R-Squared Films

The changing face of the DVD market

2010-11-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

For the last several years, DVD sales have been the lifeblood of independent filmmakers. Bad economic conditions have slowed consumer spending. BluRay may have won the HD format war, but even avid collectors are starting to feel format fatigue, and are reluctant to purchase their collection yet again. And now the ever expanding array of Internet ready devices delivering streaming content to television looks poised to be the third strike against DVD's prominence in the marketplace. Fewer discs are being sold, in any format, and there are fewer places to buy. The remaining retail outlets are sticking with big budget Hollywood films, and even Best Buy recently announced that it would be reducing the floor space allocated to cd and DVD sales by as much as 50%. Less rack space means fewer titles.

And then there is the reality of modern retail - the joke is "I've got good news, and bad news. The good news is, we got an order from WalMart. The bad news is, we got an order from WalMart". So how can an order from a major retailer be bad news? Simple - the price for getting your product into those retailers is that they have the right to return 100% of what was purchased - and they're not shy about doing so. Typically, whatever is still on the shelves at the end of 90 days gets returned.

So where IS the market going? The trend looks to be heading towards "non-ownership" - online rentals and subscription streaming services are gaining market share - so keep that in mind when you get ready to take your film to market.

Adding closed captions to your film

2010-05-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

We are always being asked what filmmakers can do to make their films more marketable. Their first thought is to consider foreign sales, but you should consider making your film MORE marketable in North America. You may not be aware of this, but in order for a US broadcaster to present your film over the air on on cable, your film must be Closed Captioned. There are some carriers that will make your film available on Video On Demand (but not all will), but the FCC, which oversees broadcast and cable in the US, requires that all broadcast material be Closed Captioned.

Closed Captioned vs. Subtitled - seems like it should be the same, but it's not, and subtitles can't be used as a substitute for closed captioning. The biggest difference between captioning and subtitling is that subtitles presume that the viewer can hear the soundtrack - captioning was originally designed for the hearing impared, and includes description of important audio/sound effects that are not part of the dialogue. You may have noticed this difference watching captions on televisions in public places like bars, restaurants or airports where captioning is often turned on.

Creating closed captions for your film - Before you dive into creating captions, I recommend reading this pdf. This will give you an understanding of what captioning standards are, and what you should be including as you type. There are several reasonably priced pieces of software that will help you create the caption file - I use MovCaptioner from Synchrimedia (and no, I don't get paid for referring...) - this is a Mac based piece of software that will create the file you need to import into your editing software, such Final Cut Pro or Avid. If you really hate typing, it will even work with the MacSpeech Dictate software. If you are working on a Windows machine, here is a site that lists other inexpensive software that will create caption files. Be sure to create your caption track from the final version you submit for distribution - if you're working with us, we can give you the info you need to include your closed caption track with your deliverables, and we'll take it from there.

Options for having it done for you - a quick Google search will give you lots of options for closed captioning services - you should expect to pay a starting rate of $6-10 per minute to have your film captioned. That assumes you have a precise transcript of the film. Notice I don't say script - we all know actors improvise, scenes change during shooting, what is on screen doesn't exactly match the script. If you don't have a transcript, expect to pay a few dollars extra per minute. Again, if you're working with us, you won't need to create or receive a DigiBeta version of your film, as we directly encode for broadcast, cable and satellite - so you'll be able to save a bit by keeping your entire captioning project digital - just look for a captioning company that offers discounts for digital only work.

New Films on the R-Squared Website!

2009-11-23T05:02:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy couple weeks for us around the R-Squared offices. We recently acquired some new movies and have been hard at work getting them ready. Here's a look at what we have for 2010...

The Good Sisters - Here's a review from The Horror Society. The film stars April Monique Burril from The Chainsaw Sally Show as well as one of the premier Scream Queens, Debbie Rochon (Hanger, Tromeo & Juliet, Fangoria Radio Host). The Good Sisters comes out on VOD (Comcast, Time Warner Cable, DirectTV, Dish Network) on 02-01-10 and on DVD 02-02-10.

Killer Biker Chicks is an awesome throwback to the B-Movie, exploitation films of the 60's and 70's. It stars Scarlet Salem, Brenna Lee Roth, Sara Plotkin, Rose Gorlano and Elske McCain. If you're a fan of hot girls kicking ass, then you really need to pick up this movie. Killer Biker Chicks arrives on DVD 01-12-10.

