‘Retribution of The Wolf’ Receives 5 Nominations at Action On Film Awards
Wolfdog Production’s new film, Retribution of the Wolf was nominated for 5 awards by the 2016 Action On Film International Film Festival to be held in Monrovia CA from September 2nd to the 10th. Retribution of the Wolf, screening on September 3rd at 4 P.M. at the Krikorian Theatres, was nominated for Best Drama (Feature), Best Actor (Paul Wolverton), Best Dialogue, Best Western, and Best Period Piece.
“We love the Action On Film Festival and are so honored!” states Paul Wolverton, owner of Wolfdog Productions, a Bakersfield California based Independent Film Company. He goes on to say, “The organizers, Del and Theresa Weston, are all about the filmmakers. They go out of their way to help others realize their dreams.” Wolverton has been involved in films that have screened at AOF, but this is the first time one of his films has been entered and ROTW’s first festival appearance anywhere. “It’s very exciting because it means somebody else got your vision” Wolverton explains. In addition, he says, “I’ve already established friendships with some amazingly talented people because of the nominations, so it’s already a win for me.”
Retribution Of The Wolf, a dramatic, action/western, is the brainchild of Paul Wolverton who wrote, directed, produced, edited, scored and acted in the feature. ROTW combines elements of martial arts, “Eastwood” style gun play, and a unique storyline with a final twist leaving the audience re-evaluating the motivations of the lead character, Lloyd Wolf. “I wanted my western to be different than other films in the genre in regards to plot and stunt choreography, and I believe I achieved both goals ”, states Wolverton. He is producing the film with fellow actors Don Myers (General Curtes) and Kristi Wolverton (Emma) his wife of 28 years. According to Wolverton, “ Not only do I love what Don and Kristi did with their roles, but the project would not have happened without their unending support.”
After working on three films as an actor, stunt coordinator, and composer, Wolverton decided it was time to take the reigns himself. “As soon as the story came together and I knew I had something unique, it almost wrote itself”, says Wolverton. Lloyd Wolf is hired by General Curtes to seek revenge on his former gang, The Pack, who beat and left Wolf for dead, and is stealing the gold the General is mining from Indian territory. However, what happens in the finale will leave the audience reeling.
Both Wolverton and his wife Kristi are internationally award winning wedding photojournalists so the visual element was extremely important to them. Wolverton states, “ We needed our film to be visually striking so we decided to persuade our friend and fellow still photographer Robert Bejil to take on the filming. He eventually became the DP.”
Wolverton, a judoist from the age of 5, decided his western would be judo heavy so he enlisted the help of fellow black belt Brett Sakamoto to be his co-stunt coordinator. “ I coordinated a scene in the Zombie movie Phase Two with Brett and a group of black belts later to be known as Team Judo Zombie,” says Wolverton. He goes on to state, “Many of these guys have been my friends for years and many of them have substantial parts in ROTW.”
He also, has been able to utilize his original music composing skills in Retribution Of The Wolf. “Kristi and I have a band called Married With Volume, and I have been writing music since I was about 13. The score has been crucial for setting the tone of the film.”
Wolverton admits he was a huge Clint Eastwood fan stating, “ I used to slow down Sergio Leone’s films so I could tell what Eastwood was doing, and then I’d practice and practice until I could do each move. I broke a knuckle doing that, but it looked so cool in the film.” Guns are not the only weapons Lloyd Wolf uses to seek his revenge. He wields a hammer spinning it around his finger, two samurai swords at the same time, and is proficient with a bow. “I was able to work each element into the plot so I went with it, and I’m thankful I did.”
He decided to go for an old school feel with special effects keeping the CGI to a bare minimum. He says, “ It cracks me up when somebody will ask me what program I used for an effect that was created on set.”
The trailer for ROTW was entered in the 2013 International Action On Film Festival and won runner up honors in both Best Western and Best Costumes categories. Also starring in Retribution Of The Wolf are Coryn McBride, Cameron Bolles, Darrell Lewis, Brett Sakamoto, Larry Okumoto, Lonnie Pelley, Marc Kapetan, Jack Daniels, and Jimmy Bunting. ROTW is set for a mid-October release date with premiere, festival and screening dates to be announced.
For information go visit the Retribution Of The Wolf Facebook page at HERE to see clips, production shots, and more.
