(Arlington, Virginia) Middle Earth is coming to the Washinton D.C. metro area. Opening Act Productions, an independent film production company, is gathering area crew and talent to make The Fellowship, a feature-length film about online gamers who go on a Lord of the Rings-like journey to a gaming competition. It’s a fan film for fans, but one that’s fun for the whole family and general audiences also will enjoy.
“We think it’s a film that definitely has an audience,” says Ron Newcomb, co-founder of OAP. “Every gamer and LOTR fan we talk to says they want to see our film.”
“We’ve been working on this project a long time. It’s our dream to make this film, and we’re excited to work with local talent. The D.C. area definitely has what it takes to make films equal to Hollywood.”
The film really is an area-wide undertaking. The principles of OAP come from Woodbridge, Reston and Alexandria, with many others joining them from around the region.
Not only are they geographically dispersed, but Ron, Scott Mathias and Shane McClung have diverse backgrounds too—a former minister, police officers and newspaper editor, as well as current IT and marketing professionals. They have also been involved in the D.C. area independent film community for years, making shorts, directing another feature-length film, leading a group of over 500 filmmakers and enthusiasts and hosting training courses for local indie filmmakers.
This wide-ranging experience with film, business and people will help them make The Fellowship a success, especially during these challenging times.
“The economy maybe dim, but this film is fun and uplifting,” says McClung. “We’ve done our due diligence, we have a budget that works, and we’re bringing together investors and the talented people we know. We’re bringing jobs to Virginia. This is a great opportunity for investors, partners and fans.”
Co-founder Mathias adds, “You don’t play an online game because it’s easy. That would be boring. You want a little challenge. What would Lord of the Rings be without the overwhelming odds? Like the kids in our film, this is our journey.”
The Fellowship is currently in development and completing financing. Principal photography is set for August in Northern Virginia.
Opening Act Productions, LLC, is a privately-owned, Northern Virginia-based independent film company. It produces high-quality, innovative and entertaining theatrical motion pictures that also are thought-provoking, and ultimately, inspiring. OAP’s first feature-length project is The Fellowship. For more on OAP and The Fellowship, see www.openingactproductions.com or www.thefellowshipmovie.com.
