ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) - Two teenage "Spielbergs" are on a mission to blow everyone's mind with the premiere of Blood Angel, their first feature film showing August 30th to a full house at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak. They shared their story with 7 Action News Reporter Anu Prakash.
The writer, director and composer of this Vampire film is Ryan Stratton who will be a senior at Groves high school in Birmingham. The producer is Aaron Keteyian, who will be a senior at Roeper High School in Birmingham.
"We both wanted to do something different as teenagers. We both wanted to do something bigger than usual," says Keteyian.
"With the resources we had, the skill we had, we made the best possible movie we could have made and that's really all that matters," says Stratton.
The plot is vampires and their attempt to control the world. A vampire teen enlists her human friend to investigate a series of murders at their school.
The movie does not have a rating, but it is an action thriller.
World Premiere Event
Check out the film's website at: http://www.bloodangelfilm.com/premiere.html
Red Carpet arrivals are set for 7pm with the Blood Angel screening at 8pm.
Stratton and Keteyian are thrilled to see their dream come. Here's how they describe their plot:
Blood Angel Plot
"Since as early as the American revolution, factions of vampires have secretly lived among us, covertly fighting for underground control of the world. As the years passed, vampires slowly fought themselves to the brink of extinction; but the few factions left, clans known as the Bruha and Vangrel, continue fighting to this very day.
As one of the last generations of Bruha, Selena is put into school, in an attempt to encourage coexisting with humans. However, when a vampire shows up dead at Selena's school, she enlists the help of the only human she can trust, a boy named Jack, to investigate the killings.
As the body count grows, Selena and Jack struggle to make sense of the horrific events unfolding around them in a race against time to discover the true evil behind the killings, and end the great Vampiric War."
Making of Blood Angel
The teen filmmakers say Blood Angel is a Metro Detroit-based feature film created by high school students on a very limited budget. Keteyian, and Stratton say this movie was made with one goal in mind: to successfully make the highest quality, most professional film possible.
In July of 2009, Keteyian was in search of a composer for his current project, a short film called TheBad Drummer's Handbook. Stratton became that composer. The two met over Facebook and clicked immediately, sharing not only an intense love of film but also a desire to elevate the quality and scale of typical teenage productions.
Soon, the film was cast, a crew was set, and a first filming date was in place. From that point onward, everyone working on the film vowed to do everything as professionally as possible, from larger things like defining a strict filming schedule, to small (albeit important) things, like feeding the cast and crew every single day.
Three years later, the film is in the final stages of production, and both the producer and director (along with every other wonderful, talented individual who donated their time to the cause) are still working as hard as ever, still doing everything according to the same vow they made at the very beginning; to make the highest quality, most professional film possible.
Important Blood Angel Links
Website:
http://www.bloodangelfilm.com
Youtube Clip:
http://www.youtube.com/bloodangelfilm
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/bloodangelfilm
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/bloodangelfilm
IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2293080/
Ryan Stratton: Director/Writer/Composer
Blood Angel marks Ryan’s feature film directorial debut. Son of Metro Detroit-based cinematographer, Lon Stratton, he grew up with a passion for filmmaking. He has previous experience in music composition and performance, both for film and other mediums.
From August 2008 to April 2010, Ryan served as bass guitar and lead vocals for Live The Dash, a rock band made up of teenagers from the Metro-Detroit area. He composed the original score for Hunting Blind, a short film by One of Us Films.
He also composed the original score for Dark Night of the Pumpkin Man, a feature made in 2011 by graduates of the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan. Ryan was second assistant camera for the Detroit unit of The Owner, a collaborative feature written and directed by 25 directors on 5 continents.
A talented musician, Ryan plays bass guitar, guitar, drums, piano, and does vocals. He will be a senior next year at Wylie E. Groves High School, where he is Center Snare and Drum Line Section Leader in the marching band. Ryan is influenced by director Christopher Nolan, director David Fincher, and composer Hans Zimmer.
Aaron Keteyian: Producer
A first time feature film producer, Aaron has previous experience producing shorts, both
for school and on his own. He has been a part of 22 productions at Stagecrafters at the Baldwin Theatre in Royal Oak, MI, having stage managed nine of those shows.
Aaron has also done video work for Stagecrafters, having filmed and edited live performances, videos for Battle for the Mic, an American Idol-like singing event, and a short documentary of their theatre pipe organ. He became interested in film after doing a short film for his 7th grade film festival at school. Says Aaron, “Until Ryan came along, I never found anyone with my same passion, devotion, drive, and dedication to film. After meeting Ryan in 2009, I knew I had found a lifelong friend and collaborator."
