken Zombie) said:
If you have copies of The Grand Horror and by Outpost Doom you should get a vendor table and sell copies there. you can get a simple table for $200 (that includes 2 vendors passes) and then set up to sell. Plus at some of these things they have screenings and are open to screening movies that are on the vendor floor.
Either way have a great time. I did the VIP pass for Flashback Weekend in Chicago a couple of years and got to hang with Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger and other celebrities. Charles Fleischer (voice of Roger Rabbit and doctor in the original Nightmare on Elm Street) was doing porno origami with the table napkins. We had a ton of fun. Enjoy it and keep in mind Carpenter is going to be mobbed with Fan boys all weekend. try to be cool about approaching him. Just throwing out some convention veteran advice.
MaT said:
We’re not planning on printing up any more TGH dvd’s. Hopefully Deejay’s Amazon download thing goes through, but to me anyway, there really isn’t any need to waste more money on that film.
As for Outpost Doom, we will certainly have DVD’s by that time, but I think our time will be better spent networking and hobnobbing with people. We’re planning on hitting up multiple conventions next year, so we’ll definitely look into a booth set up at some point. But it’s a pretty large investment to print dvd’s and other merchandise on top of the booth rental fees when we could probably do just as well on our own.
I’d rather we went to the people instead of waiting for them to stop by a booth.
As for Carpenter, I’m hoping he’ll be at the celebrity after party thing. Only the 200 VIP ticket holders are allowed into that so hopefully I can get some advice and whatnot from him. Maybe ask him some of those tough questions I’ve always wanted to
DL fans will be happy to know that we plan on filming our entire adventure and hopefully we’ll be able to do a Splattercast from the convention itself. Can’t wait!
Explodey Jo said:
That looks frakkin awesome guys. Should add Margot Kidder to the Women of Horror segment in preparation. And be sure to say hi to Betsy Palmer for me (no relation!)
Explodey Jo said:
PS. Are you going to record a Splattercast on location?
MaT said:
Not only will we be recording a Splattercast, but we’ll also be filming the entire adventure. So all the listeners and readers will get to experience a bit of the craziness that ensues.
mits777 said:
Ill be there at least that Saturday. See yall there!