MovieChat Forums > The Battery (2013) Discussion > I have to......

I have to......

posted 12 years ago by nikchris
9 replies | jump to latest

respect you people for showing up here on imdb boards. It takes guts.

Im talking about user qquegchristian-1, who is Christian Stella, one of the makers of this film.

I enjoyed this movie much, i am going to buy it if you ever make a DVD for it, since i live in Greece, and video-on-demand is not available here.

It is not the average horror film i thought it would be, i expected killings and violence and blood.

But still, what i got from this film was much more.

I have questions for qquegchristian-1

1)Was the budget really 6 thousand dollars?
2)What are the plans for the future?

Continue to make films like that, we need them. Greetings from Greece!

[–] qquegchristian-1 12 years ago

Hello sir... Yes the budget was absolutely $6,000. I believe we've spent more than the budget traveling to film festivals to promote the movie at this point.

We have a few ideas for what to do next. Obviously everyone wants us to make a sequel, but I think we want to do something else first. Jeremy is writing a creature movie script. We'd love to take another horror staple like that and do something different with it.

In the meantime, we're still very busy with The Battery, as it has 10 film festivals coming up, we're still not released out of the US (which you know), and we don't have a distributor for discs yet. Now that there is definitely an audience for Tge Battery (something we weren't entirely planned for) we need to continue releasing it in more ways in more places. That will help us understand what kind of budget we can work with on the next movie. Let's see what we can do with say, $30,000?

[–] Cinematic_Shocks 12 years ago

Hi Christian,

I'm the author of the blog Cinematic Shocks and I help to run the website Extreme Horror Cinema that I know you have visited and have spoken to my friend Wonderlust/Woodenheart the owner of the site.

I just want to say that we love your film I want to congratulate you and the rest of the team at O.Hannah Films on a job very well done. You should all be immensely proud of the great feat of filmmaking you have achieved here on such limited resources with what is one of the very best modern zombie films.

Promoting and supporting independent horror cinema is what we're all about at EHC and we will continue to champion 'The Battery'.

Here's my review...

http://www.cinematicshocks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/indie-shocks-battery -2012_9665.html

All the best and good luck with your future projects that I'm very much looking forward to seeing,

Dave J. Wilson

[–] qquegchristian-1 12 years ago

Hey Dave, yes we've actually all read your great review when you posted it. Thank you. We're trying to flip the norm and stalk fans of our movie instead of the other way around.

[–] askmonroville 12 years ago

While I liked the movie quite a bit (especially the goofy dance part), the end needed some work to the point that it took me out of the movie. Bad enough when Ben took his gun off of Annie, but I threw my hands up when Mickey came back bitten and put his friend into a bad situation. I understand it was for the drama and all, but you could have had Mickey attacked and eaten outside the vehicle when he made his break (being that the entire point they were in the vehicle was that Ben couldn't get out of the car... which he does at the end, which means they both could have made a break for it and Mickey could have lived).

Even so, just a few things to keep in mind from a fan:

(1) while this movie is nowhere near as guilty as some out there (PULP FICTION clones, I'm looking at you), keep in mind there are other curse words other than "the F word".

(2) please make a solid attempt at writing the tension and drama in such a way as there is no escape, ie. the drama doesn't come from idiot syndrome, stupid carelessness or ninja zombies, such as THE WALKING DEAD.

For example: you could have just as easily had them get away from Annie without being shot or anything (or she shoots the passenger tire on the Volvo, which would lead to), only to run into a storm down the road they just came from, hit the breaks, skid into a ditch (or run out of gas) and get surrounded by zombies with 1 or 2 bullets left. Mickey gets eaten trying to make a break for it (and winds up leading the zombies away from the car), which Ben uses to get away and go after Annie. That would have also opened up the possibility of Ben running into a zombified Mickey in the possible sequel.

[–] qquegchristian-1 12 years ago

Askmonroville, I read your other post as well. There are thousands of ways stories can go... This is the way Jeremy decided the story go. I don't remember where I posted the thought that Annie shooting Ben IS to save them, as Mickey has shown he won't give up on The Orchard and she does have sympathy for them. She is tough because she is in front of someone else from The Orchard and would rather shoot Ben in the leg than have them actually persist in trying to get The Orchard, which they can clearly see is in that particular direction. I think she is certain The Orchard will kill them both without asking questions.

Mickey leaves the car because he is in better condition to do so... He comes back after being bit because he is afraid of what turning will actually be like and/or afraid of being eaten alive. I don't see this as unreasonable at all because we do not establish how long it takes to actually turn and he poses no threat until he does. I think we see it as a 1-2 day process that is slow and painful. Ben is angry at Mickey, the situation, and probably himself at that moment and gets it over with immediately. In some ways it will be less sad that way, but I think they had several more hours at the least of sadness if Ben had not ended it.

