Bay Area filmmaker Matthew Abaya is currently working on a feature length indie action horror film, Vampiriah, based on this 2003 short film Bampinay. Drawing from Filipino creature mythology, it's about a cryptid hunter who sets out on a quest to destroy a dangerous female creature known as an aswang. Of course, to make his vision happen, Matthew needs to pull together a some dough. And so, a Kickstarter campaign. Here's a video explaining what he's trying to do:
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And here's some more information about the project:
The film follows a similar premise as the original short, but is developed exploring the characters and the world they inhabit. Mahal, a rebellious twenty something cryptid hunter, sets out on a quest to destroy a dangerous female creature known as an aswang. When she catches up with this known killer, Mahal realizes that she has more in common with the aswang then her employers who seeks her destruction. The feature film picks up from the original premise where they join forces as the world turns against them. I am taking cues from the horror director George Romero, drawing parallels between being an “Aswang” with being a minority. Though the film is targeted to the Filipino/Asian American community, 'Bampinay' has universal appeal, and has the potential to garner a wider audience. The film has particular relevance to those who consider themselves underrepresented in American society, for example people who identify with social, ethnic, sexual, religious, and immigrant minorities that have been historically demonized.I'll be honest -- this looks pretty rough, and it's not really my cup of tea. But I figure there have got to be enough horror fans out there who are into this, and would like to see Vampariah in finished form. They're trying to reach a goal of $5,000, and there's less than a week left. For further details, and to make a pledge, go to the Vampariah Kickstarter page here.
The film will be principally shot in the San Francisco Bay Area within a 2 month period. Pick-up shots, secondary footage, special effects, and B Roll shots will be created throughout the course of a year. The advancement in digital cinema technology has made many conventions only accessible to industry insiders available to us. This will put most of the production budget into the production itself. Finding good locations will be the key into bringing to life the world in which our characters will inhabit. We seek to have a good working studio space where small sets can be constructed or dressed to meet the needs of the scene. More complex set locations will be made possible with green screen technology and background replacement.
