Z Nation pt 3 - Interview with Keith Allan (Murphy)

Every once in a while a TV series comes along that nicely captures the audiences needs and imagination. The reasons for this tend to be many fold; good writing, a fine ensemble cast, great location, a much loved theme tune etc etc. It also doesn’t harm if the series taps in to the cultural Zeitgeist – in this case, our seemingly never ending obsession with Zombies and the accompanying apocalypse that would come with our face-eating friends. In addition, It often helps if the series in question provides us with an iconic character, someone who strikes a particular chord not only with the target audience, but also into the wider public consciousness; Walter White, Darryl Dixon, Tyrian Lannister, Mr Spock etc etc etc. The list could go on.

I've often fantasised about my role in any potential apocalypse - part of me would like to think that I would be a fearless fighting gun-toting heroic leader who would always know what to say and what to do...... and all the while getting all the female attention that I could handle - as it were. Now while a few of you are still lying on the floor at the back in hysterical fits of laughter at the thought of me being all loved up I will readily admit the reality would more likely be different - very different. I would in truth probably be something of an arse; that guy who holds everybody back by moaning that 'We're all going to die!".....that guy who wanders off after being told to stay put and so gets his face eaten off by a marauding zombie....that guy who everyone else hates and wants to kill far more than the Zombies do.......that b**stard who got Glen killed in The Walking Dead.

The thing that I like about Murphy, Z nation's own iconic character, is that while he is a bit of an arse he has also got more than a little style and panache to go with it. This is not to say that he outshines the rest of what is undoubtedly a fine ensemble cast, because the others more than hold their own. Not to mention that they also have in their midst, Kellita Smith, a kick-ass, bad-ass babe who could lead me through the Zombie apocalypse in a feverish heartbeat any damn time.......blimey, is it getting warm in here?

Murphy, let's face it, is something of a jerk. He was a prison inmate who was bitten not long after the outbreak of the apocalypse but survived thanks to an experimental vaccine that had been forced on him by desperate Government officials. Now, while that may have been enough to royally piss someone off, it's quite clear that being regarded as the potential saviour of the human race hasn't really done much to improve his character. If anything, he's becoming more selfish, self-absorbed and cowardly as the apocalypse goes on. And still we love him.

In part this is undoubtedly due to the fine performance of actor, Keith Allan who brings no little amount of charm and panache to what could easily be an unlikable character. But who is this Keith Allan chap? Well, according to the bio section on his website.....

Keith Allan currently stars as Murphy in the new SyFy original series “Z Nation,” which premieres on September 12th 2014.

Born and raised in Sacramento, he attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles.  He then traveled to Colorado to work in theatre, where he was awarded The Drama Critics Circle award for his performance as the Emcee in “Cabaret.”  He's also lived in Seattle, where he trained and performed in regional theatre.  His television credits include “Will And Grace,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “C.S.I.,” “Enterprise” and “Mad Men” among others. As a filmmaker, he has produced, written and directed several short films including the official Sundance Film “The Big Abandoned Refrigerator Adventure,” which toured with the “Spike And Mike Sick And Twisted Film Festival."  In the summer of 2011, he co-wrote and directed his first feature "11/11/11" for The Asylum, and has continued writing and acting in several features for SyFy and the Lifetime network.

In his spare time, Allan likes to write, draw, hike, garden and travel, and gets his boogie on out on the dance floor.  He considers himself a novice inventor having manufactured his own line of kinetic lamps for several years.

Allan currently lives in Los Angeles with his cat Harry Johnson.

What's not mentioned in his Bio is that Keith has recently been stalked, I mean researched, by a handsome, charismatic and talented blogger based in Scotland (before you ask, that's me by the way). Not only that, but said blogger has also been followed back on Twitter by the redoubtable Mr Allan who has also accepted his friend request on Facebook. Of course once Keith realises his horrendous mistake he will no doubt chance his privacy settings to 'Anyone but that British blogger guy'. Thankfully Keith is well and truly oblivious at the moment and very politely agreed to a brief interview with yours truly just a few days ago.

I would like to go on record and give my sincere thanks for his time, it was a genuine thrill for me.......even if he wouldn't give me Kellita's telephone number.

The Interview bit.......

5D)  Far be it for me to ignore the cliched 'tell us how you got into acting'. So Keith, tell us how you got into acting.

KA) I always wanted to be an actor from the time I was a kid. I started in high school doing plays and taking drama class. I was hooked early on from being obsessed with TV and movies. 

5D) How did you get the role of Murphy in Z Nation?