Texas Bloodbath Film Festival - ONE WEEK AWAY!

2009-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

The Texas Bloodbath Film Festival is just one week away and we're starting to get excited!

If you haven't been keeping up with the blog, R-Squared Films is attending the Texas Bloodbath Film Festival November 13th-15th in Waco, TX and we're hoping to meet a lot of local filmmakers who are interested in having their film distributed worldwide!

If you're in the area or have some free time that weekend and want to drive out, I can assure you, it's going to be totally worth it! The festival is going to have a lot of great films, some cool appearances and a vendor area where we will be giving a 30% discount on ALL OUR FILMS!

If you are planning on attending and would like to meet with someone from R-Squared, email us to set up an appointment. We hope to see you all there!

Two New Films!

2009-11-03T17:11:00.001-08:00

R-Squared Films just picked up a couple new films:

KILLER BIKER CHICKS

SPIRITS OF THE FALL

We're very excited about both films and hope to have DVD sleeves and pre-order info up for them soon. Also, AFM has started and R-Squared Films is there, so if you're planning on attending AFM and would like to meet up to discuss distributing your film, email BUZZ REMDE.

Big News for R-Squared Films...

2009-10-30T14:51:00.001-07:00

Okay, so here's the big news that we've been talking about...

R-Squared Films signed a deal with Gravitas Ventures today to release selected films to major VOD and digital platforms. Gravitas connects distribution companies to leading cable, satellite and online partners including leading cable, satellite, telco and online distribution partners including Apple iTunes, Amazon VOD, Netflix's Watch It Now, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network(R), Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, Direct TV and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution.

We're in the compression process right now, getting our films ready for the digital market. This means that you'll soon be able to find our films nationwide on your cable or satellite's VOD channels as well as iTunes, Netflix and many other online portals.

We'll have a list up of the films to be looking for and release dates soon. Looks like the films will be available right after the first of the year, so stay tuned!

IN OTHER BIG NEWS....

R-Squared Films is also excited to announce our first feature-film production, ANTHEM. The film is set in the exotic world of Swingers and shows how that lifestyle can help a relationship or destroy it. We just finished shooting and are going to be in post-production for a few months. We're shooting for a Spring, 2010 release, so stay tuned!

ANTHEM has a Facebook Page up and running, so feel free to join and keep up to date on the film.

BIG NEWS!

2009-10-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

So we're going to have some very big news to announce in the next few days, so be sure to check back. We can't say much right now, but this is going to mean something very big for the company...keep checking back!

They Must Eat & Evil Offspring Covers

2009-10-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

Here are the covers for They Must Eat and Evil Offspring. Click to embiggen!

Two New Films!

2009-10-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce two new films to be released on 12-29-09! Both films are from director Tommy Brunswick (who also directed Little Red Devil) and are totally awesome horror films!

THEY MUST EAT!

Synopsis: Sanford will forever be a socially inept loser. Now approaching the age of forty, his only girlfriend of 3 years has given him the boot and he’s working a dead end job. Beyond despair, Sanford decides to ask his only living relative, Uncle Alistair, to take him in. Alistair is not very fond of his deadbeat nephew but with his failing health he needs someone around to carry on his work after he dies. Unfortunately for Sanford, Alistair’s work involves frequent murders to feed an evil clan of flesh eating ghouls that live in the woods surrounding his house. At first Sanford is terrified by these foul beasties, but then learns to lead them and actually train them after his Uncle passes. Now all those who cross him will suffer the wrath of his monstrous minions.

Special Features: Director's Commentary, Producer's Video Blog, Cast & Crew Interviews, Special FX Photo Montage

EVIL OFFSPRING

Synopsis: There is a definite balance to the forces of good and evil in the universe. The quiet backwoods town of Angel Falls is home to this great equalizer! Enter two unsuspecting lost souls trying to find their way back to the highway, and become stranded on an old farm. The owners, Pa and Nan are quite hospitable, to the right type of guests, but if you're a sinner, you wind up on their chopping block and fed to the voracious creatures known as THE EVIL OFFSPRING. The game just gets started when a seasoned hitchhiker begins to weave a tapestry of deception to confuse all the weary road travelers. A group of motley criminals soon find out, there is no escaping the terror in the woods of Angel Falls, they are merely pawns in the game being played by forces beyond their

comprehension.

