Tactical Tailor

Panteao Launches IndieGoGo Campaign For Alexander’s Bridge Independent Film Project

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Columbia, SC, March 3, 2014 – Panteao Pictures announces the launch of an IndieGoGo crowd-funding campaign for the upcoming independent film, Alexander’s Bridge.

Alexander’s Bridge is a science fiction/action film about an elite team of US Army Delta Force Operators accidentally sent back 150 years to the middle of the Civil War. Finding themselves where a battle is about to take place and where thousands of Federal and Confederate soldiers will be killed or wounded, they must decide what to do. Can they make a difference? Who will they try to help? Will they get back home?

Alexander’s Bridge is not a film with a political agenda. It portrays both sides of the battle in a neutral a manner. It is a story about the soldiers themselves having to work together, similar to Band of Brothers.

Filming of key footage for Alexander’s Bridge was already completed during the recent 150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga where thousands of reenactors took to the field. To add to the quality of the production, Panteao chose to film Alexander’s Bridge in digital 4K resolution, a much higher video quality over films shot in HD or 2K resolution. Behind the scenes footage is also being shot while the movie is made with interviews with the cast, crew, and reenactors.

Panteao has gone to great lengths to keep the level of authenticity of the film as high as possible by working closely with retired military personnel and Civil War reenactors. In addition to subject matter experts, companies like TNVC, MSA, Velocity Systems, Safariland, Hatch, Twin Industries Water Transfer, Henry Repeating Arms, EOTech, Viking Tactics, Tango Down, Surefire, Nightforce, Gerber, Remington, Advanced Armament, Smith & Wesson, Winkler Knives, SOD, SUUNTO, and Salomon have all stepped up to help Panteao with making sure the gear used in the film is spot on in accuracy.

Panteao has been self-funding Alexander’s Bridge, already having filmed key scenes for the movie and is commencing the remainder of filming in September. In an effort to not cut corners or compromise on the quality of the film, Panteao has turned to crowd-funding via IndieGoGo in order to raise additional funds for the project. Every penny raised from the campaign will be spent on the production of the film. Supporters of the campaign will receive items ranging from PDF copies of the script to movie t-shirts, posters, challenge coins, DVD of the movie, and even a chance to visit the set and be in the film.

For more about Alexander’s Bridge and to become a part of the film, visit the IndieGoGo campaign at: http://igg.me/at/panteao/x/2939732

Teaser video: http://youtu.be/dQtpWY6Ahuk

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43 Responses to “Panteao Launches IndieGoGo Campaign For Alexander’s Bridge Independent Film Project”

  1. Mobious says:

    This will be very interesting to see!
    Though, a similar film in Japan was made several years ago where a unit from the modern day ground forces of the country are somehow sent back in time a couple hundred years and fight with and against the samurai during their own wars 🙂

    But really, this is the sort of idea that pops into the mind of a lot of people I bet “what if some guys back in WWII got our modern weapons” and etc.
    It’s strange how very little of this sort hasn’t been made into a production like this yet. Will support these guys as much as possible!

  2. Jack T says:

    Just saw the teaser trailer…interesting concept but MAN…that was just painful to watch….

  3. DGR says:

    So basically the same plot as the 1980 Movie “The Final Countdown” (The USS Nimitz goes back to Dec 6th 1941)? Only with spec ops instead of a nuclear carrier….

  4. Invictus says:

    Is Eric Flint involved? 1632 was an awesome alternohistory book.

  5. MikeM says:

    This concept always pops into my head. Ancient Egypt would be a fun one, for sure. Kinda skeptical on how the film itself will be, though.

  6. Angry Misha says:

    It should’ve been DEVGRU lol.

  7. AECTr says:

    Cool, a film about US army soldiers killing US civilians!

  8. Baldwin says:

    And don’t forget the U. S. Army light tank crew that found themselves at the Little Big Horn in a 1960’s Twilight Zone episode.

  9. Bill says:

    That is going to be a hard plot to work bare boobs into, unless those re-enactors had some really, really cooperative camp followers.

  10. Phil says:

    sounds like you guys have spent a lot of time in the real world doing important things. 🙂

    ….any scifi nerd can tell you there are dozens (hundreds?) of manga, tv shows, movies, novels, etc, with the same formula, or the reverse formula of all technology stopping and modern warriors adopting swords and bows.

    even Mark Twain used the plot device in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

    • Ed says:

      I was reading the comments hoping someone would mention Mark Twain’s book. Twain did a great job with the concept.

