It's my favorite time of year; mid-June means my upcoming birthday, summer fashion, and of course the Los Angeles Film Festival. It's the time when all us filmies get together and talk scripts, acting and BUDGETS. And if you're in the industry, you already know how "budgets" are central to the outcome of a movie. 

So in honor the film festival, I will be telling you about the film projects that are currently in production or pre-production, with low budgets yet really high talent. 
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The first of these is a web series. The artist who is my friend Jayme Roxann Wright wrote a short called Hearts on the Knees. She is both writing and first-time directing this series. 

Witchy Ways is about a girl from a small-town in Missouri who comes to Los Angeles after her mother dies. She discovers through her late mother's letters and belongings, that she is a witch. The comedy episodic will star Brooke Vallone, who also starred in Hearts and will showcase her vocal talent in the series.

I interviewed my friend Roxanne (Roxy) who is the writer and director for "Witchy Ways", so she could tell you what you can expect from the beguiling series.

FC: What was the inspiration for starting this project?

JRW: I have always wanted to do an extension of Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic. A telling of the pagan craft or way of life that is sometimes termed Wicca, Magick, or Witchraft. I have studied the Craft since I was very young and really wanted to show what it would be like for someone who doesn't know anything about it to go through the steps of training while trying to adjust to living in a new place etc. 

FC: Tell us about "Witchy Ways".
  
JRW: "Witchy Ways" is a web series that will be viewable free for the first three episodes then will move to a pay per view download site from there. We have a great cast mixed with several levels of talent. We will showcase some great bands, the lead Brooke Vallone will be singing alot, and it has a very relevant story line. The key will be to showcase the craft in a somewhat more realistic and quirky way than being all serious with VFX and dark sinister overtones. Think The Craft before everyone went bonkers. 

FC: What has been your greatest challenge with the film?

JRW: The greatest challenge has been making sure that we have a high production quality while keeping the costs low. I have a great cinematographer that works with me and some really great sound and lighting crew as well. We don't want this to feel staged or amateur but we are doing it on a minimal budget.

FC: Who is your main character?


JRW: The main character is Esmeralda, a young woman who moves to Los Angeles after her mother dies. She is somewhat sheltered from a really small town named Nixa, Missouri. When she arrives she discovers through a letter from her mother nestled in her belongings that she is a witch and that she must learn that way of life because it will be imperative for her future. Aside from dealing with nosey neighbors, visions, some small attempts at telekinesis, and the fact that her estranged brother dumps her equally gifted niece on her doorstep, Esme is also navigating a new city, trying to figure out the craft, and has the sneaking suspicion that something very bad is heading her way.


FC: Tell us about you. 





JRW: I am a writer first and foremost, but also a producer. This is my first directing project. I currently run my own very small production company and am partnered in another two production companies, as well as a film developing and packaging firm. I ghost write and am still working on my lifelong dream of being a novelist. I pretty much write everyday. As a single mother of a 7 year old, I do everything from home for the most part. I really love film and television, but with film am waiting for the day that the writer is revered instead of treated as a persona non grata in the industry. My goal is to maintain a  vision from inception to production that doesn't betray itself.
FC: What do you think people would appreciate about your series?

JRW: I think people will love Esme the lead characters quirkiness, her heart, and her singing. I have brought in some really colorful characters to antagonize her, and some really great friends to help her along her way. In light of the extreme version of witches that are accompanying the vampires and werewolves on tv now, we wanted to give a different approach but one that might still address the same fan base.




This crafty web series will the talk of the town once its out there, so jump on the broom, er bandwagon early by visiting their Kickstarter or Facebook page. 

How do you feel about a web series with witches set in LA? What kind of indie series or film are you waiting for?
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