Looking Back and Looking Ahead...

Enjoying a screening of Shadows in the Garden at Spokane Comicon 2009...and thinking about The Willows, viral videos, and all the projects to come.

"Smart Car Vs Lamborghini" Rising

Wayne's friend, collaborator and "mentee" Andy Kumpon (currently in New York) got to roll out some of his hard work this past week. The result? Here's some numbers:

http://www.break.com/index/smart-car-vs-lamborghini.html

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1579398/smart_car_vs_lamborghini/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niP0_56Hyns

Though Wayne isn't at liberty to discuss "the Project," he did joke, "Admiral, if we were to go 'by the book,' hours would seem like days, and the midget's enemies would multiply."

A riddle? Tune in next week...same bat-time, same bat-channel!

"We've Strayed Out of a Safe Line Somewhere." Wayne Spitzer's Adaptation of "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood Steps Into A Larger World

Wayne's scriptment for a feature-length film based upon Algernon Blackwood's The Willows has, at last, moved to the next level. Wayne's vision of the material includes elements of Blackwood's The Centaur as well as The Man Whom the Trees Loved, The Temptation of the Clay, and The Glamour of the Snow. Stay tuned for future updates as the project continues to transcend its micro-budget origins! ABOVE: Wayne's "Proof of Concept" poster design, conceived before Al Gore climbed into the cherry-picker!

SHADOWS IN THE GARDEN VHS Box Art

"DEAD OF NIGHT: A TASTE FOR TERROR" (1995)

Would have been the best episode of Dead of Night, probably, had Wayne and Andy cut it down to a single episode rather than two parts.

Andy Kumpon as the creepy "Golem." The idea was to capture a little of that '70s horror film vibe in which the imagery torments the eye just enough to, well, give one that creepy '70s horror film vibe.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) and A.K. (Andy Kumpon) approach the monolith via an old-fashioned "glass shot." The object and the episode were inspired by Kronos (1957), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and "The Cage/The Menagerie" (Star Trek). Not bad aspirations for a zero-budget cable-access program.

The Golem (Andy Kumpon) tilts his head curiously at the people inside the RV.

A.K. (Andy Kumpon) lets loose a scream after discovering a human heart in his "Uncle's Little Box."

The Golem (Andy Kumpon) as viewed through the RV's rearview mirror. Again, the '70s influence of directors such as Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows, Trilogy of Terror, Burnt Offerings) is evident.

Gratuitous image of Status (Wayne Spitzer) researching an inter-dimensional life form (Tammy Tobin). From the opening credits of "A Taste for Terror," itself from the lost episode "Metal," which Wayne and Andy may complete someday, for fun.

Since we're on a roll: Status (Wayne Spitzer) adds a ghostly girl (Cheryl Gline) to the VictorCorp database. If your inspiration is classic Trek, your heroes know those dimensions aren't going to explore themselves. From Dead of Night: "Introductions" (1994). Image gallery forthcoming.

"DEAD OF NIGHT" / "DON'T LOOK UP" DE-MOTIVATORS

"DEAD OF NIGHT: THE INFECTION" (1996)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer and Andy Kumpon's "The Infection," widely considered the best episode of Dead of Night.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) isn't sure what to make of A.K.'s (Andy Kumpon) uncharacteristic behavior.

...nor a sudden headache and nosebleed while investigating a massacre.

A.K. (Andy Kumpon) finds the powers of his vampiric friends intoxicating...especially their ability to bring Seattle rain to rust-brown Spokane!

Status (Wayne Spitzer) is awakened by a psychic plea from A.K. (Andy Kumpon)...and knows what must be done.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) drives a stake (okay, a tent stake) through the heart of one of the vampires.

If looks could kill, Status would be like, way dead. Fortunately he's already out the door, enroute to save A.K.

You might say that the indomitable A.K. (Andy Kumpon) has "ripped the lid off a can of Whup Ass." If you, er, spake Spokanese.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) is running out of time as the angry sun sets.

