Corey Norman (director)

Corey Norman
BornMarch 19, 1981
Bridgton, ME
Occupation(s)Director, producer, writer
Years active2000 - present
OrganizationBonfire Films
Known forThe Hanover House
SpouseHaley Norman
AwardsBest Director (HorrorQuest), Best Director (Horror Society Awards 2016), Best Maine Filmmaker (Portland Phoenix Best of Awards)

Corey Norman (born March 19, 1981) is an American horror film director and writer, best known for his debut feature film, The Hanover House.[1] The film has won 6 awards, including Best Feature Film (HorrorHound Film Festival) and Best Director (HorrorQuest Film Festival).[2] It is slated for worldwide distribution in fall 2015.

Career

Norman begin working in the film industry at the age of 19 for the Lone Wolf Documentary Group, where he worked for clients such as: History Channel, Nova, National Geographic Channel and Discovery Channel.[3] He was an assistant editor on Nova’s "Bioterror", produced in conjunction with The New York Times, which won a Best News and Documentary Emmy Award.[4] He would continue working in documentary based television for seven years before pursuing his career as a horror filmmaker.

The Hanover House

Norman's first feature film, co-written with his wife Haley, was The Hanover House. Filming took place in Maine during December 2012 at various locations, including a farm house that the cast later claimed was haunted.[5] The initial principal photography was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign and a second fundraiser through Indiegogo was held to raise funding to complete the movie.[6][7] The film would go on to premiere at The Saco Drive-In on May 9, 2014.[8]

The film will be re-released digitally under the title "The Calling" in 2022.[9]

Short films

NATAL

In the summer of 2014, Norman and his wife penned NATAL, a thirty-minute, slow burn[clarification needed] horror film. It premiered at Maine's Damnationland Film Festival, an annual showcase of home grown horror films held at the historic State Theatre.[10] NATAL was nominated for 10 awards, winning both Best Supernatural Short and Best Actress at the Fear Fete Horror Film Festival in 2014.[11] NATAL will see worldwide distribution on October 6, 2015 as part of The Invoking 2, an anthology film released by RJL/Image Entertainment.[12]

Tickle

Written in 2014 by Corey's wife Haley, Tickle is a throwback to the golden era of VHS horror.[13] Directed by Norman and filmed over the course of several nights, it premiered as part of Damnationland in October 2014. Since its premiere, it has won Best Short Film at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival,[14] and listed at an official selection at 50 separate festivals, garnering 20 award nominations.[15] The short was licensed for international distribution by Shorts HD in 2015.

Suffer the Little Children

In 2015, Norman was granted the rights to produce Stephen King's short story "Suffer the Little Children." The project will begin filming in July 2015 and will mark the second time that Norman has worked with actress Anne Bobby.[16] The film is set to premiere at HorrorHound Indianapolis this September.[17]

Music videos

In 2011, Norman began directing music videos, beginning with Last Chance to Reason's "Upload Complete." In response to the video's release of their web site, MetalSucks stated: "(This is) proof you can make an engaging music video for a small amount of dough."[18] In 2013, he would direct "The Escapist," the first single from Last Chance to Reason's third studio album. It premiered August 6, 2013 on Alternative Press.[19] In 2014, Norman would direct two music videos for Indiana-based progressive metal band The Contortionist. The first video, "Language I: Intuition" debuted on August 26, 2014 on Alternative Press.[20] The video received positive reviews, with the website Metal Injection stating, "The Contortionist's new music video is as beautiful as the song it accompanies."[21] Norman's second directorial effort for the band, "Primordial Sound," would later be released through Vice's Noisey website,[22][23] and depicts the band in an ultra minimalist, stripped down state.

Additional awards

In 2011, Norman was honored as one of Maine Today Media’s “Forty Under 40,” for being one of the most influential people in the state of Maine under the age of 40.[24] He was named Runner Up for Educator of the Year by ACTEM in 2014,[25] and Best Maine Filmmaker by the Portland Phoenix in 2015[26]

References

  1. ^ Moore, Debi. "First Details and Premiere Info for Corey Norman's The Hanover House". Dread Central. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  2. ^ Staff. "Best of Contest Draws Over 20,000 Votes". The Portland Phoenix. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  3. ^ Corey Norman at IMDb
  4. ^ Business/Entertainment Editors. "New York Times Program With Nova, 'Bioterror,' Wins Emmy." The Free Library. Retrieved 25 June 2015. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Gillis, Timothy. "New movie to be filmed in 'haunted' Maine farmhouse". The Portland Sun. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  6. ^ "The Hanover House - Round 2". Indiegogo. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  7. ^ Perkins, Dennis. "Indie Film: Horror filmmaker's luck is so good it's scary". Press Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  8. ^ Gillis, Timothy. "New movie to be filmed in 'haunted' Maine farmhouse". The Portland Sun. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  9. ^ The Calling (2021) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-06-30
  10. ^ Perkins, Dennis. "Indie Film: 'Damnationland' filmmakers deliver wicked good chills". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Festival Awards". Fear Fete. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  12. ^ Miska, Brad. "'The Invoking 2′ Art Premiere (Exclusive)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  13. ^ "SHARP SHOCK SHORT: TICKLE". Hickey's House of Horrors. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  14. ^ "2015 Winners". Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  15. ^ Monserrate, Danny. "Bonfire Films, TICKLE... Keep Telling Yourself It's Only A Story..." Shock! Chamber. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  16. ^ Moore, Debi (23 June 2015). "Anne Bobby oins Bonfire Films "Suffer the Little Children" Adaptation". Dread Central. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  17. ^ ""Suffer the Little Children" Funding Campaign". Indiegogo. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  18. ^ Neilstein, Vince (6 July 2011). "EXCLUSIVE CINEMETAL PREMIERE: LAST CHANCE TO REASON'S "UPLOAD COMPLETE"". Metal Sucks. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  19. ^ Whitt, Cassie. "Video Premiere: Last Chance To Reason, "The Escapist". Alternative Press. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  20. ^ Kraus, Brian. "The Contortionist — "Language I: Intuition" (Video Premiere)". Alternative Press. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  21. ^ "THE CONTORTIONIST "Language I: Intuition" Music Video". Metal Injection. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  22. ^ Hill, John. "THE CONTORTIONIST'S NEW VIDEO FOR "PRIMORDIAL SOUND" WILL HIT YOU WHILE YOU'RE DOWN". Noisey. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  23. ^ Willschick, Aaron. "The Contortionist - "Primordial Sound" [Music Video]". Pure Grain Audio. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  24. ^ Stewart, Colleen (14 August 2011). "Forty Under 40: Gifted teacher, award-winning poet helping kids' writing center to thrive". Portland Press Herald. Portland Press Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  25. ^ Rier, Jim. "Learning through technology educators". Maine DOE Newsroom. Maine.gov. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  26. ^ Staff, Phoenix. "Best of Contest Draws Over 20,000 Votes". The Portland Phoenix. Retrieved 25 June 2015.