Scene in Portland: Web Series Animus Cross Moves to Oregon

Web Series Animus Cross Moves to Oregon

A.L. Steen’s dark western series Animus Cross is pulling up stakes and moving its shoot location from Idaho to Oregon for the second series of webisodes. This is good news for series stars Trish Egan and Harold Phillips, who both reside in Portland, and great news for Portland talent who want to be a part of the series this season. The first series was shot in August, 2008 on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in Northern Idaho, and the second series of webisodes was supposed to begin shooting in Oregon this past summer. But according to Phillips the production ran into scheduling issues with the cast and crew, and one unforeseen complication. “Leverage was monopolizing a lot of the stunt players needed for Series II,” said Phillips, so shoot dates were pushed to October.

Not everyone is returning this season. Local photographer Andy Batt will be replacing Jason Satterlund as Director of Photography, as Satterlund had some scheduling conflicts. Having seen Satterlund’s work on the series, I must say Batt has some mighty big shoes to fill, but if anyone can do it he can. Idaho composer Troy Gunter will continue to provide the haunting score for the series.

Animus Cross, an historical thriller set in the 1860s, follows a group of travelers stalked by mysterious shadowy creatures as they journey through the Idaho Territory. Steen says the theme of each series is Hell, and in fact the third series “Myself Am Hell” is named for a quote by Satan himself in Milton’s Paradise Lost. “This part of the quote took hold of me as a truth for the continuing journey our characters face within themselves,” says Steen.

Series I, “Hell Runs This Way,” stars Trish Egan (The Bicyclists), Harold Phillips (Lady Wasteland), Kathryne Bukowski, Jerry Buxbaum (Leverage), Jeff Hime (The Human Trace), and David Steen, and is available for viewing online at www.animuscross.com. The second in the series, “Hell For The Company,” is currently in pre-production and will begin filming in late October. Steen plans to go into production on the third series, “Myself Am Hell” in mid 2010.

Fashion Week Comes to Portland

Move over Milano, it’s Fashion Week in the Rose City. Fashion Wire Press is in town to photograph local Portland models draped in the latest fashions from local designers such as Tony Dimitri and Michelle DeCourcy, as well as designers from around the globe. In true Portland style the event is as green as they come, with a runway made of recycled materials, eco-friendly styling products for the models and biodegradable cups for your cocktails.

Portland Fashion Week runs from October 7-11, at Vigor Industrial Shipyards on Swan Island. Tickets are available at www.portlandfashionweek.net.

Harney County gets some Glitz

Somewhere outside of Burns, Oregon, there’s an Oscar-nominated actress eating off a craft services wagon in the middle of nowhere. Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, Wendy and Lucy) is in Eastern Oregon shooting Meek’s Cutoff, director Kelly Reichardt’s follow-up to Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy. The screenplay, by Portland’s own Jon Raymond, is based on the true story of an ill-fated wagon train that attempted to take a shortcut on the Oregon Trail, and most 5th graders in Oregon can tell you how well that went.

The film stars Williams, Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henders and Neal Huff, and is scheduled to be released in 2010.

Kelly Jo Horton lives the life of a software and database geek by day, and the creative life of an actress, writer and improv comedienne at Comedy Sportz by night. She is the former writer, host and co-producer of TVC-TV’s political talk show “To the Point!” She holds a degree in journalism from San Diego State University.