New Contest Categories!

As you and your loved ones gather round the fire this holiday season after opening presents and eating copious amounts of turkey, the subject of vampires will inevitably come up - their alarming assimilation into society, their inevitable destruction, silly sword tricks, and how best to make all of this into a cheery Hunted episode eligible for the Second $1000 Youtube Contest!

Tis the season for giving and slaying, but also to remember slayers less fortunate than yourselves. For there are those who will not receive a shiny new blade under the tree this year. And some will need more than encouragement to don their winter clothes and trudge miles through the snow (uphill both ways) just to slay a single vampire.

But you can help! Even if you aren't planning on entering the contest, you can help me keep this crazy internet series alive and inspire our intrepid filmmaking slayers by donating to The Hunted. Donations will go directly to the winners of the Youtube Contest for categories such as "Hottest Female Vampire" (already has one sponsor), "Best Action", "Best Leather Jacket Worn by a Man With Three Toes", or whatever crazy category you come up with for a minimum $25 donation.

So come on guys, for just the price of a cup of coffee (or two really bad cups of coffee) you can make a wide-eyed slayer's dream come true, and also help me realize my dream of making The Hunted the first-ever internet series based on user content. Simply click on the donate button on the main page of our official website (www.thehunted.tv) and list the category you'd like to see in our next contest.

Donate! So all might sing a slaying song tonight!

(...and some folks say that Vincent Marlowe's heart grew three sizes that day)

Second $1000 Youtube Contest - Update!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbfLP7JUO4c

Bob and Mikey have had to relocate contest headquarters to a local dumpster thanks to our mysterious benefactor and his minions. It's ok though, they're got a camera, laptop, and a couple boxes of Twinkies to tide them over. What more do you need?

Featuring clips from the best of the First Hunted $1000 Youtube Competition.

Join us online at www.thehunted.tv

Youtube Exposure

Part of the reason I created The Hunted was to inspire new filmmakers to showcase their talents. In case you were wondering if posting a Hunted episode (or any video) on Youtube can get you exposure, check out this story from the Nov 30, 2009 edition of LA Times called "Panic Attack":


A few weeks ago, a movie industry pal tipped me off to an especially cool new YouTube short by an obscure filmmaker from Uruguay. "Watch it," he said. "This guy is going to be a big star."

I've been around long enough to know that people in Hollywood make those kind of pronouncements all the time -- and they're usually 90% hyperbole. But this time my friend was right on the money. In Hollywood, an industry obsessed with discovering the Next Big Thing, often opportunity doesn't just knock -- it will beat down the door.

When Federico "Fede" Alvarez came to Hollywood two weeks ago, he was a total unknown. But in a matter of days after arriving in Los Angeles, the young Uruguayan filmmaker had the kind of amazing movie deal that would seem far-fetched, even by "Entourage" standards.

After seeing his short film, which depicts an invasion of Montevideo by a battalion of giant robots, Mandate Pictures agreed to bankroll a $30-million upcoming film for Alvarez, with the filmmaker getting a cool $1 million director's fee. Alvarez also made the rounds of the talent agencies and ended up leaving town with a CAA agent team as well as a deal with Anonymous Content to represent him for commercials. Most important, Alvarez also came away with an A-list Hollywood godfather, "Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi, who will serve as a mentor and producer, through his Ghost House Pictures, on Alvarez's first American film.

The whirlwind Hollywood courtship of Alvarez, who runs a successful post-production visual effects house in Uruguay, is yet another striking example of the bottom-up democratization of today's movie business. Although many of its critics, especially political conservatives, enjoy portraying Hollywood as a bastion of elitism, it's actually the opposite, a business with a boundless enthusiasm for fresh new talent. When talent brokers spy a promising new filmmaker, especially one who works in the most commercial of all genres - -the special-effects alien invader genre -- they are quick to woo him and shower him with riches.

Until now, young filmmakers were discovered at film school or at film festival screenings. Today, the fastest way to spread the news is on the Internet. It's telling that many of the young agents and producers who were first spreading the buzz about Alvarez discovered "Panic Attack!" on -- of all places -- Kanye West's blog, where the rap star had been touting the short film.

But Alvarez's sudden ascension also speaks volumes about a continuing power shift in the movie business. What's especially noteworthy about the flurry of interest in the filmmaker is that it unfolded almost entirely outside the studio system. Alvarez didn't bother to meet with any top studio executives, in large part because today's creatively cautious studios, who've been spending much of their energy reining in talent costs, are increasingly out of the loop when it comes to discovering new talent. If young filmmakers want to find funding for adventuresome projects, they are far more likely to look for support from today's aggressive talent agencies, managers and independent producers.

It's hardly a coincidence that Mandate was the company to make the most aggressive offer for Alvarez. The small indie production company, founded in 2005 by Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane, has become a magnet for creative talent, having landed a string of hot new scripts -- most notably Diablo Cody's "Juno" -- as well as helping produce a series of successful films including "Juno" and "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" as well as "The Grudge" and "Harold and Kumar" franchises."

