In September 2021, while on set for 825 Forest Road, a Steven Cognetti horror being filmed in Jim Thorpe, I received an email from Joe Manno, who interviewed me four years earlier as a guest on The Oh Word?! podcast.
I didn't know Joe when I spoke to him about my adventures of being a psychic medium, but he confessed he came to me through a google search and his interested was peaked the time being Halloween and all. He wasn't a believer and had questions and I was super ok with it because as I have come to learn, skepticism is in fact quite necessary and healthy.
In Joe's email, he mentioned that when we spent time together, I said he'd be doing film in the future, and in fact, film is what he was contacting me about. He hoped I wouldn't be offended that he was asking me to play the “spiritual guide/evil witch”, expressing that he wasn't sure if I had any real interest in acting. He thought however, given my life experience I could bring authenticity to the role, noting: "in no way are you evil!" He also remembered from our interview, about my disdain for “spiritual guides” or similar types who take advantage of people and don't really offer any real guidance or expertise and this character; GURU was exactly that. Joe had no idea, about my career shift or stage name, time in the RAMA cult, or that he was reaching out while I was getting paid for my very first feature film experience. I read the script. Goosebumps. Joe, Christina and Paul showed up to my apartment, also featured in Black Point and we headed to a spot I scouted for the outdoor ritual scene, just off a highly populated biking/walking trail. It was fun watching the reactions of passersby.
I did my own makeup, using elemental and astrological symbols. It took me four tries to get it to look like what Joe had intended.
I arranged my home to be a little more witchy than usual and it really worked out. Luna, my beloved Bombay, wanted in on the action and jumped on my lap while I was chanting.
Christina Fursich, the lead, was inspiring. I learned so much from her. I only hope to work with her again in the future and cannot wait to see more from her unique brand of talent. Paul McBride, who scored the music was also on location in JT and we had such fun talking conspirituality & more. Joe's direction, his vision for a new writer/ director was outstanding. Everything lined up just perfectly. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next but I was pretty sure I was stoked about the possibility of the outcome.
February 2nd, Black Point was released to the public via YouTube because that's what you do when you don't have a big production company or distribution and you're an independent filmmaker getting your bearing in this art form. It's also a short film so unless and until we get accepted into film festivals, it won't have an audience. Every single view, every single share pers say is so much appreciated and so much a big deal in this particular world. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you in advance for helping in any way you can - by watching, by liking, by sharing this short film on your own social media platforms. This little piece of suspenseful, psychological, experimental art we made, the creative brainchild of Joe Manno and efforts the entire team that brought BLACK POINT to life thanks you. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado I present to you - BLACK POINT.