Hollywood its not, but director Carlos Roman is trying to put Alexandria on the film industries map. Roman isthe owner of Roman Pictures, a production company based in Alexandria. He has spent over three years directing and starring in the sci-fi pilotSignals. He premiered it to the cast and crew on Saturday.
My father came up with the idea out of the blue and I told him to go for it, assistant director and Mr. Romans daughter Tracy Roman said.
The film features a POW, Nick Marconi, during the Korean War, who had human drug and radiation experiments, performed on him. Many years later, in the United States, a couple that received these same experiments, gave birth to a daughter, Leah. The couple had special abilities including telepathy, remote viewing, behavior modification, self-healing and telekinesis. The US hoped Leah would inherit these abilities, but when they realized she hadnt, they inseminated her with Marconis frozen sperm.
Leah gave birth to a son, Zack, who inherited the abilities and could use them at will. Trying to protect her son she is on the run from the United States government. The government realizes that the Koreans want Zack, and Zack is the only character who believes that his father, who should now be 90 years old, is still alive,butis in his 40s. The entire film begs the question, who will find who first?
If this isnt enough to get locals excited, another point of interest is that almost the entirety movie was shot in Alexandria and Arlington, so many familiar locations will appear throughout its entirety.
We will always film in Old Town, said Miss Roman. Its our home town, its been very good to us.
Its my city, said Carlos Roman. I love Alexandria. Im trying to put it on the map.
Kevin Sylvain, who plays an FBI agent, introduced the film.
No one had an idea what it was about, Sylvain said. It was pieced together and finally came together.
Actors at the event shared similar feelings. I had a blast! said Brian Washington, an actor who played extras in several different scenes. I had no idea what the script was about.
The actors celebrated before, during and after the viewing. When the film ended the actors gathered at Extra Virgin Modern Italian Cuisine to continue their celebration.
Mr. Romans creativity was praised during the after party. I still want to know how he got to film inside Homeland Security! said Lewis Fragga, the special effects artist. He also had real swat uniforms for over six hours.
Mr. Roman simply answered, Connections.
Whats next for the actors and producers? Various plans are in the works. Since its a pilot episode -the first episode in a series- they will continue the series, thoughit has never been clear to the cast whether this was a TV series or a made-for-TV movie.
One of the leads, now 14, has grown tosix feet tall according to Mr. Roman. They had to write his height difference into the script since he was much shorter when filming began.
Members of the cast will be heading to the New York International Film Festival in Los Angeles.The cast is set to attend another festival in New York this September.
Roman said that they have signed a non-exclusive deal with ITN distribution in Las Vegas. ITN is a leading distribution company that promotes films at film festivals and brings films worldwide attention by promoting them for use on airplanes and foreign television stations.
I dont want to get exclusive. Roman said. Were trying to get it on airplanes, foreign television stations and movies. He further explained that he is trying to get a deal with Netflixs or Blockbuster.
He also has plans for a future film entitled, Time Refugees. Many of the actors from that project were also there to join in the festivities.
By the end of the party, energy was high and hopes were higher that something big would come from Signals. Roman is out to prove he has what it takes to make Alexandria the next Hollywood.
I want stars on the sidewalk outside the theaters of Alexandrias stars. Roman said. Ill get it before I die.
