Two Sams Join The Assassination of Jesse James

The Edmonton sun reports that 2 outstanding actors have been cast in The Assassination of Jesse James feature film:

Warner Bros. studio is expected to confirm today that famed playwright Sam Shepard and Sam Rockwell, last seen in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, will star opposite Pitt, Casey Affleck and Mary Louise Parker in this $30 million-US duster about the murder of outlaw Jesse James by gang member Robert Ford.

Shepard, who's was also in Black Hawk Down and The Right Stuff has been to Alberta before to film Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven and Resurrection.

I think this is great news as both are outstanding actors who will certainly add even more talent to the big-budget film. The article also mentions Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel's words about respecting the cast and crew while they film in and around the area:

"As Edmonton continues to position itself as a major film location, it is important that the industry feels welcome and views Edmonton as a film-friendly, professional destination," Mandel said in a statement.

He added he is "confident the filming of The Assassination of Jesse James is a sign of great things to come in Alberta's growing film industry."

Read more at this link.

Fort Edmonton Park Key Location for Brad Pitt Western

Edmonton Economic Development Corporation released the following news release today regarding Fort Edmonton Park's use in The Assassination of Jesse James currently filming in Alberta:

EDMONTON, Aug. 30 /CNW/ - Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest historical park, will shine in the glare of the Hollywood spotlight as one of the primary locations for the western, The Assassination of Jesse James.

Brad Pitt, one of the film industry's global superstars, will play the lead in the major Warner Bros. movie that will use locations throughout Alberta beginning yesterday and continuing into the fall. The Edmonton Film Commission, operated by Edmonton Economic Development Corp. (EEDC), the Alberta Film Commission and Fort Edmonton Park partnered to bring one third of the production to Edmonton.

Other locations for this film include various rural areas in southern Alberta, Winnipeg and Calgary's Heritage Park. The set is closed to the public and media at all locations.

"Attracting a film of this magnitude to Edmonton and Alberta is a credit to the members of our film industry who have made a concerted effort to sell Edmonton as a production destination," says Mayor Stephen Mandel. "I'm confident the filming of this movie is a sign of great things to come in Alberta's growing film industry. With magnificent assets such as Fort Edmonton Park, the City of Edmonton is well poised for future opportunities."

Greater Edmonton hotels, restaurants, caterers, lumber yards, hardware stores, trades people, car rentals, transportation, personal services and other businesses all stand to benefit from the $30-million (US) production.

"This film will significantly boost global awareness of Edmonton as a major film location and travel destination," says Allan Scott, EEDC President and CEO. "The value of international media exposure garnered from this kind of production for our city and province is immeasurable."

Mayor Mandel urges all Edmontonians to warmly welcome our special guests to the city as we do with all visitors, but to please respect the cast and crew's privacy.

"As Edmonton continues to position itself as a major film location, it is important that the industry feels welcome and views Edmonton as a film-friendly, professional destination," says Mandel.

The Assassination of Jesse James is one of several major film productions in Edmonton this year, including CBS Television's The Christmas Blessing, Lifetime USA's For the Love of a Child, and CBC's Waking Walter. Other major films are considering using Edmonton's scenic settings and world-class film crews for their productions.

For more information about Greater Edmonton and its multi-million dollar film industry visit www.edmonton.com.

For further information:
Media contact(s): Jim Rudolph, Corporate Communications,
Edmonton Economic Development Corporation,
Phone: (780) 917-7894,
Toll-free: 1-800-661-6965,
Cell: (780) 722-3788,
E-mail: jrudolph@edmonton.com,
Web: www.edmonton.com/eedc

Oscar Winner at Home in the Foothills

Robert Duvall talks about filming Daughters of Joy in this article on the High River Times website:

“It’s cheap and it’s ranch country,” Duvall said of reasons for shooting in Southern Alberta.

The two-part mini-series Daughters of Joy, is set to air on the AMC network next year. The project was a perfect opportunity for Duvall to take a trip up north for the first time since working on 'Open Range', also shot in the area.

“I like the sight of the mountains,” he said.

Duvall goes on to talk about details in western films:

“You always see guys wearing double holsters on their horses in the movies, but that’s not what they did because it was too much weight,” he said.

“So now I wait until there’s a jeopardy situation to put it on.”

Duvall has enlisted area ranchers, The Bews family, to work as wranglers on the movie, and has learned a thing or two from them as well.

“When you play a cowboy you don’t slouch, you sit elegantly, but in a relaxed way,” he said.

