Microsoft has laid down details of original comedy “pilots” that will be coming exclusively to Xbox Live from assorted horror directors.
The new content will be coming to the service this Autumn. It will be launched globally and it will be free - for either download or streaming.
The content is an upshot of the deal between Microsoft and Hollywood talent agent/producer Peter Safran, with his company – Safran Digital Group – involved in production. The concept was apparently the brainchild of Safran (who has worked on the likes of Scary Movie and Meet the Spartans) and James Gunn (Slither, Dawn of the Dead - the remake).
The shorts will come from the grey matter of James Wan (Saw, Death Sentence), David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy), The Woods), Andrew Douglas (The Amityville Horror - the remake) and Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - the remake, Friday the 13th - the remake). You can see blurb for the whole lot at the bottom of this story.
Safran went into full CorproCliché mode - beginning with the biggest one of all: “We’re excited to...". So, in the spirit of the project, we thought we'd bring you a trailer* of the other things he said, ready? Here goes..."world-class directors", "tremendously talented", "cutting edge", "craft", "youthful", "innovative", "perfect combination", "unique digital venture", "these masters of horror", "vision". Phew! What a roller-coaster ride!
We will finish with the one interesting thing he mentioned though,"We can’t wait to give fans at Comic-Con a taste of what’s to come.”
Yes, Comic-Con. At the San Diego event, which is taking place this week, Microsoft will host a panel dubbed 'Horror Meets Comedy Xbox Original Short Film Pilots' on Friday. The shorts will be previewed, with directors spilling some of their beans.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to point out that it will be providing coverage of Comic-Con through Xbox Live.
Another Microsoft Comic-Con chestnut of interest (if you're heading to the con, anyway) is the fact that the platform holder will be giving away themed consoles bearing the branding of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Watchmen, and DC Comics' Gears of War series.
Gears of War will also get a panel to itself. Cliff Bleszinski, design director at Epic Games, will make an appearance to discuss Gears 2, while comic writer Joshua Ortega and Karen Traviss, author of the upcoming Gears novel will also be on hand.
Oh - and we're also reminded that Batman: Mad Love, a slightly-animated version of the graphic novel written by Paul Dini, is now available on Xbox Live.
Phew... Here's the blurb for the shorts:
"• Doggie Heaven (Woof!) — The creative team behind the smash hit Saw films, James Wan (Saw, Death Sentence) and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. He’s just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning because of a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.
"• Humanzee! — James Gunn (Slither, Dawn of the Dead) directs and stars in a sitcom about his human-chimp hybrid son, the Humanzee (played by Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, from Gilmore Girls). It’s a delightful mix of South Park, Wonder Showzen and Small Wonder.
"• MEATDOG: What’s Fer’ Dinner — Director David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy) presents MEATDOG, an animated mutt made up of cold cuts. MEATDOG is pitted against a church of evil occult pigs while being pursued by a carnivorous rabbit and a slobbering hound. It’s dogicide when everyone wants MEATDOG on their menu.
"• Blue Like You —From director Lucky McKee (May, The Woods), Blue Like You follows the antics of old friends Patrick and Cyndy as they get to know their mysterious and extraordinary new friend Blue, a beautiful young woman who doesn’t seem to understand how the simplest of things work.
"• The Miracle of Phil — From director Andrew Douglas (The Amityville Horror), The Miracle of Phil shows that the best relationships are full of screaming, shouting and cursing, but when Phil gets knocked up, Chris is the one who feels screwed.
"• Adrenaline Slam — Director Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th) brings ADRENALINE SLAM, a high-octane hybrid of hidden camera reality and Hollywood fantasy that exposes ordinary people to extraordinary events.
"In addition, Microsoft has sought pilots from emerging online talent John Clisham:
"• Assorted Nightmares: The Janitor — From online director John Clisham and starring Jenna Dewan (Step Up), somewhere in the darkness just beyond Tales From the Crypt and a little south of The Twilight Zone, is Assorted Nightmares, a modern-day horror anthology show. The first episode pays homage to the 1980s horror-slasher genre, as things at school for Jennifer don’t turn out as expected."
* Peter Safran's full quote is: "“We’re excited to launch the Xbox original content with these world-class directors, who are all tremendously talented and at the cutting edge of their craft,” Safran said. “Their youthful and innovative approach is the perfect combination for this unique digital venture with Xbox 360, and we expect to see some very creative, horrifying and hilarious shorts as these masters of horror present their comedic vision. We can’t wait to give fans at Comic-Con a taste of what’s to come.”
See aren't you pleased we did the trailer?
The new content will be coming to the service this Autumn. It will be launched globally and it will be free - for either download or streaming.