  11. Along with the film, “Final Countdown” and the Twilight Zone episode, “The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms”, there is a short story called “The Chronicle of the 656th” that’s pretty good and worth reading. It’s about an Army unit (656th) that are doing training maneuvers in TN in 1943 and somehow end up back in 1864 in the Battle of Franklin. Interesting story.

    Alexander’s Bridge was definitely influenced by Final Countdown and that Twilight Zone episode. It’s interesting just how much of the North vs South and War of Northern Aggression is still in the hearts of many Americans. We made it a point to make sure our film is not pushing a political agenda or depicting either side as right or wrong. The US Army is also not killing civilians in our film. The film is about the soldiers themselves put in a scenario they never prepared for and then having to deal with working with the closest thing to their counterparts from that period.

    Regarding our teaser video, there is only so much we could do with only segments of the film (battle scenes between Federal & Confederate forces) shot. Once filming commences in September we will be able to put out proper teaser videos from 4K resolution down to HD.

    You should see teaser videos from Hollywood when no footage has been shot yet. Production companies grab footage from other films and edit it together with line drawings and rough animation to represent the story. I can just imagine the grief we would get if we did that. 🙂

    I appreciate all the support we have been receiving for this project. Especially the manufacturers from our industry that came on board to help us out. It will also be cool to see the instructors from Panteao making appearances throughout the film.

  12. Bill – You’re right – no bare boobs in our film, sorry 🙂

    Phil – You’re spot on. There are many, many stories about this sort of time travel plot. There is an entire paperback of short stories called “The Fantastic Civil War” that has ten such stories.

    None of this is new and we definitely never claimed our concept was original. We just want to see it made and in the end, represent the soldiers from today and from the Civil War era in the best possible manner while still making an entertaining film. This has been a learning experience for us when it comes to the soldiers from 1864.

    • Phil says:

      Concepts are all based on concepts based on concepts, even with the tactical gear everyone argues about all the time. Fiction is…Layers of stories going back into prehistory making up every story. I’m excited to see your take on it!

  13. For a contrast between filming the movie in 4K resolution and shooting stills with DSLR cameras, we will also be shooting stills of the main actors using tintype photography. We have a photographer that specializes in tintype that uses a lens that dates back to the Civil War era, so it will be pretty cool to see the final images. For the “modern” still shots, we have Matt Stagliano from Firelance Media on board.

  14. Brando says:

    Higher resolution cannot improve the most important aspects of any film.

  15. Stefan S. says:

    Sorry I’ll pass. Time travel is about as believable as an honest politician. Both are just theory!

    • That’s okay. Films about time travel, like other science fiction movies, are definitely not believable. I think we should also lump in all the horror flicks as well. Those two film genres are a no-no when it comes to realism or believability. Same with sub categories like fantasy or superhero films. Oh crap, I forgot… these categories are meant to be entertainment. A break from reality and presenting things that are normally not believable but instead as “what if” scenarios. Imagine that. Something for the sake of entertainment.

    • Sal says:

      I assume the only films and TV shows you watch are documentaries then?

  16. Anthony I. says:

    So here’s my problem with this:

    1. First, it looks awful and no 4K camera is going to make the story and acting not look like a student film that’s just in 4x the resolution.

    2. Here’s the issue. You’ve chosen to go with IndieGoGo, which means even if you don’t hit your goal, lets say only 90K, you still pocket that money at no real penalty. So everyone who invested in that attempt from a crowd funding standpoint is out all their money that PANTEO gets to keep. So that means you didn’t get your goal, but you still get a chunk of money. That’s digital panhandling. And no offense but NOTHING Panteao has done has been quality. Quantity? Sure.

    But to ask for 550K (sorry you won’t hit that goal) and yet still get a chunk of money leaves things in a really weird place, it’s a chunk of money you get to keep no questions asked, but this project isn’t full funded…sooooo? You can see the issue I’m sure.

    Oh wow you have a photographer to take behind the scene stills? Congrats that is in NO way unique or special. This seems like a hamfisted plot, being carried by non-actors (or lack of quality actors) who won’t be able to address some complicated moral dilemmas…dillemmas I doubt you’ll even address based on the poor quality of that sizzle reel.

    Defend the “short schedule” or “limited resources” all you want. But you’re putting your hands out and begging for 550 THOUSAND dollars. Please don’t ask people to give you money for you to gamble with when your cards don’t look that strong.

    • The bulk of the footage has not been shot yet. Footage that was shot and being used for the film is still on the editor’s computer, so not exactly sure how you can judge how the film will be.

      You come across like Panteao is the first company to go on IndieGoGo for a film project. Funds raised on IndieGoGo go towards the funds we are already spending on the film.

      But now the truth comes out… you don’t like the Panteao instructional videos. Got it. Now I see where you are coming from.

