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

VOC in Print...The hell you say?

Well good morning True Believers! It was a long night, in part to Paul calling to say "Oh yeah, the interview for Victims of Circumstance got printed and is out right now!" That sort of derailed my night...where could I find this article...is it online? No, not til Friday....well I can't wait that long. I hop in the car and head out to Northwest Indiana, where I find cast, crew, director, and groupie hanging out reading their own personal copy of a story on VOC. Not to be out done, I have to read it myself.

First of all...thank you Stephanie Vega for the interview! I know Paul is good at putting words to paper, but you made him sound all polished and professional. Thanks. Also...Aaron Brown's poster featuring Buddy Wayne Goettsch looks more impressive in print then it does hanging on my wall (of course I got a movie poster printed...it looks cool). The article is kind enough to mention some of our generous partners, who have opened their establishments as filming locales and lent their immense talents to our project.

So please support Northwest Indiana Entertainer (www.nwientertainer.com) and pick up a copy. For those of you outside of the Chicago metro area, the article will appear on line later this week, please check it out.

Mike

#vocfilm

The True Believers of VOC

There is so much information that I want to write in this post that I just can't...Victims of Circumstance has this peculiarly semi-charmed life.  I don't want to jinx it by breaking news too early.

When you listen to the story of how this movie got made, I want you to realize that you, good reader, were here...when it all happened.  I wish I could tell you the great news we got this weekend, but the time is not right.  Up to this point our little circle....you, me, and Paul have been had this lovely little secret.  A story that Paul wrote and with the hard work of some amazingly talented people was able to capture "on film" to share with the world.  Well later this week, our little secret is about to spread to a slightly larger audience.  Paul and VOC are going to be featured in an article that will drop online and in print and we are thrilled.  

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  You have been privy to a family secret and now we are about to share it with a few more people.  Will you please help welcome them?  Share it with your friends and your family.  You were the first to know, to be aware of this great little project.  As Paul likes to say, you are a part of the True Believers.

For those of you who don't know...J.I.Lange Productions is managing this whole process.  Mike and Paul are excited to be apart of a great production team and have faith that we've partnered correctly to bring VOC to the national and hopefully international stage.  J.I.Lange has added a forensic technical consultant, marketing managers, social media consultants, graphic artists, and industry professionals to help pave the way to seeing VOC on the big screen.

The last thing I would like to add is a big thank you to our international audience!  I never would have thought that the little film that could would have followers in the UK, India, Japan, Russia, Poland, Germany, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, and our humble respect to the service men and women who are taking time out in Afghanistan to read the blog and ask about the movie.

Thank you all...and we'll see you at the movies!  Mike

#vocfilm, #indiefilm, #chicagomovies, #indiemovies

Yin and Yang: The Women of VOC

Any way you cut it, people in general are obsessed with the concept of Love. They live for it, strive for it, long for it and pine for it when it is no longer theirs. The interesting thing to me, however, is that Love always gets such fantastic "press". It is viewed by many as the entire point of mankind's existence and yet, when you really think about it, Love has the capacity to be far from pure.

Love the right person and you can make dreams come true. Admittedly, I believe that. What happens, however, when the wrong person Loves you? What happens when True Love becomes motivation for truly dark and unthinkable actions? More importantly, what happens when you come face to face with both sides of Love, the Light and the Dark?

At its core, VOC is a love story; a love story that explores many facets of my favorite emotion. On screen, the second character we are introduced to is Agent Charlamagne "Charlie" Medina, played by the uber-talented Amanda Maul. Charlie is Devin's handler and the two of them share a...well...it's complicated. Charlie is dark, vicious and calculating and she knows better than anyone else exactly how to throw Devin off balance. This is a dark, almost suffocating expression of when Love goes bad.

(Side note: Thanks to Amanda's talent as an actress, Charlie became my favorite character to write for. Some of my favorite lines of the film are delivered effortlessly by Amanda and I still get tickled every time I see the footage.)

On the opposite end of the spectrum lies Dr. Caitlyn George, brought to life by Sarah Moore. Caitlyn, like Charlie, is a woman of high intellect and intense strength of character. She has the ability to cleave through Devin's bravado and misdirection, something no one else has ever been able to do. Caitlyn represents Love in a pure form and offers a glimpse at a future Devin has never allowed himself to imagine.

Two women, similar yet not, as flawed as they are refined.

They have the capacity to empower or destroy Devin; to save him or damn him; to Love him or...Love him.

And Devin? Well, all he has to do is make a choice and then try to live with it...or through it.

-paul

#vocfilm, #indiefilm, #chicagofilm, #indiemovies

First Look: Meet the Characters

Today is a very good day, True Believers. 

It is with great honor and immense pride that I officially introduce you to some of the characters from Victims of Circumstance. 

Buddy Wayne Goettsch as Devin Reeves

Sarah Moore as Dr. Caitlyn George  

                                      Dan Maul as Carter

Therapy...

Work...

-paul

#vocfilm

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#vocfilm

Never Mine: The un-love song

A few posts back I tipped my hat to the fact that Robby Celestin is writing a song to be featured in a key scene of VOC. While I'm not quite ready to give you a listen, I will offer a read. The lyrics to the song NEVER MINE are below, as penned by Robby. The song is written from Devin's perspective and offers a glimpse of the tragedy he has become.

NEVER MINE

(R. Celestin)

All alone am I, in this place of my design

Don't recall a memory of something that is mine

I'm a wounded man in every sense of the word

Self-inflicted are the scars that I incur

You're standing there, a vision so divine

I close my eyes but in this dream you're never mine

Never mine. Never mine.

I can take anything I want in this world but you

Never mine. You're never mine.

My soul hangs down, my heart stays deserted because you're never mine

There's nothing to save me. I'm lost in this sea

There's no way to get to the one that makes me free

I can look but never touch because in this painful dance

For once I'm the Victim and you're the Circumstance

When you're close to me the pain and longing grow

We wonder how a touch would feel but we're not allowed to know

Never mine. You're never mine.

I can take anything I want in this world but you

Never mine. You're never mine.

My soul hangs down my heart stays deserted because you're never mine

It hurts so bad; the answer is simple yet it's not

These two world's colliding; it's never worth the shot

So we stay so far apart in this tiny little room

Wanting a taste of a love we can't resume

I'll yearn so painfully and deepen my desire

A slow death on the inside from this longing, from this fire

Never mine...

Stay tuned, True Believers. The song (and more) will be dropping soon.

-paul

#vocfilm