EXILE framegrabs

[Mike Conway]

Here are some grabs from my upcoming sci-fi feature, EXILE. No adapters or fancy stuff, just the basic HVX, in 1080 mode. The location shoot was done around 5 extinct volcanoes, near Fillmore, Utah. We built the sets in my backyard, in Las Vegas.

 

[filmelife]

looks nice, the sets look just right. About the grab of them walking through the pyramid, did you build that yourself?

 

[tommetass]

Some nice shots there
But they can get so much better with some post work..

I took the liberty and photoshopped some of them so you can see what I mean..

ah, maybe you didn't need this.. anyways.. good luck with your film

 

[filmelife]

hey mike,

Are you gonna do some CC'ing?

 

[LilGryphMaster]

Color Grading/Correcting is one of my most favorite things to do. Really, you can't make a film these days and not do it... But not many people actually do. Kinda sad.

 

[Mike Conway]

looks nice, the sets look just right. About the grab of them walking through the pyramid, did you build that yourself?

I designed the hexagon and hired some friends to help build it along with 3 other sets.


As for the color correction, there is a lot of matching that I have to do - especially with different times of the day. This is not an area that I'm very good at, so I might get some help. Still, I'm kind of picky about mucking up an image. The camera is already so filmic and clear, it seems funny to mess up things like the day shots. I am considering some sort of filmlook and do appreciate suggestions.


Anyway, here are some more...

 

[dogcat]

Very ambitious project, curious to see how the acting is. The cc buddy did definately adds a lot towards a more professional look.

 

[Mike Conway]

Very ambitious project, curious to see how the acting is.

The leads all have experience and are pretty good. I flew in Brian Sheridan and Tiffany Sinclair, from Washington state, based on their previous work. Brian was especially good in a little horror feature, called PRAEY. Brian is a Japan trained martial artist and I wanted someone very physical - not for fighting, but to be able to handle the punishment that the character goes through.

3 of the other lead actors, Heather Lei Guzzetta, Jake Bass and my wife - Sheila (who has been fantastic in 4 other films), have been in my previous work. They are also very good.

Though I've had the idea of a blind, stranded pilot, for many years, it was because of Heather (below) that I wrote the script. Her stature and demeanor fit the android character, perfectly.

Of course, this is an indie, funded with my own dollars. I don't think it will be a masterpiece, by any stretch, but some nice effort has been put into it. The story and pace are good - the action starts 2 minutes in, but the focus is definitely on characters and performance.

 

[taormina]

Hey Mike - It looks great!

Can you comment on what the budget was, and do you have a distributor yet?

Nice job!

 

[PaPa]

LOVE this picture

please tell us how you achieved this

 

[Mike Conway]

LOVE this picture...please tell us how you achieved this

We built a 20' x 20' fog room, with black walls. Obviously, there's fog. Off to the left, I set up a 1K light, with a blue gel sheet on it.

Can you comment on what the budget was, and do you have a distributor yet?

Heh. "Under a million." While I take great pride in the fact that my last action feature, THE AWAKENING, was made for only $5,900, EXILE is several times that. The main difference, being HD equipment and paying everybody.

Like a lot of other indies, I've been guilty of using free friends, for actors. Results suffer for it. I wanted people to bring a pro attitude and acting chops to this movie.

As for distribution, I have a producer's rep, who handles my other flicks, so EXILE will probably go through her. Right now, there is much left to do, like monster reshoots and model ships, both of which should be completed in the summer.