My first film, CAMPFIRE TALES, is at Blockbuster
Martin Kunert
Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting "Campfire Tales".
The film was my first script sale and my first feature directing job.
That's how I got an agent and into the DGA. The film nearly was released on
2,000 screens by Paramount, but...... well, let's not get into
that. The box cover design is a bit cheeseball and a swipe from Scream, but
the film is not. Campfire Tales is based on famous urban legends, it's a
classic
suspense horror (not a slasher film) and most people found it very
frightening (and disturbing). Check it out if your interested. The film
was a
co-production between Kunert/Manes Entertainment (my company) and 7the
Vault (which made "The Last Supper). New Line Home Video is handling the
distribution.
If you see it and have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them here.
Brooke Babineau
Congrats.
Saw the film cross-promoted at the head of another recent rental.
Brooke Babineau
Don Vasicek
Martin,
Congratulations! I'll rent "Campfire Tales" and watch it. Mind sharing
anything with me/us about how you got distribution? I need suggestions
regarding a movie I'm making.
Thanks for sharing. Good luck and keep up the good work!
Don Vasicek
CAPERS
Congratulations!
Posts such as yours are really heartening. Given the amount of hard
work, persistance, dedication and ambition that many of us possess to
have our work be appreciated, it's great to know the gold ring can be
gotten. We wish you continued success -- and we'll be renting
CAMPFIRES asap.
George & Paul
===================================================
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? And why must evil
lurk in the first place? What's evil so ashamed of anyway?
Only
CAPERS
knows...
http://www.high-concepts.com/capers
===================================================
On Tue, 22 Sep 1998 18:03:33 -0700, "Martin Kunert" <n...@spam.com>
Martin Kunert
>Congratulations!
Thanks
>Mind sharing anything with me/us about how you got distribution?
Well, that's the part of the story that really pisses me off. Campfire
Tales was finished before Scream was released. Two of the industries
biggest independent film agents (from ICM and UTA) fighting to rep it's
sale, but the executive producers thought they knew more and could do more
than any agent (Hey, selling a film is like selling real estate, right?) .
We had an amazing distributors screening at Paramount, the audience was
thrilled by the film, and the executive producers fumbled the ball - the
film wasn't sold. Scream came out and teen horror became the hottest genre.
Warner Brothers and Paramount were interested in doing large theatrical
releases of Campfire Tales, but the executive producers still refused to get
an agent, so after those deals were fumbled, the film ended up at New Line's
video division. Following two more years of fumbling and nick-picking the
deal (penny wise, pound foolish), the film is finially coming out... on
video.
So that's the sad story of how the film got distribution.
> I need suggestions regarding a movie I'm making.
Get an agent!!
Martin Kunert
Brevity
slow, but it's a great credit. Hope the next one will be out ahead of
the wave. It's always encouraging to read "local boy makes good"
stories. Thanks for posting this one, and continued success in the
future.
"Martin Kunert" <n...@spam.com> wrote:
>Hi all,
>
> Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting "Campfire Tales".
>The film was my first script sale and my first feature directing job.
>That's how I got an agent and into the DGA. The film nearly was released on
>2,000 screens by Paramount, but...... well, let's not get into
>that.
<snipiocity>
Bob Stone
Associate Editor
Hollywood Scriptwriter
http://www.hollywoodscriptwriter.com
(remove the x to reply via email)
Don Vasicek
Martin,
Thanks for filling us in. This is a very interesting story. Were you
following the lead of your executive producers? Did you have an agent?
Why did they refuse to get an agent particularly after their failure at
the Paramount screening? How did they fumble the ball? Does all of
this amount to ego? Who were these guys anyway, to blow such a
wonderful opportunity?
Well, hope "Campfire Tales" does well on video. Good luck to you!
Don Vasicek
wcma...@compuserve.com
"Martin Kunert" <n...@spam.com> wrote:
> Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting "Campfire Tales".
Martin,
Congratulations!
