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Kino Crew Productions

Award-winning film production company striving to offer the unexpected.

09/11/2025

The final two days of principal photography for GOBBLEHEAD 3 were crazy busy yet exciting. 🦃 🎥 🎬

For the sorority house, longtime Kino Crew friend James Molter secured permission to use his family's home, a perfect location.

Model and actress, Alexa, veteran of many past projects, returned with charm and charisma. Theo's casting was a no-brainer, due to her improv skills and film experience. While this was Carolyne's first short, she perfectly fit our lineup. Madhura, already pulling double duty as fight choreographer and effects assistant, also played a sorority sister. Acting as sorority leader, Nina was funny, a joy to have on set, and also game for the bizarre dinner prep scene. Chantelly also joined for her final scene (or is it?), her professionalism and affability inspiring everyone. Greg again donned the Gobble-mask on another hot summer day for the title character's demise (or is it?!). And, in a final, funny twist to fit Greg's schedule, Tim Van Mieghem acted as our Gobblehead double during the peeping Tom scene.

The rest of the peeping Tom scene, was filmed at Nathan's condo. Tim Schaefer returned with chill vibes and comic timing, joining Josh and Stevo to play h***y buffoons. Tim's death-by-gravy demise required the most careful effects timing from Madhura and Natalie, and ample gravy. Natalie amazed us with her inventive ideas for Stevo's force-feed scene, creating a neck stump for Josh's co**se, from which Gobblehead could scoop the sweet gore (a mix of gelatin and pie filling). Finally, after wrapping her role, we brought Casey back as assistant director, firmly becoming an indispensable member on both sides of the camera!

Overall, GOBBLEHEAD 3 was our most intense and rewarding production (so far!), and all credit goes to our fantastic cast and crew.

Photos by Jerry Sebastian Gonzalez, Alexa Hartfield, Casey Hilb, Tim Van Mieghem, Natalie Zombie, and Nathan Oelker.

09/09/2025

For more Gobble-nostalgia: GOBBLEHEAD 3! 🦃 🎥 🎬

The first two days of GOBBLEHEAD 3 were filmed at the Comedy Community Center, with detailed shot lists and storyboards to ensure efficiency, and Stone Watters granting flexibility for load-ins, load-outs, and use of the space.

We were thrilled that Chantelly Johnson and Casey Hilb reprised their roles - only this time, instead of being victims, they would be serving up the slaughter! Their return also tied together the three trailers, creating a clear three-act structure. Ashland Thomas joined the Gobble-verse as Detective Dave, bringing improv and imagination to set, amusing us with his candy ci******es, and even helping with blocking and crew tasks.

The exterior scenes involved a climactic combat sequence, with Greg again playing the title character, for which he deserves all possible praise for donning the avian mask to fight Casey for hours on a hot Chicago summer day. Madhura Ramakrishnan artfully choreographed the fight sequence, rehearsing extensively with the cast. Everyone had waited years for somebody to finally kick Gobblehead in the balls - and she made it happen! Chloé also returned, proving that she is capable of outrunning him twice (maybe we'll go for a third!)

Longtime Kino Crew friend, Tim Van Mieghem, was a huge help on set, securing the punching bag prop, performing many crew roles, and gathering ample behind-the-scenes media. Natalie Carrasquillo led the way on makeup and practical effects, including the assembly of fake intestines. Jerry Sebastian Gonzalez mowed the lawn for the fight scene's ease of filming, and also assisted with makeup and effects, ensuring Casey’s disembowelment worked on camera.

Finally, Alex Perez and Stevo Nystrom had to pause in awe that this goofy idea that they conjured years ago was receiving a third installment, and each time, growing a little bit bigger and crazier.

Photos by Jerry S. Gonzalez, Tim Van Mieghem, Ashland Thomas, Natalie Zombie, Josh R. Weitzel, and Nathan Oelker

09/08/2025

Watch this behind-the-scenes reel from GOBBLEHEAD 2 for a sample of the on-set artistry (and all the fun with s*x toys!) 🦃 🎥 🍑 🎬 🍆

09/05/2025

LOADS film festival update! We are thrilled to announce that LOADS is an Official Selection for Spooky Empire's Horror Film Festival, and an Honorable Mention for the B***s and Blood International Film Festival! A huge thank you to both festivals for these honors, and congratulations to the cast and crew for this accomplishment! We will share more news as it becomes available! 🍆 🎥 🥜 🎬 💦

09/04/2025

When filming the dinner party scenes for GOBBLEHEAD 2, we gathered the generous help of old and new friends. 🦃 🎥 🎬

