Hardwired: Alex Lane for DRAGN

No remote control here…

A pulse-pounding homage to the raw, high-concept genre films of the ’80s and ’90s — latest sci-fi movie DRAGN is here to remind us of the kind of gritty B-movie sci-fi horrors that once lined those video store shelves. Directed by Peter Webber (The Girl with the Pearl Earring), the film blends action, techno-paranoia, and a dose of psychological horror as it explores the terrifying possibilities of rogue AI. Alex Lane — who wrote, produced, and appears in the film — is a European-raised, U.S.-based filmmaker whose career began in theatre before expanding into screenwriting and production and, as co-founder of the multimedia production company Puma In A Tank, has developed a reputation for an international and collaborative approach to his storytelling.

He often examines power, corruption, and the fragile relationship between humanity and technology, and with DRAGN — shot on an ambitious 17-day schedule in Serbia — he steps confidently into larger-scale genre filmmaking, cementing his evolution from actor to writer to producer. Alex recently took some time out to share advice and insight on the production of DRAGN, along with some interesting background on filming in Serbia…

Without diminishing the film, DRAGN feels like a fun callback to those bargain bin tapes we would find via Empire Pictures.

Absolutely. Empire Pictures is definitely the vibe. And for those not familiar with their library of films, we can also look at the bigger budget studio films from that era. From Robocop to The Terminator to even the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, 80’s cinema in particular is riddled with great sci-fi and horror films that are raw, grounded in the real world, and embrace their limitations. DRAGN, for me, has that, as our tech monster is visually more in sync with the retro aesthetics of the Robocop or Terminator films (though of course on our very humble indie budget). The AI in DRAGN has a way of getting into the minds of its victims, the way Freddy Krueger brilliantly did, haunting its victims’ dreams prior to killing them. DRAGN doesn’t just wait for you to fall asleep to do the necessary, though he does study the cycles his victims go through prior to offing them, if they’re deemed a threat.

Co-writer/Producer Alex Lane.

Yes, that perfect blend of action, sci-fi, and horror elements. Was there an original spark that led you to want to tell this story, and how did it evolve from concept to final script?

I can’t take any credit for the early process of this story’s development. That all goes to Barry Hutchison and Alexander Gordon Smith, two brilliant, powerhouse novelists who have sold millions of books between them both. They wrote DRAGN as a quick screenwriting exercise with a “monster in mind” that they, very correctly, saw to be a reflection of a timely threat we’re all facing, whether we want to accept it or not: that of AI warfare machines’ sophistication escalating into a realm where they can no longer be controlled by the humans who created them.

Georgia Witkin, another exquisite and brilliant mind, saw the potential of this being a film and decided to produce it, and we met just as she was embarking on that DRAGN producing journey. Quite honestly, it was fate: Georgia and I met accidentally when we ended up at the same table at an event hosted by our mutual dear friend (and a man I consider to be one of my key mentors), Sandy Climan. Georgia and I struck up a conversation, and realized that we had a lot in common and were looking to tell similar stories. She suggested reading what is now one of DRAGN’s earlier drafts, and that was that. We shot the movie six months later. When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. I’m fully aware, though, that those types of fortuitous instances only come around a couple of times in one’s professional life, if that.

So, how did you collaborate with Barry and Gordon during the writing process?

Barry and Gordon were very generous with their time and openness, and trusted Georgia, my producing partner Oleg Shardin, and myself to do right by their material. Once our visionary BAFTA-nominated director Peter Webber (known for Hannibal Rising and Girl With a Pearl Earring) boarded, Barry and Gordon did several passes in accordance with the adjustments Peter guided us towards, and which we needed to make as we reset the story to organically occur in Serbia, and fine-tuned the multicultural spectrum of characters we decided to further build this story around.

