Off the back of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, Melbourne filmmaker Matthew Holmes is set to partner with Sydney and Los Angeles-based Odin's Eye Entertainment (OEE), to expand his bushranger western, 'The Legend of Ben Hall', into a feature-length film.
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Odin's Eye will don a producer's cap working with Mr Holmes to expand the successful short into a feature length motion picture adding an epic, visual scope to the characters and the story.
Mr Holmes said he always hoped the short film would trigger a feature version but thought it would be more than a decade away.
"It's a very pleasant surprise," Mr Holmes said.
"I've been writing solidly since mid-September, after our first block of filming. There's plenty of material, but it's about making all that material work into a 2-hour movie structure that is the big challenge."
Mr Holmes said the idea for the film arose from his "fascination" with bushrangers.
"There's a mythology to them. Ben Hall is my favourite because he doesn't fit the mould. He's very unique. Maybe that's why he's so popular, because people can empathise with his humanity, despite the fact he was a criminal. That's what I've set out to do with this film. To show the man behind the myth, both his flaws and his strengths,' Mr Holmes said.
As the clock runs down on their crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo, Mr Holmes said he would like everyone to support this film by making a pledge.
"It's the support of the public that got this film off the ground," Mr Holmes said.
"We need their continued support, and in turn, we will deliver them a great movie. And if this film succeeds, they can expect to see more bushranger films from Two Tone Pictures!"
For donating $1, you get the production team's eternal thanks. A donation of $5 will get you a private link to the official international trailer a week before the rest of the world; and by donating $10 you get the link plus exclusive access to the 'pledgers only' Ben Hall website, with behind-the-scenes diaries, photos and much more.
A $20 donation will score you a digital download of the film once it's ready; $30, a DVD; $50, a copy on BluRay; and $90, the Collectors' Edition on BluRay.
Pledge $120 and you'll receive all of the above plus a limited cast and crew cap.
Those who pledge $200 will receive a Ben Hall Fan Pack, which includes two complimentary tickets to the film's premiere; and for $500, you can get all that and more, plus an A4, full-colour visual companion, two more tickets and a signed poster.
Highrollers who pledge $1000 will become an honorary crew member and for $2000, you can become an extra in the film.
To pledge your support, click here.