'Unofficial trailer'(?) for Peter Callow's The Circle

What is an unofficial trailer? How does it differ from an ordinary trailer? Or a teaser? Has this been edited and posted onto YouTube without the director’s knowledge or permission? Is it some sort of weird bootleg marketing?

Who knows? Anyway, this is our first look at The Circle, directed by Peter Callow, which was filmed in Essex and Cambridgeshire in September. The cast includes Emily Yarrow, Eva-Marie Kung and Sesselia Olafs, who posted the trailer.

“A University professor takes four archaeology students on a field trip to a remote Scottish island. With tensions already present in the group, they unearth clues to an ancient mystery that will threaten their lives.”

Before Dawn hits cinemas, DVD in February

I've got a review of Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell's superb zombie feature Before Dawn waiting to go live when I get round to it. In the meantime, the film has been scheduled for a UK DVD release on 25th February, with a limited theatrical release a few days earlier.

"Alex and Meg's marriage is hanging by a thread. The solution seems simple - a romantic holiday to an idyllic cottage in the Yorkshire Dales. This is the chance both of them need to find themselves, and rediscover their love for one another. But the Yorkshire Dales aren't romantic, and the idyllic cottage isn't too peaceful! The weekend that starts out as an opportunity for love and affection, takes an unexpected turn - into a fierce fight for survival as it becomes clear that they’re not alone in this rural haven."

Dark Nature comes to UK DVD on New Year's Eve

Marc De Maunay's Dark Nature finally makes it to UK DVD on 31st December. The film was released in the States by Troma back in 2010, although don't let that deceive you - it's a long way from being a 'Tromatic film'.

"Dark Nature is a dark, tense eco-thriller in which a young woman fights to protect her family when they come under attack while on holiday at a remote location in the Scottish Highlands.

"Imogen Toner (Love Bite) and Vanya Eadie play Chloe and Jane, a daughter and mother whose already tense relationship is put under considerable stress when they go on holiday to a remote location. Like lambs to the slaughter, an escalating series of shocking incidents leads Chloe and Jane into a violent and unexpected situation they could never have anticipated."

Dark Nature was written by Eddie Harrison. Cast also includes Niall Greig Fulton and James Bryce (both in Cry for Bobo).

The DVD from Matchbox includes Making Of, trailer and two short films: The Last Noel (directed by De Launay, written by Brian Robinson) and Contorted Hazel (written by De Launay, directed by John Gorman).

Derby officially declared centre of fantasy/sci-fi/horror film universe

For some time now, Derby - and in particular Derby Quad - has been building a reputation as something of an epicentre for all things F/SF/H, with screening and seasons and a remarkable amount of production too, most recent Dominic Burns' UFO and Owen Tooth's Devil's Tower.

Now Quad has teamed up with Reel Solutions, the agency/consultancy set up by Tony Earnshaw (formerly of the National Media Museum in Bradford) for Fantastiq, a three-day film/TV festival which will debut over 9th-11th August 2013. The first Fantastiq will feature themed programmed based around Doctor Who and Peter Cushing.

Quad programmer Adam Marsh and Tony will mainly schedule a range of archive material but also plan to include one or two new features. Weekend and Day passes are on sale now. There is a Facebook thing too.

Exclusive: first teaser for 'Boots on the Ground'

Back in June, I posted about Boots on the Ground, a found-footage supernatural chiller about British squaddies in Afghanistan.

Here is the first teaser trailer for the project, which was shot last month with actress Sally Day. The feature will shoot next year in Malta, directed by Louis Meville (Man Who Sold the World).

'Stalled' trailer looks absolutely brilliant

The trailer for Stalled, the new feature from the guys who made Freak Out. This looks absolutely awesome. If this isn't one of the absolutely best movies of all time I shall be severely disappointed. I absolutely cannot wait.

My one caveat is that the trailer says 'Think outside the stall' and it would be funnier if it said 'Think outside the bogs.' Other than that: fantastic stuff.

'UFO' screening for a week in Derby

Dominic Burns' epic sci-fi-horror-actioner UFO plays a full week at Derby Quad this month. You can catch the locally-shot film every night from 15th to 20th December at various times. And if you go to the Saturday 15th screening, Burns will be there will some of the cast to introduce the film and do a Q&A.

Not to be confused with the old TV series or indeed the Roy 'Chubby' Brown SF comedy of the same name, UFO is about five friends attempting to navigate their way to survival amidst deteriorating chaos as the world descends into terror and anarchy during an alien invasion and interstellar war.

Burns previously directed real-time horror Cut and in-flight horror Airborne under his occasional nom-de-screen of Alexander Williams. As an actor, you may have caught him in Cockneys vs Zombies, Strippers vs Werewolves, Kill Keith and The Reverend. He is also producing Owen Tooth's feature Devil's Tower.

UFO's awesome cast includes Sean Brosnan, San Pertwee, Julian Glover and Jean Claude Van Damme!