KA) I auditioned, and auditioned and auditioned. I read for the part about 6 or 7 times before I was cast. I really didn’t think I was going to get it.

5D)  Were you a fan of or horror before? If so, what's your favourite scary movie? As it were.

KA) Alien! It has everything I love... great actors, scary monster, amazing art direction and brilliant direction. I can watch it over and over again.

5D) What is it that we love about Murphy, because let's face it, he's a bit of a dick isn't he?

KA) I think the audience can sympathize with his situation of being completely out of control of his own life. He didn’t ask for any of this and now he is a prisoner of his own circumstance. Yea he makes unpopular decisions...but it’s the apocalypse....there are no easy answers.

5D) I must admit it took me a few episodes to 'get' what Z Nation was trying to do in terms of mixing humour and horror. How do you view that balance?

KA) It’s exactly what I love in horror. I come from old school horror in the 70”s and there was always some level of the ridiculous in those films...it made them fun.

5D) Do you get bored/annoyed by the comparisons of Z Nation with The Walking Dead?

KA) Not at all. I think our fans understood early on that we were not trying to be The Walking Dead. We have many crossover fans that understand there is enough room for two different types of zombie shows and they seem to enjoy them both. I think it’s great.

5D) So who would win in a fight between your group and Rick's Walking Dead group?

KA) Well no one in Ricks group can control Zombies with their mind so......

5D)  What's the first thing you personally do when you get a new script - see how many lines you have..... Who dies..........if you die?!!!

KA) I give it a read through from beginning to end to see how the story unfolds. I want to make sure that it makes sense to me as it should make sense to the audience. If not then I start asking questions of the writers and Karl Schafer our show runner. 

5D) So come on, spill some beans of your fellow cast.... Who is the giggler amongst you when filming?

KA) We all have our moments. We get tired and can totally screw up and get giggling. But the truth is we don’t have a lot of time so that is cut to a minimum. If I had to point a finger it would be Russell who plays Doc.

5D) I asked Russell Hodgkinson this same question..... You can get me Kellita Smiths's telephone number, right?

KA) I'm lucky I have it.

5D)  Have you been surprised by the level of fan worship you seem to be getting?

KA) Well I’m surprised of the range of fans I have. Lots of kids...like young 5 and 6 year old kids to older people who I wouldn’t have guessed to be hardcore zombie fans....but boy are they ever.

5D) So apart from Z Nation, what else is in store for Keith Allan?

KA) Well I did a movie called “Kill Me Deadly” the is screening at a film noir festival in Paris this month and I believe is getting distribution soon. I’m also working on getting a film produced that I want to direct and act in called “Hearts Like Fists”. You can go to my web site www.keithallanactor.com or www.heartslikefists.com to see the teaser for the film. Dark comedy, graphic novel, crime fighter super villain...really fun. Also hit me up on twitter at @KeithAllanDuh and friend me on facebook at Keith Allan.

5D Blog bite - King Falls AM: Episode Fourteen: Date Night At TheLibrary

I know you're not going to believe this, but most of my blog articles take quite a while to put together. It may look like an effortless splurge of genius prose after genius prose, but it is most definitely not effortless. As for the blog being a work of genius - well for be for me to say. I suppose that it doesn't help that I have the typing skills of a drunk one-legged Armadillo or that I frequently write something wonderful, then five minutes later recognise it for the catastrophically inept piece of writing that it actually is. If that wasn't enough, I also tend to take an age in obsessively selecting the right pictures and layout for each piece. I know, I have no life.

It all means that I wish that I could be more prolific than I am, but my pedantic nature means that this simply will not change. I know what you're going to say; "No, no, no, you take as much time as you need. In fact, you should take even more time in between posts..... maybe a year or so perhaps?"

Well once again I'm going to fly in the face of public opinion with a new series of articles - The 5D Blog Bite. 

The 5D Blog Bite is a series of smaller bite-sized articles that will feature in-between the traditional longer in-depth features. In other words, the bites are still my self-obsessed and self-indulgent musings on various scifi, horror & fantasy things that catch my eye. The good news then for the Internetland is that some blog pieces are going to be much shorter, with fewer pictures and less obsession with layout from myself. The bad news for you guys is that there will be more blog articles. 

The inaugural 5D Blog Bite features the very latest podcast episode from our friends across the pond at King Falls AM, the home of the small secluded mountain town that has more than its fare share of paranormal goings on.

Episode Fourteen: Date Night At The Library

Sammy & Ben welcome Dan & Larry from television's Mission: Apparition to King Falls with an exclusive interview and investigation from the King Falls Library.

