The Playlist Podcast is back and teamed up on this episode with The Talkhouse to discuss an increasingly common issue with popular, binge-worthy TV shows. This episode is inspired by a recent essay called “Stranger Things” and the Problem of Plotblocking, written by indie filmmaker Andrew Matthews (“Zero Charisma“) for the site. Read More: Adjust Your Tracking Takes […]
The post Podcast: The Playlist & The Talkhouse Talk ‘Stranger Things’ And The Problems With Plotblocking appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Podcast: The Playlist & The Talkhouse Talk ‘Stranger Things’ And The Problems With Plotblocking appeared first on The Playlist.
- 9/2/2016
- by Erik McClanahan
- The Playlist
An award-winning film about a geeky underdog is getting another chance to be seen. Mance Media has acquired the international rights to Zero Charisma, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The comedy from directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews won the audience award at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival. The deal was negotiated by executive producer Rod Olson and producer Thomas Fernandes. Read more L.A. Film Fest Winner 'The Young Kieslowski' Sells to Mance Media (Exclusive) "I am ecstatic to be working with the talented filmmakers behind Zero Charisma and am confident in the same success overseas that
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- 10/15/2014
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Editor’s Note: This review first came out during our SXSW coverage, but Zero Charisma is now available on DVD. Scott Weidemeyer (Sam Eidson) is passionate. Really passionate. Probably too passionate. He lords over a weekly table top fantasy game with a few friends, and it’s the only time in his donut-delivering, squatting-in-grandma’s-house, adult boy life where he has any real power. The problem is the passion — he’s become a bully, and the game has evolved into something tedious and bitter. The signs that the camel’s back is only waiting for a straw come as soon as Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews’ Zero Charisma gets going, so it’s no surprise that when a hipster gamer named Miles (Garrett Graham) joins the crew, the loss of his spotlight drives Scott further and further into desperation. Those who have seen Todd Solondz’s Dark Horse will see some of the same irritating DNA here...
- 4/8/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Stars: Sam Eidson, Anne Gee Byrd, Brock England, Garrett Graham, Lowell Bartholomee, Katie Folger, Larry Jack Dotson | Written by Andrew Matthews | Directed by Katie Graham, Andrew Matthews
Another production of crowd-funding, Zero Charisma is a black comedy that tells the story of Scott (Sam Eidson) an overgrown nerd who lives with his grandmother and spends his nights as Grand Master of a fantasy board game that he and his guild have been playing constantly for three years. When one of his players has marital trouble and leaves the game, Scott finds his role as leader of the misfits put into jeopardy when a new “hipster” initiate enters the group.
Despite being a huge nerd, board games and in particular role-playing games, have never appealed to me. Yes, I’ve had the odd game of Zombicide and Star Wars: X-Wing with my board-game loving buddy Andrew, and I did...
Another production of crowd-funding, Zero Charisma is a black comedy that tells the story of Scott (Sam Eidson) an overgrown nerd who lives with his grandmother and spends his nights as Grand Master of a fantasy board game that he and his guild have been playing constantly for three years. When one of his players has marital trouble and leaves the game, Scott finds his role as leader of the misfits put into jeopardy when a new “hipster” initiate enters the group.
Despite being a huge nerd, board games and in particular role-playing games, have never appealed to me. Yes, I’ve had the odd game of Zombicide and Star Wars: X-Wing with my board-game loving buddy Andrew, and I did...
- 11/4/2013
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
If I wanted to be really fancy and insufferable, I might start by remarking how interesting it was to catch Andrew Matthews and Katie Graham's Zero Charisma at New York Comic Con earlier this month: screening a film about gamers and geeks to an audience of gamers and geeks, with all the attendant potential for reflexiveness and blah, blah, blah. Except that would be a lie -- there wasn't much worth noting in that respect, at least not during the screening itself. The audience responded to the expert mix of goofy comedy and serious comedy as any demographic of the young and the smart might, and I have no way of knowing if its members "saw themselves" on the screen. Maybe that's because I was too...
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- 10/31/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Interested in joining a journey through a magical realm with heroes, trolls, goblins and fire enchantments? Scott Weidermeyer has a seat open. Sam Eidson leads “Zero Charisma” as Scott, a Game Master who’s deeply dedicated to his role-playing board game. Trouble is, sometimes he takes that passion a little too far and his game time intensity can be too much to handle. When one of his players cracks under the pressure, it’s Scott’s responsibility to fill the seat and he bestows that honor upon a “neo-nerd hipster” named Miles (Garrett Graham). From the moment Miles sits down at Scott’s grandmother’s kitchen table, the other players are enamored by his wits [ Read More ]
The post Interview: Zero Charisma’s Sam Eidson, Andrew Matthews & Katie Graham appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Zero Charisma’s Sam Eidson, Andrew Matthews & Katie Graham appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/26/2013
- by Perri Nemiroff
- ShockYa
On today’s show we explore the most obvious cultural trend of our time — the infusion of geeky stuff into the mainstream. We’ll talk with Zero Charisma directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews about getting geek culture right in their fan favorite film portraying a D&D-like gaming group and their fragile leader. Plus, Great Showdowns artist Scott Campbell (see above) explains why he puts smiley faces on everything and shares his towering movie passion. And since I’m feeling overwhelmed by the amount of capes on the big screen, Agents of Geek founder Jim Napier drops by to lift my spirits by offering an optimistic outlook on the future of geek film properties. You should follow Scott Campbell (@scottlava), Jim Napier (@jim_napier), the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more on a daily basis. And, as always, if you like the show (or hate it with seething fervor), please help...
