CONTACT: Don Early
Tel: (323) 319-3532
Email: don.early@deadgentlemen.com

The Gamers: Dorkness Rising to be Screened at San Diego Comic-Con

DVD on sale for the first time at Paizo’s booth at Gen Con

July 22, 2008 (TACOMA, Wash.) - Dead Gentlemen Productions announced today that their film The Gamers: Dorkness Rising will be screened at Comic-Con in San Diego, and make its DVD premiere in three weeks at Gen Con in Indianapolis. The DVD will be sold exclusively by Paizo Publishing at Gen Con, and is provided by the film’s domestic distributor, Anthem Pictures.

“Comic-Con is the ultimate convention in the US to reach our larger target audience,” said Dead Gentlemen’s Executive Director, Don Early. “We wanted to participate in Comic-Con, but our release date put us past their window. I thought we’d missed our chance. But then I got a call from the head of the films department at Comic Con. I was shocked and amazed!”

“I have been a fan of Dead Gentlemen for years,” said Joshua Glaser from Comic-Con Films Department International. “When I read that their long-awaited film, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, was going to be released on DVD at Gen Con this year, I knew I had to try and get a screening at Comic Con.”

“The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is already one of the best selling products of all time on paizo.com and it’s not even released yet,” said Paizo’s Director of Marketing, Joshua J. Frost. “We have a full Dorkness Rising signing schedule planned for our booth at Gen Con, including appearances from many of the actors as well as members of the production team. Stop by our booth, buy yourself a copy, and get it signed!”

“Anthem has put together a fantastic DVD,” says Matt Vancil, writer/director of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising. “The fans have been supremely patient — they’ve been waiting for this for five years. Plus, a screening at Comic Con? The over-caffeinated heart of the empire of fandom? Holy wow! All is well with the universe.”

“It’s rare to find a gem of title like Dorkness in today’s marketplace,” says Chuck Adelman, president of Anthem Pictures. “The RPG audience is massive and a major driving force behind independent films. Being a gamer myself, it’s a great feeling to distribute a title that we feel will really capture a new generation of gamers and appeal to the mature RPG-gamers across the board.”

The Gamers: Dorkness Rising will screen at Comic-Con in San Diego on Friday, July 25th, 7pm at the Marriott in Marina Ballroom D. DVD sales premiere exclusively at Paizo Publishing’s booth #2221 at Gen Con on August 14, 2008, and then hit retailers on August 19, 2008.

ABOUT DEAD GENTLEMEN PRODUCTIONS

Dead Gentlemen Productions is an independent film company specializing in genre-comedies. Their short film, The Gamers, has been screened to rave reviews in dozens of film festivals and game conventions worldwide, garnering an award for Best Fan Film of 2003 at Gen Con Indy. Their Demon Hunters series was recently adapted into an RPG by Margaret Weis Productions. They are based out of Tacoma, WA with an office in Los Angeles, CA. Dead Gentlemen Productions’ website is located at www.deadgentlemen.com.

ABOUT ANTHEM PICTURES

As an independent studio and label, Anthem is always looking to push the envelope with quality original films and programming. With a growing retail presence in North America, Anthem is quickly becoming the choice of the independent film industry for distribution. Anthem Pictures website is located at www.anthemdvd.com.

ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING

Paizo Publishing®, LLC is a leading publisher of fantasy roleplaying games, accessories, board games, and novels. Paizo’s Pathfinder™ line of adventures and Pathfinder Chronicles™ campaign setting support materials combine decades of game design experience into one evocative system compatible with the 3.5 rules. Paizo’s GameMastery™ line offers easy-to-use tools for Game Masters of any fantasy roleplaying game to improve their gaming experience. Titanic Games™, Paizo’s board game imprint, unleashes fun, challenging games like Kill Doctor Lucky™ and Yetisburg™ that appeal to both families and casual gamers alike. Paizo’s Planet Stories line of science fiction and fantasy novel reprints promises a master class in the genre aimed at building the greatest fantasy and science fiction library ever assembled. Paizo.com is the leading online hobby retail store, offering tens of thousands of products from a variety of publishers to customers all over the world. In the five years since its founding, Paizo Publishing has received more than a dozen major awards and has grown to become one of the most influential companies in the hobby games industry.

ABOUT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.

