Vampire Ninjas in Fort Collins? It's more likely than you think.

Devil Red Films are an occult-themed passion project run by close friends Caleb Jensen, Corey Jackson, and Shawn McDonaldIf these names sound familiar, McDonald and Jensen are professional artists at Magnetic Tattoo/Gallery located on Myrtle Street. McDonald is known for his breathtaking paintings and Jensen is an incredibly gifted photographer

This trio works tirelessly to create films under the title 'Devil Red' (in the Mötley Crüe sense), which balance the art of bringing artistic, creative, and original stories to the screen while using the cinematography medium as a love letter to the classic horror genre, paying homage to the films that came before.

Currently in production is their first feature-length project is titled "Taste the Blood of the Ninja", which is a story told through the decades and expands on themes of loss, vulnerability, strength, and (of course) revenge. Its central narrative follows a marine private turned ninjutsu assassin taking down hoards of vampire cultists. An official trailer is set to come out soon, the announcement date is TBA. The team is also on track for a spring premiere in 2023. Here's a sneak peek at what to expect:

Devil Red has been making short films since 2019 and their projects include Portrait of Pearl, Mercy Kill, and Linen in addition to working on a music video titled 'Praise Unto the Immortals' by Oak, Ash & Thorn, a Denver-based pagan black metal band.

Devil Red Films were founded by McDonald who also doubles as writer/director and Jensen as the cinematography director. Jackson later joined the team and acts as cinematography support, which is crucial for their current project.

"Taste the Blood of the Ninja" started in July 2021 and has been Devil Red's biggest project to date. The team coordinated over 70 additional actors and crew members, in addition to hunting for set locations and costume creation. No easy feat, especially with a very specific vision in mind. The film was shot entirely in Colorado and miniatures were built for additional locations the team could not find.

I discovered this amazing project when they put out a casting call on Instagram and I had to check it out. I came in for auditions at Magnetic, but I formally met the team on the filming day they lovingly referred to as "The Murder Ranch shoot" out in Greeley. I'm excited to see the final project when it comes out. In the meantime, check out this interview I did with the team to hear all about the project and to get some fun behind-the-scenes content on their newest project the Gutsy Podcast.

The Devil Red team still has some roles to fill for future projects titled 'Pay Attention,' a Hitchcockian adventure, and 'Other', a science fiction thriller. If you are interested in acting, check out the Casting Call on their website or email devilredfilms@gmail.com.

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