- 10/25/2013
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Zero Charisma
Written by Andrew Matthews
Directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews
USA, 2013
It is, perhaps, a bit strange that the first movie being distributed by Nerdist Industries is an examination of the most hyper-antisocial people of all nerddom. Chris Hardwick’s company, starting off with his Nerdist podcast, has helped emphasize, along with all sorts of big-budget comic-book blockbusters, that nerd culture is now not just part of mainstream culture, but has become its foundation. Zero Charisma is a movie whose lead character becomes almost immediately suspicious of an interloper to his group, someone who professes to being a nerd while being personable, affable, and social. In short, it’s hard not to imagine this film’s lead looking at Hardwick askance, wondering if all his nerd cred is earned or a put-on.
Scott (Sam Eidson) is a Dungeons & Dragons gamemaster in Austin, Texas, holding court with four...
Written by Andrew Matthews
Directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews
USA, 2013
It is, perhaps, a bit strange that the first movie being distributed by Nerdist Industries is an examination of the most hyper-antisocial people of all nerddom. Chris Hardwick’s company, starting off with his Nerdist podcast, has helped emphasize, along with all sorts of big-budget comic-book blockbusters, that nerd culture is now not just part of mainstream culture, but has become its foundation. Zero Charisma is a movie whose lead character becomes almost immediately suspicious of an interloper to his group, someone who professes to being a nerd while being personable, affable, and social. In short, it’s hard not to imagine this film’s lead looking at Hardwick askance, wondering if all his nerd cred is earned or a put-on.
Scott (Sam Eidson) is a Dungeons & Dragons gamemaster in Austin, Texas, holding court with four...
- 10/18/2013
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
If you're checking out movie news on the web, there's a good chance that you'll be able identify some of the characters in Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews' new indie comedy Zero Charisma , lovingly set in the nerd haven of Austin, Texas and examining the life of an RPG gamer who takes his hobby just a little bit too seriously. Scott (Sam Eidson) doesn't have a lot going on in his life outside of his weekly role-playing game gathering with his friends. There, he's king and, quite literally, ruler. That all begins to change one day, however, when Miles, a smart, funny and charismatic neo-nerd hipster, joins the group and Scott's popularity begins to falter. ComingSoon.net spoke with Graham and Matthews about the painfully accurate look at some of the darker sides of fandom and...
- 10/11/2013
- Comingsoon.net
“Zero Charisma” just about describes it. “Zero Charisma” is a micro-budgeted tragicomedy about losers, with a leading man so lacking in physical grace or personal insight that he’ll make any audience – especially the charm-challenged demographic that the film seems to target – feel like George Clooney crossed with the World’s Most Interesting Man. Stay thirsty my friends: Is this enough for a movie? Both Tribeca Film and Nerdist Industries decided that the directorial debut of Austin-based filmmakers Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews was charming enough to throw a little weight behind. The festival-offshoot distributor, and the geek-centric content provider (part of Legendary Pictures, whose summer output included “Hangover III,” “Man of Steel” and “Pacific Rim”) are co-releasing the film (which debuted this spring at SXSW) beginning Oct. 8, on cable/telco and satellite video-on-demand platforms, as well as iTunes,...
- 10/11/2013
- by John Anderson
- Thompson on Hollywood
In the Dungeons and Dragons-themed Zero Charisma (which comes out tomorrow, and is also available on VOD) a socially awkward D&D obsessive called Scott (Sam Eidson) loses both his role-playing game and his friends to a suave hipster-type, Miles (Garrett Graham), with darkly comedic consequences. The film’s writer and co-director Andrew Matthews was inspired to make the film by his own history as a gamer and ‘Dungeon Master.’
“I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 5th grade,” he explains. “It’s a nerdy obsession but it’s a very creative one too and it’s a social hobby...
“I’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons since 5th grade,” he explains. “It’s a nerdy obsession but it’s a very creative one too and it’s a social hobby...
- 10/10/2013
- by Clark Collis
- EW - Inside Movies
20 years after the release of Kevin Smith's "Clerks," the idea of sympathizing with the plight of pop culture-obsessed bottom feeders stuck in mundane jobs has lost none of its potency. These aren't easy characters to write without falling prey to condescension, given the clichés associated with largely male crowd of unhygienic sci-fi/fantasy lovers who'd rather waste their days at minimum wage jobs debating "Star Wars" trivia than anything else. Smith's "Clerks" screenplay managed to find the humor in its protagonists' fanaticism while making their passion infectious, grounding the story in its rambling anti-heroes likability. "Zero Charisma," a fascinating portrait of an initially stereotypical mouth-breathing man-child addicted to role-playing games of his own invention, goes one step further: Directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews' directorial debut (from Matthews' screenplay) centers on a highly unlikable character who has alienated himself from social responsibility --...