I'll run down to my local video store (Odyssey NoHo) and rent it tomorrow as
part of my double bill (I had one pop on tape tuesday as well).
Too bad you couldn't use the title Urban Legends.
- Bill
--
"The Secrets Of Action Screenwriting"
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/wcmartell
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum
Martin Kunert
>Congrats, Martin.
> continued success in the
>future.
Thanks
Martin Kunert
>Were you following the lead of your executive producers?
My partner and I had no control over the sales of the film, nor over most
of the film's production, credits, etc... It's all was usurped by the
executive producers - one of whom, BTW, scanned our script into his
computer, rewrote it, and sent it out to people without telling us. We even
had share a writing credit, even though we we're told that under WGA
arbitration, we would have retained it. The other writer who we were made
to work with, contributed in rewriting the script, but not as much as WGA
arbitration would have given him.
Incidently, while the film was a WGA signatory, we weren't allowed into the
WGA since we slipped through the cracks of the admission policy (they didn't
consider us "profesional writers") - a bullshit issue that I resent the
WGA to this day. Now, I'm a member. After selling the Hindenburg, they
didn't waste time notifying me that I HAD to join, quoting federal law in
their warm notification letter. In the land of the free, you're FORCED to
join an organzation and you're FORCED to pay them a part of your salary, if
you want to write for the studios.
The DGA is much cooler.
> Did you have an agent?
For my partner and I - no. The agents I was mentioning in the post were for
repping the film to potential distributers. They're very specialiezed.
>Why did they refuse to get an agent particularly after their failure at the
Paramount screening?
They still thought they could do better
> Who were these guys anyway, to blow such a wonderful opportunity?
I rather not mention names. But let's just say all the other filmmakers who
worked with them have similar happy memories.
Martin Kunert
>Congratulations.
Thanks
> What is the most incredible story you have uncovered which is verifiable?
You mean as far as urban legends?....
The couple who made a video tape of themselves screwing, then rented a movie
and returned the wrong tape. It happened to Jayne Kennedy, the gorgeous
girl who used to host ABC Monday Night Football. While I was working at
MTV, they showed me the tape. I never new female anatomy could work that
way. It blows away Pamela Anderson notorious video.
Martin Kunert
Jeri Jo Thomas wrote in message ...
>Martin, is URBAN LEGENDS a riff on your movie? It's strange that
>they'd release your's to video right when this one has a
>theatrical release.
Ideas aren't copyrightable, so even if it is, it doesn't matter. Campfire
Tales retells the legends, adding modern twists. Urban Legends, from what I
heard, has a serial killer recreating the legends on a college campus. I
was told the guy who wrote the script saw Campfire Tales prior to writing
his script - but it's unverifiable, and besides, I wish them all the best.
As for the timing of the release, it's related to Halloween.
Skip Press
<n...@spam.com> wrote:
OK MARTIN. WHERE is that video?
Martin Kunert
>>The couple who made a video tape of themselves screwing, then rented a
movie
>>and returned the wrong tape. It happened to Jayne Kennedy, the gorgeous
>>girl who used to host ABC Monday Night Football. While I was working at
>>MTV, they showed me the tape. I never new female anatomy could work that
>>way. It blows away Pamela Anderson notorious video.
>OK MARTIN. WHERE is that video?
MTV's video vault has one copy. I made a dub of it in 1990, but lost it
over the years. Jayne was with her then-husband - some boxer. The video
also includes some mechanical toys Jayne indulged in. Made Clinton's cigar
bit look like a church social. Oh, and the dialog, priceless... but
unprintable in public.
D C Harris
<n...@spam.com> wrote:
Hi all,
Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting
"Campfire Tales".
The film was my first script sale and my first feature
directing job.
D C Harris-
Congratulations. What is the most
SIGALASM
Martin,
Congrats...That must be a great feeling. Actually being able to go out and rent
your own movie...that's way cool, as we used to say on the beach.
Mike S.
"Was it a millionaire who said, 'Imagine no possessions'?"
