Five years after creating the critically acclaimed 2013 found-footage movie “WNUF Halloween Special,” director Chris LaMartina (“Call Girl of Cthulhu”) has launched a crowdfunding campaign seeking $50,000 to produce a sequel. The original film’s inventive presentation as a real VHS recording of a live Halloween broadcast from 1987 that goes awry gained the attention of Halloween fanatics around the world and press coverage from outlets as diverse as New York Times, National Public Radio and MTV.
Now, LaMartina plans to expand the film’s universe for a 1990s-set sequel and is calling on fans to fund the follow-up through GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/wnuf-halloween-sequel.
In “WNUF Halloween Special” – currently streaming on Amazon Prime – a television tabloid reporter hosts a live broadcast complete with commercials at the site of brutal murder with a team of paranormal investigators. The film gained a minor cult following thanks to its ability to tap into horror fans’ nostalgia for VHS tapes and retro-styled productions.
While the original was a low-budget, do-it-yourself production, LaMartina is seeking $50,000 to produce the sequel. The sequel is set in the 1990s and LaMartina said the larger budget is necessary for a more elaborate production and to make the film authentic to the updated time period.
“We shot the original WNUF on tape stock for peanuts,” LaMartina said. “This time, the vision for the story has increased in scope. There are a lot of insane things we want to do that require over-the-top props, sets, and gnarly special effects.”
Though LaMartina wants specific details of the sequel to be a surprise to the film’s fanbase, he has assured any prospective donors that the film is not a remake or reboot and there will be returning characters. Campaign rewards include copies of the film on various formats, cameo roles, a one-of-a-kind VHS edition with an exclusive bonus commercial, producer credits and more. The largest reward will bring LaMartina and members of the crew to the donor for a Halloween party.
“If we can get the money to pull this off, you’ll be picking up your jaw off the floor,” LaMartina said. “Every dollar we raise will be on the screen.”
