Jordan Peele on set of Get Out. Courtesy of Universal PicturesCredit: C/O

October 2017 was an especially spooky month on Moviemaker.com.

With the brand new introduction of The World’s 15 Best Genre Fests, tips on shooting and writing tactfully within the horror genre, and a trip through “Hell” with John Malkovich (one of two MovieMaker Exclusive Shorts), Halloween’s resident month was honored wholeheartedly with a broad exploration of its favorite genre—fictional and societal monsters galore.

It wasn’t all about the scares, however, with Marshall director Reginald Hudlin commenting on the challenges of being a black filmmaker, Errol Morris elaborating on the importance of journalistic documentary moviemaking, and 100-year-old Gone with the Wind’s Marsha Hunt recounting her acting career. For all of this and more, jump out from an unsuspecting corner and into our Best of October 2017.


The World’s 15 Bloody Best Genre Fest, 2018 (by Max Weinstein)

Our first-ever rundown of The World’s 15 Bloody Best Genre Fests has arrived! Only the strong submit to these scary good headquarters of cinema’s darker, weirder side.

Fearful Visions: Horror Cinematographers Reveal Their Secrets (by Michael Gingold) 

We spoke with nine horror cinematographers, who shared the secrets to their style, and discuss their latest films and what it takes to specialize in shooting frightening fare.

“Society is the Monster”: Jordan Peele on Racism as Horror, Writer’s Block and more at 2017 Film Independent Forum (by Max Weinstein)

“Any good scary scene is not intellectual. It’s from the gut,” said Get Out‘s Jordan Peele in an eye-opening talk at the 2017 Film Independent Forum.

Marsha Hunt at 100: The Actress Recalls the Blacklist, Film Noir and Being Cast in Gone with the Wind (by Jeremy Kinser)

As she turns 100, Marsha Hunt is now the subject of Marsha Hunt’s Sweet Adversity: The Documentary. We spoke with the prolific actor and humanitarian about being blacklisted, being cast in Gone With The Wind and Rebel Without A Cause, and much more.

“Where Are We Without Trust?”: Errol Morris on Why Doc Moviemakers See Themselves as Journalists (by Max Weinstein)

“Maybe this is revealing too much—probably yes—but all my films seem to be meta to me in one way or another,” says Errol Morris in our wide-ranging talk on The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography.

Exclusive: Watch John Malkovich Narrate the End of the World in Short Film “Hell” (Video) (by Max Weinstein) 

In this MovieMaker.com-exclusive short film, “Hell,” John Malkovich is here to tell you that no, everything is not OK.

“You’re Holding Up a Mirror, and the Reflection is Ugly”: Chucky Creator Don Mancini on Horror Screenwriting (by Don Mancini)

If you’re writing horror, “You have to cross lines of propriety,” says Chucky creator Don Mancini. Having a monster versatile enough to plug into different subgenres is also a plus.

How to Succeed as a Black Moviemaker—Or a Moviemaker that Happens to Be Black (by Reginald Hudlin)

“You are under no obligation to make ‘black’ movies because of someone else’s presumptions about you,” says Marshall director Reginald Hudlin.

How They Did It: Directing a Rape Scene in an Exploitation Film… Without Exploiting Your Female Protagonist (by Natalia Leite)

You may never “feel ready” to shoot a rape scene, but anyone making one should prepare by creating a deep sense of trust on set. Here, MFA director Natalia Leite explains how she did that.

Exclusive: Watch Del the Funky Homosapien Rap Over Stop-Motion Wizardry in Video for L’Orange’s “Blame the Author” (by Max Weinstein) 

Director Alex Thompson, hip-hop producer L’Orange, and rapper Del the Funky Homosapien joined heads to create this MovieMaker.com-exclusive music video for under $2K.

Best Cameras for Every Filmmaker: Ace One of the Biggest Decisions in Making Your Feature (by John Bucher and Jeremy Casper) 

For top-notch cinematography on a budget, check out your new camera wishlist. MM

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