SPECS & TECH NOTES

still from "Return to Light"

SPECS & CREDITS

English language
B&W / Color
97 minutes
Final version completed in June 2002
Shot on location in Houston, Texas, USA; Galveston, Texas, USA; Bavaria, Germany; Tyrol, Austria.
Film format is currently in DIGITAL only and would be presented at festivals or theaters in Beta SP, digital or other high quality video formats.
Originally shot in Digital, Super 8, 16mm and 35mm
Cost: under $5,000
Production: Pure Flame Productions (Houston, Texas, USA)
Direction: Gregory and Maria Pearse
Script, Cinematography and Editing: Gregory and Maria Pearse
Music: from High Renaissance (Victoria, Morales, Josquin) to Modern Classical (Feldman, Rouse, Glass)
Original Music and Sound: Gregory Pearse
Computer Animation: Gregory and Maria Pearse
Special Effects and Artwork: Gregory Pearse
Cast: Gregory Pearse (Hero), Maria Pearse (Hero‘s Beloved)
Extras: Laura Issen, Henry Ihediwa, Jorge Mendoza, Jaime Mendoza, Raoul Ramirez, Jose Saenz, Festus Debola, Billy West and the children of St. Joseph's (Houston, Texas)

A BRIEF NOTE OF INTENT

"RETURN TO LIGHT" IS A BOLD EXPERIMENT TO UTILIZE THE NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TO SHOOT, EDIT AND POST-PRODUCE A FULL-LENGTH FEATURE FILM. IN PRINCIPLE WE FEEL THAT THE INSANE BUDGETS OF TODAY'S INDEPENDENT (NOT TO MENTION HOLLYWOOD) FILMS CAN NEVER ALLOW TRUE ART TO EMERGE. IT ALSO BREAKS OUR HEARTS TO SEE THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES SPENDING HALF THEIR G.N.P. ON CREATING ENTERTAINING FILMS, WHEN THEY CANNOT EVEN FEED THEIR OWN POPULATION. THE KARMA RESULTING FROM SUCH FOOLISHNESS IS IMMENSE.

THE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS NOW SUFFICIENT FOR ANYONE ANYWHERE TO CREATE FILMS OUTSIDE THE "SYSTEM" FOR A MINISCULE AMOUNT OF MONEY. HOWEVER, FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS AND THEATER OWNERS SHOULD NOW AWAKEN TO THE NEED TO EQUIP THEIR MOVIE HOUSES WITH DIGITAL PROJECTORS. MANY ALREADY HAVE, BUT MANY MORE ARE STILL RETICENT. THEY SHOULD NOT FEAR, FOR THE PICTURE QUALITY RESULTS ARE UNBELIEVABLE. WHENEVER WE HAVE SCREENED "RETURN TO LIGHT", NOBODY (NOT EVEN THE CRITIC) COULD TELL THAT THE FILM WAS BEING DIGITALLY PROJECTED.

MOST FOOTAGE WAS SHOT USING A CANON GL-1 MINI-DV CAMERA AND A SONY DIGITAL 8 CAMERA. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS DONE ON A HP PAVILION PERSONAL COMPUTER. WE USED ADOBE PREMIERE, SOUND FORGE AND ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS PRODUCTION BUNDLE (PLUS NUMEROUS PLUG-IN SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS) TO EDIT, SYNC, PRODUCE SPECIAL EFFECTS, SCRUB THE SOUND, YOU NAME IT. AND AS COMPUTERS BECOME FASTER AND MORE POWERFUL, THE RESULTS CAN ONLY KEEP IMPROVING. THE ARTISTIC FREEDOM INHERENT IN THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY IS BEYOND WORDS!