Hollywood is based on a web of working relationships among people scouring the globe for new talent. Mandate's Kahane, for example, has worked frequently with Roy Lee, a savvy producer-entrepreneur who has built a business out of acquiring the U.S. remake rights to Asian thrillers, resulting in such commercial Hollywood projects as "The Ring," "The Grudge" and "The Departed," which won an Oscar for best picture. Lee had partnered with Mandate on "The Grudge." He has also been involved in Mandate's efforts to mount a Hollywood remake of "Oldboy," a hit Korean thriller with a big cult fanboy reputation.

Lee always seems to have an inside track on new filmmakers from other cultures. So it hardly came as a surprise that when Alvarez arrived in Los Angeles, Lee was one of the first people he met. In fact, Alvarez was with Lee when Kahane bumped into the two men before a screening a couple of weeks ago. After Kahane saw Alvarez's short, he moved quickly, essentially making an offer that was so lucrative that Alvarez saw no reason to shop himself around on the studio circuit. In fact, it hardly makes sense for a filmmaker to take studio meetings at a time when a number of cash-crunched studios, most notably Sony and Universal, have publicly acknowledged that they have stopped making new development deals until after the first of the year.

Of course, it helped that Mandate, which is partnered with Ghost House Pictures, was able to put Alvarez on the phone with Raimi, whom Alvarez viewed as the prototypical Hollywood filmmaker who had retained his ability to make films that were both personal as well as commercial. The Raimi-Alvarez relationship is clearly modeled on a similar arrangement that happened on "District 9," a surprise, independently produced hit from this summer where Peter Jackson served as a producer-mentor for the young South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp.

Alvarez found himself at the center of an equally heated feeding frenzy when he made the rounds at the top talent agencies. But the easy winner was CAA, which was able to offer a crack team of agents, led by Todd Feldman and Stuart Manashil, who impressed Alvarez with their strategic ability and experience working with internationally based filmmakers. Though CAA operates on a team basis, Feldman and Manashil have a clear hand in the careers of such top directors as "300's" Zack Snyder, "The Dark Knight's" Chris Nolan and "The Hangover's" Todd Phillips. (Raimi is also a CAA client, which clearly didn't hurt either.)

Alvarez has what insiders say is a compelling original story that will serve as the basis for his film with Mandate. Once he finishes coming up with a three-act structure for the story, Mandate plans to hire a screenwriter to work on a final script. It may be a couple of years before we know whether Alvarez is the real deal or not. But his overnight emergence is another fascinating example of how Hollywood has gone viral. When a filmmaker arrives with a hot new idea or a striking new short film, it doesn't take long for word to spread far and wide.

Have a look at "Panic Attack!" and see what all the fuss is about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dadPWhEhVk

The Hunted is now registered at Withoutabox!

The Second International Hunted Film Festival and Youtube Competition is now officially listed at withoutabox.com - the official international film festival submission site for everything from the Vampire Film Festival to Cannes:
https://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=8171

...sweet! Looking forward to the international exposure withoutabox can bring to The Hunted. We've already got an episode in the works in South Africa!

The Second $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest is on!

That's right, it's back! Create your own Hunted episode and win $1000! That's right, $1000! Not a sewing machine or an iphone faceplate, $1000 freakin dollars people! For a 6-8 minute video? That's over $100 a minute! Never shot anything in your life? Well neither had the winners of the last contest. Check out what they had to say: http://thehuntedtv.blogspot.com/2009/11/winners-of-first-1000-hunted-youtube.html

So no excuses - grab a camera, shoot a fight, show some fangs, make us laugh, and bam - you're done!

Our new official title is Second International Hunted Film Festival and Youtube Competition. Yea, it's a bit pretentious, but we're registering with http://www.withoutabox.com (international festival submission site) which will give us international exposure. We will also be approaching a few new celebrity judges (to be announced). For a past list of judges, see http://thehuntedtv.blogspot.com/2009/05/youtube-contest-judges-announced.html

So we're talking $1000, international exposure, new surprise celebrity judges, and a possible screening at the 2010 CUT Film Festival in LA where Joss Whedon will be featured with projects from "Buffy" to "Dr. Horrible". Did I also mention there's no submission fee? And you keep all rights to your own video. Come on guys, you got no excuses, nothing to lose. Go for it - give it a shot! Come to the dark side - we have cookies.

QUICK STEPS TO ENTER CONTEST
(for full details, see http://www.thehunted.tv/contest.html)

1. Create a 6-8 minute Hunted episode in the style of the show (reality TV) following rules for The Hunted, Vampires and Slayers found at http://www.thehunted.tv/profile_frameset.htm (Note - you can't kill our vamps with a stake)

2. Subscribe to our Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv and post your episode to our Youtube group at http://www.youtube.com/group/thehuntedtv by March 1st, 2010

3. Also submit a full resolution (NTSC or better) Quicktime copy of the episode to our ftp site at ftp.thehunted.tv (login with the user name "hunted" and password "Slayer4hire"). Please keep the file size under 100MB in Quicktime format.

