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Cameron D. Cannon, DP

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:46:03 -0700

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Cameron D. Cannon: I actually got into the film business

in Arizona, working on documentary projects. After

watching so many film crews come to town from LA, I

packed up my stuff and moved to Hollywood in 1996.

In your own words, what is the film about?

CDC: I know everyone starts with the sci-fi angle but I always approached the movie as a love story and a story about owning up to your past.

What was it like working on a low budget film?

CDC: Most low budget films are barely controlled chaos at best but Howard had a detailed plan for this movie. His planning and the camaraderie of the cast and crew made this movie exciting.

Where there any interesting obstacles or/and creative quick thinking on the set?

CDC: I think the biggest obstacle was the short shooting schedule. Until you actually try to make a feature in two weeks you’d never realize what it takes to pull it off.

Howard Wexler, Director

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:44:27 -0700

I met Bryan Brewer when I was Director of Photography on The Healer’s Son, a feature produced in 2001. Bryan played the lead and was co-writer. Although the film never saw a release, it played in a few local theaters and was well received. The story was about holistic healing, fung shui and acupuncture, and I am interested in all aspects of health and healing. Several years later we met again and talked about making a film together. Bryan and his brother Mark had started Cause Entertainment, and we decided our first film would be a sci fi creature story, with some metaphysical ideas. Our research indicated that a niche sci fi film had the potential to make a successful sale.

I was lucky to be the director of 9909. We assembled a great cast, thanks to casting director Ricki Maslar. I met with every cast member before the shoot, and we discussed story, wardrobe, locations, each characters arc, and we got a chance to know each other before the first day on set.

We tried to make the shoot run as smoothly as possible. Having been below the line for many years as DP, I know what makes a happy and creative set. A prepared director who can make decisions is number 1,

Alice Amter, Actor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:02:24 -0700

Interview with actress Alice Amter, an established film and television actress who has worked with

George Clooney and Benjamin Bratt. Alice performs a cameo appearance in 9909 as a hospital attendant.

How did you become involved with the movie?

AA: I became involved after casting director Ricki Maslar had cast me in another horror film called Penance.

Tell us about your role in the movie.

AA: I play the role of the hospital attendant where Sarah Prescott (Kelly Pendygraft) resides. I preform a cameo appearance in the film, appearing in only one or two scenes. There's very little dialogue and my character is more of a looming presence, keeping a watchful eye on everything. She represents the instutiuion, authority, possibly more.

What is the film about?

AA: I'm not at liberty to say, you will have to go see it.

What was it like working on a low budget film?

Low Budget is always tough but you just deal with it. In a low budget situation I always try to help out by doing my own hair and/or make up or by providing wardrobe (which I did in this movie) and by being very involved in coming up with the look of the character, particulary if there's no or very little dialogue. In this film I wanted my character to look sleek and futuristic and just a tad memacing. I think we succeeded in that.

Pre Production

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:00:28 -0700

Sitting on a porch in June 2008, we brainstormed about what kind of film we should produce. Mark Brewer, Bryan Brewer, David Yates and Howard Wexler decided on a creature feature, as the initial project for Cause Entertainment. Three weeks later Bryan had a first draft and we were on our way. We knew it would be low budget, and Bryan wrote for locations we knew we could find locally and afford. After a couple of drafts, we delivered the script to casting director Ricki Maslar in October 2008.

Character Development & Writing

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:58:36 -0700

I wanted the hero (Deke) to be the anti hero. We have a character who just gets out of prison on murder charges and then decides to return to his home town where nobody wants him back. After the meteor lands and starts infecting people, Deke is forced to stay and help the people who hate him.

Sarah: I wanted Sarah to be strong, independent and witty. Someone who can stand no matter what. But she also had to have the girl next door small town charm. Someone the whole town loves. We've all had that girl in our town growing up.

Sheriff: I wanted the Sheriff to be sarcastic and stern. By the books and he absolutely hates Deke.

Billy: Billy had to be everything Deke isn't. He puts on a front, acts tough, but when it's time to man up, he cowers. Desperately in love with Sarah and can't stand Deke. (noticing a theme here?)

