Film crew seeking local actors for movie, auditions set for next week
By GREG LITTLE/publisher@gonzalesinquirer.com
A filmmaker says the economy of Gonzales is going to get a big boost later this month when a movie is made locally.
"I'm going to show something that has never been shown on film," said filmmaker Sonny Solomon.
What he is going to show, Solomon said, is the plight of Latino women who are abused from the time they are children through adulthood. But in this case, Solomon said it will "glorify Latino women."
The movie is titled "Two guns, one woman, no love," and is set mainly in a prison. The old jail in Gonzales is going to be used as the main backdrop for the movie.
Famed actress Salma Hayek will play the prison warden, said Solomon.
He said the story is about a girl in Mexico whose father is a serial killer. When the woman grows up, she is framed and brought to Texas, facing the death penalty on bogus charges.
The movie will be in English with subtitles in Spanish as well as many other languages, he said. The time frame of the movie is from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Solomon stressed this is a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) approved project. He said it will be sent to movie theatres by United Film Distributors, the largest distributor in the industry. That will be for eight weeks and then it will be distributed on DVD.
Solomon said his family roots run deep in acting and his mother was actress Lee Patrick. She appeared in such movies as "The Maltese Falcon" and "Pillow Talk."
Solomon said his grandfather is Jay Silverheels, who portrayed "Tonto" in the long-running Lone Ranger television series.
Solomon said they are looking for local actors to be in the film. Casting will be held Monday and Tuesday at J.B. Wells Park. It will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. He said 300 individuals will be cast for the movie.
There will be 40 major roles cast, 25 minor supporting roles and three major child roles. He said there will be 220 extras.
Extras, he said, will be paid SAG wages, something he called a first in Texas. Extras will earn $121.64 per day plus be given three meals.
Solomon said he is asking the local Chamber of Commerce office to arrange the catering, which he said will be $175,000 pumped into the local economy. He estimated up to $3 million will be pumped into the local economy during the filming.
Shooting will start on Aug. 21, he said, and should last six weeks. He said the movie will likely be released around Christmas time.
Asked about the content of the movie, Solomon said it will be rated R because of strong language, sexual content and violence.
"The prison scenes would not be realistic without strong language," said Solomon.
He said there will be no nudity in the film.
"I have made a lot of movies and there has never been nudity," he said.
Solomon said he estimates there will be well over 300 people in town in addition to a large number of support crew as well as a large camera crew.
Besides the jail, he said scenes will be shot in various places around Gonzales, including the river, Independence Park, some local homes as well as businesses.
"We have great respect for the city of Gonzales," said Solomon.
He also said they will make a "sizeable donation" to both the city and county.
"We want to film here," he said.
Solomon said he looked at 90 jails around Texas before deciding on the old jail in Gonzales.
He said what really intrigued him about this jail is the fact it has been left intact, including graffiti on the walls.
"What it says is this jail is incredible," said Solomon.
For more information about Solomon, you can go towww.slatecast.com/DXPHZOKE.
"I'm going to show something that has never been shown on film," said filmmaker Sonny Solomon.
What he is going to show, Solomon said, is the plight of Latino women who are abused from the time they are children through adulthood. But in this case, Solomon said it will "glorify Latino women."
The movie is titled "Two guns, one woman, no love," and is set mainly in a prison. The old jail in Gonzales is going to be used as the main backdrop for the movie.
He said the story is about a girl in Mexico whose father is a serial killer. When the woman grows up, she is framed and brought to Texas, facing the death penalty on bogus charges.
The movie will be in English with subtitles in Spanish as well as many other languages, he said. The time frame of the movie is from the 1940s to the 1960s.
Solomon stressed this is a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) approved project. He said it will be sent to movie theatres by United Film Distributors, the largest distributor in the industry. That will be for eight weeks and then it will be distributed on DVD.
Solomon said his family roots run deep in acting and his mother was actress Lee Patrick. She appeared in such movies as "The Maltese Falcon" and "Pillow Talk."
Solomon said his grandfather is Jay Silverheels, who portrayed "Tonto" in the long-running Lone Ranger television series.
Solomon said they are looking for local actors to be in the film. Casting will be held Monday and Tuesday at J.B. Wells Park. It will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. He said 300 individuals will be cast for the movie.
There will be 40 major roles cast, 25 minor supporting roles and three major child roles. He said there will be 220 extras.
Extras, he said, will be paid SAG wages, something he called a first in Texas. Extras will earn $121.64 per day plus be given three meals.
Solomon said he is asking the local Chamber of Commerce office to arrange the catering, which he said will be $175,000 pumped into the local economy. He estimated up to $3 million will be pumped into the local economy during the filming.
Shooting will start on Aug. 21, he said, and should last six weeks. He said the movie will likely be released around Christmas time.
Asked about the content of the movie, Solomon said it will be rated R because of strong language, sexual content and violence.
"The prison scenes would not be realistic without strong language," said Solomon.
He said there will be no nudity in the film.
"I have made a lot of movies and there has never been nudity," he said.
Solomon said he estimates there will be well over 300 people in town in addition to a large number of support crew as well as a large camera crew.
Besides the jail, he said scenes will be shot in various places around Gonzales, including the river, Independence Park, some local homes as well as businesses.
"We have great respect for the city of Gonzales," said Solomon.
He also said they will make a "sizeable donation" to both the city and county.
"We want to film here," he said.
Solomon said he looked at 90 jails around Texas before deciding on the old jail in Gonzales.
He said what really intrigued him about this jail is the fact it has been left intact, including graffiti on the walls.
"What it says is this jail is incredible," said Solomon.
For more information about Solomon, you can go towww.slatecast.com/DXPHZOKE.
Thanks for the lunch offer..and yes, you did pull me in..LOL..