JUDGING
Episodes will be judged on a combination of Youtube channel views, ratings & comments, storyline, production value, acting, action, and whether or not it makes us laugh. Submissions will be judged by a panel of professional judges from the entertainment industry including writers, producers, directors and stunt coordinators (Note: exact panel may change, subject to professional commitments).

PRIZES
Top entries will receive global recognition and eternal glory in the form of featured episode placement on The Hunted official website, as well as Youtube, Facebook, Itunes podcast, and possible screening at 2010 CUT Film Festival in Los Angeles. The top 3 entries will additionally receive a cash prize of $1000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.

If you need help creating an episode or would like to offer your services, check out our forum at http://www.thehunted.tv/phpbb/index.php For more information, comments or questions, email us at contest@thehunted.tv.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Winner's Secrets from the first $1000 Hunted Youtube Challenge

Thinking about shooting a Hunted episode for the second $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest (http://www.thehunted.tv/contest.html) but you've never done anything like this before? Well, neither had any of our winners for the first $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest. Here's what they had to say:


"Don't Try This at Home"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8qvx7Jx634
First Place - $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest
Kendall Wells - Portland, OR

Creating and filming “Don’t Try This At Home” was actually a lot simpler than it probably should have been. I had the concept in mind of the shot of a character in the car covered in blood having his realization, so Devala Rees and I tried to write it driving to that point. We had one draft, sent that to Bob, then shot it. We were short on sunlight and the mosquitoes were irritating, so we went with pretty much everything in the first take (aside from the action) without reviewing it and hoped it would work. Editing took no time, mostly because there was only one take of each shot, and then I managed to send it in literally last-minute.


"Evolving"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOnVhPL2NiE
Second Place - $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest
Ann Coccagnia, Los Angeles, CA

Luckily, vampires are the rage right now in mainstream media. Walking my dog past a bus stop one-night, I peddled backward to read a life-sized ad from a job website. It was some clever message about "now hiring" vampires. "Perfect!," I thought. I knew immediately I'd make my video about a vampire trying to hold down a job in corporate America (and the job ad was the opening scene in my video). Luckily my actor friend Jon was perfect for the lead (and available), and he unexpectedly brought his buddies along for the shoot. Thank goodness, because we ended up needing them and they were game for acting. I had no time, no budget, no script, and no props. Honestly, how it all came together (and won second place) is the true vampire mystery.


"The Ultimate Weapon"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYzDXbSop74
Third Place - $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest
Jason Wong - Los Angeles, CA

Let me say this upfront: I’m not a professional filmmaker. When I set out to make my episode for the Hunted Video Competition, I didn’t have years of experience in acting, directing or any other aspect of filmmaking. What I did have was a story idea that I thought was funny. And an understanding that with my lack of experience I just didn’t have the options for telling my story that a professional would. So I didn’t try. Instead of focusing on how I thought they would tell it, I focused on how I could best do it. Instead of shooting scenes in two locations, I found a way to do it using just one. Instead of using buying expensive props, I made them. It was a lot of work to do it this way, but I know it improved my episode. And even better, it made it possible.


The judging was extremely close in some cases (http://www.thehunted.tv/winners.html), and there are more great episodes featured here: http://www.thehunted.tv/online.htm

But what it came down to during the judging, regardless of the video quality, camera, audio, props, locations, costumes, lighting, effects, action, directing and even acting, it was all about story. The winning episodes didn't have big budgets, fancy equipment, or a lot of experience. They just had compelling characters in situations that you could sympathize with. And that's what makes for a good show regardless of the budget.

For more tips on creating an episode for The Hunted, check out our forum at http://www.thehunted.tv/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3

Second International Hunted Film Festival and Competition

That's right, The Hunted is gearing up for our Second International Film Festival and Competition with cash prizes for winning episodes to be screened by a panel of professional Hollywood judges. Stay tuned for more details!

Vote for The Hunted!

Mashable.com is hosting the Open Web Awards for best online video web series. It's a tough competition - not like 8 years ago when I started The Hunted we were the only kid on the block. There's brilliant shows out there like The Guild, Legend of Neil, Red vs Blue. I'm just hoping to get the word out there.

And all you have to do is click the link below...
http://mashable.com/owa/votes?v=The%20Hunted&c=38

In other news, I've started work on an episode featuring the first LA auditions for slayers. It's damn funny stuff, but it's about 6 hours of footage which I'm going to try and condense down into a single 10 minute episode.

There are also a dozen other episodes in the works with a few that didn't quite make it under the wire for the last competition. I've already said that there will be another competition (bigger, better, cooler, faster, stronger, insert adjective here) so stay tuned for the latest info!

