HorrorBid, which appears to be my new favorite website, launched a major contest on Feb. 15 and I am looking to join in on the fun.
With what HorrorBid is calling its “MEGA Horror ‘Slasher’ Video Contest,” the site is working with a horror director to give fans a chance to give life to their evil mascot.
According to HorrorBid, when the site was established four years ago, its creators wanted to create a mascot of their own in the form of a completely original “horror slasher” as opposed to using images of current movie monsters. So, out of that idea came the HorrorBid Slasher.
Until now, the Slasher served no purpose other than as the main focus of the site’s header, as seen above. But when mass production of the Slasher’s signature mask begun, HorrorBid seemed to have the perfect idea. That idea was to give horror fans the ultimate opportunity: To create their own original movie monster in the form of a short movie for the whole world to see.
The rules for the contest are simple:
– Order the mask off of HorrorBid’s shop site called The Prop Shop for $39.99 plus S&H.
– Film a short horror flick using the Slasher’s trademark mask. The video must be between 30 seconds and 5 minutes long and MUST be able to be placed on YouTube.
– Post the video on the specified YouTube page and wait for the contest winners to be decided.
The website makes it clear that all videos must be submitted to YouTube by April 1st. The top three videos will be selected by Brett Simmons, director of Husk, the new feature from After Dark Films that is set for its DVD release on March 29th.
To me, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is not just a contest, but a chance at making a completely original horror film (which many famous filmmakers aren’t even doing). I mean, how many horror fans or movie fans in general dream of having a movie of their own being featured for the world to see?
That is what HorrorBid is giving people the chance to do. Fans like myself are getting an opportunity that is eerily similar to the one John Carpenter got when approached with the idea for Halloween in 1977.
We are all being given this blank slate in the form of a mask and it is up to us to take this canvas and plaster our unique vision and style all over it. Personally, I don’t even care about the $250 grand prize. I’d just assume give the money away if I would win. What is making me all excited is the thought of stepping into the role of the director of a new slasher film. Even though this is a contest for fans, I think of it as an opportunity to change the landscape of the horror genre. And that is how I think each and every one of you that is interested should look at the situation as well.
Maybe, just maybe, if enough fans enter into this contest and do something unique and awesome with their films, actual filmmakers will get the hint that horror fans deserve something new and exciting instead of all of the remakes floating around.
It’s a new and fun way to put yourself out there and let your creative ideas be seen, nomatter how terrifying or gory they are.
Who knows when something like this will come along again. There will be many filmmaking contests, but there may never be any more offering this much creative freedom.
So, I urge everyone that is interested to take advantage. I am.
To see for yourself, click this link to go to the HorrorBid article about the contest.