Welcome, traveler. You’ve reached Quigley Films, a mystical and wondrous place. A place where filmmakers dwell, lurking primarily in the general area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Clarence Center, New York. Exciting.
So have a look around, but don’t touch.
…
Just kidding, click whatever you want.
Feel free to check out some of our work, or Tom Quigley’s reel below.
This is a (sort of) historic occasion!
As of early this morning (1? 2? WHO KNOWS!) Quigley Films has produced its first ever feature-length screenplay. For those of you who don’t know, feature-length means it’s real movie size. In this case, probably around an hour and a half. It’s a lot of writing (I got 99 pages but a bitch ain’t one…?) but man does it feel good to be done! Of course this is only a first draft, and many many revisions are on the horizon, but this is an important first step in where we plan to go in the near future. To a theater near you.
So what is it?
Spectrum. Some of you may be familiar with a short film we did about a year and a half ago by the same name (if not, hop on over to our SPECTRUM page!). This short film will actually serve as a great marketing and fundraising tool for us down the road when we’re looking to generate hype and investments. Think of it as a teaser trailer to the main event. Like that Bane origin story thing for the Dark Knight Rises! It’s there to get you excited for what can and will come from a full feature-length story.
So what’s different about it? A lot, actually. The short film uses some of the same characters and the same world, but the feature film goes much deeper into the interesting universe of Spectrum. It introduces many more characters, explores more places, and involves a lot more action. It’s a dark film, and it investigates some of the emotions and turmoil that we humans go through, painted on a sci-fi backdrop in a dystopian world. Shifty old black market dealers, arrogant drifters, malicious scientists, free spirits, and jaded cynics come together in an epic story that teaches how to stand up for what’s right and follow your heart.
We’re in the very early stages right now, but consider this the beginning of a very long campaign to one day make this script into a real feature film. We have a lot of work to do, and it will probably take years before this project really takes off. But keep your ear to the ground and your eyes on our webpage as we start to involve YOU, our lovely fans in the journey of a lifetime.
In case you somehow missed it… ENJOY! This is the incredible summary of your contributions and our efforts! Thank you to all who contributed to this film; we literally could not have done it without you. And if you donated through our IndieGoGo page, we will have your perks sent to you soon!
Now as the dust settles with ACG3, what comes next? Well I’ll tell you!
First of all, we hope to get some promotion going. With our complete ACG trilogy we want to scour the internet for more places to host it. We’re looking for hosting on some bigger sites and to show this stuff off wherever we can. You folks seem to like it a lot… let’s show it off to the rest of the web! Beyond that we’re also considering doing some more live promotion. There are a lot of conventions and expos around the country that could potentially host a screening / Q&A panel… So if you have any suggestions or requests for us, feel free to contact me at TPQuigley@QuigleyFilms.com !
“ACG is DONE!?” you ask. Yes. It is. This will be the last Assassin’s Creed: Generations film, unless Ubisoft decides to offer us large sums of money to continue doing it. It’s been a blast! But we’re ready to move onto other fun projects! Which brings me to the next point…
Future projects! We’ve got a few cool ideas brewing here as well as some projects already lined up. You can certainly expect another City Rain music video in the next month or two, as well as a few shorter fun pieces to tide you over. But we’ve got some BIG plans brewing. Bigger than ACG, even. Keep it secret. Keep it safe.
So for now we launch into publicity and the think tank. But stay tuned, we’ll have updates coming at you hither and yon, and the new year will bring in some NEW ENERGY! So thanks for your continued patronage, tip your bartenders!
Well, apologies for the gap. But we’re back with some more behind the scenes interviews to lead you into the release of ACG3!
Today we have a very special guest, and probably the fan favorite… Actor Anthony Trigilio! Let’s see what he has to say!
Q: Introduce yourself!
Hey! I’m Anthony, a.k.a. Theo.
Q: Tell us a little about your role in the Assassin’s Creed: Generations series.
Well, I play Theo, a young man who becomes a modern day assassin. He finds himself conflicted when he starts to question why he becomes an assassin in the first place. But everyone sort of finds their own way, and Theo will find his own path.
Q: It looks like Theo has come quite a long ways from ACG1. Tell us about the character’s transformation throughout the series.
He sort of goes from a vengeful young man, to a more experienced trainee, and then finally a professional killer. It’s a very dynamic road that he travels and really makes you draw some similarities between him and Ezio.