Vampire FIlm Festival

The Hunted will be featured at this year's Vampire Film Festival in New Orleans, which runs from October 23-26. Winner of the $1000 Youtube contest, Kendall Wells' "Don't Try This at Home" will be screened along with the Hunted episode "Breakthrough".

For a full lineup of screenings, parties, live shows and other events, check out the festival's website at http://www.vampirefilmfestival.com

Con Job 2 - Part 2

Bob (still in HALO armor) tracks down our vampire (pretending to be a geek pretending to be a vampire from Twilight) before he can strike again. Unfortunately, Comic Con has more unforseen scary-ass dangers in store for both of them.

Starring: Robert Chapin, Andrew Helm, Michael Coleman, Nick Hiegel, Liz McLelland, Kimberly Fox, Chelsea Povall, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Chris Fields, Spenser Coates, and Jessica Cail as Mikey

Special thanks to Gillian Horvath, Derek Conley, Kerry Glover, Hannibal, Keith Gibson, Kevin MacLeod, and New Deal Studios for the awesome HALO costume.

Join us online at www.thehunted.tv

The Hunted - Con Job 2

That's right, it's done and it's the first all-new episode in about a hundred years. To make up for it, it's a two-parter in HD featuring an awesome location, great characters, and a few notable cameos we're quite lucky to get!

So here's the rundown... Bob is hired to work at the San Diego Comic Con dressed in full battle armor from HALO. Unfortunately, the armor doesn't protect him from Kevin's crazy marketing ideas, a psycho boss, Twilight vampire wannabees and their insane fans.

Starring: Robert Chapin, Andrew Helm, Michael Coleman, Nick Hiegel, Liz McLelland, Kimberly Fox, Chelsea Povall, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, Chris Fields, Spenser Coates, and Jessica Cail as Mikey

For behind the scenes photos, check out our facebook album at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2031723&id=1071549257&l=6be4710aa4

Con Job 2

Still trying to recover two days after a crazy weekend at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con running around in full HALO armor trying to shoot the latest episode of The Hunted, "Con Job 2". It probably didn't help that I had no sleep and a nagging cough going into the weekend, now my voice is all but gone and my cough makes me sound like an 80 year old man.

But damn, the footage is lookin awesome! Thanks to everyone that came out and did an fantastic job - our booth babes Kimberly and Chelsea, Andrew Helm, Mike Coleman, Chris Fields, Nick Hiegel, Liz Mclelland, Kerry Glover, and Jess Cail for handling everything from camera to production and everything in between. Thanks also to Gillian Horvath for putting us up in her swanky hotel room, and to New Deal Studios for loaning me their bitchin HALO costume - thanks Matt!

There's already a few great shots online thanks to Mike Coleman and Kimberly Fox:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=129387&id=708386513
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=96463&id=714571121

There's still one more scene to be shot with our mystery celebrities, and hopefully I'll be ready to start editing soon afterwards. If all goes well with my system upgrades, this will also be our first episode shot and edited in HD!

The Hunted Youtube Contest Results!

The results of the first $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest are in!

Let me start by saying that this was an extremely close competition and I want to thank all of the entrants for their hard work. I know firsthand what it’s like to put together an episode from the ground up – rehearsal, production, editing, craft services. It ain’t easy to follow though and finish a film. Ask anyone in Hollywood. And anyone who can pull that off deserve some serious props!

OK, so who won? I know you want to cheat and jump down to the bottom of this (if you haven’t already done so), but first I want to thank all our judges for coming out to the screening and taking the time to carefully consider all of the entries. Translation – don’t blame me if you don’t agree with the outcome. Our panel in attendance included Hollywood professionals: Writer & Executive Producer Gillian Horvath, Director Bill Malone, Stunt Coordinator Jeff Pruitt, Swordmaster Anthony DeLongis, VFX Supervisor Ian Hunter, Writer / Critic Abbie Bernstein and Script Coordinator Kerry Glover. For full credits, check out http://thehuntedtv.blogspot.com/2009/05/youtube-contest-judges-announced.html

Remember that episodes were judged based on several criteria including acting, action, story, production value and comedy, and while there were episodes that had the best scores in a select category – most notably “Fuzz Meets Fangs” for action which caught the attention of our stunt coordinator Jeff Pruitt, and “EDEN” for production value which really impressed our director Bill Malone, but in the end, it was the episodes that averaged best in all categories that made for the best overall Hunted episode!

FIRST PLACE
Don’t Try This at Home
Kendall Wells, OR

SECOND PLACE
Evolving
Ann Coccagnia, LA

THIRD PLACE
The Ultimate Weapon
Jason Wong, LA

All entries along with the winning episodes can be viewed online at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv

For official stats, check out http://www.thehunted.tv/winners.html

The Hunted - Youtube Contest Deadline!