With a life or death struggle unfolding in the cursed woods and farmland, they take their chances holding up in the very barn that houses the Offspring. With a rising body count, the evil woods impregnating young women who then birth full sized demons tearing through bellies, and a "who can you trust?" edge of your seat pace... there is NO escaping THE EVIL OFFSPRING!

Special Features: Director's Commentary, Producer's Video Blog, Behind The Scenes Featurette, Cast & Crew Interviews, Special FX Photo Montage

We'll have the DVD cover's up soon on the blog, but you can see them on our newly redesigned website!

Click for the THEY MUST EAT page

Click for the EVIL OFFSPRING page

Texas Bloodbath Film Festival - Update

2009-10-23T04:42:00.000-07:00

So we've had some emails about the Texas Bloodbath Film Festival and I wanted to answer them here for everyone in case others were wondering. We will have someone there at the festival (his name is Christian) and you will be able to bring screeners of your film to the festival to drop off at our booth in the vendor area. Christian will be available to talk to filmmakers about their films, our distribution process and take any other questions that you have.

We're looking forward to seeing all of you there at the festival! Remember, it's November 13th through 15th in Waco, TX!

Texas Bloodbath Film Festival

2009-10-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is excited to announce that we will be at the Texas Bloodbath Film Festival from Friday, November 13th through Sunday, November 15th! We are sponsoring the festival by offering the winning feature film a full distribution deal and we are excited to meet all the filmmakers who attend.

We will also have a booth at the festival and will be offering a lot of great deals on all our films including new releases and pre-orders, so stop on by and say hello!

R2 Films at MIPCOM in Cannes Oct 5-11th

2009-09-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce that our films will be represented for sale at MIPCOM in Cannes from October 5th through the 11th. We will be in the Palais des Festivals, booth number 09.20.

Wish us all luck and if you have time, stop by and say hi. Next stop AFM in November!

Nice Little Plug in Fangoria!

2009-09-22T15:00:00.001-07:00

The venerable horror publication wrote a nice little piece about some of our upcoming releases:

See it here!

It mentions Mental Scars, Little Red Devil and Beyond Remedy and even has the box art up...nice!

Many new films!

2009-09-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week for us and so we've been a bit lax on the updates...but we've got a bunch of new films that we've acquired and have put up on our online store:

BEYOND REMEDY - Releases 12-15-09

MENTAL SCARS - Releases 12-15-09

A FOUR COURSE MEAL - Releases 12-22-09

DRAWN IN BLOOD - Releases 12-08-09

All of these films are available for pre-order on Amazon.com and our own online store where you will still get 30% off by using the code HALL30 when you buy them. They don't come out for a while, but they'll be sent just as soon as they're ready!

More films are coming soon, so keep checking back!

Little Red Devil

2009-09-12T19:34:00.001-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce the release of Little Red Devil starring:

DANIEL BALDWIN (Homicide, Vampires, Trees Lounge)
DEE WALLACE (The Howling, E.T., CUJO, The Hills Have Eyes)
JAMES RUSSO (Donnie Brasco, Public Enemies)

Synopsis:

Jimmy Lidell (Jim Lewis) is a nobody, stealing to earn a living in a dead-end life and searching for his long lost girlfriend. When Jimmy meets Luc Tyer (Daniel Baldwin), a bigger-than-life underworld heavy, Luc makes him an offer he can't refuse. Jimmy accepts, but is leery about the secret motives behind Luc's willingness to teach the business. Jimmy's religious Mother (Dee Wallace) suspects that Jimmy may be running with the wrong crowd, but Jimmy turns a deaf ear to her spiritual warnings. Luc soon reveals his plans to use Jimmy as his unholy servant in a deadly and bloody game of evil revenge and power while Jimmy decends further and further into a world of sinister corruption and satanic designs.

Little Red Devil comes out 12-01-09 and will be available for pre-order on Amazon.com soon. It is currently available for pre-order on the R-Squared Films Store right HERE!

Out Of Stock!!!

2009-09-08T15:52:00.001-07:00

Okay, so we're hearing that Amazon, Best Buy and Barnes & Nobel are all listing our films as being out of stock...first off, HOLY CRAP! We're psyched that they can't keep up with the demand! Second, we are shipping them product as fast as we can to keep up so if you've ordered and are waiting, you won't have to wait long, we promise!

