Harwich Moon Movie Will Be Filmed In Crowell’s Pit

by William F. Galvin

            HARWICH – It was a bit of a meet and greet, and an opportunity for Jay Weisman, director, writer and producer of “Shockwave/Darkside,” to make some connections in town. He laid out plans for a movie project in Harwich last week at the Harwich Junior Theatre.

            The feature-length movie will be a 21^st Century science-fiction genre film set on the moon. With the earth’s natural resources depleted, an absence of water has forced remaining life to seek new resources on the closest satellite in the solar system –the moon.

Humanity has been split into two factions, the Unlights, a high-tech group, and the Banished, those who were driven to seek life on the moon. They are now warring on the moon over religion and for remaining vital resources.

Last week Weisman said the moon is located very near his Great Sand Lakes home. Weisman talked with Edward Crowell, owner of Crowell’s Pit in East Harwich, and gained permission to shoot the movie in the pit.

An award-winning filmmaker, Weisman recently won the award for Best American Short Film at the Avignon Film Festival and the Best Short Based on Originality and Experimentation award at the Wine Country Film Festival for his World War II drama, “Surveillances.”

            Weisman lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Cynthia, but has a home in Great Sand Lakes, where he wrote the script for the movie this past winter. A third draft will be available this summer, he said. Weisman is a graduate of the Film and Television Department of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. His background is in special effects.

            Using concept art, digital set extensions and off-the-shelf technology, Weisman said the events filmed in the sand pit will be transformed into the moonscape. He showed the results of a transformation shot in a Brewster sand pit.

            “Why make a scifi movie set on the moon in Harwich?” Weisman asked rhetorically. “We love it here. It’s a crazy enough idea so it might work.”

            The movie director gathered last Tuesday with community representatives, including Police Chief William Mason, Town Administrator James Merriam, Deputy Fire Chief Norman Clarke and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandra Davidson. A host of additional guests were also in attendance.

            “We want to talk to as many people as we can,” Weisman said. “We understand coming into town we don’t want to disrupt anything. We want to make it worthwhile and fun.”

            Richard Waystack said the last couple of movies filmed in the area “left a bad taste in our mouths.” There was discussion about bills not being paid when the film company moved on.

            “I live here,” Weisman said. “This in our hearts is an exercise in meeting everybody. I don’t want to alienate everybody.”

            Weisman said the production will be small and will require six to eight nights of shooting in January.  January nights are longer and there should be no winter moths around to disrupt filming, he added.

            It’s a small cast, the director said of the focus on five actors in armored suits doing battle and another 10-person support group. It will be low impact on the community, Weisman said.

            There appears to be some benefit for HJT, said Tamara Harper. Weisman concurred there are opportunities for a few internships for theater students, and the HJT may be used as a green screen stage for a few scenes. Harper said the HJT stage is dark during the month of January.

            Davidson said Harwich is a creative community and the movie compliments the creative economy efforts underway. It would provide more arts and culture to build it on, she said. The chamber director also said it would give restaurants and lodging accommodations a boost at a slow time of the year.

            “We like to be supportive or the creative arts,” Merriam said after the meeting. 

            Both Davidson and Waystack asked how the community could help with the project. Weisman said they will need help and donations. A computer or nine would be helpful, he said. Porto johns, food, electricity, a generator and cash donations would also be appreciated. He also said coffee for those long winter nights would be helpful.

Weisman said he has raised some money for the project, which he estimated would cost somewhere between $25,000 and $250,000. He said they will be doing actor auditions in New York and Los Angles and who is hired, will be dictated by the budget.

The presentation was well received by town officials. The deputy fire chief said he was impressed and they stand ready to help wherever needed.

“There is an amazing ground swell of good will I honestly don’t find in New York or L.A.,” Weisman said of the way the community has embraced his project.

5/8/08