AN INTRODUCTION..."Okay, so we drink to our legs!"

Hello there, I’m Ron Bonk, the producer, writer and director for “House Shark”. I’ve been working as a low budget filmmaker and distributor since 1992 and even established my own indie distribution company around then, SRS Cinema, which has developed a loyal fan base and following.  I’ve produced over 3 dozen motion pictures and directed over 10 of those myself. 

I’ve always wanted to do an homage to “Jaws” and just a shark themed movie in general, even having attempted to write a “Jaws” sequel in my much younger years.  But until now, I never quite hit on what my shark movie would be about.  Basically, "House Shark" is what it sounds like… “Jaws” in a house. 

I’m really excited about this movie, it’s such a funny story, with a lot of laughs and thrills, and I’m looking forward to growing as filmmaker with making it, maybe more so than I’ve done with any movie prior.  I've been really studying "Jaws" and the early works of Steven Spielberg to do my best to capture the feeling of those classic films in my movie, and breaking down his style is a film school in and of itself.  And the story I've written here, I want you all to be able to see and just get that thrill out of, something that reminds you all of those great 70’s blockbusters and your favorite 70’s and 80’s monster/horror movies.  I truly hope you’ll support us in getting it made,

THE DETAILS... "if we're looking for a shark we're not gonna find him on the land."

We are looking to raise just $15k to get "House Shark" made. The funds will go towards renting the camera and all important lenses we will be using to create that cinematic feel akin to the 70’s summer blockbusters.  We’ve also allocated $5000 towards the House Shark itself and the gore effects.  We are doing almost all practical effects on this one, like 99.9%.  A monster movie needs a great monster to truly be awesome, and we want this creature to be killer, a reminder of the great monsters of the horror movies of the 70’s and 80’s.  The rest of our budget is to help accommodate our small but dedicated cast and crew, covering expenses to get them here, feeding them, housing them and so forth.  I’m really blessed by a dedicated group, none of us are getting rich doing this, but we just love making movies.  We love being on set, entertaining people, telling stores. We all crash together, here at my house, sleeping on benches or floors jammed together and become like a big family when we do these movies. And it shows in the final movie, we get movies that look like a million dollars on a few thousand dollars.

Given my newest film “She Kills” hasn’t come out yet, and a lot of people are asking about getting to see it, I thought I would use that movie to aid in raising funds for "House Shark".  So many of the perks of this campaign will result in getting you the FIRST (and LIMITED EDITION) physical and digital copies of what is definitely my best work yet, “She Kills”.  I think you’ll love it and you’ll see how I can handle elements of comedy and horror together, something you’ll be getting more of in “House Shark”.  “She Kills” has it all, action, drama, cheesy acting, tons and tons of humor and movie references and great lines you will want to quote and so many standalone moments you just want to rewind and watch again and again and then tell your friends about them. It’s just a crazy movie, I think it captures the essence and look of 70’s Grindhouse, but can be enjoyed by bmovie fans in general from that era and beyond.  It's been getting amazing reviews from fans and critics who've been able to see advanced copies of the movie as well (see below for a list). But for those of you who want to focus on just “House Shark”, there are of course the perks you expect for that too, and you can be among the first to see it once it’s done on various formats like digital download, Blu-Ray, VHS and so forth. There’s also some merchandise perks and other opportunities to be a part of the cast or crew of this crazy movie.

I’ve been making movies for years and your investment in “House Shark” won’t be you giving money to a campaign were the movie doesn’t get made… this movie will get done, even if we don't raise the full amount.  And anything over will only go towards enhancing the movie we are making, hiring additional crew, maybe casting some known genre actors in the supporting roles, and so forth.  We will make it the very best we possibly can.  I hope you will help us in our efforts here.  Even if you are unable to invest, please help us by sharing this campaign to friends, family and on social media.  Thank you for your time and consideration, the entire cast and crew and myself are truly grateful and appreciate it!

