I haven’t seen a block of short films in years. This is my fault. I look at my schedule and would think I don’t have time for such nonsense like a short film. This is an oddity because I like reading and writing short stories. Several of my favorite short story authors are H. P. Lovecraft, Roger Zelazny, and Philip Jose Farmer. Looking at who I enjoy, I’m not surprised the shorts at FilmQuest were so enjoyable to me.

I wracked my memory to come up with the last time I saw a collection of short films. It was when I was attending the University of Utah and a group of us went to the Blue Mouse to see that year’s award-winning shorts. That was the year Pixar introduced the lamps. Something we now see at the start of their movies and consider it to be so basic in animation. Back then, it was cutting edge.

My enjoyment of the shorts goes back further. Along with what I liked to read, it went along with what I liked to watch. I didn’t always get to watch the programs I wanted to (I’m the youngest of five children), and if you missed an episode you had to find someone to tell you about it. Or, later, you hoped someone recorded it on their VCR. Growing up, I enjoyed watching the shows that were not episodic dramas or comedies. I enjoyed the shows that represented short film making.

Three of my favorites TV shows were The Twilight Zone (in rerun), The Outer Limits (also in rerun), and Night Gallery. Again, I see how the Filmquest films fit right in to what I like. These shows showcased the short format of film storytelling. Every week a new story would be presented with new settings, characters, and plots. Seldom did a story carry over into the next week’s episode.

The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone are still being watched regularly (unfortunately Night Gallery hasn’t done as well). I’ve talked with people who enjoy watching these older shows and we’ve had discussions about which episode, which story, were our favorites (one of mine is Green Fingers from Night Gallery).

I have friends who haven’t gone to see a short film in a long time, or at all, and realized how much we’ve been missing out on.

FilmQuest targets fantasy, science fiction, and horror. There are other festivals for other genres. Independent movie houses present short films in blocks so you get multiple stories for the price of a single ticket. At FilmQuest there are around 10 short films showing in a block.

If you enjoy reading short stories, or if enjoyed the TV shows that gave a different story, or several, every episode, I recommend checking out short films.

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Our FilmQuest 2016 Official Selections Preview is not all inclusive, since not everyone reached out to us to provide press materials. The films are rated and sorted from “Must See” to “Your Guess is as Good as Mine”, and our full rating scale is detailed at the bottom of the page.

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Read our FilmQuest 2016 Official Selection Preview here.

Tickets for FilmQuest 2016 are available now at the Jordan Commons Megaplex Theatres box office in Sandy, Utah or online at www.megaplextheatres.com. For more information about FilmQuest, visit www.FilmQuestFest.com or follow all the latest updates through the FilmQuest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/filmquestfest. All screenings, parties, and events are open to the public.

FilmQuest 2016, Utah’s largest summer and genre film event, returns for its third season at the Jordan Commons Megaplex Theatres in Sandy, Utah, June 17th – 25th, 2016. Showcasing over 200 of the best sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films from around the world, including over 20 World Premieres, 10 US Premieres, and over 150 Utah Premieres, FilmQuest brings the global independent film community to Utah for nine days of films, panels, workshops, parties, and events.

Over 150 filmmakers and actors from across the globe will be in attendance throughout this year’s event to debut such films as the Utah made comedy Muddy Corman, the cyberpunk extravaganza Virtual Revolution, the sci-fi/horror thriller Shortwave, Sundance hit The Blackout Experiments, the noir No Way to Live, and many more. Also of note is the celebration of diversity at FilmQuest, where 20% of all the 2016 Official Selections are female made, highlighting the festival’s celebration of a woman’s voice in genre cinema.

Events include a live rock opera from Provo’s Space Venture Coalition, a symposium on filmmaking with the Avrec Art House, an 80’s themed dance party, and the Closing Night Awards Ceremony. Workshops will feature a live analysis of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, an exclusive voiceover workshop with one of Hollywood’s top voiceover actors Dameon Clarke (Borderlands, Dragonball Z), and a live cast reading of William Shakespeare’s immortal classic Star Wars featuring performances from FilmQuest’s celebrity guests.

Festival Director Jonathan Martin said of this year’s event, “We couldn’t be more excited to bring to film fans in Utah and the world over the 2016 FilmQuest. We’ve programmed a truly stellar lineup of great films from around the world, with a little something for everyone, including family friendly selections. My team and I invite everyone to join us in Utah: fan, celebrity, distributor, and press alike, where we’ll be the global epicenter for independent genre cinema over the course of nine days. FilmQuest is boldly going into the future as it gets even bigger and better, attracting the imagination of filmmakers and audiences locally and abroad. Don’t miss out and prepare yourself for the Fantastic!”