Hey gang, the $1000 Hunted Youtube Contest draws to a close and it looks like we'll have about a dozen entries for Saturday's screening.

The entries are from all over the country and like Youtube itself, some can be considered hit and miss, several of them are quite good, and a few just blew me away.

But check them out for yourself. The episodes are online at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
on the top right hand side playlist.

We'll be looking at Youtube ratings and comments at Saturday's screening, so let us know what you think. Winners will be announced early next week.

Unfortunately, we were not able to secure a panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con, but The Hunted will still be at the convention and we're still slated to attend this year's Vampire Film Festival in New Orleans in October.

The Hunted - Generations

Mark Bedell, director of the Maine Academy of Stage combat provided us with a very funny episode for the Youtube Contest called "Generations", which involves his stage combat class being overrun with vampires.

The episode has come under some controversy, however, since it features Mark doing a sword fight with a baby strapped to his chest!

The fight is well choreographed and the child is completely safe, but there are those uneducated individuals out there who don't quite get the magic of movies. I have offered my testimonial as a professional Hollywood fight choreographer, but they have been pressured by individuals who will remain nameless to remove their episode from the contest, which is a shame because it's well done and damn funny!

For more info on the episode, see Mark's page here:
http://www.maineacademyofstagedcombat.org/somepeoplejustdontgetit.htm

New Contest Judge - Ian Hunter!

Co-Owner of New Deal Studios, Visual Effects Supervisor, and Indie Filmmaker, Ian Hunter (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0402843/) has graciously agreed to step in to replace contest judge Matthew Gratzner who will be out of town for the judging.

Once again, the contest deadline has been extended to July 16 with the judging held on July 18th and the winners announced soon afterwards.

There are only a handful of entries so far since most episodes have decided not to post until the last minute. You can find the episodes online at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv under the contest playlist.

The Hunted - Contest Deadline

Due to the amazing work being done on the YouTube contest episodes, the contest deadline has officially been extended to July 16 to allow folks a few extra days to make their episodes as badass as possible! Judging will still be held on July 18 with results announced soon after.

Youtube Contest Photos!

So I've heard only bits and pieces about the episodes in production and they sound pretty awesome from the photos that have been coming in...

Kevin Inouye's "Fuzz Meets Fangs" in Seattle:
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=50944224976
http://absolutelyperilous.smugmug.com/gallery/8469524_7wrof#556879081_D7hhu

Mario Perez "The Only Sure Thing" in LA:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124497&id=700198503
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2019192&id=1005518622
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025491&id=1071549257

Kendall Wells untitled Aussie Stunt episode in LA:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=84365&id=628408341
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88219&id=19879242502

And not a contest entry, but the latest Hunted episode "Overlords, Inc" shot by Abbie Bernstein:http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=94159&id=543421255
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023055&id=1071549257

If you have any more photos of episodes in the works, please let us know!

Overlords, Inc.

Spent the last two weekends shooting the latest episode of The Hunted with Abbie Bernstein at the helm as our writer / director / producer. The episode looks like it's long enough to fill two episodes and is chock full of swordfights, locations, stunts, and amazing talent.

In addition to myself and Anthony DeLongis (reprising his role as our meglomaniac vampire baddie Vincent), the episode features Camden Toy (from the "Buffy" episode "Hush"), Bonnie Friedericy (from "Chuck"), and Steve Tartalia (Spike's stunt double from "Buffy").

We spent two weeks prepping for the shoot and working on swordfights. Camden and Bonnie were fantastic and Steve kept us on our toes with some of the fastest swordfights I've seen on the show.

The location was awesome thanks to Anthony, who offered his spectacular home "Rancho Indalo" located at the top of a ridge (and up a very scary road) in the heart of Canyon Country.

I don't want to give away too much, but the episode deals with Vincent trying to organize three other vampire "bosses" to work for him. Comedy and fights ensue in which I get dragged behind a horse and tossed off the side of a cliff. Special thanks to Kendall Wells, Jason Heck (for keeping me from ending up at the bottom of the cliff) and Jessica Cail - I owe you big time.

Here's a few shots thanks to Jess:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=2023055&id=1071549257

Anthony's wife Mary is also featured in the episode and managed to snap a few shots as well:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=94159&id=543421255

Youtube Contest Judges Announced!

We're quite honored to have assembled such a notable list of judges! In addition to the $1000 first prize, it's a great opportunity for anyone producing their own episode to have their work seen by industry professionals such as (drum roll):

Gillian Horvath - Creative Consultant, Producer, and Writer for TV shows such as "Highlander", "Xena", "Beastmaster", "Forever Knight", "Painkiller Jane", "Flash Gordon", "Queen of Swords", "Mythquest", and "Andromeda".