- 10/9/2013
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
For a culture as prevalent as it is, nerds have never really gotten their due. It's usually all glasses and acne and high-waisted pants left over from "Family Matters" and "Revenge of the Nerds." In a lot of ways, pop culture hasn't updated its image of the ultra geeky in decades.
That's why "Zero Charisma" is such an important movie.
The new indie being released by Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Productions, their first, tells the story of Scott (Sam Eidson), an avid RPG gamemaster, who feels the mainstream world creeping in when a new, hipper player joins his game. It's a touching, often hilarious story that anyone who has ever felt like an outcast will be able to relate to.
With nerd culture moving toward the mainstream, we decided to ask the directors of "Zero Charisma," Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, how they feel about the current state of the most popular geek staples.
That's why "Zero Charisma" is such an important movie.
The new indie being released by Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Productions, their first, tells the story of Scott (Sam Eidson), an avid RPG gamemaster, who feels the mainstream world creeping in when a new, hipper player joins his game. It's a touching, often hilarious story that anyone who has ever felt like an outcast will be able to relate to.
With nerd culture moving toward the mainstream, we decided to ask the directors of "Zero Charisma," Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, how they feel about the current state of the most popular geek staples.
- 10/8/2013
- by Kevin P. Sullivan
- MTV Movies Blog
Zero Charisma, directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, is well-drawn and funny, but ultimately a little bit bleak. The film follows Sam Eidson as Scott, an uber-controlling Game Master who is losing control. Scott is surly, overweight, unkempt, and balding. He lives with his grandmother and is marginally employed. He has very strong opinions about Mmo RPGs. If you sat next to him at a Con, you would probably want to spray him with Febreeze, and if you refused to give up your seat for him, he would totally stab you in the eye. He's pretty much a stereotype, but we all probably know someone just like him.
The story gets going when a player drops out of Scott's game. They've been playing one continuous adventure--written by Scott, who's yet to find a publisher--for three years. The first big laugh of the film comes when Scott is making phone calls to fill the spot.
The story gets going when a player drops out of Scott's game. They've been playing one continuous adventure--written by Scott, who's yet to find a publisher--for three years. The first big laugh of the film comes when Scott is making phone calls to fill the spot.
- 10/8/2013
- by Mily Dunbar
- GeekTyrant
Move over, hobbits — “fantasy” isn't just for big-budget epics anymore. Comedian Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Industries started as a mere podcast before growing into a leading surveyor of pop culture for the comic-reading, video-gaming, Internet-browsing youth culture. Now, at the company's new home, Legendary Entertainment, the Nerdist brand is taking curation one step further by releasing, in conjunction with their leading distribution partner Tribeca Film, a film tailor-made for their audience. Photos: Comic-Con: Hollywood Stars Show Off Their Geeky Side Zero Charisma is the brainchild of writer/director Andrew Matthews and co-director Katie Graham, Austin-
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- 10/7/2013
- by Matt Patches
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
What happens when a dedicated Game Master feels threatened by a newcomer to his realm? As they used to say on "The Real World," people stop being polite and start getting real.
In "Zero Charisma," Scott (Sam Eidson) invites a new guy to join his beloved role-playing group, but Miles (Garrett Graham) begins to steal his thunder. He's funny and charming, and he brings beer to their gatherings. He even invites them to a party -- with babes! Naturally, Scott's fellow dungeon-lovers begin to change their allegiance, which pushes this metal-lovin' gamer closer and closer to the edge.
Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Industries produced the film, which gives it some serious nerd street cred. "Zero Charisma," which was directed by Katie Graham and co-writer Andrew Matthews, got rave reviews at SXSW. It's being promoted as "an ode to nerds from every realm," although sci-fi site io9 questions whether the film...
In "Zero Charisma," Scott (Sam Eidson) invites a new guy to join his beloved role-playing group, but Miles (Garrett Graham) begins to steal his thunder. He's funny and charming, and he brings beer to their gatherings. He even invites them to a party -- with babes! Naturally, Scott's fellow dungeon-lovers begin to change their allegiance, which pushes this metal-lovin' gamer closer and closer to the edge.
Chris Hardwick's Nerdist Industries produced the film, which gives it some serious nerd street cred. "Zero Charisma," which was directed by Katie Graham and co-writer Andrew Matthews, got rave reviews at SXSW. It's being promoted as "an ode to nerds from every realm," although sci-fi site io9 questions whether the film...
- 9/17/2013
- by Jenni Miller
- Moviefone
“Zero Charisma” is Nerdist Industries’ first theatrical release, and the first trailer for the SXSW Film Festival Audience Award winner suggests the comedy will hit home for the digital entertainment company’s geek-oriented audience. The comedy stars newcomer Sam Eidson as a dungeon master-type who becomes jealous of a newer, and slightly cooler addition to his circle of fantasy role playing board game addicts that regularly meet in his mother’s kitchen. Also read: Legendary Entertainment Acquires Nerdist Industries Andrew Matthews wrote the screenplay, and co-directed with Katie Graham. Chris Hardwick, the host of AMC’s “Talking Dead” and “Talking Bad,...