At a certain point during pre-production in Serbia, as Peter and I were on location, and Barry and Gordon were at their respective homes and had to fulfill various contractual obligations on several books they were due to deliver (they are machines, I’m constantly amazed at their churn out), they graciously allowed Peter and myself to do the final rewrites ourselves. All this occurred while we rehearsed with our committed and inspired cast, and while our monster was being built in accordance with our production designer Joseph Hodges’ vision. And of course, Peter was an immense driving force, without whom DRAGN as a movie would not have become what it did.

Bringing the hardware to life. DRAGN concept art.

Keep in mind: we shot the movie in 17 days. Peter brought his vast experience working on bigger budget studio fare, and tapped not only into his know-how but also into his relationships, with Joseph and our composer Alex Heffes working on the movie foremost out of the mutual respect they share for Peter and him for them. It was also one of those instances where Peter and I clicked from the get-go, both personally and creatively. Peter is an immensely curious, caring, open-minded, educated, and well-traveled man, and has worked with various Hollywood legends in front of and behind the scenes. As for me, I was raised in several countries in Europe and made my life in the US: I’m all about adapting to the circumstances and wouldn’t have been able to have survived if I weren’t able to. I’m also always curious, well-read, and eager to keep learning: there’s no ‘getting there’ the way I see it. The industry’s needs change all the time, the way we tell stories changes all the time, and the technology is rapidly evolving and adjusting how we make and consume movies, TV shows, and other commercial art. It’s foolish to try to think that you know it all in our industry or that you’re irreplaceable.

So, Peter and I definitely hit it off just based on the fact that we’re both curious cineastes who understand the material, embrace multiculturalism, and are looking to push boundaries. That camaraderie and passion, along with Peter’s vision as the director and mine as an experienced scribe who also happened to be producing, led to DRAGN’s final drafts. And of course, Oleg’s vast tech industry experience (from both the conceptual and business sides), along with Georgia’s deep understanding of psychology — it all helped us further in those crucial stages.

In the Dark. Tom (James Paxton) leaves the paperwork at home in DRAGN.

The film centres on a rogue AI-driven drone turning a corporate retreat into a nightmare. What themes were most important for you to explore through that premise?

I think for us all on the DRAGN creative team, the key theme was (and remains) AI warfare getting out of hand, and how it can impact or potentially end our civilization as we know it. As for me personally, I’m always fascinated by the layers of human corruption and greed, and what it makes people do — how it influences their egos and sense of reality.

“Technology facilitates a lot of processes, and while some use it to improve themselves, many use it as a tool to substitute hard work or the learning of a specific craft…”

— Alex Lane

On top of all that, I was interested in how the film touches upon the fragility of the human mind and even anxieties over modern technology. How do you see these concerns reflected in today’s world?

I don’t know how subjective my POV is on that. I mean, you’re asking a guy who depends on technology in more ways than I’d like to admit, though I definitely don’t idolize the hardware of AI. Tech is a tool: I use it for a lot of my communication and research. I collaborate with technology throughout various steps of development, production, and post-production of our projects, just like everyone else in the industry. And, like many others, despite a very active lifestyle, I spend more time than I should escaping the moments of now by floating onto the clouds of social media escapism. Technology facilitates a lot of processes, and while some use it to improve themselves, many use it as a tool to substitute hard work or the learning of a specific craft, which has a lot of negative consequences for us all if that continues to be the case.

Mind hunter. The ruthless AI drone at the centre of DRAGN.

Who are many of us if you take our smartphones, ChatGPT, or even just our internet access away from us, even for a day or two? We see clearly that there’s pushback from governments around the world regarding who, how, when, where, and who consumes (and at what age) those variations of technology… and for what purpose? I think the concern of overuse of technology via the mind control impositions being designed by several tech overlords is not only valid but vitally important. I just hope that the governments, and those of us who see the threat of technology overpowering humanity, are all waking up on time and prepared to tackle it.

You not only wrote and produced DRAGN, but also appear in the film — is acting where you started in the film industry?

