With a 22 day shoot schedule this feature length action picture has an aggressive but creatively well planned approach to achieve a maximum effect. The Kickstarter campaign begins on March 30th to set spark to the engine that will run the production phase of planning and shooting for the movie.
The story of THE DARK ZONE takes place in a massive tourist cave with 25 miles of underground caverns that breach the border of Mexico, an alternate escape route for a pack of jewel thieves who knock off a local gem show and take hostages. To an ex-Military Ranger and father the thieves hardly stand a chance against his determination to get his teenage daughter back.
“I learned a lot in the 5 months I worked by Mr. Cameron’s side and underwater on THE ABYSS. Tempo, dramatic timing and using darkness as a character combined with confined spaces is like harnessing lightning in a bottle,” says Darlington. When I read THE DARK ZONE, I knew this was the movie for me to Direct.
“It’s DIE HARD in a cave,” says Co-Author Steve Perry of the award winning writing team of Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. They are known for writing novels for the franchises of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Gene Rodenberry. Michael Reaves won an Emmy for writing BATMAN: The Animated Series and combined, the two writers have been named New York Times Best Selling authors.
Casting for this film adventure includes Richard Hatch, along with fellow BATTLESTAR GALACTICA star, Lili Bordan. Additional interest from talent includes: Fiona Dourif, Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao has expressed exercising his acting chops as a machine-gun wielding bad guy. Jim Hanks (brother of Tom Hanks) will play Bad Guy Ring Leader – Klash. Academy Award Winning (STAR WARS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) Production Designer Lesley Dilley will help craft key interior sets and cave replications. Morpheus Film’s Neil Johnson will Co-Produce and Ben Kufrin is the Director of Photography. Composer Jon Kull (AVATAR, HUNGER GAMES, I AM LEGEND) will score the movie.
Production will shoot at least 65% of the movie inside real caves and the remaining exteriors and interiors will be shot in locations in New Mexico, Arizona and California. A Sound Stage will be used to shoot intense stunt work and pyrotechnic and physical effects that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to capture in environmentally conscientious locations. “We are the little action film that could,” states Darlington. “But we have to work around Bats and Centipedes. They don’t need a movie crew disturbing their mating season.”
Cinematographer Ben Kufrin will provide the visual precision needed for the dark and claustrophobic look of the film. “When I saw Ben’s reel I was impressed with how efficient he is. Not a single shot is waisted on telling the story,” Darlington exclaims.
Says Kufrin, “Technology has evolved in the last five years in quantum leaps. I think what that technology gives us is a possibility of shooting something that’s never been seen before.”