Back again

The Zone of Fire website is up again, with the notation that we are in need of some serious dollars before we can start shooting.
If anyone wants to contribute or invest, contact the producer at henry_fardan@boxbe.com or 215.866.6184

Soon come

The Zone of Fire blog will be migrating (just as soon as the producer can make it happen) over to its permanent home at zoneoffire.us

Lest there be any doubt...

...Zone of Fire won't look a damn thing like this (especially Doc Holliday firing three rounds out of a double-barreled shotgub, and what looks like twenty or more rounds out of his two six-shooters; both a hell of a trick):


or (most definitely) this:



and it won't look like this, either, but it'll feel more like it:

Going home

It's been an interesting and fruitful trip, and we've made contact with many (more than fifty) good people and found some good locations.
Proofmark Cinema will be back in Austin eventually, shooting Zone of Fire.
Look for periodic updates.

Fuque de clusteur

Some days are more interesting than others.
This would be one of them.
A good day at the Dougherty, doing auditions and getting good folks.
A good afternoon out scouting locations (and found some good ones, including the big lake they need for the video) with the ever-helpful Leonard Lay (and go buy some of his wonderful leather here) and good ol' Bill Champ.
Then we get to Fredericksburg. Nice town. Lots of tourists. A lot of closed stores (early; they're German). But one is open: Headquarters Hats, at 122 East Main Street.
Nice kids working the place. (One of whom got invited to be in Zone of Fire.) Great hats. Rico gets a bunch of business cards, thinking to have them be a provider to the actors in Zone of Fire.
Find a hat Rico wants. They don't have it in his size, of course (he has a fat head), but they'll make one just like it out of a blank hat. Fine. (And, it's important to remember, Rico has Leonard Lay with him, who's way into western gear and used to have a hat store himself.)
They make it. It's close to the hat he really wanted, but not quite perfect. Close enough. They ring it up.
"What?" Rico asks. "Why all this money?"
Oh, they said, that's the $35 hat band you wanted.
Sure, but Rico stupidly didn't ask the price. "Nope, take the hat band off."
Can't, they said, we've already put through the charge.
"Fine. Just reverse the charge, and ring it up again with just the hat."
Can't, they said. We don't know how.
"Oh?" Rico says. "You work this store, and have never done a return?"
Exactly, they said, but we'll call the owner and he'll explain how.
Which they do, and present Rico with the reversal slip, and a new slip to sign, for just the hat. Oh, and by the way, the snotty young manager said, still on the phone with the owner, he wants you to leave the store. Now.
"Wait a second," Rico said. "You can't have it both ways. You can't charge me for the hat and then tell me to get out of your store."
Well, he said, that's what he wants.
"Nope." Rico shakes his head. "Reverse the charge and keep the hat." (Which has now been blocked into shape, mind you.)
Which they do, and Rico and Bill and Leonard leave, all shaking their heads over whatever had occurred, of which they were, individually and collectively, clueless.
Two hours later, Rico gets a voicemail (see below) from Robert Waight (the store's owner) saying, in no uncertain terms, that Rico should not call him back at 830.990.8510, should not enter his establishment ever again, and, oh by the way, Mr. Waight has filed a police report with the Fredericksburg PD, and they'll be calling Rico soon...
Still clueless, Rico called a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy on the Fredericksburg PD, and somehow Rico will find out what the police report said... (No news as of days later, nor a call from the PD, either.)
More later, of course. But feel free to send them abusive (though not illegally so) emails at hhfbg@beecreek.net or info@headquartershats.com or even call the boss at 830.990.8510, but just don't do anything that will require a police report...

Getting on board

Go here to send the producer an on-line audition; video isn't necessary, but a photo and your data, please. We've got a year (nearly), so there's no need to rush...

Yet more, and twelve

Proofmark Cinema is back at the Dougherty today, and then out for drinks with a dozen cowboys tonight.
Well, okay, only half a dozen. But all great guys (and a gal), and an amazing Doc Holliday (as in 'separated at birth' level).
Also got a Vietnamese waiter at the restaurant to commit to playing an Indian (and where did you think Indians came from? Mongolia, actually, according to DNA studies), and a nice Russian guy (otherwise engaged in having dinner by himself) with incredible long, curly, white hair to play a cowboy.
All in all, a good day.
More auditions tomorrow, and more location scouting with Leonard Lay.

More folks

Proofmark Cinema gained a camera operator and a sound guy today, so we"re even closer to making Zone of Fire next Spring. More tomorrow. (Posted from the associate producer's new iPad. Gotta get one...)

Still at it

We're back at the Dougherty, doing more auditions today.

