Pendulum Swings is based on a true story – a story of a man who loses everything but finds his soul.

DALE JENNINGS has it good – a career he loves, a nice house, and a beautiful family. But Dale’s home is not a happy one.

His marriage to MARIA is crumbling, and Dale doesn’t realize how quickly it’s slipping away until he loses it all – his home, his work, and his children, JENNA and JESSICA.

Dale spirals fast, and it’s not long before he hits bottom – homeless, in debt to a vicious loan shark, and ultimately holed up brusied and broken on the wrong end of the law. And when tragedy strikes, Dale tips over the edge into suicidal despair.

But when all seems lost, Dale is offered what might be his last shot at redemption – and a chance discovery hands him an opportunity for revenge.

PENDULUM SWINGS TRAILER 2 from Bill Rahn on Vimeo.

About this project

A Brief Synopsis:

Two best friends, surviving an almost fatal car crash, stumble upon the only house along a desolate dirt road. In search of medical attention, they only find THE GRITTERS, a family with their own rules, and their own terrifying games! But before the couple can get the medical attention they need, they must first stick around and help the odd family entertain a few guests…themselves! In this riveting horror, The Gritters welcome you to join them in their demented world of mayhem and frightening family tradition, and encourage you to try and play along.

What we are doing:

We are a creative & diligent team of filmmakers coming together to create the Horror/Thriller short “The Gritter’s.” This film will not only be magnificent cinematically speaking but also it will be a film that does its job as a “scary movie”; we want it to -scare you, creep you out, make you go to bed wishing you hadn’t watched it AND even make you fill your gas tank up before heading down that dark road again to your friends house.

Our Progress:

We have an experienced and hardworking Crew on board for the film. From 1st and 2nd camera to sound we are ready to go. We have cast most of the principal roles and will be casting the rest in the next few weeks. All of the cast and crew are working graciously for credits only, simply because they believe in the project, its potential for Festival success and wide exposure in the independent film world.

Many films are made in North Carolina every year, shorts, features, comedies, horrors, dramas you name it. Our Crew and Cast has seen many of these films and even shot, acted, casted, and produced some of them. But, now we are coming together for something different and we think it’s time for you to meet The Gritters.

We are set to shoot in August 2010. I and other members of the crew are willingly contributing funds for some of the things that we need for the shoot, but plain and simply we just can’t afford to pay for it all. These costs ad up and that’s why we need your help!

What we need to pay for:

For our 4 day shoot we need to pay for the following: Cast and Crew meals (3 meals a day for Four 12 hour shoots), Lots of water and drinks (we will be working in 95 degree + temps in locations and houses with no air conditioning), Equipment rental (from lenses to lights), special effects materials, wardrobe items, props, bugs pray (did I mention we will be in the woods too?), first aid items, and much more.

Writer/Director: Nina Voltaire
Director of Photography: Jeff Branch

Check out some of our principal actors out on IMDB.com:

Danae West: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1122820/
R. Dana Browne: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2969410/
Greg Frucci: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2384847/

Coming Soon

Children’s Theatre of Charlotte Hosts Auditions for Disney’s Aladdin

Children’s Theatre of Charlotte will hold open auditions for “Disney’s Aladdin” on Sunday, June 20
and Monday, June 21 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Auditions will take place at ImaginOn, 300 East
Seventh Street. Roles are available for adults, as well as students from rising grades 5 and up.
Interested candidates should prepare 16 bars of a song and bring sheet music; an accompanist
will be provided. Candidates should also wear clothing that is easy to move in. Auditions may
consist of a cold reading from the script.
Rehearsals begin August 9, taking place in the evenings from 6:00-9:00 pm Monday through
Friday. Performances will be held on weekends from September 24 to October 24, with weekday
performances September 22 and 30, and October 7, 14 and 21.
“Disney’s Aladdin” will be directed by Stephen Gundersheim, with choreography by Ron Chisholm
and musical direction by Drina Keen.
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is supported, in part, with an Operating Grant from the Arts &
Science Council, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc. and the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency of
the Department of Cultural Resources, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes
that a great nation deserves great art.
US Airways: the 2009-10 Official Airline of Children’s Theatre of Charlotte

The 48 Hour Film Project comes to Greensboro on the weekend of June 11th. Filmmakers from all over the Greensboro area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world.

Events

Kickoff

Dropoff

Premiere Screenings

Wrap Party

Best of the Greensboro 48HFP

The Asheville 48 Hour Film Project

The 48 Hour Film Project comes to Asheville on the weekend of June 18th. Filmmakers from all over the Asheville area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world.

