Debbieangel
24-Nov-2007, 11:20 PM
Romero to focus his eye for horror on Fayette
By Mark Hofmann
TRIBUNE-REVIEW NEWS SERVICE
Saturday, November 24, 2007
A Fayette County man has partnered with George A. Romero to start filming a horror anthology in Connellsville and Uniontown beginning next week.
A year ago, Jeff Monahan, a writer and actor from Connellsville, entered into a production partnership with horror film legend Romero, the writer-director of such films as "Night of the Living Dead," "Creepshow" and "The Dark Half."
"I've been working on a couple of different projects with George," Monahan said of his partnership with Romero, which includes script revisions alongside Romero's wife and collaborator Christine Romero on titles like "Cryptid," "Cheval" and "Tusks," which is set in Africa.
That partnership will bring the lights, cameras and action next week to Uniontown and Connellsville as the first installment of "George A. Romero Presents ... Deadtime Stories" begins filming.
Monahan said "Deadtime Stories" will be an anthology film with each installment consisting of three stories that will be suitable for either a DVD release or cable television. A few distributors have shown interest in the project, he said.
If all goes well, Monahan said the partners will film the second volume of the anthology in the spring and subsequent installments each season.
The first segment is titled "Dust" and is written by Monahan and directed by Michael Fischa ("Delta Heat"). It's a tale of a laboratory security guard whose wife is dying of cancer as scientists are studying dust from Mars that has anti-carcinogens; the desperate security guard steals the dust and gives it to his wife, who is cured, but the dust causes unexpected side effects.
"It's wild, crazy and twisted," Monahan said of "Dust", which will begin filming Monday at Penn State Fayette The Eberly Campus and at a house and graveyard in Connellsville.
The following week, the second segment, "On Sabbath Hill," will begin filming at The Heritage Inn and a house in Uniontown. The filming will end at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.
The third segment is still in the selection process. Monahan said most of the episodes will be filmed in Southwestern Pennsylvania, New York and other areas.
"We want to keep most of it close to home," he said.
Monahan wrote "On Sabbath Hill" and will serve as primary director for the first time.
"It's really a fun challenge," Monahan said of breaking down his script to figure out where and when to shoot his story.
For "George A. Romero Presents ... Deadtime Stories," Monahan said he'll work with Los Angeles-based 555 Films on the post-production and hopes for a release of the first volume in the spring.
Monahan's own production company, 72nd Street Films, has an upcoming project, a drama titled "The Collaboration."
Mark Hofmann can be reached at mhofmann@tribweb.com or 724-626-3539.
This was in our paper today! ENJOY!;)
By Mark Hofmann
TRIBUNE-REVIEW NEWS SERVICE
Saturday, November 24, 2007
A Fayette County man has partnered with George A. Romero to start filming a horror anthology in Connellsville and Uniontown beginning next week.
A year ago, Jeff Monahan, a writer and actor from Connellsville, entered into a production partnership with horror film legend Romero, the writer-director of such films as "Night of the Living Dead," "Creepshow" and "The Dark Half."
"I've been working on a couple of different projects with George," Monahan said of his partnership with Romero, which includes script revisions alongside Romero's wife and collaborator Christine Romero on titles like "Cryptid," "Cheval" and "Tusks," which is set in Africa.
That partnership will bring the lights, cameras and action next week to Uniontown and Connellsville as the first installment of "George A. Romero Presents ... Deadtime Stories" begins filming.
Monahan said "Deadtime Stories" will be an anthology film with each installment consisting of three stories that will be suitable for either a DVD release or cable television. A few distributors have shown interest in the project, he said.
If all goes well, Monahan said the partners will film the second volume of the anthology in the spring and subsequent installments each season.
The first segment is titled "Dust" and is written by Monahan and directed by Michael Fischa ("Delta Heat"). It's a tale of a laboratory security guard whose wife is dying of cancer as scientists are studying dust from Mars that has anti-carcinogens; the desperate security guard steals the dust and gives it to his wife, who is cured, but the dust causes unexpected side effects.
"It's wild, crazy and twisted," Monahan said of "Dust", which will begin filming Monday at Penn State Fayette The Eberly Campus and at a house and graveyard in Connellsville.
The following week, the second segment, "On Sabbath Hill," will begin filming at The Heritage Inn and a house in Uniontown. The filming will end at Seton Hill University in Greensburg.
The third segment is still in the selection process. Monahan said most of the episodes will be filmed in Southwestern Pennsylvania, New York and other areas.
"We want to keep most of it close to home," he said.
Monahan wrote "On Sabbath Hill" and will serve as primary director for the first time.
"It's really a fun challenge," Monahan said of breaking down his script to figure out where and when to shoot his story.
For "George A. Romero Presents ... Deadtime Stories," Monahan said he'll work with Los Angeles-based 555 Films on the post-production and hopes for a release of the first volume in the spring.
Monahan's own production company, 72nd Street Films, has an upcoming project, a drama titled "The Collaboration."
Mark Hofmann can be reached at mhofmann@tribweb.com or 724-626-3539.
This was in our paper today! ENJOY!;)