Showing posts with label Fan Films. Show all posts

EXCLUSIVE: THE TOMB RAIDER/WITCHBLADE FAN FILM THAT NEVER WAS

 

Today, I raided the archives and uncovered some great content from an American Tomb Raider/Witchblade fan film called “Awakenings” that was cancelled in the early 2000s
It was the first and only film to feature both of these characters however, not the first time they have crossed paths. Sara Pezzini is the star of the hugely successful comic series by Top Cow, solving crime in the NYPD by day and hunting monsters by night with an ancient powerful weapon she knows as the “Witchblade”. In 2001, it became a hit TV series on American network, TNT, starring Yancy Butler.
There were also talks of a film adaptation but it never reached the production stage.
As their “Tomb Raider” series became just as popular in the 90s, Top Cow released a limited crossover spinoff of the two.

“Awakenings” by Roach’s Realm Productions encountered a number of roadblocks including a change of cast after filming began and lack of funding. This resulted in the project never being completed.
That said, I hope you enjoy some of the scenes that would’ve been in the film, as well as some behind the scenes and outtakes!
Special thanks to the director and Trish Ellis for the permission to share.

TR25 FAN FILM FEATURE - TOMB RAIDER (2013)


 
Last year, I had the opportunity to write monthly blogs for the official Tomb Raider 25th Anniversary website highlighting a selection of fan films in the theme of the game of the month. The “Tomb Raider” (2013) entry didn’t make it into the series but I’ve been kindly given permission to post it here instead.


“Because when men will fall, you, my daughter...You will rise.” - Tomb Raider: Reborn by Aurélien Sallé 

In 2012, we were given our first glimpse into the future of Tomb Raider when the announcement trailer for Lara Croft’s fresh and gritty origin story premiered at E3, marking a new beginning for the franchise. It ignited the imagination of fans and filmmakers alike across the world and to this day, “Tomb Raider” (2013) has inspired the highest growing number of fan films in franchise history! With so much amazing work, it was very difficult to narrow it down - as you can probably tell - so you aren’t going to be short of things to watch.

“Tomb Raider: Reboot” (UK)

Written by David “dwyz” Wayman and Dan Brand. Directed by David “dwyz” Wayman. Starring Teya Simone as Lara Croft (Tomb Raider: Legend) and Alexandra Lyon as Lara Croft (Tomb Raider 2013).

Wayman and Brand’s short was released shortly before the game itself and took inspiration from the concept of rebirth. We see Lara from the previous trilogy go in search of answers to whether or not it is possible. In her first film role, Simone captured the confident and witty personality of this incarnation really well and with some nostalgic moments, a great sword fight and a sneaky nod to the Matrix, what more could you want? It was a lovely way to celebrate the launch and it serves as the perfect Segway into our next lot of fan films.


“Tomb Raider: Reborn” (FRANCE)
Written and directed by Aurélien Sallé.
Starring Tiphaine Vaudable (Illyne Cosplay) as Lara Croft.

This is only the final trailer as, sadly, the completed film was never released. However, I simply couldn’t leave it out!

The passion pours from this project! In just a few minutes, we’re taken on a journey of survival with elements of the supernatural and at the heart of it, a story of Father and Daughter superbly portrayed by Arauna Bernheim-Dennery (Young Lara) and Stephen Scardicchio (Richard Croft).
The stunning production value coupled with a beautiful original score by non other than writer/ director Aurélien Sallé amplifies all the performances, including that of official French cosplay ambassador Tiphaine Vaudable (Illyne Cosplay). A natural on screen!
To find out more about the film, check out their Facebook page.


“Tomb Raider: Legacy” (GERMANY)
Directed by Petra Pausch.
Starring Petra Pausch as Lara Croft and Nora Rüdiger as Sam Nishimura.

After years in production for the two film students, losing some footage making it a longer process than originally anticipated, the final fifty minute film was released in August 2017.

The faithful retelling of the game, which was shot in Germany and South Korea, boasts a very strong cast of characters! In particular, Pausch’s Lara Croft but also Rüdiger’s Sam Nishimura. Sam’s character development as she goes on her own journey to understand the island is wonderful and it’s great to see her character explored more than we see in the game.
     
The bond between the two leads is clear see, especially in video diary scenes and in moments when their roles are switched and Sam must be the strong one.
A fantastic piece from these two ladies!


“Croft” (CANADA)
Written by Trevor Addie and Irma Leong.
Directed by Trevor Addie.
Starring Cassandra Ebner, Liam Carter and Devyn Dalton.