Stooley (aka James) Stooley's nickname was given to him in high school by none other than Deke. So naturally he dislikes Deke. Stooley is madly in love with Sarah (another theme) which is the only reason he helps Deke solve the infection problem.

Cause Entertainment

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:57:50 -0700

Cause Entertainment was started by my brother and myself in 2008. We set out to make films and tell stories that we are passionate about.

I’m a big fan of creating. I believe too many people fall into the trap of reacting to things instead of creating. Interestingly, the word CREATIVE and REACTIVE are the same, the only difference is the C has been moved. Cause Entertainment came about because we believe in being the CAUSE of something. Bryan Brewer

Being an Extra

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:57:10 -0700

My acting debut as an extra in the diner scene was thrilling. Being with the actors as they worked and re-worked each scene was an edifying and intense experience. “Eating” the same french fry over and over and over and over was relatively easy as I kept telling myself “Don’t eat the fries, they’re props!” Then Howard, the director, said “Lets do Scott’s close up.” Oh crap, I wanted to disappear. No one said anything about a CLOSE UP! I managed to do some deep breathing exercises that calmed me long enough to sit thru the quick shots. The professionalism of the cast and crew kept me relaxed and focused.

To the crew....thank you for letting me be part of the fun and allowing me to realize my 1/2 second of fame, it was a privilege. Scott S. Seccombe

I grew up in this house...

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:56:30 -0700

The house seen in the opening of the movie was build in 1921. It was originally a triplex. My parents lived in one of the three apartments since 1946 and purchased the entire thing in the early sixties. All they had to do was break through a window and a closet wall to make it into one house.

Growing up in the Hudson Ave. house in the 1960’s was great because it had so many rooms. More importantly it had many exits. Three front doors and three back doors. I could sneak out of my room through a window or back door and go out bike riding with my friends in the middle of the night.

My dad told me there were oil wells on the property before the house was built. That may be why the house is sinking and changing shape. Some of the furniture has been in the house for over 60 years and the house has not been painted in over 50 years.

Every square inch of that house has a story. When I see it in the movie, the memories flood back. It was fun to have the film crew there and capture some of its charm. Scott S. Seccombe

Eating Fries on Set

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:55:40 -0700

Working on the set of 9-9-09 was a real treat. Howard and the crew moved with proficiency and aesthetics that now shows in the final product. I was in the diner scene, sitting at the counter between the two ACTORS . A few takes, each one getting better, and I felt more comfortable. I tried to time my movements so they were the same each take, wow, that took some concentration! The script supervisor, taking notes on continuity to make sure things aligned for editing, reminded me to eat the fries with my right hand, and I did eat the fries, lots of them......Lawrence Rebeiro

Chuck Carter, Actor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:52:17 -0700

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Chuck: Well I was born in Hammond, IN. And at 12 years old my family moved to Chicago and at 18 I moved to L.A to pursue acting. Acting isn’t something I always wanted to do. I really wanted to fly jets in the Air Force. Acting kind of just happened. I have had a blessed career so far. I have been able to support myself solely from acting for the past 6 years. I thank God for that.

As for how I got involved, that’s easy, I AUDITIONED!

Tell us about your role in the movie.

CC: I play Stooley, who is a bit of a dork but a pretty intelligent guy. I like to think Stooley had some sex appeal but that’s just me. Ha.

In your own words, what is the film about?

CC: There’s a blood sucking wormy leachy thing taking over people and controlling them. It is on the loose in the town and a brave few must battle them.

Kelly Pendygraft, Actor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:51:30 -0700

Kelly Pendygraft plays “Sarah Prescott” as an octogenarianand as a young woman.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Kelly Pendygraft: I’m originally from Louisville, KY and was involved in theatre throughout college. I moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of an acting career and became active behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera.

I worked in wardrobe, makeup and craft services departments until I started developing my commercial resume. I've had my fair share of managers and theatrical agents but only one commercial agent who is the best agent anyone could ever have. I then started getting small parts here and there in bigger budget movies and landed a few lead roles in indie films. I met my current manager while becoming involved with two other actors developing our own show called Watersigns.

