The Woodlands, TX - Quantum Storm Pictures has remastered and again released the summer of 2011 hit, GHOSTIES: THE WITCHES SPELL on Rumble.com. During the short films initial release, the film was a hit with pre-teens and teenagers who filled a 400 seat capacity movie theater with over 550 children and their parents, which still hold the record for the largest audience attendance for a low budget film on it's premier in Texas independent film history. The film was masterly prepared with the perfect pitch in marketing that targeted the local youth.
GHOSTIES stars Tanner Fontana, Jessica Yanker, Haley Coker, Emily Thompson, Alan Berkowitz, Fabritzia Faustinella, and Matthew Jasso. The movie was produced in five days during the late spring and early summer of 2011 with a low budget slightly exceeding $8500 and shot entirely in Montgomery, TX. Many of the crew members on the production team were the mothers of the actors; the most prized mothers who assistanted the director were Joan Yanker Scardino, Jamie Coker, Yvonne Fontana, Tina Carroll, and Darla Redwine.
The film was presented on the big screen four times in four different cities, Katy, Texas being the debut city which brought in the most attendance to the short film. With the help of t-shirt, movie poster and DVD sales, the movie paid off the films budget plus a whole lot more. During the time of it's release, GHOSTIES was the first successful film produced entirely with young teenagers as lead characters who partook in a film that succeeded past a rivalry of slasher and zombie films, all were released during the same time, but Ghosties crushed those other films in ticket sales and attendance. The marketing for this film was well planned and theater attendance [on its premiere night] proved that targeting teens was a move never attempted before in the local Houston area.
Only a few of the little teen actors maintained a successful acting status after Ghosties fell off the mantle of film success. Tanner Fontana has progressed as an actor taking part in a long line of television commercials, films, and even leading roles in theater stage plays; for a short time he was also working on a singing career. Director David Quintana was impressed with Fontana's skills in front of the camera, and with strong support from his parents, the director thought that there was very little that the young actor couldn't do. "Tanner was a handsome man and a true gentleman on and off the set of the film," recalls Quintana. "With just a wink from his eyes, this kid could capture your heart and bring a smile to an entire room. He knew how to use his gift and I was amazed by the reaction of the audience when he did his part to bring his character to life." Tanner continues to work on a career in acting.
Jessica Yanker was also a big part of the Secret of Angelika5 series that was on season hiatus during the release of Ghosties. Quintana brought Yanker into the film due to her needing to bolster her filming resume at the time and he felt that a part in this teen thriller would be perfect to build her confidence in front of the camera. "Jessica came to the set well prepared and delivered her part like a veteran actor," recalls Quintana. "She spent time with the other teams helping them to prepare prior to the cameras rolling. Having her on the set was a treat and I feel like she learned as much from the young actors as she was giving them little insights on how to deliver their lines." Yanker is now a college grad, married and a mother to be.
The main cast of actresses in the film have all grown up and have gone their separate ways. Some still work in video projects, others have become rodeo queens, college graduates, and even naturalists. "During the time of film production, none of these little ladies were under pressure or had a worry in their minds while filming," recalls Quintana. "After the first night of filming, everyone was tired and wanting to hit their beds. In the morning the cast had a huge breakfast at the Magnolia Diner in Montgomery, Texas and we were back to working on the film. The mothers did a fantastic job keeping the girls and Tanner organized and prepping them for each new scene. There was so much positive energy during the filming of this little gem. Some great memories were created."
This re-release of the GHOSTIES movie also has something new to offer the viewers of the film. During the initial release of the film, some ghost sequences were re-produced to give the film an updated ghost effect which was not present in the initial release. "Because this was a kids film, during the time of the initial release I decided to 'dumb down' the ghost effect on a major scene so that the youngsters watching the film weren't mentally freaked out by seeing something ghostly," says Quintana. "I wanted everyone who watched this film to enjoy it on it's release. Some of the sequences were considered too harsh and too mature during parent screenings of the film. The reason for the film jumping in rating from 'G' to "PG" were because of the more mature story parts of the film and the addition of the visualized suicide that occurs during a flashback scene." The director would enjoy four more movie debuts with four new film premieres, but GHOSTIES would prove to be his lone plateau of success on the big screen. The director says that a sequel to GHOSTIES was attempted with an all new set of little actors. But even though the script, the production was again fun, funny and exciting, it was only successful at delivering the product as a sizzle reel.
"Some people say we waited to long, some say that the magic was all used up," adds Quintana. "I think there's another movie left to tell the tale of the little ladies and the ghosts that haunt their local cemetery, but maybe the story should be told as grown ups, as they are all grown up now...but you never know."
Casey P. Costelloe
Contributing Writer.