William Malone - Director on films such as "House on Haunted Hill", "Feardotcom", "Parasomnia", "Creature", "Scared to Death" and on TV shows "Masters of Horror", "The Others", "Freddy's Nightmares", "Tales from the Crypt", and "Dark Justice"

Jeff Pruitt - Stunt Coordinator / Second Unit Director for shows such as "Buffy" , "Sheena", "New Adventures of Robin Hood", "Martial Law", "Power Rangers", "Sword of Honor", "Action Man", "The Hunter", "Open Fire", "Deadly Target", "Scanner Cop", "Martial Outlaw", "Bounty Tracker", and "Timecop - The Berlin Decision"

Anthony Delongis - SwordMaster, Weapons Expert and Actor credited in films such as "Fearless", "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull", "The Rundown", "Secondhand Lions", "Batman Returns", "Far and Away", "Sword and the Sorcerer", "Masters of the Universe", and on TV shows such as "Highlander", "Star Trek Voyager", "Babylon 5", "Queen of Swords", "Magnificent Seven", "Sinbad", and "Conan".

Matthew Gratzner - Co-Owner of New Deal Studios, which is credited with award-winning visual effects in films such as "Dark Knight", "Iron Man", "Watchmen", "Spiderman", "X-men", "Terminator - Salvation", "The Aviator", "Live Free or Die Hard", "Fantastic Four", "Riddick", "Pitch Black", "X-Files", "Alien Resurrection", "Resident Evil 3" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".

Abbie Bernstein - Film Critic and Writer for Fangoria, Drama-Logue, IF Magazine, Dreamwatch, Drama-logue, and writer for guidebooks on Firefly, Serenity and Fantastic Four.

I will also be on the judging panel as Writer / Actor / Director and Series Producer for "The Hunted", Star of "Ring of Steel" and "Dragon Fury", Fight Choreographer, Second Unit Director, and VFX artist on films such as "Crouching Tiger", "X-Men", "Cloverfield", "Riddick" and "Fantastic Four".

Remember, the deadline for episodes is July 12 (so get movin!). Judging will be held July 18 in time for Comic Con and the upcoming Vampire Film Festival in New Orleans. For full contest rules and details, check out www.thehunted.tv

The Hunted - Con Job

Bob, Kevin, Mikey, and members of The Hunted show up to a local Highlander convention in the hopes of spreading the word about vampire awareness (y'know, swords chopping heads off - same dif). Instead, they find fans who are more interested in photos and autographs of notable celebrities such as Braun - swordmaster for the Highlander TV show.

What's worse, the vampires have shown up for their own taste of fame.

Featuring: Anthony DeLongis, F. Braun McAsh, Robert Chapin, Andrew Helm, Maureen Russell, Morgan Ladd, Patti Pelton, The Contessa, Kit Davlin, Richard Alsabery, Darnell Mayfield, Kerry Glover, and The First-Ever Official Hunted Fans
Mikey: Jochen Repolust. Kerry Glover, Abbie Bernstein, Patti Pelton
Convention Coordinator: Lynn Loschin
Written by: Andrew Helm
Associate Producer: Susie Michaelsen

Subscribe or die!
http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
...and check out our $1000 Youtube contest!

New Community Forum!

Sweet! Thanks to our host, Godaddy, I've learned they offer a free forum posting tool called phpbb. Okay, I'm sure everyone else out there has already heard of it, but it's really slick. I'm hoping this might be my answer to having an online resource that will help to hook up writers, actors, directors, etc, to create their own episodes: http://www.thehunted.tv/phpbb/index.php

$1000 Youtube Hunted Video Contest!

So here's the official info for the contest - happy hunting!

Is your boss a vampire? Perhaps your co-worker, pool boy, crazy cat lady down the street, or meter maid? Join us in our fight to prove the existence of vampires among us. Post your video on our YouTube group and help make The Hunted the first internet series based entirely on user content.

Quick steps to enter contest:

Step #1 - Enter contest
Step #2 - Not sure about Step #2
Step #3 - Profit!

OK, maybe with a little more detail (for full details, see http://www.thehunted.tv/contest.html ):

1. Create a 6-8 minute Hunted episode in the style of the show (reality TV) following guidelines for The Hunted, Vampires and Slayers found at http://www.thehunted.tv/profile_frameset.htm

2. Subscribe to our channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv and upload your episode to this group page by July 12, 2009

3. Also submit a full resolution (NTSC or better) Quicktime copy of the episode to our ftp site at ftp.thehunted.tv (With any FTP program, login with the user name "hunted" and password "Slayer4hire", and drag and drop your episode into this directory). Please keep the file size under 100MB in Quicktime format.

4. Tell your friends and family to watch and rate your episode.

Judging: Episodes will be judged on a combination of Youtube channel views, ratings & comments, originality, storyline, production value, acting, action, and whether or not it makes us laugh. Submissions will also be judged by a panel of professional judges from the entertainment industry including writers, producers, directors and stunt coordinators (Note: exact panel may change, subject to their professional commitments).

