Actress: Director of anti-Islamic film deceived us

[NY_BX 397]

Actress: Director of anti-Islamic film deceived us

By Max Zimbert | The Lookout – 16 hrs agoAn actress in the movie about the Prophet Muhammad that sparked outrage across the Middle East on Tuesday and Wednesday said she will sue the filmmaker and that the film's script, titled "Desert Warriors," focused on life 2,000 years ago.

Cindy Lee Garcia told Gawker that she called the film's writer and director, who has now gone into hiding, when she saw the protests and his quotes in the media.

"'Why did you do this?' and he said, 'I'm tired of radical Islamists killing each other. Let other actors know it's not their fault,'" she told Gawker. "I'm going to sue his butt off."

She said the mysterious filmmaker, who's identified himself as Sam Bacile, said on set that he was Egyptian and spoke Arabic with his associates. (A report from the Atlantic indicated the filmmaker was not Jewish or Israeli, as the filmmaker stated earlier in interviews.) Garcia said she was horrified when she discovered the video's connection to the deaths of four Americans after an assault on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.

"Now we have people dead because of a movie I was in," she said. "It makes me sick."

Garcia said the only ruckus she saw during her three days on set in July 2011 involved the filmmaker's request that the character appearing to viewers as Muhammad sleep with a girl who looked 7 years old, rather than 10. Assistant directors protested, Garcia said.

"He was just sitting there, and he wanted certain points to be made," she told Gawker.

The "Desert Warriors" script and production was without references to religion, Garcia said, and Muhammad was named "Master George" in the screenplay. Words and dialogue about Muhammad were edited in during postproduction, Sarah Abdurrahman noted in On the Media.

Garcia did not respond to Yahoo News' request for comment.

My link This is probably why the film was done non-union. They wanted to deceive the cast and crew. I'm sure they even made them sign an arbitration, non-litigation clause without even knowing it.

They wanted to circumvent rules, regulations and even the law. Horrible!

[NY_BX 397]

I can confirm that this film was done outside our jurisdiction, my hunch is, to deceive everyone involved. There's not one agent, one director, one writer.... not one film personnel that would ever sign their lives away to partake in something like this. It's against the law. Entertainment unions have a massive amount of lawyers protecting everyone from situations like this.... and trust me, they hunt the producers down. This is just terrible!

[Rae Anne 44]

I can confirm that this film was done outside our jurisdiction, my hunch is, to deceive everyone involved. There's not one agent, one director, one writer.... not one film personnel that would ever sign their lives away to partake in something like this. It's against the law. Entertainment unions have a massive amount of lawyers protecting everyone from situations like this.... and trust me, they hunt the producers down. This is just terrible!

No big surprise. Insult Islam and screw the unions in one fail swoop? Major hard right hard on.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I can confirm that this film was done outside our jurisdiction, my hunch is, to deceive everyone involved. There's not one agent, one director, one writer.... not one film personnel that would ever sign their lives away to partake in something like this. It's against the law. Entertainment unions have a massive amount of lawyers protecting everyone from situations like this.... and trust me, they hunt the producers down. This is just terrible!

There was a permit for the film (under the title "Desert Warriors") which listed the director as "Sam Bassiel."

FilmL.A. Inc. confirmed that the movie was shot in Los Angeles County in August 2011, but the president of the film agency said he didn't know what the project's intent was.

“By law, the content of film projects need not be disclosed in order to apply for or receive a film permit from FilmL.A. Neither FilmL.A. nor its government partners had any foreknowledge of this project’s content, and the release of a film permit can in no way be construed as endorsement or approval of this film,” said a statement from president Paul Audley.

A Duarte-based Christian nonprofit, Media for Christ, submitted the request for the film permit, according to Duarte City Manager Darryl George.

The producers also used Blue Cloud studios in Santa Clarita, also known as Blue Cloud Movie Ranch, as the film's location, George said. The ranch has a popular "Middle Eastern town" set that has been featured in several movies and television shows.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/09/anti-muslim-film-cast-arabian-desert-adventure.html

"Desert Warriors" was the film title given for the permit and to the actors, who had responded to a 2011 casting call on Craigs List. (This info about the actors was already posted by Sandanista in the original MENA thread titled "Gunmen attacks US consulate in Benghazi, Libya over US film," which includes the original casting call and gives extensive information about why the actors say they were "deceived.")

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Here is the casting call from Sandanista's link:

NOW CASTING SAG and NON SAG ACTORS for "DESERT WARRIOR." Director Alan Roberts.

Historical desert drama set in Middle East. Indie Feature film shoots 18 days in L.A. in August. Studio and backlot locations.

Male Roles: DR. MATTHEW (Lead): Middle Eastern Pharmacist, 40-50, intelligent, family man; GEORGE (Lead); 40-50, Middle Eastern warrior leader, romantic, charismatic; YOUNG GEORGE (featured) 18-22; PRIEST (featured): 60-70, bearded; ABDO (featured), 60-70, Elder tribe leader; ISRAELI MEN 30-50 (featured); WARRIORS (featured) 18-50, Various Middle Eastern types, bearded.

