Student journalists had the rare opportunity to meet the author of a successful novel, “Under the Blood Red Sun,” and view an early screening of the movie based on the book.

On Sept. 19 at Pearl Harbor, Graham Salisbury, author of the awarding-winning novel, spoke to a select audience of cast, crew, family members and student journalists.

Before the viewing of “Under the Blood Red Sun,” Salisbury spoke about his novel and the process of its being made into a movie.

“I was extremely pleased by the outcome of the movie. It was thrilling to see the scenes I had in my head being portrayed in a film,” said Salisbury. “Even though some of the scenes were different, I was happy for the overall result.”

During the Sept. 20 Saturday press conference limited to students,  journalists were able to interview the author, director and cast members.

Kyler Ki Sakamoto, who portrayed Tomikazu “Tomi” Nakaji, said, “The most difficult part of being a cast member was getting my homework done on time for school. I didn’t always have time to do my homework, and I sometimes had to stay up late to finish it.

“As for racism, I would stand up against it and argue or fight back and teach them what’s right,” said Sakamoto.

For director Tim Savage, “The most difficult part was creating a way to tell the story. We had to be efficient every minute and well-prepared.”

Plans for another movie are not certain. The author and director are waiting to see how “Under the Blood Red Sun” does and then will make a decision about a second movie.

“Under the Blood Red Sun” is currently available for online distribution only. The film can be purchased or rented via the web site. It should be available in Blu-Ray or DVD shortly.