"SNAKEMAN" (AMERICAN FILM PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL, 2004)

Because virtually nobody demanded it, here are some stills from Ron Ford's Snakeman, shot in and around Spokane in 2003. It stars Wayne Spitzer and Mitch Tiner (among others) as the Snakeman and was shot by a variety of photographers including Ron Ford, Eric Gollinger, Andy Kumpon and Wayne Spitzer. No official DP was hired. It was edited mostly by Ford himself, with help from Eric Gollinger and others. The movie was written and directed by Ron Ford.

Above: A two-bit hoodlum (Andy Kumpon) is about to get some Snakeman justice. Wayne Spitzer shot this in Ron Ford's basement; it is one of Spitzer's favorite shots (of his own) from the film, as it "manages to bring some ambience to bear on what is obstensibly a horror movie." Spitzer adds with a wink, "It all starts with looking through the view-finder."

Another of Wayne's shots with Mitch Tiner in the snake getup.

Another shot by Wayne Spitzer; again, Tiner is in the snake-up. Spitzer wanted the shot to recall Cornelius and Zira watching television in Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971). Ford wanted his shots fast, and Wayne gave them to him fast.

Gary (Wayne Spitzer) can't seem to stop stratching since being stabbed by an "infected" syringe. Andy Kumpon shot this in Ford's basement.

Gary (Wayne Spitzer) discovers yet another patch of scales, this time on his back. Could have been a great "mid-life crisis" subtext running through this thing, what a hoot.... Oh, nevermind.

Gary (Wayne Spitzer) doesn't look so good as he confronts the evil doctor. Could be any number of reasons.

Gary (Wayne Spitzer) transforms into the Snakeman. Wayne's suggestion that he be spritzed by a spray bottle (to suggest sweat; to suggest pain and trauma, oh, nevermind) and to get up close on the contact lenses (which he had never worn before and had to be forced into his eyes) were unceremoniously dismissed (water isn't cheap, after all!). Regardless, Wayne lobbied for this role knowing it wouldn't be easy. He and Kumpon looked at working with Ford, who had just moved to Spokane and needed a crew fast, as an investment. Alas, you have to know when to walk away...and know when to run.

"SIREN'S SONG" (1998)

One of the "lost" episodes of Dead of Night, meaning, as was once the case with Roddenberry's "The Cage," it exists in a variety of forms, many of them incomplete or tentative.

Above: "Siren's Song" Episode Title Card. Sent to find a missing survey team, Status (Wayne Spitzer) and A.K. (Andy Kumpon) "flux" into an alternate world.

Having ripped out a survey team member's heart (and ate it!), the Forest Siren (Kris Tiner) howls at the moon.

The alter-world that Status and A.K.'s boss, the mercurial Viktor, has dubbed: "Moreland."

Status (Wayne Spitzer) always seems to be getting some, at least, when he writes the story. In this case he isn't lip-locking with who, or what, he thinks he is! Note how he has begun to take on some of the forest creature's characteristics. He'll be glad for A.K.'s interruption in the morning!

While negotiating a treacherous mountainside, Status (Wayne Spitzer) reaches for a rock that isn't a rock. In reality, Spitzer is about two feet off the ground. Note that because of intense time and budget pressures, the composition of the shot isn't really contributing to any sense of height (You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes / you might find / you get what you need). A sense of height was nonetheless achieved via cutaway.

The Forest Siren (Kris Tiner) bends to her meal. The cool make-up effects are courtesy of her husband, Mitch Tiner, who also worked on Spitzer, Kumpon and Gollinger's Dead of Night: "TOOL" (1998), and Ron Ford's TIKI (2006).

A.K. (Andy Kumpon) finds it's raining skulls.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) negotiates one of "Moreland's" numerous swamps. The cool laser rifle was built by Bob Schleufer from a design of Wayne's, himself influenced by the look and feel of Gene Roddenberry's second Star Trek pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (1966). Trivia for the Trivial-minded: Yes, yes, it is a split infinitive! How sophisticated of you to notice! Gold star!

