Just six days into production Rodney Dwira is already losing his voice.
While on location at an abandoned building on Mission Island for his latest film 10-57, Dwira said the late nights are starting to take its toll.
"We were shooting the first four days here in the day. Now we’re doing a lot of scenes that require nights and the thing about Thunder Bay is our nights aren’t very long so we’re doing late hours; we don’t usually finish until 6 a.m.," said Dwira.
With 12 days left to shoot, filming was still in the beginning stages Wednesday evening but the cast and crew could already feel the magic on set.
"I’m really excited. This movie is going to be something really special for everybody," said Dwira.
With a director of photography from Vancouver, actors from Toronto and people from around the country travelling to Thunder Bay to make 10-57, Dwira was a bit concerned of how everyone would work together on his first film with a budget behind it. But everyone is really pulling together.
"We work hard and we’re helping each other," said Dwira. "We’re resting up. We’re doing our exercise and we’re eating our vegetables. We are prepared and we are very determined. It’s in the air and everyone’s morale is up. This is going to be powerful. World, just get ready."
Actor Brad Siciliano is taking on one of the main roles in the movie and said Dwira’s tight, clean script attracted him to the project.
Hailing from Toronto and a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Siciliano is playing Ray, a character dealing with great loss in his life and his desperation to get back what’s been taken. But that’s all he could say about the character without giving away too much plot.
"The character for me is a really good role," he said. "It’s something I can really get into as an actor, put some real depth into it."
Being on the set in the midst of the action, things are always evolving, said Siciliano. A script is written, but things change; it’s not like a Shakespearean play set in stone.
"That’s the process; that’s what you love about it," he said, noting Dwira’s enthusiasm for the project is infectious.
"I’m blown away by Rodney," he said. "There’s so much passion there. It’s just oozing out of him."
Siciliano is also impressed with Thunder Bay, noting the city has a lot to offer to the film industry, including long days, good weather and downtown cores that can mimic U.S. cities.
Earlier in the week, the Victoriaville area was used for filming; streets were blocked off to shoot a scene involving police and SWAT teams.
Associate producer Mike Tallari said people are going to look at 10-57 and say, ‘it was shot in Thunder Bay? No way.’
Originally from the city, Tallari has been living between Lost Angeles and Vancouver for the last eight years working as an actor, landing guest spots on television shows like 8 Simple Rules and One on One. With plans to come home for the summer, he caught wind of 10-57, called Dwira and asked to be part of the production.
"I’m very impressed with the production quality," Tallari said. "We have a crew and cast that is just passionate about it and are doing this movie for the right reasons, which I think is going to take it a long way. The quality looks like it’s a $100-million budget…People are going to be impressed."
Also taking a role in front of the camera, Tallari said coming back to Thunder Bay and seeing the talent and quality on this production is exciting.
"Part of the reason why I left eight years ago is because the opportunity wasn’t there and I just felt the potential in Thunder Bay wasn’t there. But coming back seven, eight years later and seeing this stuff going on is kind of exciting. It makes me want to hang round here a little bit more often."
Dwira said he is going to be releasing behind the scenes footage and photos on the Facebook group 10-57 The Movie. For those that don’t use Facebook, he’ll link the footage from his website alphabetproductions.com.
