Photos courtesy of Artisan Photography.

The inspiring true story of Donald P. Bailey, a charming and eccentric father of nine, who’s charisma and optimism set him apart from the average dad.

The independent film company, Higher Definition Media (HDM) began principal photography on July 5th, 2010. The film was shot on location in Kern County, where the incredible true life story of Donald P. Bailey is recreated by writer and director Elizabeth Waite. Waite remakes the endearing character driven story of her father; a man whose optimistic personality and discipline lead him through the Great Depression, WWII, and set him apart from the average father as he and his wife Emogene raised nine children with the love of music and his golden voice.

HDM headed to Hollywood, where auditions were held for two weeks with talent from across the country. The cast includes: Jarin Stevens as Donald P. Bailey, and Jennica Schwartzman as his wife Emogene. Their teenage counterparts are played by Gabriel Myers and Tina Mirka. Jules Hartley plays Elizabeth, narrator of the story. The nine talented children are: Christopher Slaughter, Madeline Penn, Alana Hamilton, Cody Sullivan, Blythe Butler, Carsen Warner, Jadon Sand, Cole Sand, and Jaden Melashenko.

Andrew Waite, owner of HDM, produced the film. Also working on the film is production manager Amber Waite. A large crew, including some local members, was pooled for the six weeks of shooting. The original musical score was composed by talented local composer Briana Sorkin-Lee.

On Friday, January 14th, 2011, the shooting was officially wrapped and post-production began. The film is scheduled for it’s Premiere at the historic Fox Theater in Bakersfield on Friday, March 25th, 2011. Tickets are available for $12 at the Fox Ticket Office and through Vallitix.com. The Fox Theater will also have a Matinee showing on Saturday, March 26th at 2:00pm.

HDM offers the largest inventory of feature film equipment rentals in Kern County and produces commercials, wedding films, television shows, and full-length feature films.

These pictures were taken from the actual footage itself and will most likely be seen in the film.  See more production stills on the Phase Two Facebook page!

Photos courtesy of Sam Bailey. Check out more of his amazing work at http://www.samsgallery.com/.

Photos courtesy of Sam Bailey. Check out more of his amazing work at http://www.samsgallery.com/.

Rickey Bird, Andrew Waite, Jason Sanders, and Travis Yoder

Scene from earlier rendition of “Phase Two”

 Just when Bakersfield film fans thought Hectic Films was no more, comes the huge film project “Phase Two,” which promises more explosions, crazier zombies and even better acting with Hollywood talent in the cast. Only, this film is in association with Higher Definition Media and will be mostly shot outside of Bakersfield.

“I’m not allowed to disclose our budget,” Rickey Bird of Hectic Films said. While the budget is rumored as sizable, that doesn’t mean it’s of Hollywood blockbuster scale. It does mean that film crews will be shooting on a camera fit for Blue Ray disks.

Jason Sanders, who started Higher Definition Media with colleague Andrew Waite, added that the budget is good enough where they can hire actors, have catering, pyrotechnics, props and vehicles.

Either way, after landing an investor, Hectic films name is still associated with the movie, and is even shooting on an actual film lot. George the Giant, who was in “Big Fish,” was associated with an earlier rendition of the film. But he, like other actors, weren’t paid, but donated their time. Their big cast member is up-and-coming actress Jessica Erin Sylvia. While she is most well-known for her Italian lingerie and Playboy modeling, she is a promising talent that the project is banking on.

“We went casting in LA. It was her look. The way she looked more Latino. And that’s what I had going with the character,” Bird said. He added he also wanted the main character to be both beautiful and tough looking.

Shaun Paul Piccinino, who plays a soldier in the film, is already well known for his Hollywood expertise. According to Sanders, Piccinino edits as well as does visual effects for the popular stop-motion animated show “Robot Chicken,” which is produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich. He has also directed more than one episode of “The Deadliest Warrior,” an original series for Spike TV.