Q: Can you talk a little about your acting process? How do you get into character, how do you prepare yourself for a role, and is it difficult for you?
In the first ACG it was a bit of a challenge to find my character. With some help from you of course I sort of finagled my way into a mind set of revenge and focus. Luckily from there on in, it wasn’t nearly as challenging to slip back into Theo’s shoes for the sequels. Usually to prepare myself for a role I do a lot of self-convincing, try to make myself believe that I am Theo, if I can hold that mind set until shooting time, I forget all about the cameras and crew.
Q: It looks like everything was amped up in this picture, from the production design to the fights to the story. How was it working on such a larger-scale film?
It was FANTASTIC. As if I didn’t love working on set with Quigley Films as it stands, working on this one was so professional, made me feel like I had to really step up my game.
Q: How was working with Tom Quigley as a director?
HE’S A SON OF A— Kidding, working with him is a lot like working with your best friend, well it’s actually exactly like that. There are times where you want to strangle them, but there are times where you can relate to them better than anyone else. This comes in handy for a director-actor relationship as you can imagine.
Q: You’re a big fan of the games. What is it like to play a part in the story of the Assassin’s Creed universe?
It’s more than I can ask for. Theo started off like a sort of shallow character idea, now after all the work we did on him and his story, he really feels like he fits right into the universe.
Q: Any words out there for aspiring actors or stunt people?
For actors! Get out there, practice, and do whatever you want to do. You just got to believe in yourself. For stunt people! Don’t kill yourself! Ha ha, but seriously, hone your skill and get into everything! Parkour, Martial Arts, even stunt driving. There’s ALWAYS help wanted in cinema.
Q: What’s next for you?
Whatever comes my way.
I’m not going to leave you hanging like that, haha. I will be moving to a big city in the next year, when I’m there I’ll be furthering my stunt-acting career. And above all, I’ll be there for the next time Quigley Films needs my help.
This is the third in our series of Behind the Scenes interviews we’re doing to promote our upcoming release of ACG3! Check out our previous interviews with Nick Grock and Greggie G!
Today we have a very special guest, the man behind the curtain, Producer Rich Mach! Without this fine gentleman… there would be no ACG3. Remember that.
Q: Introduce yourself!
Hello fans of the Assassin’s Creed: Generations trilogy! As you may remember if you were present, my first little guest appearance in any of Tom’s public events was back during the Theo Hoodie raffle. It is a pleasure and honor to present myself again. Hopefully my various rambles below mange to entertain you, at least a bit.
Just as Tom, my studies of the various video arts occurred at Drexel University. But that’s hardly of interest. What you really want to read is about how I sparkle in the sun and whatnot. Something that I always like to start with is how I am, for no religious, political, or health reasons whatsoever, I am a vegetarian (lacto-ovo, if you must know – no meat or fish, but dairy and eggs). What’s even crazier is that I’ve never eaten meat. Ever. No hamburgers. No chicken fingers. No steak. No anything fun at all.
Here’s something else that’ll probably get everyone’s turkey – I don’t take vacations. At least not the kind that most people think of. No weekends down to the beach or breaks away from stress for me. Oh no. For me, any job located outside of Pennsylvania, North America, counts as a “vacation.” If I catch myself sitting down without something to do for more than two minutes, I start going nuts. Just have to be busy, all the time. Maybe that’s why Tom likes working with me.
Q: Tell us a little about your role in the Assassin’s Creed: Generations series.
Well, as really attentive fans might know, my role did not begin until Generations II. Tom made the mistake of not yet knowing me before filming the first part of the trilogy. Silly. Lucky for him, by which I mean me, we somehow bumped into each other and formed a bond. Since then, I guess I’ve become a member of his top squad that he works with whenever possible.
Generations II was one of the first videos I ever worked on as a producer. I had crewed on plenty of productions before, but never as such an important, decisive role. Understandably, it was one hell of a challenge. Apparently I did alright, seeing as how Tom called me back for another one.
Talk about a challenge. Assassin’s Creed: Generations III is by far the largest challenge I have ever been crazy enough to accept, as well as my greatest honor and accomplishment. It’s also hard to describe. Very few other things in life have brought me so close to crying viciously, and more times than I’d like to admit. However, I guess the worst part is knowing that this is the final video of the series.
