The Dead Planet
When a scientist and a monk both find themselves on a lifeless planet, they must survive long enough to find out how they got there.
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Michael R. MorrisDirectorFear House, Dead Soon
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Michael R. MorrisWriterThe Dark Forest, The Boy Who Wouldn't Turn Right
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Thomas LimKey CastRoulette City
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Terence TierneyKey CastEvicted
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Robert HectorKey CastDead Soon
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Sam VoutasKey CastRed Light Revolution
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Project Type:Short
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Runtime:13 minutes 30 seconds
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Completion Date:January 2, 2016
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Country of Origin:United States
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Asians on Film Festival of ShortsLos Angeles
March 11, 2016
North American Premiere
TBD -
Zone Sci-fi Film Festival
Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey) handed Michael his first film award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a film he made in the 10th grade. His following Super 8 film stars a young Jack Black (renamed "Jack Black vs. The Ninja" for YouTube). Since his return from directing features in Southeast Asia, China and Africa, Michael has had the privilege of working with film legends Danny Trejo, Michael Biehn, Steve Railsback and Jim Carrey.
My filmmaking partner Thomas Lim and I shot this film in the same style we shot a previous film together in Southeast Asia: no crew and completely guerrilla. The themes of Dead Planet may seem slightly surreal, but I will say this: it is an exploration of how peeking through a "portal" of astral travel may inform us about the transient and seemingly tenuous nature of life on earth and how sweeping measures to save mankind could turn a bad situation even worse.