Founded by Michael Hall, Darkstar Entertainment, LLC is an independent film production and multi-media distribution company. Featuring a varied catalogue of cult hits, thought provoking social documentaries, super heroes, horror hosts, young couples in love and down on their luck comedians - no topic or genre is off limits. Our expanding blog on film production offers novices and experts alike the tools and resources they need to see their own projects from script to screen and beyond. In addition to our critically acclaimed films, the expanding publishing division offers innovative comic books, cooking tips and showcases up and coming writers in our pulp magazine. Join us for some Audible Adventure as we rekindle the exhilaration of old-time radio in our original audio-drama podcasts. Darkstar Entertainment, LLC maintains a strong emphasis on showcasing independent artists and encouraging others to make their dreams a reality.
How it all started:
While attending Washingtonville High School (1995-1999) located in the New York’s Hudson Valley, Michael got his first taste of film making and photography. WHS was one of the rare high schools with a fully functioning dark room and he gravitated toward the cameras straight away.
While attending Washingtonville High School (1995-1999) located in the New York’s Hudson Valley, Michael got his first taste of film making and photography. WHS was one of the rare high schools with a fully functioning dark room and he gravitated toward the cameras straight away.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn the fundamentals of photography. I always enjoyed taking pictures but this was my exposure to not only the technical aspects of using a camera but composition as well”. - MH
Also during this time Michael and a fellow classmate, Kyle Oakley, began experimenting with the family video camera. Inspired by Ray Harryhausen the pair began making their own stop-motion movies. The Hi-8 camcorders were very limited, offering only 5 or 7 frames of animation per second. Undeterred they made dozens of short films utilizing action figures, childhood toys and a younger sister’s doll house. Voices, music and even sound effects were dubbed in using a series of VCR’s. It was during this time that the Darkstar name was first used as a production company.
“My first real job was in the mall at KB Toys. I’d blow my pay check every week buying new ‘actors’ for our stop-motion movies. The process was intense. We’d work for 16 hours straight and maybe end up with a minute's worth of footage. There was no way to rewind the tape to an exact frame, so every time we messed up we’d have to start the whole scene over from scratch!” -MH
During his junior year of high school Michael attended the New York Film Academy summer workshop in Princeton, NJ. A comprehensive program, NYFA offered young film makers a chance to dive right in to the film making process, getting 16mm Bolex cameras in the students hands almost immediately.
“NYFA was a wonderful experience. I went at a time just before the digital revolution took hold and will always be grateful for the rare opportunity to shoot and edit on 16mm reversal film stock. The lighting and theory classes became the foundation of my film studies. It was also my first time living away from home and a time in my life I will never forget.” -MH
Michael later attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ where he graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Communication Studies. FDU had just started their own film making program and the campus was a buzz with other film makers. Among them were Alfred Giancarli, Robert J. Huntley and Paul Driscoll. Shortly after graduation the four co-founded their own production company - 4 Horsemen Films, LLC.
“Originally I was going to get my degree in film but was afraid I would have a hard time finding a job after graduation and opted for the Communications degree instead. Ultimately it still allowed me to study film, but opened me up to a more rounded skill set.” -MH
4 Horsemen Films, LLC was formed on the set of Returning (2003), with director Alfred Giancarli, along with Robert J. Huntley and Paul Driscoll, Michael co-founded the company after the success of their collaboration. The advent of digital video as a viable art form was about to boom - ushering in an entirely new world of film making. And The Horsemen were right at the forefront of this “DV Revolution”. In addition to producing Returning some of the other group’s notable works were also produced by Michael - Including: Messiahs, The Comedian, and Will & Right (which he also directed). Fiercely independent, The Horsemen were not only running the festival circuit, distributing their own films and merchandise but also curating a yearly arts/film/music festival - The Carnival of Ideas.
“This was an exciting time to be a film maker. The technology was finally starting to catch up to where if you had the dedication and the right idea it was possible to create your own feature films on a reasonable budget. We were like a punk band, but instead of making music we were making film. Not only was I producing the films, but running the day-to-day operations of the company. It was a crazy ride.” -MH
After several years together the group disbanded. Still friends and collaborators to this day, the bond of “The 4 Horsemen” has endured. Around this time is when Darkstar Entertainment, LLC began to take shape toward to be the company it is today as Michael embarked on his freelance career.
“Freelancing really opened me up creatively. I was free to write and direct my own films as well as work on other’s projects. As a consultant I was able to help other film makers start their own production companies as well. This was when I also returned to photography. One way or another I’ve been very fortunate to make my living with a camera, one way or another”. -MH
After honing his skills on numerous music videos, short films and gun-for-hire projects the time had come to work on something more ambitious and Michael set his sights on his first feature film as a solo act. Originally released in 2009, Kids Go To The Woods... Kids Get Dead became a cult sensation. A national theatrical screening tour gave way to distribution with Planetworks Enterprises in 2012, which saw KGD reach store shelves across the country, widespread digital distribution and over 90 million homes on-demand. His groundbreaking short film Lost Hero was soon to follow.
“Achieving a distribution deal after so many years of hard work was a major thrill. I was so burned out at the time we signed that I had actually stepped away form film making for bit to try my hand at creating comic books. But seeing my movie on store shelves really re-ignited my passion for film making. I knew without a doubt that this is what I was meant to do”. -MH
The success of KGD paved the way for a sequel (co-written with long time collaborator Robert J. Huntley) - Kids Get Dead 2: The Kids Get Deader. Premiering at Tribeca Cinemas in New York City KGD2 opened to rave reviews and quickly became an international cult phenomenon.
“The reviews we were getting were just incredible. Even better than the first one. After all these years I am still fiercely independent and similar to how digital cameras paved the way for a new generation of film makers, advances in digital media blew the doors open for online distribution; so I decided to turn down another traditional distribution offer. Companies like VHX offer some amazing platforms for reaching fans directly and it was a perfect fit for where I wanted to take Darkstar Entertainment as it transitions from not only a film production company but a multi-media content distributor”. -MH
Darkstar Entertainment, LLC continues to flourish with an ever expanding movie catalogue, a growing comic book line, several web-series, audio drama podcasts and a pulp magazine.