You can listen to yet another slice of comedy infused paranormal activity the link below, brought to you by the late night show of Sammy & Ben - well done, fellas...... another winner!

https://audioboom.com/boos/3814044-episode-fourteen-date-night-at-the-library

Anyway, if any of you good people reading this want to help to promote the show and the King Falls AM station, just send Sammy a message and they'll converse with you and plug and all that happy jazz. Sammy can be reached on Twitter through his handle at @KingFallsSammy

You can also locate the show itself on Twitter via @KingFallsAM

The Facebook page for King Falls AM can be found RIGHT HERE

RIP Gunnar Hansen.

I don't have time for many regrets in my life, I think of them as generally a waste of time. What is done, is done, etc etc etc. However this morning I have a regret of major proportions.

A couple of years ago I had the chance to attend a Com event down in England, here one of the icons of modern cinema horror was appearing. 'Well I suppose that's reasonable exciting, but they happen all the time don't they?' I hear you ask. Well that may be so, in fact I have to be honest because that was actually my reaction. Never mind that the man in question was horror icon, Gunnar Hansen, or that he portrayed arguably the greatest of all iconic cinematic horror characters in perhaps the one of the most controversial and influential horror films of all time. No, because If that wasn't enough the film in question, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) happens to be my favourite film of all time.

So, my reaction to being able to meet one of my cinematic heroes was to pass up the opportunity. I do recall the reason was that I had some other things going on in my life (the subject of which I cannot remember what for the life of me), so it meant I chose not to travel down. I simply settled myself with thoughts that there would be numerous other chances to meet the great man.

Well this morning the news came through that indeed there would be absolutely no chances. Gunnar Hansen passed away today at the age of 68 and with it my selfish wish to meet him and ask him personally the hundreds of questions that I've had about him, Leatherface and the whole Chainsaw experience for more years than I care to remember. Sadly my chance has passed.

So I hope that you all don't think that I am grabbing an opportunity to take advantage of the news of his death, but I felt the only way to show my appreciation was to publish again a few self indulgent musings on the film that is still at the top of my all-time favourite list.

So ladies and gentlemen, I give you....

 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Let's stop here, what's the worse that could happen?....

Picture the scene - it's the early 1980's in a small Yorkshire town in England. A young man who has more than a few dreams in his head, stars in his eyes, and a growing obsession with all things Science fiction and horror, hears something startling and wondrous on a national news bulletin. Namely, a that particular movie which had over the years gained a reputation of controversial and mythical proportions, arguably as no other has in the history of movies, was finally to be released on video. Amazingly, some 7 years after its initial production the seminal horror movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was finally going to see the light of day over here in the UK. 

Believe me, this was big news. Since its release in the UK in early 1975, thanks in part to the usual suspects within our sensationalist and hypocritical tabloid press, the opportunity to see the movie in cinema's had been withheld by the British Board of film classification. Those bastions (I said, bastions) for the protection of the nations viewing sensibilities, believed vehemently that the magnitude of violence, particularly in two noted scenes and the feeling of claustrophobic terror in the last 3rd of the film, was far too much for the sensibilities of a British audience. Therefore deeming that it was unsuitable for a BBFC X certificate to be issued. Ah bless the BBFC for protecting us from making up our own minds.

So it finally seemed in those dark and distant days of 1981 that the British Board of film classification had finally seen sense it seems and permitted the movie's release. However, this respite of finally seeing sense turned out to be very brief as the video was soon to be removed from the video stores after new video classification rules came in ('Thank you', Margaret Thatcher...).

Seems legit......

Indeed, as it transpired, no theatrical or video release was going to take place for another 18 years thanks to the backward and miss-placed 'protection' of the the public sensibilities by the continuing preaching of sections of the press and political community - bastards.

However, before it was unceremoniously pulled from the shelves, a lucky few of us had managed to get our hands on the film, and it's iconic horror bad-guy, by now had achieved cult status of his own fabled proportions. I had managed to get a copy of the movie from a friend of mine, a grainy 5th of 6th generation copy which meant that the visual quality was less than perfect in some middle parts. But it was MY copy. It may be a lifetime ago, but believe me, it is still difficult to communicate the level of excitement and anticipation that me and my young friends were experiencing as we sat huddled around a VCR on a chilly February evening. Not only were we giving two fingers up to the establishment, we were about to see a colossus of Horror cinema that even today, though it may have been copied a thousand times, still has yet to be surpassed.

