News

Casting Announcement: John Carrigan Revealed!

Actor John Carrigan

Writer/Director Ben Alpi:

 

JT and I are overjoyed to announce that John Carrigan will be playing the villainous “Thomas Michael ‘Limey’ Lymm” in our upcoming short action Western film Cowboy Creed. As you’ll learn about in our Kickstarter video, John and I met while working on Star Trek: Phase II (then New Voyages) back in 2005. The first time I got to direct him was in David Gerrold’s two-parter “Blood and Fire” playing Captain Kirk’s nemesis “Kargh.” We always said we would love to work with each other again and I’m really glad we’re finally getting to.

 

John said, “I am over the moon to be working on Cowboy Creed. It is a little boy’s dream to be a space man or a cowboy. How incredible it is that as an actor I get to play both while being directed by my multitalented friend Ben Alpi. This is truly a fantastic project.”

 

John is a very fine actor and martial artist and he runs his own school in England teaching the art and philosophy of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do. I asked John to have a look at an early draft. I didn’t tell him I was writing the part with him in mind at first, but it was pretty evident– a suave Englishman who isn’t afraid of a fight.
 

John Carrigan as Kargh
John Carrigan as the Klingon Captain Kargh.


Cowboy Creed is set in the late days of the California Gold Rush, a very international time in the Wild West. People were coming from all over the world to strike it rich as Limey does albeit by more devious and deadly means. John is a joy to work with and I really can’t wait to start shooting!

 

“A western with this much depth of character and heart is very rare and I am so proud to be a part of it,” John added.

 

Thank you John! Stay tuned for more news and of course, to learn more about our Kickstarter online fund raising campaign and watch our video, please visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/runicfilms/cowboy-creed-short-film

 

# # #

 

Cowboy Creed is a Western short film from writer/director Ben Alpi, producer JT Tepnapa and Cinematographer David Berry. It’s a co-production of Runic Films and Blue Seraph Productions.

 

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“Captain Kargh” image courtesy of Star Trek: Phase II and Retro Studios.

Alpi/Tepnapa Launch Fundraiser for ‘Cowboy Creed’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

LOS ANGELES, Runic Films and Blue Serif Productions are proud to announce the launch of their Kickstarter.com fundraising campaign for their Western short film Cowboy Creed. From writer/director Ben Alpi and producer J.T. Tepnapa, filming is planned for November. To view their video and learn about becoming a backer of the film and receive great “thank you” rewards, visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/runicfilms/cowboy-creed-short-film.

 

Cowboy Creed is about Phineas, a young man trying to find his way in the strange land of the California Gold Rush. “Phineas” world is turned upside down by a deadly international criminal nicknamed “Limey”. ” I really look forward to filming these characters,” Ben said about the film.

 

JT added about their Kickstarter campaign, “We’re thrilled to be utilizing Kickstarter, a great community fund raising platform. Anyone can go to the page and check out our video and of course, become a Cowboy Creed backer!” The team also noted that Kickstarter uses this all-or-nothing funding which means all pledges are logged and nothing is charged unless the total pledges equal or exceed the posted goal.

 

Ben said, “Also on our Kickstarter video is an exclusive casting announcement! To find out what the special announcement is, visit our Kickstarter page!”

 

“In return, we’ll be rewarding backers with a whole slew of great rewards like signed DVDs, posters, a limited edition printed sketchbook of the film’s concept art, set props and more!” J.T. said.

 

For further details on the Kickstarter campaign, visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/runicfilms/cowboy-creed-short-film.

 

# # #
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bob Alpi, 818-588-6880
email

 

Runic Films is an Los Angeles-based film production and entertainment company dedicated to upholding the traditions of mythic storytelling.

