Aliens To Zombies Convention aka The Best Place On Earth

Ever wonder what the best place on Earth is?

Your childhood home? Your favorite bar? A secret place that no one else knows about?

Well, I'm afraid if you guessed any of the above, you'd sadly be wrong. The Aliens to Zombies Convention is the obvious answer. But what is, in fact, this monumental event?

Glad you asked 'cuz I was pretty much just gonna go ahead anywho.

The Aliens to Zombies Convention is held at the famously haunted Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, October 21st to 22nd 2011, which is being run by Emmy-winning visual effects artist Todd Masters and Bruce Haring of JM Northern Media.

Todd Masters recently spoke with FEAR NET about the Convention...

"Well, my ol' buddy Bruce Haring phoned me one day, said... I got this idea, "Aliens to Zombies"...and before he even said it all, it was like, "DANG! I like this..." So we both just went rapidly into it... He having this great background in conventions, book festivals, story conferences... And me, with my history of these Halloween Bash's, monster-making and arts... We naturally jumped into making what this means to our unique association, into this event.

And it's been a lot of fun putting together. It's like a monster itself!!" ~ Todd Masters, Fear.net

Check out the FULL FEAR NET INTERVIEW right here.

Confirmed participants include "Dark Skies" producer Bryce Zabel, "Walking Dead" actor Michael Rooker, and ADI Inc’s Oscar winners Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr. One highlight will be the return of Masters' annual "Monster-Makers Bash" costume party, attended by top FX artists.

That's right. In addition to tons of special panelists, special events, and horror royalty being in attendance, there will be a COSTUME PARTY HELD BY THE MOST TALENTED FX ARTISTS IN THE WORLD. THAT is what heaven is like. And it is a place on Earth.



Now, I don't have to tell you folks that frequent our Penny Dreadful Diary that I absolutely adore prosthetic effects, make up effects, and the masters who create them. What can I say? I'm a 80s brat who was lucky enough to grow up with titles like ALIEN, JACOB'S LADDER, and THE THING where gore~geous, practical effects were used and even the occasional amputee. I know I'm not the only one who cringes watching actors try to interact with CGI beasties who never quite match up to having the real deal.

And our very favorite person attending? The Master of Horror, Todd Masters, of course. (Sorry, Rooker)

FEAR NET: Another film you're working on is American Mary. How would you describe this movie?

Todd Masters: Hey cool, glad to hear that you know this!! Working with the extra talented Twisted Twins... Their follow- up indie to Dead Hooker in a Trunk.... Just saw the ladies last night; we're moving into shooting (starts shooting Oct 31st!) The Twins will be at A/ZCon too!

We have the esteemed pleasure of working together on our upcoming AMERICAN MARY. Additionally, we will be attending the event as well. That's right, LA citizens and those within reasonable driving distance. Come on down and meet us Twisted Twins in the flesh.

It's the only place to be from October 21st to 22nd.

PROGRAM

FRIDAY, OCT. 21
7 p.m. Aliens to Zombies kickoff party – Halloween Book Festival Awards


SATURDAY, OCT. 22
Aliens to Zombies Convention – Roosevelt Hotel

ACADEMY ROOM 11:00 a.m. Aliens Keynote – Bryce Zabel, producer of NBC’s “Dark Skies” and author of “A.D. After Disclosure: The People’s Guide to Life After Contact” in a conversation with Alex Ben Block, Senior Editor, The Hollywood Reporter


OSCAR ROOM 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Beginning of the End
Moderator: Bruce Haring, Aliens to Zombies

Panelists:
Martin Olson, author, “ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HELL”
Joe McKinney, author, “DEAD CITY”
David Moody, author, “THE ‘AUTUMN’ SERIES”
Scott Kenemore, author, “ZOMBIE, OHIO”
Matt Mogk, author, “EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ZOMBIES”
Rhiannon Frater, author, "The First Days"


ACADEMY ROOM 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. – Aliens Among Us

Panelists:
Steve Murillo, State Section Director, MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) Los Angeles
Alec Gillis & Tom Woodruff Jr., ADI Inc. Oscar-winning FX creators, “Starship Troopers”, “Alien vs. Predator,” “The Thing”
Shane Mahan, “Aliens & Cowboys,” “Terminator” series, LegacyFX


OSCAR ROOM 1:10 to 2:00 p.m. Pro Monster-Maker $22. Halloween Challenge
Hollywood’s top monster-makers are challenged to make a monster from simple household materials with limited budget. A great how-to for anyone seeking Halloween costume ideas.

Participants:
Dan Rebert, MASTERSFX “6 Feet Under, True Blood”
Shane Mahan/Legacy, FX “Iron Man”, “Aliens”
Andrew Clement, “Cloverfield”, “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Sons of Anarchy”
Steve Johnson, “Ghostbusters,” “Species”

ACADEMY ROOM: 2:00 to 2:15 p.m. – “Beast Wishes” Trailer - Bob and Kathy Burns, Frank Dietz, Producer

ACADEMY ROOM 2:15 to 3:30 pm – The Cinema’s Simians: Monkey Men of the Movies

Panelists:
Jason Barnett, documentarian/producer
Bob Burns, special effects, “Aliens”
Todd Masters, “Underworld 4”
John Criswell, Hensons


ACADEMY ROOM 3:40–4:50 p.m. – Werewolf’s Bane – Howling to The Underworld
Moderator: Michael Dougherty, writer/director, “Trick or Treat”, “X-men”,

Panelists:
Steve Johnson, FX guru, “The Howling,” “Fright Night”
Kerry Gammill, artist, MONSTERVERSE (“X-men”, “Superman,” “Flesh and Blood”)
Todd Masters, President of MASTERSFX. “Underworld 4”


OSCAR ROOM 5:00 p.m Talking Dead – Michael Rooker, “The Walking Dead,” “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” in conversation with James Gunn, writer,/director, “Slither”, “Dawn of the Dead”, and “Super”.

8:30 p.m -1:30a.m. ALIENS TO ZOMBIES - Monster-Makers Bash, presented by MASTERSFX and JM Northern Media at Velvet Margarita.

For more info on the Convention, check out ALIENSTOZOMBIES.COM

You can get your tickets RIGHT HERE.

See you there!! Better start planning your costumes for the MONSTER MAKERS BASH now...

Bloody Best!
Jen