Monday, February 27, 2012

Fun and Scary Stuff


         
          In my last blog, I talked about some of the amazing people I met in 2011. This year, I am fortunate enough to be working with them…together…all in one film!

          It all started with Bill…

          Bill Oberst Jr. and I have a lot in common: an awkward teenage history, a somewhat vertically challenged existence, and a passion for film and acting. We met through a mutual acting friend and connected right away. We began hanging out from time to time to talk shop, discussing movies we’d been in, experiences we found rewarding and those we found, well, educational. Eventually, we both came up with the idea of orchestrating a project on which we could work together. After tossing around and even pursuing a few ideas, we decided on DEADLY REVISIONS—a twisted screenplay I had written just a few years ago.

          DEADLY REVISIONS seemed a perfect fit for Bill in more ways than one. First, it was a juicy horror film and he was becoming something akin to a horror icon. Second, it allowed him to play against type, since he would be the one tormented instead of the one doing the tormenting. Third, it gave him a powerful leading role the likes of which he had yet to have: not only was his character on screen virtually the entire movie, but Bill would be able to really show his well-honed acting prowess as his character runs the gamut of emotions from wounded sorrow to raging fury.

          Along came Roxy…

          Roxy Shih and I met at an interview and clicked right away. She’s got an intoxicating personality, so I can’t claim anything other than being under the influence. I told her about DEADLY REVISIONS and Bill’s interest and she asked to read the script. She got back to me, bursting with excitement: she loved the script and wanted to know how she could be involved. This was a fair question because she is a director, producer, videographer, editor and probably other things I’m forgetting. We talked and decided she would be most valuable as a co-producer. Within days, she had all sorts of actionable ideas in motion, including a meeting with a director of photography. And she hasn’t stopped since.

          And then there’s Dawna…

          Dawna Lee Heising, the beautiful actress and news correspondent for Eye on Entertainment and MoreHorror.com, won my heart when I first met her at a speaking engagement in Hollywood. Genteel, warm and thoroughly dedicated to the business, Dawna is a joy to be around and so, when events transpired that we might have her play a role in DEADLY REVISIONS, there was mutual happiness all around.

          So I consider myself a very lucky man. I have been blessed not only with having these people come into my life, but to have them join me in my mad adventure as the director of DEADLY REVISIONS. I hope I do them all proud.

          If you’d like to help make DEADLY REVISIONS, please see our donation option at