BUNKER HILL
NOTICE
by Bart Vandever
KU professor works on his next big film
Kevin Willmott, director and professor of film, has resurfaced to make his follow-up to last year's critically acclaimed "C.S.A. Confederate States of America."
Welcome to the strange world of "Bunker Hill."
Willmott's last movie, C.S.A., took a jarring look at how the nation would be, had the South won the Civil War. This time around he uses his usual intellectual punch to tackle terrorism and the idea of a state driven by paranoia and panic.
Today, Willmott is shooting in the small country town of Nortonville — population 598. On the scene, hoards of men in surgical masks ride horses down the streets while handing out weapons to the film's townspeople.
Next to the Dirty Boot Café, an old western-style saloon, Willmott sits inside an abandoned building that the crew had turned into a makeshift production studio.
Willmott describes his film as science fiction.
"Bunker Hill' is about what happens in a small Kansas town when technology stops functioning, and you're forced to deal with your own fear and insecurity," he says. "In a lot of ways we've been living in a Western like this for the past five years."
The story takes place after an unknown attack against the U.S. All technology — including the Internet, cars, phones and television — stops working. The people of Bunker Hill panic without communication, and groups eventually fraction off to try to take control of the town.
Greg Hurd first heard Willmott's idea for the film two years ago and promptly agreed to co-write the project.
"We wanted to speak to contemporary circumstances while utilizing old story styles," Hurd says. "This may be the first
post-modern western in history. If you watch this movie,you will have never seen anything like it."
"Bunker Hill" is independent (as are Willmott's other films) and "Bunker Hill" cost under $1 million to make Willmott says.
Despite the small budget, the film includes cars explosions, shattering windows in downtown businesses, explosions, gun battles, horses, carriages and a full cast and crew.
Willmott was also able to recruit prominent actors to work on his film, including James McDaniel, veteran NYPD Blue actor, who plays the main character, Salem. McDaniel is also the film's executive producer.
"With independent film, the stakes are lower, and that allows me to be braver and try things I may be afraid to try otherwise,"
McDaniel says.
Willmott attributes some or his good fortune to the quality of his stories."If you have a great script, you get interest from actors. In big productions, actors are into their careers, but in smaller scale things, real actors want a role in a good story," he says. "We have all real actors here."
After "Bunker Hill" is completed Willmott hopes to make one film a year, he says. The Willmott-Hurd writing duo of are at work again on their next screenplay entitled Love Supreme.
"Bunker Hill" will continue shooting in Nortonville for two weeks and then move on to Coffeyville for additional footage.
Check out more about the making of "Bunker Hill" at makingthemovie.info.
Director Kevin Willmott watches a scene on the set of his new film "Bunker Hill."
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY ONTIVEROS
2017.2.15 6:48
08.31.2004 JAYP AYF=0