- 9/17/2013
- The Wrap
"No, you and your friends sitting in there pretending to be elves and fairies... that's what's disturbing."
This is the official trailer for the funny looking fantasy role-playing comedy, Zero Charisma. The movie comes from Chris Hardwick's Nerdist, and this is their first feature film production. The story follows the Game Master of a role-playing game who becomes threatened when a hipster-style geek named Miles joins the group and becomes the life of the role-playing party.
The movie was directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews and stars Sam Eidson, Garrett Graham, Brock England, Anne Gee Byrd, and Cyndi Williams .
As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother’s kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip—along with everything else in his life—when...
This is the official trailer for the funny looking fantasy role-playing comedy, Zero Charisma. The movie comes from Chris Hardwick's Nerdist, and this is their first feature film production. The story follows the Game Master of a role-playing game who becomes threatened when a hipster-style geek named Miles joins the group and becomes the life of the role-playing party.
The movie was directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews and stars Sam Eidson, Garrett Graham, Brock England, Anne Gee Byrd, and Cyndi Williams .
As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother’s kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip—along with everything else in his life—when...
- 9/16/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
“This fascinating look at nerd culture, directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, is spot-on and full of heart,” we said of Zero Charisma after its SXSW premiere. The relatable look at the world of role playing games (not the video game kind, the trailer will have you learn) we added, “You’ve known these characters in real life: the [...]...
- 9/16/2013
- by Jack Cunliffe
- The Film Stage
You didn’t have to be a nerd to understand what it felt like in high school when a cooler, more personable kid joined your group and threatened your position in the gang. It’s easy to relate to that feeling of jealousy and isolation when they start hanging out with your friends and seem to be having a lot more fun than you ever did. The problem with the characters in Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews‘ Zero Charisma, though, is that they’re not kids at all; they’re grown men obsessed with a tabletop role-playing game a la Dungeons and Dragons and their ringleader really needs to take a chill pill. As Game Master, Scott (Sam Eidson) takes his duties seriously, leading his friends in their weekly quests and battles through their fantasy world. But when a hipster nerd joins their league (Garrett Graham), it just about all but unravels him. But...
- 9/16/2013
- by Samantha Wilson
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Hitting theaters October 11, directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews' Zero Charisma offers an indie comedy look at the world of tabletop role playing games and, today, the film has debuted both a poster (via Nerdist ) and a trailer (via iTunes Movie Trailers ). Check them both out below! As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother.s kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip.along with everything else in his life.when neo-nerd hipster Miles (Garrett Graham) joins the game, winning over the group with his confident charm and dethroning Scott with an unexpected coup. Caught in delusions of grandeur, Scott must roll the dice and risk...
- 9/16/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Montreal — A portrait in dorkdom that sees only the faintest glimmers of hope for its fantasy-obsessed protagonist, Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews' Zero Charisma offers a man-child with, as the title suggests, substantially less appeal than the similarly stunted heroes of the Apatow universe. Sam Eidson is perfect for the lead role, but that doesn't exactly guarantee the fanboy crowd will embrace the film; with funnier, more winning movies treading similar ground, this one has limited appeal outside festivals. Eidson plays Scott, an adult who lives with his Nana and has hosted the same weekly gathering of
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- 8/27/2013
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Press Release] New York, NY – July 20, 2013 – Nerdist Industries announced today at San Diego Comic-con that together with Tribeca Film they will co release Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews’s directorial debut Zero Charisma. The “Dungeons & Dragons” culture-inspired indie-dramedy, which world premiered at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival - taking home the audience award in the Narrative Spotlight category, stars Sam Eidson (Natural Selection, My Sucky Teen Romance), Garrett Graham, and Brock England. The film was written by Matthews and produced by Shark Films and Magic Stone. Tribeca Film and Nerdist Industries will co-release the film this fall beginning October 8, 2013 on cable/telco and satellite video-on-demand platforms, as well as iTunes, Amazon Watch Instantly, Vudu, Playstation...
- 7/25/2013
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
There’s very little that I love more than the kind of awkward and charming nerdy characters that are so abundant in Zero Charisma. Check out the Nerdist approved trailer for the film coming out in October, followed by the press release.
Trailer: Zero Charisma
Nerdist Industries And Tribeca Film Co-release Fanboy Charmer Zero Charisma *** “It is, almost certainly, the best film ever made about nerds…it’s hilarious, it’s sweet, and in the end it’s just a little bit heartbreaking.” – Devin Faraci, Badass Digest “Zero Charisma is geek heaven” – Ain’t It Cool News
New York, NY – July 20, 2013 – Nerdist Industries announced today at San Diego Comic-con that together with Tribeca Film they will co release Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews’s directorial debut Zero Charisma. The “Dungeons & Dragons” culture-inspired indie-dramedy, which world premiered at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival – taking home the audience award in the Narrative Spotlight category,...