Tell us about your role in the movie.

Production Workflow

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:48:59 -0700

The movie was photographed using a Panasonic HDX900 camera, with Fujinon 6.6-101 zoom lens.

The production tapes were captured into Final Cut Pro using a Panasonic

AJ1400 deck and a 17” MacBook Pro, and stored on a GTechnology 2 TB hard drive, and similar back up.

Editing was done on the editors lap top and tower, and the back up drive was sent to the effects compositor.

Music was produced on a Logic Pro system, and final mix was also on Logic Pro.

Color correction, titles and end credits were accomplished on a Apple G5 FCP system, using Digital Film Tools 55 mm plug ins. Final color correction was done on a Baselight system.

HTV post did down conversions, for festivals, and Digital Jungle did conversions for distribution.

Bryan Brewer Actor, Writer, Co-Producer

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:47:30 -0700

Bryan Brewer plays anti-hero Deke in 9-9-09. Bryan also wrote the script.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Bryan Brewer: Getting into this business wasn't something I planned on. I was trained since the age of three in combat fighting and various martial arts, mainly Wu Shu. Growing up we were pretty poor, so my way out was joining the military. When I was 16 my uncle passed away. At his funeral a cousin asked me if I ever thought about modeling. I said no, I wanted to be a hero. She suggested I could make a lot of money. Being 5'10" my career as a male model would be very limited, so it was suggested I try acting. I tried out and I guess I wasn't as bad as I thought because I started working. That's kind of how it all started.

Tell us about your role in the movie.

BB. I play Deke who is pretty much the anti-hero. He returns home from a 10-year prison sentence but the only problem is nobody wants him back. His mom, former girlfriend, the sheriff and the rest of the town pretty much tell him to leave. Ironically, Deke is forced to stay in the town and he becomes the hero.

Richard Miranda, Creature EFX

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:46:15 -0700

Richard Miranda was 9-9-09’s Special Effects Artist who has worked on cult horror movies such as Nightmare on Elm Street, Army of Darkness, and Lost Boys.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Richard Miranda: I have been a Makeup/Special Effects-Makeup Artist since 1987. I have worked on everything from extremely low budget and no budget student films to very high budget movies, such as Army of Darkness, Lost Boys, one of the Nightmare on Elm Street’s, and Running Man. As a kid, I would always watch old scary movies after my parents went to bed. One of my idols was Lon Chaney, “the man of a thousand faces.” Due to an industrial accident on one of my previous jobs, I was given the opportunity to train for a new career. And the rest is history. I love what I’m doing and have fun every day. Not many people can say that.

I became part of this movie because the line producer, who I worked with before on Alone In The Dark II, contacted me about doing this film. For the creation and design of the alien worms, I met with director the director, Howard Wexler, to discuss possibilities for special effects and his vision of the design of the worms and it was up to me to make them work.

David Yates, Actor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:45:16 -0700

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

David Yates: I was walking down the street to an antique shop in Burbank and saw a sign that said auditions. I decided to check it out. They asked if I was reading for the part of Billy or Murphy, I said the smaller one and they told me that was Murphy. So I went in and read the scene on the spot. They had me read it several times. I guess I did pretty well because I got the part.

In your own words, what is the film about?

DY: It’s a love between two people that doesn’t die despite some trying circumstances.

What was it like working on a low budget film?

DY: It was great. The food was great. The people were nice. The set was cool. I loved it.

Where there any interesting obstacles or/and creative quick thinking on the set?

DY: There was a scene where I had an alien crawl up my leg and they were trying to fix the string so the alien went up inside my pants. We were standing in the middle of a road and I was asked to take down my pants. I was going commando that day and was hesitant to pull down my pants. I told the special effects guy, so we ended up going behind a large truck so he could fix the effect. I came back around the corner pulling up my pants and everyone cheered.

Harry J. Picardi, Co-Editor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:42:04 -0700

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Harry J. Picardi: I've known the director, Howard Wexler, for about 10 years. He was shooting features for Full Moon Entertainment and I was cutting them. He's an all around great guy. He’s kind, knowledgeable and rational. Last year he helped our movie by providing a location and filling numerous production needs. He saved the day.

