US indie made in Pampanga

RUSSELL Williams

The international indie film, “Darkest Night,” traces its beginnings to cyberspace.

Kuala Lumpur-based American writer-producer Russ Williams posted an ad on www.mandy.com, a movie production website for job listings.

Filipino director Noel Tan, who has worked on TV shows and music videos, answered the ad and made it to the short list of six. He eventually topped the selection process, besting aspirants from Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

Williams said Tan’s résumé had impressed him. “Noel has a lot of experience and, more importantly, he’s open to a collaborative working relationship between writer and director.”

For 10 days, the “Darkest Night,” described by Williams as a Gothic drama, was shot in Floridablanca, Pampanga, with an international cast led by American DJ Perry, French-Filipina Anne Gauthier, Malaysian Justin Chan and Filipinos Marife Necesito, Issa Liton and Jonas Gruet.

Perry, who has worked in indies and studio films in the United States, thoroughly enjoyed the Pampanga shoot. “We were there in the summer,” he said. “It was hot!” Still, he noted, the cast and crew seemed inspired. “We all worked hard. It wasn’t a simple script.”

Tan explained: “Our story follows 17 characters.”

DJ PERRY and Anne Gauthier

“I had a wonderful time just the same,” Perry said. “I’ve traveled to different places, but have yet to meet people as warm and friendly as Filipinos.”

He loved the food, too. “I’m a pretty adventurous eater,” he admitted. “Every day, the crew brought a new dish for me.” Thus, the Michigan-bred actor sampled dinuguan, daing and the inevitable balut. “I love eggs—poached, deviled or hard-boiled,” he said. “But I had yet to sample duck embryo.”

His Filipino hosts posted on YouTube a video of Perry eating balut with Chan. “Everyone thought the Asian guy would’ve no problem and I’d be squeamish,” Perry recounted. The exact opposite happened. “Justin was whining. For me, however, it was not a ‘Fear Factor’ thing,” said Perry. “The texture was a bit weird, but it was delicious!”

The same audacious spirit seems to guide his film choices. “As an actor, I’m always looking for cutting-edge films,” Perry said. Needless to say, he welcomes working in unfamiliar terrain, like the Philippines. This was a win-win situation, Perry insisted. “We were introduced to Filipino culture and the Philippines will be seen and discovered by other filmmakers who may want to shoot here.”