Celebrity guests will include Doug Jones (Hocus Pocus, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), Dameon Clarke (Supernatural, 24), Carlee Baker (The Woman, Femme Fatales), Miss Utah USA Teale Murdock, and others. All panels and most workshops are free, and audiences are invited to attend the festival freely, walk the red carpet, and meet and mingle with attending filmmakers and guests.

Earlier in 2016, FilmQuest announced the absorption of two Utah film festivals into its company, the Salty Horror International Film Festival and the Underfunded Film Festival. Through bringing both festivals into FilmQuest, more opportunities will be provided for local and out-of-state filmmakers through incentivizing filmmaking throughout the state via various production prize packages, while also creating a much larger, higher quality festival event for audiences, filmmakers, and guests alike.

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CHRIS HARDWICK

FUNCOMFORTABLE TOUR

Chris Hardwick is performing at Kingsbury Hall Nov 6, and Utah Geek Magazine is giving away FREE tickets!.

The drawing is now LIVE! Complete the entry form here: ugeek.us/ChrisHardwick.

Chris Hardwick from The Nerdist and Talking Dead is performing his stand-up comedy at Kingsbury Hall on November 6, and Utah Geek Magazine has tickets to give away!

“Like” and/or “Share” the post on Facebook to be notified when the drawings go live!

Your first chance to win will be at @Salt Lake Comic Con. Find us at table # Red 8 and sign up to enter the drawing.  Your second chance to win will be online through our social media pages in October.

If you just can’t wait and risk missing the free tickets, buy your tickets NOW for only $35 before they sell out! http://tickets.utah.edu/events/chris-hardwick/ 

Press Release:

Chris Hardwick, host of Comedy Central’s Emmy-nominated show @midnight, will be bringing his Funcomfortable Tour to University of Utah. The show will take place Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Kingsbury Hall. Tickets can be purchased at www.Tickets.Utah.edu, Kingsbury Hall box office or charge by phone at 801-581-7100.

Chris Hardwick is a stand-up comedian, chart-topping podcaster, television personality and contributor for Wired magazine. He is also creative head of the multi-platform media behemoth known as Nerdist Industries, which has grown to include the Nerdist.com website, a premium YouTube channel with more than a million subscribers, and a podcast network including the flagship Nerdist Podcast that averages more than six million monthly downloads.

On top of his Nerdist responsibilities, he is the face of AMC’s live after show Talking Dead, which discusses the highly-rated The Walking Dead. His top-rated late-night show @midnight airs four nights a week on Comedy Central and his stand-up comedy show, Funcomfortable, is currently on tour.

Date: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 AT 7:30PM

Location: KINGSBURY HALL in SALT LAKE CITY, UT

Sales Locations:

KINGSBURY HALL BOX OFFICE
TICKETS.UTAH.EDU
CHARGE BY PHONE 801-581-7100

On Sale:  NOW!

Price:  $35.00

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Building on the strength of its inaugural season, the second edition of FilmQuest saw a hugely positive reaction from the national and international film community, receiving 1,252 film and screenplay submissions from around the world. From these submissions, FilmQuest will showcase 266 films, highlighting the very best of sci­fi, fantasy, horror, and the beyond.

“Our team implemented a lot of great ideas into the foundations of the festival,” says FilmQuest Director Jonathan Martin. “We decided not only to showcase the very best films of genre cinema available, but we also made the decision to give away incredible awards and prizes, such as the FilmQuest Cthulhu Trophy. It told the world we take this festival business seriously, and that we fully intend to make FilmQuest one of the must­see festival events on the planet. Filmmakers responded to this in droves, quickly making Utah as host to FilmQuest an essential summer destination.”

Over 150 filmmakers from around the globe have been confirmed and anticipated to attend, with other celebrity guests and Hollywood professionals planning to take part. These guests include Scott Schultz (Creator & Producer of YoGabbaGabba), Dameon Clarke (Dragonball Z, Borderlands, Graceland), Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever, Monika), Daniel Logan (Star Wars: Episode 2, Johnny Lingo), Christina Robinson (Dexter), Carlee Baker (The Woman, Femme Fatales), and more.

