Well, not quite a plethora just yet, but we were fortunate enough to be featured on two podcasts so far, most recently on Movie Geeks United, one of the most popular movie-themed podcasts on the internet and iTunes with a listening audience of over 2.8 million. See below for the episode or click here to listen now.

We were also interviewed about the casting of The Broken Continent on the local The Tohubohu Producer Podcast, which you can find here.

When I originally got the idea to do a medieval style fantasy project, one of the big hurdles was finding locations. There aren’t a lot of places that suggest “medieval” in a country that’s only been constructing building for a few hundred years. So I tried to write as much of the script in two medieval looking locations that we could actually find: a field and a forest.

This past Saturday, after screening my film 6 Nonsmokers at the Frederick Film Festival, producer Kelley Slagle and I headed up to the Frederick Watershed to do some scouting. The directions we were given told us to be on the look out for a cabin and a footbridge. Seeing what looked to be a footbridge, we parked at what looked to be a cabin, crossed the bridge, and started heading uphill.

We walked for a bit, through swarms of insects, stopping for a few pictures of a very nice creek. The road continued up a rather steep hill, which was more than we were willing to climb. So we decided to head back to the car and drive up. Unfortunately, we drove straight into some private residences and we couldn’t reach anyone on the phone for directions. We decided to cut our losses and head back.

On the drive back to downtown Frederick, however, Kelley suggested looking for an alternate entrance on the internet. We found one, but it was on the opposite side of the Watershed, several miles west of where we were supposed to go. We started in that direction, but talked ourselves out of it and decided to stay the course for downtown. However, I neglected to make the appropriate changes on the GPS, and we ended up going to the other side of the Watershed anyway.

Several miles of driving, a dubious consultation with a park ranger, some fiddling with Google Maps, and driving through a creek eventually got us to the spot we were looking for… a few hundred yards from where we initially gave up.

My location scout today in Woodbine, Maryland was substantially less problematic. And it’s now the frontrunner for our primary location. Plus I got to ride around on a Gator and see some horses.

In addition to locations, the quest for appropriate and affordable costumes continues. Also during our time in Frederick, Kelley and I paid a visit to star Bette Cassatt’s considerable costume collection. We were able to pick out several pieces that would be useful for the production.

But before production begins, we’ll be doing a photo shoot with the supremely talented Roy Cox in Baltimore. So our #1 costume objective has been to clothe our three actors who are taking part. Costume designer Eli Reeves is at work on tailoring several items. I have a box with a gambeson waiting for me at UPS. And our king’s crown has arrived from Morgana’s Collection in Quebec.

The producing never stops.

Next time (most likely), a recap from the studio of Roy Cox.

-Francis

First order from Museum Replicas has arrived!

Location scouting in Manassas

Promo shoot! Ring any bells?

Costume designer Elizabeth Reeves did an amazing job with this cloak!

Seven masks for seven Spiders.

Ciscovaras Pictures and award-winning director Francis Abbey, in conjunction with Team Jabberwocky and Cavegirl Productions, are seeking over 40 actors for its production of “The Broken Continent” — an epic fantasy web series set in a land torn apart by a vengeful god where ambitious men vie for dominion and both nobles and commoners struggle to survive.

The “pilot set” of webisodes will tentatively be shot near the DC area this September under a SAG New Media Entertainment Contract, so both union and non-union are invited to apply. Depending on the role, costume fittings and fight rehearsals will occur before the principal photography in September.

The list of roles is below. All roles will be paid. Whether you are interested in a principal, stunt, OR background role, please email us at casting@brokencontinent.com with:
*Your resume (PDF, .doc, or .docx only)
*A small headshot (100k or less in size, please)
* What role(s) you are interested in.

Actors will be called in for auditions in DC on Sunday, May 20th and Monday, May 21st to read from sides provided beforehand. Callbacks will be Sunday, June 3rd and Monday, June 4th.

Roles that require stage combat experience are noted below. Also, there are many cultures across The Broken Continent, so the ability to do accents is a plus for just about all the roles.