He also pokes fun at his own words regarding Canadian talent:

As executive producer and star of Daughters of Joy, Duvall has sought out several Canadian actors for roles in the film - something he might have hesitated to do in the past.

“I made a statement before that there were no good actors up here. I eat my words,” he said.

Read more about the production at the link above!

Update: Daughters of Joy was the working title for what is now known as Broken Trail.

Photo credit: Chris Large - © 2003 Open Range Productions USA, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of imdb.com.

Thousands Show Up for Jesse James Casting Call

While not Alberta film industry news, the article at Brandon Sun is related to the production of The Assassination of Jesse James currently filming in our province:

Although the doors didn’t open until 10 a.m., the lineup started well before 8 a.m. Those who endured the wait were ushered upstairs, where their photographs were taken, applications filled out and then they were measured for costumes, and then ushered back out again.

The producers were looking for natural-looking people — men with facial hair and women, of all ages, with long hair.

People with experience with horses could have an edge, as would bartenders. Most of the film is being shot in Alberta, with five days of shooting set here in late October, in the Exchange District.

Though more than 2,000 showed up yesterday, the movie needs just 250 extras.

Sounds like the citizens of Winnipeg are just as excited about the film production as Albertans!

Calgarian Designs Costumes For The Cave

Calgarian Wendy Partridge and her associates created costumes for the feature film 'The Cave' as mentioned in this article at CANOE -- JAM! Showbiz.

Mountain Meadows Movie Being Filmed

The Deseret News features a story on September Dawn, which is being filmed in the Calgary area with Jon Voight and Lolita Davidovich. The movie is being billed as "a love story set during a tense encounter between a wagon train of settlers that faces off against a renegade Mormon group." The article talks about the film and real story behind the film:

Long viewed by historians as the darkest chapter in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the massacre of 120 men, women and children by LDS militiamen and Paiute Indians on Sept. 11, 1857, involved Arkansas emigrants following the Old Spanish Trail when they were attacked in Mountain Meadows, north of St. George. Seventeen children survived the attack.

LDS Church officials, including President Gordon B. Hinckley, have worked with state and local authorities and historians in recent years to assuage lingering animosity and memorialize the victims. The church erected a monument overlooking the site of the massacre in 1999 and held a dedication ceremony to which descendants of those involved were invited. It also reburied bones of 29 victims unearthed during construction of the monument in a separate ceremony.

In addition to the article above, more information can be found can be found at The Salt Lake Tribune.

Photo credit: Robert Zuckerman - © Disney Enterprises, Inc./Jerry Bruckheimer, Inc. All rights reserved. Courtesy of imdb.com

Stand-In For Brad Pitt

As originally published on the edmontonsun.com website:

STAND-IN FOR BRAD PITT
Graham Hicks, The Edmonton Sun
Sunday, August 28, 2005

The celebrity industry may have created a God-like aura around actor Brad Pitt. But to Brent Woolsey, Brad is a warm, decent person who's very good at what he does.

Brent will spend much time with Pitt while The Assassination of Jesse James feature movie is filmed in Fort Edmonton Park. Setup begins after the Labour Day weekend, with actual shooting starting soon thereafter.

The Nanton-area rancher, a champion team roper in his spare time, is a professional film/TV stuntman and stunt co-ordinator.

As he was in Legends of the Fall in 1994, he'll be Pitt's stunt double for the "train, horse, killin' and fightin' stuff."

"Brad's a great guy. He's as polite and nice as they get. He's a guy you'd like to sit down and BS with for a night or two. But the whole media thing takes away so much of his freedom."

As Brent has done on some 35 films, he's also stunt co-ordinator for the Jesse James film. He scouted locations with the director from an action-sequence point of view. He works with the director in planning and executing the action scenes. As those scenes draw closer, he'll likely have more direct communication with the star than anyone on the set, besides the director.

Chances are he'll be Brad Pitt's action coach rather than his double. "I suspect Brad will end up doing most of the action scenes himself," says Brent. "He likes to do them if he can. He's a physical kind of guy. But his ego's not so big that he'd do something where he could hurt himself."

Brent's on-location job is to set up the action scene and be the double for rehearsals. He then sits down with the director and Pitt to decide if the star or the double should perform the actual stunt.

If Pitt is doing it himself, Brent prepares and coaches the actor through the scene.

Brent's life as a hockey player, chuckwagon racer, stuntman and team roper is the stuff of legends unto itself - "I've never really had a job," he says.