The only surviving survey team member (Bob Schleufer) greets Status with a severed head. We try to avoid showing graphic images here as a rule, but this one's pretty hokey.

Before Status and A.K.'s arrival, a survey team member (actor unknown) wonders if that's a beautiful woman approaching, or a mirage. Unknown Actor seems way too studly to be on Dead of Night.

"DEAD OF NIGHT: BASILISK" (1994)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer & Andy Kumpon's 1994 Dead of Night episode, "Basilisk." In spite of the insipid dialogue and poor pacing, Spitzer cites the episode as being "probably the closest we ever came -- atmosphere-wise -- to my original vision for the show."

The Basilisk, an "inter-dimensional reptile," rears its really not so ugly head. Spitzer and Kumpon built the full-size prop from a design of Wayne's. Its central elements are a dryer hose, the head of an Aurora T. Rex model from the '70s, and bubble-wrap.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) squares off with the Basilisk in a slightly over-produced shot. Pretty slick for two guys (all the early Dead of Night episodes were performed, shot and edited by the two alone) with no time, no money, and no Hollywood connections.

One of the cool blue crabs. Remember Rodan? (1956) How the big birds ate the creepy catapillar things? Same idea.

A.K. Fleet (Andy Kumpon) is about to "make contact," and how! This shot was inspired by the Plesiosaur attacking the U-boat in Samuel Z. Arkoff's The Land That Time Forgot (1974).

Another neat shot of the Basilisk, close enough to its prey to strike! The prop was essentially operated as a giant marionette. Note that location is of paramount importance to the success of these shots; it is, in a sense, a character in its own. Spitzer and Kumpon will only say that they "secured" a functioning aluminum foundry for two nights.

Status and A.K.'s mercurial employer, "Viktor," is about to do a vanishing act. The character was named after and performed by Dr. Victor E. Buksbazen (The Jewish People in a 'Christian World: An Examination of the History and Development of Anti-Semitism in World History). Who says academics are all smug, insecure, fear-driven sociopaths? The big difference here is Buksbazen has a sense of humor.

The Basilisk shows us her pretty profile.

A.K. Fleet (Andy Kumpon) hurries to the rescue of his police partner and friend, Status (Wayne Spitzer). Compositing in the Viktor Corp. signage took more valuable edit-time than Spitzer cares to admit.

"Who goes there?" A.K. Fleet (Andy Kumpon) thinks he sees something in the fog. Or maybe he's standing there because both he and Spitzer know that flashlights in the fog just look cool.

A.K. Fleet (Andy Kumpon) emerges into yet another long corridor. The idea was to make the night-world of Dead of Night as labyrinthine as possible; also to save time by turning wide-shots into close-ups without changing camera set-ups.

Status (Wayne Spitzer) descends yet another set of stairs. In the story they are trying to flush out the Basilisk by making noise. In reality the idea was to take up screen time. Spitzer and Kumpon had to deliver a new program every two weeks (for which they were allotted only a few days of camera and edit bay usage) in order to keep their time-slot.

Again, Status (Wayne Spitzer) seems to be asking the time-honored horror movie question, "Who goes there?" John Campbell might know, but he's not around to help Spitzer with manuscripts, much less basilisks!

A.K. Fleet (Andy Kumpon) takes a break from wrangling basilisks to pull himself together. Now where'd he put that sack lunch?

Status (Wayne Spitzer) has cornered their prey. Or has it cornered him?

The Dead Men (Wayne Spitzer and Andy Kumpon) show the Basilisk the door...back to its own dimension!

Which happens to be at the bottom of a very deep pit.

The fluxcore opens and closes again...taking our scaley nemesis with it. Time for some grub at Noodle's Chow Stand!

ON THE SET OF "SHADOWS IN THE GARDEN" (2002)

Behind-the-scenes stills from the set of Wayne Spitzer's 2002 short, Shadows in the Garden. YOU try directing a cast and crew of volunteers (including a dog), in near-freezing temperatures, in a 3-hour costume/make-up job that cuts off all circulation to your extremities!