Learn more about the world of the Broken Continent on our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Broken-Continent/324739100871719

ROLES

Althalos
(30s to 50s, Male) Younger peer of Lord Forthwind, a gaunt-faced, honorable man, troubled by the war in the realm and skeptical of magic. Stage combat experience a plus.

Barda
(Late 30s to 50s, Male) Intelligencer and subtly scheming advisor to King Eadwyn.

Cedany
(20s to 30s, Female), Young, empathetic healer of the Women of the Wood who urges the group take sides in the war. Stage combat experience preferred.

Diarmait
(30s to 60s, Male) Enigmatic and conniving sorcerer from a far land. Stage combat experience a plus.

Eadwyn
(20s to early 30s, Male) Young, energetic and dashing king who hungers to unite the lands under his rule. Stage combat experience required.

Forthwind
(50s to 60s, Male) A graying veteran of both the battlefield and court, he wrestles between his loyalty to the king he serves or the realm he has served longer. Stage combat experience a plus.

Frewin
(40s to 60s, Male) Stocky leader of the lords in rebellion, a principled if stubborn man.

Jolenta
(20s to 40s, Female) Short-haired, sharp-featured scout of the Women in the Wood. A woman of few words, but great humility and dedication to her adopted family. Stage combat experience a plus.

Loe
(20s to 30s, Male) Battle-scarred man-at-arms in the service of Lord Frewin. Stage combat experience a plus.

Lorica
(20s to early 30s, Female) Practical peasant woman and de facto leader of a band of refugees, she is driven to guarantee their safety. Stage combat experience preferred.

Malkyn
(20s to 30s, Female) Beautiful, foreign-born Queen and wife to King Eadwyn. She has begun to fear for the future of both her marriage and the realm.

Nerida
(20s to 40s, Female) Steadfast foreigner serving as an experienced Warden of the Wood. Stage combat experience required.

Orla
(Late 20s to 40s, Female) Refugee peasant and mother unafraid to speak her mind. Stage combat experience a plus.

Prince Boric
(CHILD: 2 – 5, Male) Carefree child of King Eadwyn and Queen Malkyn. Cherubic cuteness required.

Rhoswen
(40s to 50s, Female) Sturdy and serious-minded Warden of the Wood and bodyguard to Ysmay. Stage combat experience required.

Roylon
(20s to 30s, Male) Young knight in the service of Lord Forthwind. Loyal, trustworthy, and a skilled horseman. Stage combat experience preferred.

Spiders
(7 roles needed, 20s to 50s, Male or Female ) Members of the Order of the Ebon Spider: Skilled scouts, assassins and saboteurs who sell their blades to the highest bidder. Stage combat experience required.

Tybalt
(30s to 40s, Male) Self-assured, permanently smirking lord and military advisor to King Eadwyn. He is eager to earn his own glory. Stage combat experience preferred.

Vymont
(late 20s to 50s, Male) A massive, hard-looking man whose skill on the battlefield is legendary. Stage combat experience required.

Ysmay
(50s to 60s, Female) Gray-haired healer and leader of the Women of the Wood. She works to guide her people as the war draws closer. Stage combat experience a plus.

Armored Knights
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 4 needed, 20s to 40s, Male) Followers of Lord Frewin. Athletic, though perhaps looking as if they’ve missed a few meals.

Eadwyn’s Lords
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 4 needed, 30s to 60s, Male) A mixture of athletic knights and well-fed courtiers of King Eadwyn.

Peasant Women
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 3 needed, 30s to 60s, Female)

Peasant Children
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 2 needed, 5-12, Male or Female)

Refugees
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 4 needed, 30s to 60s, Male or Female) Wounded and recovering civilians who have escaped the war.

Second (Duel)
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 1 needed, 20s to 40s, Male) An armored knight, follower of Lord Frewin, perhaps a bit more athletic looking than his compatriots.

Women of the Wood
(EXTRA/BACKGROUND – 2 needed, 30s to 60s, Female) Women who now make a life for themselves in Ironleaf Forest