Those are Hicks on Six stories for another day.

"What I'm really looking forward to," he says, "is going to (former team-roping champ and Friends of Pro Rodeo co-chair) Lyle Kurtz's ranch on days off to do some team roping. I'm hoping I can get to Blacklands Ranch (north of Fort Saskatchewan) for the Alberta team roping championships."

The Gang's All Here

A 'weather report' of sorts is delivered on CANOE -- JAM! Movies in regards to The Assassination of Jesse James:

Brad Pitt is like a mailman. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will keep him from delivering his lines.

Though Pitt and his fellow producers of The Assassination of Jesse James would prefer sunshine come Monday, no one is talking delays because of the weather.

"Come hell or high water we'll be filming on Monday. There are always ways to shoot around weather if you have committed actors and crew," said a spokesperson for Jesse Films.

The Assassination of Jesse James is only scheduled to shoot in the Calgary area for one week before moving to Edmonton for three weeks of shooting.

The production then returns to Calgary until Oct. 22 when it moves to Winnipeg for five days.

Then it's back to Calgary for the rest of the Alberta portion of the shoot.

Producers are hoping for snow in October or November as all four seasons are represented in the screenplay.

The article also has information on additional actors cast in the film.

Mary Louise Parker is Alberta-bound

Actress Mary Louise Parker is Alberta-bound to co-star along with Brad Pitt in 'The Assassination of Jesse James.'

According to Louis B. Hobson with the Edmonton Sun:

Brad Pitt has a leading lady for his Jesse James movie.

Mary Louise Parker has been cast as Zee James, the outlaw's wife in The Assassination of Jesse James.

Filming begins on the duster in the Calgary area on Monday, so Parker is expected to arrive in the city later this week. Production is tentatively set to move to Edmonton Sept. 5.

Parker joins Pitt and Casey Affleck, who plays Robert Ford, the man who shot James. Director Andrew Dominik is expected to announce the casting for the remainder of the Jesse James gang within the next couple of days.

Parker, 41, was nominated for a Tony Award in 1990 for her Broadway debut in Prelude to a Kiss. She won the Tony a decade later for her performance in Proof.

Parker earned an Emmy in 2004 for her performance in Angels in America, in the role she originated on Broadway.

Parker made her feature film debut in 1990's Longtime Companion. Other credits include Grand Canyon, Red Dragon and Fried Green Tomatoes.

You can find out more about Mary Louise Parker at her Internet Movie Database listing.

Pitt and Jolie Visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum

T-Rex skeleton at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta. Photo credit: Chad Kerychuk.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and kids toured the world-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum over the weekend as evidenced by this article:

"Brad phoned to ask about the accessibility of the museum and how easy it might be for him to visit unnoticed. They did not ask us to close the museum or for an after-hours visit or any special treatment," [museum spokesperson] Wendy Taylor said.

Pitt is in Calgary to shoot the film The Assassination of Jesse James, which gets under way in the western province on Aug. 29.

The crowds start dropping off after 6 p.m., so museum brass suggested the pair show up then.

"They arrived around 7 p.m. and stayed for an hour," Taylor said, adding Jolie's adopted son, four-year-old Maddox, was enthralled by the T-Rex exhibit. During their tour, the pair was accompanied by two bodyguards and a museum staffer. Aside from one couple requesting an autograph, things remained low-key.

"The other people in the museum at the time were very respectful -- no one approached them on their own," Taylor said.

More at the above link. Sounds like Albertans really are maintaining their composure around the famous couple. Thanks! It shows what great people we are!

As somebody who has visited the museum several times thanks to my association with Dr. Phil Currie and Dr. Michael Ryan, I can attest that it really is an incredible place to spend a day or two. One of the finest pieces of architecture within Alberta, reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright building stuck in the Alberta Badlands, the Royal Tyrrell Museum and Drumheller has something to see for all ages.

Heath Ledger Remembers Calgary

Louis B. Hobson with the Calgary Sun interviews Heath Ledger and his stay in Calgary while filming Ang Lee's upcoming film Brokeback Mountain:

Ledger was in the Calgary area last summer filming Ang Lee's western Brokeback Mountain with Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway.

"Where we were filming near Calgary was very beautiful and very isolated. At times, you really felt you'd left the whole world behind you somewhere else."

This has hardly been the case for Pitt since he arrived in Calgary earlier this week. Security at the local production offices for Pitt's movie The Assassination of Jesse James have been beefed up to protect the superstar hunk from the prying eyes and cameras of fans and paparazzi.

