Sunday, February 22, 2004

This Article Landing role in ‘The Present’ is thrill of a lifetime
Back in October 2003, The Citizen ran a story in their entertainment section about Purple Crayon Productions out of Meredith, owned and operated by Harold Indie and Sarah Shanelaris. They were looking to expand their talents from producing digital DVDs for weddings to producing a feature film.

SHELLI VENDETTI-SHUMWAY
Staff Writer

The film is an urban Christmas fairy tale called "The Present," written and directed by Indie. They were also looking for more people to audition for roles in the film.
Out of character for me, with no theater or acting experience, I responded to this request and got an audition. The auditions were scheduled at a Dover Cafe the following weekend. Lo and behold, I did OK and got a role in the film as a nurse. I was finally doing something for myself I know I would enjoy.
Our first movie meeting was a few weeks later in Dover at WidgetPix Studios, an advertising promotions establishment owned by Rick Pickford. I was a little nervous meeting new people. My life routine involves the same people day in and day out. I’m not complaining, but a little change is nice.
It hit me that this was a real movie when we all had to sign a contract and get a professional photo taken for promotional reasons. I wasn’t the only amateur there. Some people had played small roles here and there and some had never done anything like this before.
We met more people involved in the film and were told more details about what was going to happen with the film. In December the cast and crew met to go over in detail what the film is about. This is done by using storyboards. Sketches of each scene were projected onto a television and then explained to us.
Now that I knew exactly what the film was about I was very impressed. After I had my first rehearsal I felt more confident that I could really do this. I just needed to be myself. Acting is harder than I thought.
My part is not that big, but trying to remember my lines and when to say them could be my biggest challenge. And let’s not forget stage fright. I’m not used to speaking in front of a large crowd.

I thought I did well and was commended on doing a great job with no prior experience. Maybe this is my calling! With just one day of rehearsing we started filming in January. The cast and crew met at the filming location. We got lucky with the location. It was a last-minute deal. It was perfect for the scenes we were shooting.
When we got there the crew had already arrived and started setting up for the first scene. Wow, it really looked like a movie was being filmed. Lights, cameras, movie props and food. I could really get used to this lifestyle. Conversations slowly started among cast members.
Most of us didn’t really know each other. But it wasn’t long before we all felt comfortable talking to one another. The shooting for the first scene began. My scenes were scheduled for later in the day.
Pickford is co-directing and Bill Bourdon of Fox C Flix Films, well-known in the Dover area, is the assistant director. Once the director yelled ACTION! I got chills down my spine. I was amazed at the technology we had. It truly looked like a feature film was being made.
The cast and crew were working hard to make the shoot work right. "Action!" and "cut!" were common words used throughout the day. We stayed late into the night to finish up since filming can only be on weekends and we only had the location for two weeks. We didn’t get to my scene until the second weekend of filming.
My scene was up as soon as I walked through the door. I had my scrub uniform on and my stethoscope around my neck ready to shoot. Being a little nervous, my script with the doctor was a hit. Luckily, being a nurse, I had a clipboard in front of me with my lines written on it. The following day I finished up with the rest of my scenes and headed home at 10 p.m.
After seeing the talent, dedication and determination of everyone involved, I have no doubt this film will be better than anticipated. All the people in this project are volunteering their time and effort, as well as that of the community of Dover and Portsmouth to make this film happen.
We will all go home with the wonderful experience of creating a movie and making new friends. I am walking away from this experience with more confidence in myself and a greater desire to take on more challenges in my life. I thank the cast and crew for inspiring me to do so.
Filming is still under way at different locations in Dover, and the release is scheduled for December 2004. You can go to thepresent2004.com to read more about the film and the people involved.Shelli Vendetti-Shumway can be reached at 524-3800 ext. 5939, or by e-mail at sshumway@citizen.com© 2004 Geo. J. Foster Company