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We just got the scoop on an new indie fright flick called DISTORTION, written and directed by first-time Chicago filmmaker (and longtime Fango fan) Richard Diaz, who passed on a few exclusive pics (see the others below). The movie centers on George (Brenden P. Hill), a video editor who begins seeing people killed on his TV.

He soon learns that the murderer, William Clark (Shon Lange), has come back from the dead to execute those who would one day become soldiers in the fight between good and evil, before they become aware of their destiny. It’s not long before George discovers that he is one such warrior, and the only one who can stop Clark.

Diaz is producing and directing his DISTORTION script himself, with little to no crew. “I paid for DISTORTION out of pocket, so the budget definitely falls into the micro area,” he tells us. Diaz began working on DISTORTION in 2003, but was unable to start production until this past year. “By the end of summer 2007, I knew I had to just do whatever it took to get the film made. That meant seeing how much I had left on my credit cards and going with that. If I’ve learned anything, it is to not wait. Just get out there and do it.”

The fledgling filmmaker cites George A. Romero (after whom the main character is named), John Carpenter and Michael Mann as key influences. “Romero’s fast-paced films and his average-person leading characters were a big inspiration to me,” he says. “They always feel like real people who need to deal with the situation at hand, which is what I wanted.”

Shooting on such a small budget has caused Diaz to shoot around his actors’ schedules, often taking a lot more time than necessary. Production is almost complete, however, with the final official day set for the end of this month. “I’m currently preparing for the last nine days of shooting,” he says; he’ll then head into post-production immediately thereafter, and hopes to have DISTORTION completed by mid-2009. You can check on the movie’s progress at its official site www.distortionmovie.com and see some rough-cut scenes at its MySpace page.