OUR
MISSION STATEMENT
Shockfest is THE ultimate underground Film Festival experience, designed to break every convention in the book of the festival circuit and provide the highest value of entertainment, engagement and interactivity for both the filmmaker AND the audience member. We organize multiple live and interactive events in multiple cities (especially our favorite stomping grounds, New York, Las Vegas, Hollywood) designed to highlight and showcase the works of those who submit their films and screenplays even before receiving the official selection notice for our main event at the end of the year, SHOCKFEST FILM FESTIVAL.
A Submission to Shockfest is a submission to the world of the unknown...
Forget all the other film festivals...you just found the only one.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Is Shockfest Film Festival?
Check out our homepage to read more about who we are and what we do. It also addresses such topics as Shockfest History, Categories and Fees, Awards and Cash Prizes and additional Submission Perks.
Is This A Horror Festival?
Shockfest is a Multi-Genre Festival. We do have a "spooky" image, and we come from humble horror beginnings, but as of 2020, Shockfest screens, nominates and awards films and screenplays from all genres. We put a special focus on the work of artists that shock the Industry with innovation, passion and unique content and execution.
Where Does Shockfest Take Place?
Shockfest takes place in a different city every year, but we are frequently held in New York City, Las Vegas and Hollywood, CA more often than not. We also hold virtual and hybrid shows unlike any other festival has ever done (we invented our own way of doing them during the pandemic...we call them "Portal Events"). How, you ask? Check it out yourself on the Videos section of the homepage.
What Is A Portal Event?
Shockfest is the inventor of "Portal Events", which are surprise (occasionally popup) Shockfest events, both live and virtual, outside of the official date of Shockfest Film Festival. These Portal Events provide official submitters with additional opportunities to screen their work, earn laurels and win awards and prizes. All dates of upcoming Portal Events and the date of Shockfest Film Festival are all listed on the Schedule section of the homepage.
Do You Screen Pre-Released Content?
Yes! The industry is changing every day and filmmakers are coming up with unique and innovative ways to showcase, promote and get eyeballs on their productions and we are happy to accommodate for these innovative ideas. First and foremost, we are all about supporting innovation at any capacity! This is unless a public screening would contradict a pre-existing agreement between you (the filmmaker) and a distributor (the rights holder of your film). The rights holder of the film is responsible for deciding what to do with the film and we will not be held responsible for any violations of such agreements.
How Do I Get Updates, Info, And Promotion Of My Work?
On our Facebook and Youtube pages, Shockfest hosts The Shockfest Radio Hour, an interactive livestream where we release updates and information regarding what to expect from Shockfest Film Festival, and occasionally some prize give ways and interviews/showcases of filmmakers. The comments section of these streams are typically utilized as a networking opportunity, and we have seen filmmakers connect and collaborate with each other just through tuning in. Our livestreams typically take place on Fridays at 4:30 pm PST (7:30 pm EST) and we send out an email a few days prior to going live to all those on our mailing list. So be sure to like and subscribe to our social media pages and sign up to our mailing list for a heads up on when to expect us to go live again!
We also post the photos you tag us in Instagram onto our stories, so be sure to tag us @shockfesthorrorfactory and we will share it too!
Meet the Shockfest Crew
Jeffrey Macabre
Festival Director
Jeffrey macabre comes from the perplexing unknown to lead the forefront in reinventing the Film Festival Circuit by breaking every rule in the book to build the most innovative experience out there. His mission, to serve the artist and filmmaker community and create the best damn film festival that has ever existed on this or any other planet. He will be sure to make Shockfest the very best time of your life! Come to Shockfest, submit your film and trust Jeffrey with your life. You will be glad you did!
Professor Wang
Operations Manager
The Mysterious and Elusive Professor Wang is an eccentric genius College Professor, Vampire hunter and Monster philanthropist. His alternative and bizarre methods may be confusing to most, but have an incredibly effective result. On his spare time he teaches Monster hunting at various Universities across the U.S. and has a Masters Degree in Cryptozoology and Massage Therapy. Listen to Professor Wang, his words are filled with guidance and wisdom to bring your production to the next level!
The Oracle Of Film Festivals
Judge and Jury
The Oracle is the inspiration and motivation to all Festival Directors.
