"Orbis Romanus", click here to watch the full 22 minute film ...free.

Next stop Tupelo!

Crossroads Film Festival 2009

Orbis will screen Sunday afternoon at Crossroads. Hope to see you there Sunday, April 5th.

Edward

ORBIS ROMANUS is an Official Selection into the 10th Crossroads Film Festival, April 2-5th 2009


Praise for Orbis Romanus:

"This is one of the best shorts I have ever seen. It is so great to see something this heroic and monumental and pithy in a short. Perhaps there is a morphic resonance finally emerging that will bring the public into a deep dialogue on war through this film. I have just finished making a film about the present effects of the Holocaust and needless to say it was ironic and wonderful to connect with the same theme from a time in the distant past."

Micheley Angelina
Film Producer, NYC

"The importance of one soul must never be underestimated."
Dr. Darryl Wheat, PH.D.

"Orbis Romanus" is a strong solid example of Independent film making in it's purest form. Saint Pe' stood out in the lead role, both physically and emotionally believable as a Roman soldier. The supporting cast deserves a nod as well. Everyone on the screen were completely dedicated to their roles. If you have a chance to see it, don't miss the opportunity. I look forward to seeing what Saint Pe' has to offer in the future."

He Said
Hesaidshesaidmoviereviews.com

"Though new to film making, Saint Pe' has worked in television his whole life....and it shows. He is at ease in front of the camera and behind it. The film is beautiful to watch."

She Said
hesaidshesaidmoviereviews.com

"Takes realism to the next level."

David Creel
Beautiful Magazine

"Can the change of one detail alter the course of history ? The movie packs in quite a bit of incident and characterization. Saint Pe' and Cruz thoroughly look the part of Legionaries. Heather Thurgood is eerie as the ambiguously motivated "see-ress" who offers saint Pe's character "Saturius" an unwelcome glimpse of things to come."

Dr. Michael Gleason
Classics & History Department
Millsaps College

Orbis is:

Edward Saint Pe's first film, it's an alternate take on the Roman ambush at Teutenburg forest in 9 AD, where German tribesmen surprised the Romans and within three days slaughtered the 15th, 16th and 17th Roman Legions. About 15,000 troops died at Teutenburg. Historians agree that this massive defeat stopped Rome from it's planned conquest of Germania. This allowed, they also agree, for Germany's development apart from the rest of "Romanized" western Europe...a more nationalistic state...a state which trans-morphed in time into the Third Reich.

Saint Pe's screenplay asks: "What If"....one soldier learned of the German ambush and attempted to alert his General, preventing him from marching into the trap....If he succeeds, could history be altered ? Could millions who later died in the wars and holocausts to come have been spared?

The DVD also contains 15 minutes of behind the scenes video of the actual shoot and the rehearsals prior to the shoot. It's a unique perspective on the making of a film.

As a BONUS feature to round out the experience... we have also included one of the public domain films from our library, "Gladiators Seven". This film was one of the original Italian "Sword and Sandals" movies. I choose this one because it has been reviewed well...The NY Times said: "It moves"...and is considered to be one of the better films in it's genre. A genre we boys who were tweens in the 60's just loved, of course many of us still do.


Here is what the NY Times said about "Gladiators 7"

"It MOVES, a straight storyline with no dalliances, some burly humor, crisp dialog and performances that fit. The color backgrounds are clean and sweeping and spectacle is used only to spur the plot ahead. For the year A.D. 1 it travels by jet, with no detours.

Orbis Romanus...trailer video below...

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Millsaps and Pi(e) Lounge both provide full houses for screening of "Orbis Romanus"

Millsaps provided a full house for the screening of Orbis on Oct 8th '09...thanks to Dr Gleason and the entire Classics Dept for having us...and thanks to all the folks who came out...

Rhonda Richmond (L)...slated to portray "Mogundo" in "Gate To Valhalla" speaks with Writer / Director of "Valhalla", Edward Saint Pe' at the Pi(e) Lounge screening...."Gate To Valhalla" is set to shoot in late December '08....

The Pi(e) Lounge screening was SRO ...thanks to Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal for hosting us....we had David Cruz...Heather Thurgood and Tim Leblanc from the cast on hand...thanks to everyone who came out to support my film.