Well, where to begin with this one...
“Croft” was released on YouTube Christmas Day 2013 and went viral in the first few hours.
Since then, it has screened at a number of film festivals across Canada and the US, winning awards along the way.

From the first note in the score as the film begins, you are immediately invested!
Music is vitally important to set the tone of a film and this nailed it.
Good writing and exceptional action sequences led by world class action actress and YouTuber, Cassandra Ebner, made the twenty minute film the huge success it has become!
In fact, this is the most emotional fan film I have ever had the pleasure of watching.
Get the tissues out...That’s all I’m saying.


“Raider Origins” (CANADA)
Written and directed by Jerome Kruin. 
Starring Irina Andreea as Lara Croft.

There was also quite a bit of hype surrounding this with its release set to tie in with that of the game.
Leading lady, Irina Andreea even helped promote the release of the PS4 in Toronto, wearing her costume from the film.

It premiered on gametrailers.com and then later came to YouTube.
The sets and visual effects are really well done! An impressive effort from the team!


Back in 2013, I got the chance to adapt the game script myself for “Tomb Raider: Hunted” - a short fan film starring Annie Roig and Sara Croft. As I was directly involved, I thought it wouldn’t be fair to list it with the others but if anyone is interested, it’s available to watch here.

Check out the rest of the TR25 fan film features below categorised by game…
Tomb Raider 1, 2 and 3

COSPLAY CORNER: INTERVIEW WITH KATE SPEAK



Everyone meet Kate! She is an award nominated actress who has been in the profession for 20 years.
Her newest projects include “Out of Mecca”, an innovative sci-fi short by Stephen Reynolds, “Sequestration”, a short thriller filmed entirely via video call during the first lockdown, “The Lockdown Hauntings” with Tony Todd and  upcoming action comedy short, “Choose Your Weapon”, which shines a light on postnatal anxiety.
When not kicking butt on screen or coaching fitness, Kate spends her free time cosplaying one of her favourite characters, Lara Croft.
You may also recognise her for playing Lara later in life in our Tomb Raider fan film, “Athena”.
I’ve known her for a number of years now and so I thought it was about time I invited her to the Cosplay Corner!
Check out her video interview below.

“TOMB RAIDER: WAR OF THE WORLDS” OUT NOW!

      ​

Cover art by Marta Polak.

After years in development, the highly anticipated fan-made game “Tomb Raider: War of the Worlds” by Tomb Raider Level Editor builder, Mateusz, released today!

The game was originally intended to be released in 2016 but due to lack of time, the project was delayed and underwent several changes, including Lara Croft’s voice changing to Jenni Milward - who many fans will recognise from other TRLE levels.

In the game, you will help Lara survive a post-apocalyptic Earth ten years after a strange disease wiped out most of human civilian.

You can download it for free HERE and find out more on the game’s official website.

Check out our exclusive behind the scenes look HERE where I had the pleasure of interviewing Mateusz and Pai (the original voice of Lara).

EXCLUSIVE - BEHIND THE SCENES OF "TOMB RAIDER: VOICE FROM BEYOND"

 
EXCLUSIVE: Some cast and crew of the upcoming fan film "Tomb Raider: Voice From Beyond".
Hello raiders!

It's been a very long time since my last post, a year in fact. 2020 has been strange and frightening for us all in many different ways. The whole world has been at a stand still and with it, the arts have taken a massive hit. As a new filmmaker, it's hugely important to me that we keep the spirit alive and show support for these projects at a time when escapism is needed the most.

That is why I'm so pleased to have had the chance recently to talk to the makers of a new fan film which only just wrapped filming days before the pandemic hit. Last night, they finally released their first teaser trailer.
We have Adam Thede, the writer/director and Rama Montakhabi, a Persian-American actress, writer, and freehand artist who portrays a classic inspired Lara Croft.
 
TDD: How did this project first come about?
AT: I worked with Jennifer Grimes (our Amanda) on an earlier project, and one of us made a joke about doing a Lara Croft fan film. As sometimes happens to me with off-the-wall ideas, it stuck to the back of my mind, and I finally decided to just sit down and see what kind of story I could come up with. What ended up on the page seemed to encapsulate a lot of what I enjoy about a film project, and since I was itching to direct again anyway, this seemed like good fun.

TDD: What made you choose to set your story in the classic universe?
AT: I’m actually a huge fan of the reboot games; I’ve never seen the Angelina Jolie films, and my exposure to classic Lara was very limited prior to starting work on this film. As I looked harder at the classic franchise, what fascinated me was the cultural conversation between whether she’s a manufactured sex symbol or a strong female hero. As much as I love the new Lara, I wanted to pay tribute to classic Lara and comment on her value in culture. Also, the costuming is more fun. 

