Independent Sci-Fi Film Races to May 25th Release
by Doc on May.25, 2010, under Video/DVD
After about a decade of development, production, post production, and a long search for distribution, Hyper Image is releasing their debut feature on DVD on May 25th.
Distributed by Phase 4 Films, the computer animated sci-fi action film follows the renegade Team Earth, as they struggle to compete in the high speed Star Car 5000 racing circuit.
Forced from the controls after a horrific crash, former driver, Potter, has returned as a team manager with a burning desire to win without the dubious agendas of corporate sponsorship. Relying on his levelheaded mechanic, Stash, and trying to keep his reckless driver, Trance, under control, Potter had the odds stacked against him.
If that weren’t difficult enough, brewing beneath the surface is danger of an even more lethal kind. Lord Helter, the charismatic leader of Planet Tagmatia is surreptitiously assembling allies in a bloodthirsty scheme to decimate the peacekeeping planetary Alliance.
When Team Earth stumbles on Helter’s plan, they become caught up in a cat and mouse game as they fight to keep their hopes – and themselves – alive. In the end, the Finals become a mach speed backdrop for a deadly showdown with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance.
The film is 99 minutes long and rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some suggestive images and action violence. Deleted and alternate scenes, artwork galleries, filmmaker commentary, and multiple trailers round out an immersive DVD experience (http://racethemovie.net/).
Back in early 2000, Hyper Image had just completed work on “Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles,” for Sony, when they decided to tackle their own in-house production. When initial financing dropped out, they refused to relent, deciding to keep moving forward on their movie with whatever time and resources they could put together between paying jobs.
In a struggle paralleling that of the movie’s heroes, Hyper Image battled with funding, staffing, and technical complications to bring “Race” to life and find it a spot in the marketplace.
First screened at film festivals in 2007, “Race” stars James Hereth, Kevin Lewis, Russel Perryman, Jane Roberts, Terry Diab, Bill Mendieta, H.L. Cannon, J.J. Song, and Benita Marti.
The director, Robert Brousseau, previously helmed numerous projects, including episodes of “Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles” and “Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century,” for which he was Emmy nominated.
Meanwhile, screenwriter, Rhonda Smiley, has written for countless live action and animated television shows, including the Rick Springfield series, “High Tide,” “Tarzan: The Epic Adventures,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation,” and “Totally Spies!”