Posted in: Movies, Recent Updates | Tagged: 12 Kilometers, ben templesmith, horror films, kickstarter, Mike Pecci

12 Kilometers: A 1980's Style Horror Film Inspired By The Director's Head Injury

Published Sat, 16 Aug 2014 11:30:26 -0500

Mike Pecci writes:

Title of project: 12 Kilometers

Creators: The first major film release from McFarland and Pecci Films, 12 Kilometers is backed by the talents of some of the best and brightest in film, design and photography. Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night / Squidder); comic book artist Orlando Baez; Director of Photography David Kruta, and micro-photographer and biochemist Linden Geldhill have all stepped up to lend their unique talents to this cutting-edge psychological massacre.

Elevator Pitch: Set against a backdrop of 1980s Russia, a drill team will dig the deepest hole known to man. Dredged from this abyss is an entity that will bring them face to face with their most terrifying fears. What will rise from the ancient depths is a force the likes of which they've never seen!

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/102578144[/vimeo]

12 Kilometers will be a true edge-of-your-seat short, dragging you down to the darkest depths of the human psyche. This team is all hands on deck, crafting effects and visuals organically, evoking the feel of true 80s style, conjuring the essence of such classics as The Thing and An American Werewolf in London.

We created a kick ass video explaining it all on Kickstarter.

Over a year ago I was dealing with the rejection from Marvel when they shut down our Punisher fan film The Dead Can't Be Distracted claiming that "it looked too good" and might confuse the fans into thinking it was an official release. The overwhelming fans support helped a great deal and I was determined to make something that they could all see.

Unfortunately soon after I had a life threatening accident that took me out of the game for about 5 months. In retrospect I suppose it was a dumb idea to try ice-skating for the first time at 35 years old, but I figured if 10 year olds could do it, so could I! I ended up slipping on the ice, fracturing my skull, and forming a hematoma on the top of my brain. The pressure in my skull, compounded with the medications, gave me the most horrific nightmares and hallucinations, which became the inspiration for this film. I spent my time off writing the feature film script, and now fully recovered I am setting a plan into motion to share my nightmares with the world!

Part one of the plan is filming this 12 Kilometers Prologue. As I started writing the feature film script, the back-story of how the creature was discovered was pushed out for timing reasons. I love the idea of this team of scientists unleashing this evil; it just feels like The Thing meets Close Encounters! I needed a proof of concept for the studio pitches and figured "Hell lets shoot that"! This prologue will be about 25 minutes long and will set up the style, the creature, and the world that is 12KM.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/103205980[/vimeo]

Yes it's ambitious! Yes it's gonna be awesome! This is the project that I'm putting my all into. I've already started pre-production and we are looking to shoot the second week in September. I am funding most of the film myself, but I need to raise the second half in the next month. We released a Kickstarter yesterday and if you haven't already please head over and check it out. There are all sorts of goodies that should appeal to everyone. I asked myself, what would I want for incentive from a director I love? So I put together packages like "The Directors Inner Circle" where contributors become a test audience and see early cuts of the film and the "Post-Production Package" where a few luck folks get to come hang out in the edit room with us, drink beers, eat ribs, and watch us work! If Rob Zombie is offering that on his crowd funded project I will buy it in a heartbeat!

There are great art and print giveaways from Linden Gledhill (the amazing photographer that has shot our creature effects). Comic book artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Gentleman Corpse, and Welcome to Hoxford) is doing concept art for the film as well as donating a finished piece that will be numbered!

Exclusively for you Bleeding Cool fans, we have created a BLACK VARIANT PRINT INCENTIVE Releasing this weekend.

It will be signed by the director, er… me!

In order to make this film happen I need fans of horror like you to contribute. It's gonna be a ton of fun, ultimately will lead to the feature film, and I would love for you all to go on this ride with me.

I need your help guys.
This is the project.
Give a little or give a lot.
I won't let you down.

Mike Pecci
Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1674591332/12-kilometers
Mcfarlandandpecci.com
Mikepecci.com

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