EXCLUSIVE: Writer/director, Adam Thede applies SFX make-up to lead actress, Rama Montakhabi (Lara Croft)

TDD: How did you assemble your crew?
AT: I wanted to keep things small and light (and cheap), so I only approached a few people I’d worked with before, like Edmond Manpanty, our sound engineer. I met Michael Padilla, our DP and Steadicam operator, at just the right time for us to work on this film together, and Evan, his son, assisted him. I met Christina Sittser during the casting process, and she ended up being the costume designer and PA I didn’t even know we needed.

EXCLUSIVE: From left to right: Edmond Manpanty (sound), Adam Thede (writer/director), Jennifer Grimes (Amanda Evert) Ernest Keith Walker (Shayne) and Raquel Vilarino (Nikita)

EXCLUSIVE: Edmond Manpanty (sound) and Michael Padilla (Director of Photography/steadicam)

EXCLUSIVE: Costume designer and PA, Christina Sittser helps set up one of Jennifer Grimes' (Amanda's) scenes.
TDD: How did you go about casting your actors?
AT: I posted an open call on LA Casting and reached out to a some actors I already knew to invite them to audition. As I mentioned, I had worked with Jenni before, and she was part of the genesis of the project, so it was great fun having her aboard. Rama, Raquel, and Ernest simply submitted impressive audition tapes.

RM: I was on LA Casting submitting myself for parts when I came across the audition for Lara Croft. I was really familiar with Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in "Tomb Raider" [2001] and loved her bad ass character so I was excited to audition. Wasn’t too familiar with the game so I learned a few things about her while on set. 

TDD: How did you prepare for the role?
RM: I prepared for the role mainly by working out & practicing my lines. Ironically, I had played around with the British accent for years and would actually go out some nights in full character never breaking my accent so for me the dialect was the best part! Felt like a natural delivering my lines.

TDD: What was it like working with the rest of the cast and crew?
RM: The cast and crew were AMAZING! They were so professional and so much fun to work with! All my costars made it super easy to bring this vision to life. It was magical. Can’t believe we were able to fit everything in a 2 day shoot.

EXCLUSIVE: Lead actresses, Rama Montakhabi (Lara Croft) and Jennifer Grimes (Amanda Evert) rehearse lines while Michael Padilla (Director of Photography) and his son Evan unload the gear.

TDD: Tell us about the costumes.
AT: A quick shout out to my friends at Enchanted Characters for letting us cannibalize their Black Widow costume for Lara’s boot covers and Nikita’s gloves, as well as loaning us a Kylo Ren cloak for Shayne. The rest were a combination of various thrift store finds, actors’ own wardrobes, and Amazon Prime items that Christina and I found. I wanted Lara to be instantly recognizable from her wardrobe, which I believe we accomplished. I copied Amanda’s look in part from the Legend game, but we tweaked it so she could have a physical transformation at the climax of the film (spoiler alert). I wanted Shayne to appear like a classic cult leader, but a simple robe is boring, so we cobbled together a few different items to give him some color and texture. Nikita’s main role is to be physically threatening, and since Raquel is highly athletic, we just tried to highlight her physique. Christina modified and distressed the clothing just before the shoot and gave it all a perfectly weathered look. 
EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Grimes (Amanda Evert) and Rama Montakhabi (Lara Croft)

EXCLUSIVE: Ernest Keith Walker as mysterious sorcerer, Shayne.

EXCLUSIVE: Raquel Vilarino (Nikita), Rama Montakhabi (Lara Croft) and Ernest Keith Walker (Shayne) 

TDD: So far, has there been any difficulties with the production that stick out in your mind?
AT: Every production has its surprises and challenges, and this one was no exception. Lara’s costume came together at the last minute when we had trouble finding Airsoft guns in stores that looked realistic enough (I had to paint over the orange parts by hand) and a backpack that would work. We had great weather, thankfully, but we were shooting in a public area with noise from hikers, bikers, families, etc. Did you know that most people will quiet down right away if Lara Croft herself asks them nicely?

RM: The funniest moment on set would have to have been when I yelled “quiet on the set” to some people nearby in the woods making noise, then ran over (in full costume) to tell them in person. It wasn’t until they saw me in my costume that they actually stopped making noise and wanted to know more info about the movie. The cast & crew got a real kick out of my “Lara Croft” attitude. 🤪 

EXCLUSIVE: Director of Photography, Michael Padilla films a close-up of Rama Montakhabi (Lara Croft).