If you need your fix right away, we always have DVD's to send out ASAP from our own online store RIGHT HERE! And don't forget to use the code HALL30 on checkout to get 30% OFF the regular retail price...it's even cheaper than the other online stores!

The discount applies to all horror films, even pre-releases. So if you're looking to get some of the great horror films that we have coming out later this month (Silo Killer 1&2, The Chosen One, Bloodwine, Horror Vault 1&2), order them now and we'll ship them out as soon as they're available (you might even get them a day or so early)!

And thanks again for all your support!

Earth Day is #13 on Amazon's top 100 Slasher Films!

2009-09-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is now listed at #13 on Amazon.com's list of the top 100 Slasher Films! Right now it's listed above Death Proof, Final Destination 1&2 and My Bloody Valentine!

Help keep it high on the list by ordering it HERE!

Or you can order it from the R-Squared Films website and get 30% off by using the coupon code HALL30 at checkout!

Congrats to Earth Day for getting so high on the list...it's amazing!

Methodic - Top 100 at Amazon.com!

2009-09-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Methodic has spent the last 2 days in the top 100 Horror DVD releases and we couldn't be happier! Right now it's listed at #85, just above Poltergeist, Jaws 3 and The Unborn!

Keep Methodic in the Top 100 Horror films by ordering it HERE!

Or you can order it from the R-Squared Films store and get 30% off by using the coupon code HALL30 at checkout!

Torn - New Acquisition

2009-09-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce that we've picked up Richard Johnson's film, Torn.

Torn stars Chris Clanton from HBO's THE WIRE.

Synopsis:

Torn Pettigrew is a successful young businessman with great friends and a loving family. His fear of commitment keeps him moving from woman to woman, hoping to avoid an emotional attachment. After learning that he’s contracted the HIV virus, he spirals out of control, irreparably damaging those closest to him.

Torn tells the tale of how one man's dangerous and reckless behavior can affect all those around him. This real-life, cautionary tale deals with the dangers of promescuity and the horror that comes with the results.

You can pre-order Torn on Amazon.com right now...

Our New Store!

2009-08-31T04:04:00.001-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce the launch of our new online store! To celebrate the launch, we're giving a 30% discount on all of our horror films from now until November 1st! Visit the store, fill up your cart and then enter the code HALL30 when you checkout and you'll get 30% off all your favorite films! This discount includes all of our new releases and films that are still in pre-order!

New Releases for Tuesday, September 1st, 2009:

Earth Day

Methodic

Texas Bloodbath Film Festival

2009-08-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Andrew Rose is about two and a half months away from what is going to be one hell of a film festival, The Texas Bloodbath Film Festival!

R-Squared Films is proud to be sponsoring the film festival and encourages everyone to submit...not just because it's a great venue to show off your blood & guts, but we're offering a guaranteed distribution deal to the winner of best feature film! We will also be in attendance

to meet with all the filmmakers who attend and to watch all of the awesome films!

We hope to see you all there!

New Releases for this Tuesday the 1st of September!

2009-08-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is releasing 2 films this Tuesday, the 1st of September. Amazon.com is running discounts on both films and you can also find them for pre-order on Best Buy, Target and Barnes & Noble's websites:

Earth Day - Pre-Order HERE!

Methodic - Pre-Order HERE!

Call of the Hunter - Pre-Order Now Available

2009-08-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Call of the Hunter is now available for Pre-Order on Amazon.com!

Click HERE for Amazon's Call of the Hunter page. The film releases on November 17th, 2009.

Call of the Hunter - a UK horror film

2009-08-26T15:09:00.001-07:00

We just picked up the rights to this amazing UK horror film, Call of the Hunter.

Here's the Synopsis:

In the summer of 1962, three teenagers went on a camping trip into Herongate Woods. What started out as a fun trip ended in a nightmare as one of the boys met with a tragic death. The other two escaped, but could only relay a tail of a hooded and horned man who terrorized them. Forty years later, one of the survivors meets with a mysterious and tragic death and the only survivor returns to the scene of the original incident with a documentary crew. As members of the crew die in horrible circumstances the survivors are on a desperate search to find what the spirit of the forest wants before it’s too late!

The past catches up with them as the hooded man returns and the spirit of the forest is awoken with chilling consequences.

