STATES OF CONTENTION
- a short film, based on a true story
Photo and graphic design by Troy Ten Eyck
TAGLINE: Based on a true story. After becoming separated from her elite unit a determined soldier grapples with shifting loyalties and a shadowy adversary to fight for what, and who, is truly important. Yet it all seems strangely familiar...
RENT IT ON-DEMAND HERE:
Inspired by actual historical events, join this tale of future and past, based on decisions from today. From the perspective of near-future military snipers you will enjoy a suspenseful action ride and will leave with thoughtful questions & answers. A timely film to be made first as a pro-level short-film festival piece (PHASE ONE), then expanded to a full feature (PHASE TWO)! This film is an independent project in the truest sense of the word, being created by a diverse team of passionate artists, enthusiasts, and fans working together as a community.
Our film-festival run has concluded with 9 acceptance screenings and 4 awards including Best Narrative Short, Best Dramatic Writing, and Best Sci-Fi. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Poster #2, graphic design by Diek
Lead actor Ashley Lucero as Malinda
6/19/23 - SOC is now a VOD (Video On Demand) on Vimeo! This is the second-best way to watch the movie (the first being a private screening in a big, dark theater or home theater with 5.1 surround sound). Find it here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/statesofcontention On Vimeo VOD you’ll get full resolution and color with an stereo audio mix for viewing on the home equipment of your choice with NO ADS! And the rental includes a 48 hour watch window to view the film more than once (highly recommended, you’ll see!). More international streaming options in the works…
1/5/23 - SCREENING PARTY! Our self-aggrandizing theater screening was a HUGE success and a heckuva lot of fun, especially with the unveiling of our new professional color-grade AND our 5.1 surround-sound mix. Theater #3 at the Chez Artisté Theatre in Denver Colorado is now a favorite venue, and friends and fans from all over the region turned out to celebrate and see what the this film is all about at long last. What a great party! Now for the final leg of the filmmaking process: distribution and releasing it into the wild…
7/3/21 - BIG WINNER! SOC won Best Narrative Short at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood, and the film festival actually happened live & in-person in the center of the filmmaking universe: HOLLYWOOD! Director Diek and star Ashley Lucero represented to accept the award, what a rush!
3/29/21 - The laurels keep on coming: SOC has now been invited to 7 festivals and has received 3 awards! Our goal was always to create an award-winning festival short film for audiences to enjoy. Check out our updated posters with the new leafy decorations above. :-)
9/10/20 - Mission accomplished: SOC is now officially a festival film! The first stop: Orlando Film Festival, Oct. 15-22. www.orlandofilmfest.com
2/11/20 - The revamped Official Trailer for STATES OF CONTENTION is LIVE!!! [above] Finally after 4 years of planning and execution with the help of 50+ talented individuals there are finally moving images, sounds, and music representative of our collective vision and abilities. Enjoy!
2/1/20 - The incredible music by composer Matthew Dunne has been recorded by world-class musicians in San Antonio, and the tracks have been mastered and integrated into the project timeline. It sounds fantastic and ORIGINAL!!! Sound mixing by Troyer Sound LTD is underway for the final brush-strokes. :-)
12/1/19 - Editing and sound design is finished, the final rendered files are trickling in. The final post-production battle has two audio fronts: music and mixing! Almost there…
4/17/19 - The color-grading is complete! STATES OF CONTENTION now sports a truly professional sheen on the imagery. Now we have a compelling visual style to compliment the 6K Red Dragon footage and Leica Summicron-C lenses, and damn does it look fine… Before and after:
4/7/19 - STATES OF CONTENTION official trailer premiere was a success! Thanks for fellow filmmaker and team member Justin Kruse for including our trailer at his film screening in Boulder Colorado (Justin is doing incredible CGI work for our film too)! Stay tuned for more screenings of this preview.
12/17/18 - NEW TITLE!?! After testing and reflecting the team is pleased to announce a new-&-improved film title: STATES OF CONTENTION. This is an exciting twist and the new title is layered with intrigue and double meanings, needless to say we are thrilled!
8/16/18 - That's a WRAP!! INCERTITUDE has been filmed! Now the battle for post-production... Behind-the-scenes pics and vids on the way!
7/8/18 - ONE MONTH to production! Crew positions are being filled. Let the frenzy begin...
3/26/18 - BREAKING NEWS: Casting is complete!
Special thanks to all who auditioned! The roles and actors are:
Malinda, the lead character - played by Ashley Lucero.
Keith, co-lead - played by Austin Callazo
Sarah, supporting character - played by Ellie Genevieve
Colonel G.W. Kirk, supporting character - played by Diek
Co-star Austin Callazo as Keith
Lead actor Ashley Lucero (with her guitar!) as Malinda
Key features of what makes our film attempt special:
- Female sniper lead character: a flesh-n-blood kick-ass woman warrior (i.e. NOT a superheroine)
- Near-future social commentary: an extrapolation of issues we face today with a nod to history, plus a major twist! (YES, it's a GOOD story! Love, war, high stakes, suspense, action...)
- Based on a TRUE story from history, little known real characters in a fascinating genre-bending film!
- A drama, a suspense movie, an action flick, a military movie, an art film, INCERTITUDE is all these things!
- Action movie elements with authentic and detailed costumes and weapons, futuristic "tacticool!"
- Vivid color and texture of nature in a futuristic war movie, rare in cinema.
- Custom soundtrack by award-winning composer recorded with REAL symphonic instruments.
- Cutting edge camera, sound, and film-making equipment (and crews to run it!) for that PRO Hollywood look.
Actors Ashley Lucero (L) and Austin Callazo (R) in custom built ballistic helmets by Devtac Japan
Supporting actor Diek as The Colonel (and writer/director)
PHOTO GALLERY - Pitch video still frames:
(NOT from the actual film, a preproduction proof-of-concept test and fundraising tool)
The PITCH video - a demo that explains what we are attempting from inside the stylized world of INCERTITUDE!
(NOT the actual film, a preproduction proof-of-concept test and fundraising tool)
video imagery by Ten Eyck Visuals
Films by Diek have many artistic and philosophical layers and INCERTITUDE is no exception. There will be a compelling story, relatable characters, authentic & futuristic military gear, original music, detailed sound design, social commentary, a historical element, a touch of sci-fi, and maybe even some humor! This production will utilize a professional crew and cutting-edge cameras and equipment featuring contemporary film-making techniques, all filmed in sharp ultra-high-definition in the glorious natural outdoor environments of Colorado.
INCERTITUDE will be filmed in beautiful 4K resolution in the vivid natural splendor of the Colorado mountains in summertime. Imagine a female version of Halo's Master Chief inside a Planet Earth documentary with a dramatic flair and a historical twist! Rogue One meets Lone Survivor meets Dunkirk... Films by Diek will be teaming up with Ten Eyck Visuals to capture the vivid imagery required to bring this movie to life.
INCERTITUDE is currently in development and fundraising for pre-production of Phase One. Please be in touch to get involved in this exciting and compelling project! Principal photography estimated for summer 2018.
STAY TUNED FOR NEWS AND UPDATES!
Coming soon:
Fundraising campaign, behind-the-scenes video blog (bottom of page), image and video clip sneak-peaks, and more!
INCERTITUDE MOVIE-MAKING VLOG
Follow along on the journey to get this movie made, from idea through to production: