Horror in the theatre

Gory scenes filmed in Dunnville

By KAREN BEST CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Posted 3 years ago

Blood flowed and cameras rolled as Michael Maloney projected pain and shock on the Dunnville Community Theatre stage.

For his character, Steve, the hike was the worst experience in his life. On the trail, he came upon a hospital and a wounded woman. While administering first aid, he too was injured. Red liquid gushed from tubes under his shirt.

This scene in the movie, Envelop, was 10 pages long but Maloney, who is the publicist for the Dunnville Community Theatre (DCT), had only a dozen lines. In preparation for his part, he was sprayed with baby oil to simulate sweat and was asked to slather himself in dust.

"I don't know how it will come together," he said after the Aug. 5 shoot.

During his scene, he was in a tiny room acting hurt. "You have no other frame of reference so it becomes real. So it helps you act better," he said.

Maloney has acted as an extra in films including Hilary Swank's Amelia but this was the first time he had a speaking role in a movie. Accustomed to emoting with his entire body in theatre, he found living out a character created by director and producer Lucas Labrecque was extremely different.

"On a real level, you just are that person," said Maloney.

Details matters in a movie. Looking over a cameraman's shoulder, he saw that the focus was sometimes tight and zeroed in on darting eyes and hand movements.

Once shooting started last week, Labrecque, associate producer Timothy Pearce Brown, second unit camera Tram Goode and Peter Mander of Kre-8 FX worked hard for ten hours, said Maloney. Scenes were done over and over as cameras were moved to film from three angles.

"You really don't have any concept of what the end product will be," said Maloney. "I was impressed with how they did their craft. Some day I'm going to say 'I know them'."

Even the weakest actor was great, he said. Both Brown and Vicki Jenkins, who play the main roles, were intense and drew on emotions, he added.

Of course unwilling to give away the story, Maloney said it will be interesting for viewers who will be led through a few plot twists.

"It's a gory adventure film but there's more to it than that," he added. "It has the potential to be shown on the big screen if the rest of the movie has quality acting."

DCT president Nancy Gimblett has yet to act out her role as Nurse Morrow opposite actor Nick Mancuso who has a lengthy list of credits including a Genie for his role in Ticket to Heaven. With a penchant for drama, crime and horror, he has also starred in episodes of Poltergeist: the Legacy, Total Recall 2070 and Matrix. He will be in Dunnville later in August to do his scenes.

On Aug. 2, Gimblett was one of 48 auditioning for an extra role in Envelop which she described as a thriller. Others selected at the casting call were Dino Sicoli of Port Colborne, Krystal Bolton of Hamilton and Amanda Jean Mountford of Toronto.

After watching the shoot earlier this month, she saw an acting style very different from the one she has employed over her 18 years in theatre. Movie acting is more up close and personal and actors only see snippets of the plot, said Gimblett who also landed an extra role in Amelia.

Fresh from behind the camera in Dunnville, Labrecque said, "The footage looks fantastic."

Later in August, the crew checked into the Haldimand War Memorial Hospital to film hospital gurneys and other equipment and settings.

While the theatre venue was the scene of the biggest shoots, others rounded out the story. Courtesy of Niagara Historic, the cast and crew had access to about six derelict buildings in old downtown Niagara Falls. Labrecque said each offered beautiful textures for filming. He said turnout for the casting call and offers for locations were the direct result of news stories in The Chronicle and in other Sun Media newspapers in the Niagara region.

"This wouldn't be possible without the people from down here," said Labrecque. "I'm thankful with the turnout. People are so welcoming."

As of Aug. 13, 25 hours of "amazing footage" was shot and "80 per cent of the movie was in the can", said Labrecque.