---------------------

The film releases on 11-17-09 and the pre-order should be up soon on Amazon.com. Keep checking the blog or our website for details!

New Releases for this Tuesday the 25th of August!

2009-08-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films is releasing its first batch of films this Tuesday and Amazon.com is offering discounts on all three films that are coming out:

Abduction Pre-Order

Promise Pre-Order

Dreams Of The Dead Pre-Order

All three films are available now for pre-order and will be shipped to you right away from Amazon.com!

Livestock - UPDATE

2009-08-22T17:00:00.001-07:00

Livestock is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Pre-Order it HERE!

Livestock - New Acquisition for R-Squared Films!

2009-08-21T15:17:00.001-07:00

R-Squared Films is proud to announce that we've picked up a new film, LIVESTOCK, and will be releasing it on November 10th, 2009. The film will be available for pre-order soon, but until then, you can enjoy the DVD cover art...

You can see a synopsis and more about the film on our website!

Farewell Darkness - New Film now available for Pre-Order

2009-08-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

After four years of military service, Michael Pasternak (Keith Compton) returns home to Chicago to confront his alcoholic father, Roman (Circus-Szalewski). Roman physically abused Michael's mother Teresa (Heidi Klefstad) to her breaking point of suicide. Michael enlists the help of his old friends Dougie and Paul (David Bianchi, Luis Segui) to aid in his plan for revenge against his father, but after reconnecting with his high school girlfriend Rose (BriAnna Weaver) he finds it hard to carry out his plans for vengeance. Michael must then decide to destroy the true terror of his life or leave the past as it lies.

"Pico works visual wonders on a low budget; the impressive combat scenes put many a mainstream production to shame"

- Gene Siskel Film Center

Click HERE for the Amazon.com pre-order page.

Allure - Now Available for Pre-Order

2009-08-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

You can pre-order Allure HERE!

Ultimate Death Match - Now Available for Pre-Order!

2009-08-17T04:29:00.000-07:00

Our latest acquisition, Ultimate Death Match, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com!

Here's a quick synopsis of the film:

After a death in the ring of one of their superstars, the FOPW (Federation of Pro Wrestling) lose their licences. Promoter Jake Reed is forced to hold his illegal matches on the internet with one big catch...all matches are now to the death! Someone will die in front of millions of rabid, bloodthirsty fans. Not since the bloody days of the Roman Gladiators has there been such a public exhibition of savage combat!

The film stars WWF & WWE Superstar Al Snow as well as Chuck Williams and Barry Ratcliffe.

Pre-Order it HERE!

Allure - New release from R-Squared Films

2009-08-17T04:25:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to quickly post the cover art for our latest acquisition, Allure, starring the very sexy Gina Lynn.

The film is an action/thriller with a lot of twists and turns (as well as some very steamy scenes)...the pre-order page will be up on Amazon soon, but for now, just enjoy the cover art.

LOVED ONES - Available for Pre-Order!

2009-08-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Shawn Cain's amazing Vampire film is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

Pre-Order HERE!

Bleed With Me - Pre-Order Now Available!

2009-08-06T15:07:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this terrifying journey into the mind of a psychopath. This film will make you think twice about getting into a cab...watch it at your own risk!

Pre-Order it Here!

Bleed With Me - New Cover Art!

2009-08-04T03:44:00.001-07:00

Here is the cover art for our latest acquisition, Bleed With Me. The film will be available for pre-order on Amazon.com soon, but we wanted you all to be able to get an advance look at the artwork.

Bleed With Me is one of the best reviewed films we've seen here at R-Squared and we're very excited about distributing it! Here's what people are saying about the film:

"A striking and visceral horror film that takes us through various levels of hell and debauchery as the violence continues to role along."

- RougeCinema.com

"Bleed With Me is one of the most frighteningly effective thrillers I have seen in a long time."

- PulpMovies.com

"Bleed With Me is an intense horror film full of great mystery through slaying after slaying."

- HorrorMovieFans.com

The Horror Vault - Volume 1 & 2

2009-07-29T19:16:00.001-07:00

Now available for Pre-Order, THE HORROR VAULT VOLUME 1&2

This terrifying horror anthology is actually 2 films on one DVD! Pre-order now on Amazon.com for only $12.99!

Bloodwine podcast today!

