EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: Lights, Camera, LANDAU!

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Independent film hangs out in the shadows of big name movies, but it’s so important to the film industry. Our Extraordinary People of the Week are a independent film making family. It’s “Lights, camera, LANDAU!”

The short film, “The Vamprentice”, is a dark comedy with hopefully a bright future.

“This is real life,” said Hillary Vamp, character of The Vamprentice, “this is not a problem, this is creative content for a hit blockbuster television program.” “Okay, point taken,” Ronald Dump replied.

The feature is both a short film and pitch piece for a TV show that hopes to be filmed in the Port City.

“It’s escentially a spoof of ‘The Apprentice’ where the characters of the show are a family of vampires,”  Jonathan Landau, of Brand Spanking New Productions, said, “and they go into the boardroom and pitch the reality show to the Trump character.”

Jonathan Landau and his wife, Marty, have a love for independent film that dates back to the 90’s.

“What I really like,” Jonathan said, “is seeing the process of taking a script and turning it into, you know, making it come to life.”

The two have worked with countless professionals to put togethers films that are featured in web series, featured at festivals, featured at various venues. and featured with family.

“There’s 4 of us,” Marty said, “Jonathon and I, and we have two kids and they help us on set too. We’ve got a budding special effects artist who scares me daily with her terrible tings she comes in with. I’m like, “are you okay? should I be worried? Call 911? She’s like, no, it’s just latex (laughs).”

Independent film may not be the mega money maker of the Hollywood hits, but the Landau’s see a bigger picture with the smaller scene.

“You can be a camera operator on a big show and never ever get any of your ideas into the show,” Jonathan said, “but if you’re working on an indpendent, it’s more of a collaborative experience.”

Experience that gives everyone a spotlight and opportunity in the Port City.

“The biggest thing is just, as a community to come together,” Marty said. “There’s theatre, bands and music, Wilmington, I think(laughing), forget about New York, forget about Atlanta, come to Wilmignton and do your indenpendent film!”

“What we really need to do to make sure the industry stays here,” Jonathan said, “is grow local companies so they can have successes and reinvest in their own projects and we can have local, indigenous projects and we don’t have to say, hey, let’s go shoot this in NC because we’re already here.”

Photo: Poster for The Vamps

As for projects like the dark comedy, The Vamprentice? The Landaus are using the short feature to raise money to make a pilot to pitch a locally filmed tv show called ‘The Vamps’.
Sink your teeth into that extraordinary idea put together by an ‘Extraordinary’ film family.

For more information on The Vamprentice, click here.
For more information on The Vamps,
The fundraising page can be found by clicking here.

Trailers used in the video include: