A solution, perhaps

Rico says it's far too early to count one's chickens, given that they haven't hatched yet, but rumor out of Texas has it that there's a gentleman willing to invest some serious money in Zone of Fire. Confirmation, hopefully, to follow...

Some of it, anyway

Once the weather improves, we will be shooting a scene from Zone of Fire in the Philly area, with some local field standing in for Texas, along with local actors standing in for Mr. Miller (as Old Bat) and some cavalrymen.
The goal is to have something to post on YouTube, and show at film festivals, in order to drum up some investors, as we're still short about fifty grand or so...

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...