Toetag Pictures


Toetag Inc is an American Independent horror film company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by director Fred Vogel and special effects artist Jerami Cruise, and specializes in producing and distributing low-budget underground horror films. In 2004, Cruise created the special effects department for Toetag Pictures, Toetag EFX, which would go on to work on Toetag Pictures films as well as independent productions. The company gained its notoriety for its August Underground film series. In 2010, Toetag Inc officially became incorporated and changed its name from Toetag Pictures to Toetag Inc. In 2014, the company began distributing films not made by Toetag via a new department, Toetag Releasing. Toetag Inc, Toetag EFX, and Toetag Releasing have all been on hiatus since 2015.

Pre-Toetag Pictures

Before Toetag Pictures was founded, director Fred Vogel and special effects artist Jerami Cruise both attended the same university, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where they began shooting underground short films with a focus on gore and violence. After graduating from university, they made the first August Underground film together in 2001.

History

Toetag Pictures was founded after the creation of August Underground's Mordum in 2002. Following the success of August Underground and its sequel, Toetag Pictures was able to lease their first studio in Bellevue, Pennsylvania. Parts of the studio can be seen in the pseudo-documentary S&Man. Due to the continued success of Toetag, the company was able to move to a 7,000 sq ft studio in Pittsburgh. The team would go on to make seven films under the name Toetag Pictures before rebranding to Toetag Inc in 2010. The company lost its Pittsburgh studio that same year. After the Pittsburgh studio closed, Toetag went on to work on special effects for the segment "Wet Dream" in the horror anthology film The Theater Bizarre, and also contributed to SFX for the films White Reindeer and Fractured.
In 2012, Jerami Cruise moved the Toetag EFX department to Los Angeles, California. The company also opened a storefront in 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2014, Toetag Inc created Toetag Releasing, which went on to distribute four films: "Arme/Lust", "Cross Bearer", "I Am No One", and "Deadwood Park". In 2015, Toetag Inc, Toetag EFX, and Toetag Releasing all went on hiatus.

Toetag EFX

YearFilmDirector
2001August UndergroundFred Vogel
2003August Underground's MordumFred Vogel
2004Necrophagia: SicknessKilljoy (musician)
Fred Vogel
2004Murder-Set-PiecesNick Palumbo
2005Mutilation MileRon Atkins
2006The Redsin TowerFred Vogel
2007August Underground's PenanceFred Vogel
2007Brutal MassacreStevan Mena
2008Al Fin Y Al CaboAlfonso Rodríguez
2009Hotel Chelsea (film)Jorge Vald
2009Murder Collection V.1Fred Vogel
Shelby Vogel
Jerami Cruise
2009Mutilation MileRon Atkins
2009MaskHeadRebecca Swan
Fred Vogel
2010Vacation!Zack Clark
2010BereavementSteven Mena
2010Revenge Is Her Middle NameAnthony Mathew
2010Sella TurcicaFred Vogel
2011The Theatre Bizarre Tom Savini
2011White ReindeerZack Clark
2013FracturedAdam Gierasch