Trailer: Zero Charisma
Nerdist Industries And Tribeca Film Co-release Fanboy Charmer Zero Charisma *** “It is, almost certainly, the best film ever made about nerds…it’s hilarious, it’s sweet, and in the end it’s just a little bit heartbreaking.” – Devin Faraci, Badass Digest “Zero Charisma is geek heaven” – Ain’t It Cool News
New York, NY – July 20, 2013 – Nerdist Industries announced today at San Diego Comic-con that together with Tribeca Film they will co release Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews’s directorial debut Zero Charisma. The “Dungeons & Dragons” culture-inspired indie-dramedy, which world premiered at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival – taking home the audience award in the Narrative Spotlight category,...
- 7/23/2013
- by Jess Orso
- ScifiMafia
Chris Hardwick might be taking over the nerd world. Which is fine, for the most part, as long as he continues to be a force for good. Firmly in the “force for good” category is getting into the film distribution business and bringing SXSW Audience Award winner Zero Charisma to audiences around the country. In partnership with Tribeca Film, Nerdist Industries will distribute the directorial debut of Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, which follows the story of Scott (Sam Eidson), a table-top game enthusiast whose quest to lead his friends on Dungeons & Dragons-esque quests comes with a bit more off-table drama than he’s equipped to handle. Here’s the full, official synopsis: “As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother’s kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip — along with everything...
- 7/21/2013
- by Neil Miller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.
More Machete film incentives news: Austin director Robert Rodriguez says he doesn't support the lawsuit filed by producers of his 2010 film against the Texas Film Commission, Joe M. O'Connell's blog reports. Rodriguez appears in the recent commercial Gov. Rick Perry is promoting that urges businesses to move to Texas. Perry signed film-incentive legislation at Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios in 2009. Incentives potentially would have provided the action/thriller with $8 million to produce the movie in Texas, but incentives were denied in late 2010 (Jette's recap) after the commission determined that the Austin-shot film contained "inappropriate" content that disqualified it from the funds. Do you have no game? Neither does Scott, the overweight and overbearing fantasy role-playing gamer in the Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma (Jette's review), starring Sam Eidson (Mike's interview) as the titular character. At San Diego Comic Con last week, Tribeca Film and Nerdist...
More Machete film incentives news: Austin director Robert Rodriguez says he doesn't support the lawsuit filed by producers of his 2010 film against the Texas Film Commission, Joe M. O'Connell's blog reports. Rodriguez appears in the recent commercial Gov. Rick Perry is promoting that urges businesses to move to Texas. Perry signed film-incentive legislation at Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios in 2009. Incentives potentially would have provided the action/thriller with $8 million to produce the movie in Texas, but incentives were denied in late 2010 (Jette's recap) after the commission determined that the Austin-shot film contained "inappropriate" content that disqualified it from the funds. Do you have no game? Neither does Scott, the overweight and overbearing fantasy role-playing gamer in the Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma (Jette's review), starring Sam Eidson (Mike's interview) as the titular character. At San Diego Comic Con last week, Tribeca Film and Nerdist...
- 7/20/2013
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
Five on Film: D&D and Indie Filmmaking With Zero Charisma Directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews
Five On Film is an occasional feature on “Hey You Geeks!!” where directors, writers, actors or just plain awesome advocates of geek culture are asked five questions in line with the theme of their current work. Starting this week, the “Hey You Geeks!!” column will be a bi-weekly companion to the “Hey You Geeks!!” Podcast, carrying over the theme of the week into bonus, in-depth and exclusive content. This weeks episode was the first Indie-Film Geek Out, so in this edition of Five On Film, I chat about Dungeons and Dragons and indie filmmaking with Zero Charisma Director Katie Graham and Writer/Director Andrew Matthews.
Zero Charisma made waves when it premiered at this years South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, and ever since, has been eagerly anticipated by both film fans and gaming geeks alike. From the time its trailer hit the web earlier this year, the...
Zero Charisma made waves when it premiered at this years South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, and ever since, has been eagerly anticipated by both film fans and gaming geeks alike. From the time its trailer hit the web earlier this year, the...
- 7/16/2013
- by Tony Nunes
- SoundOnSight
Montreal-based genre festival also announces final wave of programming, including world premieres of Curse of Chucky and Zombie Hunter, starring Danny Trejo [pictured].
With its 17th edition kicking off next week on July 18, Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled this year’s juries and the final round of its 120-strong feature lineup.
Critic Laura Kern will preside over the Cheval Noir jury for best film, which also includes filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bergeron, co-director of the New York Asian Film Festival Samuel Jamier, SXSW’s Jarod Neece and Snowfort Pictures founder Travis Stevens.
The New Flesh award for best first film will be decided by jury president Charles de Lauzirika, composer Ramachandra Borcar, journalist Manon Dumais, filmmaker Jason Lapeyre and author Stéphane du Mesnildot.
Filmmakers Patrick Bouchard and Luc Chamberland will decide the Satoshi Kon award for achievement in animation along with Ottawa International Animation Festival programmer Keltie Duncan, while Black Nights programmer Sten-Kristian Saluveer, Bold Films’ [link...
