Oscar Micheaux
Log Line
After losing his South Dakota homestead and family, an ambitious Black pioneer turns his tragedy into a story that sets him on the path to becoming America’s first Black feature filmmaker.
CARPENTER fILM RANCH
Conquest will bring Oscar Micheaux’s South Dakota years to life at Carpenter Film Ranch, a sprawling 1,000-acre ranch in Mount Palomar, California. With its open land, wooded terrain, and rural landscape, the ranch will stand in for the South Dakota frontier where Oscar builds his homestead—and watches the life he fought for begin to unravel.
Escondido History Center
Conquest will bring Oscar Micheaux’s years as a Pullman porter to life at the Escondido History Center’s historic Santa Fe Depot. The preserved 19th-century station will serve as an early-1900s railroad stop, placing Oscar inside the world of rail travel that exposed him to new people, places, and possibilities—and ultimately helped lead him west toward a new life on the frontier.
Bonita pumpkin Farm
Conquest opens in the farmland of Oscar Micheaux’s childhood, where a young Oscar runs through endless rows of corn beneath the afternoon sun. The cornfield represents the world Oscar was born into—a life rooted in farming, hard work, and family expectations—while introducing the restless ambition that will eventually push him beyond it.
The Bonita location features an approximately 8-foot-tall cornfield, which we would utilize to recreate this rural landscape. The height and density of the corn allow us to immerse Oscar within the field, filling the frame with towering rows of corn while naturally concealing modern surroundings and helping create the sense of an expansive late-19th-century farm.
Meet the crew
Kristover Luaay
Kristover Luaay is a cinematographer and longtime creative collaborator of writer-director Kevin M. Gray, having served as Director of Photography on Strange Anomalies and The Estate. His additional cinematography credits include Buttman, The Mirror, The Hard Way, and The Memories. He returns as Director of Photography for Conquest, helping shape the film’s early-1900s world through naturalistic landscapes, period-inspired lighting, and intimate character photography.
Kevin Morris
Kevin Morris is a filmmaker, producer, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. A longtime collaborator of writer-director Kevin M. Gray, Morris previously served as Executive Producer on Strange Anomalies and The Estate. He reunites with Gray as Executive Producer of Conquest.
Israel Rosenfeld
Israel Rosenfeld is a San Diego-based production sound mixer and boom operator specializing in audio production for films, documentaries, music videos, sports, and live events throughout Southern California. He previously collaborated with writer-director Kevin Gray on The Estate and brings his experience in location sound to Conquest.
Nico R. Ramos
Nico R. Ramos is a film production professional specializing in lighting, camera, and electrical departments. His credits include Wicked: One Wonderful Night (2025), Neighborhood Watch, and The Exit State (2026). As Gaffer on Conquest, Ramos oversees the film’s lighting execution, working closely with the cinematographer to bring the visual atmosphere of the story to life.