He is the guiding hand that leads to the decisions all Film Festivals
make, including where they take place, which films are selected,
which filmmaker wins awards. After 100 years of working as the muse of every film festival to ever exist on this planet, he has taken the step to actually working with Shockfest Film Festival to put together the very best show possible.
Candice Rollins
Events Coordinator
Candice is the in house editor and occasional Director of Shockfest Horror Factory. She spends most of her time on the computer, creating the media, trailers and occasionally feature films produced by the Shockfest crew. Her Director credits include the Telly Award Winning documentary, "Haunted Routes: Wicked West Coast" and "I Am Miranda: Chains Chainsaws and The Cricket". She is a Horrorhound award winner, loves the film judging process and is excited to be a part of this year's Shockfest Film Festival.
Derrick Blacknall
Technical Manager
Derrick is a part time entertainer and a long time Shockfest crew member having worked with Shockfest on multiple projects from films, web series and film festivals. Whenever there's a Shockfest project in the works or a Shockfest film festival being held. You can be sure you'll see Derrick somewhere running around working, sweating, and hustling alongside the Shockfest Crew.
Maribel Ramos
Technical Manager
I’m Maribel Ramos and for ten plus years, I have been part of the incredible team behind the horror film festival Shockfest. With experience in managing ticket entries, a judge for film entries and to more recently, a creative manager; I have been thrilled to grow with the film festival.
Jojo B. Aguilar
Technical Manager
Jojo Aguilar is a filmmaker, award winning martial artist and educator. He has taught at the local university and colleges in the Los Angeles area as well as with NASA’s Mars Exploration Team. His cinematic experience includes being in front of and behind the camera on films like New Line Cinema’s “Mortal Kombat.” He enjoys spending time with his children and two turtles.
Amanda Alston
Technical Manager
Born in Honolulu HI as a military navy brat and raised in SoCal after age 6. Graduated with 4.0 from high school in 2001. Graduated from Dental school with a 4.0 as salutatorian in 2004 before realizing I hated working on people’s mouths. I started my bachelors degree in 2008. My very first day, sitting in class waiting for the professor, and in walks Guil. That class changed my life forever. Within 3 weeks, Guil offered myself and one other student an internship. I worked on the very first Shockfest with Guil in Hollywood...12 years later I’m still here!
Christine Velotta
Outreach Specialist
Christine Velotta is a filmmaker and horror loving derby girl. From a young age she became fascinated with film and upon finding out movies weren’t real, set out to make her own. Since then Velotta, or Trouble as her derby crew knows her, has worked in various areas of production. She believes everyday is Halloween, coffee is the most important food group of the day and being a little extra never hurt anyone.
Shockfest Internship Program
Every year, Shockfest works with interns to enrich their educational experience with hands on entertainment and film festival work opportunities, exposure to the behind the scenes magic of Shockfest Film Festival itself and participation in our live interactive shows.
Yenny Coll
2021 Internship Program
Yenny is a lifelong writer and teacher living in New Jersey, and she's working to complete her MFA and get her scripts produced or her prose published. When she's not entering writing contests, Yenny can be found drinking coffee, playing video games, posting her poetry on her IG @yennycollcomfort, or meticulously updating her blog, www.collcomfort.com.
Matthew Mayer
2020 Internship Program
Matthew is a student at Hofstra University on Long Island, studying Film Production & Studies. Before deciding to go to film school, Matthew grew up an avid horror fan and attended dozens of horror conventions. Once he graduates from school, Matthew hopes to continue writing and directing films, while staying immersed in a creative and artistic environment; however, in the meantime, Matthew is extremely excited to get to work and make a difference with the team at Shockfest.
Matthew Long
2019 Internship program
Matthew was a part of the 2019 Shockfest Internship under Guil Claveria’s guide. Matthew has an interest in costume design and has owned his own business of creating customized costume designs and fabrication since 2014 and is still going strong. Shockfest witnessed his proudest make, his mascot for his business “Blue Crown Creations” which was resurrected into a full body costume that was handsewn top to bottom all on his own. The mascot, a blue and black horse named “Matty” was spotted prancing around the venue, entertaining the masses alongside Jeffrey Macabre. Matthew has since joined a private medical school and is on track to becoming a flight paramedic while still making and designing customized costumes and short films on the side.
Rebecca Jimenez
2019 Internship program
Filmmaker. California born and raised but traveler at heart. Life is our raw material so let's go make some art with what we've got.
