Gallery: Vampire Hunters' Wicked Wheels: Making *Priest'*s Modded Motorcycles
Scott Garfield01priest
Adapting a graphic novel for the screen is not for the faint of heart. On top of keeping die-hard fans happy with page-to-screen continuity, filmmakers must carefully script the action to suit the faster pace of the medium. In many ways, *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)*, which opens Friday, is the perfect example of this struggle. While the Korean comic book series by Hyung Min-woo that inspired the film focuses on the pedestrian travels of an undead priest in search of revenge, the film takes a decidedly different approach by tweaking the plot, ditching a lot of the shoe leather and incorporating a slew of custom-made motorcycles. Wired.com caught up with Hollywood car fabricators at [Cinema Vehicle Services](http://www.cinemavehicles.com/) and [Ghostlight Industries](http://www.ghostlightla.com/) for a behind-the-scenes look at the planning, building and construction of *Priest*'s futuristic two-wheeled co-stars. __Above:__ Paul Bettany: Biker Priest -------------------------- Paul Bettany plays motorcycle-riding vampire hunter Priest in director Scott Stewart's PG-13 post-apocalyptic sci-fi action thriller *Priest*. *Photo: Scott Garfield/Screen Gems.*
02Sony Concept Art (GhostLight)
*Priest* Concept Art -------------------- Each shop starts the process by analyzing studio-supplied images like the *Priest* concept art above, provided to Ghostlight's vehicle fabricators.  In addition to mapping out the production designer's overall aesthetic, these early images also give the vehicle fabricators an early opportunity to flag potential hurdles in the build. For instance, early sketches of the bike above included a lot more unwieldy weaponry on the front of the bike. "It was a great-looking concept," said Cinema Vehicle Services' [vehicle designer at large, Fireball Tim Lawrence](http://thehollywoodgarage.com/). "But if we'd built it to that spec, the rider would've blown the tire off the first time they fired the guns." *Top: Concept imagery courtesy of Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems. Bottom: Concept art photographed by Frank Collins and Fireball Tim Lawrence/Cinema Vehicle Services.*
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*Priest*'s Source Motorcycles ----------------------------- Since the studio was tasked with sourcing the bikes for the *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* production, both Cinema Vehicle Services and Ghostlight Industries received a small shipment of sport bikes like this [Suzuki Gladius](http://www.ghostlightla.com/) to work with. However, it took at least one mulligan before Cinema Vehicle Services could get started. "The studio originally brought us dirt bikes," said Ray Claridge, CVS' president and manager. "We had to have them switch \[to the Gladius\], because there was no way those smaller bikes were going to work for the build." *Photo: Ghostlight Industries.*
04Ghostlight Bike Stretch
Stretching *Priest* Bikes ------------------------- Ghostlight Industries' fabricators prop up one of the *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* bikes in preparation for the frame-extension process. "The stretching was a challenge," said Ghostlight owner and manager Cyril O'Neill. "To match the artist's aesthetic look, we went with a suspension system typically used in sidecars."  The process of extending the bike ridden by vampire-hunter Hicks (played by [Cam Gigandet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cam_Gigandet)) took careful consideration for the Cinema Vehicle Services team. "We used an aluminum swing arm to extend the rear wheel," said vehicle fabricator Sam Salerno, "and we had to modify the back end and move the fuel tank underneath the seat to match the low riding stance." *Top photo: Ghostlight Industries Bottom photo: Frank Collins and Fireball Tim Lawrence/Cinema Vehicle Services.*
05Ghostlight Ride-ability
*Priest* Road Tests ------------------- One of Ghostlight Industries' more cavalier builders takes the extended frame out for a test drive. Over the course of each shop's build, fabricators would regularly take the *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* bikes onto the open road to ensure they handled and performed properly. "Everything on our bike was road-worthy from a mechanical stance," said Cinema Vehicle Services fabricator Mark Mazure. "I bet even now you could register it and drive it on the street." *Photo: Ghostlight Industries.*
06Sam Fitting
Foam and Steel -------------- Cinema Vehicle Services vehicle fabricator Sam Salerno tests the fit of one of cosmetic side pieces on the bike ridden by [Hicks](http://priest.wikia.com/wiki/Hicks), the wasteland sheriff who teams up with [Priest](http://priest.wikia.com/wiki/Ivan_Isaacs). The shop's sculptor crafted the larger pieces out of tooling foam, allowing Salerno to create molds for the finished versions.  A Ghostlight Industries *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* bike sits propped up in the shop with placeholder body panels. Due to time and budget concerns, the team abandoned its early 3-D renderings and relied on sculptors to carve the first set of body sections out of foam. *Top photo: Frank Collins and Fireball Tim Lawrence/Cinema Vehicle Services. Bottom photo: Ghostlight Industries.*
07Ghostlight In the Shop
Final Fiber ----------- A Ghostlight Industries *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* bike starts to undergo the fitting of its bespoke (and finalized) body panels. *Photo: Ghostlight Industries.*
08Ready To Ship
Ready to Ship ------------- Cinema Vehicle Services' completed *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* bike is now ready to ship back to the studio. Each shop returned the bikes with just a spartan coat of paint — it'll be up to the production's artisans and armorers to apply weapons and "age" the bikes using additional paint. *Frank Collins and Fireball Tim Lawrence/Cinema Vehicle Services.*
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Ghostlight Industries' *Priest* Bike ------------------------------------ Ghostlight Industries' fully dressed bike sits parked outside a prop-storage warehouse just beyond Los Angeles city limits. From concept to delivery, Ghostlight took roughly six weeks to construct the six motorcycles it provided for the film.  One of Ghostlight's less-involved builds for the production hangs out in the background. *Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com.*
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Cinema Vehicle Services' *Priest* Bike -------------------------------------- Cinema Vehicle Services' cosmetically aged creation creeps out of storage for a moment in the sun. In total, it took the shop about five weeks to build the two bikes ordered for *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)*.  Not all of the damage on this Cinema Vehicle Services motorcycle is the product of movie magic. Both teams kept extra molds on hand for on-set accidents, and at least one of the bikes provided for *[Priest](http://www.priest-themovie.com/)* was destroyed during filming. *Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com.*