Ledger recalls his stay in the Calgary area "was a very lonely experience, but it was supposed to be. My character was extremely lonely and I think I carried that feeling through the whole filming experience."

Read more at the full article.

Pitt spotted in Cowtown

Brad Pitt has arrived in Alberta according to this article. Pitt's co-star in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Angelina Jolie, supposedly arrived on Friday to join him. Her father, Jon Voight is also in town to film September Dawn.

NOTE: If by chance, you do happen to spot them, please remember to be respectful at all times. As Alberta's film and television community continues to blossom, we want to ensure that cast and crews feel comfortable working here. Paparazzi have scared both stars and filmmakers away from other areas of the world. We don't need the same to be said for Alberta.

An article on the Calgary extras casting for The Assassination of Jesse James can also be found here.

Film Productions Flocking to Alberta

A great article on recent film productions flocking to Alberta and the history of the industry is available online at the Canoe Jam! Showbiz website. From the story:

The province is like a massive backlot as the major cities of Calgary and Edmonton can easily stand in for any metropolis.

To the far north is rugged arctic terrain. The southern third of the province offers rolling hills and vast prairie expanses suited to westerns.

Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise boast some of the most spectacular mountain vistas, while the Drumheller Badlands can double for anything from alien planets to prehistoric wastelands.

Stars like Bing Crosby, Jimmy Stewart, Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Hopkins, Paul Newman, Kevin Costner, William Shatner, Richard Gere, Gene Wilder, John Candy, Jackie Chan, and numerous others have filmed within the diverse settings of Alberta. The article also mentions Brad Pitt's return with The Assassination of Jesse James.

Be sure to read the insightful article to learn more about Alberta's Film history, which I'll also be discussing in the book version of The Alberta Movie Guide.

The Man Who Taught Brad Pitt to Ride

Alexandra Burroughs with the Calgary Herald wrote an interesting story about John Scott, an Albertan animal wrangler, stunt co-ordinator, and movie enthusiast who could be considered "the godfather of Alberta showbiz."

"I've just always loved this business," says Scott, cowboy boots firmly planted on the damp soil of the southern Alberta ranch settled by his grandfather 101 years ago.

"I had grown up playing cowboys and Indians as a kid, so to be able to do the real thing and get paid for it was quite an event."

The fascinating story goes on...

Known as one of the best animal wranglers in the world, Scott has worked on more than 120 movies, including Oscar-winners Unforgiven, Days of Heaven and Legends of the Fall. His reputation is so deeply rooted in Hollywood that director Peter Jackson brought him to New Zealand in 2000 to work as the horse stunt co-ordinator on the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

About the animal stars he trains and works with:

"Some of these horses have been in more pictures than most actors," says Scott standing amongst his four-legged stars.

"These are professionals. They're trained to be around lights, smoke, gunfire -- they don't spook easy."

The article also mentions that Scott has the largest collection of wagons and buggies in North America. Definitely a worthwhile read!

Photo credit: Leah Hennel, the Calgary Herald

Event: Student Film Screening in Hinton

This courtesy of the Hinton Parklander:

Free Movie Night

Dan Santerre and Jayden Madsen, two young Hinton filmmakers, will show their recently completed documentary on the perils of underage drinking entitled Alcoholic Anomaly. The film is about 40 minutes long and has political overtones, but no harsh language. It is open to film buffs of all ages.

For an encore, the filmmakers will show their Yellowhead Rotary Arts Festival award-winning film, The Deviation of an Allergic Mind. This 30-minute film is a creative piece of fiction, very different than the documentary with a message being shown the same night.

Free Admission

LOCATION/TIME:
Monday, August 22, 2005
Drama Room
Harry Collinge High School
Hinton, Alberta
7:00 p.m.

Thomas Haden Church in Daughters of Joy

More information on Thomas Haden Church's (Sideways) involvement in the Robert Duvall mini-series, Daughters of Joy can be found at this link courtesy of CANOE JAM! Showbiz.

The article also talks about IATSE 212's need for skilled labour again. Some members have left for other provinces, so the union is trying to lure them back to Alberta.

Also mentioned is the fact that Paul Gross (Due South) is expected to film a World War I epic in the spring, and that a film about George Custer is in consideration after producers recently scouted the area.

Matthew Perry May Be Coming To Calgary

CANOE JAM! Showbiz has a report on Friends and The Whole Nine Yards star Matthew Perry and his visit to Calgary to film The Ron Clark Story.