With its 17th edition kicking off next week on July 18, Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled this year’s juries and the final round of its 120-strong feature lineup.
Critic Laura Kern will preside over the Cheval Noir jury for best film, which also includes filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bergeron, co-director of the New York Asian Film Festival Samuel Jamier, SXSW’s Jarod Neece and Snowfort Pictures founder Travis Stevens.
The New Flesh award for best first film will be decided by jury president Charles de Lauzirika, composer Ramachandra Borcar, journalist Manon Dumais, filmmaker Jason Lapeyre and author Stéphane du Mesnildot.
Filmmakers Patrick Bouchard and Luc Chamberland will decide the Satoshi Kon award for achievement in animation along with Ottawa International Animation Festival programmer Keltie Duncan, while Black Nights programmer Sten-Kristian Saluveer, Bold Films’ [link...
- 7/9/2013
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
The Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma may be as close as we ever get to a cinematic adaptation of A Confederacy of Dunces. Scott Weidemeier, as portrayed by Sam Eidson, bears a strong resemblance to a contemporary Ignatius J. Reilly, if Ignatius were transplanted to a lesser city than New Orleans and had been introduced to role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. (Which leads me to ponder an Ignatius-approved RPG set in the time of Boethius, but I digress.)
What makes Zero Charisma so watchable is that Eidson and filmmakers Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews lead us to sympathize with a character as appalling and unlikeable as Ignatius would be, if we encountered him in real life. Scott is living with his grandmother in a glorious Fifties time capsule of a bungalow (with decor that would close Ignatius's valve), working as a delivery boy for the Donut Taco Palace, and in...
What makes Zero Charisma so watchable is that Eidson and filmmakers Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews lead us to sympathize with a character as appalling and unlikeable as Ignatius would be, if we encountered him in real life. Scott is living with his grandmother in a glorious Fifties time capsule of a bungalow (with decor that would close Ignatius's valve), working as a delivery boy for the Donut Taco Palace, and in...
- 3/20/2013
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Film festivals tend to invite descriptions in terms of trends, but they're more accurately described in terms of movies. This year's edition may have no greater mascot than Scott Weidemeyer. Memorably portrayed by Sam Eidson in Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews' "Zero Charisma," he's uncomfortably plus-sized, covered in unkempt hair and awkwardly committed to popularizing his Dungeons and Dragons ripoff. Lurching from one scene to the next as pitiable qualities ooze from his pores, he's hopelessly addicted to his selfish desires. Scott's endless vanity was the essence of many standouts from this year's SXSW, where the breakout stories are the ones that fly the freak flag higher than the rest. Read More: The Top Films and Performances of SXSW 2013 The festival was populated by movies that valorized social rejects or provided new context for their marginalized roles. The leading example was the loudest: SXSW marked the U.S. premiere...
- 3/18/2013
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced Audience Award-winners today from the Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Emerging Visions, Midnighters, 24 Beats Per Second, SXGlobal, Festival Favorites and Design Award categories. Audience Award results for all categories were certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter. The Audience Awards follow the previously announced 2013 Jury Awards, which included Grand Jury Winners Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12 for Narrative Feature, and Ben Nabors’ William And The Windmill for Documentary Feature. For the complete list of 2013 Award Winners, visit sxsw.com/film. The 2013 SXSW Film Festival hosted a total of 133 features, consisting of 78 World Premieres, 13 North American Premieres and 9 U.S. Premieres, with 76 first-time directors. 110 shorts will screen as part of 10 overall shorts programs. The nearly 250 films were selected from a record number of overall submissions, over 5,700, comprised of approximately 2,100 features and 3,600 shorts,...
- 3/17/2013
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
Another year and another great festival wraps up deep in the heart of Texas. As the curtains draw to a close on the Paramount and the music fades, Friday marked the end of another great festival at South by Southwest. With over a hundred films screened, this year’s festival has introduced a plethora of great films to audiences. The festival has been a chance to showcase big headliners like Evil Dead as well as highlight fantastic indies like Zero Charisma. The greatest thing about these festivals is the air of collaboration between various artists, admirers, and professionals alike. Hearing a conversation between a music badge holder, film badge press, and interactive entrepreneurs sums up South by Southwest succinctly. It really captures the spirit of South by Southwest and reminds us why Austin is a true Mecca for creativity and collaboration. Signing off from Austin, TX, see y’all next year!
- 3/17/2013
- by David Tran
- SoundOnSight
Zero Charisma
Directed by Katie Graham, Andrew Matthews
Written by Andrew Matthews
Us, 2013
There is no question that the once derivative term “geek” has become a widely accepted and sometimes lauded term. To be a geek in 2013 means something entirely different than it did twenty, even ten, years ago. The wide access of information, the recent trends, the rise of mainstream Geek Gods such as Joss Whedon, has made geekdom more accessible to the masses. Zero Charisma initially takes a look at the shifting trends but gradually evolves into a tale about simple friendships and knowing when it is time to grow up but not grow out of something.
The film follows Scott (Sam Eidson) who is an unemployed, aimless adult living in his grandmother’s home. However, every week, he is not some loser but the controlling Game Master of a Dungeons and Dragons-type table top game in which he plays with his friends.