After that, Ben has no choice but to try to escape. The plan he is going to try is outlined as he talks to Annie in the ball unraveling montage. At the end of the montage, he puts the headphones on because he 1. Doesn't care anymore. 2. Expects he will probably die. Whether he gets bit or not in his escape, he will die if he doesn't try.

The final shot shows that he makes it out and that is Jeremy's intention, however I personally think that even if got a small bite in the process he'd be walking down that street in that exact same way... Cause if he were going to turn, he'd want to do it in The Orchard.

Like I said though, you can interpret movies or change scenarios a million ways. There are multiple days in that car that are not shown, so who knows what they've tried or discussed there as well.

[–] askmonroville 12 years ago

Well, the movie's made, so there's nothing that can really be done.

Regardless,
(1) Annie did not need to shoot Ben in the leg. If she thought they were BOTH adamant on heading toward The Orchard, she would have just killed them both (or she would have killed Ben, and the bodyguard who just pulled the rifle off the top of the SUV would have plugged Mickey). Add into the fact that Ben was obviously the alpha male of the two (and did NOT want anything to do with The Orchard), I think she would have either simply pointed the guns at them and watched them leave or go all the way and kill them. By shooting Ben in the leg and having Mickey throw the keys into the field, she may as well killed them as (a) Ben has no access to a doctor (and could have been hit in an artery) and (b) what if they didn't find the keys and were surrounded by zombies?

(2) While I can't say I couldn't see Mickey doing what he did (getting back into the car after being bit), as that's just how his character was... it was still a dick move to pull on his friend at the end of the world. In fact, I would think that simply walking away, or (knowing he was a dead man anyways) use his situation to act as zombie bait to help his friend escape would have been the only noble/mature thing Mickey could have done. By getting in that car, JUST to force Ben to shoot him (because what else was he going to do).. that's just BS. In fact, I'm surprised Ben didn't say something to that degree ("Why would you get back in the car... if you KNEW I would have to kill you?").

(3) Yeah, Ben has no choice but to escape... but they had no choice but to escape before they even got into the car. You would think that if they couldn't find the key's by dusk (or within the hour from Ben first being shot), they would have hiked back up the road to look for shelter, ie a better place to make a stand other than a car. If Ben could get out without being swarmed AFTER Mickey is shot, then you just set up that Ben could have gotten out with Mickey when the zombies first showed up.

(4) As far as Ben going after The Orchard, yeah.. I think whether he was bit (or how much was bitten off of him), or he figured he was dead from any infection he would get from the untreated bullet wound.. he's going to avenge his friend.

My only argument is the process of getting to where you want the story and characters to get to. You can still get them to that end point, but it is extremely frustrating when characters do stupid things JUST to get to that end point a writer wants.

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about:

(1) ALIENS: when the team reach the terraformer and locate the colonists, Ripley notices the cooling pipes for the fusion reactor. Gorman then tells everyone to disarm (as opposed to come back, get different weapons and a new strategy). Now you would think that even Apone would do the ole' "nod, tell Gorman what he wants to hear, everyone gives Apone their first clips"... and then sticks in their second clips while looking at the ceiling (as their cameras are attached to their helmets, and Gorman can only see what the cameras are pointing to). But let's say Apone is a good soldier and obeys to the letter. When the chestburster comes out of the lady, Apone would have INSTANTLY taken command of the situation, had everyone arm up, get into single file and get the hell out of there. If Gorman started making noise, all Apone would have to do is the ole' TOTAL RECALL trick: "I'm sorry sir.. I'm getting interference. It must be the terraformer (click)". As they try to make their way out, the biomechanical corridor closes, blocking them in. THIS is when you see the Aliens coming out of their sleep and eventually coming out of the walls. The Aliens start picking them off, Apone covers them as they go past, 2 or 3 Aliens come out of the walls and ceiling and pounce on him.

Thus, you get basically the same result (the Marines are slaughtered by an enemy they can't fight) BUT they aren't portrayed as idiots waiting for an order to RUN AWAY... and it wouldn't have really costed that much more money than what was spent filming the scene that we saw.

Another example:

(2) THE MIST: now I love this movie "for the most part", as there are some VERY frustrating scenes. The first scene that comes to mind is the "flies on the window" scene, where the rednecks who live out in the country start turning lights on when you would think if ANYone would know that lights attract bugs, it would be the rednecks. Instead, all they had to do was the complete opposite.. some of the city folks start turning their flashlights on and Jim (Bill Sadler) and his buddy shut them off and say (to the effect) "Dumbass! Don't you ever use bug zappers at your cabins?!" Meanwhile, a power surge turning the street lights appears in the distance.. which starts to slowly get closer to the store, as only a small group of lights are turned on (as the surge moves through the power lines. Scientific or logical? Probably not.. but reasonable for dramatic tension? Sure!). David (Thomas Jane) and Bill quickly realize that the surge is heading towards them, shout out for someone to kill the breakers, the surge hits the store turning ALL the flourescent lights on WHICH THEN attracts the swarm, they come through, all hell breaks loose.