      No one ever said having a photographer for stills is unique to what we are doing. It’s common in films. I simply pointed out that we were also doing tintype photography along with DSLR shots.

      If you don’t like the plot, so be it. Carried out by non-actors? You mean the actors that we are casting in the key roles of the film? Not sure how you can come to that conclusion given that you aren’t involved in the casting process.

      To say that nothing we have produced is quality is simply your opinion and you are entitled to it. I disagree with your opinion as do many others that have watched the videos. I understand why you are so jaded against the film project. If you have such a negative view on our training videos then of course you will have nothing positive to say about the film.

      Quantity? Yes, we are producing more instructional videos than any other company out there. For a reason – there are many instructors to film, lots of different subjects to cover, and many people out there to help with training.

      I am proud of the instructional videos we have produced along with the industrials and documentaries. We have some of the best instructors out there, a solid film crew, great editors, and we’re making it a point to help educate people on firearms handling.

    • Kyle says:

      Anthony,

      You, like all folks, are entitled to your opinion. If you don’t like IndieGoGo or Panteao, so be it. However, you are letting those thoughts cloud your judgment on the quality of the film, story and actors.

      The script was co-written and co-edited by SOF Members. The main characters of the movie are prior-service SOF Members (the same ones that helped to write/ edit it). If you need more clout than that, I suspect that you value your opinion more highly than it is worth.

      I have been on-set with the film crew and all their gear. The cameras are the best you can buy. The crew has worked in the industry for years and have the formal, film education to back that up with. What they are trying to do is create something that is not controlled by a major studio. They are using this movie to share a story. A fictional story. By crowdfunding and keeping expenses low, it gives them the ability to make this the way they conceptualized and wrote it. They are doing a good job. I say that from a firsthand perspective…not an armchair quarterback one. I also base it on my years of SOF experience, which I use to contribute to the overall effort.

      Maybe that will help broaden your perspective.

      • Vu Manh says:

        Kyle –

        “The script was co-written and co-edited by SOF Members. The main characters of the movie are prior-service SOF Members (the same ones that helped to write/ edit it).” < This doesn't bode well. These guys are trained to do a lot of things, but I'm guessing that feature script writing and movie acting classes aren't yet part of Delta selection. It can take a decade of effort to become ok at script writing alone.

        Panteo makes very competent training videos and has amassed an impressive quantity of product. I have no doubt that if they really dug into learning cinema and storytelling that they could figure that out too. But if they have a vision , then they should have stuck to storyboards and concept art. Starting off with wide shots of the multicam clones casually strapping on new kit is frankly very boring.

        $550k is way too much for this, unless half of it was going to be spent bringing on Hollywood names. Given that reenactors will let you shoot them for free, Panteo already has camera stuff (you dont need 4k, shoot on what you have) and probably has the SF kit already on loan, they could have shot this movie for $50k. Anything above $100k that doesn't involve names is hubris.

        Incremental steps are always a saner strategy. Panteo should try proving themselves in the narrative cinematic arena first. Go out and win multiple contests. Impress people with story, emotions and cinematic prowess.

        Finally, I commend the interesting nature of the premise. What would happen if modern machinery was in the American Civil War? But if you're going to do that, have some balls with it. What happens when half the SF team decides now is the chance to preserve States Rights and goes over to help the Confederates while the other half decides to try to preserve history? Looking back on that war is cause for many thought provoking conversations, so time travel with weapons back to it cannot result in a simple 'Band of Brothers' run of events.

        Best of luck, I love that Panteo is starting to wade into cinema and I hope they continue.

        • SSD says:

          I gotta respond to this. How much do you think “Hollywood Names” cost?

          • Vu Manh says:

            A lot of films in the $200k-$500k range end up with names like Ray Liotta, Josh Lucas, Danny Glover, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Michael Madsen, etc. Not A-listers, but faces people recognize and are crucial for distribution deals, especially in Asia where small action films can still make money. Often times you get a B or C name for $30k to $100k apiece for two weeks of their time.

            • Vu Manh – While we have been shooting instructional videos along with documentaries and industrials, our crew’s background is in motion pictures, television and commercials. The talent we are bringing to the table in the form of the crew is right up there with much larger and more costly production companies.

              The script was written by me with the assistance of former SF and Delta members. We also had the input from Civil War reenactors. Details on medical today and medical in 1863, tactics, gear, etc., is where their expertise came into play. The script has been well received and is solid.
              The main characters include three former SF and Delta members. The lead character and other more important roles are carried by actors. The same for the rest of the key roles. If there is one thing we understand, the actors can make or break a film.