BEFORE WE GO ONE, A NOTE ON THE PERKS... "Is that $3000 bounty on the shark in cash or check? "

On the perks, note a couple things to help clarify when searching or selecting:

1) The "Human" named perks relate specifically to "She Kills" perks, ie "Chrissie", "Kintner", "Vaughn", "Hooper", "Brody" & "Quint".
2) The "Shark" named perks relate specifically to "House Shark" perks, ie "Whale", "Mako", "Hammerhead", "Bull", "Sand", "White Tip", "Thresher", "Tiger", "Basking", "Great White" and "Megalodon".
3) In the majority of the cases, the next higher perk in its class, ie "human" or "shark", will get you the lower perks in that class.  So, for example, if you opt for the "Megalodon" perk, you get to be an Executive Producer on "House Shark", with your name on the poster, plus 2 free tickets to the premiere, but you also get the "Thresher" perk and all that includes - which mean you can be an extra in the movie, get the "House Shark" poster, Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS and digital download, plus you get the advance preview, a bonus mention in the form of a thanks in the end credits, and a digital copy of the script. You get all that for one price.

MY PAST PRODUCTIONS OF NOTE... "Didn't you get on a boat and check out these waters? "

Here's some other highlights from my years as a filmmaker:

"Clay" (2007) - "Clay is a killer. He walks the streets, picking his victims by fate. Behind his madness lies Sam, his father, a man who unknowingly raised a serial killer by filling his child's head with years upon years of evil stories, lies, bitterness, abuse and fear. Now Clay has grown up, and his father's vicious rule over him is headed to a certain end... Several tragedies, years apart, converge into one violent and brutal climax." I set out with "Clay" with the attitude I was going for an Academy Award with it... I wasn't really, but I was applying that attitude to the movie, going for that level of commitment and determination with it and asking the cast and crew to do the same.  And they did,  I'm really proud of the movie, and until "She Kills", viewed it as my finest achievement as a filmmaker.  It played many film festivals and won a few awards, including a best filmmaker and actor nod at the Bare Bones Film Festival.

 

"Ms, Cannibal Holocaust" (2012) - "The remaining tenants of a rundown, poverty-row apartment building, one day away from demolition, find themselves suddenly under siege by a cannibal cult and their preacher like female leader. Why the preacher has picked them as her latest victims is unknown, but her goal with them is clear - they WILL know pain, they WILL know fear, they WILL know suffering before she kills each one of them. And with all their connections to the outside world severed, the tenants can only do their best to holdout before they are caught and consumed.
But hope seems to arrives in the form of a second woman but is she there to save them? Or does she have her own agenda with the cult and specifically their leader?
Shes coming. And vengeance will be upon them..."  This was a troubled shoot as locations kept getting yanked then re-offered up within weeks of starting production, leading to many last second re-writes. But in the end, despite the set backs, the movie was finished, and on schedule, and was well-reviewed by fans and critics alike.

"Gang Them Style" (2013) segment of "Hi-8" - all my shoots have been so much fun and memorable, so it's hard to pick a favorite anymore, but this one has to be up there.  For the most part, everything went perfectly smooth on this short production, and in the end I made a motion picture as close to my original vision as I intended.  The short was inspired by the works of John Carpenter especially and involves a stereotypical action hero named "Mongoose" who finds himself in what quickly becomes the near impossible task of getting a bunch of ornery elderly folks to safety while a zombie apocalypse breaks out around them.

"Night of Something Strange" (2015) - "Teenage friends out for beach week get unexpectedly detoured to a creepy motel where a deadly STD virus now runs rampant, turning those infected into the living dead."  This was written and directed by my producer Jonathan Straiton.  I co-wrote and produced it.  I've produced a lot of movies over the years, a lot of motion pictures I'm proud to have my name on, but with all due respect "NOSS" stands head and shoulders above them.  It's an amazing movie that will be hitting film festivals in 2016 and is sure to make some fans.  "She Kills" is a prequel of sorts to "NOSS", and is as crazy and over the top as my flick (maybe more so), but with more of an 80's horror vibe. 

SHE KILLS... "Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."

Since it's a major part of the perks of this fundraiser, I'd like to share some details about "She Kills". 