2009-07-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a little reminder that Patrick Keith, the writer/director of Bloodwine, will be on the Edcrophilia Podcast today at 1pm EST. If you miss the live podcast, you can always listen to it on the BlogTalkRadio page.

Here's the LINK...

Bloodwine - Now Available for Pre-Order

2009-07-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

Patrick Keith's amazing vampire film, Bloodwine, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

CLICK HERE! to pre-order Bloodwine.

"Bloodwine is the best vampire film that I've seen this year"

--Anthony Thurber, Film Arcade

FYE and Wherehouse

2009-07-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just found out that our films are showing up on FYE.com and Wherehouse.com...we're very excited to be offering our films on these sites and in these stores! You can always pre-order our films on Amazon.com, Best Buy, Target and others as well!

BLOODWINE - New Cover!

2009-07-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Hey horror fans,

We just picked up a new film, Bloodwine, and it's awesome. It's a creepy vampire film with an almost 100% female cast...and it's one you're gonna want to see.

The pre-order page should be up soon, but I thought I'd get things started by showing you all the cover artwork...

The film has been getting great reviews, especially for writer/director Patrick Keith and the very talented actors. Keep checking back for more info on Bloodwine!

REMINDER - The Methodic Show is TONIGHT!

2009-07-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to check out the HorrorNews.net podcast, "The Methodic Show" tonight at 6:30PST. It's going to have interviews with writer/director Chris Notarile and writer/star Brandon Slagle as well as news about the release on September 1st, 2009. You can catch the podcast here:

THE METHODIC SHOW - HorrorNews.Net

And don't forget to Pre-Order METHODIC at Amazon, Best Buy, Target or Barnes & Nobel!

The Chosen One is now available for Pre-Order on Amazon.com!

2009-07-18T18:45:00.001-07:00

You can now pre-order The Chosen One on Amazon.com. Click HERE to pre-order!

"The Methodic Show" - HorrorNewsNet Podcast

2009-07-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the HorrorNewsNet podcast, "The Methodic Show" to celebrate the release of METHODIC from R-Squared Films. The podcast is Sunday, July 19th and it starts at 6:30pm PST (9:30pmEST). You can download the podcast HERE!

METHODIC releases on 09-01-09 and is available for pre-order on Amazon, Best Buy, Barnes & Nobel and Target.

...and you can get all your horror news at HorrorNews.net!

Submitting Your Film

2009-07-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

R-Squared Films wouldn't be able to exist without submissions from filmmakers. But when you're submitting your film, be sure to include as much information as possible. Too often, we get submissions with just the title of the film, how long it is and a very brief synopsis. While that's fine, it doesn't really tell us anything about your film. Here is a quick run-down of what we're looking for when you submit:

1) Links - Send us links to trailers, posters, photos, reviews and anything else that has to do with your film.

2) Festivals & Awards - If your film has been making the festival circuit, let us know. If it's won some awards or got some mentions in the local press, even better.

3) Cast/Crew - Send us some names. Let us know who is in your film and who worked on it.

4) Information - Anything that pertains to the film or you as a filmmaker. When we acquire a film, we want the filmmaker to be involved in its release. The more information you send about you and your film, the better informed we are.

5) Press Kit - If you have a press kit in PDF format, send it along.

Hope to see your film soon!

A couple new covers!

2009-07-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hey all, we've got a couple new covers for you to check out:

SILO KILLER 1 & 2

THE CHOSEN ONE

You can find trailers and more info about these movies at the R-Squared Films Website!

M&E Track

2009-07-14T16:22:00.000-07:00

Howdy Filmmakers!

R-Squared Films is starting to move into foreign distribution and I wanted to take a second and talk about M&E tracks. M&E stands for Music and Effects and is basically the entire audio track from a movie, minus the dialogue.

When you go to sell a movie to the foreign market, there are two ways to do it. The first way is to have the film subtitled in different languages and make those available on the DVD as separate subtitle tracks. This is a totally valid way of selling films overseas but one that ends up getting you less money and less attention.

The dubbed version of a film will always sell for more money overseas because, much like American audiences, foreign audiences don't want to read subtitles either. If a film has been dubbed there is a much better chance that it will be bought and shown both on TV and released on DVD.

There are companies that do nothing but dub movies into whatever language you ask and, in the end, they give you a synched up audio track of actors saying the dialogue...and this is where the M&E track comes in. The audio track they give you has the dialogue, but no music and no sound effects...pretty boring stuff. Imagine if you just had the dialogue in a film...yeah, not what you hoped for is it?