-- Elvis Costello
bo...@earthlink.spamthis.net
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting "Campfire Tales".
>> The film was my first script sale and my first feature directing job.
>> 2,000 screens by Paramount, but...... well, let's not get into
>> the film is not. Campfire Tales is based on famous urban legends, it's a
>> classic
>> suspense horror (not a slasher film) and most people found it very
>> frightening (and disturbing). Check it out if your interested. The film
>> was a
>> co-production between Kunert/Manes Entertainment (my company) and 7the
>> Vault (which made "The Last Supper). New Line Home Video is handling the
>> distribution.
>>
>> If you see it and have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them here.
Martin--
Congrats. As you mentioned, it was your first sale. There have been
and will be others. Thanks for sharing the bumps you encountered
after it was made.
Bonita
remove SPAMTHIS from e-mail address to reply directly
andrea bachrach
tried to rent it but all I got was some fuzzy, over-used tape of some
bimbo screwing and playing with sex-toys and talking dirty I tossed it
in the garbage. Now, how do I get a copy of YOUR flick?
PornDumperGirl
flet...@nynow.com
(from My So Called Life) and Christine Taylor (Marcia in the Brady movies)
are in it - much better teen actresses than the Dawsons puppets. A must rent.
Martin - has it ever aired on cable?
Alex
The film
> was a
> co-production between Kunert/Manes Entertainment (my company) and 7the
> Vault (which made "The Last Supper). New Line Home Video is handling the
> distribution.
>
> If you see it and have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them here.
>
>
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
Christina Hsu
writes:
Wow, that's not cool. Looks like it may have stayed off shelves too if
it weren't for Urban Legend as it looks like classic video releases
similar to movies in theaters. You'd be surprised at how many times
people will grab these films and say, "Man, this is that one about the
stories. I didn't know it was already on video."
Congrats anyway though, getting a nationally distributed video feature
is still great.
May all your future projects hit theaters first...
peace,
Martin Kelley
>
>> I need suggestions regarding a movie I'm making.
>
>Get an agent!!
I'll do my best whenever I make mine.
dean...@webemail.net
Martin Kunert wrote:
> Skip Press wrote in message ...
> >OK MARTIN. WHERE is that video?
>
> MTV's video vault has one copy. I made a dub of it in 1990, but lost it
> over the years.
Someone gives you the map to King Solomon's Mines and you
misplace it?!
You steal the "Pink Panther" and you leave it
in a rock quarry?!
You find the Holy Grail, but you can't remember
what you did with it?!
The Ark of the Covenant sat in your garage and now
you can't find it?!
MARTIN!!!
Jeez!
hal...@my-dejanews.com
I'll ask in advance of viewing so I can view knowingly -- what was your
budget for Campfire Tales? (I just read Rodriguez's "Rebel Without A Crew,"
and I'm pumped about funding my own film. Thanks in advance.
Hal
In article <WafO1.3346$WO1.7...@news.cwix.com>,
"Martin Kunert" <n...@spam.com> wrote:
> Don Vasicek wrote in message <360937...@earthlink.net>...
>
> >Were you following the lead of your executive producers?
>
> My partner and I had no control over the sales of the film, nor over most
> of the film's production, credits, etc... It's all was usurped by the
> executive producers - one of whom, BTW, scanned our script into his
> computer, rewrote it, and sent it out to people without telling us. We even
> had share a writing credit, even though we we're told that under WGA
> arbitration, we would have retained it. The other writer who we were made
> to work with, contributed in rewriting the script, but not as much as WGA
> arbitration would have given him.
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
JoannKB
>
>You mean as far as urban legends?....
>
>and returned the wrong tape. It happened to Jayne Kennedy, the gorgeous
>girl who used to host ABC Monday Night Football. While I was working at
>MTV, they showed me the tape. I never new female anatomy could work that
>way. It blows away Pamela Anderson notorious video.
