PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles filmmaker Ryan Herring thinks the North Olympic Peninsula has as rich a tapestry as Rome or the American Southwest to create an epic historical drama based on the Peninsula as it was during the 19th century.
“The Olympians: The Series” is based on stories that emerged from the arrival of American settlers on the Olympic Peninsula, including shipwrecks, crimes and legends, Herring said.
“The key is to keep the realism, to depict it as it was,” he said.
Herring, who has worked in cinematography on a number of independent projects, said he plans to film the historical drama’s pilot episode this summer, show it at some independent film festivals.
Then, he plans to pitch it to some of the big cable networks and “web series” sites, such as Hulu.com, that carry original programming for Internet viewers.
The stories that will be depicted in the series are not actual history but fictional accounts that are similar to the real history of the Peninsula, Herring said.
“The Olympians” would be comparable to cable network epic series such as HBO’s “Rome” or “Deadwood” — shows that depict historical drama and adventure in rich detail, Herring said.
Herring’s interest in local history began with a fascination with early shipwrecks on the North Olympic Coast.
Once he learned more stories about the Peninsula, he realized there was a lot of fascinating material in local history books.
“It’s kind of like a hidden treasure,” he said.
Herring is currently casting the first episode, “Shanghaied,” which features a relatively small cast of characters.
But the script for a second episode is almost complete, Herring said.
Several roles in the 13-member main cast have already been filled, but he’s still looking for more. The roles include a prostitute, saloon keeper, sailor, and a tribal elder and his grandson.
The lead role of Jacob, a cowboy-type young man, also is still open, he said.
There is no open casting call, but Ryan said he is still looking for talent.
Casting has been done through advertisements and appointments. All appointments are full, he said.
Most of the roles are being filled by professional actors from the Seattle area, though there may be more roles and a need for extras in future episodes, he said.
Aspiring actors can apply by sending a resume and head shot to Herring at ryan@olympianstheseries.com.
No current city names will be used in the series, and none is named in the first episode, which takes place mostly in logging camps and the woods, he said.
Sets built on a private property on the Sol Duc River will stand in for the primitive villages and camps that existed in the 1800s, and where much of the action takes place.
“It’s just a bunch of shelters,” he said, noting that early loggers and explorers often lived in primitive conditions.
Several historic towns that no longer exist will be used as locations in future episodes and may refer to Port Crescent.
Port Crescent was a rival of Port Angeles, a thriving logging community on Crescent Bay by the late 1800s, with a planned town site of 166 blocks. But the town failed after voters chose Port Angeles as the county’s government seat.
Some scenes will take place in a native village, Herring said, from a native point of view, and some Native American actors and extras will be needed for the show.
The tribe in the show won’t be identified unless one of the North Olympic Peninsula tribes chooses to be a part of the project and officially lends its name, he said.
Students from the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center’s summer program will have a chance to work on the film, according to teacher Lisa Hitt.
Last summer, a group of students got the chance to work as interns on the set of a horror movie filmed at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, learning the tricks of makeup and costuming, and doing some digital editing.
Hitt’s class is expected to repeat that experience on the set of “The Olympians” this year, she said.
Students wishing to enroll in courses should contact their high school counselor for an application or contact the Skills Center directly at 360-565-1533.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
