THE INDIE DOZEN
Filmmaker plans to make 12 Westerns in next two years
Travis Mills is gearing up to make his next film in New Mexico.
The filmmaker plans to make 12 feature-length Western films in the next two years.
And Mills will host those auditions on Jan. 20 at Far Horizon Studio, 300 Washington SE. The open casting call will be from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
While he’s hosting auditions, Mill will also be screening his film “Blood Country” at the Guild Cinema on Jan. 19.
“Blood Country” is a true story of murder, injustice and disorder in Mississippi after the Civil War, based on the short story “The Outlaw, the Sheriff, and the Governor” by Robert E. Jones.
“The story was just perfect,” he says. “It’s a brotherly feud that leads to murder and then mob violence. It was all great stuff that I didn’t have to make up.”
Filming took place for 20 days in Mississippi.
“We were making a period piece on a very low budget,” he says. “That means costumes, guns, horses and using locations that fit the time period became necessary. We had to travel all around the state of Mississippi. Every day, we were driving out to these remote locations. I’m not ashamed and we made the feature film for $50,000.”
Mills is taking the film across the country for screenings.
He says not many distribution companies are willing to take on films such as “Blood Country,” especially with no big Hollywood names. Albuquerque will be 12th city to screen the film.
“I’ve been doing self-distribution,” he says. “It’s places like the Guild that are open to working with filmmakers like me. I think the dream of filmmakers is to get their film shown on the big screen. I’m trying to hold on to that. I’m not just going to drop it online. I want it to have a theatrical run.” The feature film inspired the idea to make 12 Westerns in two years.
The initial audition is to scout for talent in New Mexico, where Mills plans to film at least one of the 12 films.
This audition is open to actors of all ages, types, genders and races. For questions, email Mills at travismills@runningwildfilms.com.
These Westerns will be produced on low budgets. Some cast roles will be paid. These projects will not be guild movies, Mills says.
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