I indeed started out as an actor, primarily doing theater, which gave me the foundation I needed to become a writer and a filmmaker. Not that that was the original plan. Acting is and will always be my first love, and that’s what I believed was going to be my sole focus when I first got into the industry. Nothing like blocking a well-written scene on a stage while rehearsing a pensive and layered play, and to keep doing that one scene at a time, and then putting it all together into a non-stop group performance, and engaging with an audience through the process. Same for working on film: just like in life, the truth of the moment experienced on a set is the best gift. Once we get our next handful of thrilling planned multimedia Puma In A Tank projects made, some of which I will be co-starring in, I intend to get back to my roots and either write or find a lesser-known, yet timely play, I can bring to life, co-star in, and tour with.

One of many sites in Belgrade used for the filming of DRAGN.

I’m interested to hear about the biggest challenges of filming in a remote forest location in Serbia, and how the environment shaped the final movie.

Well, regarding the environment, for one, we all ate really well. The local cuisine there is out of this world. Look, Serbia is a mystical place, and its people have been tested throughout the centuries in extreme ways. Belgrade has been reduced to oblivion dozens of times, yet the Serbs rebuilt every single time. They remain strong and spiritual, all while being kind and caring, practical and open… yet cautious and protective of their space. You can also still feel the remains of the communist days, yet there’s a sense of experimentation that goes on that is inspiring. That energy is very much in place when you’re working there, and it definitely impacted various aesthetic choices made in the movie. In Belgrade, the local brutalist architecture and the old trams collide with modern neighborhoods and expensive new cars.

Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the US all heavily invest there at the moment, though I read recently that Russia’s financial influence there is quickly disappearing. That also helped shape our film by inspiring us to create in the film a Serbian multinational tech company that is forward-thinking but also tests the boundaries of unchecked behaviors. Plus, we got to consult with Milos Petrasinovic, an aerospace engineer who actually builds real military drones right outside of Belgrade. His studied insights helped us tremendously when figuring out certain elements of DRAGN’s capabilities.

“You can also still feel the remains of the communist days, yet there’s a sense of experimentation that goes on that is inspiring.”

—   Alex Lane

As for shooting in the forest, the local team at Clockwork Film, who oversaw all the local team building (and the professionals there can challenge Hollywood ones any day), locations, and various other key logistical elements, found a perfect forest not too far from Belgrade, so we were actually all able to go back into the city every day. Shooting in the forest in Serbia dictated what time of the year we made our movie. As most of DRAGN takes place outside, we had to shoot in September, right after the brutally hot summer, but before the rain season. It was one of the reasons that we accelerated pre-production of the film. And we sure did get lucky with the weather. A day or two after we wrapped, the rains started.

Director Peter Webber.

You’ve spoken about director Peter Webber — how did working with him influence or enhance your original vision for the film?

Peter’s understanding of world-building and material is of the utmost top-tier quality. His knowledge and passion for sci-fi films also surprised me (I mean, it’s not like he’s known for making sci-fi films), and that expertise only helped shape the movie in a way that worked best for DRAGN, given the time and money constraints we knew we had going into pre-production. I can honestly admit that my original vision for the film was more grounded, but once Peter boarded, he helped elevate the world we were building by creating a supportive environment for all of the creatives involved to experiment with various elements, in a controlled manner, of course. That’s the magic of working with him: he has a clear vision yet allows everyone around to try new things, and he knows the moment he sees it whether there’s something there and how to blend that with other key elements already in place. It’s awesome to witness. It definitely made for a very collaborative experience all throughout, which I’m very grateful for and hope to repeat with him many times over on other projects.

Survival mode. Tom and Zoja (Alice Pagani) and Daniel (Carlos Bardem) are a handful of characters faling victim to the killer AI.

Was there a particular character (other than your own) you felt most connected to when writing, and why?

