Birdemic
Written, directed, produced, shot, gaffed, edited and everying else by James Nguyen

James Nguyen has recently signed a distribution agreement with Severin Films, close to 2 years after Birdemic was completed. Finally, the paychecks to the actors are being cut and mailed. With several premieres across the U.S. and Europe toting Birdemic as the worst movie ever made, there's been a lot of press and TV coverage. Severin is also producing a documentary about James Nguyen (for which all this publicity can only help).

I have spotted audition notices for Nguyen's next film: Birdemic The Resurrection - 3D. Please note, Severin Films is still discussing different financial arrangements with Nguyen, and backing is not definite at this point. If they do, this could be a big turn in Nguyen's previous reputation and future career. Still, always a good idea to confirm with production company before signing that contract.

My involvement with Birdemic: Shock and Horror goes back to January of 2008. I, Bonnie Steiger, first found James Nguyen's audition notices on Craigs List and Casting Connection.com. He was trying to cast his latest feature, "Birdemic." There was a link to his web site and I found he had already completed two other features. So, I thought he would make a good guest on my local cable interview show, "Movie Close Up" (http://www.bonniesteiger.com/moviecloseup.html), in which I interview local filmmakers and show movie clips. His audition notice had been up for many months, off for a while, and then back up again. I wondered if he was having a hard time casting his film, having a hard time keeping his actors? Well, that didn't matter in reference to being a guest on my show (Above, Birdemic poster.)

James behind the camera.

James gave me copies of his previous films. They were just rip offs of Hitchcock themes (some might say tributes to), and overall I kindly say unimpressive. Neither had gotten distribution except for online sales. In all his films, the lead is a computer software sales rep who is not doing too well at his job. He meets a woman, starts a relationship with her, and then his sales numbers increase dramatically and he becomes the best salesman in his company. This is in all three of his movies, including Birdemic. Need you ask what James does for a living?

We had a nice enough time on my show. After the show, James said he would find a part for me in his film. I have to admit, after seeing his films, I didn't expect this to be my breakthrough. But at least he "pays" his actors and I'll get another film credit on my resume. I was to be a featured extra and it would only take one day. That suited me fine. (Above, me and James on "Movie Close Up", above.)

Here is ye olde English pub Cameron's. At least we could buy food while we were on set. Clean bathrooms, even friendly people enjoying the fine weather and good food. Notice the new infamous English tour bus to the right.

So, the day of the shoot arrives. The scene takes place at Cameron's Pub in Half Moon Bay. Oh, forgot to say, this Hitchcock "Birds" tribute is about birds of prey -- eagles and vultures -- attacking people. I didn't have the heart to tell James that vultures were not birds of prey, but scavengers. He does many takes of a few tourists, including me, in an English tour bus hiding from the birds. A hero with a machine gun says --the birds have gone now, so let's escape. He drags us all out of the bus screaming. Once we're in the open, the birds come back and urinate on us -- a mixture of Cool Aid, Sunny Delight and other fluids. We seem to be burned by the guano and, like the Wicked Witch of the West melting in Dorothy's tears, wither to the ground. Then the camera comes in for a close up of our dead bodies and our throats appeared slashed. The amusing bird effect shot was added in post. I guess the urination was just the birds being insulting. (Above, I as an anguished tourist trapped in bus watch birds.)

Whitney Moore, originally "hired" as lead actress, than added make up artist to her credits, applying claw slashes to extra Kim Caster, while daughter, co-lead, Janae Caster, ponders.

My job is done. Fortunately for all of use, as I said above, 2 years after Birdemic is completed, Severin Films comes to the rescue. Payment is forthcoming. The creatives find Nguyen himself such a unique character, they are making a documentary about him and his self-image. It could possibly be as funny as "American Movie," another documentary about a deluded, horror filmmaker which was hysterical.

James and me at the SF screening of Birdemic in 2009. He asked me to emcee the event, which was fun. And the whole cast had some hearty laughs during the screening. Thanks to Severin Films, again, I recently got paid for that gig as well. All directors have to deal with reviewers and commentators, often with negative reactions. And here some of James' fans respond:

