In leu of the recent DVD release of Pop Skull (order it here), producer Peter Katz and Matt Pizzolo (Halo-8 president) are putting together the first-ever real-time brainscan of a person being frightened by a ghost horror movie, and they’ve joined forces with Bloody Disgusting to find the perfect test subject. If you’d like to be a part of horror movie history, read on below for details on the experiment.
Katz and Pizzolo have teamed up with the world-renowned researchers at MindSign Neuromarketing to conduct a neurological scan on a test-subject watching the mindbending horror film POP SKULL, which has become infamous at film festivals around the world for its harrowing visual imagery and dark, evocative storytelling. Using state of the art technology, this experiment will create an unprecented view into the mind of the audience in real-time.

“We will use a Siemmens 3T fMRI scanner to scan the subject’s brain as they are watching selected scary scenes from POP SKULL,” said MindSign Neuromarketing’s Philip Carlsen. “When we analyze the results of the scary scenes on the subject’s brain we will be looking primarily at the amygdala, which is the fear center of the brain. Another area we will look closely at is the insula, which is also associated with fear.”

Katz and Pizzolo are seeking a test subject in the California area who has personally experienced paranormal events, because an existing belief in the paranormal may cause the brain’s responses to be especially intense and thus aid in the scan’s precision.

If you would like to be considered for the experiment, Katz and Pizzolo ask that you record a Youtube video of yourself revealing your most frightening experience with the paranormal (you may also write out the story and post it in the comments below with a picture of yourself) send the link for your video to thepopskullexperiment@gmail.com. All Youtube videos should have the title The Pop Skull Experiment. The most fascinating ghost story will win a trip to be the subject of the experiment in San Diego. California applicants only please. Contestants can’t have metal in their body for the MRI!

The experiment will take place on August 26th in San Diego, so please only submit if you will be available.

“As the test subject watches our film POP SKULL, we can delve deep into the darkest corridors of her mind and observe as she experiences fear and recalls hidden memories brought forth by this exposure to terrifying content.” said Peter Katz, Pop Skull producer.

“When I first watched POP SKULL, I literally thought I was going to have a seizure or at least lose part of my vision… I fell in love with the film nonetheless and managed to survive ok,” said Halo-8 president Matt Pizzolo. “The idea that we could find out how a horror film affects the mind is fascinating, and in the case of POP SKULL it might even address some public safety concerns.”