Female Roles: CONDALISA (featured) 40, attractive, successful, strong willed; HILLARY (featured) 18 but must look younger, petite; innocent; YOUSTINA (featured) 16-18, Daughter of doctor; MIDDLE EASTERN WOMEN (Various Featured Roles) 18-40, attractive, exotic; OLDER WOMAN (featured) 60-70, feisty.

Please place Role desired in SUBJECT: line of email.

Indicate SAG or NON-SAG

Require phone contact for immediate interview in Beverly/LaCienega area.

http://www.mooncasting.com/us/casting-feature-desert-warrior-los-angeles/

[sweetlymystic 19]

What terrible tragedies this man and his deceptive ways to make HIS OPINION known has caused. I feel so much for all the innocent people being affected by this.

SO SO SO Sad

Edited September 13, 2012 by sweetlymystic

[NY_BX 397]

There was a permit for the film (under the title "Desert Warriors") which listed the director as "Sam Bassiel."

"Desert Warriors" was the film title given for the permit and to the actors, who had responded to a 2011 casting call on Craigs List. (This info about the actors was already posted by Sandanista in the original MENA thread titled "Gunmen attacks US consulate in Benghazi, Libya over US film," which includes the original casting call and gives extensive information about why the actors say they were "deceived.")

I'm sure the permit was to shoot on location. Unless you're filming in your own home, you need that. But, no, it was NOT done union. Even the roles breakdowns language doesn't follow the EEO guidelines.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I'm sure the permit was to shoot on location. Unless you're filming in your own home, you need that. But, no, it was NOT done union. Even the roles breakdowns language doesn't follow the EEO guidelines.

There's a whole lot that seems to be fishy with this production. The whole thing may be a hoax.

[NY_BX 397]

There's a whole lot that seems to be fishy with this production. The whole thing may be a hoax.

Yup, which makes this even more tragic. *Hint* (WoM- I know you know this but maybe some folks don't) You can tell when a production is amateurish by reading the characters breakdowns. There are guidelines that you must follow legally. You can't ask for a specific nationality. You must say 'that can portray' and then mention a nationality because it'll consitute discrimination. If you do a casting call posting: 18 but must look younger, you know they want child actors but they do not have permission to hire under children labor laws and open Coogan accounts. Which means, more than likely, they exploited these actors- and crew- beyond exhaustion; maybe shooting for 18-20 hours a day. Of course, you can't do that with a minor.

I'm tempted to watch the film and put my objective 'filmmaker/ producer' hat on and report back to y'all. In the litigation era we live in, I find it hard to believe someone thinks s/he can get away with this- and I'm just talking about shooting a film and editing it to be another.

And, there's no way a 15 minute short will cost $5M. If it did, someone stole $4.99M. There are student full length films that are professional, well-made, that've costed $20-50K.

Edited September 13, 2012 by NY_BX

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Yup, which makes this even more tragic. I'm tempted to watch the film and put my objective 'filmmaker/ producer' hat on and report back to y'all. In the litigation era we live in, I find it hard to believe someone thinks s/he can get away with this- and I'm just talking about shooting a film and editing it to be another.

And, there's no way a 15 minute short will cost $5M. If it did, someone stole $4.99M. There are student full length films that are professional, well-made, that've costed $20-50K.

The 15-minute short is just the supposed trailer to a supposed full-length film which nobody seems to have a copy of.

BTW I think the claim about $5 million in donations is unsubstantiated, much like most of the other claims made by "Sam Bacile."

[NY_BX 397]

No big surprise. Insult Islam and screw the unions in one fail swoop? Major hard right hard on.

No one screws our unions!

[NY_BX 397]

The 15-minute short is just the supposed trailer to a supposed full-length film which nobody seems to have a copy of.

BTW I think the claim about $5 million in donations is unsubstantiated, much like most of the other claims made by "Sam Bacile."

OHHHH! Then, another hint this is done outside jurisdiction. A 15 minute trailer is, well, not a trailer. Any theatrical release of over 4 minutes but less than 35 is considered a short. My guess is that THAT is the film. You're right. There one-too-many things going on that are just too bad to be true.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

OHHHH! Then, another hint this is done outside jurisdiction. A 15 minute trailer is, well, not a trailer. Any theatrical release of over 4 minutes but less than 35 is considered a short. My guess is that THAT is the film. You're right. There one-too-many things going on that are just too bad to be true.

With all due respect, the violations of film union rules are the least of the concerns in this incident, as Americans have died as a result.

[NY_BX 397]

With all due respect, the violations of film union rules are the least of the concerns in this incident, as Americans have died as a result.

Well, I know is not the issue, but it would've been a lot easier to track down the perpretators of this #######.

I'm more interested in seeking justice for those dead than anything else.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Well, I know is not the issue, but it would've been a lot easier to track down the perpretators of this #######.

I'm more interested in seeking justice for those dead than anything else.

They're being tracked down.