Yet more roles cast

The auditions are going well, and we've selected actors for some of the larger roles in Zone of Fire: Jerry Eastman as Young Bat, Russell Tiner as Doc Holliday, Joe Rios as Virgil Earp, Sandy Mize as Molly Brennan, and Shawn Rakowitz as Morgan Earp. In the 'separated at birth' category, many of them really look like the people they'll be portraying.
With any luck, we'll have all the major roles and the major locations locked down by the end of the week. (We're still hoping for a good Wyatt Earp and a good Tombstone.)
Bill Champ, now officially the associate producer for Zone of Fire, has been unbelievably helpful. We still need to find a production assistant, however, so anyone in the Austin area who wants the job can email the producer at mseymour@proofmark.com.

Previous work

To see Four Hand Draw, click here.

Good things

The auditions have been going well, and Young Bat has been cast.
Old Bat, of course, will be ably played by Timothy Patrick Miller, with whom Rico and Bill Champ (now officially the associate producer of Zone of Fire) had a lovely dinner at Oyster Landing in Austin last evening. More auditions over the next several days, and then another location scout, led by the inestimal Leonard Lay, on Saturday afternoon.

Auditions

Proofmark Cinema is in Austin to meet with potential actors and actresses (cowboys & Indians & townies) for Zone of Fire. Auditions are at the Dougherty Arts Center at 1110 Barton Springs Road in Austin. (All slots are now full, but you can email the producer at mseymour@proofmark.com or call him at 215.866.6184.) See you there.

Working in Texas

Rico is in Austin with Bill Champ, doing auditions and scouting locations for next year's shoot of Zone of Fire. Things are, so far, going well. Leonard Lay took us in hand and is carting us about the countryside, finding places to shoot. (See a post somewhere below to buy some of his incredibly nice leather.) So far, a good saloon and some okay towns; still searching for the perfect Tombstone. Cross fingers that we find it, come Saturday. In the meantime, dinner with the star, Timothy Patrick Miller, and then more auditions the rest of the week. We've found Young Bat, and the others will doubtless follow.

The library

For those meeting at the Leander Library, here's the data:
Leander Public Library, 1011 South Bagdad Road, Leander
512.259.5259

Gone to Texas

All audition slots are now full, but you can still submit a video audition (see below for details). Proofmark Cinema will be descending on Austin and environs for auditions, location scouting, and general mayhem come the 29th. More details to follow.

A source for leather

Leonard Lay, who is interested in acting in "Zone of Fire", also makes Old West leather.
You can see his wonderful products, including period-correct gunleather, chaps, and wrist cuffs, at http://www.vaqueroleather.com
Partake, and be beautiful. (And period-correct.)

How cool is that?

The Dougherty Arts Center stands on the same site once occupied by the Naval and Marine Reserve Center in 1947.

Auditions via email

All the available audition slots will soon be booked, but you can still audition for a role in Zone of Fire via email.
Send an email to the producer, Mark Seymour, at mseymour@proofmark.com containing the following data:
Your name, cowboy alias (if any; this doesn't apply to those wanting a crew position, of course), and all contact information.
Your special skills (if any; we're interested in people who can ride, shoot, and act).
A headshot, especially if it's in your cowboy garb. (This doesn't apply to those wanting a crew position, of course.)
If possible (though it's not required), a video (in either .mov or .wmv format) of you reciting this information:
My name is (say your real name).
My alias is (say your cowboy alias, if any).
(If appropriate) I would like to play (say the name of the historical character) because I look like (say him or her).
I can (or can not) ride, I can shoot, and I can act.
I think I will make a good (say either the character name or say cowboy or townie).
Thank you for this opportunity.

More on auditions

The end-of-May-early-June auditions in Austin are coming together.
We currently have data (at least minimal) on 100 people (cast & crew) interested in Zone of Fire.
If you're interested and haven't gotten an audition date yet, hurry and email the publisher at mseymour@proofmark.com with your availability between 1 June and 6 June; the slots are filling up fast.

More on garb

There are many places on-line to purchase proper late-1800s cowboy and townie gear. Here are some:

Cowboy Hat Store
Wild West Mercantile
Drovers Mercantile
Schnee's
Tombstone Outfitters
Classic Old West clothing
Knudsen Outfitters
Sloops Suspender Jeans
Old West Gallery
Chapparral Arms
Taylor's Firearms
Dixie Gun Works
Cimmaron Firearms

And don't forget (especially the ladies) your local thrift store or second-hand-clothing shops; a little creativity and fewer dollars, and you can get yourself a hell of an outfit...

Costume info

Courtesy of Boots & Bustles, an Arizona reenactors group, these splendid guides to mens' and ladies' period costumes:
Mens' costume guide
Ladies' costume guide

Auditions

Proofmark Cinema will be in Austin from 30 May, 2010 through 6 June, 2010 to meet with potential actors and actresses (cowboys & Indians & townies) for Zone of Fire.
Space has been made available for auditions at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road in Austin from 1 June through 5 June, 1pm to 4 pm. (If you have a preference on dates or times, email the producer at mseymour@proofmark.com or call him at 215.866.6184.) See you there.