…It is the final video, right?..
Q: Can you explain, in simple terms, the pre-production process? What does it take to get a film like this off the ground?
Absolutely everything.
What? You wanted an easy answer? “Oh, nothing, just smiles and rainbows.” Nope.
For any video, there is a huge gift basket of chores and stress that must be attended to by the producer(s). To make a video like this happen, everything has to be thought of, addressed, and readdressed, from learning the director’s vision to knowing where the bathrooms are. Money needs to be raised, locations need to be found, crew must be collected, equipment gathered, meals planned, etc. It’s one hell of a process, yet somehow a whole lot of fun.
Q: The film had a budget of around $2500; where does that money go? How is it distributed?
Well, it certainly didn’t go to me, or Tom for that matter. In fact, everyone might be interested to find out that not a single person on the cast or crew made any financial gain. That goes for all three of the videos. This makes me pretty proud, as it stands as a true testament for the dedication of the Assassin’s Creed: Generations team.
Between that and how we were lucky enough to have access to all the needed equipment for practically free, two extremely large financial burdens were avoided. Thus, most of the budget was split between the art department and some (hopefully) awesome food.
Q: In the trailer, one might notice that the hidden blade in the film is closer to the original design from the games. Can you comment on how this new blade was made?
Here’s a cute little tale. A young engineer volunteered to make a custom hidden blade from scratch. While the device was being shipped, the blade allegedly burst from its packaging, nearly wounded a hapless mail employee, was reported to the authorities, and nearly got our young engineer arrested.
We all learned a pretty important lesson that day: Templars control the mail offices.
Q: How was working with director Tom Quigley?
Quite contrary to the ordinary. There’s just nothing altogether like it. Stimulating. Draining. Exiting. Exausting. Simply atypical.
Q: And the rest of your crew? There were several producers on this film; can you explain their roles and how they helped pull this film together?
There’s nothing else I would rather do!
Mandy Freeze was my right-hand girl. She was always there when I needed her, and boy did I need her. Not really sure how – or even if – I would have gotten through the process without her. Mandy, just like myself, played a part in every aspect of Generations III. In fact, just about the only thing she didn’t do was sleep.
Nicole Hobday, whose beautiful smile I always miss when she’s not around, helped a lot with preproduction challenges. Then, when she moved out of the area, she switched over to the promotional side of things to make some pretty sweet posters and banners. You see that picture off to the right side? That’s Nicole.
Brett Robinson assisted with the initial location search before also leaving the area. A rather avid adventurer in his free time, Brett is particularly skilled in finding places that aren’t on a map. Something else worth pointing out is that, during the time that he helped us, he was only a freshman in college. Talk about a hell of a way to start off.
Elyssa Cusimano, who is technically only the esteemed editor of the video, deserves to be mentioned as well. She stepped up on countless occasions to help fill the roles of producer or assistant director while on set. Elyssa was a huge help and relief to have on the team, and I am thankful for the dedication displayed.
Q: What was your favorite part about working on the ACG series? And your biggest challenge?
Favorite Part: Knowing that it got done. That, or the fact that I slept between only ten or thirteen hours over the course of five days. Both of those are pretty big accomplishments for me.
Biggest Challenge: Standing back up. About a week before we were scheduled to begin filming, Tom and I were overwhelmed with the news that several key locations and a leading actor were lost. Basically, almost everything fell apart. For several hours that night, Tom and I were simply stupefied, unable to do anything but laugh. Few times in life has my hope and soul been so drained as it was then.
Q: What’s next for you?
Anything and everything. As I said before, my doors are always open and wanting of more work. Currently I am in talks with at least two other videos about the possibility of me producing, and am even thinking of possibly doing something of my own. Hopefully, after he comes back from some personal travel, I’ll have the chance to work closely with Tom again. Who knows, maybe I can make it back to be a part of yet another Quigley Films release.
Today is the second in our series of Behind the Scenes interviews for ACG3. We’ll be carrying these on through the weekend and into next week, so keep your eyes peeled for more!
Nick Grock is our guest today, one of the stunning cast members who you will see hit the screen with the release of ACG3. So without further ado, here we go!
Q: Introduce yourself!
A: Nick Groch – Philadelphia-based architectural designer by day; actor, author, and homebrewer by night (and pretty much whenever I can get out of the office).