I'm not going to give anything near a detailed synopsis of the plot as any self respecting horror devotee will be at least familiar with the rudimentary elements - the other two people in the world can watch it for themselves. However, to basically sum it up... Loosely based on the true crimes of Ed Gein, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of Five teenage friends who are travelling across the State in order to pay a visit to their grandfather's grave after stories of vandalism and desecration have reached them. As they travel cross-country to the homestead they chance upon an old run-down property, where they are hunted and terrorised by a chain-saw wielding murderer and his not so lovable family of grave-robbing cannibals.

Just a man and his chainsaw hobby.....

Forget the basic storyline. Put aside opinions on the quite frankly ropey acting in a couple of roles (the cast taken mostly from Director Tobe Hooper's teaching friends and students). While you're at it, if you haven't ever seen the film (and where the hell have you been if you haven't?!), ignore the rather miss-placed and over sensationalised claims that you may have heard that the film is nothing more than thoughtless violence and nothing else. 

No, this is a movie that is much more than that as it takes you along with it on an adrenaline filled journey of barely suppressed terror. Indeed, there are times, particularly in the last act of the film when that the experience becomes more of a sensory and emotional overload - such is it's intense and unsettling power. There are scenes and images within this film that burn themselves onto your consciousness for a variety of reasons. Yes there are scenes of unyielding violence which will shock, even on repeated viewing, particularly from one of the true iconic horror characters, Leatherface, played impeccably by the legendary Gunnar Hansen. For me, there has simply never been a horror character as pitiful or frightening as Leatherface. Much of the credit obviously goes to the director and the editing of the film for this, but I must admit that I have always felt that Hansen has never quite received the recognition for his performance that he deserved. His movement, reactions and presence is quite magnificent.

The cinematography is frankly stunning, originally shot on poor quality 16mm film, this seems if anything to add to the overall atmospheric ambiance, partly in the external country scenes but particularly in the internal terror scenes that are at times genuinely suffocating in their claustrophobic intensity. 

Somebody won't be recommending this establishment

 on Holiday destinations.com

As I mentioned previously, it wasn't until 1999 that the BBFC realised that years of complete miss-interpretation of the movie had taken place. Contrary to popular misconception, there is no over-reliance on explicit violence in the movie (in fact there is a distinct lack of blood and gore throughout). Rather it is the often implied threat of violence and atmosphere that creates the power to shock and discomfort the viewer. 

I could also talk at length about Leatherface and his family's treatment of the teenagers being an evocation and allegory of America in the 1970's with such things as the Watergate scandal and Vietnam making it it quite clear that the modern world world was cruel and nothing like your childhood memories said it was. No one is safe, no-one can be trusted. The hippy peace loving days of the 1960's were long gone. But I'll leave that sort of discussion for those far more qualified and able than I.

I could also talk about the less than successful remakes, with the most recent an attempt to turn Leatherface into some sort of franchise leading character who we are meant to actually support and feel sorry for, thereby losing all the essential elements of this true classic original - but that is a rant for another time.

RIP Gunnar, you will be sorely missed.

A love letter to Halloween (1978)

I'll let you into to something of a dirty little secret of mine, though I'll do it only if you promise not to tell a soul. Promise? ......... I'll take that silent response as a 'maybe'.

My secret is this. When one considers that I've been a horror hound since I was a mere pup and that I've been well and truly drenched in the blood of the genre (metaphorically, at least) ever since, it may come as a surprise that I I've never really felt much of an affinity of the whole Halloween/trick or treat/dressing up thing. I just find the time of year just a little tedious and cliched. I know, its a shock and I'm not too sure why. Maybe it's because I don't like the gentrification and watering down of the horror genre that the mainstreaming of horror seems to have. I suppose that it also could be that I'm simply being selfish horror snob and don't like the idea of Mr & Mrs Suburbia dressing themselves and their kids up for yet another zombie themed party with suitably themed food and drinks....oh lordy, give me strength.

No, I generally avoid it all........... well except for one personal tradition that I enjoyed every year on this date for many, many years - and that is to make sure that the last thing I do on All Hallows Eve  before going to bed is to watch a certain classic horror film that has more than a passing relation to the whole damn thing.

Halloween (1978) is one of those few movies that has well and truly morphed from being just a cheaply made independent film. Instead it has weaved its wonderfully wicked way into being arguably the seminal example of the horror slasher genre. Not only that, but in the process the film's big nasty bad guy has himself become part of of wider cultural and public consciousness. But more of that poor misunderstood chap in a while.