Joining them will be two of the top Casting Directors in LA, Amber Horn & Danielle Aufiero (Awkward, The
100, CSI:NY, The Shield), hosting FilmQuest exclusive workshops for the actors in Utah. Also joining them will be one of Hollywood’s most respected talent agents for young stars, Nicole Jolley, who will be at FilmQuest seeking new talent in Utah. Other workshops include Clark Schaffer, builder of the Iron Man suit, Utah makeup legend Chris Hanson, and tours of the new Park City Film Studios. Everyday at FilmQuest will feature panels, including many of these guests and filmmakers. Press from outside of Utah will also be in attendance covering the event, including MovieMaker Magazine, GeekTyrant, FilmPulse, and others.

Attendees to the festival will be invited to meet and mingle with all guests, and will be given the opportunity to have photo ops on the red carpet. “Unlike a convention,” Martin says, “we’re not asking people to pay $50 just to get a celebrity autograph. We want people to mingle with each other, to interact, and to actually get to know each other without the pressures of paying to see them. A festival is about building connections and friendships, networking, having fun, and being inspired by the great films on screen. We have an incredible selection of films to choose from, and every single one deserves a Utah audience.”

Some of the major highlights of this year’s FilmQuest includes the World Premiere of the Utah fantasy film Mythica: The Darkspore, starring Kevin Sorbo, on Friday, June 19th. Saturday, the 20th, sees the Utah premiere of the supernatural comedy The Better Half, starring Battlestar Galactica’s Apollo, Jamie Bamber. Later that day comes a Harry Potter celebration, with the Utah premiere of the documentary film Mudbloods, that chronicles the real­world sport of quidditch and its players. Audience members are being asked to join in the fun and dress up in their best outfits from the world of Harry Potter.

The fun continues on Monday, June 22nd, with the 30th anniversary screening of Back to the Future, wherein audience members are being asked to dress up in their best 80’s outfits to celebrate the occasion.

Wednesday, the 24th, sees the first public screening of The Dead, the Devil, and the Flesh in the United States. A must see film for local interests, is one of the very first LDS films made for mainstream cinema. A wild success in its native Spain upon its initial release, the film tells the supernatural tale of a man who must go into the Spirit World to redeem the soul of his dead wife, bending time and logic, while defying the Devil in order to do so. The film went into abrupt obscurity after its release and has been now been unearthed just for FilmQuest. The film’s Director, Jose Oliveira, will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. A block of films completely dedicated to the best of Utah films screen after Mr. Oliveira’s Q&A later that evening.

The US premiere of the Australian film The Fear of Darkness, starring The Vampire Diaries’ Penelope Mitchell, will get your heart racing on Friday, June 26th. On the final day of the festival, Saturday, June 27th, FilmQuest’s Closing Night Film will be yet another Utah premiere in Superbob, starring Dr. Who’s Catherine Tate, and tells the comedic story of the world’s only superhero whose major problem is that he’s British.

“Don’t forget the parties,” adds Martin. “Every day we’ll be hosting a social event or party wherein locals, filmmakers, actors, and film lovers can mingle and interact with each other and our guests. It���s a great opportunity for everyone involved.”

FilmQuest hosted parties and events include the “FilmQuest Launch Party,” featuring live music by Mimi Knowles on Friday, the 19th. Monday, the 22nd, sees an 80’s themed after­party following the Anniversary screening of Back to the Future, wherein those attending are encouraged to dress in their 80’s best. YouTube star Stuart Edge will also be hosting the event. Finally, FilmQuest hosts “The Final Quest,” on Friday, June 26th, featuring live music from Jessica Frech, Branson Anderson, Frankzoojun, and Typefunk. All major parties will be held at Sandy Station.

“We’ve got movies, celebrities, press, workshops, panels, parties, and more,” says Martin. “If you love movies, if you love fun, if you love summer, FilmQuest is the place to be. These are exciting times for all film lovers in Utah and the world. It’s an opportunity for Utah to put on a show and help not only the state’s film industry grow, but also the community grow. Prepare yourself for Fantastic, because you really can’t miss being a part of FilmQuest.”

FilmQuest begins Thursday, June 18th, and ends Saturday, June 27th, at the Jordan Commons Megaplex Theatres in Sandy, Utah. Individual tickets are $8 per screening. Student ID’s provide tickets for $6. VIP passes are also available on the Megaplex website.

For more information, visit www.FilmQuestFestival.com or follow FilmQuest on Facebook, Twitter, or
Instagram.

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For more photos of this event, visit UGeek Media on Facebook.

