Inside Virginia’s Magic of Horror Festival

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With the exception of a few episodes of The Walking Dead, Virginia has never particularly heralded itself as the number one choice for horror movie location scouts.

However, despite its country idyll and pretty mountain backdrop, there’s quite the community of horror fans behind the Magic of Horror Festival who are working hard to platform some of the newest film-making talent around.

New work and how to see it

Festivals are the obvious way, but if you’re not a local, films and shorts are also screened online for an allocated amount of time. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that you may struggle to get access to some of the content if you’re not from Virginia.  To make sure you can access the platform you may need to sign up for a reputable virtual private network (VPN) such as Virginia VPN.

It will then mask your actual IP address, replace it with one from Virginia and allow you to gain access to Virginian channels and platforms. It will also provide fast streaming and avoid buffering, meaning you can go all-out immersive and take your iPad Pro to that abandoned cabin or ancient burial ground!

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But we know that for some, nothing beats the thrill of finding a soon-to-be cult classic or stumbling across a new movie that is truly terrifying at a festival. If you’re a horror purist, chances are you’ve seen all Craven and Cronenberg have to offer and are on the lookout for something a little different.

The Virginia Horror Festival serves as a fantastic platform for emerging horror filmmakers and artists to showcase their talents with selected films being given a screening at a live event.

More than movies

In addition to showcasing a huge array of films, the festival works hard to provide a programme of events to cater to every taste in terror!

There are various exhibits, and live performances and an array of events for those wishing to learn more about the art of filmmaking. Panels, workshops and Q&A sessions with industry experts and creatives offer a fascinating insight into the skills behind the scares.

Curators of the Virginia Film Festival also manage to foster a fantastic atmosphere and a real sense of camaraderie. Those attending will find themselves surrounded by like-minded individuals keen to discuss the latest screenings over a coffee or bond over some shared terror at a midnight screening.

Getting Involved

If you’re a new filmmaker, getting your film out there can be tricky. Getting valuable feedback on your work can be even trickier. Not only does the Magic of Horror Festival platform new work, but the panel will give notes to every filmmaker regardless of whether they are selected to be part of the festival or not.

Despite the horror focus, this is a truly warm and welcoming platform for filmmakers. The festival is hugely inclusive and has awards for all sorts of projects from feature films to microscopic budget shorts. There are even awards for film trailers and movie posters so you don’t have to be the next Dario Argento to get involved!

Time to grab that Canon Camera and stock up on that corn syrup!