I was too young to see the film when it it first came out - besides which, I was still completely under the spell of a certain film that was set A long, long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away. It wasn't until a few years after Halloween's release, when video was working it's wonderful magic and letting us poor souls who had missed out the first time, to catch up on what for many regard as the classic era of horror film making - the 1970's. As it turned out, the very first time I experienced Carpenters work of cinematic genius took the form of me and two friends sitting in front of a small TV on a spring evening in 1983. To say it had an immediate impact would be an understatement. We didn't speak for the entire 91 minutes running time......and we slept with the light on that night. Halloween quite simply scared the crap out of me. To be honest, it still does.

Now I know that any self respecting horror film lover knows the plot backwards, but indulge me (yet again) - because, well you know, I just can't help myself.

The story first begins on Halloween in a small Illinois town in 1963.  A young boy, Michael Myers, witnesses his older teenage sister and her boyfriend kissing in the living room. After seeing the two teenagers sneak up to his sisters bedroom he puts on a clown mask, takes a butcher knife out of the kitchen, and waits until the boy leaves before entering her room and stabs her over and over again until she falls down dead. He then walks downstairs and wanders outside with the knife still in his hand. Michael's parents, who have just arrived home, pull off the clown mask that Michael is wearing, to reveal the angelic looking face of the young boy.

This opening scene is a masterpiece of film-making. Designed to look like a continuing single tracking point of view shot, it means that the audience is only slowly aware that something terrible is about to happen. 

The genius of Carpenter was that he knew that for most people the true horror would not be the violent bloody murder, it would actually be on seeing the boy's face for the first time after he has butchered his sister. It is not the face of a monster, it's just a normal boy........he simply has one or two issues.

Some fifteen years later on the day before Halloween, Michael's Psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis (a masterful performance from Donald Pleasence), arrives at the sanitarium in which Michael has been institutionalised. However Michael has managed to escape - and we know where he's going don't we? Yes that's right, the poor misunderstood soul just wants to pay his old hometown a little visit for old times sake. And what does any homesick young guy do on his way home? Well Michael breaks into a small store and steals a Halloween mask, a rope and a knife. Ahhh, we've all been there........

The following Halloween day, a young high school student Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee-Curtis) continually sees the mask-wearing Michael around town. Of course, this being a horror film, it has to follow one of the golden horror rules - Nobody but nobody believes her.  

That night, Laurie is babysitting a young boy while at the same time her friend is doing the same with a young girl. When her friend gets a call from her boyfriend to go and collect him to brings the girl to the house where Laurie is babysitting. But on her way to pick up her boyfriend her friend is killed by Michael, who was hiding in the back of her car. Meanwhile back at the original house another couple of Laurie's friends sneak in and head to the bedroom, where they have sex.  What a mistake to make!!! Another golden rule of poor films - Never, but never have sex....because if you do you'll die a bloody painful death. (That's a top health tip for you kids reading this out there - don't have sex.......it leaves more for us older folks)

The boy is  well and truly skewered on the wall with a kitchen knife, then Michael strangles Laurie's friend with a telephone cord as she talks on the phone with Laurie. Feeling worried, Laurie heads over to the house to investigate……. Don't go in there Laurie!!!!!

The production of the film has itself gone down in movie folklore as It was made on a shoestring budget of only $320,000 and shot over just 28 days in 1978. In fact, the money to make the film was so tight that the main female lead (Jamie Lee-Curtis) was only paid $8000. There wasn't even enough money to buy a real mask for the Michael Myers character so instead a cheap William Shatner mask was purchased for a dollar and a film assistant was put to work with some left- over false hair and white spray paint to make a few adjustments. The money saving didn't stop there as the fake paper leaves used to simulate the late Autumn falling leaves had to be collected by one of Carpenter's minions after each shot in order to be re-used later in the movie.

At the last count, the film has so far grossed over $70 million worldwide to make it the most successful independent film ever.

Halloween is a genuinely seminal film which provided the blueprint for numerous copycat slasher movies, which in turn became gorier and gorier as the years progressed (not necessarily always a bad thing!). However, I feel the last word on the power of Carpenter's filming is that contrary to popular belief (and the conservative film critics), the level of blood and gore in this film is remarkably low. In fact he only blood seen is when Judith Myers is killed, on the body of the man Michael killed for his clothes and on Laurie's hand and arm after escaping from Michael. It is actually the emotional power of the casts performances that drives the film - Curtis is especially convincing as the scream queen turned plucky survivor (strong women being a recurring theme in many of Carpenters' films). A masterpiece.

An often overlooked contribution to his movies is the music that Carpenter (the vast majority of which he wrote himself) provides for each production. Forced to write his own synthesiser music due to budgetary constraints in his first few movies Carpenter quickly realised the importance that music can provide. He's never content to let musical score simply accompany a film to fill the odd silence and occasionally add something to the overall effect. Instead the music often acts as a principle character in the story. 