Prizes: Top entries will receive global recognition and eternal glory in the form of featured episode placement on The Hunted official website, as well as Youtube, Facebook, and Itunes podcast, and possible screening at 2009 ComicCon in San Diego. The top 3 entries will additionally receive a cash prize of $1000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place. (See, we told you there'd be profit)

If you need help creating an episode or would like to offer your services, see our bulletin pages on our Facebook or Youtube group. For more information, thoughts, or observations, email us at contest@thehunted.tv.

Good luck and happy hunting!

The Hunted - Update!

So folks have been asking how the show's going and I realized that no one knows how much activity is going on behind the scenes. So here's the latest on The Hunted:

The Hunted has been invited to be featured at the Vampire Film Festival (http://www.vampirefilmfestival.com/) this Autumn in New Orleans - Jess is stoked!

I've just filled out the paperwork to attend this year's Comic Con as a professional guest and I'm proposing a panel for The Hunted which will include a sword demo. Thanks to Anthony Delongis for offering his time once again to be my dance partner. Our other proposed panelists include Andrew Helm, Kerry Glover, Jessica Cail, Michael Coleman and Bret Culpepper who kicked my ass in gear to do this in the first place. I don't think we'll be doing a booth, but I am in contact with booth babes who may be walking around with our "Bite Me" buttons, which are a big hit.

John Mosby recently published a feature on myself and The Hunted for Impact magazine. I haven't seen it yet, but I'll be posting it online whenever it makes its way here from the UK. Upcoming interviews also include Abbie Bernstein article for "If" online magazine and Christopher Moshier for www.fanfilmpodcast.com

Since I've opened the show up to user content, I've had all sorts of interest in folks creating their own episodes. The concept here is to have the first internet series based entirely on user content. However, I'm not approaching just anyone. For swordplay, I've put the word out there to virtually every stage combat organization in the world. I'm sure there's going to be even more interest when I announce the contest I have in mind - the first Hunted Film Festival with cash prizes for best episodes. Users would upload their video on the youtube group http://www.youtube.com/group/thehuntedtv and the winning entries would also premiere at Comic Con.

As for new episodes, here's what's in the works at the moment...

* Abbie Bernstein is currently working on a script for "Overlord" with myself, Anthony Delongis, and a few surprise guests from "Buffy."
* Haven't heard from her in a while, but Dorte Jensen is planning a "Hostel" type episode shot in Germany.
* Logan Boettcher has written a wonderful "Twilight" parody to be shot at a local high school in Palos Verde.
* Another Twilight parody has been proposed by Kendall Wells (student of Anthony Delongis) to be shot in the actual Oregon location.
* Michelle Lee has expressed and interest in shooting an episode and I'm working up a "Big Trouble in Little China" script that will probably include Tim Storms and members of the Reel Kick stunt team, Anthony Delongis, and another surprise guest star. Footage has already been shot of the Chinese New Year's parade in downtown.
* Bret Culpepper, same guy who's kicking my ass to get to Comic Con has several episodes in development and is helping to produce and episode I've written entitled "Vamps Gone Wild" to be shot at one of the local goth clubs like "Bar Sinister".
* A "Beach Blanket Bingo" episode has been discussed with my buddies at Santa Monica's Muscle Beach - proposed training ground for The Hunted.
* Andrew Helm (Evil Kevin) and Maria Alexander are teaming up on a mystery project which I'm dying to see.
* James Houston and Rich Manley from Sidekick Cinema have a badass vampire fight they're looking to commit to an episode.
* I'm cutting together an episode we shot years ago called "The Audition" which features "Muffy" taking out a vampire who decides to crash our audition for new slayers.
* Ed Douglas (from Stalker 2) is choreographing a katana fight with his students for an upcoming episode.
* Patt Paczynski has several episodes in the works and has contacted Chris Vivo and his historical combat class about putting together an episode.
* Mark Bedell in Maine has expressed an interest in developing an episode for his stage combat class.
* I've talked to Chris Ready, Brian and Suki Peters about shooting an episode in St. Louis at the City Museum, which would totally rock!
* Darnell Mayfield and Richard Alsabery may be revising their characters from "Blade in training"
* I've got a couple great scripts "Arsenic and Old Blades" written by Laura Brennan and "Date with an Angel" by my bro Stuart Chapin which we've already shot half the episode.
* And last but not least, there's still the six part pilot episode I'm holding off on shooting until the rest of the show can stand on its own.

In terms of resources, I've got a host of names who are interested in working on an episode or just helping out. I'm thinking about putting together some sort of extensive contact list (like the "join us" page on www.thehunted.tv) for folks looking for cast, crew, equipment, or locations for their episode.

With whatever time I have left, I'm trying to spread the word about The Hunted by immersing myself in the internet - everything from Twitter (which I still don't understand) to Facebook, Myspace, Blogger, Funny or Die, Itunes podcasting, and of course Youtube. If you have any suggestions, please pass them on to bob@thehunted.tv. And if you have anyone who might be interested and/or qualified to shoot an episode, please pass the word.

