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Tabloid Witch Awards

"The Tabloid Witch Awards was a huge help in getting our movie picked up by a studio."

-- Robert Bear, actor, Dead Noon.

"Thank you for the heads-up on the distribution opportunities. I just signed a licensing/ distribution agreement for 'The Kooky Kastle' with The Crypt Club Productions."

-- Paul Carty, filmmaker, The Kooky Kastle.

Contact: Send email to editor at hollywoodinvestigator dot com

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Yes, it's another Horror Film Festival

 

Actually, the Tabloid Witch Awards is primarily a horror film contest. We seek to discover and promote new horror talent (directors, actors, composers, makeup artists, more!) through our annual competition. That's why it's the Tabloid Witch Awards, not the Tabloid Witch Film Festival. The screening is merely part of the prize -- along with a trophy!

Why enter THIS horror film contest and festival, when there are so many others out there?

1. We're a No Entry Fee film contest and festival. So you needn't fear being scammed for your money.

2. We're located in Santa Monica, California. In Los Angeles County -- Entertainment Industry Capital of the World. Home to film stars, producers, directors, studio executives, and agents. No guarantees, but still, you never know who might wander in to one of our screenings.

Got a horror film?

Want to enter the Tabloid Witch Awards?

Here's how...

WHAT TO DO: If you have a finished horror film -- short or feature length -- send it to us. Between now and September 30, 2010, we'll review all submissions, selecting the best of the best.

WHAT YOU GET: Winners will be profiled in the Hollywood Investigator for Halloween 2010. And on this website!

We will select at least one short and one feature horror film, but we may profile additional films and the people involved (actors, musicians, sfx people, etc.), depending on what we see.

Our goal is to award more trophies, in more categories, each year -- and that's been the trend.

Selection of winners will be at the exclusive discretion of the Hollywood Investigator.

TROPHY: The 2005 and 2006 trophy was a lucite starburst. 2007, 2008, and 2009's trophy was a purple brass plaque (right), which will likely remain for 2010.

SCREENING: Our goal is to screen the winning films, but that's never guaranteed. This is a No Entry Fee contest, and no admission is charged to audiences, so the budget is limited. It's always possible that only some, or none, of winning films will be screened.

However, in the past six years of running this contest, we've held nine screenings! In 2007 there was a Premiere Screening in October and an Encore Screening in November. There were also special "Best Of" screenings of past winners in March 2008, in Salt Lake City, and in April/May 2009 in Winnipeg, Canada.

Nine screenings in six years! A pretty good track record, no?

ENTRY FEE: There is NO entry fee! We're not looking to soak desperate artists -- only to discover new talent for a news story! That can change at any time, so enter while it's free. If a fee is charged, entries already received will be "grandfathered" in.

FORMAT: DVD. We prefer NTSC but will accept PAL. Format will not affect judging. Winners may be required to submit a good quality NTSC DVD prior to any public screening.

LANGUAGE: Films must be in English, or English subtitled, or with minimal dialogue such that it may be understood by an English language audience.

GENRE: Horror, broadly defined. Evil space aliens, the supernatural, psychos -- or even horror combined with comedy (Motel Hell, American Werewolf in London) are fine, provided a horror content remains.

DEADLINE: We must receive your entry by September 30, 2010.

ISN'T IT TOO EARLY TO ENTER? No! Some winning films were received nearly a year early. Others were received days before the deadline.

ISN'T IT TOO LATE TO ENTER? No! Films that are received after the deadline are considered for next year's contest.

WHERE TO SUBMIT: Please send DVDs to: Thomas M. Sipos, PO Box 1903, Santa Monica, CA 90406-1903. Films will not be returned, so don't send your only copy. There is no submission form.

LATEST UPDATES: To hear the latest news and developments concerning this year's Tabloid Witch Awards, keeping checking our blog.

Yes, we're on MySpace. Eventually, we'll probably be on Facebook too.

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