Same thing with the end of THE MIST. I have no problem with the end being depressing and all, but I DO have a problem with the dad just popping his kid and the other survivors instead of (1) waiting a few days till they were starving to death and had no other option or (2) during the wait, one of the larger bugs attacks the car, kills Dan (Jeff DeMunn), grabs ahold of Amanda and his kid, forcing David to kill those who are still alive. You could have even had the kid (as he's being pulled out the window) say: "DADDY! Please don't let 'em eat me!"

The point being: if you want to kill interest in a movie (other than something like FRIDAY THE 13th where the characters are SUPPOSED to be stupid), make your characters do stupid things to move the plot. The above alternate scenarios result in the same endings of each scene, but you give characters like Bill a moment to shine (ie show he's not a dumb hick, or at least hicks can be an asset when you're up sheet creek out in the country) and characters like David a situation where he has no choice BUT to do what the director/story wants.

Overall, I DO like THE BATTERY.. but it could have been great if you just re-read the script as an audience member and thought it through as to how can you put these characters into a situation that, if YOU were the audience member, you would say "FUDGE! They did what I just shouted out at the screen to do, and they were STILL screwed!"

BTW, I love it when that happens... you'll be watching a movie, characters are doing something, you say out loud "why don't you check under the bed (sheesh)
.. and THEN THEY DO IT.

In fact, if you do write a sequel, that may be just something to think about. After you write it, re-read it again but imagining yourself as an audience member watching the movie, who only knows what they are seeing.

Are there:

(1) ninja zombies that come from the edges of the camera frame (that the characters should have seen coming a mile away), like in THE WALKING DEAD?

(2) do characters get mad at another one for doing things they wind up doing themselves ("Who's watching Carl? Don't you EVER leave the house alone! [as a pregnant Laurie gets in one of the few cars the group has without telling anyone and proceeds to wreck it when a Ninja Zombie appears in front of her car and she (a) SWERVES TO MISS and (b) HITS THE ACCELERATOR INSTEAD OF THE BRAKES)?

(3) do characters not comment on things that are pretty nexplicable, such as: THE BATTERY, when Ben opens the Volvo door and there's a zombie in the driver's seat. Not bashing or saying it's stupid, but you missed a golden opportunity for Ben to make a comment about "What if we decided to keep on walking? Would she (the zombie) have just sat there until the end of time? What if nobody ever came up here, much less to the car? Hey, did you ever see that MYTHBUSTERS episode where they put the pigs in the corvettes for a few weeks? OH MAN! After August she would have been dripping from the ceiling! Could you imagine the stench? On TOP of being a stinky zombie?"

Now don't get me wrong.. I have to really applaud you guys (and gals) for actually making a movie, much less one that someone like myself and many others take seriously enough, and LIKE enough, to WANT to see more with these characters.. um, this character (poor Mickey.. poor, poor, stupid Mickey).

You know, there is nothing saying that just because Mickey is dead that he doesn't get to appear in THE CONNECTION (you've seen VENTURE BROTHERS? Are you familiar with Henchman 21 and 23? Or what happened to H.23?). And if you DO decide to use that as the sequel title, just give a shout out to Monroville somewhere in the flick. That'll be good enough for me! >:)

[–] Irishize 12 years ago

I just wanted to post here to say that I thought that the writing choices made perfectly suited the characters, the world you guys created and of course, the budget!
That scene near the end, waiting in the car, smoking, fidgeting around, was great. It put the audience in the same uncomfortable, nervous, let's-just-get-this-over-with position!
The pauses were timed perfectly, especially when (spoiler!) there is that glimmer of hope for a few seconds when he finally returns through the sun roof.

Well done - haven't liked a movie this much since "Moon"! I will support it however I can, on demand, etc.

All the very best!

[–] lol_ladie2092 11 years ago

This movie blew me away, seriously. I will be telling everybody I know how awesome this film is! Loved the relationship and the contrast between the two mains. A realist and a romantic. Loved LOVED the speech from Ben about Annie probably being a bulldyke with calves like canned hams. *beep* great. And the ending was so powerful to me. The whole shot after Mickey leaves and we wait with Ben and hear what he hears and wonder what he wonders. Just an amazing idea and it's incredible that this film was so inexpensive to make. It gives me hope that it doesn't matter how much money you have to work with, if you want to make a good movie you can *beep* make one. Jeremy's writing...I think I will watch everything he writes/makes in the future. Do a kickstarter and you have a donation from me. Thank you!

[–] cauwel3 11 years ago

I would have liked to see this long shot of Ben escaping the car that wound up edited out.

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