The Ron Clark Story is based on the true story of a teacher's courage to abandon his small North Carolina town and head to one of the most challenging public schools in the country. Clark, who was voted Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year, uses his enthusiasm, creativity and passion to get through to his most difficult students.

Also interesting, the article mentions that both Liam Neeson and Richard Gere won't be in Alberta to film Seraphim Falls after all. The production has decided to film in New Mexico, a chief rival to Alberta's film industry.

Gere was in Alberta previously with Sam Shepherd and Brooke Adams to film Terrence Malick's beautiful Days of Heaven.

Casting Call: Hollywood needs "extra" help in Calgary

CFCN (CTV) has a short story on other productions being filmed around Alberta and the casting needs of the shows.

The Ron Clark Story stars Matthew Perry, while September Dawn stars Jon Voight. Of course there is also The Assassination of Jesse James starring Brad Pitt and Daughters of Joy with Robert Duvall.

The Assasination of Jesse James
Staring Brad Pitt
Casting Call:
August 21 in Calgary
Time and place TBA

The Ron Clark Story
Staring Matthew Perry
Casting Call:
Saturday, August 13
Coast Plaza Hotel
1316 33 St. N.E.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Looking for children and adults of all ages, especially of African-Canadian, Latin, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Asian, and Middle Eastern descents.

Daughters of Joy
Starring Robert Duvall & Thomas Hayden Church
Send picture to:
Classic Casting
P.O. Box 345 Suite 30
8120 Beddington Blvd. N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T3K 2A8
Need 200 men with moustaches, facial hair, and/or rugged western look.

Picture this!

The Edmonton Sun has a story on the papparazi expected to follow Brad Pitt to Alberta when he films The Assassination of Jesse James.

"With cameras scheduled to roll Aug. 29 in Calgary on the production, at least two dozen Los Angeles-based photographers are gearing up for a trek to Wild Rose Country. Although filming is set to start in Calgary, the production will pick up stakes and move to Edmonton for an undetermined time - the filmmakers liked the look of Fort Edmonton - and Winnipeg, where cast and crew are expected to shoot in a local opera house. The western will then return to Calgary."

So when you're passing by Fort Edmonton Park along the Whitemud Freeway over the next few weeks, keep your eyes glued to the road and not the park. There's already going to be enough photographers and we don't need a big traffic pileup! :-)

After bit parts, a big break

The Edmonton Journal features a story on Olivia Cheng leaving her role as a journalist and TV reporter to act in her first major role.

The 25 year-old will play an 1880's Chinese prostitute kidnapped from her asian homeland and brought to work in an American brothel. Daughters of Joy, a $15-million mini-series stars Robert Duvall (also serving as executive producer), Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), and Dwight Yoakam (Sling Blade). Cheng, who also had a bit part in Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson's Shanghai Noon, isn't getting all starry-eyed yet, but shows ambition:

"I don't have any illusions that ... I'm going to become a star after this. But this is a life experience I couldn't turn down. When this movie is done, I'll come up with a new five-year plan."

Check out the link for the full article. Best wishes for continued success in your career Olivia!

Robert Duvall has been to Alberta before to film the western Open Range with Kevin Costner.

Update: Daughters of Joy was the working title for what is now known as Broken Trail.

Ben's Bro Joining Brad in Shoot

Originaly published online at www.edmontonsun.com - Showbiz, Tuesday, August 9, 2005:

By EDMONTON SUN STAFF

Brad Pitt won't be the only famous face coming to Edmonton in a few weeks to shoot the period Western The Assassination of Jesse James. Mr. Affleck is on his way, too.

Not the Ben-and-Jen-and-Jen-again Affleck, though. Casey Affleck, Ben's younger brother, has been signed to play the infamous Robert Ford opposite Pitt's outlaw Jesse James, according to Variety magazine.

Ford was the member of James's gang who grew to resent the famous outlaw and eventually fatally shot him in the back. The movie is based on Robert Hansen's novel, The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford, and will be directed by Andrew Dominik, best known for helming Eric Bana's breakout film, Chopper.

Affleck starred alongside Pitt in Ocean's Eleven and the recent Ocean's Twelve, and is currently shooting The Last Kiss, scripted by Canadian Oscar-nominee Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby) and directed by Tony Goldwyn.

The Assassination of Jesse James is slated to begin shooting later this month, and will visit locations in and around both Edmonton and Calgary. The production wraps in November.