Natalie, who graced our sets years prior with makeup and acting skills, returned to create visceral gore for our dead dinner guests. Jerry lent a hand by chopping one off, and even stole some screen time before Gobblehead ripped his lips away. Real-life spouses Michelle and Jeff brought natural chemistry and comic timing to their characters. New friends Casey and Caitlin embraced their roles as Friendsgiving swingers and members of Gobblehead's growing body count. Lillie showed us how to massage a turkey and scream bloody murder. Stevo added another bold acting choice, playing a soft-spoken Juggalo who misses his wife. Grace portrayed said wife, who meets a grizzly Gobble-end before arriving. And finally, taking the title role for these scenes was Greg, whose intense, intimidating on-camera presence belied a thoroughly affable manner.

Once again, we had blended a spread of blood, laughs, and creativity. Only this year, it involved swordplay with s*x toys between takes.

Photos by Natalie Zombie, Jerry Sebastian Gonzalez, Stevo Nystrom, Alex Perez, and Nathan Oelker

09/02/2025

Continuing toward the next Gobble-sequel, we reflect on GOBBLEHEAD 2! 🦃 🎥 🎬

Nathan's family permitted the goofy chaos of the opening sequence to be filmed on their property. Shooting on a rural location inspired a more atmospheric and action-packed opening, complete with foreboding landscapes and dynamic drone shots.

The corncrib was used for Gobblehead's dark and mysterious lair, with Tim reprising his role as the Bloody Oaf, and also playing the titular character for those scenes.

Chloé and Eric portrayed the feuding couple who stray into Gobblehead's path of destruction. Chloé displayed her athletic endurance by running for her life and screaming at the top of her lungs, and Eric's death scene was a long and fun labor of cinematic zeal. Both actors were fantastic dedicated partners, and good sports about being drenched in blood!

Photos by Alex Perez, Josh R. Weitzel, and Nathan Oelker

08/30/2025

To conclude our nostalgia posts from the original GOBBLEHEAD, we turn a blood-red spotlight on the work of Tim Perez. 🦃 🎥 🎬

First, Tim gallantly filmed his scenes as the Bloody Oaf outside in 30°F-degree weather while doused in cold, wet stage blood. Second, after catching Covid (possibly a result of this filming, we deny everything), Tim composed the entire score and theme song while recovering in isolation, setting the sonic style for the whole series.

08/29/2025

Enjoy this reel of behind-the-scenes footage from GOBBLEHEAD! and witness a sample of all the fun we had on set! 🦃 🎥 🎬

08/28/2025

More GOBBLEHEAD nostalgia as we prepare this year's serving! 🦃 🎥 🎬

The first GOBBLEHEAD set was blessed with a warm, fun energy that felt like an actual Thanksgiving -- only with more disemboweling and cannibalism (and a chicken dinner from Popeyes).

Tim wasn't afraid to insult the terrifying turkey man and be smothered by gravy. Kimmy was gracious enough to be tied to a chair and fed an eyeball. Chantelly provided horrific screams that could wake the dead. Alaina used her brain to show us new and creative ways to choke to death on mashed potatoes. Steve ("Roast Beef") played with plucked eyeballs and became the first bearer of the bloody apron and buckled hat. And Vanessa set the standard for gorgeous gore makeup that had everyone gagging!

We couldn't have asked for a better cast and crew to set this precedent, not only producing a great first film, but making us realize that an annual feast of holiday horror was entirely feasible. 🙌

Photos by Kimberly Spoons Kaczmarek, Stevo Nystrom, and Nathan Oelker

08/26/2025

Today we celebrate the birthday week and college graduation of GOBBLEHEAD co-creator and longtime Kino collaborator, Stevo Nystrom! 🎂 🎓

To honor his achievements, and the work of our excellent cast and crew who made the film possible, we're looking back at our first GOBBLEHEAD outing!

For the role of Stu, Stevo selected some bold makeup: Buck teeth and a bald cap. On top of those choices, we also got to choke Stevo with his own intestines, and present his head on a platter! For the latter effect, Alex added a vicious throat wound, created with the tried-and-true combination of liquid latex and stage blood, and aided by the clever placement of props and furniture.

We're also feeling the nostalgia with the ongoing production of GOBBLEHEAD 4, so stick around for more stories through the coming weeks!

Photos by Nathan Oelker

08/19/2025

The next issue of the Kino Crew newsletter will be published tomorrow, Wednesday, August 20! Sign up at the link in this post if you have not already! Thank you and see you then! 🎥 🎬 📧
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