CHICAGO — A Pullman man created a feature-length movie in just six days with $500.
Michael Ramova, 31, has been making short films for 18 years. He works as a writer, director, editor and cinematographer and has won awards for his work, but Ramova had never made a full-length film until this fall.
"I had a good script. ... Finally I decided to shoot this movie this way and go for it," he said.
Ramova is now planning to release "Panteon Woods," a horror/thriller that follows two sisters as they investigate a town legend. The sisters enlist the help of a hunter, but they disappear into the woods and are never heard from again. The movie premieres Saturday and clocks in at about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
A scene from "Panteon Woods." [Michael Ramova]
Ramova and his actors, who he's worked with on previous projects, put in 12-hour days during the filming, working from 6 a.m. to dusk, he said. They battled the weather, which was a "little harsh" at times, and the limitations of filming in the woods, Ramova said.
They "brought a little food, water [and] shot nonstop," Ramova said. "We worked together really well."
The film will premiere at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Logan Theatre, 2646 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are $12.50 and are available online.
After the premiere, Ramova will look for a distributor who can bring "Panteon Woods" to a wider audience. He's using connections he has to find the right distributor and plans to enter the film in local film festivals and major ones like Sundance.
Remova plans to film another feature movie in the spring or summer.
"I just want to dive into another feature film, probably with a little more equipment and a different style," Ramova said.
Watch the trailer for "Panteon Woods:"
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