
Julie (front), with her aunt, Jeanne Mosher (center) and friends Nancy Mettlach (left) and Fran Trovillion-Harris (left) (Photo: Julie's camera)
In case you didn’t know, I spent my Labor Day (2009) weekend and all the following week making a low-budget, independent monster movie called
Chartarum up north near Cadillac. Really. Given that this isn’t the normal vacation I take, I thought I’d put together a broad overall version for the amusement of my family and friends. Remember doing this in school? It’s actually pretty fun.
So, the woman who doesn’t camp or rough it (except at a motel), semi-camped and roughed it. The woman who can’t act her way out of a paper bag did ACT, with some creative direction from a very talented director. I had a ton of fun, reduced sleep, and learned a lot from a group of very intelligent and creative people who banded together to help a nice guy name John Shaw (our director) realize his vision.
First of all, I was astounded to be asked to help achieve anyone’s vision. I haven’t acted one little bit – barring trying to scam my way out of a day at grade school. So, I when I asked to read for John and his wife/my friend Melissa, I was convinced that they would go off and find someone more talented. When they told me I had the job, I had to say yes. When would such an opportunity arise again? Probably never. I was in.

Julie and Roberto Warren (Eli) running lines in the doorway of the barn that was home for several days in September, 2009. (Photo: Dave Heid)
So, I drove up north on Labor Day Friday, crawling along with all the campers, boats, and other holiday weekend traffic. I bunked down for a night with my hospitable Aunt Jeanne (more on her later), and showed up at the appointed time at Beyond, the 40-acre property that was to be my home and movie laboratory for the next 8 days. First, we had to clean. The pole barn (dorm and interior set) was full of stuff that had nothing to do with our film – including the rusting carcass of a 1979 Jeep. A lot of elbow grease took care of the barn, and the Jeep was towed out by a neighbor with a backhoe, bless him. Then, furniture and bedding was moved out of the house, the equipment was set up, cots were opened, tents were pitched in the fenced-in yard, and voila – a film company. With extension cords snaking the floor, lights, a fog machine (what’s a horror flick without fog?), food tables, pop cans, two fridges, and lots of water bottles. We were ready.
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