RSS 2.0 - All Content feed for 48 Hours in Purgatory

Screamfest Contest Announcement and Teaser News!

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 UTC

July is nearly over which means we're closing in on Toronto Screamfest, the very first time footage from the actual film will be seen on the big screen! In honour of this exciting event we're launching a contest for both attendees of Screamfest and internet wizards alike.

The idea is to continue to create awareness about the film through the magic of the internets, beginning with the impossibly popular social networking site, Facebook. The goal is to grow the Facebook Group for 48 Hours in Purgatory larger than the official Toronto Screamfest Group before Monday, August 3. You can participate by spreading the word about the film, the official site and most importantly, the FB Group.

If we succeed, four winners will be chosen at random from the group and sent a special prize pack. In addition, four other winners will be selected from the “attending” list at the Screamfest Event Page for free tickets, a prize pack and a private dinner party to be held the night of the event. Confirmed Dinner Party guests include 48HiP actors Emily Alatalo (Ronnie), Jenna Jade Rain (Claire), Sean Szutka (Mark) and Writer/Director Jason Armstrong.

All Prize Packs will include posters, a signed DVD of Stripped! (featuring Emily Alatalo), and a collection stills (photographed by Jeremy Ransom) with notes from the cast and crew printed on the back. One Screamfest attendee will also receive a 24”x36” print of the first theatrical 48 HiP poster. You can increase your chances of winning by having referred members mention you by name in a wall post.

So fire up your twitters, facebook and myspace accounts and help us get the word out!

We've also got news about the first official teaser for 48 Hours in Purgatory!

It's coming down the wire tonight!! That's right, cut and approved, the teaser invades the web as darkness falls over the east coast. Watch for it to appear on youtube, facebook, the official site and right here on Movieset! Watch it, share it and help us spread the word!

Soundtrack News

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Artist confirmations are trickling in slowly for the film Soundtrack, starting wih Canadian acts:

Angerkain (sludge rock), Uneven Ground (hard rock/metal), Forevertree (hard rock/metal), Soul Forgotten (rap/hip-hop), and Chasing Arcadia (pop/rock) are the acts confirmed so far.

There have also been discussions with Doug Pinnick (King's X) about participating in the film's soundtrack.

More artists and any additional information will be posted as it comes available.

Mental Reset

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:36:36 UTC

There's this odd time, at least for me, between wrapping principle and pick-up's/editing, where I feel very restless.

For about twelve days it's constant motion and then it's just... calm. All the people you saw every day for LONG hours are gone. The questions are finished (for now). It's calm. And it takes some getting used to. At least for me.

It was a truly mind-blowing experience and I can say with a lot of confidence that it was a perfect storm of amazingly talented, creative, and energetic people working toward one goal. I have to admit, I sometimes found the incredble synergy distracting.

There's no one from the crew who could have gone missing without leaving a gaping hole. I have to thank Mike Klassen, the AD, for running a tight ship (REAL TIGHT) and selecting an amazing crew. This guy was so organized he made Melvil Dewey look like a hack. Someday we'll do a film requiring a truckload of entrails, for sure.

In order to make it work, everyone on location had to have numerous talents. Rigging lights one minute and dressing a set the next would distract most anyone. But this crew was amazing.

In no particular order, a thanks and a comment:

Nick Matthews: Nick was the DP and put in a lot of work well before we opened shooting. We saw that work pay off every day as we almost never fell behind. Thanks for your tireless work, abundant creativity and patience. Big things are coming your way.

Ian Brennen: Ian and Nick tag-teamed cam-op duties. Ian was also the steadicam operator and in that capacity especially, was amazing to see in action. The way he and Nick choreographed scenes and watching Ian execute the moves was crazy. Thanks for everything you brought to the table, which was a lot!

Diana Birsan: Diana was a grip. What a ridiculous title. Her's was the almost always the first name called when something needed doing and she was right there and always had the tools or a way to get the job done. Thanks for everything, Diana, including explaining to me what the heck was going on at times.

Christi Fedecky: Christi was the production designer. She managed everything from props to dusting up shiny actors and making sure Emily's hair was properly deoderized. She always knew where every prop was and is very organized. Thanks for EVERYTHING, Christi. Your plywood and tubing hospital was amazing! ;-)

Amanda Teixeira: Amanda was the SFX/Make-Up Guru. Somehow humble, in spite of her CRAZY-AWESOME skills, Amanda put in nutty hours prepping and it definitely paid off. She designed a wound so incredible I couldn't stand to look at it... and I've seen three children born! Thanks so much for contributing your amazing talent to this film. There are undoubtedly huge things in store for you!

Chris Lawson: Chris was the location audio supervisor and boom operator. Mild-mannered and pleasant, this dude's Samurai-like boom moves were just awesome. The patience it must take to not only get good audio, but to take crap from everyone for shadows the whole time... madness. Thanks for everything, Chris. It was a pleasure.