The likes of Assault on Precinct 13 (the score for which was written in a staggering three day period), Halloween (where he produces arguably his most iconic slice of movie soundtrack) and Escape from New York would all be far the poorer if Carpenter hadn’t taken the real care and passion to intimately wed the music to the complexities of the narrative. There times when if it’s done well, the musical score is pushing effortlessly along the action and tension rather than the opposite way around. If that wasn’t enough, much of Carpenters musical output stands very much on it’s own merits as being decidedly listenable in its own right.

So tonight I will put up with the trick or treaters, the middle class suburban 'horror' themed parties and the chance that the vastly inferior Rob Zombie remake might be shown on TV instead. I will sit myself down and spend 91 minutes with my mate Michael while I listen to his problem of just being a little misunderstood.

Rotor DR1

Another day, another blog article.... and another apocalypse. However don't get me wrong, I'm not yet suffering from apocalypse-fatigue, at least not yet. It helps that the film that I'm going to be musing about in this article is perhaps one of the more unique approaches to film making and production that I've seen in quite some time. 

Before I talk about the plot etc of Rotor DR1, let me tell you a little about the background to the project, because it's a doozy!

A few days ago I received an email from a Los Angeles based production studio, Cinema Libra studios, stating that they had acquired the rights to distribute this particular film. The email had started by them mentioning that they had read my blog and very much enjoyed it. Now, hopefully that is true, but quite frankly I don't really care - flattery will get anybody anywhere when it comes to finding my attention. The email then went on to say that they wanted to reach out in the hope that a story on their upcoming film release might be of interest to my blog, as it offers a unique perspective on modern film making. "Hmmm, an interesting perspective on filming', tell me more" I said to no one in particular..... well I suppose that my dog Jasper was in the room, but he doesn't count as he's made it abundantly clear in the past that he couldn't give a toss about my blog. 

Anyhow, my interest had been well an truly peaked and so I read on. I was told that Rotor DR1, recently released to DVD & BLU & VOD on October 20th, was conceived and evolved out of the Flite Test (flitetest.com) community. I must admit that that I didn't have a scooby doo what the heck the Flite Test community was, thankfully I was soon to be enlightened. Apparently it is a 400,000 member strong online community for drone enthusiasts that director/producer Chad Kapper founded in 2010. After posting the idea of creating a community-collaborated web series to the forum, he soon had input from 7000 people. Using forums, GoogleDocs, Facebook and Youtube--and without a script--the group embarked on developing a ten episode series over twelve weeks in late 2014, with each episode shared with the Rotor DR1 community for feedback and further development of the story line.

Blimey, sounds like movie making anarchy to me! No studio control, no film studio focus groups deciding what the movie going audience wants by simply pandering to the lowest common creative denominator. No none of that, because here decisions on casting, wardrobe, props, dialogue, action scenes, the episodic arc and the back story of the virus that wipes out civilisation, were all made in collaboration. While this may not work for huge studio films, this 350K indie was able to engage the community they built and give them the exact product that they were asking for. Chad Kapper believes this could become a bigger part of the entertainment field in the future as companies grow wearier of risk taking. Do you know something? He may be right.

So it came to be that after partnering with Cinema Libre Studio, the episodes were edited together to produce a feature film.Here's a synopsis of the story....

After a viral epidemic eliminates 90% of the world’s population, the survivors struggle to rebuild and reconnect with the world they’ve lost. Autonomous drones, originally meant to deliver vaccinations for the deadly disease, now fly aimlessly through the sky and are hunted for their parts and power sources.

But when a 16-year-old boy named Kitch stumbles upon a peculiar drone named DR1, clues about his long-lost father begin to surface. As Kitch defends his new drone from a local crime syndicate, he befriends one of its members, a young woman named Maya. With Maya’s encouragement and DR1 leading the way, the three travelers set out on a journey to find Kitch’s father. Potential enemies lurk around every corner and Kitch, Maya and DR1 must work together to navigate the unknown and find the answers they seek.

On the one hand I am very well versed with post-apocalyptic films, on the other I'm not particularly au fait with drones or the passionate community behind them. In fact, my main exposure to hobby drones has been the result of some of the negative publicity that they have garnered in relation to the debate about public safety and privacy. Hopefully films such as this might begin to redress the balance.

