This Present Darkness - The Movie

[GraFX Boy]

Frank Peretti’s new website has been up and running for the past several months. Frank has been contributing to the site through his blog and in the forums where you can post a question for him to answer the next time he visits the site.

Frank makes mention of his latest film, House, which is currently being shot in Poland. He is close to finishing the screenplay for Monsters, which he will make his directorial debut next summer. He is also considering writing another book in the Darkness series.

The news that peaked my interest was that 20th Century Fox recently re-activated, This Present Darkness (TPD). Chuck Russell the writer/director has finished the latest version of the script.

Most fans of TPD don’t realize that in the mid to late 90’s 20th Century Fox invested a sizable amount of funds for the early development stage of the production. Industrial Light + Magic were involved as well as many high caliber contracted conceptual designers, painters and storyboard artists.

Over the years I have kept track of people's involvement and what has been produced back in the early stages of development. You can find a few concept designs and storyboards on the link below. Enjoy....

http://grafxboy68.blogspot.com/

God Bless,
John

[ChristianKitsune]

WAH!! SERIOULSY!! I would pay so much money to see this movie!!! I love TPD!!! it's awesome!!

[Bobtheduck]

Ok... He's not my brother in law, but he's my brother's brother in law... Always weird saying his relation to me... Anyhow, I know one of the two guys that had initiated the project before. His name is Bruce... I don't know his last name, darn it... Anyhow, I used to be very excited about it, and asked him about it all the time... They met with delay after delay until finally he stopped working on it... They had gotten concept art and even a special effects demo (a proof of concept video, I'm guessing is what it was) and I watched it, it looked pretty cool from what I can remember, the angel part at least (no feathers! The wings looked so much better than the cliché bird wings most things do), but the demon they showed was... Very cheesy. In looking over it, the demons talk veery christianese in the books, except for their brief interludes of "blaspheming" in the narrative. When the demon spoke in the special effects demo (hopefully they were planning on doing more with him, because it was just a makeup demo for the demon) he talked, it was a bit cheesy overall, and I realize that if they did it exactly as it was in the book, it would be cheesy...

Yeah, it bounced around different studios, and they all had demands, but they were denied by bruce and his team. They wanted to change a lot of things (though the demon dialogue could use some changes) wanted to take away the more strongly Christian elements in the story, wanted to change the pastor to a catholic priest, wanted to put cussing and stuff in the movie (haha, funny Bruce and I have different opinions on that, but I don't know how Frank himself would feel about that) and a few other things that Bruce and the other guy never aproved of, and it kept coming back. At this point, I honestly don't care much about this anymore. I think the Oath would make a much better movie, personally, and this one could go bad in about 10 directions... So...

[Mithrandir]

You have a dog named Mr. Tumnis? That's commical.

As a web geek, I feel compelled to let you know that I very much enjoyed your style and layout on the site you posted. High Quality!

[Bobtheduck]

This new concept art all has feathery angel wings... Man, that was the one thing about the old FX demos that looked cool... The angels didn't have feathery wings... *sigh*

[creed4]

Yes Cool Great I can't wait

[Angel37]

I LOVED THAT BOOK! Omg a movie would just tickle my socks!

[Tommy]

A movie will be sick, but I fear the corny appearence of the angel on the big screen......if it reaches it.

[GraFX Boy]

I think the Oath would make a much better movie, personally, and this one could go bad in about 10 directions... So...

The Oath would be great, as long as it had a strong producing and production teams and a well financed studio to back it up.

[GraFX Boy]

This new concept art all has feathery angel wings... Man, that was the one thing about the old FX demos that looked cool... The angels didn't have feathery wings... *sigh*

I didn't make it very clear on the thread, ILM was commissioned during the early stages of development over a decade ago. All of the concept art shown on my blog is over a decade old.

Since this is the reactivation of the production it's really about re-evaluating the property, developing the pitch and budget to get a green light.

[GraFX Boy]

You have a dog named Mr. Tumnis? That's commical.

As a web geek, I feel compelled to let you know that I very much enjoyed your style and layout on the site you posted. High Quality!