Directed by Katie Graham, Andrew Matthews
Written by Andrew Matthews
Us, 2013
There is no question that the once derivative term “geek” has become a widely accepted and sometimes lauded term. To be a geek in 2013 means something entirely different than it did twenty, even ten, years ago. The wide access of information, the recent trends, the rise of mainstream Geek Gods such as Joss Whedon, has made geekdom more accessible to the masses. Zero Charisma initially takes a look at the shifting trends but gradually evolves into a tale about simple friendships and knowing when it is time to grow up but not grow out of something.
The film follows Scott (Sam Eidson) who is an unemployed, aimless adult living in his grandmother’s home. However, every week, he is not some loser but the controlling Game Master of a Dungeons and Dragons-type table top game in which he plays with his friends.
- 3/15/2013
- by David Tran
- SoundOnSight
Andrew Matthews and Katie Graham are mashing up two very different -- and similar? -- subcultures. The veteran editors have partnered up on the geeky comedy Zero Charisma. Their directorial debuts, it tells the troubled tale of a metalhead gaming enthusiast named Scott (Sam Eidson) whose rotten life -- lowly job at a donut shop, bunking with a sick grandmother, romantic fortunes nil and estranged from his mother -- is eased by Tuesday night's gaming rendezvous. He plays miniature role playing games with his friends, painstakingly painting tiny models for his simulations and dice-controlled battles. It all starts going to hell, though, when
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- 3/5/2013
- by Jordan Zakarin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Austin-based audio and visual post-production company Stuck On On worked on six films set to screen at SXSW 2013:
Matthew McConaughey-fronted Mud (Debbie's review)Local filmmakers Richard Linklater's Before Midnight (Debbie's review)Emily Hagins' feature Grow Up, Tony PhillipsFormer Afs Artist Services Director Bryan Poyser's The Bounceback (Elizabeth's interview)Pj Raval's documentary Before You Know ItKatie Graham and Andrew Matthews' Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma
The record-setting year marks the award-winning company's five-year anniversary, when founders Lyman Hardy, Parke Gregg and Allison Turrell (along with a silent partner) opened its doors in the Eastside with the mission to support and solidify Texas film's street cred. Before Stuck On On was a company, it was an experience Hardy had with a dining-room chandelier that refused to turn off.
And Turrell was stuck on post production after studying video art as a graduate student. She...
Matthew McConaughey-fronted Mud (Debbie's review)Local filmmakers Richard Linklater's Before Midnight (Debbie's review)Emily Hagins' feature Grow Up, Tony PhillipsFormer Afs Artist Services Director Bryan Poyser's The Bounceback (Elizabeth's interview)Pj Raval's documentary Before You Know ItKatie Graham and Andrew Matthews' Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma
The record-setting year marks the award-winning company's five-year anniversary, when founders Lyman Hardy, Parke Gregg and Allison Turrell (along with a silent partner) opened its doors in the Eastside with the mission to support and solidify Texas film's street cred. Before Stuck On On was a company, it was an experience Hardy had with a dining-room chandelier that refused to turn off.
And Turrell was stuck on post production after studying video art as a graduate student. She...
- 2/27/2013
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
South by Southwest (SXSW) is just one of many film festivals, we here at Sound On Sight cover yearly. The fest, which takes place every spring in Austin, Texas, began in 1987, and has continued to grow in size every year. The fest announced the first wave of films back in early January, and the lineup included some highly anticipated films such as The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Evil Dead, Downloaded and Spring Breakers. Now the full lineup has been announced, and it just might be one of the best lineups the festival has ever programmed.
SXSW takes place March 8-16 in Austin Texas. Here are just some of the films we are excited about.
Narrative Feature Competition – This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,191 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere.
Awful Nice
Director/Screenwriter: Todd Sklar, Screenwriter: Alex Rennie
Estranged brothers Jim and Dave must travel to Branson together when...
SXSW takes place March 8-16 in Austin Texas. Here are just some of the films we are excited about.
Narrative Feature Competition – This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,191 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere.
Awful Nice
Director/Screenwriter: Todd Sklar, Screenwriter: Alex Rennie
Estranged brothers Jim and Dave must travel to Branson together when...
- 2/1/2013
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Some of the best films of the 2012/2013 calender year from Richard Linklater, Harmony Korine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Bujalski, Jeff Nichols, David Gordon Green, Shane Carruth and Joshua Oppenheimer are among the headliner names for the 2013 edition of the South by Southwest Film Festival. With a little over 100 plus film line-up (a whopping 2000+ titles were submitted), almost 70 are world premieres: there is the highly anticipated sophomore film (that has been on our radar since it first went into production) with M. Blash’s (The Wait), Joe Swanberg who makes SXSW his second home will premiere Drinking Buddies, veteran indie filmmaker John Sayles saddles in with Go For Sisters, and rounding out the Narrative Spotlight section we’ve got The Bounceback from Bryan Poyser, Loves Her Gun from Geoff Marslett along with titles we thought might break into Park City, but found an Austin home instead with Jacob Vaughan’s Milo and...
