By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The Lovecraftian indie production is emerging nearly two decades after it first began.
Producer/editor Alan Rowe Kelly gave us the first look at the trailer and some images from SITE 13, which began as a found-footage chiller shot in 2003 by director Tony Urban (KOTTENTAIL, KLOWNZ). After Urban retired from filmmaking, the project was shelved, but his co-writer and star Nathan Faudree never forgot about it. “Flash forward 13 years, and I was still haunted by the hard work everyone had done for the film,” Faudree says. “I contacted Tony with the idea of letting me write and film a present-day portion of the movie and use the old footage as flashback material. Tony quickly agreed, happy to give the film a new life, and this would become one of those films with the bold description of ‘13 years in the making!’ I crafted a script that incorporated the 2003 footage into a present-day story featuring a recurring character.”
The synopsis of the feature that resulted: “When Dr. Nathan Marsh [Faudree] wakes up in a mental institution from a 10-year catatonic state, he is forced to relive his last expedition by watching recorded tapes from the site visit. Guided by his doctor [Katie Gibson] and caretaker [Leila Dean], Dr. Marsh learns of the eldritch horrors he has unleashed on the world.” The cast also includes Kelly Ray Shelton, Nichole McFarlane and John Wisniewski.
“By blending material from two time periods into one movie, SITE 13 explores myth, legacy and madness over the course of a decade,” Faudree continues. “The present-day portion was filmed in the Syracuse area using an incredible crop of regional theater talent and the crew from WatchWorks Studios, led by producer/cinematographer Chris Steinberger and producer Megan Piechowicz. In postproduction, indie horror star Alan Rowe Kelly gave the film a whole new scope with his invaluable storytelling skills, and a couple of additional days of photography helped merge the two films into one. This was a unique film experience that I am incredibly proud of!”
SITE 13 is now out to festivals, and its creators hope to announce screenings soon. You can follow the movie on Facebook and Instagram.