Contact: Chuck Adelman
818.597.2344 or
chuck@anthemdvd.com

Anthem Falls under the VUDU spell

VUDU SIGNS WITH INDEPENDENT STUDIO ANTHEM PICTURES

Los Angeles – July 22, 2008 – Anthem Pictures announced today that its new releases and its catalogue of library titles will now be available for download through the digital on-demand video service VUDU.

“As an independent studio we’re very excited to be able to offer VUDU customers an array of indie product in the ultimate in-home viewing experience, the living room,” said Charles Adelman, Anthem’s president. “The quality of the video available from VUDU is immediately apparent, and we believe this is the future of distribution. We are looking forward to working with VUDU in the next step of this evolution.”

“As a company founded by and for movie lovers, VUDU is dedicated to raising the bar for the home viewing experience,” said Patrick Cosson, VP of Marketing, VUDU. “Our partnership with Anthem signifies our commitment to offering the greatest depth and breadth of content to our users, instantly and with high quality.”

Anthem releases available to rent or purchase on VUDU include Mother Ghost, Truce, 911: In Plane Sight and Judges. Other popular titles now available include The Boston Strangler, An Ordinary Killer, Crime Fiction, The Naked Ape, Bloodshed, Tales from Beyond and Dorkness Rising.

About VUDU

VUDU is dedicated to bringing instant access to video entertainment, including thousands of mainstream movies, HD films and TV shows, to every living room. Through relationships with every major US movie studio and more than 50 independent studios and international distributors, VUDU offers the ultimate home entertainment experience. Consumers can finally watch what they want, when they want—no planning needed, no computer required, no software downloads, and no cable TV service or satellite subscription necessary. VUDU’s website is located at www.vudu.com.

About Anthem Pictures

As an independent studio and label, Anthem is always looking to push the envelope with quality original films and programming. With a growing retail presence in North America, Anthem is quickly becoming the choice of the independent film industry for distribution. Anthem Pictures website is located at www.anthemdvd.com.

There is. First, the juicy stuff:

COMIC CON!

We will be there, and screening Dorkness Rising.

Marriott, Marina Ballroom D
Friday, July 25, 2008
6:00pm Room Opens - Q&A with the Dead Gentlemen
7:00pm-8:40pm The Gamers: Dorkness Rising

We are honored that Comic Con wanted to show our movie and actually ASKED us to bring it. In attendance will be: Writer/Director, Matt Vancil. Producer, Don Early. Actor, Jen Page (Luster Female). Production Designer, Matt DeMille (recently accepted to attend AFI for Production Design!!! CONGRATS MATT!!!!), and rumored appearance, actor Carol Roscoe (Joanna/Daphne).

Next up,

Gen Con!

Screening times are yet to be announced, but let me tell you folks, this one is the BIG one! Not only is it really truly the FINAL and RELEASED version of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, but you actually get to take home the DVD, available at Paizo Publishing’s booth, #2221! Also, collect your autographs this year, because we’ve got a slew of DG’s attending this year. In attendance at this year’s Gen Con will be:

Matt Vancil, Don Early, Nathan Rice, Steve Wolbrecht, Jen Page, Scott C. Brown, Brian Lewis, Christian Doyle, Chris Duppenthaler, Jimmy McMichael, Evan Shimono, Camille Mesmer, and Cindy Messler-Early.

You can find us at the Paizo booth, AND at the Margaret Weis Productions booth #1005, promoting the Demon Hunters Role Playing Game.

We will also be doing Q&A at each screening. We’ll post up a schedule of our happenings once we get them.

Dorkness has Risen! Announcing The Gamers: Dorkness Rising distributed by Anthem Pictures!
Dead Gentlemen Productions signs with Anthem Pictures to distribute The Gamers: Dorkness Rising
May 26, 2008
Dead Gentlemen Productions, LLC, creators of the world famous cult hit The Gamers, announces today that they have signed with Anthem Pictures to be the exclusive domestic distributor for their long-awaited feature, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising.

“The guys at Anthem Pictures really enjoyed the film and are excited about it. That was really important for us in our search,” said Don Early, Executive Director for Dead Gentlemen Productions. “We were looking to form a long-term ally in distributing to the larger markets.”
“Working with the Dead Gentlemen has been an amazing experience,” says John Frank Rosenblum, an Executive Producer of the film. “Fantasy is more than just serious elves on serious quests and we at Epic Level are looking to tell all sorts of tales in a variety of ways. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is an amazingly funny film which has a real heart. We are so proud to be involved with it!”

