Who is...Buddy Wayne Goettsch?

When I first began writing the treatment for what would become VOC I knew instantly that I wanted Buddy Wayne Goettsch to be the one to bring Devin to life. I've had the luxury of knowing Buddy for well over a decade and while we have tackled various projects over the years none of them were as intense as what VOC would become.

For those of you who don't know, Buddy Wayne Goettsch is a force of nature in the entertainment world. His career began at the age of 5 when his parents would invite friends over and have Buddy perform for hours at a time on the piano and organ. From there, music and theatre became his passion. He has fronted, birthed and taken part in more musical acts than I have room to list (Lock the Gate, Time Peace, The Current and The Strugglers just to name a few) and is a musical jack of all trades, playing guitar, bass, drums and piano. And then there's that Voice. Buddy is hands down one of the best vocalists in the business and he has made opportunities to flaunt and hone his craft across the country and throughout Europe. Rumor has it he may be jumping back into the studio in the very near future to begin work on a brand new cd.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Buddy devoted a solid portion of his life to the theatrical stage. As with his bands, the shows he's participated in over the years are far too numerous to list but, as evident by his performance in this film, it was truly time well spent.

What makes Buddy invaulable to any project he puts his hands on, however, is his Dedication. Buddy's prints are all over VOC. In the beginning, he was my sound board for character and story ideas. He willingly threw himself into an intense rehearsal schedule, never complaining about the long hours, late nights and lost weekends. As time went on he played a pivotal role in organizing the raw footage of the movie and supplying me with screen captures that I get to show off here. And as if he didn't have anything else to do, Buddy is currently working on the score for the film.

On top of all of that, in spite of all of that, Buddy amazed me at every single shoot. For those of you who know him, and those of you who are soon to meet him, you know that Buddy is a shot of energy, plain and simple. He brings a party (and an after-party) to every situation. In many respects, Buddy is the antithesis of Devin Reeves, which is why I was so impressed. Devin is dark in ways that most people can't comprehend, let alone bring to life. In the beginning, Buddy let me know that he had concerns regarding the emotional doors he would have to open to properly give Devin life. He had to go to several dark and scary places, places that took days to shake off, but he never complained. Not once.

For that alone I consider it an honor to have had the chance to work with him on VOC...and I can't wait to start rolling on the sequel.

(Just kidding)

(sort of...)

-paul

#vocfilm

Robby Celestin...'nuff said

At least once every day I have the honor of saying the words: Yes, Robby's my brother.

For those of you still living in a cave, or on the Moon, or in Iowa, Robby Celestin is hands down one of the greatest vocalists and performers ever. Bar none. For over 20 years (he started his first band at Age 5) Robby's music has served as the soundtrack to thousands of lives all across the world.

When I was writing the VOC script I developed a key scene between Devin and Caitlyn, a moment of raw emotion that I knew would transcend words. I realized that what the scene needed was something deeper, something personal, something that would reach people in a completely different way. What I needed was a song by Robby.

Working with one of his favorite musical collaborators, the uber-talented Buddy Wayne Goettsch (who has his hands all over VOC, by the way), Robby set to work crafting what promises to be a truly fantastic, new original song. This was new ground for him as I challenged him to write a song about longing for that which you cannot have, a theme he had yet to explore in his music.

The tune is being written as I type and based on the preliminaries I've heard I believe it is going to be more than I was hoping for. But that is one of Robby's greatest assets as a singer/song-writer: He always gives you more than you thought you needed.

Don't take my word for it, though. If there is any truth to Nepotism I could possibly be biased. So do your ears and soul a favor and head on over to http://www.robbycelestin.com/ to see what the man is all about.

-Paul

#vocfilm