www.toplessrobots.com/2020/02/aaaaaaaaa_its_a_birdemic.php

Lazlo's Closet (http://lazloscloset.blogspot.com:80/2009/01/tales-from-film-festival.html) posted a kind of fun rundown of Birdemic when the DVD came out through Nguyen's site since no distributor would touch it. He nicely skirts the issue of the quality of the film or review of any kind, but instead displays a series of posters he would have preferred for the film and it's proposed sequels. Great fun. (Irrationally, Nguyen thinks this is a serious suggestion and is now in pre-production on the sequel.) Here is the actual Birdemic review by Lazlo. You can read the whole stinking tragedy scene by scene, with drawings, thereby avoiding the awful mistake of buying it online. Thanks, Lazlo. And here's a blog from Lazlo's Closet. This describes James' distribution efforts, trying to get out of paying his bar tab, giving a potential distributor a trailer instead of the film (didn't know he's supposed to bring copies of his film to a festival for distributors, or didn't think they deserved it for the $15 bar tab they covered for him). Actually, this article is kind to him. Just in case the blog disappears over time, I'll reproduce most of it here: Furze, a good friend of Lazlo's Closet took the trip to Sundance this year searching for licencing opportunities for the studio he works for; and while walking up the strip, couldn't help but notice a mini van covered in blood and bird parts slowly rolling up and down the street. An Asian man was driving while the sounds of many screeching angry birds blasted from the mini van's speakers. On the side door was a sign with the ominous title to the film he was promoting, BIRDEMIC Shock and Terror. Furze being a purveyor of the strange, I'm sure felt an immediate draw to see what this guy was about so he made a point to get himself to his screening which was that night at a small Bar which was dressed up for the screening with a really bad stuffed Eagle perched on the bar with wings spread as if waiting to strike. The man driving the van was there; Director James Nguyen, owner of Moviehead Productions and self proclaimed "Master of Romantic Thrillers (TM)". He was very happy to see Evan and the few friends he convinced to go along to see the film, He welcomed them and the screening had begun... I believe there were like 7 people including Mr. Nguyen at the screening which can't be much of a morale booster but Mr. Nguyen seemed unfazed by the low turnout. Birdemic is probably what Lazlo's Closet would consider "Pure Cinema (TM)" an original idea like this comes once every few decades or so. In the film an insane number of Vultures, Eagles, Seagulls, and probably sparrows get crazy and for who knows what reason attacks a small coastal California town... hmmmmm... Well anyway, after two hours of wooden performances and CGI effects from 1991, Evan and crew were ready to pack it in, but the Master of Romantic Thrillers (TM) would hear nothing of it. He offered them drinks and they chatted for a while about the film, but when it came time to pay the bar tab Mr. Nguyen came up short. He motioned to the bartender that he would be right back with the $15 he owed and attempted to pick up his bird and leave. The bartender quickly grabbed up the stuffed eagle and said he would hold onto it until he came back with the cash.

Nguyen left the bar and after a few minutes Furze and friends were leaving as well. There they saw the Director looking upset and a bit worried, so they offered to pay his bar tab in exchange for a copy of the movie. Nguyen said he only had one copy of the film with him... "You came to the Sundance Film Festival with only ONE copy of your movie? You don't have any burned copies in your bag?" one of the friends asked. Nguyen suddenly remembered that he had a copy in his bag. He rushed to his Blood and Bird part spattered van and brought them a disc with the word "Birdemic" written on it in red sharpie. Money was exchanged for the disc, The master of Romantic Thrillers (TM) was able to pay his bar tab and reclaim his bird, and Furze and his crew were already making plans for the next night to screen Birdemic with friends in their hotel room. Much to their dismay... After getting some twenty or so people into their hotel room, over three times what Nguyen had seated in the screening, all with PBR's in hand waiting to see the much talked up "Hitchcockian" Romantic Thriller. They popped the disc in their player only to see the Trailer for the film and then nothing... He had duped them into paying his bar tab and gave them only a movie trailer for their troubles. Or maybe it was an honest mistake, who can say? Though as far as track records go... a few potentially slanderous you tube warnings about said Director concerning non-payments and sexual harassment allegations make a case for the guys holding the PBR's. So, now having a personal interest in this film, Lazlo's closet is working on getting a full copy of the film so we can be the first to give it a proper review. Why do you ask? Well we don't want to be like the bloggers who turned down reviewing SAW before it became popular and spawned all those sequels. If we get in on the ground floor of this Mega-Franchise waiting to happen we will be able to say we were fans long before all those sequels came, like Birdemic II - Birdtopia, Bridemic III: 3-D, Birdemic IV: Birdokalypse, Birdemic V: The New Hatch...

If anyone would like to contact, James' mail box address is: James Nguyen 7119 West Sunset Boulevard, Suite 187 Hollywood, CA 90046 Tel.: (323) 335-6993 Info@MovieheadPictures.com or Severin Films 2018 Griffith Park Blvd., #321 Los Angeles, CA 90039 www.severin-films.com

The Cast -- Whitney Moore Alan Bagh Janae Caster Colton Osborne Rick Camp Damien Carter Laura Cassidy James Z. Feng Stephen Gustavson Milan Lee Steve McCoy Mona Lisa Moon Cameron Carter Adam Sessa ZoyaShybkouskaya Jaime Soria Eric Schwartz Joe Teixeira Patsy van Ettinger Danny Webber Natalie Yonkers Kim Caster Bonnie Steiger