If Your Tastes Run Toward the Macabre...

Still from DEADHEADS

If your tastes run toward the macabre - whether straight horror, zombies, psychological warfare, or the terrors of real life, we've got you covered day and night. Fans, filmmakers and scribes of the darker genres, this schedule's for you.

And guess what? The Conference and Producers Badges both get you access to ALL of the below - including priority line for the screenings - and more!

By Day...

THURSDAY 10/20/11
2:45pm-4:00pm
Words That Go Bump in the Night: Writing Horror
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
Scaring the pants off people requires more than just dramatic lighting, monster blood, and Dutch angles. Join this discussion on the language, style, and techniques used to write a convincing and enthralling horror film with writers whose films are sure to keep you up all night.
Alvaro Rodriguez, Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, Beau Thorne
Moderated by Fred Strype

FRIDAY 10/21/11
1:45pm-3:00pm
Graphic Novels and Comic Books: Translating Them to the Screen
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
From Spiderman to Watchmen, comic books and graphic novels are king and have cemented themselves as a diverse commercial and artistic medium whose cinematic adaptations have become some of the most successful films in recent memory. Join the conversation about the complex and conflicted journey of adapting well-known and well-loved stories to film and living up to fans' demanding expectations.
Cort Lane, Chuck Mondry, Beau Thorne, John Turman
Moderated by Álvaro Rodríguez

SATURDAY 10/22
9:00am–11:00am
Script-to-Screen: FIGHT CLUB with Jim Uhls
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
With script in hand and film clips on the screen, writer Jim Uhls (FIGHT CLUB, SEMPER FI, JUMPER) will dissect his critically acclaimed screenplay FIGHT CLUB, discussing his writing process, what worked, what didn't, what needed to be changed for film production and why. This case study will contain information that screenwriters and filmmakers can apply to their own works. Presented with the Texas Book Festival. Uhls will be joined by novelist Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club).

10:45am–12:00pm
Hart Hanson and Kathy Reichs: The Collaboration Process
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
Since 2005, writer/producer Hart Hanson and author Kathy Reichs have closely collaborated on the hit Fox television series Bones, based on the international bestselling books, to put a creative spin on forensic anthropology. In this panel, the duo will offer insight into the collaborative process, the importance of research and real-life experience, and how two heads can be better than one when running a popular, long-running television show. Presented with the Texas Book Festival.
Moderated by Noah Hawley

2:15pm-3:30pm
Zombies, Apes, and Vampires: Breathing New Life into Old Genres
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the drive-in, the heroes and monsters from the B-movies of yesteryear have experienced a rebirth over the past few years as films like ZOMBIELAND and RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES take the tried-and-true monster movie formula and reinvigorate it. This panel will explore the evolution of monster genre over the years and how filmmakers today continue to find new ways to interpret to their old favorites.
Rick Jaffa, Rhett Reese, Alvaro Rodriguez, Amanda Silver
Moderated by Drew Yanno


2:15pm–3:15pm
Caroline Thompson and Steve Nicolaides Present: “Small & Creepy Films”
Austin Convention Center Screen 2
Eager to encourage the strange and idiosyncratic in young filmmakers, 2011 AFF Distinguished Screenwriter Award Recipient Caroline Thompson (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS) and her husband, producer Steve Nicolaides (BOYZ N THE HOOD, LITTLE BIG LEAGUE, SCHOOL OF ROCK) founded and run the website Small & Creepy Films at www.smallandcreepy.com. This is a presentation of the “best of” Small & Creepy Films.

3:45pm–5:00pm
A Conversation with 2011 Distinguished Screenwriter Awardee Caroline Thompson
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
Caroline Thompson's credits include EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, THE SECRET GARDEN, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BLACK BEAUTY, BUDDY, and CORPSE BRIDE. She is currently working on adaptations of Melissa Marr’s novel Wicked Lovely and Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.
Moderated by Pen Densham

By Night...

Below Zero (Canada)
Writer: Signe Olynyk
Director: Justin Thomas Ostensen
Cast: Edward Furlong, Michael Berryman, Kristin Booth, Dee Hanna
US PREMIERE
Jack (Furlong), a once successful screenwriter trying to overcome his new reputation as ‘Jack the Hack,’ arranges to be locked inside a meat cooler in an attempt to cure his writer’s block. As the temperature falls and his frenzy rises, Jack finds it more and more difficult to distinguish between his work and his present situation. Is he writing the best script of his career, or is he losing his mind? Strangely enough, the film is based on true events. The actual screenwriter of the film, Signe Olynyk, locked herself in the meat freezer of an abandoned slaughterhouse, and the film was ultimately shot at this very location, further blurring the line between reality and fiction. Featuring horror icon Michael Berryman (“The Hills Have Eyes”)
Saturday, October 22 – Alamo Ritz
Wednesday, October 26 – Texas Spirit Theater


Beneath the Darkness (USA, 97 min.)
Writer: Bruce Wilkinson
Director: Martin Guigui
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Tony Oller, Aimee Teegarden, Stephen Lunsford, Devon Werkheiser, Brett Cullen
WORLD PREMIERE
A group of high schoolers visit the local “haunted house” for a few laughs, but they soon realize that the horror inside is very serious. The house is inhabited by Ely (Quaid), a local hero, but he doesn’t seem to be the only one living there. After watching their best friend get murdered, the terrified teenagers struggle to expose Ely as the psychopathic killer and avoid becoming his next victims. Quaid delivers a staggering, maniacal performance in a film that was born at the 2003 AFF when director Martin Guigui met writer Bruce Wilkinson at a Q&A.
Saturday, October 22, 6:30pm – Texas Spirit Theater
Sunday, October 23, 5:00pm – Alamo Ritz


DeadHeads (USA, 96 min.)
Writers/Directors: Brett Pierce, Drew Pierce
Cast: Michael McKiddy, Ross Kidder, Markus Taylor, Thomas Galasso, Natalie Victoria, Eden Malyn
REGIONAL PREMIERE
A self-described 'zombedy' that is sure to please both horror and action-adventure fans alike, this frighteningly hilarious film is a return to the great comedy/adventure films of the 80's like “Back to the Future” and “The Goonies.” The story follows two zombie slackers, Mike and Brent, who find themselves surprisingly reborn from the dead during a disastrous zombie outbreak. After discovering an engagement ring in his coat pocket, Mike enlists his new zombie pal, Brent, to embark on a quest in search of his lost love, resulting in a hilarious cross country road trip with zombie-killing bounty hunters in hot pursuit.
Thursday, October 20, 10:00pm – Alamo Ritz
Sunday, October 23, 8:30pm – Austin Convention Center Screen 2


Some Guy Who Kills People (USA, 93 min.)
Writer: Ryan Levin
Director: Jack Perez
Cast: Kevin Corrigan, Barry Bostwick, Karen Black, Leo Fitzpatrick, Ariel Gade, Lucy Davis
REGIONAL PREMIERE
Ken Boyd (Corrigan) has just been released from the mental hospital where he was treated for severe depression following a suicide attempt several years ago. With nowhere else to go, Ken heads back to his hometown of Green Oaks and moves in with his overbearing mother, Ruth (Black). With his life at an all-time low, Ken plans to get revenge on everyone he holds responsible for his miserable fate. However, Ken’s plan for revenge is threatened when his estranged daughter, Amy, now 11 years old, shows up and asks to spend the week with him. Will Ken be able to complete his mission of killing the people who ruined his life?
Friday, October 21, 11:30pm – Alamo Ritz
Thursday, October 27, 9:15pm – Regal Arbor

You can check out the full panel, film and party schedule here.