Charles Adelman, the president of Anthem Pictures, described their acquisition of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising in one word: “Awesome!” Adelman noted that Anthem Pictures sells to a number of retailers and rental companies, including Netflix, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Best Buy, Amazon.com, Target, and Borders. They will also be selling DVDs to Paizo Publishing, LLC, who will be the primary sub distributor for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising into the hobby game industry.
The Gamers: Dorkness Rising follows Lodge, Dungeon Master and budding writer, who wants his gaming group to finish their adventure. Unfortunately, they’re more interested in seducing barmaids, mooning their enemies, and setting random villagers on fire. Desperate to rein in his players, Lodge injects two newbies into the fray: a non-player character controlled by Lodge, who the power gamers immediately distrust, and the rarest gamer of all — a girl. Can the group overcome their bickering to save the kingdom, or will the evil necromancer Mort Kemnon triumph unopposed? A parody of fantasy films and the adventure gaming community, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is a hilarious romp through the world of sword and sorcery — in this case, a world of exploding peasants, giant house cats, and undead roast turkeys. The trailer can be found at www.the-gamers.com.

Shot in high definition, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is the most ambitious feature film that Dead Gentlemen Productions has produced to date. It was test screened in 2006 at the Gen Con game fair to standing ovations and standing room only. Creators of the Dragonlance novels & New York Times Bestselling authors, Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, called it “A critical hit!… Original and funny - a real treat for fans of both fantasy and gaming.” You can find other responses to the film and add your own on their listing at IMDb.

The movie will be released for sale on DVD through Paizo at the Gen Con game fair in Indianapolis on August 14th, 2008.

Isn’t it shiny? Isn’t it cool? I know, I know. “When is the movie going to be released?” Well, the answer to that question hasn’t changed. We just plain don’t know. But the trailer (which, incidentally is also available for download in various sizes on this very site) is a big step in that direction. This is part of what we’ve been working on to send to distributors. So no word yet, but sit tight fans. You’ll be the first to know!

“But,” I hear you say, “what if I want to see the movie right now? Or if not right now, at least from July 5th through 8th!” Funny you should ask such an oddly specific question!

If you happen to be in Columbus, Ohio from the 5th through the 8th of next month, be sure to stop in at the Origins International Game Expo. Producer/Director/Composer/Editor/Public-Urinator extraordinare Ben Dobyns will be present at the show, running back and forth between the Paizo Publishing and Margaret Weis Productions booths.

But as exciting as meeting the Cobbler’s Crystals Guy might be, the big news is the screenings. Not only will you finally get a chance to see The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, but Origins will be featuring a one-time-only sneak-preview screening of the Demon Hunters: Brotherhood Orientation Video from the upcoming Demon Hunters RPG. And do we ever mean preview. The paint will still be wet on this thing! Ben is the only person who will have seen the complete film before you! So be sure to be at the Film Room on Thursday, July 5th at 4:00pm, because you won’t get another chance to see this baby!

The rest of the DG films will be screening throughout the show. The full schedule is available on the Origins site, but here’s the highlights:

We are proud of our sponsors, and at the top of that list is Wizards of the Coast for giving us permission to use their game in our movie. So instead of making up our own stuff, we can speak in terms you all will understand. No more GLE. Which stands for “Guile” by the way.

In this podcast, we also discuss the subject matter of the film that carries over into the filmmakers’ own lives (that’s us), gaming.

We’d like to thank Dave Noonan and Mike Mearl, and everyone else at Wizards of the Coast, for their support of our film. It’s a great honor for us to make it to the actual official webpage for D&D. Now, go listen to that podcast (also available via iTunes), and post your comments and questions on our forum.

We got a fabulous response from a crowd that is primarily not gamers. The geek factor helped us out and to our joy, the film delivers the funny well to the non-gamer crowd. The folks over at Slice of SciFi snagged a podcast interview with our illustrious writer/director, Matt Vancil, and our more than fabulous Executive Producer, John Frank Rosenblum over at Epic Level Productions.

Stay tuned. Coming up, Wizards of the Coast will be featuring the beautiful Jen Page and the not as beautiful but definitely way more hairy Don Early, in their D&D podcast. For now, listen to their most recent podcast, with Dave Noonan and Mike Mearl chatting with bestselling author R.A. Salvatore.