We spent some time at the Utah Winter Faire each day this past weekend, and it truly is something special.  This is a small, intimate faire put on by fans as a way to continue celebrating the Renaissance during the convention off-season.  Nearly every person in attendance, both the patrons and the vendors, adorned themselves in costumes from fairies, to knights, to Steampunk Santa Clause.

Many of the vendors we have seen before, some even at Salt Lake Comic Con.  But in the sea of big name artists and attractions, the lesser known local artists are simply drowned out, or can’t afford an appropriately sized table.  Not so at the Utah Winter Faire; in fact, quite the opposite is true.  I spoke directly with several of the vendors, and at least three said flat out that this was either the most success, or the most fun, they have ever had at a convention.  The intimate setting allowed fans the time they needed to talk with the artists and vendors and get to know them and their art.

If there is anything less than positive to say about the event, it’s the location and the layout. It is very obvious you’re in a big bland building, and I don’t think much else could be done to spruce it up.  Also, everything is split between two separate buildings.  Most of the artists and vendors, as well as the main stage, were in the first building, and the live fighting, food, and games were in the second building.  Opening up the ends of each building and connecting them with tents, displays, or vendors in the area between the building would have added a nice touch, but we are dealing with the unpredictable Utah winter weather so I understand why they didn’t.

At the conclusion of the event, no less than 20 vendors and entertainers took to the stage (literally) to publically thank the organizers and award them a plaque for their hard work and dedication to the community.  Their heartfelt words of appreciation led a number of audience members to tears. If you love Comic Con because of the high energy, cosplay, and big names, you’ll probably be out of your element here.  But if you prefer the smaller community run events to just hang out and take the time to meet new people, you should definitely check out the faire next year.

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The Giving Grinch founder Sheena Rose, and Cosplay for Charity organizer Amber Dahl, with the donated food and gifts.

See the full photo album on UGeek Media’s Facebook page.

Thanksgiving weekend usually ends the same way for me. I’ve usually eaten enough that I feel like I bear in need of hibernation. This year was a little different. With my wife and J being out of town, I decided to check out The Giving Grinch Cosplay Charity event going on at Mod A Go Go in Downtown Salt Lake City.

The Giving Grinch is a year round charity that has been around since 1996.  Sheena Rose, the charity’s founder, collects non-perishable foods, blankets, clothes, toys, etc. for families who may be without around the holidays. This year marked the first, of what organizers hope to be many, Cosplay event. The Cosplay Charity event was created by Geek Girls Corp members Amber Dahl and Collin Farmer. Saturday’s event wasn’t just about getting the standard donation items, The Giving Grinch has been raising funds to send a family to the most magical place in the world, Disneyland, via GoFundMe, and Saturday’s event was capped by telling the family about the trip. Cosplayers from H.E.R.O.I.C. Inc., The Legacy Initiative, the Umbrella Corps- Utah Hive, and others dressed as Disney/Marvel/DC/Nintendo/Resident Evil characters ready to help take in donations and take pics with any and everyone that walked by.

The family and cosplayers after announcing the trip to Disneyland.

The event itself was amazing. Besides having 50+ cosplayers, there were vendors with amazing merchandise, there were face painters for the kids (and adults), there was a silent auction that had some amazing items donated by individuals and by the wonderful people at FantasyCon. Walking throughout the event Saturday, you could really feel the spirit of charity flowing through every person that was in attendance. Everyone involved with this charity and event truly cares about their fellow human beings. It was enough to make me tear up a few times throughout the night.  

A few of the moments that almost brought out the water works was seeing the youngest daughter of the family (mentioned above) interacting with the Disney Princess cosplayers. She wasn’t interacting with the cosplayers as people in princess costumes, but as though the cosplayers were the princesses themselves. My favorite moment was seeing an Elsa cosplayer singing ‘Let It Go’ to the young girl and that little girl was loving every second of it.  

As we go through out the rest of this holiday season, let us remember those who are not in the best situations and let us do all that we can to show love to our fellow human beings. Sometimes it may not seem like it, but we are in this together. As you are doing your shopping I ask that you think of those around you and think of ways that you can help make their holiday brighter this year.

For more information about the Giving Grinch Cosplay GoFundMe fundraiser and to help send a much deserving family to the most magical place on Earth, check out http://www.gofundme.com/CosplayCharityEvnt. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy whatever you may be celebrating.

Adapted from the “Nerdy-at-Home Dad” blog; re-posted with permission. Photo credit: Adrian Broadhead, Utah Geek Magazine. See the full photo album on UGeek Media’s Facebook page.

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Club X Banner

Club X Info

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