The content is an upshot of the deal between Microsoft and Hollywood talent agent/producer Peter Safran, with his company – Safran Digital Group – involved in production. The concept was apparently the brainchild of Safran (who has worked on the likes of Scary Movie and Meet the Spartans) and James Gunn (Slither, Dawn of the Dead - the remake).
The shorts will come from the grey matter of James Wan (Saw, Death Sentence), David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy), The Woods), Andrew Douglas (The Amityville Horror - the remake) and Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - the remake, Friday the 13th - the remake). You can see blurb for the whole lot at the bottom of this story.
Safran went into full CorproCliché mode - beginning with the biggest one of all: “We’re excited to...". So, in the spirit of the project, we thought we'd bring you a trailer* of the other things he said, ready? Here goes..."world-class directors", "tremendously talented", "cutting edge", "craft", "youthful", "innovative", "perfect combination", "unique digital venture", "these masters of horror", "vision". Phew! What a roller-coaster ride!
We will finish with the one interesting thing he mentioned though,"We can’t wait to give fans at Comic-Con a taste of what’s to come.”
Yes, Comic-Con. At the San Diego event, which is taking place this week, Microsoft will host a panel dubbed 'Horror Meets Comedy Xbox Original Short Film Pilots' on Friday. The shorts will be previewed, with directors spilling some of their beans.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to point out that it will be providing coverage of Comic-Con through Xbox Live.
Another Microsoft Comic-Con chestnut of interest (if you're heading to the con, anyway) is the fact that the platform holder will be giving away themed consoles bearing the branding of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Watchmen, and DC Comics' Gears of War series.
Gears of War will also get a panel to itself. Cliff Bleszinski, design director at Epic Games, will make an appearance to discuss Gears 2, while comic writer Joshua Ortega and Karen Traviss, author of the upcoming Gears novel will also be on hand.
Oh - and we're also reminded that Batman: Mad Love, a slightly-animated version of the graphic novel written by Paul Dini, is now available on Xbox Live.
Phew... Here's the blurb for the shorts:
"• Doggie Heaven (Woof!) — The creative team behind the smash hit Saw films, James Wan (Saw, Death Sentence) and Leigh Whannell, tell the story of a young man who is having a dog of a day. He’s just been shot dead, but his real problems are only just beginning because of a clerical error that has sent him to the wrong heaven.
"• Humanzee! — James Gunn (Slither, Dawn of the Dead) directs and stars in a sitcom about his human-chimp hybrid son, the Humanzee (played by Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, from Gilmore Girls). It’s a delightful mix of South Park, Wonder Showzen and Small Wonder.
"• MEATDOG: What’s Fer’ Dinner — Director David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy) presents MEATDOG, an animated mutt made up of cold cuts. MEATDOG is pitted against a church of evil occult pigs while being pursued by a carnivorous rabbit and a slobbering hound. It’s dogicide when everyone wants MEATDOG on their menu.
"• Blue Like You —From director Lucky McKee (May, The Woods), Blue Like You follows the antics of old friends Patrick and Cyndy as they get to know their mysterious and extraordinary new friend Blue, a beautiful young woman who doesn’t seem to understand how the simplest of things work.
"• The Miracle of Phil — From director Andrew Douglas (The Amityville Horror), The Miracle of Phil shows that the best relationships are full of screaming, shouting and cursing, but when Phil gets knocked up, Chris is the one who feels screwed.
"• Adrenaline Slam — Director Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th) brings ADRENALINE SLAM, a high-octane hybrid of hidden camera reality and Hollywood fantasy that exposes ordinary people to extraordinary events.
"In addition, Microsoft has sought pilots from emerging online talent John Clisham:
"• Assorted Nightmares: The Janitor — From online director John Clisham and starring Jenna Dewan (Step Up), somewhere in the darkness just beyond Tales From the Crypt and a little south of The Twilight Zone, is Assorted Nightmares, a modern-day horror anthology show. The first episode pays homage to the 1980s horror-slasher genre, as things at school for Jennifer don’t turn out as expected."
* Peter Safran's full quote is: "“We’re excited to launch the Xbox original content with these world-class directors, who are all tremendously talented and at the cutting edge of their craft,” Safran said. “Their youthful and innovative approach is the perfect combination for this unique digital venture with Xbox 360, and we expect to see some very creative, horrifying and hilarious shorts as these masters of horror present their comedic vision. We can’t wait to give fans at Comic-Con a taste of what’s to come.”
See aren't you pleased we did the trailer?
Read More Like This
Comments
schnide 24 Jul 2008 10:10
1/1
SPOnG wrote:
See aren't you pleased we did the trailer?
Keep doing it like that in future - make it SPOnG's policy! Anything that fights the corporate bullshit that is infecting humanity like a rancid stench is absolutely fine by me.
