This isn't a review of 'When Evil Reigns' - I couldn't be objective, since I was one half of the team who wrote and directed the movie. It's more of a comment on the film and my memories of making it.
'When Evil Reigns' was a labor of love. Aged 19 and 22 respectively, my brother and I - armed with more guts than sense - managed to hire a building (and the security guards that went with it), put together a team of dedicated amateurs, and create a 90 minute horror feature on a budget of $5000 AUS. The movie took around six weeks to film, but six years to finish, because we were working with borrowed equipment, including mini-DV cameras, microphones, lights and editing computer (all of which were cutting edge at the time, but have long since been superseded).
The final product is something I am very proud of. I really like the story and the screenplay, and the acting is quite convincing overall. I also think that the special effects (both practical and computer-generated) are a highlight. The DVD release is of high quality, and includes some great special features like the directors' commentary and an outstanding real-time SFX makeup documentary made by my brother, Alix, who had to step in and do the SFX when our original SFX artist fell through. Whenever I watch the DVD, I'm reminded of both the joys and hardships of shooting such an ambitious project under less than ideal conditions.
Since the film was released in 2006, it's received mixed reviews, but has garnered a large amount of exposure both in Australia and overseas. Our film-making efforts have been profiled on the web and in the print media; we've been interviewed by a range of people including horror theoreticians; and the film has given us access to professionals in the horror writing and film-making community, including George Romero, who we met on a trip 'Down under'.
For anybody thinking of making a low-budget movie, I recommend you get out there and do it. With the amount of quality equipment available in the domestic market today, you can produce something of broadcast standard quite cheaply, and it's an effective way of getting heard without going through the traditional channels.
All the best!
Luke
