This post will continue my series on sci-fi and low budget film
making. The more I learn about how so many film makers are shoot more and more films
in this genre the more I believe that someone is going to break out of the pact
and we are going to see a low budget blockbuster in the same way that we
witness the Blair Witch project catch fire almost fifteen years ago. Think
about it this way. Producing a film that can have within it CGI that could
rival that of the major studios can be done right now on a micro budget. We are
at a point where the only things that are holding the low budget world back is
ambition and execution.
Right now I would like to share my interview with the
producer of what will be the feature length version of Arrowhead. I would like to thank Eric for taking the
time to do this interview with in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign. The short film version of what is to come cost
less than seven hundred dollars to produce.
Most Hollywood productions spend more on coffee in a day.
This is my full interview with the executive producer of the
film Eric Machiela.
You can find their crowdfunding page at this
link.
Q) There is a growing
trend in the low to micro budget film world toward shooting sci-fi features.
How long have you been planning to make to shoot this film?
A) There was a time when sci-fi movies were either backyard
VHS fan films or multimillion dollar blockbusters. Today the technology is so
much more affordable that everyone’s able to create at a much more professional
level. It makes sense that the kind of film geeks interested and crazy enough
to push and play with this new technology would want to create in the same
genre they loved growing up. For me the Arrowhead journey started around four
years ago, but it’s really an accumulation of all the sci-fi movies and comic
books I consumed as a kid. Now it’s more about making good sci-fi than it ever
has been, because there’s so much competition.
Q) I forgot to ask the most obvious question. What is the
film about?
A) The short answer is that it tells the story of a
mercenary stranded on a desert planet, battling a mysterious creature with only
a computer to keep him company. But on another level it’s about imprisonment,
isolation, and what it means to be a ‘good’ person. Those are some heavy themes
so we’re hoping that wrapping it all up in a colourful and exciting package
will soften but at the same time reinforce them.
Q) Back in the late
seventies / early eighties Australia started a revolution in post- apocalyptic
road movies. You are the second film maker from your part of the globe that is
attempting a sci-fi film on a low budget. Is it hard mounting a sci-fi film
there through whatever studio system exist there?
A) There is a ‘studio’ system in Australia, although it’s a
government funded film commission that we’re essentially bypassing because
we’re involved with a subscription television channel. So I suppose the
experience of pitching to a channel, being funded by them and then having to
deliver a product for them to distribute is similar to the American studio
process, but it’s all gone so smoothly that I can’t really say I’ve really
experienced what it’s like to navigate through any system. We’re very lucky in
that regard. If I had gone with the government model, based on history I think
I would have had a hard time getting a science fiction project off the ground,
certainly this project because of its scope. What we’re doing is a big risk on
paper, as I imagine a lot of other less fortunate projects are, so it’s no
wonder a lot of people attempt getting their movies off the ground using less
traditional methods. And if Arrowhead’s journey in any way resembles part of
another new wave like the one Australia had in the 70s and 80s, then I’ll feel
like we’ve achieved something really special.
Q) The one question that every beginning film maker seems to
ask no matter the size and or scope of the production is. What camera or
cameras are you planning on shooting the film with? If you had an unlimited
budget would your choices be different?
A) We’re shooting Arrowhead on the RED Epic, which is what
they used to shoot The Hobbit, Thor: The Dark World, Pacific Rim, and countless
other amazing looking productions. If I had an unlimited budget, I’d like to
say I’d use 35mm film simply because of my love of classic films shot on celluloid,
and to keep that tradition alive. But in the digital realm RED is the gold
standard, and the end product is arguably no different. The movie’s going to
look stunning thanks to these amazing cameras.
Q) When most hear sci-fi film they think special effect. I
on the other hand think sound. From Forbidden Planet to Star Wars, to Alien, to
Pitch Black I remember the smooth sound of those films. How important is
recording quality audio going to be?
A) Sound is just as important as image, which is easy to forget
because you can’t see it. You can’t put good sound on a poster. So our sound
designers, location recordist and composer are all going to be working very
closely together in the same way I’ll be working closely with the production
designer, cinematographer and effects artists. We’re creating a desert world
that has to sound unique but also has to generate a certain aural tone. The
fact that our main character is alone most of the time means that filling that
silence is even more important.
Q) What do you think of the state of sci-fi films and
television these day?
A) In a lot of ways there’s never been a better time for
sci-fi. We’re able to go and see several mega-budgeted sci-fi films on the big
screen every year, so we’re very lucky. For every E.T. there was always a Mac
and Me, so even though I believe the best stuff came from that 70s/80s period,
it’s not like everything back then was great. These days I think the highs
aren’t as good as they used to be, but the overall quality is more consistent.
I’m a little put off by all the CGI saturation in everything, and the idea that
sequels have to be bigger and more explodey is starting to get on my nerves.
I’m a little tired of cities being destroyed in every summer blockbuster’s
third act, so I’m hoping the trend will start to shift back again. Whether now
is a good time to enter the game is another question, but there’s certainly
enough inspiration to draw from.
Q) I guess that I
should ask a few FX questions. Will this film feature a great deal of CGI or
are you going to do a lot of practical FX?