According to a press release sent out on Tuesday, the indie film company Higher Definition Media will begin principal photography of the sci-fi thriller “Phase Two” in film lots located at California City Studios on Aug. 4.

Film crews will also be shooting on location in and around Bakersfield.

Many people came out as extras for an earlier version of the film to be in the unreleased zombie-slasher movie, “Wretched Flesh.” But that film was only partially made due to budget issues. “Money and time, but mostly money was the issue,” Bird said. Footage from the film will hopefully be added as bonus material on the DVD release of the movie.

Local talent and crew around Bakersfield have already helped out. Bryce Hatch of Inspiration Studios is a production manager on “Phase Two.” Hatch directed and wrote the film, “Stamped!” which premiered at the Fox Theater in Bakersfield. He also adapted “Phase Two” for film production. The film was written by both Bird and Sanders.

As “Phase Two” production begins, cast and crew will head out to the high desert for on-location shooting. Jason Sanders is director, while Andrew Waite is director of photography. Bird, of Hectic Films, is slated as the assistant director.

So what does it mean to be a director duo? “Kind of makes things easier,” Bird said. “Jason is more of a technical person and I’m more of a people person, which is what the assistant director does. I deal with the people.”

“Phase Two” is set in a post-apocalyptic future. Survivors of a deadly virus are faced with an undead-filled environment of zombie-infected humans. John Ross Clark plays a high strung professor, while Jessica Erin Sylvia portrays his tough-minded assistant. Both are on a quest to find a cure for the infection. The film also stars Tattie Grace, Matt Thompson, Robin Steffen and Luke Bishop. (Read about out how Nick Belardes of Face News is excited to be an extra as a zombie soldier.

Read the entire article by Nick Belardes on the Facenews.org website HERE.

Posted by ThisCatsLegit Saturday, February 28, 2009

Stereotype as defined in the dictionary is a person, who is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image, otherwise known as being labeled, termed, or just plain stamped. As a sophomore in high school I know exactly what it’s like to be stamped. It happens everyday, to the best of us, and high school is always the place were stereotypes are born and bred.

New movie Stamped! portrays what every high school student goes through, and I was invited to attend the Sneak Preview of this inspiring and hilarious movie at the Fox Theater.There are so many things that make this movie extra special, the fact that it was filmed right here in Bakersfield, on the campus of Frontier High, the fact that one of Frontier’s very own Bryce Hatch wrote and directed the movie, and the fact that this movie has to be the best independent film I have ever seen.

Stamped! is about five teenage high school students who make-up a Saturday state mandated test, teenage “misfit prankster”, Mitchell (Brian Kubach) annoys and takes apart Tori (Lindze Letherman) a “stuck up cheerleader”, Cody (Matt Thompson) a “dumb jock”, DeShawn (G. Lane Hillman) a “smart homeboy”, and Vanessa (Kaitlynn Lerma) a “quiet Latina”. After giving them a bad time about their roles and so called stereotypes in life they begin to understand they have more in common than they think. Mitchell and his classroom shenanigans and Jim Carey facial expressions really bring the humor front and center.

This movie touches on the racial and social divides at every school. Mitchell says later in the movie, “you may think I’m a freak but you don’t know me.”

As the movie goes on all five teenagers gradually become closer than ever before, you learn Mitchell lives in a foster home, and hides his broken household with loud and obnoxious behavior. Vanessa is in America illegally, and takes shelter in her quiet and shy behavior. Cody is just a “big baby that does what ever daddy tells him” as described by DeShawn who loves comic books and doesn’t express who he truly is to his friends. My favorite quote of the night spoken by Cody to DeShawn, “man your just as white as I am, or maybe I’m just as black as you—it doesn’t matter we’re brothers.”

What people should get from Stamped! is a chaotic journey through the harsh realities of teenage life, and that just because someone is labeled as the skater, nerd, ADHD kid, stuck-up, or jock, that’s not who they are—you don’t know them unless you break down the racial divide.

Read the entire article on the Bakersfield Voice website HERE.