Nitestar
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"Shadows of the Bat" launches on Indie Go Go
SHADOWS OF THE BAT
In 2008, indie Chicago filmmaker Jerry Vasilatos wrote, produced and directed "DARK KNIGHT PROJECT". Set in between the events of "BATMAN BEGINS" and "DARK KNIGHT", the short film was released online a week before "The Dark Knight" hit theaters and grew into a fan favorite on YOUTUBE and it's own dedicated website at DARKKNIGHTPROJECT.COM.
Rated 4 stars by FILM THREAT ("If this short was an extra on "THE DARK KNIGHT" DVD as a real canonical bridge between Begins and Knight, it wouldn’t be out of place at all. It works. There’s great attention to detail here to try and match the mood and pacing of Nolan’s Batman films...") and featured as SHORT OF THE DAY at FILM SCHOOL REJECTS ("this Batman short film has got a lot going for it simply because it’s a different take on the character"), "DARK KNIGHT PROJECT" utilized the same Chicago neighborhoods "The Dark Knight" filmed in while creating a new Batman story that captured the imagination of fans. Produced on a shoestring budget by a crew that pitched in their services shooting five nights in June of 2008, the film was readied for release and presented online to the delight of fans already anticipating the release of "THE DARK KNIGHT" in theaters.
"SHADOWS OF THE BAT" will take place within a year after "THE DARK KNIGHT" and before events of "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES". Batman is underground, but as a dire set of circumstances that once again threatens the safety of Gotham City, he is forced to resurface and extinguish it, without the benefit of GPD on his side and truly operating in the shadows. This "bridge story" is also meant to shed light on why the Joker won't be seen in "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES" for story reasons, as well as give Batman one last adventure before he disappears "underground" for 9 years until the new film begins.
You can be directly involved in helping produce this new Batman film with a donation towards production, and receive a pledge incentive based on your level of support. We can't make this film without the support of fans and the indie community. Your dedication will work hand in hand with ours in producing what we hope to be one of the greatest Batman short films EVER.
MORE:
Shadows of the Bat -- Indiegogo
Please help us out with your support!
JV
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4/12/2012, 4:32 am
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Nitestar
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Re: "Shadows of the Bat" launches on Indie Go Go
NEWS!
Along with Chicago crew members, we're now seeking a "killer" Heath Ledger Joker actor/impersonator for our cast! We've also posted the first 10 pages of the script on our Facebook wall for those who want to see what we're planning in the opening teaser. Please "like" our page and check it out at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shadows-of-the-Bat/381398068546191
Of you are a professional actor, look like Heath (important detail since we'll be seeing the Joker sans "war paint") and can channel his unique performance and interpretation of the character, please send us your headshot, resume or any online video to:
[email protected]
JV
Last edited by Nitestar, 4/14/2012, 12:56 am
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4/14/2012, 12:53 am
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Nitestar
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Re: "Shadows of the Bat" launches on Indie Go Go
Production Notes (for anyone interested in knowing more!)
I learned a lot "The Dark Knight Project" and want to do something bigger, more cinematic and dark. After spending the past several months following plot leaks from "The Dark Knight Rises" and Bruce Wayne's self-imposed 9 year exile, I believe that the story I've worked out is pretty solid and could happen between the actual movies to follow Nolan's canon and splitting it up into three 10 minute episodes makes it more manageable to shoot and fundraise for. If we can pull off what's planned for the first episode, I think it will exceed a lot of people's expectations (especially fans) and crowd sourcing the subsequent episodes to see how the cliffhangers resolve will be a big help. Additionally I have composer Alex Safi who recreated the "Dark Knight Rises" prologue music note for note at this Youtube link.
http://youtu.be/1ccjgOKDIik
He's already at work coming up with themes for the GPD, Harley Quinn, Barbara Gordon, and our members of the "League of the Bat" who will rise in the Batman's absence in our narrative. He's going to integrate some of his own original themes for our characters using the Zimmer themes as a foundation. He's going to give the thing some musical gravitas and the music will also help make it shine as feature quality.
I was very proud of "The Dark Knight Project" and hope I can pull funding together to pull this off. Hoping the quality of it impresses people to help us with the fundraising efforts:
http://www.darkknightproject.com
We've got some good premium incentives also for people who pledge at the IndieGoGo link, including chrome metal Gotham PD badges I created from one of the screen used ones that were used during production of "The Dark Knight" when it shot here in Chicago.
http://www.indiegogo.com/shadowofthebat
If for no other reason, pledges secure everyone that donate $100 or up one of these and it will help us raise our funding!
EPISODE I
As a "bridge" story between "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises", "Shadows" will also serve as a nice little sequel to "The Dark Knight Project" as it will be Batman's final confrontation with the Joker before he's remanded to a Federal facility, since he won't be in "The Dark Knight Rises" (and our reasons are unrelated to Heath Ledger's passing!) In our first film "The Dark Knight Project", I wrote it as Batman's first brushing encounter with the Joker, without an actual confrontation since I knew they'd first interact with each other in "The Dark Knight". So these will also serve as nice bookends to "The Dark Knight" while dealing with history that could precede "The Dark Knight Rises" without contradicting the events to unfold in it.
In coming up with the story and thinking how Nolan adapts characters for his reality, I wanted to give Harley a new backstory as it relates to the Joker. it won't be necessarily explained onscreen, but for my writing purposes, she and the Joker had history BEFORE he became the Joker:
Both are anti-social "goths", he was a low-level street tough/dealer and she was a stripper putting her way through med school so she could use her knowledge there on how to further manipulate people (her customers): she was dating the Joker BEFORE he got his scars. After he was scarred "ripping off mob dealers" and took up his crusade to take down the mob after he was disfigured by them, she "stood by her man" and was busy getting into position so she could help him escape if he were ever captured. So they already had history, with her shifting to intern work at Arkham in relation to her med school studies and infiltrating the system so she could be one of his people on the "inside" if he were ever captured because of course he would have been put straight into a criminal psych unit.
It's a one shot proposition for them which when resolved at the end of our serial, would never offer her another opportunity to put herself in a position where she could spring him again because her cover will then be blown and they'll both be put behind bars permanently.
There's intentional misdirection in the beginning as to "who" she is, hoping audiences will believe she's really scared or fans to think this is going to be about how the Joker "corrupts" her when in reality, my backstory for them follows Nolan's thinking with the Joker's "he just is". They just ARE. Fans will know who she is and be surprised at the direction, the uninitiated will be afraid for her character until she shows her true colors.
Here is what's planned if I can fundraise for Episode 1!
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4/26/2012, 4:52 pm
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