Mike Howie: Mike is referred to as "the swing", but seriously if there was someone on set who was like Dr. Manhattan, this dude was it. At any given moment he was logging footage, slating, running cables and correcting anyone who accidentally or intentionally revised history for a good story. I only remember him admitting to being tired once and an energy drink quickly over-cured that, because he was almost sprinting around the place after he drank it. Thanks a million-billion, Howie.

Mike Klassen: I mentioned this cat earlier, but it must be understood: Without this guy, this film doesn't happen. I've known Mike for a while, first back when we incited mosh-pits and deafened the young and old alike with the sweet sounds of metal. He's got everything it takes to be a force in the film world and I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to work with him again. I'm not sure the feeling's mutual, but...

Next on the list is a day of pick's up and the second unit (which bears a striking resemblance to the first unit) road-tripping to NYC for a few odds and ends, not that we need an excuse to head to New York.

There are a load of other people who need thanking too. None of you have been forgotten, I promise!

Thanks to everyone who's watching our progress. It's all for you!

Jason Armstrong
May 27, 2009

One night only, a special sneak preview of 48 Hours in Purgatory is coming to Toronto!

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Thursday, August 6, Screamfest comes to the Fox Theatre in Toronto, Ontario. Among the films being “screamed” are Stripped!, Zombie Girl, Snuff, Behind the Eyes and more! As if that wasn't enough to make it worth a night out, the event has secured the exclusive opportunity to show 7 minutes of “48 Hours in Purgatory,” along with a special trailer for the film.

There will also be some film-related swag available, and for four members of our Facebook Group, a chance to go out for dinner with some of the actors from the film prior to the event. More details on the contest are coming soon. If you haven't already, make sure you join the group today! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88734334665.

For more details and to order tickets in advance, check out the official site @ http://www.torontoscreamfest.com

The air is getting slippery!

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:41:58 UTC

The weather is getting warmer, shooting approaches, and there's an intensity in the air around this production - the story will finally come to life.

I'll be honest, it's nerve wracking. Not in the logistical sense, the producers, AD and DP are keeping me sane and relatively organized.

There's something spooky about handing your vision over to others, making them partners in your story and still seeing it come to life - better than you could dream.

Exciting. A weekend away in Boston and a day of normal work - I helped a friend work on a roofing job - have helped me focus in.

There are starting to be "bits" of press, and the interviews are coming as well. Here are the first couple of links:

http://horrornews.net/ (check the April 24 entry)

http://babblingbrookeblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/babbling-brooke-blog-april-26-2009.html

I'll do my best to keep the blog up-to-date as we head into production, even it's mobile.

Rest well, the war within soon becomes the war without.

Jason

Principle Photography Wrapped!

Tue, 26 May 2009 03:09:09 UTC

Principle Photography of 48 Hours in Purgatory wrapped a hair ahead of Schedule Monday Morning. Four weeks of minor shooting remain, but all major locations are closed and most of the actors are wrapped.

The most noteworthy about filming is the time-span in which it was completed. 10 Days. Watch this space for more on that.

First round of official soundtrack artists announced!

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Just a quick note to let you know we've finalized some of the artists/bands whose work will be featured in the film!

Drew Brown, Forevertree, Ian Tanner, Surface 2 Air, Angerkain, Chasing Arcadia, Joel Gitta, and Charlena Russell. We'll be posting bios and links for these artists and more in the very near future! Make sure you take the time to listen to the songs they've offered to include on the website!

Expect some more exciting artists to be announced shortly. Also, rumour has it that one of these bands will be shooting a video tied directly to the film. Watch for more info on that in August!

Andrew Roth Live Webchat

Sun, 3 May 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Andrew Roth will be online tonight for a live chat with horrornews.net

Check it out and call in if you get the chance!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Horrornewsnet/2009/05/04/Horrornewsnets-Podcast-From-Hell

Mother's Day

Sun, 10 May 2009 11:56:50 UTC

Well it's Mother's Day - a pretty exciting day around my place for sure. As I (and presumably the others involved in the film) take a little breather today to focus on family, it's a reminder to keep things in perspective. The whirlwind of filmmaking, like many other exciting times in life, come and go in a blink. It should be our family and friends around us that have the most meaningful place in our lives. They'll be there when the dust settles, unless you abandon them in pursuit of a collection of exciting moments.

This week is going to be crazy! I'm going to spend Monday on some "real" work helping a friend finish shingling a roof. Great writers can tell brilliant tales not only because they're story-tellers, but because they have lived. Few things are more inspiring than smashing your thumb with a hammer, believe me.

After that it's head first into movie-land. Final bookings, location inspections, wardrobe assessments and all the final scrambling which no amount of preparation seems to eliminate.

Thursday morning I'll have the pleasure of collecting our DP and two lead actors in Toronto, and by Thursday night we open set on a mini-shoot (candid footage). Friday Morning the sparks fly and we go into two solid weeks of 16+ hour days. You can't store sleep, and you can't catch it up, but a steady flow of coffee is almost as good!

