Fighting Owl Films is an independent film production company based in Mobile, Alabama, and focuses mainly on the production of "genre" films, which can encompass action, horror, science fiction and anything in between.  The group filmed its first micro-budget short in 2007, and has since been featured in numerous blogs, online magazines, and podcasts.  Two shoestring-budget shorts, "The Strange Experiment of Doctor Purefoy" and "The Night Shift", screened in several film festivals across the United States, with "The Night Shift" also receiving the positive review of "delightful" from Fangoria Magazine's online edition.

The positive reception of "The Night Shift", coupled with a disillusionment with Hollywood's current output of remakes and reboots have now encouraged the filmmakers to pursue their dream of turning their original short film into a feature length horror-adventure film. Thomas Smith, the film's writer/director and co-producer, is hoping to recapture some of the cinematic magic of the 80s Amblin films he grew up with that had a lasting influence. "Growing up as a child of the 80s, the world depicted on film had a completely different atmosphere," Smith says. "The films possessed a graininess and lived-in look that added an extra dimension of realism. There also seemed to be a greater emphasis on character and storytelling and less of the headache-inducing flash and sensory overload that's become so commonplace today. It was the era of 'Gremlins', 'Ghostbusters' and 'Indiana Jones', films everyone could enjoy, not just children or adult audiences. That's what we're hoping to recapture with 'The Night Shift'."

The supernatural adventure-comedy centers on Rue Morgan, the undead night watchman at Pinewood Oaks Cemetery. Rue, along with his buddy Herb--a limbless corpse with a sharp wit and a sharper wardrobe--spends his nights trying to keep the cemetery's cantankerous residents in, and his days dreaming of a date with hard-nosed day-shifter, Claire. It's an okay afterlife until a scourge of paranormal occurrences leaves Rue not only watching the cemetery, but also watching his back! The independent feature has secured its cast. Returning from the short to reprise their roles of Rue Morgan, Claire Rennfield and Herbie West are Khristian Fulmer, Erin Lilley and Soren Odom, respectively. New additions to the cast include Andrew Crider as Adramalech, a villainous vengeance demon with an affinity for western wear, Jordan Woodall as Curly and Jonathan Pruitt as the mysterious Captain Roderick Blake. The film, currently in pre-production, is expected to begin shooting in May 2010.

For more information on Fighting Owl Films, "The Night Shift", or to view the original short film, visit them online at www.fightingowlfilms.comand www.thenightshiftmovie.com. You can also follow the production's progress by becoming a fan on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fighting-Owl-Films/73399032976) or following on Twitter (http://twitter.com/FightingOwlFilm).