Events

Kickoff

Dropoff

Best of the Asheville 48HFP

http://www.48hourfilm.com/asheville

http://www.crystallargen.com

Strange Stuff Pictures, a division of Fearmakers Studios, will be shooting the feature film “Alien Jelly Monsters From the Depths of Uranus”, directed by Justin Soponis and produced by Bo Buckley, Don A. King and Justin Soponis.

“A.J.M.F.T.D.O.U” is an over-the-top, full feature sci-fi comedy that is a fun project from an established production company with a proven track record. Fearmakers has shown great success in the past as to completion and distribution of their films, such as “Dismal”, “Savage” and “Lance Steel” – check them out at
www.fearmakers.com.

Through Strange Stuff Productions, “A.J.M.F.T.D.O.U.” now promises as well to take off like a rocket, with the release of Strange Stuff’s first feature “Death of the Dead” having already premiered to a “test” audience, receiving belly laughs and RAVE reviews!! You can view the full feature here
www.strangestuff.com

We will be filming the entire feature here in Wilmington, NC.

If selected, you MUST be available June 15th through June 27th!!

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

BUMFUGGER – 20s, male, powder blue, ruby red lipped, flamboyant waif, was rescued and now is a petty officer aboard the alien ship, *speaks in an odd accent that causes his words to sound like sexual innuendos

DIKTIES – 20s, female, beautiful, sexy, smart and sassy, uses her sex appeal to get what she wants (which is usually information that she’ll use against you in the near future)

VERN – 30s, male, big, abusive trailer park bully

TINA – 20-30, female, attractive yet trashy, queen of the trailer park. **SOME NUDITY.**

DUSTY – 20-40, male, Caucasian, skinny, scrawny guy

AUTO MECHANICS (2) – any age, male

GAS STATION ATTENDANT – any age, male or female

MAJOR ZCHITZ – 45-55, male, high-ranking official

HONEY – 20-40, female, Caucasian, heavy-set woman, Dusty’s wife

MERV –30s, male, scruffy, grease monkey, unkempt

JAKE – 20-30, male, younger, equally dirty and unkempt mechanic, works with Merv

JUAN – 25-45, male, Hispanic

BOBBIE – early 20s, female, smoking hot chick, daisy dukes with heels, pigtails

ANNIE – early 20s, female, smoking hot chick, daisy dukes with heels, pigtails, BOBBIE’s sister

PREACHER – 40-60, male

OLD VETERAN – 50+ male, crew cut

HILLBILLY BOY – 21-25, male

MOMMA – 45-60, woman OR transsexual as woman, wearing miu miu

CG GUY – 20-35, male, nerdy!, wears over-the-top coke bottle glasses, not a bright guy, “not quite right” in the head (aka “slow” or slightly mentally “challenged”)

ZEKE – 30s, tough-looking, good ol’ boy

CHET – 30s, tough-looking, good ol’ boy, ZEKE’s buddy

AUDITION DATE: Tuesday, June 1st (all day)

TERMS: Two meals a day will be provided. Confidence is extremely high in regards to distribution.
***For those who don’t land a lead role in the audition, this is a GREAT opportunity for a VERY likely chance to be chosen for a “featured background” role, as we will be constantly selecting background actors that we feel will be assets to the production by giving them a line or lines prior to scenes being shot.***

This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to get a credit and build your resume by being a part of a production that maintains an air of professionalism, as well as the chance to work with people who share the same passion for film-making!!!!!

If interested in auditioning, please e-mail your headshot and resume, along with the character for whom you would like to read to doriane.heather@gmail.com.
Once I have received your submission, I will respond with the audition location as well as sides and/or direction for the auditions on this upcoming Tuesday.

Thank you in advance for your time! I look forward to working with you on a WONDERFUL project!! As always I sincerely look forward to all your AMAZING submissions!!

Raleigh/Durham Auditions
Carolina Dance Center
9101 Leesville Rd., Raleigh, NC 27613

Saturday, June 5th- Boys
Sign up at 11:00am

BILLY: boys should be ages 9-12 strong dancers, especially ballet.
Maximum height: 4’10.”

MICHAEL: boys should be ages 9-12, a natural actor with a strong singing voice. Funny, a real kid. Tap skills are a plus.
Maximum height: 4’10.”

Boys should wear comfortable clothes and sneakers- they should bring tap, jazz, and ballet shoes.
Also, bring an updated photo/resume and sheet music to sing.

Sunday, June 6th – Girl Dancers
Sign up at 10:00am

Strong tap, good ballet, singing. We are looking for a variety of shapes and types with expressive character and lots of personality.
Maximum Height: 4’10.” Ages 9-12
Wear dance clothes and bring tap, ballet and jazz shoes.
Also, bring a recent photo, resume, and sheet music to sing.