Toetag Pictures is an independent horror

Horror film

Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...

 movie studio

Movie studio

A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...

 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. It is known for its use of copious violence and gore that far exceeds that of more mainstream films.

Pre TTP (2001-2004)

In 2001, Fred Vogel directed "August Underground" with defunct production company Absu Films. Vogel self-released 200 copies of AU on VHS tape in 2002. Shortly thereafter, Vogel, Jerami Cruise, Michael Schneider, Christie Whiles, Shelby Jackson, and Killjoy begin production of the film's sequel, August Underground's Mordum

August Underground's Mordum

August Underground's Mordum is an independent exploitation film released by the Pittsburgh-based film production/special effects/design company Toetag Pictures in 2003...

. Schneider left the crew shortly after the wrap of production on Mordum. He released his own cut of the film, subtitled “The Maggot Cut”, and the official cut of the film was released on DVD in 2003. Over time, Mordum gained considerable controversy and was listed as the Sickest Film Ever Made by Horror Brain of IGN.com. The film was also banned in several countries due to the extremely graphic nature of the film. Despite, or possibly due to, the controversy over the film, it was met with considerable critical acclaim and press coverage, being featured in several international magazines and publication. Killjoy left the crew as well in 2003 to focus on his metal band Necrophagia

Necrophagia

Necrophagia is an American death metal band. The group was assembled in Wellsville, Ohio in 1983 and are credited as being one of the very first musical groups to be classified within the death metal genre. The group was founded by Frank Pucci...

, for which Vogel directed the music video for the band's song “Rue Morgue Disciple” and the band's documentary “Sickcess”. After Mordum's release, Vogel and Cruise incorporate Toetag Pictures on April 1, 2004.

Founding (2004-2005)

Now an officially incorporated film studio, Toetag Pictures provided special make-up effects and acting in Nick Palumbo's film, “Murder Set Pieces”. Toetag also opened their first studio in Bellevue, PA around the same time. “August Underground” gets its first official release on DVD in 2005. En route to the 2005 Rue Morgue Festival of Fear horror convention in Toronto, Fred Vogel was stopped by Canadian customs officers for transporting merchandise across the border; the officers confiscated the contents of his van, including Toetag promotional materials as well as copies of Mordum and the original August Underground, and shortly thereafter Vogel was arrested for smuggling obscene materials into Canada. While the Toetag merchandise was undergoing "further inspection" in Ottawa, Vogel was held in a Canadian customs jail; after roughly ten hours, he was released and charges were dropped.

The Redsin Tower, Murder Collection v.1, and future (2006-)

In a radical transitional effort, TTP released their third film, “The Redsin Tower” on DVD and sell out each premier screening. Where the first two AU films were in an unorthodox faux-snuff style, Redsin was done in a more traditional narrative style and was met with critical acclaim. After the film's release, Toetag closed their studio in Bellevue to relocate to Los Angeles, CA. This decision was reached after the completion of the third and final August Underground film, “August Underground's Penance”. Toetag then decides to stay headquartered in Pittsburgh and moves to a large warehouse in the city's West End. The studio began the production of their 5th film in their new location, a new approach to the Mondo film entitled “Murder Collection v.1”. TTP released the film's trailer without any prior press or announcement of the film's production, and released the film on DVD in April 2009. Shortly after the film's release, founding member Christie Whiles left the company in order to pursue her own endeavors. In 2009, Toetag began work on their newest effort "Mask Head," directed by Scott Swan

Scott Swan

Scott Swan is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Biography:Scott Swan is screenwriter best identified for his work with director John Carpenter on seasons one and two of Masters of Horror...

, the co-author of Cigarette Burns. In October 2010, Toetag released its newest film "Sella Turcica."

See also

• August Underground
• August Underground's Mordum
  August Underground's Mordum
  August Underground's Mordum is an independent exploitation film released by the Pittsburgh-based film production/special effects/design company Toetag Pictures in 2003...
  
  
• August Underground's Penance
• The Redsin Tower
• Murder Collection v.1
• MaskHead
• Sella Turcica
  Sella turcica
  -External links:*...