You’re not going to believe what’s taking so long to put the final touches on the movie. So in the place of the truth, we present you with the following lie:

Matt Vancil, writer/director of Dorkness Rising, in a fit of inspiration decided to wipe the current score from the movie and start over. Instead of all the months of arduous work that the Brothers Wolbrect have been putting in composing and recording the soundtrack, not to mention the countless sleepless nights both they and sound mixer Phil Price have been sacrificing, Mr. Vancil has decided to start fresh with a score by Tangerine Dream. “Hell, it worked for Legend” said Vancil. Instead of contacting the 80’s band and getting permission to use the music, Phil has been pulling Tangerine Dream songs left and right in order to finish the film. Mr. Price would give no comment, but did give us the finger.

What inspired the change for Mr. Vancil? “Five days of methadone treatment, a bottle of Jack Daniels a day, four coffee cans, basil, No Doze and a blender,” commented Vancil.

Well, before we started the change in the score [/lie], we had a chance to show the film at Gen Con SoCal and none other than Wil Wheaton was there to watch it personally! He wrote his thoughts over at Suicidegirls.com.

“…where I discovered that I’d missed the movie. So instead of A Great Disturbance, I ended up watching The Gamers: Dorkness Rising in the room next door. The movie is hilarious, and if you know why it’s funny for a Bard to have twenty ranks in seduction, you’ll love it. Imagine watching Waiting for Guffman with community theater nerds who all have a sense of humor about themselves, and you’ll know what it was like to watch this film, about gamers in a d20 adventure, surrounded by gamers who just came from playing a d20 adventure.”

Be forewarned, while the interview section of the Suicide Girls site is safe for work, the rest of the site features very pasty, very piercedy girls in various stages of undress. The Dead Gentlemen will not be held responsible if you get caught looking at goth porn at work. That said, check out the interview.

So in all honesty, the movie is doing well. When do you get to see it? We finally have an answer to this. We guarantee that the film will be released before March 2nd, 2091! Yeah, still no idea. Sorry folks!

Listen to the Podcast

For more information on Count Strahd and Ravenloft, visit Wizard’s DnD site. You used to be able to find Tracy & Laura Hickman at DragonHearth Productions, but now, apparently Strahd’s got them. Maybe check back at Dragonhearth and see what news of the Hickmans there be!

In addition to the usual screenings of The Gamers (no set time, but probably Friday or Saturday night at 11:30, so keep an eye on the schedule), this year we’ve got something special. Something REALLY special. This year, finally, you can attend the Gen Con Exclusive premiere of our new film The Gamers: Dorkness Rising! That’s right folks, after waiting patiently (ha!) for so long, you’ve finally got your chance to see our latest film…if you happen to be in Indiana anyway.

So when, you ask, can you see the movie? Good question! There will be two screenings of the film at Gen Con. Both will take place in the Westin Hotel, attached to the convention center.

As you can see, there isn’t much space in the screenings, so you’ll want to make sure you get there plenty early. Especially since about half the seats will be taken up by the following DG guests!:

From the cast and crew of Demon Hunters: Dead Camper Lake:

• Ben Dobyns
• Chris Duppenthaler
• Don Early
• Cindy Messler-Early
• Emily Olson
• Phil Price
• Nathan Rice
• Matt Shimkus
• Matt Vancil
• Steve Wolbrecht

From the cast and crew of The Gamers:

• Ben Dobyns
• Chris Duppenthaler
• Emily Olson
• Jen Page
• Phil Price
• Nathan Rice
• Matt Shimkus
• Matt Vancil

From the cast and crew of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising:

• Scott Brown
• Ben Dobyns
• Christian Doyle
• Chris Duppenthaler
• Don Early
• Brian Lewis
• Tish Lopez
• Emily Olson
• Jen Page
• Cindi Rice
• Nathan Rice
• Carol Roscoe
• John Frank Rosenblum
• Matt Vancil
• Dave Wolbrecht
• Steve Wolbrecht

These folks will be at the Dead Gentlemen Productions / New Dimension Games booth (#325) all weekend, selling, signing, and various other things that start with “S” that are best not mentioned in polite society. So stop on by and finally pick up that copy of The Gamers or Dead Camper Lake that you’ve been meaning to get!

So remember, August 10-13! The Gamers: Dorkness Rising! We’ll see you at Gen Con!