11.08 Organic Art in Oldbury Hill

By Jillian D’Apollo

New England youth will finally have a channel for viewing and for creating when OurTvSpace.com airs the first episode of a web series called “Oldbury Hill.” The unofficial Myspace page, www.myspace.com/oldburyhillfans, describes the series as a convergence of The Lost Boys and “Dawson’s Creek,” where occult fashion meets New England aesthetic: fall foliage, taverns, inns, colonial style houses, orchards, hex marks and of course, Massachusetts’ rich heritage and historical culture.

Doug Kirkpatrick, Executive Producer, explains the nature of the webisodes as a “series which evolves organically. The interactive social network for Oldbury Hill (Oldburyhillvillage.com) exists as an open platform for fans and cast/crew members to communicate and collaborate, advancing the genre beyond just reality TV.”

In fact, the casting emerged via Ourfilmspace through an experimental process of attracting local talent and production people such as Kristen Lucas, Assistant Producer/ Production Manager. Unlike the predictable Hollywood scene, the acting on Oldbury Hill is primarily improvisational, leaving room for candid creativity to form “organic art.”
The pilot, filmed at the Hyland Brewery in Sturbridge on September 20th, features Reesa Guerra (far left) of 27 Dresses. Her character Stacia emulates one of three gothic girls in a socially deviant clique known as the Boneyard Girls.

Reesa mirrors Mr. Kirkpatrick’s insight on the web series when she comments, “ We have an excellent crew and cast. We just started filming and already, I feel like a part of a big family. Any time I hear about an audition for a mysterious character, I aim for that role. My character has not fully been revealed to me yet, but I am excited to see how she develops in time.”

So, what can you expect of Oldbury Hill? Think the lovechild of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. Here is a brief sketch: due to her father’s murder by a Hollywood cult, the main character, Maggie Phelps, a 17 year old native of Beverly Hills, experiences extreme culture shock when she is schlepped off to the superstitious town of Oldbury Hill, MA by her mother. Seeking comfort and family during the grieving process, Maggie and her mother Laura relocate to the Oldbury Hill Inn, owned by the grandparents. While simultaneously dealing with life-altering changes, Maggie courageously faces high school drama. Within the spooky confines of Oldbury Hill, all is a matter of survival.

The webisodes will air weekly beginning in 2009 at Ourtvspace.com.

Photo courtesy of Jess Buckley. The Boneyard Girls are Reesa Guerra, Gianna Simone, Gina Marie Murphy, and Ryan Hull