- 2/1/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The promoters of Austin's legendary South By Southwest Festival , which kicks off on March 8, have announced the massive lineup of film for 2013 (69 world premieres, 14 North American and 5 U.S. Premieres so far), which includes the world premiere of Evil Dead, the much-talked-about reboot of the Sam Raimi classic from director Fede Alvarez. That's the big news, of course, but the lineup also includes a wealth of horror, thriller, dark fantasy and other genre-related titles. Here's a few of those additional highlights: Milo Director/Screenwriter: Jacob Vaughan, Screenwriter: Benjamin Hayes A man discovers that his chronic stomach problems are due to the fact that he has a demon baby living in his colon. Starring Ken Marino, Gillian Jacobs, Peter Stormare, Stephen Root and Mary Kay Place. (World Premiere) Much Ado About Nothing Director: Joss Whedon Shakespeare's classic comedy is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon's film, Much Ado About Nothing.
- 1/31/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
It doesn't matter if you live in a huge city or a small town, chances are someone nearby is making a movie. The rise in backyard filmmaking, so to speak, is one of the beauties of the increased access to and lower cost of high-grade filmmaking gear. And in the case of a little movie called Zero Charisma, filmmakers Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews (who together edited the must-see documentary Best Worst Movie) are literally making a movie in their backyard. And, as luck would have it, their backyard happens to be in my home town of Austin, Texas, which recently afforded me the opportunity to check out what they're cooking up in person. The Internet got an early glimpse of Zero Charisma last year when the film launched a trailer and campaign to help raise a portion of its...
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- 4/16/2012
- by Peter Hall
- Movies.com
Produced by Michael and Lindsay Stephenson, the filmmakers behind the hit documentary Best Worst Movie, Zero Charisma is the indie comedy from directors Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews, the pair of filmmakers which also served on previous project. The narrative feature that got attention and funds through a hilarious three-minute teaser released last spring will [...]
Continue reading Zero Charisma Teaser Trailer on FilmoFilia.
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Continue reading Zero Charisma Teaser Trailer on FilmoFilia.
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- 3/30/2012
- by Nick Martin
- Filmofilia
[1] Most communities have a creepy house that scares the neighborhood kids. What those communities usually don't have is a normal house which, on Halloween, is transformed into an equally exciting haunted house. Homemade haunted houses are true labors of love and the filmmakers behind Best Worst Movie [2] are looking for the biggest and best to feature in an Untitled Homemade Haunted House Feature Documentary. The film is being produced by NBC Universal and will feature adults who go to incredible lengths to make their own haunted houses. If you know someone, or happen to be someone, who fits that bill, they want to hear from you. The info is after the break. All the information on how to apply to be a part of this film is at www.homemadehaunt.com [3]. Here's the official press release. Magic Stone Productions and Brainstorm Media announced today that they have signed a deal...
- 8/18/2011
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
Michael Stephenson did something that’s kind of amazing: build a career out of appearing in what might be the worst film of all time. The actor and director toiled in relative obscurity for nearly two decades after the release of Troll 2, until he made the acclaimed documentary Best Worst Movie, which chronicled the history and cult status of the infamous horror debacle. There was word back in February that he’d tackle narrative filmmaking with a movie called Destroy, but he isn’t leaving the documentary format for good.
Collider says that he’s developing a new documentary, centered on homemade haunted houses and the people who make them. A title hasn’t been announced yet, but the name “Homemade House of Horrors” is being used in conjunction with the project, as the picture on the side tells you. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but that sounds perfect to me.
Collider says that he’s developing a new documentary, centered on homemade haunted houses and the people who make them. A title hasn’t been announced yet, but the name “Homemade House of Horrors” is being used in conjunction with the project, as the picture on the side tells you. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but that sounds perfect to me.
- 8/18/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Think you have what it takes to be on television? Have a penchant for the macabre? Then you, dearest reader, could be exactly who NBC/Universal is looking for to appear in a new as of yet untitled documentary!
Magic Stone Productions, the team behind the critically beloved Best Worst Movie, is searching for passionate Halloween die-hards who live to scare through creating amateur haunts and would like to share their creations with the world. Casting and submission information can be found by visiting the official Homemade Haunt website.
"October 31 has been the target for mischief, monsters and – above all – Fun. This dedication to Halloween mayhem isn’t just carried out by costumed children and prank-crazed teens. The feature documentary will provide a fun and intimate look into the lives of devoted adults who go to fantastic and frightening lengths to create the ultimate homemade haunted house." Michael Stephenson will direct.
Magic Stone Productions, the team behind the critically beloved Best Worst Movie, is searching for passionate Halloween die-hards who live to scare through creating amateur haunts and would like to share their creations with the world. Casting and submission information can be found by visiting the official Homemade Haunt website.
"October 31 has been the target for mischief, monsters and – above all – Fun. This dedication to Halloween mayhem isn’t just carried out by costumed children and prank-crazed teens. The feature documentary will provide a fun and intimate look into the lives of devoted adults who go to fantastic and frightening lengths to create the ultimate homemade haunted house." Michael Stephenson will direct.
- 8/17/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
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