Set Visit: We Got Brainjacked!

Mike Phalin |

May 19, 2008

This past weekend our Film Ranch International friends, Andrew Allan and Andy Lalino, invited us out to a location where they were filming their newest venture, Brainjacked!

The film, which we first told you about here, is a mixture of both science fiction and horror. Does that mean it falls into the black hole that many Sci-Fi originals do? Not at all! In fact, Brainjacked is going for a look and feel that takes us back to the days of Soylent Green and Logan’s Run. This certainly isn’t going to be plain movie, visually or story-wise.

I cannot go into more depth as far as plot goes, but I can put it this way: Take Body Snatchers, mix it with Re-Animator, and then sprinkle in a bit of Jonestown; and you’ve got a basic layout for the ground Brainjacked is covering. That, however, is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

The basic idea, without revealing too much, involves a young man (Tristan, played by Chris Jackson) who is fed up with his agonizing home life and decides to strike out on his own by running away. The grass, however, may not be exactly greener on the other side as he uncovers a mind control plot that leaves him questioning whom he can trust.

The filmmakers got a big helping hand by utilizing some of the amazing historical locations we have here in Florida. Fort DeSoto, where this night’s particular scenes were filming, was an artillery and mortar batteries depot that was constructed not long after the Civil War. An extension of the fort has sunk into the gulf, but the remaining part houses giant mortar cannons and several chamber rooms, resembling a jail.

The large concrete and steel construction gives it a very ominous and foreboding look at night. The white walls and iron bars play off well thanks to all the color the film crew used to paint the scenes. Talk about using what you’ve got to great use. Just a few lights in a couple of locations can really bring mood, even to a simple corridor.

Locations are great, but what about the FX? Mr. Allan and Mr. Lalino have that covered! One of the many talented makeup artists on hand was 100 Tears (review) director Marcus Koch! He was working on some of the heavier applications, as you can see below.

Even I was a little uneasy around some of the crew, decked out with holes in their heads and various other melon wounds. Some things may look good on film and not in person, but here it was hard to distinguish where the makeup stopped and the reality started. And this was just a fraction of what you’ll find in the final flick.

While many indie flicks are looking to cash in the easy way with cheap zombies or loads of bargain gore, the Andys want to give you an experience that will be memorable for its actual content rather than focusing all energy on the superficial BS.

We’ll be covering Brainjacked very closely as the production heads to AMF. Expect to see more from Film Ranch International very soon!