STOUGHTON SCREENING!

We're pretty darn excited to head to the Stoughton Village Players Theater on August 14th. Adam and John will be present for a Q&A after the film.

DEAD WEIGHT AT ZOMBILLIES FILM FESTIVAL!

We have two screenings at the Zombillies Film Festival this weekend. Producer Lee Marohn will be there Friday night to talk about the film.

Check out the screenings at 7:30pm on Thursday, March 20th, and 6:45pm on Friday, March 21st. The fun is going down at the Sheraton Madison Hotel.

DEAD WEIGHT IS NOW ON DVD AND VOD!

Grab your physical copies at Amazon and independent record/movie stores, and rent it at a Family Video in your area!

Prefer to stay at home? No problem, VOD is perfect for you! Buy or rent it today!

iTunes
Amazon Instant Video
Google Play

NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION HITS JAN. 21!

It's frightening how time can get away from you. Let's start the new year off right with some HUGE news!

We're stoked and honored as all can be to announce that Dead Weight will be released in the US and Canada on January 21st by Kino Lorber/Horizon Movies!

Pre-orders are currently up on Amazon, and you can "Save" it to your Netflix DVD queue. The more "Saves," the better chances are we'll get streaming right away, too.

DEAD WEIGHT ON DIRECTOR'S CUT

Back in February, Adam and I spent a morning with the fine folks of Wisconsin Public Television and Radio, recording our episode of Director's Cut (and a great interview for WPR). The time has come for our episode to air, which will premiere this Friday, May 3rd at 10pm CST!

Dead Weight Director's Cut
Friday, May 3rd - 10pm on WPT
Saturday, May 4th - 9pm on The Wisconsin Channel
Thursday, May 9th - 9pm on The Wisconsin Channel
Friday, May 10th - 12am on The Wisconsin Channel
Friday, May 10th - 4am on The Wisconsin Channel

FEELING THE WEIGHT FOR ONE YEAR

One year ago, we held the public premiere of Dead Weight. One year ago the cast and crew reunited at the Time Community Theater in Oshkosh, WI to show the world what we all have been working on for over two years at that point. Since that time, we've been taking the film all over the country, showing it when and where we can, and meeting tons of fantastic people.

In honor of this moment, I reached out to the cast and crew to hear their thoughts about this past year, the premiere, and/or any other moment related to Dead Weight. Let's jump into it, shall we?

We came. We saw. We kicked it's ass. Congrats to Adam & John, and all those involved with Dead Weight. The progress in the last couple years has been nothing short of impressive. Beyond that, it's allowed each of us to get together at least a few times a year to pick up where we left off. My question is what comes next, and when can I sign up? I think it would be great to work with everyone again and put some more elbow grease into another project. As with all art, direction can only get better each time, and production can only become more fluid. "It's only a matter of time."

   -Jess Ader, "Drew"

It's jarring to think that we had the premiere one year ago. How can that be accurate? In many ways, it feels so much further away, like a childhood birthday or something. If it weren't for the pictures, I'd almost swear it didn't happen.

I've been trying to figure out why the premiere feels so far away. The closest conclusion I come to is that so much can (and has) happen in a year. I don't mean for the film (though it's been a busy year in that regard). I mean personal and professional life changes. In the past year, those involved with Dead Weight have gone on to new projects. Folks got engaged. Some changed professions or continued school. Some suffered great losses. Some made babies.

So maybe that's why the premiere feels like a million years ago? Maybe. It's the best I can do, in any case. Time is slippery, and for that, it's kind of a bastard.

DEAD WEIGHT ON TV, AWARDS, AND UK PREMIERE!

It's been a while, friends. Too long to be exact. How the hell are you?! We are faring well these days, almost as busy as when the film was about to premiere, just less than a year ago. So hard to believe it's almost been a year, not to mention how much we've accomplished in that year. And the fun continues!

Dear Kansas City, you rule.

Where shall we start? Last month, Adam, actors Joe Belknap and Jess Ader, and I went to Kansas City for a special screening hosted by Jill Sixx of Slaughter Movie House and Down Right Creepy. Between the incredible hosts we had (who made one hell of a tasty breakfast for us), the huge turnout for the screening forcing us to move into a larger theater, seeing old friends while making new ones, and laughing more than we probably should have, it was truly a fantastic weekend. Down Right Creepy even recorded our post-screening Q&A for those who weren't there, or those who were and want to hear us ramble once again (for whatever reason that may be).