"When Sadie's husband is murdered by a vicious gang called "The Touchers", she finds she possesses a strange hidden power to aid her in her quest for revenge. A homage to Grindhouse/exploitation pictures of the 1970's."

"She Kills"was an official selection ofthe Ottawa Spookshow and Fantastic Film Festival 2015 and will soon be announced for a film festival in Vancouver for Summer.  More film festivals showings will be announced soon.

Here's a sample of the reviews "SK" has received:

"This sh*t is off the wall bat-sh*t insane and I loved every single o’er the top (way, way o’er, my creeps) moment!"

-Famous Monsters of Filmland

"Non stop in laughs and gore, She Kills belongs alongside the heavyweight greats such as Dear God, No! and Father’s Day".
-Horror Underground

""She Kills is an awesome, crude, low budget grindhouse homage comedy that is easily the most pr-woman movie since the original 'I Spit on Your Grave'".
-411 Mania

"It's a rousing good time of madness, mayhem, gore, comedy, eroticism, revenge, and much much more that delivers the goods! See it...more than once."
-Buried.com

"Ron Bonk is one of the most dedicated and talented filmmakers I know, and he continues to do outstanding work as a writer/producer/director.  SHE KILLS is a genuine tour de force of suspense and horror, and it will greatly satisfy all the fans who are addicted to gory murder and mayhem."
- John Russo ("Night of the Living Dead")

"How much fun is this film? Perhaps this will explain it best: immediately after watching it, I started it at the beginning and watched it again. And both times I was not bored for an instance."

-Indie Horror Films

"I have yet to see another film like this. I have watched so many indie and low budget films and reviewed thousands, nothing with a premise this so fucking off the wall. She Kills really delivers something that fans are going to really get excited about."

-Wicked Channel

"It's over-the-top insanity, borrowing freely from 1970s grindouse cinema and 1980s direct-to-video genre fare, but taking the insanity of those several steps further."

-(Re)Search My Trash

"The overt homages work in this zany throwback's favor, fitting nicey beside purposely shoddy practical effects, involving shot penises, torn off breasts, people getting eaten by monstrous vaginas, and so on. Sure, modern grindhouse wannabes are a tired trend, but through sheer lunacy that makes Troma seem sober, She Kills rises above its stale contemporaries."

-Rue Morgue Magazine

"Filled with gore, nudity, lots of bloody action, touching, sexuality, disgusting humor and visuals, a ton of homage to the 1970’s grindhouse/exploitation, independent filmmaking beauty and just plain fun, SHE KILLS is out to offend, make you laugh and entertain those willing to dare this indie gem!"

-Terror Time

"It's a rarity now a days where no budget horror and humor can blend in such a sweet sickness as only underground master Ron Bonk can do it! Gore for gags at its best with an underlying respect to the cult, horror and exploitive films of the past... She Kills is Sick, hysterical, disturbing and of course a satisfying comfort food for the dark soul!"

-Jay Kay, Horror Happens Radio Show

MY TEAM... "And what did you say the name of this shark is? "

Jonthan Straitoan (PRODUCER) - Since he was seven years old, Jonathan Straiton has known that he wanted to tell stories, whether as an actor, a writer or a director. Throughout his early years he performed with various theatre companies throughout Virginia and made several short films using his mother’s VHS Camera. He made his first short film at the age of 8 titled “The Shape Shifter from Outer Space”. In 1998, Straiton attended the New York Film Academy to study in Paris, France. There, he shot three sixteen millimeter films and confirmed his passion for filmmaking. He returned home to Middlesex Virginia eager to make a movie and wrote his first feature “Killbiz”, a dark comedy about two unlikely hit-men who find themselves in the ultimate double cross. Over the next 2 years he produced three feature length films that could be rented at local Middlesex video stores. In 2000 Straiton left Middlesex and attended the Academy of Art in San Francisco, California, where he began honing his skills as a screenwriter. Constantly searching for inspiration for a story, he stumbled upon what had always been right in front of him- his hometown....”Big Fish in Middlesex” was born, the story of the trials and tribulations of growing up in a small country town. Even Hurricane Isabel couldn’t stop him from making that movie. “Big Fish in Middlesex” premiered in March of 2006 and went on to win nine awards including Best Feature at the Myrtle Beach Film Festival 2006. “Big Fish in Middlesex” went on to be White Lightning Productions first major release by a studio. He followed up with the crime thriller “Blood Red Presidents” (aka “The Two Plates”) which was released nationwide in Walmart and Redbox. He has gone on to produce several feature films and “Night of Something Strange” marks his latest passion project.