Aaron is currently a youth producer on The Bully Chronicles, an unscripted feature film by Radish Creative Group about the widespread issue of bullying in schools. Aaron is an intern at Radish Creative Group, a full service film production company based in Royal Oak, MI.
He is founder and CEO of ArkLight Pictures, a Metro Detroit-based production company. Aaron will be a senior
next year at The Roeper School, completing his 12th year at the school, where he plays alto saxophone in jazz
and concert bands. He also plays piano. Aaron is influenced by director Christopher Nolan, producer David
Heyman, producer John Hughes, and writer J.K. Rowling.
CAST
Robin Collins
“Selena”
Robin makes her feature film debut as Selena in Blood Angel, having previously appeared in various theatrical productions. She played Susan Pevensie in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe at Stagecrafters. At Berkley High School, Robin played Erzulie in Once On This Island, Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, Elaine Harper in Arsenic and Old Lace, Betty Paris in The Crucible, and Oscar Dove in Sherlock Holmes and the Doom of Devilsmoor.
After working on Blood Angel, Robin did a short film directed by Chris Winston, called The Conversation, in which she played a waitress. She was also a spokesmodel in a Chrysler spot, and had
a supporting role in Love and Plutonium by Loose Change Entertainment.
Robin is trained in Irish dancing and horseback riding. She is also competent in accents, including British, Southern, French, Boston, German, and Russian. Robin is a very talented vocalist, and also plays guitar and ukulele. When she found herself with downtime onset, she recorded songs with our production sound mixer,
Michael Amman. Additionally, Robin is an experienced improvisational actor. Robin is represented by
Productions Plus - The Talent Shop.
Chris Newman
“Damien”
Although he has had previous experience acting for theatre, Blood Angel marks Chris’ first feature film. He played Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire at Stagecrafters; Lt. Daniel Kaffee in A Few Good Men at Ridgedale Players; and Dean Manning in Moral Congress at Dearborn Players Guild.
Among Chris’ film work is Something To Come Home To, directed by Jake Keller. He trained with Christopher Bondy at the Dramatic Arts Studio, and also at the Meadowbrook Theatre. After working on Blood Angel, Chris played a leading role in The Conversation, a short film, directed by Chris Winston, Blood Angel cinematographer.
He also played a Starblaze Security Guard in Real Steel; the Used Car Lot Guy in The Five-Year Engagement; and in Love and Honor. Chris also did a variety of commercial work after Blood Angel, appearing in spots for Beaumont Hospital, Safelite Autoglass, and Delta Airlines. After his time on Blood Angel, Chris joined SAG/AFTRA. In addition to Chris’ many talents, he is an accomplished impersonator.
CAST & CREW
• Robin Collins - SELENA
• Nicholson Reed - JACK
• Steve Elmore - MICHAEL
• Andrea Megroet - BREE
• Chris Newman - DAMIEN
• Allison Megroet - EMILIA
• Jason Hughley - RAJ
• Jeff Dameron - LUCIUS
• Michael Lazzara - STAL
• Stewart Reed - JACO
• Michael Ameloot - SOREN
• Pedro L. Pozo - TONY RAINES
• Col. Neil J. Patterson - MR. FINDLEY
• Joe Lyon - MR. LYON
• Jordan Nosanchuk - JORDAN
• Rory Donovan Scott - THE MUGGER
• Curt Senn - BRUHA MEDIC
• Jeff Peterson - MARKUS
• Kyle Stratton - ROWDY STUDENT
• Christopher Peterson - CORPSE
• Shaun Bryant - CORPSE
• David Jerome - VANGREL MILITIA
• Gregory Alford - VANGREL MILTIA
• Gary D. Marshall - VANGREL MILITA
• Jordan Jones - VANGREL SOLDIER
• Leon Robert Lucas - BRUHA SOLDIER
• Jason Mooney - CASHIER
• Alexa Roberts - CASHIER’S VICTIM
• Skylar Chorkey - STUDENT
• Jacob Smithers - STUDENT
• Katelyn Hurt - STUDENT
• Bailey Curry - STUDENT
• Dylan Gigante - STUDENT
• John C. Moffat - HIGH SCHOOL HOSS
• Barbara Keteyian - HIGH SCHOOL HOSS’ MOTHER
Produced by
Samantha Heiman .... co-producer
Aaron Keteyian .... executive producer
Aaron Keteyian .... producer
Richard Keteyian .... executive producer
John C. Moffat .... co-producer
Original Music by
Ryan Stratton
Cinematography by
Rory Donovan Scott
Ryan Stratton
Chris Winston
Film Editing by
Joseph Dinda
Ryan Stratton
Casted by
Samantha Heiman
Aaron Keteyian
Costumes Designed
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