Daniel MacPherson and director Shane Abbess are mates and close creative collaborators, but that didn’t stop the pair having some robust discussions before the actor signed on for futuristic thriller SFv1.
MacPherson had appeared in Abbess’ Infini and was developing several projects with the director when he was offered the co-lead role of Kane.
The actor did not have a clear sense of the narrative or the characters in the screenplay by Abbess and co-creator Brian Cacha, which is divided into multiple chapters, and asked for elucidation.
“We had a couple of heated creative discussions before I got on board,” MacPherson tells IF. “But once I was in, I was 110 per cent in. Shane gives the cast the absolute freedom to own their characters. It’s a pretty extraordinary, ambitious movie with breathtaking sets by George Liddle.”
Set during a period of interplanetary colonisation, SFv1stars Twilight’s Kellan Lutz as Sy, a mysterious drifter who meets MacPherson’s Kane, a divorced former fighter pilot who is working for off-world military contractor Exor.
They team up to rescue Kane’s daughter Indi (11-year-old Teagan Croft in her screen debut) while battling the savage creatures that roam the barren planet as a global crisis looms.
He describes Kane as an impulsive, strong-willed character who evolved into a far more complex person during the shoot.
MacPherson is a huge fan of Teagan.
“She is a natural actress, ” he said. “She adapted very well to Shane’s freestyle way of working.”
It’s been a three months joumey for the key cast which started with two weeks of rehearsals followed by two weeks pre-production and a nine week shoot which wraps this Saturday. Most scenes were shot in a Sydney studio plus two weeks on location in desolate Coober Pedy.
The ensemble cast includes Isabel Lucas, Luke Ford, Temuera Morrison, Rachel Griffiths, Bren Foster, Firass Dirani, Dwaine Stevenson and Grace Huang.
Daniel MacPherson and Kellan Lutz
The producers are Matthew Graham, Brett Thornquest, Sidonie Abbene and Shane Abbess. Carl Robertson is the DoP. Worldwide sales are being handled by XYZ Films.
During the entire shoot MacPherson and Lutz have stayed in character, so after the wrap they are looking forward to the chance to have a few beers and get to know each other. “We both pushed each other every step of the way,” Daniel said.
After a rest he will return to Los Angeles and help promote MTV’s new fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles, which is based on the bestâ€selling novels by Terry Brooks.
He plays Prince Arion Elessidil in the New Zealand-shot series set thousands of years after the destruction of our civilization, which follows an Elven Princess, Amberle, a half-human half-elf, Wil, and a human, Eretria, as they embark on a quest to stop a demon army from destroying the Four Lands.
MacPherson was bowled over by John Rhys-Davies, who plays his father Eventine, observing, “Each day on set with John was like watching an acting masterclass.”