              Yes, we could film the movie in HD or even 2K for far less money, but when a theatrical release is involved, 4K is where we need to be. You also can’t compare the colors and details of 4K to lesser resolutions. It’s like the difference between filming in 16mm and 35mm. There are many other reasons to shoot in 4K, but in short – we want to do this right.

              $550K is way too much? If you are running with some DSLRs and are doing guerilla filming like many of these indie shorts that show up at the film festivals, then yes you can do it for very little. But when you sit down with a line-producer and factor in production staff, talent, wardrobe, makeup, grips, gaffer, best boy, director of photography, camera operators, sound mixer, boom operator, hotels, food, insurance, and another 12 pages worth of things not worth mentioning here, believe me when I say it’s not as cheap as you think. And no, the whole budget is not $550K. We have already spent quite a bit filming the footage we have and plan on spending more in the coming weeks and months. This is about doing the film right, not on the cheap. The more we can raise the more we can spend on pyrotechnics, post production, music score, etc.

              We actually are taking movie making in steps. We are not going after a $15M budget with big name actors and complicated sets and CGI. We are tackling a film that we know we can make and make right. From there, once it’s out and hopefully folks like it, we can tackle bigger projects.

              The story has many plot twists and issues the characters must face and deal with. Enough people have read the script and given us honest feedback about the storyline. We are confident with what we are making.

              I truly appreciate everyone’s positive comments and for those that are supporting the film via our campaign – a great big thank you.

              • Joel says:

                THANK YOU for making the effort and taking the risk to do something like this. I and many people I know have been patiently awaiting a movie involving Delta.. er I mean a quality movie about the military that wasn’t full of Hollywood BS. Recently there have been a few that were very good but were simply recounts of real events. This storyline is imaginative and intriguing, and I look forward to seeing the result. I’m not saying I have any experience in the film industry, but I am aware of the cost involved. Some here clearly don’t, and unless they want this film to look like a made-for-tv straight-to-dvd camcorder movie, then money is required. I applaud you for wanting to do this right instead of cheap.

  17. For what it’s worth, we intend to produce the best possible film we can make. The more funds we can raise, the more we can allocate towards production and post-production. With crowd-funding avenues like IndieGoGo, supporters of a campaign receive something for their support. Be it a shirt, poster, DVD, or even a chance to be in the film – it is not a matter of something for nothing. We greatly appreciate all the support we receive for the project and look forward to getting back out there in September to finish filming.

  18. Bill says:

    Fernando,

    All the best, but with 4K cameras available for under $5,000, the onslaught of HDSLR video and the voodoo behind film financing and distribution. EVERYONE is now a movie maker, which, like computing and social media, give a lot of people chances to create things they never could before. But it also results in huge clouds of crap, to which I’ve contributed my share.

    I’d suggest you check out the movie “Bellflower,” made for $17,000, and is either the worst indie film ever made, or the finest. It’s got flamethrowers, tits, muscle cars and the best depiction of blood spray from a head shot I’ve seen that wasn’t real. But the amazing thing is the look; the guy who did it built his own camera out of old parts, and love it or hate it, you’ll never forget the look.

    We are gun guys, I’m guessing, and maybe some gun gals, so we like to see guns fired, but it occurs to me that it would be a huge challenge from a creative standpoint to shoot a gunfight/battle without ever showing some actually firing a gun. Man Shooting Gun is a visual we seen a million times, but seldom do we see it done “differently,” rare exceptions being The Replacement Killers, Fifth Element and Revolver (stylishly) and possibly The Way of Gun (grittily-I stopped diving into empty fountains)

  19. Tim says:

    I’m sure this movie won’t be for everyone, but having known Fernando for quite a while now, I do know he will make the best movie he can make with the reaources with which he has to work. Hollywood typically makes the most entertaining movies but they are not gun folks. It would be refreshing to see an entertaining film produced by someone who doesn’t hate guns.

  20. Justin says:

    Business owners, product developers, ect. getting on the internet and arguing/ debating with people trying to defend their products never works out. Some people are going to like it. Some are going to hate it. Some people are just dicks and post negative comments to get you worked up. It’s not worth the time or stress. Stop responding to critics and trying to justify yourself. Make your movie, and if it dosen’t suck people will watch it.

  21. Joe says:

    It sounds like you’ve got your hearts in the right place, and this subject in movies is always fun to me, but you really need to spend some more time on that trailer. Honestly, it’s just bad. You’ve got to wow complete strangers into opening their checkbooks, not promise them that if they donate, it will be better. That’s like trying to get people to come in to your new pizza place by standing outside offering samples of Totino’s Pizza Rolls.