Above: Wayne Spitzer seems pretty upbeat as his Sylkk costume/make-up comes together. Of course, the night is young.

Wayne gets ready to say goodbye to the outside world for awhile. A long while!

Bob Schleufer begins the delicate procedure of affixing Sylkk's head.

Almost as fun as playing the Snakeman. But this was worth it.

"TOOL" (1998)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer's 1998 re-imagined Dead of Night pilot, "TOOL." The edisode was envisioned as a "tiny terror on the loose" thriller along the lines of Dan Curtis's Trilogy of Terror (1975) and Don't be Afraid of the Dark (1973). Spitzer, dissapointed from the start with the prop maker's rendering of the "Tool" (which Tiner dubbed "Mecha-Kermit"), ultimately shelved the project in favor of Shadows in the Garden. "There came a point when I could tell the thing simply wasn't going to work as a straight-faced thriller," says Spitzer. "And I think you owe it to yourself as well as your crew, provided there's no contractual obligations, to say, 'I'm not going to hurt my career and the career of others by putting this out there right now.'" Spitzer, Kumpon and Gollinger may eventually complete the episode as a flat-out comedy. In the meantime folks can check out Ron Ford's TIKI, (2006) which Tiner also worked on.

Above: Obsessed mechanic Harley Mann's (Mitch Tiner) new tool has morphed into something murderous. Now it's going to fix his entire family...for good! This image has been altered from what was orininally shot to more accurately reflect Spitzer's original design.

If Harley Mann's wife (Kris Tiner) can't find a way out of their bedroom fast, she's going to get "fixed."

Harley (Mitch Tiner) learns the hard way not to reach into blind spots when there's a living tool around. Though Tiner, who also did the gore effects, was dissapointed that "TOOL" was never completed, he nonetheless got a chance to repeat them for Ron Ford's TIKI (2006). Spitzer and Kumpon had introduced the two when Ford first arrived in Spokane in 2003.

"GOLDENBALL II" (1999)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer & Andy Kumpon's un-broadcast 1999 "Goldenball" follow-up.

Above: Status (Wayne Spitzer) and A.K.Fleet (Andy Kumpon) prepare to throw down with the Goldenballs. Status has apparently just got back from the Young Artists Trying to Look Like Jesus dimension.

Wayne Spitzer isn't so sure this trying-too-hard-to-be-funny follow-up to "Goldenball" is such a good idea. His instinct will prove correct!

Status (Wayne Spitzer) and A.K.Fleet (Andy Kumpon) preparing to throw down with the Goldenballs. Still.

"THE SALVAGE" (1981)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer's 1981 home movie, The Salvage. '70s kids make Raiders of the Lost Ark pastiche at Dawn of the Reagan Era.

Above: The Red-hatted villian (Wayne Spitzer) opens fire. Firecrackers, of course.

"Sancho" (Mike Moss) emerges onto a clearing.

"Sancho" runs like the dickens, holding onto hat.

Our Hero (Max DeLaubenfelts) returns fire. Max and Wayne were Dungeons & Dragons buddies, back in the day.

After taking a gutshot, the Villian (Wayne Spitzer) struggles to right himself. He's been struggling ever since.

A nice Raiders-inspired silo shot of Our Hero (Max Delaubenfelts) and "Sancho" (Mike Moss).

The Villian (Wayne Spitzer) comes to a dramatic pause. Note that Wayne is running about a decade behind the times, hairdo-wise.

About to die, the villain (Wayne Spitzer) keels to the left. Note that at 16 his over-acting ability is already quite evolved.

The Salvage closes with a dynamic zoom-in on an Army surplus flashlight. Significant? Nah. Super 8mm film cartridges were short. They were out of film.

KAYU FOX 28 NEWS STORY ON "SHADOWS & FOG" (2000)

NWCN & Fox News anchor Craig McMorris

Wayne Spitzer and crew have one take to get "Cutthroat Cthulhu's" head smashed through the window. They've only got one window!

Co-producer Eric Gollinger delivers the best sound bite: "We succeed where others fail, and at times...we fail where others succeed."

Though he denies it, the Obi-Wan Kenobi-style braid would seem to confirm that Wayne did, indeed, have a mullet.

Andy doesn't actually have a head shaped like a watermelon. That's just a filter they applied in the edit bay. "Why" remains anyone's guess.

"Look at them. I can make them do anything I want."

Craig McMorris gets a scare, either from the monster Sylkk or Last Stop Station's alien gas station attendants. The filmmakers could only afford one set of claws.

Filming the credit card incineration from Last Stop.

Hey...it's Fox.

The "Andinator."

Credit cards take a long time to burn...

...a real long time.

Eric Gollinger tapes up one of the gas station aliens. To the left is the original opening sequence to Shadows in the Garden.

"SHADOWS IN THE GARDEN" (2002)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer's award-winning 2002 short

Above: Sylkk seems awfully fascinated with the woman who lives at 10410 E. Greenwhich Blvd.

Sylkk may not be a graduate student, but he knows a corpse when he sees one!

It's a night of firsts for our leafy protagonist, including standing up straight.

Sylkk discovers music...another milestone toward becoming self-aware.

Sylkk's friend, a dog named "Bear," has joined the ranks of the dead. Who's next?

Sylkk knows his reoccurring vision of a woman's severed head is important. He just doesn't know why...

Cthulhu Gardens...not your garden-variety small town.

"Cutthroat Cthulhu" (Eric Gollinger) has slashed for the last time.

The dead girl...the dog...the woman at Greenwhich Blvd. Sylkk puts it all together.

With "blood on his claws," Sylkk contemplates his power to take a life.

A prayer for a departed friend, perhaps.

...and a burial, of sorts.

The monster, Sylkk. More human than most humans.

The garden personified, Sylkk naturally blends in.

"DON'T LOOK UP" (1997)

Stills from Wayne Spitzer's 1997 spec TV pilot

Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) doesn't like what he's being told about mutilated cattle and mystery helicopters.

Effects Credit Title from Standard Open. Many of the physical props would be recycled later for use in Andy Kumpon's Last Stop Station (2001).

Who could fault Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) for taking his eyes off the road...when there's a still-twitching hand on the hood?

UFO crashsite. The "Pumpkinseed" UFOs were built by Bob Schleufer from a design by Wayne Spitzer. Note the stylistic influence of Jerry Anderson, who's 1970 series UFO inspired Don't Look Up. The only surviving Pumpkinseed miniature is on display at Pat Travis's Little Alie'Inn tavern in Rachel, Nevada (near Area 51).

Pumpkinseeds flying in formation. The smooth flying motion was achieved by mounting a camera in the payload of a pickup and then making passes beneath the suspended miniatures.

A local woman (Donna Ray) finds that it's raining blood after her boyfriend gets sucked out of the vehicle.

It's a little moment between man and Alien Grey as Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) get's the feeling they've met before.

Gwen Rose (Paulette Hoffman) isn't down with the idea of the limbs of missing ranchhands falling on the hood. Especially when they get stuck in the windshield wipers!

The Pumpkinseed Posse flies into town.

Is it just me, or did a severed limb just crash against the roof?

Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) doubletimes to yet another weird incident in a fictionalized Rosalia, Washington.

Under assault by the US military, the marauding Pumpkinseeds turn on their shields.

A barrage of all-American firepower nonetheless forces a retreat. This time.

Gwen Rose (Paulette Hoffman). The proverbial "Farmer's Daughter.

"

Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) isn't sure if that's the farmer's daughter outside...or Them.

Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) is about to fire up a Salem...and a flashback.

Logan Warden (Wayne Spitzer) and Gwen Rose (Tammy Tobin) learn the awful truth behind mutilated cattle and missing cattlemen in Rosalia, Washington.