 

Blue Seraph Productions is a Los Angeles production company. Their previous work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

Runic/Seraph Team Up for Western Film Adventure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

LOS ANGELES, Runic Films and Blue Seraph Productions are proud to announce their first collaboration, a Western short film entitled Cowboy Creed. Lead by writer/director Ben Alpi and producer J.T. Tepnapa, the film goes into production in November. To support the film, the co-production will launch a fund raising campaign Wednesday, September 28, 2011 on Kickstarter.com.

 

Ben said about the film, “Cowboy Creed is about Phineas, a young man coming into his own in the strange new world of the California Gold Rush. Social changes from immigration, world cultural convergence and the American Civil War make this an incredibly rich period to set a film in.”

 

The production brings together a tight group of filmmakers including Alpi, Tepnapa and cinematographer David Berry who all worked together on the award winning Star Trek: Phase II web series. “J.T. and David just completed a feature Judas Kiss which is doing fantastically at festivals. It”s great to be working with them again,” Ben added.

 

“I’m really excited about working with Ben and David again, this time on a Western.” J.T. said.

 

Phineas is an eighteen year old who has looked up to the gruff old Sheriff since his father was murdered. He wants to follow in the lawman’s footsteps, but Phineas world gets turned upside down when his ladylove is kidnapped.

 

The filmmakers said they are thrilled to be fund raising with Kickstarter, a great platform to allow anyone to donate to worthy creative projects. The campaign for funding Cowboy Creed will launch on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 and will introduce some very cool rewards for donors.

 

“Our Kickstarter companion video will include and exclusive announcement,” Ben said. “We can’t wait to share the news.”

 

Stay tuned for more great announcements and don’t forget to check out https://runicfilms.com/ for the link to the Cowboy Creed Kickstarter.com campaign starting Wednesday, September 28, 2011.

 

# # #
 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bob Alpi, 818-588-6880
email

 

Runic Films is an Los Angeles-based film production and entertainment company dedicated to upholding the traditions of mythic storytelling.

 

Blue Seraph Productions is a Los Angeles production company. Their previous work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

“Enemy: Starfleet” Released!

Begun over two years ago with the participation of Carlos Pedraza, Ben Alpi, David Berry and many other courageous souls, the latest Star Trek: Phase II episode "Enemy: Starfleet" has released! Stream this episode right now on http://startrekphase2.com! Well done everyone!

“Blood and Fire” Wins TrekMovie’s Best of Year

TrekMovie.com, the leading Star Trek news site, has awarded the Star Trek: Phase II episode “Blood and Fire: Part 2” the Best Fan Production of 2009! Congratulations to James Cawley and all entire Phase II staff.

 

Runic Films’ Carlos Pedraza co-wrote the teleplay with noted science fiction author David Gerrold (“The Trouble with Tribbles”). Gerrold directed the episode with other Runic members David Berry, cinematographer, Jo’l Bellucci, visual effects supervisor and Ben Alpi, second unit director. “Blood and Fire” is based on a script Gerrold wrote for Star Trek: The Next Generation but was never produced because producers deemed it too controversial.

 

TrekMovie.com hailed “Blood and Fire, Part 2” as:

An emotional yet exciting story, complete with the excellent production values and effects that we have come to expect from the Phase II team.

 

The past year also attracted kudos for Carlos’ and Runic member’s work from Joss Whedon, who ‘told Rolling Stone that the Phase II episode, “World Enough and Time,” which Carlos Pedraza co-executive produced, inspired Whedon to create the Internet phenomenon Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Berry, Bellucci and Alpi contributed to the episode in production, visual effects and distribution.

 

Rolling Stone, by the way, named Phase II, among its five must-watch Web series.

 

“Blood and Fire” is based on a script Gerrold originally wrote for Star Trek: The Next Generation in the 1990s. It was never produced because its passing reference to a male couple aboard the Enterprise was considered too controversial by the producers.

 

Fortunately, Part 2’s release this past November was greeted by far fewer objections. Watch both episodes of “Blood and Fire” and all the Phase II episodes on the Phase II website.

 

Watch the episode: http://startrekphase2.com

Watch the trailer: http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/episodes.html