So when your editor or your sound mixer is putting together your final mix, hav them make a separate M&E Track so that your film can be dubbed and sold overseas.

Films Now Available at Best Buy, Target and Barnes & Nobel

2009-07-13T15:52:00.001-07:00

For the last two weeks, our films were only available for pre-order on Amazon.com, but now they are available for pre-order on Best Buy, Target and Barnes & Nobel's websites. You can also go into any of their stores and pre-order the films.

The films that are now available are:

Abduction

Promise

Dreams Of The Dead

Methodic

Earth Day

Our other releases will be popping up in their systems soon, so keep checking back for more info. And don't forget to visit our website for trailers, boxcovers and more!

New Film Acquisition

2009-07-12T06:53:00.001-07:00

Well, actually it's 2 new movies. R-Squared Films is proud to announce that we've just signed Silo Killer 1 & 2 for our line of horror films. These films will be released as one Double Feature DVD in September. Here's what some people have said about the Silo Killer films:

"Silo Killer has many moments of originality; some genuine scares and a cynicism that will make genuine fans of the non-Hollywood product sit up and take notice."

- The Rumor Machine

"Silo Killer is a lot better than it has any right to be. Most likely shot for a measly sum with its video camera budget, the film nevertheless looks slick, thanks to some inspiring camerawork. For sheer creativity, "Silo Killer" gets a lot of brownie points. This is definitely not a point-and-shoot endeavor, and Koning proves that he has the makings of a good filmmaker. With a decent budget, Koning could very well become an excellent mainstream director."

- NIXFLIX.com

"Silo Killer is a refreshing take on the slasher sub-genre of horror films, eschewing many of the traditional clichés of the genre and replacing the usual false ending with a scene of genuine creepiness."

- PulpMovies.com

Look for more Silo Killer updates here on the blog and on our website.

New Releases for 09-01-09

2009-07-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

METHODIC:

Demonically possessed by an ominous presence known as The Dollman , a young boy named Nicholas Matthews is forced to obey his darker half, and ultimately murders his parents. Sentenced to life under a microscope at the state mental hospital, Nicholas slowly gains control over the darkness hiding within.

But evil cannot be contained so easily. Instead, The Dollman simply bides his time, dwelling inside Nicholas, waiting for the day when he will become powerful enough to compeltely take over his human host. And when that day comes, God help us all .nt events.

The DVD has over 2 HOURS of special features and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com

EARTH DAY:

Earth Day tells the tale of a group of ex eco-crusaders who find themselves being systematically slaughtered as the one year anniversary of the tragic Earth Day death of their leader, Pixie, approaches.

Detective Trent Torrance suspects only one man: Hassan, who grew up in the most extreme terrorist sect in all of Pakistan, only to be expelled for going under the Burga and embracing the forbidden art of Women's hair care. Together with Priscilla, Pixie's nihilistic twin sister, they strive to prove Hassan's innocence, while trying to avoid her insanely overprotective plastic surgeon father Dr. Percival Peever, and his plastic surgery casualty of an assistant, Lenora.

The DVD has over 2 HOURS of special features and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com

First Time Director by Gil Bettman

2009-07-11T07:44:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post about a great book that I just finished reading. If you're a first time director or if you're just thinking about directing your first film, you really should take a look at this book. It has a lot of great information, both on the technical side of filmmaking (camera, lighting, movement, etc.) and on the more creative side (scene pacing, working with actors, etc.).

Check it out...

Marketing Materials

2009-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Filmmakers!

When you're shooting your film, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. You're dealing with so many things both in front of the camera and behind...actors, locations, crew, food, transportation and the list goes on and on. One of the easiest things to forget about is still photos...and I'm not just talking about screen grabs from Final Cut Pro (we'll get to that in a little bit).

When we accept a film for distribution, one of the first things we ask for are your still photos. Marketing the film takes time and so we like to start building the DVD sleeve and one-sheet as soon as possible. In order to create these, we need photos and lots of them. The more photos we have of your actors, locations, props, etc., the more choices we have for how to market your film. But just having photos isn't enough.