Thanks guys!
Bob

The Hunted - Rendezvous

Bob is chosen from a lottery to be the latest victim and workout partner for Vincent Marlowe.

For Marlowe, it's better than step-aerobics. For the Hunted, it's their one chance every week to finally kill this guy.

Join The Hunted online at www.thehunted.tv, shoot your own episodes, and help us to become the first internet series based on user content. For more info, contact bob@thehunted.tv

Looking for more Hunted episodes and updates? Join our facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49233515671

just posted the latest episode of The Hunted at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv

The Hunted - Class Ritual

Teacher's pet always gets away with murder.

Raquel's stage combat class is a front for training members of The Hunted. Unfortunately, it also attracts its share of vampire wannabees.

Join us! Shoot your own episode and help The Hunted become the first internet series based entirely on user content! Check out www.thehunted.tv or contact bob@thehunted.tv for more info.

just posted the latest episode of The Hunted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXS6axKBr7A

The Hunted - Dance of the Undead

Artistic license doesn't include decapitation.

When Bob discovers that the hottest new dance troupe in town is actually performing a vampire ritual and sacrifice onstage, he confronts the choreographers Francesca and Benessa with sword in hand to give them his own review of their show.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
or join us online at www.thehunted.tv

The Hunted - interviews with a vampire slayer...

Just finished an interview for The Hunted with Abbie Bernstein and the online magazine "If", which should premiere sometime in the next couple months. This follows an interview with John Mosby for "Impact Magazine". There's also an upcoming interview with Christopher Moshier and www.fanfilmpodcast.com. Thanks again to Chris and Fanboy Films for their extensive interviews with the cast (http://www.thehunted.tv/interviews.htm)

Sweet, this is all moving along nicely! Mwahaha.

The Hunted - Star Power

At a local martial arts convention called DRAGONFEST, the Hunted enlists the sevices of Char Frost to approach a few unsuspecting stars about becoming our celebrity spokesman.

Chaos ensues.

Subscribe or die!
http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
or join us online at www.thehunted.tv

just released the latest episode of The Hunted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKV1i9mn4cY

Just posted the latest episode of The Hunted on Youtube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FKqcQf9h4Y

The Hunted - Film at 11

Bob is approached by Coleman, a paranoid and somewhat outspoken cameraman for the Channel 15 Action News who has footage of an actual vampire attack.

So what else is new?

The footage shows their bitchy reporter, Catherine Powers interviewing Andrew, a stage combat instructor and leader of a group of slayers called the Thrown Gauntlet. Unfortunately, their interview is interrupted by Jaymes - a deadly vampire with a penchant for snacking on bitchy reporters.

Did we mention she's bitchy?

To these guys, this is a matter of life and death. To us, it's just another episode...

Subscribe to our Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
or join us online at www.thehunted.tv

posted the latest episode of The Hunted on Youtube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=butzRfLMiBk

The Hunted - Faire Warning

Did someone say turkey leg?

Bob is working at "ye olde" renaissance faire when he learns through Harriette and the Hunted website that someone is out to get him. All he has to do now is to keep his eyes out for anyone with a sword...

Subscribe or die! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=butzRfLMiBk
Or you can join us online at www.thehunted.tv

Funny or Die!

The Hunted is now on Funny or Die! Your mission - please don't let us die. No pressure or anything...
http://www.funnyordie.com/thehuntedtv

Year of The Hunted

It's a new year and a whole new start to The Hunted! After years of holding back, I'm finally cutting loose, building an audience, and getting folks fired up to shoot their own episodes. I realize now that the future of the show lies in user generated content (like Youtube). My problem has always been that I get distracted or too busy and the show gets put on hold. If users can add their own content, the show sustains itself. I call it "Showstreaming" - like the new crazy "lifestreaming" twitter / facebook / social aggregator trend, but in the context of a show. And thanks to social network aggregators like ping.fm, it no longer takes me hours to update Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Blogger, and the rest of the known metaverse. I can even do it from my new iphone - crazy! Yea, the internet is changing on a daily basis and the secret to success seems to be hanging on for the ride.

The latest episode of The Hunted is online! Check it out and subscribe at http://ping.fm/QVwLs

The Hunted - Tough Love

Bob and Mikey find themselves at Six Flags Magic Mountain at the request of Alex, who is concerned about his best buddy and roommate Kit (currently appearing as the "Boy Wonder" in the Batman stunt show). Kit has apparently missed his last several VA meetings and is considering becoming a vampire to further his career as a stuntman.

Holy Hunted Batman, it's an intervention!

Fortunately, Alex and Bob offer a convincing argument and a strong right hook.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv
or join us online at http://www.thehunted.tv/

Testing pinger via iPhone...