FAQ:
Q: Why a web series?
A: My feature screenplay that this was based on was a quarterfinalist in the 2008 Silver Screenwriting Awards and was chosen for the 2nd round of consideration for the 2009 Sundance Screenwriting Labs. I'd like to get the feature produced. So, until I gain financing to produce that feature, I've taken the characters and basic situation from the script and created a similar but different project, a web series, Into Dust.
Q: So is the feature a sequel of sorts?
A: Actually the feature is the prequel-- originally entitled The Adventures of Zara Zancón in Cactus Canyon, it's the story of how Janey Santiago discovered her super powers.
Q: How far along are you in this web series endeavor?
A: Episode 1 is completed. Episode 2 is in post. As soon as it's scored, it'll be ready to go. Episode 3 is in pre-production.
Q: What did you shoot on?
A: John Mace shot Episode One on a Sony EX-1. Robert Murphy shot Episode 2 on a Sony Z1U.
Q: Is this some kind of high school production?
A: No. Though the series is set in a school, the actors were from all around Texas-- from Dallas to Round Rock to Buda. Some are in high school, some are not. We filmed at Hays High School and there were a few teachers and students who ended up filling in small roles, but the rest are professional actors and crew.
Q: What are the actors' other credits?
A: The actors' credits include Richard Linklater's Boyhood, a web series called Emergence, a feature, Upon a Midnight Clear, NBC/Universal's Friday Night Lights, ABC TV's The Deep End, and NFL commercials.
Q: How about the crew?
A: The crew's credits include Friday Night Lights, Predators, Machete, In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Fast Food Nation, Friday the Thirteenth (2009), A Scanner Darkly, Stop-Loss, Periphery, The 2 Bobs, The Hitcher, and many other independent films.
Q: Did you edit it yourself?
A. No. Jason Huggins edited Episode One and John Mace did color correction. Kate Dawson did some additional editing and animation/SFX. Robert Murphy is editing Episode 2.
Q:That's really cool music. Mark Parrish did that?
A: Mark Parrish wrote (and performed) the Into Dust theme, called "Too Much Tequila." Richard Bowling was the composer for the musical score (the music you hear in the desert, as Carlitos sees Oscar by the car, etc.) in Episode 2.
Q: What else have you got?
A: The web series is based on a feature screenplay - a prequel to the story detailing how Janey Santiago got her powers.
I have also written an award-winning unproduced feature script called The Court of Lions, a love story set in Spain during the Christian/Muslim conflict. My first short, a documentary about a Ann Arbor-based band called Hokey Smokes! Frank Allison and the Odd Sox is available on You Tube at this link (here). And of course, many other projects in various stages of development. My writing has been described as "Diablo Cody meets Quentin Tarantino" by script consultant James P. Mercurio. I'm hoping that's a good thing.
Into Dust
With mysterious shamanistic superpowers, a shy teenage girl in an isolated U.S. border town turns the tables on the Mexican drug gangsters who killed her father.
Episode 2 is now in post!
Director Amy Quick Parrish with Marie DuPont and Erin Taylor in dowtown Austin. Cinematographer Robert Murphy.
Carlitos Santiago walks home from school. Photo by Debbi Coward.
Into Dust Episode One
A teenage girl with super powers keeps the peace in her West Texas town.
Here's what people are saying about Episode One:
"How awesome! This turned out great!"
Kirsten McMurray, Assistant to Richard Linklater
"Congratulations on this!"
Brant Rose, The Brant Rose Agency
"VERY well done. Great message." David P. Pray, Superintendent - Clinton High School
"LOVED it! I really loved a superhero character inside a contemporary Latina schoolgirl and also the naturalistic, verite style used in a story involving special powers. I think it has huge potential for getting noticed, for attracting a large, underserved, super-loyal following. And don't lose the ultra-real style (you know what I mean?) That's going to really set it apart."
-Jill Chamberlain, The Screenplay Workshop
"Good for you, kid." - Chuck Conaway, screenwriter of Waiting for Dublin
"Congratulations, Very cool!"
Deena Kalai. PLLC
"Let us know when the next one's ready!" Infynit Hour TV
why make a web series?
One viewer requested an interview for a screenwriting publication he's working on.
What made you make this, he asks... My initial response:
1. I am trying to show the world that a teenage Latina superhero can find an audience -- I want to get the feature made! This web series is an adaptation of a feature script I wrote that was chosen for the 2nd round of consideration for the 2009 Sundance Screenwriting Labs and was a Quarterfinalist in the 2008 Silver Screenwriting Competition.
2. To build a fan-base for the character of Janey Santiago-- it's so hard for an original character/story to compete with stories based on toys like Transformers or classic superheroes that everyone's heard of like Batman... I know investors prefer characters and stories based on something that already exists... The obvious choices were to create a comic book or a web series. An agent advised me to go for the web series, so here it is!
3. Frankly, there are very few female superheroes out there. Wonder Woman is the only one who's had real, lasting success. A lot of male comic book writers don't know what teenage girls want so they write for themselves and the results range from ridiculously muscular She-Ras in skimpy, revealing outfits to Mary Jane trying to figure out what kind of dress to wear from the prom. Never mind how rare it is to have a Latino/a superhero depicted anywhere outside of Los Bros Hernandez' Love and Rockets series (and they're not superheroes, just indie comic characters).