As I'm able I'll be "tweeting" and sharing photos from shooting at least daily. For those of you who twitter, the link is http://www.twitter.com/skinlessjsn. It's very unlikely I'll get in more than one blog entry during that time, but we'll see how it goes.

I hope you're all having (or have had) an excellent Mother's Day.

Jason

Production 2.0

Sat, 4 Apr 2009 20:13:08 UTC

Well, it seems strange to say that a movie that's already been made is under production. Despite that, it's true.

As we went full speed through hoops and over speed bumps in the production process we had some fun, but the journey ultimately knocked the wheels off the bus.

So here I sit, the day after a production meeting with an entirely new crew, about to embrak on the righting of a significant wrong. 48 Hours in Purgatory is about to become what it was supposed to be.

What does it all mean? Well, I suppose for the general masses, not much. For a few of us, though, it means a lot.

For me, it means recognizing a lot (there's an understatement) of work and energy must be chalked up to a learning experience. It's tough to swallow, but you've got to man up and admit when you no longer are travelling the road you should be. A million technical reasons aside, I had to finally look over the whole entity of our film and admit that it was not "right." I also had to scrape numerous people off of numerous ceilings and brace myself for the ensuing anger of those affected by the hard decisions myself and the producers had to make.

So here we are, a good little jaunt past "square one" and running along at high-speed. No major studio involvement, no creative hiccups, no sudden dis-associations, and no union-reated predicaments.

The old script has been shredded and the screenplay has been taken back to the day of it's birth and set on a more careful course. The vision can be summed up in purity. A glimpse into one man's love, madness, fall and redemption. Truth.

It means that contractually and artistically, some roles have been recast, while others have been eliminated. It hurts in the real world, but it's the proof of love for the world we're creating. The budget is tighter, but the crew and production value are expanded thanks to some wonderful professionals who are going all-in for the love of the story. As a writer, it's amazing to share that feeling with others.

It's a unique situation for a first-time director to be in, as well. I think so, anyway. How many people get a chance to make their first film better before even moving on to the second one.

It means Skinless Jazz has to wait, probably a couple of years, but that's ok. For the best, probably.

Anyway, off I go to leave the land of bloggish-ponderances and to begin approving schedules and casting decisions.

Until next time.

Jason

PS. Just a quick shout-out to those who played the game. You guys were great and some of this is for you.

48 Hours in Purgatory coverage begins.

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 UTC

As we prepare to open set in just a couple of weeks, an advance press release has been popping up in film blogs.

Here are the links to those sites:

www.horrornews.net
SPECIFICALLY: http://horrornews.net/exclusive_news/_news_04.2009/04.24.09.html#HOME

http://www.horrordecor.net/scarsbrooke.htm

SPECIFICALLY: http://babblingbrookeblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/babbling-brooke-blog-april-26-2009.html

Behind the scenes still for 48 Hours in Purgatory at MovieSet.com

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:09:32 UTC

Behind the scenes still for 48 Hours in Purgatory at MovieSet.com

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:09:31 UTC

Behind the scenes still for 48 Hours in Purgatory at MovieSet.com

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:09:31 UTC

Behind the scenes still for 48 Hours in Purgatory at MovieSet.com

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:09:31 UTC

Movie Madness

Mon, 4 May 2009 18:00:59 UTC

Sometimes as production gears up you get lost in the technical stuff.

I'm so blessed to have a crew with artistic vision AND an ability to stay focused on the boring stuff (to me). The zeal of this group amazes me.

Thanks to someone from the ARG realm of the film, I've got a Twitter channel. I decided to make it my own and pass along film news for now. We don't have the infrastructure we once did for people to manage the goodies, so I'll do my best to keep everyone posted when something interesting (or not) happens.

Set opens in EXACTLY ten days. YIKES!

Jason

Twitter Channel

Mon, 4 May 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Follow breaking (or broken) news on 48 Hours in Purgatory here:

http://www.twitter.com/skinlessjsn

Andrew Roth's Webchat Archived!

Mon, 4 May 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Check it out here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Horrornewsnet/2009/05/04/Horrornewsnets-Podcast-From-Hell

Listen for a surpise call in near the end.

Behind the scenes video for 48 Hours in Purgatory at MovieSet.com

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 16:37:32 UTC

Major Changes

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:18:19 UTC

Skeleton Key Films has joined forces with two anonymous partner-companies to rework the film 48 Hours in Purgatory.

While it is not time for me to publish full details, I can say that I'm VERY excited about this development. The last 18 months have been filled with ups and downs in this process and we're all quite happy to move in an established, positie direction. I'll keep this area updated regularly, as news becomes available.

The Website for '48 Hours in Purgatory' is UP!

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 UTC

The official website for the feature film 48 Hours in Purgatory is now online at: http://www.48hoursinpurgatory.com

It will be updated regularly with great new stuff, so be sure to check in often!

Website Delay

Fri, 1 May 2009 00:00:00 UTC

The official opening of the film website, www.48hoursinpurgatory.com, has been delayed slightly due to technical issues. It is expected to launch over the weekend.