HOUSTON INDIE ACTORS WANTED TO KNOW "WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" - AND WE DELIVERED WITH DETAILED UPDATES!

Houston, TX - From 2010 to around 2017, the Houston amateur independent film scene [or industry if it makes you happy] was captivated by some talented people who had the luckiest time making their names prominent in virtually every new indie film that was in production. They seemed to have all of the right connections, knew the ins and outs of producing indie films, and were wrapped up in some wild drama. Being “the best” in local indie films it certainly didn’t matter to most that some of these “legends” either still lived with their mommy, a few were honestly homeless, some running from paying child support, some helped run scam indie film festivals, some couldn't afford the cheapest medical insurance, and even a few divorced their partner for another actor. At the time, they were all part of a main stream movement...

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COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG - Many are flowing in, telling the same story. Here are some of the best words from the local Houston community.

VS_Desarge - 9/30/23 @2033 - One of the best blog articles that I've ever read about the Houston film industry. There is no shame in presenting the truth about all of the local actors and "industry know-it-all's" who staked their claim to real success. You presented some outstanding facts in each case and you went out of your way to show links to many articles and videos that show that no one really stood out at all. My hats off to you and I eagerly await the October edition of your magazine to find out more about what little white lies the local industries have hidden away about success and what everyone tried to do to breakout into the world of Hollywood.

 

David Q - With the plethora of actors in the indie film scene who believe that "playing the part of being successful" is the first step in breaking through, has both it's benefits and obscure, but intense failures that no one wants to admit can and will happen. It's a damn shame at times.

Olephie_377 - 9/27/23 @1538 - Great article! I spent so much time working with half of the 22 actors you previewed on your blog and I am astonished that someone actually went through so many histories and investigated where their success and failures truly landed. I'm not one that wanted to be a star or actually make a living off of being an indie actor, but I do like that you presented many facts that everyone on the list of 22 were normal people who had to work real jobs to stay alive. I kind of figured that no one was really famous, but finding out that many are now considered infamous within the indie film scene is a real relief since I left the "film industry" to the idiots in charge.

 

David Q - For a long time during the period presented in the article, many of the actors and producers were being exclusively interviewed and presented in Hector Luna's C47 Magazine that highlighted a ton of local "successful people" while passing over actors and directors who were genuinely making the real mark in entertainment where it counted most.

D_Alsfor - 9/21/23 @1944 - Your background on Larry Carrell was spot on! As much as I know him for being slime, he did work his ass off to try and make his way out. But like life does, he tried to move to California, moved in with friends, and found out it was harder than anything he imagined. In the end, it was a sweeter deal just sticking around in Houston; working as an extra and making a little cash. Yes, you did a great job investigating the other slime-balls that tried to buck the system locally. They were successful for a while when things were being presented as a glorious lifestyle working with the best this and that. I'm a super subscriber now. Thank you!

David Q - Larry was quite the character when I met him and he worked with me on numerous film projects. In his own right, he was pretty intelligent and knew how to outsmart and bully people in his path. One thing I learned from him was that he talked so much smack about people when they weren't around, but was such a friend and gentlemen whenever the ones he was just talking shit about were near.  But there's no doubt that he's on the right path for making himself a big name in the Indie film industry.

Alter_Mn44 - 9/20/23 @0717 - At one time during the 2015 timeframe there was so much hope that Houston was going to be the epicenter of the new film industry. Even thought much of the talk was centered around the industry being established in Austin, people felt that Houston had the capital, the locations, and the talent to create the biggest industry ever thought of. I was part of the groups - or cliques - mentioned in the blog and I can attest that many of the indie actors that were entrusted to help develop this city into the next industry were filled only with talk and well wishes. Houston was never intended to be the mecca of a film industry, just a location. It's nobodies fault. This was an informative blog. Thank you!

David Q - Houston will never be the epicenter of a film industry until Harris County changes it's leaning political atmosphere. The failure for this to happen has nothing to with the local indie film scene or the actors previewed on this blog.

Rob_Dvore - 9/22/23 @1119 - No slander, just good reporting. Each and every one of the 22 locals list themselves as public figures and deserve what they get. Most of the people had huge egos and now they dive for scraps, working as extras, making films amongst themselves, and going nowhere. I like that you investigated Shawn Welling who has directed and produced several low budget "B" films and tries to ride the train of success when most of his films truly suck and have plots and stories that make no sense except to the people who are cast as actors and the production teams that work on them. If you haven't seen Narco Sub, DON'T!

 

David Q - I reviewed Narco Sub and Welling wrote me an email once over my review of another film project that was both horrible and a possible huge legal gamble as he stole ideas from several movies and created a spoof film called "The Legend of Darkhorse County" starring Nick "The Tuba" Nicholson.