That following Tuesday, Adam and I headed down to Madison to be guests on Wisconsin Public Television's show, Director's Cut. The morning was an absolute blast, we started out being interviewed by Doug Gordon for the episode, then popped up to WPR to sit down and chat a bit with Terry Bell. We just received word that our episode of Director's Cut will air (on WPT) Friday, May 3rd at 10pm (CST), followed by a special presentation of the film. Mark your calendars and/or set the DV-R, you don't want to miss it. Or better yet, WE don't want you to miss it!

A few days after Madison was the Green Bay Film Festival, where we were accompanied by the lovely Mary Lindberg, and her whole family as well (who are all incredible individuals). The film played really well, and the audience treated us to a really strong (and fun) Q&A afterword too. And before we returned home, we were rewarded with Runner-Up for Best Wisconsin Film in the festival. 

By luck, happenstance, or the power of Greyskull, we also have received nominations for two online awards series. First up, the Rondos. Now, for those who don't know, the Rondos are kind of a big deal. In their eleventh year, these are kind of like the online version of the horror Oscars. However, there's no Academy, only YOU, the fans. We happened to receive nomination for Best Independent Film. We are so immensely honored by this achievement, and we're up against some great titles too (not to mention a few I've been dying to see). Then, we received at total of five (!!!) nominations for the Dead Letter Awards at Mail Order Zombie. We're up for Best Actor (Joe Belknap), Actress (Mary Lindberg), Screenplay, Director, and Movie. Again, not sure how this all happened, but we are eternally grateful and appreciative. Congrats to the entire Dead Weight family!

Rondo Awards, vote here (until April 7th)! 
Dead Letter Awards, vote here (until March 18th)!

Screenings, we have some more of those coming up as well! Next weekend (March 22-24), we'll be part of the 2nd Annual Little Rock Horror Picture Show. We're still awaiting screening time, so stay tuned. And, we've been pretty damn lucky with how much we've screened in the States, but it's time for us to hop across the big pond known as the Atlantic and have our UK premiere at Sci-Fi London! Full details haven't been released yet, but the fest will be from April 30 - May 6, and looking at previous year's line-ups, we are going to be in some AMAZING company. Who knows, maybe one or two of us will be at the screening...

Us on WPT's Director's Cut, airing May 3rd at 10pm!

VD, DEAD WEIGHT STYLE

SCREENINGS: FIVE STATES IN THREE WEEKS

In the next few weeks, we have quite a few screenings coming up. While we'd love to be present at all of them, sadly we can't be. However, we will be at the Kansas City and Green Bay screenings. Be sure to come say hi accompanied by a high five or two.

Saturday, February 16th
Mississippi Pulp Con @ 8pm - Jackson, MS

Friday, February 22nd
Nevermore Film Festival @ 5:10pm (Cinema Two) - Durham, NC

Saturday, February 23rd
Nevermore Film Festival @ 5:15pm  (Cinema Two) - Durham, NC
Screenland Armour @ 8pm - Kansas City, MO
*Hosted by Slaughter Movie House and Down Right Creepy, this FREE screening will be followed by a cast and crew Q&A!

Sunday, February 24th
The Gadabout Film Festival @ 9pm - Bloomington, IN
Nevermore Film Festival @ 9pm (Fletcher Hall) - Durham, NC

Sunday, March 3rd
Green Bay Film Festival @ 3pm (Iroquois South) - Green Bay, WI
*Followed by a cast and crew Q&A!

LOOKING BACK ONE YEAR AGO

Exactly one year ago we were stressing over all kinds of technical difficulties, just minutes before the private premiere of Dead Weight. It was the first time the majority of the cast and crew reunited since production, along with close friends and family, and more importantly, got to see the film for the first time. Here's Adam and John's (nervous) intro. Enjoy.

ARE YOU DEAD WEIGHT?!

If you said 'yes,' we want you to prove it! If you have a Dead Weight shirt, send us a photo of yourself wearing it, as we'll be creating a photo album called I AM DEAD WEIGHT. Feel free to get creative and fun if you like. Once you have the photo, post it on our Facebook page or email it to info(at)carryingdeadweight.com.

Let's have some fun with this!!!

FEEL THE WEIGHT (OF A SALE)

As we enter the final weeks of 2012, we thought we'd end it with a sale! All Dead Weight merch is on sale until December 31st, so don't delay and head over to the Head Trauma Productions store to snag some deals!

Note: This is easily the shortest blog post we've ever done. Hooray!!! I think?

