I had the opportunity to speak with writer and director Luke Sparke. What did we talk about? Well, his new film Occupation of course, which hits theaters and VOD soon. Check out our conversation below.
The film has an amazing ensemble cast that includes Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Stephany Jacobsen, Rhiannon Fish, and Zachary Garred to name a few. Get this, he is already working on the sequel too.
This is Luke’s second feature film in which he serves as writer and director, the first film was Red Billabong. He has also worked on a bevy of other projects in some fashion including the documentary series Yesterday Is History, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Terra Nova.
RONN!E: So let’s talk about your new movie Occupation. You’re the writer and director and I am wondering how this movie came about?
Luke Sparke: Keeping to an abridged version, I was in LA. in 2016 after my first film. I was kicking around a few stories, trying to get various studios interested in my scripts and they were all high in budget. They were like we really love them but do you have anything else and I didn’t really have anything. But I had a story that I’ve had in the back of my head since I was a kid.
So I described yellow lights coming up over the horizon, essentially aliens invading Australia. How people would deal, mashing Independence day with Red Dawn in the outback. They liked the idea and I said I would get the story to them.
I started to write the outline on the way back to Australia and then about eight months later we started shooting it.
RONN!E: How long did it take to write the script then altogether?
Luke Sparke: I was writing it up until the day of shooting. But the first two drafts maybe 3 months to knock it out and get to the shape it was and then 6 months to script and filming. It happened super fast.
RONN!E: So this is a story you’ve had in your head since you were a kid?
Luke Sparke: Yeah, I mean I grew up with what I think are some of the best movies out there. I was affected by all these stories; Alien, Predator, Back to the Future, I mean Spielberg, George Lucas and well there has never been an Australian story about invasion.
RONN!E: So how long did it take to shoot this movie? Because there is a lot going on of action and special effects.
Luke Sparke: 5 weeks preproduction and then we shot it in 7 weeks.
RONN!E: Really, just 7 weeks.
Luke Sparke: We had the storyboard done. The attack scenes boarded and then the film crew from Australia had worked on films like Aquaman and Pirates of the Caribbean. They were a world-class crew and knew what they were doing to help me. Able to help me do an Action film instead of a normal Aussie drama.
RONN!E: So I am curious about when it came to casting for the film. Did you have people in mind already or did you work with a rigorous casting group?
Luke Sparke: We went to a couple of casting directors over here in Australia. But we don’t really make films like this a lot over here, so we were told that we weren’t going to be able to get anyone of notoriety. We didn’t really like hearing that so we started to look around and cast the film ourselves.
Temuera Morrison was really my first choice for the character and luckily he agreed to work early on.
I got some other actors that I had worked with before to come on board. And it all came together, in the end, it is fantastic and electric.
[Get ready for some alien survival action in Saban’s new film ‘Occupation’. -Trailer]
RONN!E: So I was wondering what was the budget for this film? You had a lot going on with the costumes, different designs and a lot of special effects.
Luke Sparke: Yeah, I know it was crazy the amount of stuff we had to do and the people we had to work with but the budget was just under $6 million Australian, which is just under S4 million in U.S Dollars.
RONN!E: Okay, so what was post-production like with the special effects? Was it long?
Luke Sparke: We finished shooting July of last year and finished January this year but the visual effects guys were working while we were filming. So they started really in May so with everything on their end took I guess 8 months. Which is still really fast.
RONN!E: I will be honest, I have actually watched the film 3 times and I have already heard the rumor that you are working on a sequel.
Luke Sparke: Yep, Luckily while we were editing we found that we had more story to do. American film market so we started pre-production and start shooting at the end of August.
RONN!E: Oh Wow.
Luke Sparke: Yep I don’t mess about
RONN!E: Can you tell us anything about it or is it all hush-hush?
Luke Sparke: Well I can tell you it takes a place a year after the last one. We get to see what a year after an alien invasion looks like.
RONN!E: So what will you be exploring in the sequel? Will you be exploring other places in the world, or still just in Australia?
Luke Sparke: Yes it will be a bigger scope on the world.
RONN!E: Do you have the cast sorted out yet?
Luke Sparke: I don’t want to give too much away but we will be having some of the cast coming back as well as some international names joining us.
RONN!E: Is there anything else that you have in the works other then the sequel?
Luke Sparke: Well I am focusing on developing the franchise, that’s exciting. But I am working on a television show that I can’t talk about right now. I am working with some American’s on it so I am excited about that well.
RONN!E: Well, I look forward to that. I really appreciate talking with you thank you for your time and definitely wish you success with Occupation.
Luke Sparke: Nice talking with you.
Occupation is set to hit theaters, VOD and Digital HD on July 20th, 2018. Make sure you pick up a copy or hit up the nearest theater and check it out.
Also make sure to follow the film on Facebook and Twitter and make sure to follow Luke on Twitter too.
*Special thanks to Katrina Wan PR and Peggy Burkhart Oakes.
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