>
A sort of similar thing happened in my hometown. Two married local teachers
made a videotape of themselves (one taught high school math, the other 2nd
grade). They accidentally left it with their other tapes, and one of their
teenage son's friends stole it and kept it in the stacks of the video store he
worked at. The tape passed around the high school all year until someone found
out. The math teacher moved to another school district.
John McFetridge
>Hey, Martin,
>
>I'll ask in advance of viewing so I can view knowingly -- what was your
>budget for Campfire Tales? (I just read Rodriguez's "Rebel Without A Crew,"
>and I'm pumped about funding my own film. Thanks in advance.
>
I think it's a great idea to fund your own movie, Hal, but before you
go down that road, you should read, "The Unkindest Cut," by Joe
Queenan as a companion to "Rebel Without a Crew.
Always remember, the film you saw in the theatre or on video cost a
lot closer to half a million than seven thousand.
Good luck and have fun,
John McF
(I've been there)
Martin Kunert
>Congrats...That must be a great feeling. Actually being able to go out and
rent
>your own movie...that's way cool, as we used to say on the beach.
Thanks
Martin Kunert
bo...@earthlink.SPAMTHIS.net wrote in message
<3609f3e7...@news.earthlink.net>...
>Martin--
>
>Congrats. As you mentioned, it was your first sale. There have been
>and will be others. Thanks for sharing the bumps you encountered
>after it was made.
Thanks
Martin Kunert
<8280-36...@newsd-124.bryant.webtv.net>...
>Martin; Many congrats on your video release.
Thanks
> I was at Blockbuster and
> tried to rent it but all I got was some fuzzy, over-used tape of some
> bimbo screwing and playing with sex-toys and talking dirty I tossed it
> in the garbage.
Oh, shit... My girlfriend's going to be pissed.
Martin Kunert
>Congrats anyway though, getting a nationally distributed video feature
>is still great.
Thanks.
>May all your future projects hit theaters first...
Well, the Hindenburg will.
The second feature I directed will premiere on HBO in a few months.
Martin Kunert
>A must rent. Martin - has it ever aired on cable?
HBO, SHOWTIME and the other cable channels all bought it. As did Holllywood
Video. I was told they're planning to have a special airing around
Halloween.
Martin Kunert
hal...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
<6udni8$btb$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>I'll ask in advance of viewing so I can view knowingly -- what was your
>budget for Campfire Tales?
Around 2 million.
David Jetton
- David Jetton -
Martin Kunert
<10637-36...@newsd-161.iap.bryant.webtv.net>...
How did you get the chance to direct? Where, and how, did you start?
I co-wrote the script and wouldn't sell without getting the chance to
direct. Plus, I directed short films, commercials, music videos, and other
minor stuff before doing Campfire Tales
D C Harris
Kunert" <n...@spam.com> wrote:
D C Harris-
How about some more of them thar
campfire tales. I would tell you
some. In fact the latter is a
serious threat.
L
wrote:
>On Thu, 24 Sep 1998 15:13:12 GMT, hal...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
>>Hey, Martin,
>>
>>I'll ask in advance of viewing so I can view knowingly -- what was your
>>budget for Campfire Tales? (I just read Rodriguez's "Rebel Without A Crew,"
>>and I'm pumped about funding my own film. Thanks in advance.
>>
>
>I think it's a great idea to fund your own movie, Hal, but before you
>go down that road, you should read, "The Unkindest Cut," by Joe
>Queenan as a companion to "Rebel Without a Crew.
>
>Always remember, the film you saw in the theatre or on video cost a
>lot closer to half a million than seven thousand.