In your own words, what is the film about?

HJP: KILLER SPACE SLUGS!

What was it like working on a low budget film?

HJP: Howard's a mellow guy and knows what he wants.

It was pretty painless. I enjoyed the project.

Did you learn anything about yourself or others?

HJP: After 15 plus years of filmmaking, it's still fun.

What was your favorite moment working on the film?

HJP: Seeing it come together.

What does it mean to you to be infected?

Ricki Maslar, Casting Director

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:40:51 -0700

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Ricki Maslar: I was invited on to the film by the director, Howard Wexler and producer Bryan Brewer. I have done numerous movies with Howard and I am looking forward to doing many more with Bryan.

Tell us about your role on the movie.

RM: I am the casting director. I am entrusted to find the actors that will breath life into the characters on the screen and bring the director’s vision to life.

What was it like working on a low budget film?

RM: It is a creative process that unlike films with a full budget, tests your creative ability to work through problems rather than throw money at them, which in the end makes for a better product.

Did you learn anything about yourself or others from the experience?

RM: I learned that friends are precious commodities and should be cherished. As I called friends to audition for this movie, I found that they responded to the people involved as much as they did to the story that was being told.

Cortney Lee, Actor

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:39:04 -0700

Cortney Lee plays an infected teen in 9.9.09.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, highlights of your career so far, how you got into this crazy business, and how you became involved with the movie.

Cortney Lee: For the past 10 years I have been practicing Tae Kwo Do and I have my third degree black belt. I have also won the Junior Olympics 4 times and I’ve won the international games in Korea. I also have a black belt in Gi Gum Do and Hapkido. I also love to ride and train my horse Blue “ Hannabal “ Colvig. Blue is my passion and I love him very much. We are winners of a blue ribbon at the Gold Coast 07 horse show in 2008. I got into acting by begging my dad that I wanted to be in a commercial. He finally caved in and took me to my grandpa’s old agency and I started as an actress about 4 years ago. I’ve been recently on the Disney Channel.

I got involved with 9909 because my dad and Howard Wexler were best friends long before I was born so they knew each other well and that meant Howard knew me well, so he asked me to be in his movie. Thank you Howard!

Andrew Durbin, EFX

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:48:11 -0700

Explain your work on 9909.

Andrew Durbin: I used a variety of tools, including Shake, After Effects, Photoshop, Motion, Maya 2008, Syntheyes, and Mental Ray.

I started with a chrome ball on the set to capture the real world environment lighting. It was mostly cloudy which works out well for CG. I also took texture and reference shots to be used later for blowing up the house, the car, creature texture, and backplates for the house. I worked alone on the project for 5 months, every day including weekends to get the shots done. This means I have seen most of the actors everyday for 5 months. So if you see someone staring at you with that "how do I know this person”? look on their face. It is probably me.

Most of my work you do not see because it was wire removal for the practical creatures. One shot was very difficult because it had little reference for getting a clean backplate and I had to trace it by hand frame by frame. Most of the other wireframes, I stabilized the shot

and used the clean back plate to remove the wires.

Sound Design

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:19:23 -0700

The first shot of the film is a representation of an asteroid or meteor hurtling thru space, apparently towards earth. Although the musical score is dramatic at this point, we were looking to add something etherial and strange, as this shot sets the tone for the film.

Is their sound in space?

The sound effect heard are radio waves that NASA’s Cassini spacecraft detected near Jupiter, in the thin gas of charged particles that fills the space between the Sun and its planets. The waves are in low radio frequencies, which have been converted to sound waves to make the patterns audible.

The sounds are oddly like our creatures that appear later in the film....

Almost every scene has some sound effect added, to hide the ambient city noise or to embellish the emotion and content.

A persistent squeak inside the jail is characteristic of a small town that is slightly behind on its maintenance, and that feeling is echoed in the slight squeal coming from the Sheriff’s car brakes.

The pin ball machine in the diner was not working, so the sound effect was added. Traffic outside the diner location was loud and inconsistent, so truck horns and auto pass bys were added.