"Orbis Romanus" to be screened at Millsaps College, Oct 8th at 7pm.....

The first Jackson public screening of "Orbis" will be presented by Milsaps College, 1701 N State St ... Academic Complex 215....in Jackson on October 8th at 7pm...limited seating is available so get there early ...ph 601-974-1000

After the film there will be an audience Q and A interchange with the actors and the screenwriter...Then...AFTER the Millsaps screening...the public is invited to a cast after-party and second live screening of "Orbis Romanus" at 9pm at Pi(e) Lounge...inside Sal and Mookies in Fondren....

Both events are free to the public.

A successful first screening on August 7th

The first screening on August 7th was a success...we were part of the Indie Fest at State Theatre in Starkville...not a competition...but rather a showcase of Mississippi film-makers...16 films were shown...

Heather Thurgood / The See-ress...... David Allen Cruz / Vespa ...Edward Saint Pe' / Saturius and Lois Lovelady, Associate Producer were among the many in attendance...

We had a full house ...and at the end of the showcase when Orbis hit the screen ...and again after the showing...we had enthusiastic applause...it was a special moment for me...

Orbis Romanus ...August 7th first Screening at State Theatre in Starkville, MS as part of the Mississipi Indie Fest

Orbis Romanus...December '07 dress rehersal in the Germainian forest of Brandon

we have "Picture Lock"...no more changes...and the sound is at Sam Watson's....he will EQ it and Mix...also add more foley..and special sound effex...Sam did the Sound Design for "Ballast"...which WON at Sundance this year....

We should have the new sound mixed into the film by the end of this week.

New Trailer (06/24/2008)

NEW TRAILER ABOVE..

David Orr in on the edit

David Orr...an award winning film maker ....from Mississippi..who worked for years in the business in Los Angeles...is in for the second week on the final edit,,,,paring down the scenes with Zachary Howell...quicker cuts....editing dialog...

The film moves much faster now...and I am really happy with the input from David...
And am greatly indebted to him...for taking the time to lend his expertise....and Zach Howell ...thank you so much...for your effort on Orbis... their efforts have made it a much better film than it otherwise would have been...

We will post another trailer he is working on over the next few days...
While working on the edit...it's been apparent to the editors..and myself....that we had some totally in the zone acting on Orbis...David Cruz as Vespa was on his game...and Heather Thurgood...was really tip top ... I am so proud of them ...

One more week of adding Foley...and music...then Sam Watson will do the final sound mix....THEN we should be finished ...and we can start the film fest submission process...Should have the final film in house by....July 4th ...sort of poetic...

Orbis Romanus Trailer - 30sec. Edit is done...

Well...this is the day I have been looking forward to...we have a "Picture Lock"....no more changes to the edited film...tomorrow we tweak the over-all sound... and we should be able to render it out to DVD format to start sending to the various Film Fests....

What a collaborative effort making a movie is...as I've worked on assembling the cast and crew for the credits....I've realized just how many folks put their heart and soul into this film short....and what a learning experience....incredible....One thing I know now..as a father of three...with the kids all gone ...and in college...this empty nester will make movies for whatever time God the Father grants me on this earth...however ...whenever...wherever...I will Write...Act...and Direct....just find a way to make movies...it's something I've found....that needed to come out...a way to find expression...and after a long time ...seemingly bottled up...in various areas of the media...who knew ?

I will keep updating this Blog....with info on the Festivals we enter and how we do in them...and to update the next project...I'm writing it now..."working title "Gate to Valhalla"... your usual Dark Ages saga......and hope to be shooting later this Fall...maybe October or November...in the forests of Germania...I mean Brandon.

Orbis Romanus Trailer - 45sec.

Orbis film trailer posted this week...

Now that we are at the end of the edit...we will cut a short trailer and post it to the site ...should be up by Wednesday 6-11-08....

The edit looks good...we all like it...and good comments from those that have dropped by to see it...Zachary...who has been by my side on the edit for the duration... and I both now have films to enter into the film fests out there...he wrote and Directed "The Devil and Tom Walker" ...we shot it in March...he cast me in that film...I was just finished with Orbis...and rearing to go....so we plan to enter the fests together as the Mississippi contingency....wish us luck...I will post everything we enter...and how we do here on this blog...


