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.