More PRESS:
Into Dust has been mentioned in The Austin Film Society's P.o.V Magazine aka persistenceofvision.org! Here's the link.
(This is post-dated because I obviously want the video to be the first entry on the blog. Apologies for any confusion.-- AQP)
What made you make this, he asks... My initial response:
1. I am trying to show the world that a teenage Latina superhero can find an audience -- I want to get the feature made! This web series is an adaptation of a feature script I wrote that was chosen for the 2nd round of consideration for the 2009 Sundance Screenwriting Labs and was a Quarterfinalist in the 2008 Silver Screenwriting Competition.
2. To build a fan-base for the character of Janey Santiago-- it's so hard for an original character/story to compete with stories based on toys like Transformers or classic superheroes that everyone's heard of like Batman... I know investors prefer characters and stories based on something that already exists... The obvious choices were to create a comic book or a web series. An agent advised me to go for the web series, so here it is!
3. Frankly, there are very few female superheroes out there. Wonder Woman is the only one who's had real, lasting success. A lot of male comic book writers don't know what teenage girls want so they write for themselves and the results range from ridiculously muscular She-Ras in skimpy, revealing outfits to Mary Jane trying to figure out what kind of dress to wear from the prom. Never mind how rare it is to have a Latino/a superhero depicted anywhere outside of Los Bros Hernandez' Love and Rockets series (and they're not superheroes, just indie comic characters).
More PRESS:
Into Dust has been mentioned in The Austin Film Society's P.o.V Magazine aka persistenceofvision.org! Here's the link.
(This is post-dated because I obviously want the video to be the first entry on the blog. Apologies for any confusion.-- AQP)
Main Characters
Janey Santiago (Erin Taylor)
Pilar (Marie DuPont)
Carlitos and Janey Santiago (Kole Collins, Erin Taylor)
Len Hawkins (Geoff Ingram)
Augusto Trueño (Aaron Reyes)
Janey, Pilar and Janey/Carlitos photos by Gaston Romero.
Augusto and Len photos by Amy Quick Parrish. © 2009, Flying Cactus Productions LLC
Pilar (Marie DuPont)
Carlitos and Janey Santiago (Kole Collins, Erin Taylor)
Len Hawkins (Geoff Ingram)
Augusto Trueño (Aaron Reyes)
Janey, Pilar and Janey/Carlitos photos by Gaston Romero.
Augusto and Len photos by Amy Quick Parrish. © 2009, Flying Cactus Productions LLC
Desert sequence: SHOT!
Cinematographer: Robert Murphy
AD: Vernon Smith
Episode 1 is officially in the good hands of Jason Huggins and John Mace for post-production! Wahoo!
Cinematographer: Robert Murphy
AD: Vernon Smith
Episode 1 is officially in the good hands of Jason Huggins and John Mace for post-production! Wahoo!
Pilot in the can!
Director Amy Quick Parrish discusses a fight sequence with the cast and crew. Cinematographer John Mace plans a shot.
AD Vernon Smith puts protective gear on Geoff Ingram for a fight scene.
Danny Studeja, John Mace, Vernon Smith, Amy Quick Parrish
Cast:
Erin Taylor Janey Santiago
Aaron Reyes Augusto Trueño
Marie DuPont Pilar
Geoff Ingram Len Hawkins
Kole Collins Carlitos Santiago
Michael Vera Oscar Martinez
Denise Garcia Vero Delgada
Judy Parsons English Teacher
Mark Parrish Math Teacher
Marjie Kelley Secretary
Zach Guerrero Delbert
Jasmine Sabino Snotty Girl
Jess Rae Goth Girl
Crew:
Amy Quick Parrish writer/director/producer
Mark Parrish co-producer, boom mic
Vernon Smith assistant director
John Mace director of photography school/fight sequences
Robert Murphy cinematographer/desert sequences
Jason Huggins gaffer/sound/editing
Danny Sutedja production assistant
Jim Kolmar 2nd assistant director
Marjie Kelley production assistant
Gaston Romero still photographer/locations
Robbie Parrish still photographer
Jess Rae production assitant
Christian Shirrell gaffing intern, production assistant
Cathy Guerrero makeup
Cartoon of Zarzo Zancón by ADAM ATOMIC http://www.adamatomic.com/
Catering provided by Pairings Catering pairingscatering@yahoo.com
Background/extra call time: 11 am Saturday
Call time is 11 am at Hays High School 4800 Jack C. Hays Trail in Buda, TX. Please park in the lot between the building and the football stadium and meet at the entrance by the elbow of that loop near the C buiding. Ask for Marjie, Jess or Jim.
Please come dressed as a high school student (no logos!) and bring a backpack-- no logos, and PLEASE BRING YOUR RELEASE SIGNED BY YOUR PARENTS. The shoot will be approximately from 11-6. Please bring sun screen and anything that will cool you down-- we'll be outside half the day. It's going to be fun!
Thanks!
Into Dust Extras Casting
Please come dressed as a high school student (no logos!) and bring a backpack-- no logos, and PLEASE BRING YOUR RELEASE SIGNED BY YOUR PARENTS. The shoot will be approximately from 11-6. Please bring sun screen and anything that will cool you down-- we'll be outside half the day. It's going to be fun!
Thanks!
Into Dust Extras Casting
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