AT: Our biggest problem ended up being batteries, which we were going through like crazy since we couldn’t plug anything in. On top of that, our second and last filming day got off to a late start for a variety of reasons, so we were racing the sun at the same time. Then, a few days after we wrapped filming, the entire country shut down due to the global pandemic, which basically paused our entire postproduction process. We’re very close to a final cut though, and I’ll be submitting it to film festivals soon.

TDD: How long will the film be?
AT: It’s shaping up to be about 9 minutes before credits, which is exactly the number of pages in the script.

TDD: Have to ask. Will there be a sequel?
AT: Michael jokingly brought up the idea of an Indiana Jones film, and now I want to do a crossover. But these projects are a lot of work to pull together for something that can’t be monetized. However, inspired by working on this project with fit, sexy, badass women, I have developed an original series concept that I expect will be coming soon in some form or another.

TDD: Would you play the role again if asked?
RM: I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to bring Lara to life and I would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat!

TDD: After this pandemic is over, what’s next for you?
RM: I had a small part on a feature film for Lifetime that we filmed earlier this year that should be coming out at the end of the year called “Sinister Sister” so look out for me there. I also have a few projects that I’m excited to begin working on once things open back up, as well as a movie that I am writing myself. The pandemic actually gave me the time to write it so for that, I am thankful.

TDD: Finally, what was the most rewarding part? 
RM: Pretty much everything about being a part of this project was rewarding for me. Portraying such a strong and powerful character was the most rewarding part. Being told that I was “made for this role” was another rewarding part.
AT: The dedication and hard work of our little team was humbling to watch. Despite our time constraints, we had a wonderful, organic, loose vibe on set, which I love to see as a director. The film looks like dynamite, too; it was shot in 4K on a Steadicam, and Michael did incredible work giving us a smooth but kinetic feel throughout. 
EXCLUSIVE: Laughs between takes.

EXCLUSIVE: Lara (Rama Montakhabi) battles Nikita (Raquel Vilarino).

EXCLUSIVE: Christina Sittser (costume designer/PA), Edmond Manpanty (sound), Michael Padilla (Director of Photography)

Thank you so much to Adam and Rama for taking the time to talk to me!
For more info on the film, be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook and check out their brand new teaser trailer below!

EDIT: “TOMB RAIDER: VOICE FROM BEYOND” IS OUT NOW! WATCH HERE.

"Hunted" Finally Released!!



This project started in August of 2013. Two long time US cosplayer friends of mine Annie Roig-Pate (The Cosplay Mom) and Sara Croft (of tombraidercosplay.com) had planned to meet across states to do a cosplay photoshoot (and evidently a fan film, unbeknown to me at the time) as Lara Croft and Sam Nishimura from the Tomb Raider reboot. Annie, also an experienced actress, and I had wanted to work on a project together for a long time. I came up with a short film script based on the game, pitched it to the ladies and they were very enthusiastic!

After that, the project evolved. Annie's husband Josh came onboard to play the part of Mathias and to direct. Then Carla Lemley (Carla Croft Cosplay), another long time cosplayer from yet another state was set to play Himiko and my Mum spent around £200 to make her costume and sent it to the States with some extra goodies.

Early the following year, the team met in Annie's and Josh's then hometown in Maine for a week of filming after a breakdown on the highway.
There was no budget. The only money came out of the cast and crews pockets and they worked very hard to create props and sets true to the game. Filming didn't go to plan, however. They were hit by a blizzard just days before and it was often too dangerous to go out and film.
By the end of the week, when Sara and Carla were returning home, only the end scene had been filmed (for which they all hiked over a mile through the woods in 2 inches of snow carrying tons of props and equipment). It was still overall a positive experience for the team as it was the first time they had all met in person.

After that, time and money ran out. Annie's family moved home and we all started thinking the film would never be finished. Then last year in passing conversation, the project was mentioned to Dylan Riley - a director friend of Annie's and Josh's - and he offered to help. Sara returned to Maine and everything was refilmed. Two more friends came onboard to help and Sara also took up the mantle to be Himiko as Carla couldn't make it back (but her original scream was kept). After a trip to A&E following a fight scene, and a few pick-up shots in the following months, it was a wrap!

Dylan directed and edited the film in his own time and it's finally here! The first of my scripts to come to life! It has been a long road and we felt everything was against us at times but we are so pleased it's now out in the open.

I really hope you enjoy it and please share and subscribe to our film's Youtube channel for more videos coming soon.
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