The dog's name is Aslan and the cat's name is Mr. Tumnis

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Hi GraFX Boy, I recognise you from the Frank Peretti forum. Good to see you here mate! I think that Peretti is doing Monster first because it would be much cheaper. Then if that does well he will have enough funding to do The Oath (properly). Then and only then (if Peretti were doing it) could This Present Darkness be made. It needs a huge budget. Something like $100 million (US) dollars I would think!

[GraFX Boy]

Hi GraFX Boy, I recognise you from the Frank Peretti forum.

It's a small world....Actually I saw one of your posts here about FrankPeretti.com has launched. It used to be PerettiOnLine.com for the longest time and was only a splash page with a message from Frank.

Also a while back you gave me feedback on two commerical spots we produced at CBN, one called Heaven and the other one was Elevator Guy.

I'll be either talking to you here or over at Peretti's forum.

[Bobtheduck]

I didn't make it very clear on the thread, ILM was commissioned during the early stages of development over a decade ago. All of the concept art shown on my blog is over a decade old.

Well, the FX demo I watched, the angels didn't have feathery wings... They were crazy glowing translucent things. It looked pretty cool, especially when you saw a whole crowd of angels pulling their wings out. I saw some of the concept art, like the head demon of the town (what was his name?) coming out of a basement or tunnel or something... What stuck out was the actual live action test sequences they did... If ILM did feathery angels back then, that wasn't the original concept they went with in the proof of concept video (the FX demo and concept art / storyboarding video)

[GraFX Boy]

Well, the FX demo I watched, the angels didn't have feathery wings... They were crazy glowing translucent things. It looked pretty cool, especially when you saw a whole crowd of angels pulling their wings out. I saw some of the concept art, like the head demon of the town (what was his name?) coming out of a basement or tunnel or something... What stuck out was the actual live action test sequences they did... If ILM did feathery angels back then, that wasn't the original concept they went with in the proof of concept video (the FX demo and concept art / storyboarding video)

That must have been awesome to see!!! I have always heard about a studio confidence presentation package that included visual effects/animation of the angelic warriors and several demons. I started to think that it was internet urban myth. You're the first person I've heard that has seen. Again that's awesome.

As for the paintings on my blog of the angels with feathery wings, those could have been from the early stages of development that ultimately became what ened up on the reel you witnessed. Currently I'm one of the producers involved with the re-imagination of the Superbook series. Some of the characters from 25 years ago, such as the robot named Gizmo is being redesigned. There must have been hundreds of concepts with numerous artists from Manila, Indonesia, LA, Orlando, and Nashville. The level details from the very first concept illustration to the one that finally was approved was amazing. I'm sure that is the same what we are seeing here with those painting of the feathery winged angels to the cool stylistic wings you witnessed.

Thanks for sharing about the reel....

[GraFX Boy]

Since last week after I posted the early development designs of This Present Darkness from over a decade ago, I have received a lot of feedback from numerous forums.

Quite a few people have stated that they have seen the studio proof of concept animation reel from years back. They also claim they seen numerous photos of different conceptual designs of angelic warriors and demons illustrations, paintings, and maquettes.

Bobtheduck was the first person who I have heard that saw the proof on concept reel. Now a few other people have sent PMs from different forums, stating pretty much the same as Bobtheduck described. Some said the tests were awesome while others thought it was definitely different looking with kind of the glowing effects seen on the alien characters from Ron Howard’s film, Cocoon. Numerous people who work in the "creature/make-up" industry have stated that in the late 90's they have seen full body customes at Greg Cannom's Studio (Cannom Creations where Miles Teves was art director). The pictures I've added to my blog is from there, but I can't offically confirm it is for This Present Darkness production.

It would be cool to see what was developed over a decade ago. More so, it would be amazing to see what can be done by visual effects artists, animators, make-up artists, and animatronics designers.

I have updated my blog with a few more pictures that people have sent. I can’t officially confirm that these are photographs from This Present Darkness test shoots.

This is what can be confirmed; the demon pictured sitting on a throne surrounded by green screen was created at Cannom Creations and designed by Miles Teves. Looking at the date (‘97) on the demon concept art above the photos is consistent with the design of Lucius and in that same year. Until there is confirmation, it’s speculation.

Updated photos at: http://grafxboy68.blogspot.com/