I feel kind of weird commenting on this one but i'm gonna anyway.i'm
sure folks will respond that i'm ignorant of the facts (or just plain
ignorant) or misinformed or whatever... but what the hell.
i haven't read queenan's book but i have read a couple of his
columns. he just seems like a bitter jerk to me.
i think rodriquez's book and his film are VERY inspiring. if you have
access to a laserdisc player i highly recommend you check out the el
mariachi laserdisc and listen to the extra track--lots of neat info on
it and rodriquez comes across as a very charming and heartfelt
individual who sincerely wants people with a dream of being a
filmmaker to follow their dream. in my book, that's admirable. i
cannot say the same for queenan.
i'm always a little pissed off when i hear people say that it wasn't
really a seven thousand dollar movie. the statement seems to imply
that movies cannot be made on the cheap. i understand what the film
went through to get to the release stage and how much money went into
it. but if paramount had not picked up the film and rodriquez would
have decided to go to a married print on 16 the film would definitely
still have been watchable and quite enjoyable and not cost that much
more than the 7 grand he claims (he had budgeted for 9, remember).
i know that there are people out there who will disagree with me and
say that you cannot make movies for cheap (i know people who think it
really is impossible to make films for less than about us$50k). it is
possible. i have a friend who made a film on super-16 for 5 grand,
canadian funds. i myself made a feature for 14 grand canadian about 5
years ago. clerks (although with a different soundtrack and ending)
cost us$37,500. jim bihari, a columbus ohio based filmmaker made his
first feature for $25,000 and that included him buying a dat, a 16mm
camera, sound editing equip for his computer and everything else it
took to finish it. he made the film by juggling around credit card
debt. for info on how to do this, check out
http://www.fetching.com/bihari/
though the book has been poo-pooed quite a bit, rick schmidt's
"feature filmmaking at used car prices" is a good place to start.
rick's films usually cost under us$10K and though they're not the most
popular films, they're lack of an audience has little to do with their
budgets and more to do with what rick chooses to make movies about. i
like his work, personally. for instance "showboat: 1988, the remake"
is a very funny film. to me, waiting for guffman was just a big ripoff
of it, and though i liked guffman, i laugh a lot more during rick's
film.
what with digital video becoming so popular it is becoming even easier
to make low budget films. the best movie i saw at this year's toronto
film festival was called "the cruise" and, much to my surprise, was
shot on DV and transferred to 35. it was beautiful. an extremely
inspiring film. i do not know its budget (though the shooting ratio,
due to it being a docu was high, 100:1) (they shot 100 hours and
finished with a 70 minute film). i'd bet that the cost of the blowup
was more than the rest of the film.
so, the point of this post, i guess, is just to say, sure, the version
of el mariachi you saw may not have cost 7 grand but there was a
version of the film that did cost 7 grand. and remember, rodriquez, to
my recollection, is not trying to say that the mariachi you saw is the
one he wrote about. he's trying to say that for 7 grand (and a hell of
a lot of practice with video as a kid), he got a career in hollywood
and is pretty set. he shopped a video around. the video was great and
the rest, as they say, is history. so don't let queenan's bitching
stop you from making the film you want to make. lots of people
breaking through with their indie films. it doesn't mean they're
failures.
L.
John McFetridge
>so, the point of this post, i guess, is just to say, sure, the version
>of el mariachi you saw may not have cost 7 grand but there was a
>version of the film that did cost 7 grand. and remember, rodriquez, to
>my recollection, is not trying to say that the mariachi you saw is the
>one he wrote about. he's trying to say that for 7 grand (and a hell of
>a lot of practice with video as a kid), he got a career in hollywood
>and is pretty set. he shopped a video around. the video was great and
>the rest, as they say, is history. so don't let queenan's bitching
>stop you from making the film you want to make. lots of people
>breaking through with their indie films. it doesn't mean they're
>failures.
>
Yes, you're right. And you're right Queenan is damned sarcastic, but
I'm not sure he's bitter. His book spends a lot of time trying to
deflate some overblown 'movie egos,' which is kind of nice.
Robert Rodriquez may not have claimed thatthe version of El Mariachi
we saw in the theatres was made for seven grand, but far too many
reporters did. It's irresponsible journalism (is that an oxymoron?)
and the problem is while there are many films made for very little (I
made a feature film myself for about fifteen grand) there are way too
many people spending money they really can't afford to lose.