Funnily enough, those of Tom, who is played by an immensely committed James Paxton, and Adele, played by a top-tier Lilly Krug, with whom I’ll soon be working on another film. The way I see it, Tom is a man who’s looking to prove himself; he’s doing it for all the right reasons and with good intentions. In a very big way that coincided with what I was going through while making DRAGN, as it is the first film I got to be one of the lead producers on, and definitely the first feature film that I was deeply involved in throughout every part of the process. Adele is a free-spirited human being not afraid to try anything and push other people’s buttons at times, yet has a caring nature and a drive for affection and stability. There’s a lot of me there. Testing boundaries and having stability don’t always go hand in hand, and I have yet to find the perfect balance there for myself. I definitely had a lot of fun working on Adele’s dialogue and her bickering with Daniel, beautifully embodied by Carlos Bardem.

In light of what you have alluded to, what are the major lessons about filmmaking and the writing process you have learnt from working on the film that you will carry into your future projects?

I think I can write another book on everything I learned working on this film. The key ones for me are:

1. Develop the script with the director you’ll be making it with from day one. It’s great to find a written script and then rewrite it (all scripts get rewritten), but it’s more effective if the person directing is there with you throughout all the conceptual stages of the script.

2. Always trust your gut when it comes to people you’re hiring. No exceptions.

3. Make sure all HODs have the necessary support they require. Saving on a few people due to budget constraints can cost you more headaches and impact the amount of takes you get on certain days.

4. If it’s an effects-heavy project, make sure to have a VFX supervisor consult during the development. I thank my lucky stars for the experienced KoJo Studios VFX team every day.

5. Have the final script dictate the shooting days, and then work harder to find the middle ground with the budget you can raise.

6. Making a film is a marathon; take better care of yourself all throughout the production. Sleep and a balanced amount of alone time are not just an option but a necessity.

7. While there are many benefits to staying at a hotel where everyone is staying, consider renting an Airbnb so you can wind yourself down after a shooting day in a more solitary fashion. Your energy isn’t infinite, and you’ll serve the movie further better that way.

8. Mixing post-production duties between various time zones can be tricky. Try to stick to one particular time zone for the entire post-production, whichever time zone that might be.

Screen time. Alex also stars as antagonist Petros.

Was there anything that surprised you — creatively or personally — while making this film?

Surprised might not be the right word. However, DRAGN was a big test for my producing alliance with Oleg, and we both revealed our true colors. I think the test confirmed who we believed each other to be, and we came through it having learned a lot about how well we work together. I finally felt like I had a partner who had my back (still do), and I think he feels the same, and that’s a real blessing in this wild industry we’re in.

How our entire team at Puma In A Tank came further together in general was touching and inspiring. It was our first production, and it solidified that we all made the right choice working together. I’m grateful for our Pumas every day. Without Oleg, our partners, and our internal associate producer Masha, I definitely couldn’t have done my job anywhere near as well. I was very impressed with the drive local Serbian teams had to showcase their advanced skills and make DRAGN the best film we could within the financial limits we had to deal with. And I definitely surprised myself as I took on more than I anticipated and came through it having learned so much. Making DRAGN will always be a very defining experience for me, both on a human as well as a professional level.

I understand you also recently debuted your first novel, My Pretty Psychos. Is prose a place you prefer to start as a writer, especially in exploring your ideas?

Absolutely. I make time to write almost every day. It’s a necessity and an obsession, and it helps me understand and process the world around me, just like acting does, except from a broader perspective. I usually start writing once certain visuals — be it characters or a setting — emerge in my mind, and I’m clear on the genre I am working in and the logline. I went a slight extra mile with My Pretty Psychos and wrote it out into a book as I intend to direct the movie version of it, and wanted to know every detail of every beat of that story; its setting, characters, and sets as much as I could. I told you, I’m obsessed.

What message do you hope audiences walk away with after seeing the film?

Beware of the dangers of idolizing technology. Just because it helps you skip some levels or facilitates certain assignments, technology won’t have any issue replacing you if it can.

Technology doesn’t have any scruples (or care); it’s logic without emotions. But in a world where people are marrying their AI counterparts, many are forgetting that.

Follow Alex Lane on Instagram and visit Puma In A Tank over at their official site for upcoming projects. DRAGN is opens in select U.S. theaters March 6 and on VOD March 17.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPYGs7Mi47g