“No Country For Old Chainsaws...” That is how 3-time Emmy® Award winning Writer / Director WADE STAI describes “SURVIVE” his feature length screenplay which served as the starting point for the disturbing 30 minute short film bearing the same title from Shadoworks Entertainment® (www.shadoworksentertainment.com) “SURVIVE” is based on a frightening series of brutal abductions and gruesome murders which took place across the American Southwest between 1975 and 1999 spanning the states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The true number of women who fell victim to these horrific crimes remains a mystery to this day. The challenge facing Wade as a screenwriter was to make the facts of the case something audiences could stomach.
"The trick in writing the script was to make the subject matter something the audience could tolerate... I've seen almost every horror film made since the 1950's and the facts of this case were truly sickening. What you will experience in the feature length version of 'SURVIVE' is seriously watered down compared to the real facts. This short film is just the tip of the iceberg."
Shadoworks® founder, Writer / Director WADE STAI set out to create a short film that captures the mood and atmosphere of the feature length screenplay in less than 30 minutes. Open casting calls were posted on the Shadoworks® official web site (www.shadoworksentertainment.com) and official MySpace page (www.myspace.com/shadoworks) in early 2007, over a year before cameras actually rolled. After a series of false starts prompted by an inconsistent and unreliable group of Arizona based actors and crew members, pre-production on “SURVIVE” was shut down and the project was shelved until June, 2008.
"I know you like dark, grindhouse type films..." That is what the MySpace message read on the evening of June 1, 2008... Phoenix based independent film makers, Austin Nordell and Brenton Covington from Dynamic Film + Never Average (D+NA) invited Wade to deliver a 10-20 minute horror film for a showcase known in the Phoenix metro area as “The Deadly Event: Seven Deadly Films” which offers regional film makers a screening at the premiere Arizona genre fest, “The International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival” (www.horrorscifi.com) plus an additional screening at the duo's own independent film showcase / party "The Deadly Event" (www.deadlyevent.com) held in Phoenix, Arizona every Halloween.
Once again casting calls were posted online and auditions were held at the Live Theatre Workshop (5317 E. Speedway Blvd) in mid July. The leading roles of Kathy (Kristi Loera), Donna (Megan Davis), Sheriff Gerard (Roger Owen), James Lee Allen (Christopher Johnson) and investigative reporter Kelly Jameson (Kyra Batte) were filled along with a variety of supporting roles including actors; Heather Aufdenkamp, Chelsea Heavener, Allegra Breedlove and Amber Layne courtesy of Casting Director and Producer CYNTHIA JEFFERY.
"I'm doing it Rambo style..." Behind the camera was WADE STAI who served as not only the Executive Producer, Writer and Director, but also acted as the Director of Photography (HD) and Vegas® Editor while also performing a variety of other tasks including virtually all of the post production duties. MATTHEW VAN HOESEN (1st Assistant Director and Second Camera) and TOBIN JEFFERY (2nd Assistant Director and Key Grip) were vital players during the six days of principle photography.
"Got an air compressor and some duct tape?" Due to the violent and dark subject matter of the film, special make-up effects and special visual effects played a vital role. Taking on these challenges were special effects make-up artist, QUIN DAVIS (Hancock, The Kingdom) and special visual effects artist MIKE FORD who were challenged with executing one of the film’s most challenging and gruesome effects.
"It's a dry heat..." Arizona is one of the few states in the lower 48 that is blessed with over 300 days of sun each year. The skies are clear and the beautiful mountains loom over the landscape of the Sonora desert... It's also hot. In the summer it is not uncommon to hit a daily high of 114 degrees or above. Chaffin's Diner (902 E. Broadway Blvd.) was the location for the "bookend" scenes, and it was also hot! Apparently the A/C was malfunctioning since the diner maintained a pleasant temperature of 105 degrees... prior to setting up the lights.
Principle photography for "SURVIVE" took place over the first three weekends in August at exterior locations in Tucson, Bisbee, Avra Valley, Phoenix and other areas around Southern Arizona. Interiors were shot at locations around the Tucson area.
"That's a wrap folks..." The production on the Shadoworks Entertainment® short film "SURVIVE" wrapped August 24, 2008 and the long painful road through post production to the premiere screening on October 25 began. But that's another story... |
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