
The first production from PollyStaffle.com is the short “Super Undead Doctor Roach.” It was conceived as an entry into the 2009 Las Vegas 48 Hour Film Project. It was brought to life via Polly Staffle Films and Gorify.com.
Writer, director and producer Chad Clinton Freeman, who stayed awake 60 hours throughout the weekend, drew the genre Superhero out of a hat on April 17 to kick the insanity off.
Each entry into the Las Vegas competition had to include: an electrician named Jane or James Switzer, a plate as a prop and the line of dialogue: Just remember, you didn’t hear it from me.
The Polly Staffle crew decided The Electrician should be a villain and the dialogue should be delivered by the film’s hero - a scientist turned undead cockroach. Chad wrote a 7-page script in two hours. He used the prop in the script once, but then it was added in two other times while filming.
The film was shot on April 18 with a cast and crew of twenty or so. The bulk of the project was carried on the shoulders of Director of Photography and Fight Choreographer Michael Su, as well as Co-Producer, Supervising Art Director, Special F/X Makeup and Prosthetics Expert Teresa Fahs and Key Makeup Artist Angela Simpson.
The cast featured Derek Houck as the title role, Juliane Price as his nemisis Eva Kaneeva the Exterminator, Jason Kelly as Sampson the Garbageman and Daniel Nagelhout as James Switzer the Electrician. Also in the mix was Henry Clarke as The Man, Reagan Pfifer as April Sherman the Secretarial Tennis Warrior, Laura Moore as The Chameleon, Rachel Grubb as Anna Snyder and Kristine Wright as Mamma Roach.
The day began at 7:30 a.m. and did not wrap until 4 a.m. All involved were in good spirits throughout the day and most cast and crew members were laughing, giggling, carrying on and having a blast despite the long shoot.
Editing was to begin at 5 a.m. April 19, but due to technical difficulties did not start till 11:30 a.m. Michael did the chopping with Chad at his side. The film was turned in around 9:30 p.m. that night; two hours shy of the competition deadline.
“Super Undead Doctor Roach: The 48 Hour Cut,” featuring the music of Robert Becker, Mankind is Obsolete, Shatterance and Stephen Perry Price, then premiered April 23rd at Brendan Theaters inside The Palms hotel and casino. The short nabbed a runner up Audience Award.
Plans for a director’s cut are currently underway. But in the meantime, the Roach Man infests the online world. The film’s official site will be launching sometime soon at SuperUndeadDoctorRoach.com. Currently the link forwards to the official Myspace page. Production stills and promotional photos can be viewed at Curtis Joe Walker’s site here. Lastly, click here for a Chainsaw Mafia column Scream Queen Rachel Grubb mentioned us in.