The whole world is beginning to brace and wonder. We are quickly approaching the anniversary for the countdown for December 21, 2012, the last day of the Mayan calendar. Given the many theories and prophecies about it, most of them being of a destructive nature, as a filmmaker it is important to capitalize in the popular and give the audience a topic they will enjoy. Therefore, this year I created the webseries titled “2012″ which consists of 8 chapters of approximately 10 minutes each.
Given the delicate nature of the subject, I wanted to ensure that the project was going to be of a genuine nature, therefore the information that needed to be researched had to be accurate and true to the cultural aspects of the genre. A duty that also included footage filmed in Guatemala on location at the main Mayan city of Tikal in the jungles of Peten. Luckily, during one of my travels to Guatemala I managed to film those super important scenes and the rest just fell into place.
Excited by this huge project, I began the process of pre-production during the later months of 2011. After writing the script for the “2012″ webseries in the months of October & November 2011, I immediately went into pre-production. There were two incredible hard challenges as a screenwriter for the new format of a webseries: 1- Keeping audiences interested every minute of an 8-10 min. episode, and 2. Raising the bar and ensuring that everything that was written for the webseries I already knew I could produce.
That’s when partnering up with Alex Freitas became one of the most beneficial moves for the project. Friendship & collaboration on a few of my films, Alex Freitas came on board as co-producer/co-director/SFX for the “2012″ webseries. As I presented the episodes to Alex, I would ask him if a particular visual FX I had in mind was possible. If not, it would be switched as to not have to complicate life later in post-production and end up with footage we could not use. That careful and deliberate planning in pre-production ensured that all the footage was usable and completely accurate with the script. With that in order, pre-production began and casting was conducted for the project. Having written with people in mind, I already knew I wanted to work with some of my regular actors.
Talented Canadian actor Paul Tait was chosen for one of the leads since he previously worked with me in “Rabid Rage” & “Machiavelli’s The Prince”. Also, the role was a physical one and Paul Tait, being a bodybuilder, is not afraid to get down and dirty by performing his own stunts. Another great actor involved in the webseries was Danesh Hanbury whose unique look and great talent lends for an awesome dramatic range for the particular role I had in mind for him. I also worked with Danesh Hanbury on “Rabid Rage” & “Machiavelli’s The Prince” and I teamed them up again for a third time during the “2012″ webseries.
Another fabulous actor involved in the “2012″ webseries was David Burfoot, who has worked with me in “The Friend”, “Hubris of Sisyphus” & “Machiavelli’s The Prince”. During casting, Colin Paradine joined up as well as Katie Uhlmann & Jennifer Polansky. Alex Freitas & I also played roles in the webseries. Both our roles were meant for other actors who last minute decided not to participate. So, when the going gets tough…the tough step in to play. Filming of the “2012″ webseries started during the early month of December 2011 as the street Christmas lights were needed for the footage.
As a filmmaker and lover of philosophy and theology, I wanted to ensure that the “2012″ webseries was not a mindless project, but something that the smart audiences could appreciate and eventually relate to. Something that they could sit down afterwards for an intelligent discussion about how plausible each moment was. And the key to doing that is to create characters that enable people to connect with. Therefore, as every single character is introduced, their intricate journey carries more than just their screen presence.
Paul Tait plays Damon and his character represents hope & all humanity’s future rests on his shoulders. The character of Damon is a hired killer for the government whose life is turned around during the invasion. Damon quickly discovers that his role in life was misguided and that everything he believed in now means absolutely zero. The only thing left in Damon’s life is his ability to destroy. His mission now becomes the destruction of alien invaders. That’s basically what Damon’s introductory speech into computer journal in Episode 1-Arrival is all about. A speech of solitude, frustration, mixed with determination for survival, a feeling of betrayal and the need for human contact.
Things begin to change when Damon comes across Bentley as he eliminates an alien invader who was about to kill him. Damon’s character arc in the “2012″ webseries is a journey of hope, discovery, mystery & leadership. The character of Bentley played by Danesh Hanbury represents the emotional & personal loss. The loss that human beings feel when something is taken away from them. In the case of the apocalyptic life for Bentley is the loss of freedom & family. Damon’s motivation to destroy is anger, while Bentley’s is more about avenging his personal traumas. Bentley’s character has a past with Damon’s as they both worked as hired killers for the government, instantly creating a connection between them. The reason I gave them unethical jobs is because sometimes good people are thrown into situations that require them to compromise their principles. It made me feel like it gave the characters more depth and more meaning as opposed to giving them the role of a cop or school teacher. I love characters that are presented with ethical choices and moral dilemmas, it enhances the overall story.
The way I structured the “2012″ webseries is that I go from the day of the invasion (December 21, 2012) with different times throughout that day, and then back and forth to two months after it happened. By creating a timeline of the present and a timeline of the past it allowed for cool transitions from one moment to the next. Episode 1–Arrival deals with the shock of the alien invasion and dives into the backstory of Damon & Bentley. You will see a familiar face in Ep. 1-Arrival as I mentioned I was forced to step into an acting role. As an explanation of what my role was, I basically represent beings who have lost all humanity. Therefore, all alien invaders in the “2012″ will look the same (clones) to represent loss of individuality as a living being. I’m extremely grateful that Alex Freitas was able to work around the cloning issue since it is a tricky post-prod effect.
Ep.1-Arrival is an exciting way of introducing the mayhem that Damon’s everyday events are like in this new apocalypse. Bentley saving Damon is more of a symbolic moment as they now affirm the need for humans to interact as a method of survival, with emphasis on the fact that humans are social creatures. As the episodes progress, Damon’s growth becomes significant & the hope factor becomes more powerful. The other characters begin to trust and depend on him, as well as his own personal demon of having to deal with the mysterious visions. After all, hope does propel human stories & do wonders for characters by getting audiences involved. Watch Episode 1—Arrival and share your thoughts!!
[...] ARRIVAL 2012 [...]