By Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer

LUCERNE VALLEY - When Screen Gems filmmakers wanted to concoct a world ravaged by centuries of war between men and vampires, they sought dry, desolate desert and panoramic landscapes stretching for miles.

But they also needed services to support a crew of about 280.

They surveyed locations from the Arizona-California border up to Kern County — and found the winning setting in Lucerne Valley, with nearby Victorville for accommodations.

“We were looking for desert areas that had harsh landscapes and wide vistas and areas that we can kind of create our own world that is inhospitable,” said Doug Dresser, supervising location manager for Screen Gems of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “We’re setting our world where you don’t know if it’s the past, the future or a parallel universe.”

For the past four weeks, Dresser and the crew have been working up to 13-hour days filming “Priest,” what Dresser calls a post-Apocalyptic vampire Western.

On Friday the crew wrapped up filming outside Victorville with plans to head back to Los Angeles, where they’ll finish the film within a month at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City. “Priest” is set for release in summer 2010.

The film stars Paul Bettany (“The DaVinci Code,” “A Beautiful Mind”) as a legendary priest who disobeys church law to track down the murderous vampires who kidnapped his niece. Bettany’s joined by “Twilight” villain Cam Gigandet as a cocky local sheriff and Maggie Q (“Live Free or Die Hard,” “Mission Impossible: III”), a warrior priestess with vampire-killing fighting skills.

“This move is an action-adventure,” Dresser said. “It’s based on the typical Western model. I think it’s for teens, young adults and adults — it’s meant for the whole family to enjoy.”The crew set up at four locations spanning a square mile in Soggy Dry Lake of the Johnson Valley recreation area.

“We were looking for surfaces and textures that are unique to the desert, and the High Desert especially,” he said, with colored rocks, rocky buttes and desert grass. “We’re trying to make the movie look as big as possible, give it scope and grandeur and size, and that’s the one thing that you’re able to do here because you’re able to see for miles.”

Without going into many details, Dresser divulged they’ve filmed intense action sequences involving high-speed motorcycle chases, pyrotechnic stunts and helicopter aerial work.

They braved 40 mph winds and blazing heat.

At night they retired to Victorville, where they ate at local restaurants and booked 3,100 room nights at several local hotels.

Screen Gems specializes in medium-size feature films and tries to maintain the same film crew for six to eight movies a year to cut start-up costs.

“We have a longer term model that makes us a little leaner and meaner than a lot of productions,” Dresser said.

Among 2009 projects: “Obsessed” starring Beyonce Knowles, “Takers” starring Matt Dillon, “The Roommate” starring Leighton Meester and Gigandet and “Underworld III: Rise of the Lycans” starring Rhona Mitra.