TWO MONTHS IN LOTS OF WORDS (AND PHOTOS)

Where have the past two months gone?! Feels like we've just been blasting updates and announcements lately, and it's been forever since we did an actual recap of what's gone down. Well, all that is about to change. Hold onto your butts, because we're going for a ride! Actually, no ride is in the agenda, rather just a bunch of words and some pictures, but you get the idea.

Carrying an Other kind of Dead Weight at HorrorHound.

Let's start in the beginning of September. Adam and I headed to the state known as HorrorHound Weekend Indianapolis. Okay, I know, that's not even a state. Give me a break here, I'm trying to make this entertaining. Anywho, we met up with actor Aaron Christensen and producer Dan Kiggins, and tons of other friends as well, to not only promote, but to screen the film Friday night (as part of Elvira's Horror Hunt). Well over eighty unknown faces packed into the screening room, and believe it or not, Adam actually watched it all! I say that because, well, let's face it, we've seen Dead Weight quite a few times now, and we're just a tad familiar with it. The last time I've watched the film in it's entirety is when we recorded the commentary back in January or February, and I'm pretty sure it's the same for Adam. However, the extreme positivity of the weekend, the glorious HD projection, and this incredibly massive thunderstorm made that a very special screening. 

Stangaar has a new buddy, the Best Editing award.

I've been attending cons for over eight years now, and that was easily one of, if not, the most memorable. Aside from introducing a whole bunch of new people to DW and seeing some of my favorite people, we made some fabulous new friends (not to single anyone out, but I'm looking at you, Alyssa and Kyle), sat down for a few interviews, and bonded ridiculously well with some of the other filmmakers who were screening. We were in some terrific company, so many great films made by some fantastic human beings. Some, such as Danny DelPurgatorio (Other) and our Wisconsin horror brethren, Steve Goltz and Kevin Sommerfield (Teddy), we already knew and were pleased as hell to share the screen with. We quickly formed lasting relationships with two others. Jerry Pyle was there representing his disturbing short, Burn, and from across the big pond was my new favorite Frenchman, Lucas Masson, there for stateside support of Baby-Sitting. To better understand, let's just say that we were inseparable all weekend. Toss in Jill Sixx, hulahoops, oodles of pizza, a podcast or two, and even more laughs (as well as TONS of other great moments I'm not listing to save space and time), and you have a truly unforgettable weekend. Oh, not to mention that we won Best Editing during Elvira's Horror Hunt. Yay!!!

WEEKEND CRAZINESS!!!

Last weekend, we were lucky enough to screen in three different film festivals around the country (Freak Show Horror FF in Orlando, New Orleans Horror FF, and the Landlocked FF in Iowa City). We even were nominated for two awards at the NOHFF: Best Feature and Best Actor. This weekend is no different as we have another three fests, all being much closer to home.

Things start this Friday, Nov. 2 at the Central Wisconsin Film Festival. Adam and I will both be attending, and fielding a Q&A after. Screening starts at 7pm with five short films screening before Dead Weight.

On Saturday, Nov. 3, the Drunken Zombie Film Festival in Peoria, IL will be screening Dead Weight at 2pm. Sadly, we will not be in attendance for this one, but our great friends, Steve and Kevin of Slasher Studios, will be there for their riot of a short, Teddy (screening on Friday at 10:30pm), so they'll be representing Wisconsin horror for all of us filmmakers.

Closing out the weekend will be our screening at the Madison Horror Film Festival, on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 5:40pm. I feel like this fest is nothing but a reunion of friends, and I am more than okay with that. At 5:50pm on Saturday is found., which screened with us at Elvira's Horror Hunt in September. It'll be great to see writer/director Scott Schirmer once again. Closing out the day is a double feature of filthy proportions, with Cory Udler's IDS Rising and Derrick Carey (Dead Weight colorist) will be representing Oshkosh's very own, Swamphead. Looking at Sunday, Slasher Studios' Teddy will be hitting the screen at 1:05pm, and Other screens immediately before us at 5:25pm. Don't be fooled, I only listed a portion of the films to be shown over the two-day fest, so do check out the link above for all the other great titles.

On a final note, we are beyond thrilled to be nominated for four different categories at the Madison Horror Film Festival: Best Feature, Best Director, Best Writer, and Best Cinematography. Many of the other nominees are friends I listed above, so I know regardless of who wins, it's going to be an excellent time. Congrats to all the films we are screening with this weekend!

UW OSHKOSH FEELS THE WEIGHT

UW Oshkosh Film Society presents a special and free screening of Dead Weight tomorrow night. Adam and I will be present to talk about the film afterwords. More info can be found here!

