Greetings HHSE Friends & Followers - The HHSE facilitated and supported production of "WILDFIRE: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse" continues in a positive trajectory through its post-production.
But some great news regarding the Soundtrack has finally transpired. Multiple-Grammy Nominee and co-Executive Producer of this film, MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY, has agreed to record an entire soundtrack album for the movie, including the remake of his #1 worldwide hit, "Wildfire." The new version of "Wildfire" features a duet with "The Voice" winner and our film star CHEVEL SHEPHERD, the music video for which is slated to premiere on CMT this spring.
"Murph" as his friends call him, already has SIX gold-certified albums and a dozen top 40 hits. Having his compositional skills and solid musicians as support for the film's soundtrack will elevate the stature of this creative element and provide HHSE with a retail item (the Soundtrack CD) as a bonus revenue stream.
Soundtrack albums are often throw-aways with feature films. But when major artists and original material dominates, such items can be huge sellers in their own right, as well as major contributor's to a film's profile and success. Case in point: the soundtrack album to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" sold over 8-million units, hit # 1 on the Billboard charts and won "Album of the Year" Grammy in 2002. Not bad!
Meanwhile, editing and final assembly of the WILDFIRE feature forges ahead, under the direction of Jon McCallum. Pleased to say that the final result is exceeding our greatest expectations.
Below are a few images and video clips from the production and post-production - as we approach the finish line on this first significant feature film produced with the support of Hannover House!
ABOVE: Editor JON McCALLUM presents HHSE with some scene assemblies from the August-Sept. 2021 footage for "WILDFIRE."
ABOVE: Music Industry Legend and Hit-Maker MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY performs a new version of his # 1 worldwide hit "WILDFIRE" with film co-star CHEVEL SHEPHERD - filmed at the Cherokee County Fairgrounds, Park Hill, Oklahoma. In addition to performing a role in the movie, Murph is now working on a full and original motion picture soundtrack release. (Bottom Image: "Fishing with Buddies Scene" featuring Michael Martin Murphey, Yellowstone star Mo Brings Plenty and Highlander star Adrian Paul - camera operator in foreground is Andrew Parke).
CHEVEL SHEPHERD receives instructions on "stunt fall" sequence in which her character falls off a 20-foot ledge and receives a traumatic head injury. This scene refers to the song "WILDFIRE" in which the young girl chases after her horse who has escaped during a storm. In our movie version, the storm is lightning and strong winds, which spook the horse and Chevel's character chases after WILDFIRE into the woods where she ultimately falls off the ledge. Her fall was atop inflated stunt bags, but this shot (ABOVE) was her approach to the edge of the ledge, where she is protected form falling through a belt apparatus that is unseen by the camera below.
Care was taken for Chevel's head injury to match the wound from prior scenes in which she was rescued by UDELI (played by Moses Brings Plenty).
Due to COVID concerns, the Screen Actors Guild would not allow the "WILDFIRE" Hospital scenes to be shot at the Cherokee Nation Hastings Hospital (due to active patients and exposure concerns). Fortunately, located right next door to the hospital is the OSU Center for Health Sciences "Teaching Hospital." This state-of-the-art facility was ideal for shooting our scenes as we had full access and no COVID concerns.
https://medicine.okstate.edu/hastings/index.html
Pictured ABOVE: MIKE GARNER, Senior Manager of Video Production for CHEROKEE NATION BUSINESS portrays Dr. Hoskin in the film. He is joined by TAYLOR PEDIGO as the Orderly, while real-life doctor SAMANTHA BRAY watches from the video village with 1st A.C. SACHA THOMAS and Producer CHRIS LARGE (Cherokee Nation). Also pictured above, "Mean Girls Posse" members HARMONY HOLMQUIST and OLIVIA SLATTON-FITE joke with Chevel about her "baby" that was jokingly added to the script (but, of course, not included in the movie).
"Highlander" TV Series star ADRIAN PAUL portrays the "Dad" in WILDFIRE, and nailed the role! Pictured ABOVE: Director ERIC PARKINSON with actress THESA LOVING (as "Grandma Bette"); Cherokee Nation National Treasure TOMMY WILDCAT visits the dressing rooms for CHEVEL SHEPHERD and ADRIAN PAUL; "Killers of the Flower Moon" Native American star CARA JADE MYERS plays the "Mom" in the film and is seen here with ADRIAN PAUL and RICO SIMONINI ("Frank and Ava") as they contemplate a major business meeting. Make-up artist SANDY BURFORD takes a break as ADRIAN PAUL studies his lines for the next scene; CHEVEL SHEPHERD sits atop the Elemac Dolly and Geared-Head Camera Support System; Cherokee Nation EMT Medic TRAVIS HOOPER sits on the camera platform while Los Angeles-based Cinematographer ANDY PARKE stands by to shoot.
HIGHLANDER fans may get a kick out of seeing the car that the producers selected for actor ADRIAN PAUL to drive. Yes, that's a TOYOTA HIGHLANDER and Yes, it was on purpose!
Grandma's dinner table is the setting for three separate scenes and over 8-pages of important dialogue in WILDFIRE. Accordingly, actors needed to change their clothes for each set-up while the art department changed out the food being served. Pictured ABOVE, over-the-shoulder shot of the filming activities; the primary Camera Team is pictured (left-to-right), DAVID HUFF, SACHA THOMAS, ANDREW PARKE and JOSH IRWIN; (bottom left) MAJOR DODGE SENIOR (portraying rancher Fred Jones in the movie) is joined by CHEVEL SHEPHERD and his real-life son, MAJOR DODGE IV (who portrays bratty little brother Austin). Next, CHEVEL and MAJOR JR look skeptically at the dinner plates as the food had not been warm for several hours! Lastly, our Script Supervisor and Clapper Girl HALEY ZEGA joins Chevel and Major Jr. for the beginning of the scene, in which Grandma enters with a new meal.
WILDFIRE: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse
was produced by SNOWY MORNING, INC. in association with HANNOVER HOUSE and MYFLIX.
WILDFIRE is NATIVE STRONG!
CHRIS LARGE - Producer (Cherokee Nation)
MOSES BRINGS PLENTY - Actor (Lakota-Sioux)
CARA JADE MAYERS - Actress (Wichita Tribe)
MARIAH DAVIS - Actress (Choctaw Nation)
OLIVIA SLATTON-FITE - Actress (Cherokee Nation)
PHOENIX GHOST - Actor (Zuni - Hualapai Nations)
TOMMY WILDCAT - Actor (Cherokee Nation)
MIKE GARNER - Actor (Cherokee Nation)
CHOOGIE KINGFISHER - Actor (Cherokee Nation)
TYARA NOON THOMAS - Actress (Cherokee Nation)
HARLEY RASKEY - Actress (Cherokee Nation)
KELLY PREWITT - Actress (Cherokee Nation)
And last but not least, no visitors to TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA are official UNTIL they've had the amazing and enormous Chicken-Fried-Chicken sandwich at DEL RANCHO CAFE! Pictured above, WILDFIRE Director ERIC PARKINSON with actors PHOENIX GHOST and KELLY PREWITT and location sound recordist and editor JON McCALLUM
