Head over to projectgreenlight.com and check out the semifinalists today to cast your vote, and take a look below for more information.
Project Greenlight Digital Studios (PGLDS), a digital content initiative from Adaptive Studios, and Shudder, AMC Networks-backed horror and thriller streaming video service, are joining forces to launch a video contest to support indie horror films. The two companies have also partnered with filmmaker Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Nightbreed, Lord of Illusions) who is known for his directing, writing, and producing credits in the horror genre. The contest will solicit pitches for original horror films, and the winner will receive $300,000 to make his or her feature film, as well as mentorship from Barker throughout production.
Shorts will be judged on originality, story, character, editing, directing, and commercial value. The final stage of the contest will consist of an interview with Barker and representatives from PGLDS and Shudder, where the five finalists will answer questions regarding crew, casting, creative execution, and more.
One director or directing team will be selected to bring their film to life with a $300,000 budget. Barker will help shepherd the film through the development process as a mentor to the winning filmmaker.
Barker said of the partnership: “When I was looking for financing while making Hellraiser, I wish there was a company like Project Greenlight Digital Studios behind me. Teaming up with Adaptive Studios and Shudder is a wonderful opportunity to support emerging filmmakers in creating something truly iconic. This is a great chance to scare and entertain audiences at the same time.”
“Project Greenlight Digital Studios was created to be a story-driven creative community and we believe our video contests continue to provide great opportunities for emerging filmmakers. We’re thrilled to expand this contest platform and focus on a specific genre in the film world,” said Brittany Turner, VP of Digital at Adaptive Studios.
Linda Pan, General Manager of Shudder, added: “At Shudder, our mission is to showcase and support innovative forms of storytelling in horror and suspense. We are delighted to launch our second annual Shudder Labs program in collaboration with Project Greenlight Digital Studios and Clive Barker to support and foster a new generation of creative voices in the horror genre.”
It is incredibly frustrating to see that a majority of the semifinalists violated the rules, which should have been grounds for “immediate disqualification”. Many of these videos use third party content and there is even a video that doesn’t have an actual pitch for the movie. Contestants had to jump through so many hoops and it’s ridiculous that Project Greenlight couldn’t be bothered to follow their own rules. That seems to be par for the course considering the competition couldn’t stick to their own deadlines- they were supposed to contact the semi finalists on April 11 (and even then if the winners didn’t acknowledge the email they would be disqualified), but they didn’t pick the last semifinalist until a day before public voting.
There has been no response from the competition admins regarding this fiasco and there has been more than a little bit of backlash. This whole competition seems like its being run by amateurs. If you break your own rules and then ignore the masses when they point it out, how can you call yourself professional? Clive Barker hasn’t touched this competition with a 10ft pole in the last few months, so who even knows what his involvement in this is.
What a mess.
Ha, wow I didn’t know about any of that, what a nightmare
Indeed. At this point, people want answers and it’s ridiculous that there is now a social media blackout on Project Greenlight’s side. All forms of communication have proven futile.
I see the third party content in several of them. Which one didn’t have a pitch for the movie?