“I wanted a film with a message, but not one that felt like a sermon. The combination of angels and demons with UFO’s and aliens seemed natural to me,” the Huber Heights resident said, calling it “ ‘Touched by an Angel’ meets ‘Stargate’ film.”
Dallis, who has made more than 15 documentaries in the past 10 years and won several awards, had been watching the History Channel’s series “Ancient Aliens,” which claims that ancient civilizations were directly influenced by extraterrestrial contact.
“As a professional filmmaker and a person of faith, I wanted to offer a different voice,” he said, explaining that the film’s title comes from “The Book of Enoch,” which is an ancient Jewish religious work.
“In that book, fallen angels are called “the watchers.” Supporters of the “Ancient Astronaut” believe these watchers to be extraterrestrials. I thought it would be interesting to place them in a modern setting — and keep the viewer wondering if the creatures in our film were aliens or angels.”
The main characters are portrayed by Dallis’ 8-year-old daughter Carissa, along with Titus Wolverton of Dayton, Kaitlin Lory of Cincinnati, Dave Gaylor of Dayton, Tyler Trent of Huber Heights and Kyle Hotz of Bellbrook. Trent is also the co-producer.
The film includes a total of 24 local actors and actresses with speaking parts, as well as about 30 extras, with a variety of film and stage experience.
Dallis has directed and produced faith-based and historical documentaries, docudramas and feature films, including “Through a Lens Darkly: Grief, Loss and C.S. Lewis” and “A History of Christian Worship: Ancient Ways, Future Paths,” a six-part series.
Dallis is a graduate of Vandalia Butler High School and Cedarville University.
In 2004 he and his wife, Amy, formed Ensign Media as a film production company designed to produce faith-based, historical and family-centered documentaries and films.
“The Watchers – Revelation” is expected to be released sometime in 2013.
The film’s website is at www.ensignmedia.com/thewatchers.html.
About the Author