Funding sought for series
HARMONY — The company that used the historic architecture of the borough as a backdrop for a pilot of a TV show is trying to raise money to shoot more episodes.
Dangerwood Pictures, which produced the pilot episode for the historical-fiction show “Mason,” has established a crowdfunding campaign on indiegogo.com to continue the series for the Web and submit it in film festivals.
Simon Barracchini, the director of the pilot, said they are working to write six episodes that would be 30 minutes each.
To pay for the additional props, costume changes and equipment, the company is trying to raise $15,000.
The pilot depicts Samuel Westfall, a fictional character, who foils an assassination attempt on George Washington during the early years of the United States. The new episodes will follow the character further.
Several outdoor scenes in the pilot were shot in Harmony and historical re-enactors from around the region were recruited to be extras.
Barracchini said if the show reaches its goal for funding, it hopes to return to the historic locations used for the pilot in Harmony, Freedom, Beaver County, and the Bradford House in Washington, Washington County.
The pilot was shot in the summer of 2014 and debuted at the Strand Theater in Zelienople on Nov. 9.
The producers of the show got positive feedback and had people comment that they wanted to see the story continued, Barracchini said.
“A lot of the locals from Harmony came out and had nothing but kind words and excitement, not just about the filming, but about what we were able to produce in the pilot,” he said.
But Dangerwood Pictures, which is based in Pittsburgh, has had no luck in pitching the show to TV companies in New York City and Los Angeles.
Without the backing of a Hollywood agent or lawyer, it is unable to get TV executives to watch the pilot. Several copies of the episode that were mailed out were returned unopened, Barracchini said.
Still hoping to continue the story, they decided to attempt a more independent method. Once funded and shot, the company would submit the new episodes to be screened in film festivals, many of which have a “Web series” category.
Film festivals would provide it a larger platform for exposure and potential future support.
In the meantime, the 32-minute pilot episode is available to watch for free on dangerwoodpictures.com.
The company has already cast several actors in new roles and is working on scripts for the new episodes, Barracchini said.
“The actors are really excited. We feel we have a really compelling story everyone would enjoy,” he said.
To learn more or contribute, visit www.indiegogo.com/projects/mason-season-1/x/6046816.