I must admit that I hadn't seen the original web series from which the film has been edited from. This could be an advantage in parts as it means I have no frame of context that may influence my opinion of what has been produced here - because for the most part, Rotor DR1 is a thoroughly enjoyable example of intelligent post-apocalyptic movie making.

For a start the film looks great with the Ohio locations providing a nicely authentic look of a place ravaged by the effects of human disintegration. This is something which is perfectly personified with the regular aeriel scenes from the drone which serve to portray the vastness of the landscape which serves also to magnify the apparent hopelessness that the survivors face. It does have to be said that the film at times meanders slightly and occasionally seems to lose it's way, whether this is due to the editing adaptation from the web series is difficult to say. Nonetheless, some episodes in the plot could have been tightened up a little more in post-production.

If you are in the mood for an in-you-face adrenaline fuelled Mad Max-esque tale of apocalyptic woe - then do not look the way of this feature. This isn't though a criticism of the film in any way, because there's always a place for a slow and measured paced movie - not everything has to include mindless, pointless and endless high octane set pieces to be effective. Yes Transformers, I'm talking to you. The result here is instead a brooding and thoughtful atmospheric treatment that slowly enfolds you.

The two central performances from Christian Kapper and Natalie Welch are excellent in their natural and under emphasised way with Kapper's measured narration the constant backbone of the story. I must admit that before I watched it I had a nagging fear that, as result of the need to make it a central theme and character, the drone was going to be some sort Disney-esque personality with cutesy flashing mannerisms and being noises to help the hapless kids on their way. Thankfully this turned out to be nothing of the sort, and while one cannot help but anthropomorphise DR1, it's part isn't overly saccharine at all.

While the two main characters are well played, unfortunately some of the supporting roles are less effective. This is often the case it seems with independent productions and while one or two of the less convincing performances don't overly detract from the final production they are nonetheless noticeable.

Rotor DR1 provides a rather nice slice of post-apocalyptic adventure and in many ways does the hobby drone, and it's passionate community justice to give us an intelligent, considered and enjoyable film. Highly recommended if you like to think about what you are seeing. On the other hand, if you want mindless exploding pap that has the intelligence factor of a brick, then you could always stick to watching Transformers.

Follow the Film on Social Media:

Website: http://www.rotordr1.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rotordr1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RotorDR1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9o6nWNu38SRdBYPlPcdTpA

Purchase the Film on DVD or BLU:

http://store.cinemalibrestore.com/rotor-dr1-dvd.html

http://store.cinemalibrestore.com/rotor-dr1-blu-ray.html 

ABOUT CINEMA LIBRE: 

Cinema Libre Studio is a full-service mini-studio known for producing and distributing high concept feature films and social impact documentaries.  Headquartered in the Los Angeles area, the team has released over 200 films  including the Sundance Audience Award®‐Winning FUEL, THE END OF POVERTY?, Rachid Bouchareb’s LONDON RIVER and Oliver Stone’s SOUTH OF THE BORDER. This year, the company has released CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU, based on a memoir by Andy Summers, the guitarist of the band The Police, DAYS OF GRACE (DIAS DE GRACIA), an eight-time Ariel Award ®-winning film by Mexican director Everardo Gout and is gearing up for a Fall theatrical run for OLVIDADOS (FORGOTTEN), the Damian Alcazar-starring feature which was Bolivia’s Official Selection as Foreign Language Film at the 87^thOscars ®.

www.cinemalibrestudio.com| www.facebook.com/cinemalibrestudio.com | twitter.com/cinemalibre

Dark Matter

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting too much from Dark Matter before it began. After all it didn't seem like it was exactly going to break new ground in terms of a sci-fi space drama - if one was being kind I would have anticipated it to be somewhat 'traditional' in format, if I was being nasty (Moi? As if!) I may have referred to it as being a potential derivative mishmash by-the-numbers space adventure. Well as it turns out, like many thoughts and decisions in this bloggers life, I was quite wrong.

Yes, there may well be a number of familiar elements contained within the series, For example we have; A disparate mix of individuals thrown together all with a skeleton or two hidden away on the closet, an android with distinct human aspirations and a whole heap of bad guys waiting for them around every nebula's corner. No, if truth be told, I wasn't expecting anything that I hadn't already seen on the criminally mis-treated (by the studio) Firefly, the classic of British Sci-fi - Blake's 7, Red Dwarf, Star Trek Voyager or even the wonderful Guardians of the Galaxy. Have yourself a look at the synopsis of Dark Matter below to see what I mean.......

"When the six-person crew of a derelict spaceship awaken from stasis in the farthest reaches of space, their memories have been wiped clean and they have no recollection of who they are or how they got there.  