A) We’re trying to base a lot of what happens in the movie
on what skills we already have. That’s why you saw a lot of digital matte
paintings (alien horizons, planets in the sky) in the short film. That’s within
our skill set, so we’re embracing that again. There won’t be a lot of heavy
CGI, partly because of budgetary reasons but honestly mostly because we embrace
practical over digital with a strong passion. Anything that we can do in camera
will be done - digital extensions will only happen if they’re completely
necessary. When Kye encounters the creature, for example, it’ll be a real
creation that will exist on set and that can be lit and interacted with for
real. There’s not enough of this happening anymore.
Q) Are you doing the effects work yourself or are you going
to outsource this work?
A) If we’re talking digital effects, we’re anticipating 80%
of the work will be done within our existing team (myself, our editor and VFX
artists), and 20% will be outsourced. We’re completely outsourcing our effects
makeup and creature creation, because it’s something we haven’t personally
done. The challenge as a director is making sure all of these diverse methods
and elements come together to form a consistent whole.
Q) Part of the fun of being an indie film maker is inventing
new ways to get things done. To get the most production value out of the least
amount of money possible. Watching the short film version of Arrowhead Signal
it is amazing to think that you managed to do that for about six hundred
dollars. Were there moments of doubt that it would get done?
A) The biggest moment of doubt was the second day of our
desert shoot, when one of our crew cars had an accident. Nobody was seriously
hurt but for the next few days it was looking pretty scary, and we lost a lot
of our props. So at that point I was worried we wouldn’t have a complete story,
because that was our last chance to be in the desert. In the end though, it
worked out better because we lost a lot of planned scenes that weren’t needed.
The climax of the short film, where Kye and Reef stand together on the
mountain, was shot months later at a much less spectacular location than we had
planned. But aside from this we were spared a whole lizard hunting sequence
that in retrospect would have involved some terrible CGI and slowed the pace
down greatly. Aside from those exterior forces that we couldn’t control, there
was never any doubt we could get that short film made, and it’s that same
stubborn refusal to admit the crazy ambition of it all that is keeping us going
with the feature.
Q) How will this all
translate into a feature length film? How much will the cast grow?
A)The cast is still very small, and it’s still the story of
one man’s struggle to survive. Cast Away had several characters but it’s only
Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt and Wilson that you remember. So the cast will be similar
to that. We’re hoping for audiences to be able to look back at the short film
after having seen the feature and say ‘I recognize those elements. I remember
that scene.’ But the feature is very different - its roots are in the short but
it’s greatly expanded. I think fans of the short will be surprised but still
feel at home.
Q) You are doing a
crowd funding campaign for this film. How can those who are reading this
interview help you to reach your goal?
A) We’ve been funded by the SF channel in Australia and our
film is getting made - the current
crowdfunding campaign is aimed to help our
friends at Gorilla Pictures be involved. We’re in Australia but they’re friends
of ours from a film school I attended in Michigan. As Executive Producers
they’ve pledged a percentage of the film’s budget, as well as an overwhelmingly
generous amount of equipment, resources and crew that will help us make the
film bigger and better. They’re committed to helping us but if they can raise
some capital to get themselves over here, it means they’ll be able to dedicate
all of these assets and for a longer amount of time. If a few hundred people
donated $50 then they’ll be able to help us out and offer supporters some
pretty cool rewards.
Q) Does the campaign have a Facebook page? Does the film have a website yet?
A) The movie has a website (www.arrowheadmovie.com) where
you can view our short film and behind the scenes materials, and you can also
follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@arrowheadmovie). But our most active
community is at Facebook.com/ArrowheadMovie.
Q) Will this film get made no matter what?
A) Not only will this film get made, but it is being made as
we speak. Preproduction is in full swing - we’re building our sets and
costumes, we’re close to finishing the casting process, and we start shooting
in ten weeks! The only question at the moment is where we’ll be distributed,
but we deliver to the network in late 2014 and the movie will be seen.
Q) Some final words
with the film maker. Is this going to be your genre? Are you going to
specialize or are you going to shoot whatever type of film makes the most sense
to you at the time. Sort of like Ridley Scott or Spielberg?
A) I’d love to make all kinds of movies, in fact after this one
I probably won’t want to look at a spaceship or space suit for a long, long
time. All kinds of movies interest me, but my favourites are the ones that
build worlds and mythologies and create places you want to go and visit. A lot
of these are science fiction, but not all of them - I love genre movies but if
I’m lucky enough to make lots of movies, I’m hoping each one will challenge me
in a new and exciting way.
Thanks again Eric, looking forward to seeing the finished
film. For those of you who wish to get
involved you can do it by contributing to the Kickstarter campaign or by
sharing the campaign page or this interview with others. This is I believe is my eighth interview with
someone involved in a crowdfunding campaign and I have monitored all of the
campaigns through to the end and the ones that hit their goals all had one
thing in common. Social media got them over the top. Twitter, Facebook and word
of mouth got them over the top. If you cannot donate money then take the time
to share.
Okay that is it for today. I have something on Found footage
coming soon, but this will not stop me from finishing the series of sci-fi
post. My steampunk post is not going to come until January. I am having fun
with the whole steampunk universe so I am taking my time to get it right.
Good luck guys and try to enjoy the film making process.
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