The Familiar (film)
Encyclopedia
The Familiar is a 2009 comedy horror short film starring Torrance Coombs
, Paul Hubbard and Rachel Sehl. It tells the story of a naive vampire
fan
who becomes the personal assistant
to a belligerent vampire. It won awards at the Sitges Film Festival, Bram Stoker International Film Festival, Charleston International Film Festival, the Rincon International Film Festival
, the Seattle True Independent Film Festival and the River Bend Film Festival. It has been nominated for several Leo Awards
as well as Best Short Film at the DGC Awards.
) has always been obsessed with vampires from the time he was a child watching them on children’s programs to when he was a college student reading horror novels on the side.
On Sam’s 21st birthday, a mysterious gentleman offers him a peculiar career choice: become an assistant
to a real-life Vampire. Intrigued and enthusiastic, Sam takes the job and meets Simon Bolivar (Paul Hubbard), a 400-year old Vampire.
Everything about the Vampire does hold some truth to it; a truth followed by a dose of hard-reality. Sam soon realizes that it is not so cool or pleasant to serve his corrupt and neurotic behavior.
while working as an actor's assistant: "I felt like...the vampire was a metaphor for the boss from hell. I was always interested in the Renfield
character in Dracula, and no one ever really did his story – that I know of. What kind of a person would devote himself to this sinister, Satanic agent and still call himself a human being? I thought that was the connection – you are crazy for being part of this world, but you are not exactly the main character, either. I wanted to bridge those two things, and I think it fit well while I was writing it: serving this greater being while being caught up in this insanity. A lot of us go into these jobs where we ask ourselves, “why are we doing this”.
Torrance Coombs
Torrance Coombs is a Canadian film, theatre and television actor.-Early life, education and early acting work:He was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
, Paul Hubbard and Rachel Sehl. It tells the story of a naive vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
who becomes the personal assistant
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
to a belligerent vampire. It won awards at the Sitges Film Festival, Bram Stoker International Film Festival, Charleston International Film Festival, the Rincon International Film Festival
Rincón, Puerto Rico
Rincón is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded in 1771 by Don Luis de Añasco . It is located in the Western Coastal Valley, west of Añasco and Aguada. Rincón is spread over 8 wards and Rincón Pueblo...
, the Seattle True Independent Film Festival and the River Bend Film Festival. It has been nominated for several Leo Awards
Leo Awards
The Leo Awards are the awards program for the British Columbia film and television industry, celebrating excellence in artistic achievement. Held each May in Vancouver, Canada, the Leo Awards honour nominees and winners in 13 program categories and up to 19 craft categories...
as well as Best Short Film at the DGC Awards.
Plot
Sam (Torrance CoombsTorrance Coombs
Torrance Coombs is a Canadian film, theatre and television actor.-Early life, education and early acting work:He was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
) has always been obsessed with vampires from the time he was a child watching them on children’s programs to when he was a college student reading horror novels on the side.
On Sam’s 21st birthday, a mysterious gentleman offers him a peculiar career choice: become an assistant
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
to a real-life Vampire. Intrigued and enthusiastic, Sam takes the job and meets Simon Bolivar (Paul Hubbard), a 400-year old Vampire.
Everything about the Vampire does hold some truth to it; a truth followed by a dose of hard-reality. Sam soon realizes that it is not so cool or pleasant to serve his corrupt and neurotic behavior.
Cast
- Torrance CoombsTorrance CoombsTorrance Coombs is a Canadian film, theatre and television actor.-Early life, education and early acting work:He was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
as Sam Matheson - Paul Hubbard as Simon Bolivar
- Rachel Sehl as Alice
- Brock Shoveller as The Old Gentleman
- Jason Harder as Thomas Holland
- Luisa Jojic as Penny
- Suzka Mares as The Vampire's Escort
- Josh Blacker as Virgil
- Art Kitching as Nosferatu/The Jogger
- Rosette Sharma as The Vampire's Call Girl
Inspiration
Kody Zimmermann came up with the idea reading DraculaDracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
while working as an actor's assistant: "I felt like...the vampire was a metaphor for the boss from hell. I was always interested in the Renfield
Renfield
R. M. Renfield is a fictional character in the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.-In the novel:A description of Renfield from the novel:R. M. Renfield, aetat 59. Sanguine temperament, great physical strength, morbidly excitable,...
character in Dracula, and no one ever really did his story – that I know of. What kind of a person would devote himself to this sinister, Satanic agent and still call himself a human being? I thought that was the connection – you are crazy for being part of this world, but you are not exactly the main character, either. I wanted to bridge those two things, and I think it fit well while I was writing it: serving this greater being while being caught up in this insanity. A lot of us go into these jobs where we ask ourselves, “why are we doing this”.
Wins
- 2010: HorrorQuest Film Festival for Best Short Film
- 2010: Sitges Film Festival Official Fantastic Competition Panorama for Best Short Film
- 2010: Vampire Film Festival for Outstanding Vampire Short
- 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Horror Short Film
- 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Screenplay
- 2010: Mile High Horror Film Festival Audience Award for Best Short Film
- 2010: Thriller! Chiller! Film Festival Best Short Film
- 2010: Bram Stoker International Film Festival for Best Short Film
- 2010: Maelstrom International Fantasy Film Festival for Audience Favorite Best Horror Short Film
- 2010: Action/Cut Short Film Competition for Best Fiction Film
- 2010: Seattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF)Seattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF)Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival was started in 2005 by a group of filmmakers whose feature film Swamper was rejected by the Seattle International Film Festival. STIFF was modeled after the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City UT as a way to champion local and true independent films that...