Just because you have a little 8 Megapixel point and shoot camera doesn't mean you should be taking the photos yourself. Spend a little extra money (or defer the payment) and hire a photographer, one with a good quality DSLR camera. A lot of times, you can contact a local college and speak to someone in the photography department to see if there is a student who might want to shoot for experience and to build a portfolio. Be sure to sign some kind of contract that states that you can use the photos as much as you like, even though the photographer will keep the copyright. If you do pay (or defer payment) for a photographer, be sure that your contact states that you will keep the copyright of the photos and that the photographer can only use them for promotion.

When on-set, avoid shooting anything with the camera flash and try to shoot using the on-set lights if possible. Ask the photographer to keep the ISO low (100 or 200) to avoid getting noisy images.

There are three types of shots you should try for:

1) Posed Shots: Get a posed shot with every lead and supporting actor, preferably against a white or light colored solid background. Get them to do as many poses that are still in character and in costume. Light these shots as evenly as possible and try to get two types, waist up shots and head-to-toe shots. These are the shots that will be used on your DVD cover and on posters and other marketing materials.

2) Action Shots: Have your photographer on-set to shoot key scenes. Usually, it's good to shoot these during rehearsal or right after you've shot your last take of the scene. Get the cast to run through the scene, acting everything out, so that the photographer can get high-quality shots of them in the scene. Have the photographer try and frame their shot similarly to the way the scene is being shot. Have them get wide shots, medium and close-up shots, much like you would do while shooting the scene. This means you won't have to use screen grabs from your editing program on the back of the box. Screen grabs (even from HD footage) are very low resolution compared to a good DSLR camera photo. These are the shots that will end up on the back of the box and in your press-kit.

3) Prop Shots: If you're making a horror movie, and the killer uses a chainsaw, get a lot of shots of that chainsaw. If it's a comedy where the lead drives a fancy car, get a lot of shots of the car. If it's a drama and your main character is dying in a hospital, get a lot of shots of the IV bag, medical machines, etc. You get the idea...if it's an important part of the story, get lots of photos of it.

Be sure that you keep all of the original files as big and as uncompressed as possible. You'll want to shrink them down to use on your website or to email to friends, but be sure you don't reduce your original photos or else they won't be usable.

In the end, think about all the great DVD covers that are out there. Most of them are put together using 30-40 photos for the front and back. It's an easy thing to forget about in the heat of making your film, but it's going to be so much easier to shoot photos while your shooting your film than to go back and try to get your cast together to do them after. People cut their hair, grow beards, lose costumes and props, etc. Do yourself and your distributor a favor and shoot lots and lots of photos.

Releases for 08-25-09

2009-07-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

PROMISE:

Two young lovers seeking a weekend getaway stumble into a deadly ambush and must fight for their lives against a sinister cult in this exciting thriller from writer-director David M. Quiroz, Jr.

This brutal story of love, commitment and survival features Tiffany Shepis, The Princess of Scream (Nightmare Man, Dark Reel, Nymphia), and villains inspired by current events.

The DVD has over 3 HOURS of special features and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com

ABDUCTION:

The town of process is located somewhere in rural New Jersey, although it doesn't show up on any modern map. It's a nice place to visit unless you are a young, healthy, and beautiful woman.

The town has a very lucrative underground and internet business specializing in selling organs for transplant, selling babies to loving couples who are barren, and young women into sex slavery. The town's patriarch, Jacob, is in control of everything. That is, until they kidnap the wrong girl, a popular Brazilian Hip Hop star.

Complications arise when her friend and bodyguard, Donny, turns up in Process looking for her. GPS units, cell phones and other modern gadgets threaten the existence of the town itself. What will Jacob and his followers do? Who will survive?

The DVD has over 2 HOURS of special features and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com

DREAMS OF THE DEAD:

For 15 years the large estate of Samuel Arnold has stood silent and empty. From its darkened windows, dark and foreboding eyes stare out from behind the glass. But like a midwinter's breeze in the lonely hours of the night, something stirs in both dreams and reality, unable to find any peace. What is the mystery of Danbury House?

Aubrey, last of the family line and leader of an all-girl band, believes the old family home will be an ideal place for writing and rehearsing their new CD. Ignoring her father's warnings, she and her band move in with dreams of making it big in the rock and roll world.

Only then does the lurking horror of her family's true legacy reveal itself, as she fights desperately to find the truth, and reject her dark inheritance.

The DVD has over 1 HOUR of special features and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com