LANDLOCKED INTERVIEW

The fabulous folks at the Landlocked Film Festival interviewed Adam and I, in preparation for our screening on Saturday, October 27th. Probably to no surprise, we managed to talk about Kurt Russell yet again. Check it out for yourself.

HOLY FESTIVALS, BATMAN

It's somewhat surreal with the amount of festivals we are screening in over the course of the next month and a half. We really couldn't be any more happy or proud. Some combination of cast and crew will be a most of these, we'd love to see you there!

The links will shoot you directly over to each fests site for additional info. For the info that is TBA, we'll update the dates and times when we receive them.

Friday, September 28th @ 8pm

CryptiCon Minneapolis

Saturday, September 29th @ 7pm

Milwaukee Film Festival

Friday, October 26th @ 9pm

Freakshow Horror Film Fest - Orlando, FL

October 27th @ 2pm

New Orleans Horror Film Festival

October 27th @ 8pm (Bijou Theater)

Landlocked Film Festival - Iowa City, IA

November 2nd @ 7:30pm

Central Wisconsin Film Festival

November 3rd @2pm
Drunken Zombie Film Festival - Peoria, IL

November 4th @ 5:40pm

Madison Horror Film Festival

Friday, November 9th @ 7pm

Weyauwega International Film Festival

HORRORHOUND WEEKEND INDIANAPOLIS

I've been to HorrorHound Weekend Indianapolis quite a few times now. In 2007, my good friend, Drew, and I attended the first HHWI. It was at that very con where I began talking with a (hunk of a) man by the name of Aaron "AC" Christensen. In the following weeks, AC and I reunited at Flashback Weekend in Chicago, where I was promoting my first film, Better Off Undead. After that, there was no stopping us, the bromance was set in stone. Little did I know, that first brief and nerdy conversation with AC at HHWI would not only establish a relationship with an incredibly close and dear friend, but four years later, AC would don a beard and a hard-nosed facade to play the role of Thomas in Dead Weight.

It was on the convention floor and during late-night lobby shenanigans at a few HHWs that producer Dan Kiggins and I continued to bond over our love of horror, comics, and punk rock.

Backtrack one and a half years ago to the last HHWI, March 2011 to be exact. AC, Dan, and I were there together, just a mere few weeks before production began on Dead Weight. AC's beard was underway, Dan and I kept breaking down the script and talking logistics, and I anxiously, albeit slightly nervous, began planting the seed in the brains of my peers about this film we were about to start.

Lastly, and by no means least, it was at last year's HHWI that Nancy Cremer, who I had plenty of communications with over emails, and I met for the first time in person. Shortly after, Nancy came into the Dead Weight family as one of our executive producers.

To summarize, HHWI has played quite a role, even if indirectly, in bringing Dead Weight to the screen. Perhaps it goes without saying, but on a personal note, I am beyond thrilled to return to HorrorHound Weekend Indianapolis next week (September 7-9) with Adam, AC, and Dan, on behalf of the Dead Weight family, and so many other friends I only see once or twice a year, to screen the film on Friday night.

Indianapolis, I hope you are ready to feel the weight, because I am more than ready for you to.

HAUNTED HEADS MUSIC VIDEO

You just never know where Dead Weight will pop up...

Oshkosh's very own, Haunted Heads, just released a video for the opening track on their self-titled record, "36 Sharpened Saws." Fun facts time!

1. Their song, "No Sleep", can be heard playing in the background of the scene where Charlie, Samantha, and Alex have dinner.
2. Eric Van Thiel, guitarist/singer, played Samantha's co-worker, Doug.
3. EVT wears a nifty shirt in the video.

No matter where you are, support your local scene and check out the video!

MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL FEELS THE WEIGHT!

We can hardly believe the time has come to make this official announcement. This is, without a doubt, one of the most humbling pieces of news the Dead Weight family has been honored with receiving. We could not be more proud of our work together, and this achievement.

Dead Weight has been selected to screen at the Milwaukee Film Festival.

Many have been asking for a Milwaukee screening, here it is. This screening will sell out. Tons of Dead Weight cast & crew members will be there. It's going to be a once in a lifetime evening for us and, we hope, all who share it with us. Please, do whatever you can to attend. Stay tuned to Milwaukee Film for updates and schedule. We've spent months traveling around the US to take DW everywhere we can. In September, we bring it back home.

Official announcement can be found here.

September 29th. 7pm. Oriental Theater. Be there.