Documentary Under Way

What started out as a general ghost/spirit documentary has now evolved to a more precise concept: Ghosts of War. The film will focus on the ghosts and hauntings of historic Civil War homes, areas, and battle fields in Tennessee and Mississippi. With the concept now finished--and the list of locations complete--we will begin formally shooting footage in September and October.

With footage being shot at Vicksburg, Shiloh, Corinth, Memphis, Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Natchez, the documentary will focus on the ghost stories and bloody tales surrounding these areas.

The documentary will feature interviews with local Civil War historians, ghost hunters, and (of course) the owners who have lived in many of these sites for years. The movie will also feature the actual evidence collected by the paranormal group Paranormal Inc during their investigations of the locations. This evidence includes EVP's (Electronic Voice Phenomenon--recordings of spirits that the human ear cannot normally hear), photographs, video footage, and electronic data.

Ghosts of War will be a haunting film that you won't soon forget! Stay tuned to this blog for more information on the Elsinore Productions documentary, as well as the site for Paranormal Inc (www.paranormalincorporated.com).

Posted by: Rich Newman
info@elsinoreproductions.com

Paranormal Inc and Shimmer

Well, the production for our online/television series Paranormal Inc. is in full swing! With one investigation under our belt and another kicking off this weekend, we are on schedule to complete our first season of the show. The intent is to use the online version to sell the network version--and so far we are, indeed, getting noticed. You can keep up with the show and the investigations on the program's website: www.paranormalincorporated.com.

My first HD feature film Shimmer is also now in full swing. I have lined out the licensing for the movie's music, hired the major crew members in Memphis, and am now casting the major roles. The film will be shooting in Memphis and Austin over the late summer and early fall. We are trying to make the cutoff for the early 2009 film festivals. Don't forget that if you want to read for Shimmer, to send a current headshot to me at info@elsinoreproductions.com.

As far as my graphic novel Far West goes, the script and text has been completed. I am now putting together a sample chapter for my trip to the publishers. And speaking of which...my first book, Cinamatic Game Secrets is now completed and turned in to the publisher (Focal Press). That will be hitting the shelves in October. If you are a game developer (or a filmmaker thinking of getting into the game development arena), a student, or simply a creative director/producer who wants greater immersion in your game, pick up a copy this fall! Cheers!

Posted by Rich Newman

Updates

Ahh...a new chapter in the history of Elsinore Productions has just begun... We are now officially located in Memphis, Tennessee and are now moving into the year's slate as we speak. Now that I have finished my book on cinematic game design for Focal Press, I have the extra time I need for pre-production. The plan is to get a new short out fairly quick to make the festival rounds: Right now I'm trying to decide between Schism, FM, or Quietus--three short scripts that have been floating around the ether for some time--then I will move on into pre-production for the feature Shimmer.

Though we have mentioned Shimmer a few times already, it was obvious after several reads that the script needed an additional element. I wrote/edited the script again and now feel that the story has been developed enough to proceed. Early reads have gotten a better reception and I'm comfortable now to at least begin casting. We found our locations quite early on and I wrote a lot of the scenes based on these locations, so it just remains to get the cast and crew up and running.

On other fronts, we have shot about sixteen hours of footage for the documentary A Ghost Inside Us and it now remains to go into a lengthy editing session...oh, boy... We have been toying with the idea of generating interest in our ghost-hunting documentary by shooting a small online series called Paranormal Inc. This will get the name out there and hopefully generate enough hits through viral marketing to create a high visibility of the film.

Lastly, we have gotten absolutely nowhere new in regards to the graphic novel Far West. Lack of publishing contacts and pitches has stalled us out. So, it looks like the graphic novel will have to wait 'til winter. Alas...

If you're interested in casting for the short or feature and are located in Austin, Memphis, or Missouri (preferably Southeast), feel free to blast us your headshot and resume to info@elsinoreproductions.com. Cheers!

Posted by: Rich Newman

Current News

Welcome to the Elsinore Productions homepage! Right now, we are in pre-production for our first feature film, "Shimmer," scheduled to shoot Fall 2007. Since we will not be holding formal casting calls, anyone interested in reading for a part should send a current headshot and resume to info@elsinoreproductions.com. We are planning to cast one-on-one for each of the parts to avoid cattle calls. Shimmer is a thematically arranged film about relationships/sexual dysfunction and how these couples interact. Very much in the vein of Andres Dubus/David Lynch.

We have just begun production on our documentary, A Ghost Inside Us, that focuses on the whole phenomenon of ghost hunting and the quest to validate the existence of a spirit. It's going very well and the material is quite exciting. Early marketing analysis indicates this will be a doc most people will want to watch. I hope to have it finished by November to enter for next year's 2008 SXSW Film Festival.

In other news, I have been producing a 110-page graphic novel titled "Far West." This is a story set in a North America prior to European invasion--one full of the mythical elements and creatures of Indian lore. The story follows the Inuit Okoye as he journeys to find a mythical land of plenty. Along the way, he encounters cannibals, warring tribes, and a Lakota named Anapo who has been bred to destroy. The script is already finished, and we are currently developing the art. Here's the first scene (Okoye attacking a spirit in the form of a giant polar bear who has returned to attack his village):

Otherwise, we still have two other projects in development: "Astronomy," the story of an alternate reality and an astronaut on a mission gone horribly wrong, and "She Brightly," the tale of a cheating wife looking for redemption in all the wrong places. The Elsinore Productions produced site, Austin Film Guerilla (www.austinfilmguerilla.com) has also turned up the heat and is now featuring Guerilla News spots on KOOP Radio (www.koop.org) on 91.7fm, and I have just started writing a regular film column for Austin Wide Open magazine (www.austinwideopen.com). AFG promises to just get bigger and bigger.

Stay tuned for more info and news. See you at this year's SXSW. Cheers!

Rich Newman
Producer/Director
Elsinore Productions

Rich Newman, Elsinore Productions