Monster Camp
| Monster Camp | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster for Monster Camp | |
| Directed by | Cullen Hoback |
| Produced by | Aaron Douglas, Cullen Hoback |
| Starring | Shane Macomber, Dave Overman, Paul Vorvick, Fern Zimmerman, and Rebecca McNamee as The Strega |
| Cinematography | Cullen Hoback |
| Edited by | Cullen Hoback |
| Music by | Speechwriters LLC |
Release date | 2007 |
Running time | 79 Minutes |
| Country |  USA |
| Language | English |
Monster Camp is a feature-length documentary that chronicles a live action role-playing game organization. Monster Camp looks at the lives of the participants, and considers the pro and cons of escapism through fantastical outlets. Director Cullen Hoback documents the fantasy world, following several participants over the course of one year.
The group followed is a Seattle, Washington chapter of the New England Role Playing Organization (NERO), one of many live-action role-playing organizations in the US. Players create their own identities selecting from a variety of races and classes, similar to Dungeons and Dragons or World of Warcraft. Participants dress up and are involved as either player characters, non-player character, or Plot Members.
It premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival 17 in 2007, where it received the Audience Award for Best Documentary.[1] It was also in the Seattle International Film Festival[2] and the Corvallis da Vinci Film Festival[3].
Production Facts
The film was shot largely at a State Park in Washington. While shooting, temperatures dropped to zero degrees. The main weekend chronicled in the film occurred during the coldest temperatures recorded in the Northwest in 50 years. Many of the costumes worn by characters are abnormal, as it was too cold to be scantily clad.
There was a split among the NERO organizations in 1998. This film follows one of the NERO Alliance chapters, not NERO International.
The film's score is done by California band, Speechwriters LLC.
See also
References
- ^ "Cinequest 17 Wraps" (PDF). 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2007-05-28. (Press release)
- ^ "Monster Camp". 2007 Seattle International Film Festival. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
- ^ "da Vinci Film Festival 2008 : Monster Camp". 2008 Corvallis DaVinci Film Festival. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
External links
- Reviews
- "Monster Camp: The Story Of Nero Seattle" by Dennis Harvey in Variety
- "Monster Camp" by Felix Vasquez Jr. for Film Threat. 4 out of 5 stars.
- "Monster Camp" by Steve Rhodes for InternetReviews.com. 3 out of 4 stars.
- "Monster Camp" by Dennis Schwartz for Ozus' World Movie Reviews. "B" rating.
- "Today schedule" by Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times. 3 out of 4 stars.
- Other articles
- "A monster hit for Boston film fest" by Brian Jewell for Bay Windows.
- "They are their toughest critics" by Brandy Hilboldt Allport for the Florida Times Union.
- "Monster Camp: Interview with Director Cullen Hoback" by Jon Bosworth for the EU Jacksonville