Bad Virtue Productions Releases Feature Film Deadman's Land on $30,000 Budget
Bad Virtue Productions, an Australian film company, has finalized its inaugural feature, Deadman's Land, which is an action-adventure film set in World War II. With a budget exceeding $30,000, the endeavor spanned two years, led by writer, producer, and director Peter Cullen alongside his partner Nicola Cullen. They drew on resources from earlier short films and filmed at Cullen's stepfather's factory during the Christmas season. The project featured a cast of 50 and a crew of 30, utilized 12 different locations, and included 400 visual effects shots. Rising expenses, notably a 30% hike in catering costs, presented difficulties. Funds were generated through paid show reels for local talent. A special premiere attracted over 280 ticket sales, and the company is now pursuing distribution.
Key facts
- Deadman's Land is a full-length action-adventure film set in World War II, made on a budget of just over $30,000.
- The film was produced by Bad Virtue Productions, an Australian company founded by Peter Cullen and old friends.
- Production took two years and involved 50 cast, 30 crew, 12 locations, four custom sets, and five transported sets.
- Rising costs, including data storage (from $200 to $900) and catering (up 30%), were exacerbated by the AI industry and global economic factors.
- The team raised additional funds by offering paid show reels for local actors, producing about 20.
- A special premiere reportedly sold over 280 tickets.
- Bad Virtue Productions is currently seeking distribution; aggregators charge upwards of a quarter of the production budget to place films on streaming platforms.
- The film includes 400 VFX shots and runs 90 minutes.
Entities
Artists
- Peter Cullen
- Nicola Cullen
- Leah J. Williams
- Anthony Frith
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Darcy Green
Institutions
- Bad Virtue Productions
- YouTube
- Screen Australia
- ACMI
- ScreenHub
- ArtsHub
Locations
- Australia
- Melbourne
- Adelaide
- Brunswick