The Sentinel Chronicles - j welin

Posted by Steve on 13 April 2010 | 0 Comments

Tell us about your sci-fi web series.

The Sentinel Chronicles is about the effects of endless war, cloning, artificial intelligence, corporate globalization, exploitative economics, playing God, and their dark results set over the course of the next 500 years.

Where did the idea/concept for your web series come from?

Originally I drafted it as a dark comedy sketch. Being influenced by Syfy's Battlestar Galatica's Season 3 webisode project I decided "why not?" So I storied out six episodes and produced three of them for the first season.

Name some of your sci-fi influences. Any favorite movies, TV shows, novels?

Movies that have influenced me are Blade Runner, Starship Troopers, Blackhawk Down, and District 9. TV shows that have influenced my work have been Battlestar Galactica (the new series), Stargate SG1 and Atlantis and Red Dwarf. Books that have played a role in my work would be 1984, Animal Farm, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers.

Tell us about the technical production of your show. What camera & equipment did you use? Editing software & hardware? For visual effects, etc?

Well, as most sci-fi producers will tell you - "why, oh why didn't I do a sitcom!?" Locations, wardrobe/costuming, props, and makeup are essential to the project and the suspension of disbelief. As The Sentinel Chronicles grow, so do our capabilities as filmmakers. The one thing that we have always gotten right was the authenticity of our wardrobe and props. Sets and locations have always been problematic in trying to match that realism. Something that I have always found distracting for sci-fi as a whole is the tendency of both large and small budget producers to sanitize the set. I wanted to break that mold by having a gritty, nasty, bloody stylized vision of sci-fi.

As to equipment Sentinel has been shot using several different cameras. The one's which have done the best work are an older Sony TRV-20 and a Sony FXZ1U. The remaining production gear is a mixed bag of guerrilla filmmaking and professional gear. We edit the project with Ulead Media Producer 8 and do all of our VFX with Adobe After Effects and Photoshop.

Can you tell us any interesting facts or trivia about your show? Any funny stories?

During the filming of the first episode of Season 1 the cops were called. They arrived with guns drawn ready for a stand off. We quickly let them look over the props swapped business cards and went about our business.

You can find The Sentinel Chronicles online here.

The Sentinel Chronicles - SciFinal Page

Below are more photos of the Cast and Crew of The Sentinel Chronicles on location in and around Atlanta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sentinel Chronicles takes to the the streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sentinel Chronciles shoot on a break.

Staying hydrated on location.

Apparently Craft Services was running late on this day!