Universal Wins ‘Grim Night’ Spec
EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures just won an auction for Grim Night, a thriller about about a night that happens once a year globally, where people lock themselves at home and fend off the senseless and random attacks by Grims. Deal was in the high six figure against seven-figure range. Unbroken Films partners Bryan Bertino & Adrienne Biddle are partnering with Marc Platt to produce. Bertino directed The Strangers. The script was written by Brandon Bestenheider & Allen Bey, who made their first sale. The duo helped move things along by making a teaser trailer for the spec that was leaked by their Verve reps before the auction began. About six other outlets were interested but Universal moved fastest. Here’s the teaser trailer:
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Your joking right? The “trailer” looks like shit and Universal can’t open a phone book, pass.
Quit hating. I’ll take that coffee with cream.
another spec going out this week with a cool trailer thingy that i saw at work – http://vimeo.com/31104387
I know the director probably worked hard on that VFX test, but sadly it doesn’t look good.
What the hell was that?!
It looks like an ad for a mobile phone.
Not a compliment by the way.
Just checked out the LIMBO trailer. You’re right — it’s very cool and trippy. Love the whale swimming through the city.
when the guy in the hooded grim reaper costume “knocks” on the door….
i really expected someone to open it with a bowl of candy
and hear a strange voice say TRICK OR TREAT….
i mean seriously….
captainLashout – learn the difference between “your” and “you’re,” and your narrow opinion may start to carry weight.
Trailer looks amazing- Great sell for a great group!
For a spec script, this was a good trailer. I do wonder if there were annual event like Grim Night, if governments wouldn’t build bunkers instead of just having people lock themselves in homes whose doors are easily broken. Wouldn’t those who could afford it build bunkers or have other secure defenses protecting their homes?
Send in the Trolls! This trailer reminds me of every other no-budget, freshman film school project. Good luck to the writers, oh an quit your day job at that post production house because you fucking blow at editing.
And you need to keep your day job, “scribe,” because you wouldn’t know a good concept if it crawled up your ass.
They’re making trailers for spec scripts?
That’s great. What’s next? Trailers for rewrites? Polishes? Title pages?
Quite the slippery slope you’ve prophesied. But what’s wrong with a little previs, mofo?
Guarantee there never would have been a bidding war if not for the hot proof of concept.
In the end, it will ALL be previs.
I worked for a manager who wouldn’t read scripts from unknown writers unless they had a trailer, even if it was made using clips from other movies. There are too many writers, too many scripts, there needs to be even more of a weeding process.
This looks clever and cool. A trailer for a spec is a great idea if you have the skills to pull it off well. Like my boy 50 Cent says, Let the haters hate and watch the money pile up.
Congrats to the writers! I wish you guys nothing but the best! An original spec sale is always good in my book. Well done!
I second that! This project is creative all around, I wish I’d thought of it!
More specs! More specs!
Do what you got to do to get your work noticed. It worked well for them. I did a trailer for my screenplay “Monster Child” and posted it on YouTube and Funny or Die. I’m sure we’ll see more of these.
Guarantee the movie will never top the crap trailer.
More specs less dreck… Kudos!
Yeah, saw this on Go Into The Story (http://www.gointothestory.com/) last week. Simple, brilliant idea. And great, atmospheric trailer that’s only helped by its raw, student film look.
Thing is, for most struggling writers, who can afford a trailer this slick? Sure, you can probably count on a few favors if you live in LA, but for a struggling writer in, say, Ames, Iowa, it’s pretty prohibitive. I hope making a trailer for your spec doesn’t become the norm. Then again, the idea for Grim Night is so good, it’d probably have sold with or without the trailer. Good for The B Team and their first sale.
Bertino made THE STRANGERS, scariest movie I have seen in 5 years. “GRIM NIGHT” is must see in my book.