| The Last Broadcast |
 |
| Directed by |
Stefan Avalos
Lance Weiler |
| Produced by |
Stefan Avalos
Lance Weiler |
| Written by |
Stefan Avalos
Lance Weiler |
| Starring |
Stefan Avalos
Lance Weiler
David Beard
Jim Seward |
| Music by |
Stefan Avalos
A.D. Roso |
| Release date(s) |
United States
March 9, 1998
(Premiere)
October 23, 1998
(Wide)
United Kingdom
March 24, 2000
(Wide)
April 1, 2000
(Dead by Dawn Edinburgh Horror Film Festival) |
| Running time |
86 min. |
| Language |
English |
| Budget |
$900 (est.) |
| Gross revenue |
$4,000,000 |
The Last Broadcast is a 1998 horror film made by Stefan Avalos and Lance Weiler. The film is noted for possibly being the first time that a full-length feature was produced digitally using inexpensive PC-based hardware and software.
Synopsis
The film deals with a documentary film-maker named David Leigh, and his investigation of the Fact or Fiction murders, where a pair of cable access hosts are murdered in mysterious circumstances. Leigh sets out to find the truth behind these killings while making his documentary.
Fact or Fiction was a show dealing with unsolved mysteries and the paranormal, its two hosts were Steven "Johnny" Avkast and Locus Wheeler. Initially successful as a show, we find out through Leigh's investigations that the show was failing, and was near cancellation. It is at this point that Avkast comes up with the idea of a live Internet Relay Chat section of the show.
It is during one such chat that a caller gives Avkast the idea of searching for The Jersey Devil in the Pine Barrens (the film only mentions the Jersey Devil, however, and gives absolutely no background details of the legend). Leaping on this idea, Avkast and Wheeler recruit Rein Clackin, a soundman who allegedly can record the paranormal, and Jim Suerd, a psychic who Leigh has discovered to be emotionally disturbed.
The plan is for the four to enter the Pine Barrens with Suerd leading them to the location of The Jersey Devil. During the hunt, they would broadcast a live show simultaneously via television, internet and amateur radio.
The four enter the Barrens but only Suerd emerges alive, the others are killed. Avkast's body is never found, though it is made clear in the following trial that he could not have survived the massive blood loss found at the crime scene.
Leigh then runs through the trial, Suerd as the only survivor is also the only suspect. To aid the prosecution case they employ a video engineer (nicknamed "The Killer Cutter") to compile a portrait of the group's trip using the surviving film footage found at the crime scene.
Suerd is found guilty and is imprisoned, though there is doubt over whether he did it as his clothes were not drenched in blood and there is evidence he was engaged in an IRC room during the times of the murders.
Before anything can be proven, Suerd commits suicide in prison and the case is considered closed by the authorities. However, Leigh has a box sent to him containing a damaged videotape reel, which Leigh assumes is tape from the Fact or Fiction team thought not to exist. A data retrieval expert named Shelly Monarch is called in to reconstruct the images on the tape as much as possible. She finds that not only have Wheeler and Clacklin's deaths been caught on tape, but that Suerd could not have committed the murders.
What is also caught is a blurred image of the real killer. As Leigh videotapes her, Monarch uses an image editor to re-construct the image of the killer's face; when she finishes, the viewer sees that Leigh himself was the actual murderer.
With this revelation, the film abruptly shifts from the perspective of Leigh's camera to a third person perspective, lingering on Monarch's tormented face as Leigh suffocates her to death with a piece of plastic in a real-time sequence. Afterwards, Leigh loads Monarch's corpse into his car and drives it out to the woods, where he dumps it in a clearing and then begins awkwardly videotaping himself narrating the next segment of his documentary.
Production history
Stefan Avalos and Lance Weiler, Both experienced filmmakers who had worked on several projects, were good friends and they both lived in Buckscounty,Pennsylvania. They both loved to produce independent films and had been thinking of ideas for a film they could produce together. Finally in 1995, non linear editing came out and in 1996 they decided they could actually do a film for a low-budget. They built their PCs from the ground up. There was basically no brand, they just put together what was the best editing software. They started to think "Who and What can we get for nothing?". Most of their editing software was borrowed from family or friends. Since they knew money wasn't going to be an issue they said to themselves one night "Let's make this movie!" They both signed on as the writers, directors, and producers of the film. They created a story that fit their medium well. The Jersey Devil was an idea that came to them immediately. Since it would be people taping themselves it would play it's own medium.
They knew if it was a budget of $1,000,000 or something along the lines of that it would not work. But instead they got DV, 16mm, 8mm, Hi8 Video, VHS, and Tyco. Even though Tyco was a toy back in 1996 for little kids, it still worked. Their primary tool was a Sony DCR-VX1000 and they used a JVC GR-DV1. A little film that Weiler developed in his bathtub was used for the opening title sequence. For lighting they used Chinese Lanterns and some Professional Lights. They constructed a doorway dolly out of skateboard wheels, PVC pipes, and plywood. Their jib system was built by their friend for no cost.
Casting
The filmmakers casted their friends and family for the film. The lead actors were paid an estimated $1,000 each. Michele Pulaski (Michelle Monarch) stated that she was paid $1,000 for her role.
Filming and Digital Perks
We don't exactly know how long filming went on for but we know it was filmed in the winter of 1997. For their storyboard they took photographs instead of drawing pictures.
Releasing
The Last Broadcast was first shown to audiences in 1997 and in 1998 it was broadcast in theaters around the world by using via satellite. With David Beard and Lance Weiler partnering with Esther B. Robinson, Wavelength Releasing was created. Critics, mostly through the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area wrote tons of positive Reviews.
Reception
Through its distribution effort the film with only a $900 budget went on to gross $4,000,000 and is actually one of the most profitable independent films.
Home video
The Last Broadcast was released through Ventura Distribution on VHS and DVD. Wavelength Releasing also was a part of the DVD releasing. Heretic Films re-released the DVD in 2006.
Blair Witch controversy
During the time The Last Broadcast was released, Weiler and Avalos distributed missing persons fliers (featuring characters from the film) as a promotional stunt. The Last Broadcast also had a shaky camera technique. When The Blair Witch Project was released, similar promotional devices were used. The Blair Witch Project used a similar "shaky camera" technique, as well as similar plot devices. While The Blair Witch Project went into production before 1993, long before The Last Broadcast, the media attention given to this controversy gave The Last Broadcast notoriety.[citation needed]
Cast list
- David Beard .... David Leigh, The Filmmaker
- James Seward.... James "Jim" L. Suerd, The Accused
- Stefan Avalos.... Steven "Johnny" Avkast, "Fact or Fiction" Host
- Lance Weiler.... Locus Wheeler, "Fact or Fiction" Host
- Rein Clabbers.... Rein Clackin, Paranormal Sound Man
- Michele Pulaski.... Michelle "Shelly" Monarch, Data Retrieval Expert
- Tom Brunt.... Thomas "Tom" Branski, "Fact or Fiction" Video Engineer
- Mark Rublee.... Clair Deforest, Video Editor for the Prosecution
- A.D. Roso.... Detective Anthony Rosi, Lead Investigator
- Dale Worstall.... Dr. Dale Orstall, Jim's Child Psychologist
- Vann K. Weller.... Vann K. Waller, Forensic Pathologist
- Sam Wells.... Sam Woods, Film & Television Director
- Jay MacDonald.... Jay McDowell, Web Designer
- Faith Weiler.... Joyce Dryer, Jim's Landlady
- Marianne Connor.... Mary Brenner, TV Reporter
References
External links