Wes Reid (ABRAHAM) - Wes Reid started acting in theatre at young age and went on to pursue film acting where he won best actor at the Myrtle Beach Film Festival for his role in “Big Fish in Middlesex” as well as best actor at the Bare Bones Films Festival for “Clay”. He most recent credits include “Ms. Cannibal Holocaust”, “Hi-8” and “She Kills”.

Trey Harrison (FRANK) - Trey started acting in middle school and continued developing his art since. Soon after attending Virginia Commonwealth University for theatre, he landed the role of Dirk in "Night of Something Strange." Since then he has played rolls in productions such as AMCs "Turn", "She Kills", "Faux Paws" and "Itchica".

Michael Merchant (ZACHARY) - At the young age of 13, Michael Merchant had his acting debut in the award winning feature film “Big Fish in Middlesex,” and he hasn’t looked back since. He was featured in the crime thriller “Blood Red Presidents”, “Science Team”, “Amityville Death House” (with Eric Roberts), “HI-8” and the upcoming 70’s Grindhouse throwback “She Kills.”

Emmett Van Slyke (COMPOSER) - Emmett is a Composer, Musician, Producer and owner of Van Slyke Productions, a post modern audio production service. He is a composer and collaborator for MOVEINK, an internationally renown Hybrid-Art Performance Company. As a composerEmmett has scored various feature length films and shorts including Ron Bonk’s suspense-thriller "She Kills" and "Empire State of the Dead", Zach Ford’s "Girls Night Out" and John Martoccia’s "Death of a Tree". His theatre compositions include "Reflecting Poe", "The Crucible" – for which he received a ACTF Kennedy Center Award, "Telling The Truth" for The National Whistle Blowers Symposium, "Wolfskinder" for Syracuse University Department of Drama with Lauren Unbekant and most recently "An Ideal Husband" for Franklin Stage Company. He has toured regionally and nationally as a multi-instrumentalist working with artists such as Jim Donovan of Rusted Root and The Kitchen Party.  Emmett has opened for numerous national acts including R.E.O. Speedwagon. He has worked with Mike Stoller, Jerry Lieber and William Kotzwinkle, screen writer of "ET". Emmett holds a Bachelor of Arts in music and Literature from SUNY at Oswego.

Marcus Koch (FX) - Marcus Koch is a special effects make up artist and on occasional director, specializing in extreme practical gore fx, and is best known for his over the top killer clown film "100 Tears".  He's worked on countless indie films such as "American Guinea Pig", "Sweatshop" and "We Are Still Here", he's the go to guy for splatter, and extreme practical fx.

Brett Janeski (LINE PRODUCER / GEORGE) - Brett has loved films and television from an early age - so when the opportunity arose in high school to take a class in learning how to create his own projects, he signed up immediately. In finding a true love of the operation, he pursued a college career majoring in filmmaking. While in college he worked both in front of and behind the camera and in the proccess discovered a yearning for both. After obtaining a bachelors degree he tried breaking into the business and got his first opportunity when he met Jonathan Straiton, who gave him opportunities to work at a professional level on a feature movie and a true chance of obtaining a life long dream.

Alec Bonk (LINE PRODUCER) - Alec's love of cinema started at a very early age and has continued growing to this day. For years he has worked on Ron's films in various crew and acting positions and also has made a few short films of his own. He is currently attending the well renowned Savannah College of Art and Design to follow his dreams and pursue a career in filming.

Thanks for reading!  Any questions or any way I can assist, please drop me a line.  I'm truly grateful for the support!

"Think the tide's with us?"