and why we changed our name from

AFTER DARK STUDIO FILMS after 15 years.

Mystic Night Pictures  was created in 1992 originally called "Comedy Hour productions" by writer, producer, director, talk show show host, and actor Mike Burke. It was born through a comedy television show that aired in Connecticut. The show was originally called "The Comedy Hour starring Mike Burke." but soon after became "Comedy After Dark starring Mike Burke"  It was a talk/variety show featuring guests, live music, and many comedy skits. Burke was 16 years old and in high school when he co-created the show with John Landolfi. The people behind the scenes created a team-like atmosphere to produce the show. It created order , organization, and close friendships. If there was no teamwork too many people would have been fighting to get their two sense in. Mike Burke had been a stand-up comic and knew what he wanted in the show to make it funny. With the name of the show changed the production company became "After Dark Productions"  the cast of the show served as the people behind the production and the non-profit production company. This team worked very well. The show was very successful (see the Comedy After Dark page for more about the show). "After Dark Productions" remained the same until 1998. In 1998 long after the show had ended Mike began production on his first two feature films "Murder After Dark" and "Murder After Dark part 2." In the editing process Burke was creating the logo for "After Dark productions" for the opening of the film and just didn't like the looks of it. He felt the name needed more and needed to really pop out. After a few different names and research "After Dark Films" really clicked. In 2004 it was discovered we were not the only After Dark Films in the world. Actually the other companies were created after the creation of our After Dark and both companies had ended. So Mike Burke decided to come up with a change that would be very original and limit anyone from mistaking us with the dead companies.  He wanted to do his best to try to keep most of the original name. "After Dark Studio Films" was added January 11, 2004. In February, 2006 the name began the registration process to be trademarked. Soon after some big changes were to come.

In the summer of 2006 it was discovered through a trailer for the film "An American Haunting" that the company who produced it was "After Dark Films".  Mike Burke explains  "I was very shocked to see this. This was not my company. I couldn't believe that in this day in age, with the internet so accessible, that someone would take the name and use it worldwide without checking to see if someone else was using it. I was very angry." Mike tried to contact them without success when finally in early fall of 2006 he received a letter from the other "After Dark Films" attorney. After a conversation over the phone their attorney wanted to work this out in a friendly way and to avoid the courtroom. Mike agreed. We will avoid going into all the legal stuff and telling a very long story and cut to the chase. Finally in December, 2006 an agreement was met. Mike would license the use of the name to the other "After Dark" giving them permission to use it without trouble from Mike. Mike would remain the legal owner of the name. Both companies would co-exist and continue to make movies, etc. All in all everything worked out great.

In October, 2006 the other "After Dark" started a horror film festival called "Horrorfest." It was this that would convince Mike that both companies could not co-exist with similar names. Mike was bombarded with emails. Everything from questions about it to complaints. When the festival premiered people who didn't like the movies in the festival were writing rude emails blaming Mike for the bad films and accusing him of stealing the "After Dark" name. Mike had enough and knew he could longer use the name he had been using for a decade and half.  A change was the only choice.

With the license signed and delivered it was now time to make the big change. After much research and Trademark searches and many combination of name ideas one was finally chosen. On Tuesday, January 23, 2007 "Mystic Night Pictures" became the official name. "I wanted to stay with something that was in the same ballpark as After Dark. I wanted mystical, dark, and something that had some meaning. After Dark was a tribute to my television show of the early 1990's and to all of those who helped me make it. So with Mystic Night I chose Mystic not only because it's very fitting in definition (look it up) but it also is the name of one my favorite towns in Connecticut. Although I am not from there, I have spent a lot of time there and my favorite pizza place is there (Mystic Pizza, yes same place in the movie!) I have a name that fits with dark qualities but also represents the US state I grew up in. This way it at least has some meaning.

A  lot was learned in this episode but we look forward to the future as "Mystic Night Pictures" and hope you like our new name as well as our work. We have produced a TV show, seven TV movies, twelve feature films, and nine film shorts as of 2007. All are available for purchase on DVD. Visit                  THE DVD SHOP. to see what we have!