Larr_Rivas - 10/3/23 @0233 - Such a pathetic and obvious insight into a large group of people who thought the "local world of Hollywood" revolved around them! The local acting agencies didn't help build the hype, using local contacts to reel in cash with expensive and non-certified acting classes, photographers and videographers who didn't have any real experience in the big game. You should know David, you worked with these assholes!

 

David Q -  I only worked with one of the people on the list of 22 and any other list that is planned for release in October. I am often vetted through some of these actors who claim that I am difficult to work with, but the real truth is that I've worked with well over 250 local actors and have never been accused of any wrong doings as listed in the blog article. If anything, I am guilty for not following the norm of many of these people and openly presenting my work on a platforms that anyone can see at any time.

QUANTUM STORM .357 ISSUE 23 IS RELEASED FOR AUGUST 2023!

QSE .357 ISSUE 23 dtd 8/1/2023

40 Pages

ON THE COVER - Headshot of Hector Luna. Used by permission.

MAIN ARTICLES

Remembering C-47s Creator - Hector Luna was ahead of his time in the local Houston Indie Film Scene, creating an e-magazine filled with actor and directors interviews, production notes, meetings and activities, and an editorial by D. R. Quintana, remembering his friend.

 Who Rode Luna's Legacy - The list is long, but Luna had his favorite local Indie Film Scene actors, directors and film teams who were always presented in the C-47 Houston Magazine. Here we present a few of them and where the are today.

The Planned Hector Luna Film Festival for 2025 - Because Hector Luna loved the film scene so much, a handful of his friends have put together the first annual film festival in his honor. 

 

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 Subscribers from the local Houston Indie Film Scene came out to support this new issue of the QSE.357 E-Magazine and comment on the article concerning Hector Luna's Legacy. All comments are posted under writers 1st Amendment clause.

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THE AFTERMATH OF LARRY CARRELL'S "JACOB"

In 2011, the Houston Film Scene was much in astir about a local filmmaker [Larry Carrell] who put "the best" of what Houston, Texas had to offer in one film and through some daring production shams and scams, as he was able to put up the cash to make his dream film come true. Give this man some pretty impressive "ambition points" as he set out to do something and make it look big as possible. In a few months, he had a written script, a few thousand dollars in his pocket, and he tore away at Houston to make this dream come to life.

There was ton of double-dipping going on prior to the production of his film JACOB; the filmmaker infiltrated several local films and evaluated talent in them, then sucked the talent right out of those productions to bring into his film, all of the time promising huge success and big contracts. Quite truly, the film was the talk of the town...at least in the local independent film scene.  But when the first premiere hit the streets, it was a complete disaster of 'unfinished mastery' missing sound, filled with incomplete scenes, and presented scraps of an unfinished film to the cast, crew, and their families...and like most amateur indie film actors in the vast landscape of "wanting to be stars," no one complained about it all during this initial premiere. Instead, local actors and their families stood proudly and took pictures afterwards; smiled and boasted the films "huge success."

Just a month prior to the first premiere of Carrell's JACOB, a local short film produced entirely of teens, boasted huge success at several "Sold Out" premieres which seemed to jeopardize Carrell's potential future film success with his uncompleted film. During JACOB's first premiere in Houston, most of the attendee's in the seats were just the cast, crew, some family and a couple of local indie film critics who were begged to come see the film. People outside of the films clique who attended were not impressed with what the film presented and Carrell knew that. Some of the people in attendance openly complained that the price paid for tickets should have been refunded...and of course, even though he [Carrell] was ashamed, nodding in agreement with them promising something would be done about that, that never happened and Carrell and his team pocketed the cash with a nice grin and went on about their business.

You see? that's the way "real" film business is run in Hollywood and Houston should do the same. For him being someone who always tasted the long reach of top fame, Carrell was finally on the right road to success, not caring what or who was standing in his way. People in his inner circle began to believe that his attitude was the right one to have if you truly wanted to step into the real world of movie success.

 

But through diversity and patience, Carrell and his team continued to push forward. Over a period of months [up to even a year] they added scenes to the unfinished film and were able to scrounge up a known Hollywood name to bring more credence to the film. None of what is written here is fabricated...it's the truth. Through thick and thin, the film made it's way from one convention to another, then eventually onto Netflix. The film crossed the oceans and landed a following in Europe, where the title of the film was changed to "Sister." The film won countless local Indie awards and practically over night Carrell's clique grew and some names were added to the "producers" list who seemed to jump on the bandwagon ride of success...and all were very proud of the end results; which weren't easily attained. None of the local actors in the film have ever been paid for their work...not that they expected anything due to the shady contracts they signed.

So, in the end, Carrell got his film made and he got the attention and money he dreamed about...sort of. Below are comments made on the films IMDB page. You have to get passed the comments posted by the cast and crew to see what the real thoughts are by the REAL people who previewed this "fine masterpiece" of 80's horror. 

I still have yet to see this film, so I cannot review it properly....but I thought it was best that you, the reader, know what your getting into should you choose to decide to watch it yourself.

D. R. Quintana
Editor