01-20-2007
New Film To Be
Produced
This is an open letter from Randy
Greenwood to those who have been either cast
members or zombies in the last two movies I have
made with
JFT Productions and Joel Trujillo aka Chris
Garrison, or those considering trying out for
parts or helping with the crew.
I am currently writing a new
script for a full length movie called
Lost Treasure Trail that I
hope to start filming in March, April, and early
May 2007. Once again this is going to be a micro
budget or no budget film and I will ask cast and
crew to donate their talents and time to this
movie. Without your help it won't be
filmed. This is the third script I have written,
and the first on my own. Casting calls will be
in late February or very early March. Once the
film is cast I will be filming Sunday's mostly
in the afternoons and evenings. For your
information we will not Film on March 17 and 18,
St. Patrick's day weekend because I will be at
my daughter, Amber's wedding in Colorado Springs
that weekend. You'll know in advance you have
that weekend free! I will also definitely not be
filming on Saturday April 21, because I have the
Ulysses Prom to photograph on that Saturday. If
possible I will film on that Sunday though
on April 22nd. We will also film on a couple of
Saturdays during those months, but I will try to
limit that as much as I can and give advance
warning. A few of the cast will need to make a
trip to the Woodland Park-
Cripple Creek, Colorado area for one
weekend of filming, near the end of production
(one of those Saturdays!). I will try to provide
a place to stay for those who are needed that
weekend and provide free transportation for
those willing to ride up there with me for the
filming. Here's a chance for you to be in a
film again and work on your acting or production
skills while having fun. A free DVD will go to
everyone that helps as before and of course
appear in the credits.
This movie will have a lot of
firsts and is an idea I have been working on for
nearly a year. It will be the first movie I have
worked on that will be done in full color and
the first set in the present so we won't have to
worry about special vehicles or props from the
past on this one. It also won't require any
horror make-up. It is an adventure-romance story
with a supernatural twist. This is not a horror
movie and the twist involves a friendly ghost
trying to find his way home. I will be filming
it along the Sante Fe Trail in Southwest Kansas
and surrounding towns. It is my hope that it
will be mostly filmed near
Elkhart, but I'll go where ever I can get
the most help and support for the film with cast
and crew and local cooperation.
This will be the first film
that my new higher quality 3-CC (close
coupled) proconsumer DV camera will be used as
the main camera. It got here too late to start
filming Fields. The reason we were unable to use
it for most of the filming on Fields was the
quality was so much higher than the old camera
it would have been very noticeable in editing. I
did get some practice with it filming behind the
scenes. I also have got in a new professional
independent boom microphone system with wind
protection that connects to the camera so not
only picture quality but sound should make a
major leap forward. This is the same kind of
sound system used in Hollywood movies and will
require a sound boom operator during filming.
Editing will be done on my son's brand new duel
core PC computer. It is the latest and has all
the advanced features with improved graphics and
sound cards. There will probably be other
additional improvements in equipment as well,
but some of that is still in planning.
This is not to take away from
what we have used in the past as we did the best
we could with what we had and we were grateful
for it. I am very proud of Dusk and Fields and
feel each film we have improved. I just believe
we should constantly strive to improve the
quality of our work and using better equipment
will definitely help us become more professional
as we grow.
It will also be the first film
that I will be the lead director and doing most
of the filming on, although I may have Evan help
with some filming and definitely help with
editing. Most of you are not aware that I filmed
and edited weddings professionally for two years
back in the 80's so I do have some experience
there. In 1997-1999 I produced and filmed a
season end highlights tape with titles and
special effects for the Hugoton Wrestling team
that was given to the players and shown at the
Awards banquet. Finished tape was wrestling
highlights and last 1 3/4 hours and featured
each wrestler on VHS. I worked with my cousin
who operates the local school channel on this
and we used their computer with video toaster
for titles and effects. I've also been blessed
to work with Joel on these last two movies
together. I have learned a lot from working with
him and have loved it. I wished I could work
more on the editing side with him, but I'm
confident that Evan and I can do a good job
editing the film with all the improvements over
the years and the new software and equipment we
have available.
I have asked Joel to make this
movie with me, but he says Fields has taken a
toll on him and he wants to take a break from
making films for awhile. He is also involved now
with editing Fields Of The Living Dead. Filming
two movies in a row has also taken him away from
his family and church. He wants to spend more
time with both. Joel told me Fields burned him
out and he would like to set back and see what I
can do on this one. I want to stress that we are
still very close friends and I hope we will work
together again later. I have left the door open
for him to help with this film if he changes his
mind. Joel has told me he is not sure he wants
to make any more full length films,
I know that the best hope of
reaching a point where a film might be sold or
nationally distributed will come from a full
length film. Also it must not be tied to someone
else's work. We can film Zombie movies and Star
War shorts and films, but the reality is those
ideas belong to George Lucas and George Romero,
and distribution is unlikely or impossible.. I
feel we need to do original ideas that have a
better chance to be sold or distributed. If a
deal is made for distribution I will share a
percentage of the sale with cast and crew of the
film. I can't promise it will ever even pay back
my cost investment for equipment, and free
copies of DVD's to all involved, plus film
festival fees, so there is no promise here of
payment, because I have no guarantee it will
ever be sold nationally. If I make money on it,
I will share with those who made it possible in
ratio to the work done on it. Understand that
Local DVD's I sell myself will only go to help
with the cost of equipment, promotion, and for
possibly other local films for Night Walker
Films.
Joel will give me advice on
filming and editing, but he wants me to do this
one myself. So this film will be solely a
Night Walker film. I really love
working with Chris and I think he is a marvelous
director, gifted camera man, and editor. I
asked him to direct this one, but Joel has never
been as excited about my idea as I am, so if I
want to see it filmed and written, I'm going to
have to do it and I look forward to the
challenge. I hope you will help me by being in
my cast and crew. I will do everything I can to
move the quality and promotion of this picture
forward in the hopes of landing a direct to DVD
deal or possibly a TV movie. I can't promise it
will happen, but I will strive to make this a
film you will be proud to participate in its
creation and to show to family and friends.
Joel also thinks that because
we have made two films locally that the novelty
has worn out. He believes that there won't be
enough interest in making another film locally
to get enough people to try out for the cast or
crew. I hope he is wrong! I need to find out if
there is still interest locally in making
another local movie with unpaid volunteers to
proceed. If you want more movies made locally
than please let me know and support this
project. If we don't have sufficient cast or
crew, Fields could end up being the last feature
film done around here! I intend to contact the
local theater groups in Hugoton,
Elkhart, Ulysses, and Guymon as well as
people at Liberal Juco, and Panhandle college to
see if we can find more people to try out for
parts and let them know what is planned and what
we are doing. I also hope to take this
opportunity to promote Fields of The Living Dead
and the upcoming premiere. Filming is different
from plays, but if you enjoy acting, Film lasts
forever! This is your chance to be in another
real movie this time in color!
If nothing else, I can always
concentrate on selling and writing scripts to
Hollywood, but I really would like to see this
filmed locally. Let me know if you want to be a
part of this!I I need to know I have local
support, especially among those we have worked
with before. Can I count on you? Will you
help? If you have any questions or suggestions
please contact me.