Q: Tell us a little about your role in the Assassin’s Creed: Generations series.
A: I play the character Dereck Stiles. Dereck is a professional douchebag, who fell into success by riding on the coattails of his father (who earned his trust fund and his social status for him). Though highly intelligent and well educated thanks to daddy’s millions, he is everything that is wrong with America, with his crooked connections, a reprehensible sense of entitlement, and extreme moral deficiencies. He projects every inconvenience that might befall him upon another individual and takes undue credit at every opportunity, with his only concern being himself, his personal pleasure, and his ever-swelling bank account(s). Other human lives mean very little to him if they aren’t catering to his whims.
Q: This isn’t the first ‘nerd culture’ film you’ve been in. Can you tell us about the other pieces you’ve been in?
A: Gladly! Some of the earliest fan films that I’ve worked on include Chris .R. Notarile’s Die Laughing and Punisher ’81. I also had the opportunity to work with Nick Murphy (whose production team was recently honored at the first annual Philadelphia Geek Awards for Best Viral Video) on a project based on the Castlevania video game series; Nick (and The Quarter Bin) brought me back to play a role in an Angry Birds adaptation, as well. It would seem that live action video game adaptations might start giving comic books a run for their money in the near future…
Q: Are you a nerd yourself?
A: I embrace all things geek; I think that everybody out there will admit that there’s at least one thing in our lives that we geek out about. For me, it’s acting and architecture – my passions are my hobbies, and, fortunately, one of them manages to pay the bills. The difference (as I recently read on a Wikipedia post, and we all know how reliable the Wiki can be) between a geek and a nerd is that while the nerds can dream and philosophize and be… nerdy, the geeks are the ones that get the job done. Indeed, the geeks shall inherit the Earth, and I’m proud to consider myself a member of their ranks. There are lots of us, Tom… Lots.
Q: Tell us about your acting process. How do you get into character, and is it difficult on a bustling set?
A: I’m not a lifelong actor; I started very late in my time here, and so I missed opportunities to study acting during high school, college, and grad school when I was apparently learning more than I would ever learn in my life. For that reason, I really can’t speak too much of a practiced technique or method, like Meisner or… Method. I begin by putting myself into character the way that a method actor might. At the very least, I know my lines inside and out, at my best, I know every line in the entire scene, but then I need to ‘forget’ them and present natural reactions to the camera. My ultimate goal is authenticity. Scripted work is essentially impossible to present in a truly authentic manner… and therein lies the dilemma. One of the great things about a crew is that it enables me to place all of my focus on MY job. This actually makes it easier for me to get into character, because all that I need to concern myself with is who I ‘am’ and what I’m going to ‘do’ after I hear ‘action.’
Q: How was working with Tom Quigley as a director?
A: Working with Tom was everything that I expected it to be after watching some of his previous work with Assassin’s Creed: Generations and working with students attending Drexel University. I have a special place in my heart for Drexel and for a number of his colleagues with whom he worked on ACG. He is extremely creative, bright, adept, focused, thoughtful, handsome, collaborative, and courteous. He values an actor’s abilities, he knows when to give just the right amount of direction and when to let a performer become what the character wants to become. To watch him think about a suggestion that a colleague has just made is, for lack of a better word, awesome. I love watching that – it’s my little treat on set when I get to forget about being observed… and observe. Nothing – no ego, no preconceived notion – gets in the way of producing something that is worthwhile and beautiful. He does what he does for love of the act of creation. It’s a joy to work with a person like that.
Q: What was your favorite part about being involved in the ACG series?
A: The high production value and… Who am I kidding? I got to boss around an underling and watch people walking down Market Street ask each other who that actor was.
Q: Any words out there for aspiring actors?
A: Yes. Take a series of acting classes, get an agent, get an IMDb account, take as much acting work (both film and theater) as your schedule and health will allow, make sure that each project is legitimate, request dailies and gather footage as soon as possible to develop your reel, don’t let yourself be taken advantage of, don’t be discouraged when you don’t explode on the scene, and, above all else, don’t quit your day job. Yet.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: Get my architecture license, fix up my house a little, start brewing beer again, work some more with Tom Quigley, Daredevil ’83, Spade of Reason, Centralia…
There you have it! Remember to come back tomorrow for more juicy interviews!!