I guess all I wanted to say was, do a LOT of research besides 'Rebel
Without a Crew' before you go jumping into film production. And now
that I look at that statement, I realize how silly it is. Of course
people will do more research than one lousy book.
Sorry about that.
John McF
>L.
Fred Taylor
>Hi all,
>
> Wanted to let you know that Blockbuster is now renting "Campfire Tales".
>The film was my first script sale and my first feature directing job.
>That's how I got an agent and into the DGA. The film nearly was released on
>2,000 screens by Paramount, but...... well, let's not get into
>that. The box cover design is a bit cheeseball and a swipe from Scream, but
>the film is not. Campfire Tales is based on famous urban legends, it's a
>classic
>suspense horror (not a slasher film) and most people found it very
>was a
>co-production between Kunert/Manes Entertainment (my company) and 7the
>Vault (which made "The Last Supper). New Line Home Video is handling the
>distribution.
>
>If you see it and have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them here.
>
>
--
Fred Taylor
Martin Kunert
>When's it being released in the UK?
I was told in was in UK theaters over a year ago. I'd guess it's out on
video too.
andrea bachrach
mail. What gives? Dontcha love me any more?
PartyGirl
Mr...@ibm.net
> Hey - Campfire Tales is great! For those who haven't seen it, Devon Odessa
> (from My So Called Life) and Christine Taylor (Marcia in the Brady movies)
> are in it - much better teen actresses than the Dawsons puppets. A must rent.
> Martin - has it ever aired on cable?
Is it on DVD?
>
>
> Alex
>
> The film
> > was a
> > co-production between Kunert/Manes Entertainment (my company) and 7the
> > Vault (which made "The Last Supper). New Line Home Video is handling the
> > distribution.
> >
> > If you see it and have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them here.
> >
> >
>
Martin Kunert
Jeffrey French
Congrats on a surprisingly entertaining film.
I rented it over the weekend after reading so many
flattering things about it here.
I say "surprisingly" only because the horror genre
(specifically since the early 80s) is not typically
my cup of tea. But this was different...
Great performances by all of the leads.
Well-paced. Good storytelling. Consistantly kept
my attention, and (!) kept me guessing. I couldn't
see around most of the corners. Fun stuff.
Nice lensing-- I especially enjoyed the cinematography
for the opening black and white sequence. Hats off.
Good luck on whatever you're working on now and hope
you stick around the NG.
BetterDuck
>
> Nice lensing-- I especially enjoyed the cinematography
> for the opening black and white sequence. Hats off.
I agree, nice cinematography, especially the black/dark scenes. I
really can't stand the Kaminski style: "its dark but every fucking
leaf is lit." In some of the "Campfire" scenes, it was really dark
and IMO that adds to the suspense.
Stop Down,
Better Duck
Martin Kunert
Jeffrey French wrote in message <360E18...@ix.netcom.com>...
>Martin:
>
>Congrats on a surprisingly entertaining film.
>
>I rented it over the weekend after reading so many
>flattering things about it here.
>
>I say "surprisingly" only because the horror genre
>(specifically since the early 80s) is not typically
>my cup of tea. But this was different...
>
>Great performances by all of the leads.
>
>Well-paced. Good storytelling. Consistantly kept
>my attention, and (!) kept me guessing. I couldn't
>see around most of the corners. Fun stuff.
>
>Nice lensing-- I especially enjoyed the cinematography
>for the opening black and white sequence. Hats off.
>
Christina Hsu
Yeah, I saw it last night actually. I wasn't a big surprise as I've
been reading all the favorable comments here.
I did especially like the "People can Lick too". It really was creepy.
I could totally relate with the girl when she was in the garage and the
lights went out. It seems like when you're a kid there are safe and not
safe places to be when the lights are out and the garage definitely
isn't one of the safe ones.
Good job, and like everyone else says, "Please hang in there with us."
peace,
Martay
Fam. Vos
nd did you go to filmschool id\f so wich???
A>V