Fangbanger Award - 2010: River Bend International Film Festival Hight Point Award
- 2010: Rincón International Film Festival for Best Horror Short
- 2010: Charleston International Film Festival for Best Short Thriller
Nominations
- 2011: Killer Film Festival for Best Screenplay (Kody Zimmermann)
- 2011: New Orleans Horror Film Festival for Best Screenplay (Kody Zimmermann)
- 2011: New Orleans Horror Film Festival for Best Horror Short
- 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Director (Kody Zimmermann)
- 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Cinematography (George CampbellGeorge CampbellGeorge Campbell may refer to:Sportsmen*George Campbell , a professional footballer from Scotland who played for Aberdeen FC in the Scottish Premier League, and in Australia's National League...
) - 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Actor (Torrance CoombsTorrance CoombsTorrance Coombs is a Canadian film, theatre and television actor.-Early life, education and early acting work:He was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
) - 2010: Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival for Best Actor (Paul HubbardPaul HubbardPaul Hubbard, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
) - 2010: Terror Film Festival for Best Horror Short Film
- 2010: Action On Film International Film FestivalAction On Film International Film FestivalThe Action On Film International Film Festival, aka The AOF Fest, aka Action On Film Festival is a film festival that was started in Long Beach, California in 2005 by writer, producer, director Del Weston. The film festival was originally part of the Long Beach International Martial Arts...
for Best Make-Up - 2010: Directors Guild of Canada Award for Best Short Film
- 2010: Leo Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Drama (Kody Zimmermann)
- 2010: Leo Award for Best Overall Sound in a Short Drama (Hugo Dela Cerda, Kevin Belen, David Green)
- 2010: Leo Award for Best Sound Editing in a Short Drama (Kelly Cole, Bill Mellow, Kevin Belen, Graeme Hughes, David Green)
- 2010: Leo Award for Best Performance Male Lead in a Short Drama (Torrance CoombsTorrance CoombsTorrance Coombs is a Canadian film, theatre and television actor.-Early life, education and early acting work:He was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
)
Official Selections
- 2011: Village of the Damned Horror Film Festival
- 2011: Dark Carnival Film Festival
- 2011: Scary Shorts CIFF Film Screening
- 2011: South African Horrorfest
- 2011: Buried Alive Film Festival
- 2011: Singapore International Film FestivalSingapore International Film FestivalThe Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
- 2011: Little Terrors Film Screening
- 2011: The Horror Imaginings Film Festival
- 2011: Horror Quest Film Festival
- 2011: PollyGrind Film FestivalPollyGrind Film FestivalThe PollyGrind Film Festival is an annual event held in Las Vegas, Nevada that specializes in alternative film and video that would not otherwise be screened or find audiences. Spotlighting short films, feature length films, music videos and trailers of all genres, PollyGrind was founded by...
- 2011: New Orleans Horror Film Festival
- 2011: Killer Film Festival
- 2011: IATSE 669 Women's Mini Film Festival
- 2011: The HorrorFind Film Festival
- 2011: Renovation Film Festival
- 2011: The Days of the Dead Horror Convention
- 2011: CrypticonCrypticonCrypticon is a horror-oriented media event held annually in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, Washington, and Kansas City, Kansas. Guests have included authors, actors, directors, producers, & writers from classic and upcoming horror titles.-Overview:...
- 2011: Independent Film Quarterly Film & New Media Festival
- 2010: Abertoir Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Mile High Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Indieflix Online Film Festival
- 2010: Buffalo Screams Film Festival
- 2010: International Horror and Sci-Fi Film FestivalInternational Horror and Sci-Fi Film FestivalInternational Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival is a film festival dedicated to the genres of horror and science fiction that is held annually in Tempe, Arizona, United States...
- 2010: Sacramento Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Sitges Film Festival
- 2010: Terror Film Festival
- 2010: Thriller! Chiller! Film Festival
- 2010: Eerie Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Vampire Film Festival
- 2010: Maelstrom International Film Festival
- 2010: Strasburg International Film Festival
- 2010: Route 66 International Film Festival
- 2010: Atlanta Underground Film Festival
- 2010: Action On Film International Film FestivalAction On Film International Film FestivalThe Action On Film International Film Festival, aka The AOF Fest, aka Action On Film Festival is a film festival that was started in Long Beach, California in 2005 by writer, producer, director Del Weston. The film festival was originally part of the Long Beach International Martial Arts...
- 2010: Tri-City Independent Film Festival
- 2010: Atlanta Horror Film Festival
- 2010: Bram Stoker International Film Festival
- 2010: Seattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF)Seattle's True Independent Film Festival (STIFF)Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival was started in 2005 by a group of filmmakers whose feature film Swamper was rejected by the Seattle International Film Festival. STIFF was modeled after the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City UT as a way to champion local and true independent films that...
- 2010: River Bend International Film Festival
- 2010: Rincón International Film Festival
- 2010: A Night of Horror International Film Festival
- 2010: Charleston International Film Festival
- 2010: Nevermore International Film Festival
- 2010: Spokane International Film Festival
- 2009: New York City Horror Film FestivalNew York City Horror Film FestivalThe New York City Horror Film Festival was established by Michael J. Hein in 2001. It takes place each year in New York City for a week in October or November and specializes in the horror film genre....
- 2009: Screamfest Horror Film FestivalScreamfest Horror Film FestivalScreamfest Horror Film Festival is the largest horror film festival in the United States. Some of the largest horror online publications have called it the "Sundance of Horror". Previously held at Loews Universal Studios Cinemas, Universal CityWalk, the festival is now held annually at the...