I am in the 3rd draft of the new screenplay I have been working on...presently titled..."Gate to Valhalla"....it will be shot..I hope this Fall...and so RIGHT NOW I AM THINKING ABOUT CASTING...I plan on using my main players from Orbis in the lead roles...but we will need a "Black Warrior Elf"....so I am looking for that....and a man to play the "King of Mortal-Dom"...and 3 "Knights of Mortal-Dom"....This time I do hope to find some dwarves...since we need them for one specific scene...also an older... wise ..."Wizard of Fallingwater"...

Valhalla will be another costume drama...this one set ...in the Dark Ages...when Druids and the Elvish Warriors of the forest still lived...

Only a few tweaks left....it's done....I will keep you updated on the first film festival we enter...

Edit is done..we are tweaking it now

Zach Howell and Edward in the Edit Bay with Final Cut and Avid at NWN Studios.

Zach Directed and Shot "The Devil and Tom Walker" back in March....'08...I was coming off the Orbis shoot and roaring to get back in front of the camera...

Zach cast me as "The devil"...in his film...Holy Toledo ! I did not realize I was capable of such diabolical action...well...it's really in all of us...but if you're acting in a film...you can express it...without any repercussions !

Thanks Zach ...
Zach and I will be entering our films together in multiple film fests ...together as a sort of United Front of Mississippi writers/directors...more on Zach's film at this Blog ... www.thedevilandtomwalker.blogspot.com

This week we're getting in three days of editing...Wed ...Thurs and Fri....
we've been tweaking and changing a lot of things...should have a real idea of what the film looks like by the end of this week...

I got a chance to write this past weekend...in New Orleans...I sequester in CC's Coffee Shop Royal at St Phillip and write...I got in about 16 hrs toward the new script between Sat and Sunday... the 2nd draft is done...I am starting the pre-production right now...I have some of the main roles filled....using actors from Orbis...and will get the scripts out next week...

Saturius calls for reinforcements from the front....

The first rough edit is done ...it's been about a year that I've been working on the project...and what a great journey...thanks to everyone who has worked on it...first Lois...who believes in me...that is what makes all the difference...also...Heather...and David Allen...Austin and Matt...all the actors..and the set design folks...Jerel...and Mary...and here at the end...thanks the Zach Howell...for coming in to help me edit...the one thing I think I had not planned enough for as Producer....but ...I have learned a few lessons which I will remember going forward ...you've just gotta love this stuff in the end...making a movie...the love of it is what makes the difference...the passion for it is what gets you through it...anything for that matter I guess...Zach and I met back in March '08 ...he was doing his own film..."The Devil and Tom Walker"...and he cast me as "Old Scratch"...in that one..so we worked together...and he's about as crazy for this stuff as I have become...so it's to me sort of poetic that we are doing the final edit on my project together....

As a "producer" ...which I guess I have always been as the guy behind our daily TV Weather project....whether I realized it or not....it's in the end up to you...to get the product produced..and to market...despite the obstacles...and finally the last road block...the edit..is conquered....

The whole film making process is such a wonderful creative joy...writing...producing...and for me the greatest thing was being able to act...to find out that I could pull it out of myself....and really revel in it....it's like finding a piece of myself that I knew was missing ...from a creative standpoint...as a singer....i found a creative outlet...but was out of my element...as an actor...and film-maker I find a creative outlet within the context of the camera...which I have been working with from a different angle...ie the weather / news biz...for 20 years....

I think this first rough edit will take another month or so to finalize...and so we shall be ready to enter the film fest submission time frame in June or July...which means we will actually be in a fest in the Fall of '08 at the earliest...so that is the plan...

Meanwhile I am working on the next screenplay....this one set in medieval times...when the civilized kingdom discovers that a tribe of warrior elves are living deep in the forest...of course the mortals must act to destroy these "forest people'....the problem is that the tribe is comprised of immortal magicians...
Likely another short narrative film for the film fest circuit...I want to shoot this in the Fall of '08...possibly October...when it's cooler and we have fall foliage...
I plan to Direct this one ...and am thinking about Casting right now...I have about 25 pages done...so the first draft is complete...I will go thru a few re-writes till I am happy with it then start to pre-produce....I will be writing this weekend...