Tuesday, June 28, 2016

"ACTION!!!!"

I got a new megaphone for filming my new short film. You can find these at amazon for a cheap price. They work good for films if you are filming out side on a loud set, like at a construction site, or downtown in your city. But for this film my actors and reenactors will need me to hear me say "Action", and "Cut" because we are working with muskets 19th century firearms. They are loud specially when they have a volley going off. Which will be in this film. This model is a western & safety made this one.


Specifications

On and off
Volume
Alarm
Music speaker
4 X C Battery's 


This is the model of the megaphone which will be nice to use for "Our War" to film with on July 23rd in Stoneville NC. My AD and Producer Steven Hancock will also use one as well relaying my commands to the troops.


















Here is our site. It's a beautiful site in Stoneville NC. This scene here is for the battle scene I was talking about. Confederate soldiers will be in the trees to the right of the photo which are in the middle of the field. They will be ambushing the Union troops to the left of the photo where they will form up exchange a few volley's. This takes place in 1864.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Our War Short Film

Director JD Mayo
                  

     My new short film I am writing and directing is called "Our War". A civil war drama film. Any historical film can be hectic. Not just on authenticity but on financing and time consuming. This by far has been the biggest challenge in my film making career I began writing the script back in winter 2015. I then sent it over to my reenacting friend Steven Hancock. He edited it for me and wanted to become the producer. I said "Yes". It gives me more room to just focus on Directing. Which is my passion. I fell in love with history when growing up behind a revolutionary war battlefield called Guild Ford Court House. I went there a lot when I was a child growing up. Ironically I live five minutes now from the battlefield. I have always been a fan of history. Mostly just Civil War. I got older I became a civil war reenactor with the Iron Grays Mess. I was hooked my first reenactment. I can still remember the day. I became interested in film making after high school collecting DVD's watching the behind the scenes features. I was fascinated with green screen effects and CGI. I researched a lot on film making in general. I now started to write scripts in 2010 my first one was called "The Sheep and The Wolf" still in production. I since then made 3 films called "Taken Out", "The Protector" and "Getting Out". With this film "Our War" I hope it brings to the screen both my passions reenacting civil war and film making into one. I really want people to get a eye oppening experience when they see this film.

What is it about?

Sean Pollock DP for Promotional Trailer
            It's about a family in NC during the Civil War. They all have different views on who is right in the war. Jim our main character has other reasons to leave his home and to fight for the North. He is a southern unionist. He leaves home leaving his sick father. While his mother takes care of him. His younger brother David, to help run the farm. His brother is furious with him leaving, and only him to take care of the farm. Not only that but him angrier about him joining the North. They don't own slaves but to them family is the important thing and to protect their home by fighting on their side that is the South. Jim leaves in spring of 1862. Joins the Union army. He writes letters to his ill father who is not doing well. He try's to restore their relationship. His brother how ever, finds the letters and doesn't want his father to remember his brother who left to fight for the yankees. But Jim survives the war. Returns home who hopes for a family reunion. Or does he?


                                     

www.facebook.com/OurWarMovie/
Our War Promotional Poster by Lauren Hatfield 
 Ryan Daniel Thompson as Jim

 

Greg Caggiano did a artical about the film on his blog work check it out here on this link.
https://gcaggiano.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/civil-war-film-our-war-seeks-support-on-indiegogo-this-april/#more-11088