FROM THE CREATOR'S CHAIR: INSPIRATION AND ORIGINS OF AMONGST THE LIVING As an Artist, it is sometimes very simple to pinpoint the genesis moment of a creation. For example, a photograph by Anonymous, hanging in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City became the inspirtation for one of my earliest theatrical endeavors, Dark Love. The actual tragedy of a duel suicide while in high school sparked the creation of Jacob, at first a short story, and then a one-act play which has seen numerous productions around the country. Amongst The Living has deeper, more complex roots in its creation, and, as a result, is a much deeper and complex entry in the canon of my work. It was first conceived at a very dark time in my life. My partner and lover had just passed an agonizing death. It was a time of extreme questioning of the world and existence that I was a part of, religious, spirtiually, emotionally, and physically. It was also a time when I was dealing with some very difficult changes in my own person. In short, I needed and wanted a hero, and since there were none out there, I decided to create one myself, whom I could identity with, and, hopefully, tackle and conquer my own demons through his adventures. Thus sparked the creation of the character now known as Markus Hutchinson, the leading player of Amongst The Living, and currently set to be played by Joe Zaso (Virus X, Barracade)

The Character of Markus shares many similarities with other typical cinematic heros. From his macho exterior covering us his own inner doubts and insecurities, to his willingness to help one in need, even at the risk of losing his life, Markus is very much molded upon the norm. Except for one very important thing. Markus is an openly gay man in the Leather community. And he lives with a curse that has been the bane of his existence since he was born. The notion of the leading man's sexuality has turned many critics, and would be producers' heads. It is just something that simply is not marketable to them. Hence the main decision to take the independent route with this film, and not sell out, and simply erase the sexual identity of the hero to make a paycheck. The independent market ensures that I will have creative control over the script, and Markus will be the hero I envisioned him to be. Once Markus was fleshed out, with the story of the film following him on a personal journey towards understanding his destiny, and ultimately, his very identity, the rest fell into place rather rapidly. The first was the creation of the fictional town of Oakwood, Pennsylvania, where 90 percent of the film is set, (the other portions are in New York City). For Oakwood, the inspiration came from my very home town in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and the areas surrounding it. In fact, I am thrilled that we will actually be filming in the area on locations for the picture. After the setting had been established, I realized that Markus needed an enemy, or, as it turned out, many enemies. Finding inspiration from my own canon of Art, I plucked a character from Jacob, Daemon, who was, in the play, the protagonist, and formed him into the antagonist in Amongst The Living. Daemon is a character I fell in love with, and its amazing to see him more fully fleshed out here in this script. Also, Daemon will be played by a man I have wanted to work with for several years, that I hunted down out in LA, namely Derek Long (Socket, Bio-Dead).

The protagonist and antagonist set, I began filling the story with the other main, major and supporting characters, always keepng in mind that the story needed to serve them, not the other way around. Once that was complete, I began weaving in the themes that I knew I wanted to explore within the film itself. Religion. Identity. Sexuality. Destiny. And from that point on, the script took off, and became, for the most part, what exists today, although there have been several changes since the first draft was complete back in 2006. In fact, the real death of my father, in 2010, prompted me to create an additional scene between Markus and his step-father, Gregory, that did not exist in the original versions of the script. Amongst The Living is a complex story that sets the stage for future installments after it. (In fact, at one point, I was in negotiations with a television network channel to create a series based on the script, although upon seeing and hearing my plans, the story was labeled “too dark and sophisticated for network television.” I know, most definitely where the story goes from the final moments of Amongst The Living, and I hope that the film is successful enough to warrant more cinematic exploration of the word and mythology that I have created. For now, fans and the curious can check out The Oakwood Chronicles here on the site, for a look at a prequel novella featuring several characters from Amongst The Living. Coming soon will be detailed cast and character descriptions, as they are made available, as well as information on upcoming casting sessions, and fundraising opportunities. Welcome to Oakwood, and remember that we live amongst the living. We must all accept that responsibility. Peace Justin John Costello Writer/Director