Lights, camera, blood: Vampire movie being filmed in area

Jan. 30—NEW CASTLE — From dark-eyed vampires to fake blood spills, the interiors of The Hoyt Center for the Arts in New Castle were transformed into movie sets Saturday.

Directing the screen tests for "Vampire Penance: The Atonement of John Wolf" was John Reign, who could be seen alternating between multiple tasks — from adjusting cameras to giving advice to the actors portraying the vampires.

"Give me a good, evil smile," Reign instructed one vampire, who tapped menacingly on a glass door.

The film is expected to be the first part of a "Vampire Penance" trilogy developed by Reign's company, Polestar Pictures.

Aside from the screen tests for the trilogy's first installment, Saturday's event served as an exclusive opportunity for a few visitors to get a behind-the-scenes look at movie making and to meet some of the cast and crew.

Reign said he has been involved with independent filmmaking for more than 30 years, and the idea for what would become the "Vampire Penance" trilogy originally started as a low-budget, independent movie called "Evergreen is the Blood" that Reign filmed about three years ago.

Dissatisfied with the result, Reign said he decided to expand the project and formed a team to increase the project's funding sources and production values, without going to a major studio or corporation.

Since then, the project expanded into a trilogy, starting with the first film, "Vampire Penance: The Atonement of John Wolf."

But while the production has evolved beyond a normal low-budget independent film, Reign said he and his team are able to exercise greater freedom than the traditional process of going through Hollywood.

This includes non-traditional sources of funding, such as crowd funding, to using social media and other initiatives, such as the "Vampire Penance Fan Magazine," to keep fans interested during production.

Reign, who lives in Sharpsville, said his company has used multiple area locations in the past, and hopes to establish a studio in Mercer County at some point in the future.

"We say we're reinventing the film industry," Reign said.

Playing the eponymous John Wolf is Joe Sabatino, who has been involved with more than 100 projects both in front of and behind the cameras.

Sabatino said he was interested in the "Vampire Penance" trilogy due to both the new approach toward filmmaking and the film's subject matter, which Reign said incorporates traditional Western lore regarding vampires and different historical events.

Some real-life historical elements that will be referenced range from the death of Genghis Khan to the Lance of Destiny, which Reign said will be interwoven with the trilogy's vampire mythology.

"With the Lance of Destiny, supposedly Alexander the Great had it, and then Hitler was looking for it, and there's places historically where we can take it from there," Reign said.

Sabatino described his character as an archeologist who lost his wife and daughter, and now lives as a recluse in his family mansion — portrayed Saturday by The Hoyt's interiors.

Eventually Wolf discovers the vampire Ivory, played by Violet Hatch, drawing him into an adventure involving vampires, history.

"Everything that happens brings (Wolf) back. It gives him life again," Sabatino said of the character.

After the first film is completed, the trilogy will include a prequel and a sequel — projects that will include filming in Ireland, complete with castles and swordsmen as the franchise takes viewers to another historical period.

Among the other actors present Saturday was Larry Overfield, who said he plays one of the villainous vampires.

"It'll definitely be a mix of horror and action," Overfield said of the film.

Possibly the youngest actor on the set was 14-year-old Alyssa Stoops, who said the film was the third project she's acted in.

The New Castle resident was introduced to the project by her father, Tom Stoops, who works at Polestar Pictures. For this film, Stoops said she plays a vampire girl.

"Eventually I'd like to go to school for acting — maybe Lincoln Park," Alyssa said.

Depending on how the filmmaking process goes, Reign said he hopes to release "Vampire Penance: The Atonement of John Wolf" around Halloween, although discussions regarding the release, venues and marketing were still underway.

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.