Local Filmmaker Draws on Highland Park's Diversity

The environs of Highland Park and Mount Washington are sought after by filmmakers for their ability to provide the backdrop for any number of imagined locations.

From hilltop to suburb to inner-city to college campus, our neighborhoods are skilled at appearing to be some place else on screen.

However, when local filmmaker M.L. Martin targeted Highland Park as the location for her film project Rising Sun, she only wanted it to look like home.

Highland Park is at the center of Martin's project about a widower, martial arts studio owner and practitioner of Eastern medicine named James Lee (played by Star Trek: Voyager's Garrett Wang) who makes it through the trials of parenthood with the help of his diverse family.

Rising Sun was shot in Highland Park in January and is set primarily in on 5577 North Figueroa. 1st Defense owner Kelvin De Wolfe further contributed to the film by coordinating some of the fight scenes.

Patch recently spoke to writer/creator/producer Martin, who talked about her inspiration for the film, what is like to shoot in Highland Park, her effort to sell the film and how she landed experienced actors like Wang and Carmen Argenziano of the Syfy TV show Stargate SG-1. 

What was your inspiration for Rising Sun?

There are just so many inspirations.  Giving great actors opportunities to work and collaborate in a big way with a true sense of community. We did that.  The themes are family, acceptance and diversity.  The fact that we all go through moments of darkness, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel--our own rising sun each day.  And what better way to live life than surrounded by people who make our lives better despite age, color, etc. That’s our own Rising Sun family.

You've lived in Highland Park for 10 years.  Can you talk about the experience of shooting in your home neighborhood?  It seems like you received a lot of great community support.

Filming has always meant commute. But, this journey had God at the wheel. We bloomed right where we were planted.  We had Shawn Osborne--who teaches music in Highland Park--compose the Rising Sun theme just absolutely meant for our project. Local artist Guadulesa had her works displayed throughout the film scenes, with one art piece having the lovely rising sun. 

Plus, one amazing friend, Kelvin DeWolfe, gave us the perfect setting at his own 1st Defense Studio, home of Rising Sun right off Figueroa and North Avenue 57.  DeWolfe trained 11-year-old Kathleen Teresa Scott for the martial arts scenes, as well as doing the fight scene choreography for actors Garrett Wang and Joshua Boswell.  was the setting for our young actors getting a snow cones.  It was art imitating life, where family comes from the heart, and we actually worked together. I am very grateful to everyone involved.

Can you talk about the challenges this film presented.  And can you talk about you film experience.

It’s definitely been a learning process. This film has the possibility to become an on-going TV series and full feature. As the writer/producer, I wanted solid teamwork to make this happen.  I had the best collaborating directors.  They added their own visions, and are both extremely talented.  First unit director Martin Glover made our opening motorcycle shot really focus on the Highland Park neighborhood vibe.  Then Collazo Versace added a different style in our green-screen scene.  My biggest challenges were schedules and the time it took in post-production.  Our cast and crew was such a blessing that promoting and selling this piece is my next endeavor.

Can you talk a little bit about the cast, and how Carmen Argenziano got involved?

The cast is comprised of talent with wonderful work that your readers would know. I simply wanted to see them all do something a little ... different.  For example, Garrett Wang did seven seasons on Star Trek: Voyager, where he had short hair and a reserved character. In Rising Sun, he is a widow and parent of two adopted kids. He also does martial arts, sports long hair and rides a motorcycle.  Different for sure. 

Carmen Argenziano and I had spoken about him acting in a project of mine on Thanksgiving day 2010. So it was surreal to not only have these characters come to life, but getting two actors from the sci-fi genre.  There was a unique connection and excitement between all of the characters, very much like a long-running TV family.  It’s an awesome cast!

Everyone can read all about our ensemble cast. To view photos, bios and great “behind the scenes” videos of  Highland Park as the home of Rising Sun, go to the official website.