Abigail Haunting...A Showcase For Chelsea

One thing about participating in the arts, you meet so many amazing people. If you get in a community theater production, you meet dozens of people who then appear in other shows that you'd like to see. If you hang out with authors, every time you turn around another writer publishes a book you're dying to read.

And if you dabble in film, you meet actors who go on to do incredible things.

Last week on Amazon Prime I watched an indie film titled, Abigail Haunting starring Chelsea Jurkiewicz.

I'm not a big horror film fan. I definitely understand the lure. For some, a good horror flick can be a cathartic experience. And some people just love to be scared. Abigail Haunting is a story about Katie, a girl returning to a home where she grew up, only things have changed, and not for the better. Little by little, we learn about these changes and know that Katie's life is in danger.

Because it's an indie film, I understand they don't have the budget to have all the bells and whistles we see in other films. I thought the cinematography was good. It's set in Arizona and the desert scenes highlight the isolation of the main character, and give a sense of loneliness.

Then there's Chelsea's performance. 

An indie film usually means a smaller cast. Abigail Haunting fits the bill. Because it's a smaller cast, Chelsea is in almost every scene. The movie is her character's story, her struggle, her fears realized, her horrors played out. With so much face time, you've got to be really good to carry a film, and Chelsea pulls it off wonderfully, quite a feat for any actor, but especially impressive for one Chelsea's age. 

Then again, this is just one of many IMBd credits.

I know I'm biased. I would not have watched the movie if she had not been in it (back in 2018 she and I were in a very short film--it's where we met...). And I watched her knowing I have this bias. Still, I cheered Katie on, hoping she would vanquish the evil and come out victorious.

Abigail Haunting is a well-made horror film that makes the most of what they have. And they have Chelsea Jurkiewicz as a lead actor, which is a very good thing.

"Shell Game"...A Short Film I'm In...Is Available To Watch!

Late last year a friend sent out a post on social media. He had access to an incredible piece of video equipment and he was itching to try it out. He asked if anyone would want to help him out by being in a short film.

Of course, I responded.

The end result was posted on YouTube yesterday. It's called, Shell Game, and it's pretty cool.

There was a time when I thought about getting into film and TV as a career. I did some extra work back in the 1990s, and last year I was in my first commercial. I haven't actively sought out rolls--it's a fickle business at best and, well...I know who I am, what I look like, how I sound. I realized a long time ago that to be successful in the industry (other than having a great work attitude and talent...), you need to offer a product people want to see. I may dedicate more time to it in the future, but for now, I'm good.

Needless to say, the whole experience was a blast! I got to be a bad guy, a double-crosser who is caught by the big boss, a bigger and badder character than me. Once I'm found out, I'm given my options and the means by which to carry out those options. I should stop talking about it and just give you the link so you can watch it yourself--you can access the film by clicking: HERE. Seriously, it'll take you less time to watch it than it will to read this post.

Thanks to Nathan Riddle, Hawk Westerfield, and Chelsea Jurkiewicz for their excellent acting (and writing), and Geoffrey Leatham for great camera work.

It's still mind-boggling to me the access we have to create art. Only a few decades earlier, creating something like this would require a lot more money and time. I'm not implying it's not hard work now--it is, but for the "Average Joe" to be able to make a film like this, it still blows me away.

If you've got five minutes, click on the link. Also, if you could give a "like" on the YouTube page, that helps immensely. And, it would be fun to hear your thoughts about the film--plus, I'd LOVE to hear how you think the story ended. Shell Game, a fun little project!

"Shell Game" Is Coming...You Like Playing Games, Don't Ya?

Back in the 1990s I was an extra a couple of times for a few projects being filmed in Salt Lake. I couldn't devote a lot of time to it because I had a full-time job to consider and a new family to support. 

In the 2000s, I wrote a screenplay that was turned into a short film. I wrote a few other stories but never pursued getting them made.

This decade I was in a local commercial and last Friday, a friend asked for help on a little project they were filming. Since I had the day off, I thought I'd ask if he needed me. Turns out, he did. Turns out, we filmed a very short scene called, Shell Game.

I wasn't sure what the story was about, other than it was a mobster story. I dressed in a nice suit. I had no idea what character I'd be playing. I was cast as a bad mobster (as apposed to a good mobster...). When I got the message they'd like to use me, I didn't know what my lines would be or how many I'd have. That's because the script wasn't written until a few hours before we began filming.

It turns out, we had a blast doing it.

I knew Nathan, the director/writer/other bad mobster. I did not know Chelsea, Hawk, or Geoffrey. Having not worked on a lot of films, I found myself over-emoting. On the stage, your motions/your facial expressions need to be big so even the back row can see. It took a few takes for me to incorporate the director's/cameraman's direction of, "be subtle." I hope I did a good job.

We ended the evening gathered at a local eatery, Granny Annie's--everyone, that is, except Chelsea who had to leave early. The shoot was quick, efficient, and we were paid in food. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

Once again, I don't know how much time I can dedicate to this type of project. I don't have a lot of experience in the industry--everyone involved in Shell Game has been involved in many more projects. They each have more IMDb credits to their name than me (which is not difficult as I have only one IMDb credit...), and Chelsea blows us all out of the water. I would like to do more of this--of course, I don't know if I'm any good so it remains to be seen if I would be hired for any projects. Still, it's immensely satisfying work, and who knows--some day I might be doing more and more of this type of thing. Time will tell.