The mysteries of their respective pasts take them on a journey to the deepest depths of space. Hounded by the galactic authorities, their former employers, ruthless corporations, rivals, bounty hunters, and former enemies – they only have each other to rely upon. All the while, the clock is ticking as there is a traitor in their midst, a mole who orchestrated their communal mind-wipe."

As i've said, it won't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me well that once again I was wrong, because as it turns out, Dark Matter takes all the aforementioned familiar well worn themes and instead provides a welcome and refreshing treatment of the space adventure sub-genre. Though don't just take my word for it, the 13-part drama was the  Syfy channel's number one rated show since it began airing and has subsequently been renewed for a second series. So it seems that it may not just have been me that was wrong.....or maybe I was just overly cynical to begin with.

So pray tell, Mr 5D blogger person, just what is the appeal of this show? Well sit down quietly and I will tell you dear reader person.

To begin with, the premise of having a group of people suddenly waking up from stasis with no memories between them, of who they were and why they are there, is inspired. This concept immediately enables the writers to slowly but surely piece together snippets of their past lives with a clever plot device (no spoilers here) which serves to provide a level of character development that would put many a more mainstream show in its place. Not only do we get to witness the piecing together of their pasts but also see that the information that they retrieve comes at a price, because not all they find out about themselves is exactly favourable. In fact some of their past deeds turn out to be downright terrible, for a whole number of reasons.  

This results in the formation of complex relationships amongst the newly formed crew. Trust mixes with distrust, friendships and fall-outs are intelligently given time to develop against some genuinely exciting and well designed set pieces.

The success of any ensemble acting group, particularly one set as an adventure in space, relies on the charisma and performances of the central cast involved. The mistake many programme producers make is to try and formulate an array of eminently likable characters, though this often simply ends in a collection of one dimensional cardboard cut-out personalities. The writers of Dark Matter have identified that not all characters have to be liked by the audience, but they certainly have to by empathised and understood at least. Considering that this is a collection of relatively unknown actors they should be commended in creating a collection of believable and engaging individuals, each with his or her own set of respective complexities. For me this always makes for more interesting viewing than an 'everybody loves and respects each other scenario'......boring.

Particular note should be made of Melissa O'Neil, who plays 'Two'. Apart from the fact that she plays a tough, aggressive and complex character which far belies her lack of acting experience. she is also quite simply gorgeous and quite likely to be the next Mrs 5D Blogger. I appreciate that she may not have a clue yet as to who I am, but I would say that the fact that she doesn't know me is actually something in my favour.

In truth there isn't one weak link amongst the core cast group.

The founder of the Behaviourist school of Psychology, John Watson, famously suggested that all humans as born with their mind as a blank slate, or 'Tabula Rasa". In other words, from the moment we are born all our thoughts, perceptions and behaviours are the sole product of our environment. There was no scope for genetically inherited behaviour, no such thing as free will. In essence, all that we know is determined for us by our environment. Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, Dark Matter is ultimately a series about redemption and examines the debate of Nature vs Nurture...... The ship is referred to as 'The Raza'.......  Tabula Rasa....get it? Are people born bad or are they a product of their environment? And, more importantly, once they’ve followed a certain path, is there any turning back?....... Questions, questions questions. For some viewers who seem to need complete resolution in anything they watch or read, well some questions are answered for those saddos individuals. For those of us superior folks who are not interested in having everything explained and tied up in a pretty bow and actually like to think for ourselves on occasion, well many questions are left tantalisingly open.

I don't want those who haven't seen Dark Matter to be under the impression that the show is simply one long philosophical and psychological study into the complexities of the human condition. While it may not be that heavy, there is certainly an intelligent and well thought out approach to character development and plot. However the writers haven't forgotten that the show is supposed to be entertaining - and it has delivered that in plenty throughout the opening season. For me, the highlight of season one was the eventual revelation of the traitor amongst the group while holding back a whole plethora of insights and explanations of the motives and objective behind his/her/it's true intentions. 

The one minor quibble that I would have would be regarding the shows' budget which occasionally at times meant that the special effects, though entirely adequate, were not quite up to the high levels they could have been. Its budget restrictions also meant that much of the plot took place in the confines of the ship, and while this resulted in some nicely atmospheric interior set pieces, it meant certain external plot avenues were left unexplored. The fact that the series has now been picked up for a second season will hopefully see a more ambitious budget this time around.

If you like your science fiction intelligent, though provoking and bloody well exciting - then this is the show for you.

Dark Matter was released this week on DVD 12 October courtesy of RLJ Entertainment's Acorn Label.