Fans who have already seen Shadowland will be treated to a whole slew of exciting extras when the DVD is released on November 30. It includes a re-mastered version of the film, a full-length commentary with writer/director Wyatt Weed and a “making of” feature that goes behind the scenes of this unique vampire story.

 

The film, which was shot in St. Louis and St. Charles, focuses on Laura (Caitlin McIntosh), a vampire who has been buried for over 100 years and doesn’t remember who, or what, she is. Unable to speak and faced with a strange new world, she tries to piece together what happened to her and how she can get home. Unbeknownst to her, a vampire hunter, Julian (Jason Contini), has begun tracking her and has every intention of killing her before she discovers what she is capable of.

 

Weed and his production company, Pirate Pictures, decided to release the film on DVD themselves. This worked in the filmmakers’ favor because of the rush of support they received at film festivals and conventions. At Comic-Con Chicago, they sold out of DVDs and spent over an hour signing autographs and taking pictures with newly found fans of the film. “It was the best screening and discussion panel we’ve ever had,” says Weed of the warm reception they found at the convention.

 

The film has also won several awards at film festivals, including Best Feature at Fright Night, the Audience Award at the 2009 Vampire Film Festival, and several awards at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase: Best Actress (McIntosh), Best Director (Weed) and Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Feature.

 

The film itself is a testament to independent filmmaking and the trials that must be endured. The DVD will even include an extra called “Low-Tech and Hands On: a visual effects ‘how-to’ primer for filmmakers.” This additional feature will allow aspiring filmmakers to get a sense of how the Shadowland team used in-camera effects for the film and how some of the best visual effects are done without computer-generated images.

 

The filmmakers don’t have plans to stop promoting the movie anytime soon. A DVD release party will be happening on Tuesday, November 30 in St. Louis. Also, McIntosh will be doing an in-store appearance at the Family Video in Springfield, IL on December 4 to help spread the word about the film. Family Videos across the region will also be running Shadowland promos in their stores, featuring McIntosh talking about the film. | Matthew Newlin