About the Production - Never Say Macbeth

Joe Tyler Gold was acting in a production of the classical play, The Scarecrow at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice, CA, when a backstage conversation turned to the subject of ghosts. Joe was shocked to discover that he was the only member of the very large cast who did not believe in ghosts. Many cast members insisted they had encounters with ghosts inside of that very theatre. That inspired Joe to write Never Say Macbeth, a comedy about a science teacher in the world of superstitious new-age actors.

While Joe worked as a database administrator at a major studio, and his co-producer, Tammy Caplan, temped as a file clerk at a law firm, they managed to make surreptitious phone calls, review actor headshots, and make a few illegal copies (give or take 10,000). To raise money, Joe and Tammy begged their friends (former) and family (former) for donations in exchange for getting their name in the credits. Some of them fell for it.

When setting up auditions, Joe and Tammy chose actors with strong theatre backgrounds, experience with Shakespeare, and stage combat skills. Joe's extensive theatre background put him in touch with some of the finest theatre actors in Los Angeles. Many of the actors came from various Los Angeles theatres including the Circle X Theatre Co., and the Pacific Resident Theatre. These actors came in to audition for director, C. J. Prouty, and a cast was assembled. The actors rehearsed for five weeks in the actual shooting location, learning fight choreography, improvising scenes, and coming together as an ensemble. This rehearsal process allowed the production team to complete the film in just twelve days.

Never Say Macbeth was shot on-location using two Canon XL2 cameras at Stages Theatre in Hollywood, where the Circle X Theatre had residence. Because Joe was a long-time member of Circle X, they allowed him to use their theatre for free. Every corner of the building was used including the lighting booth, bathroom, and even the roof.

With a limited budget, the visual effects supervisor, Alexander Enberg (who also plays Jason), searched through the junk-filled backyard of the theatre, and managed to construct a make-shift green screen. The production team transformed this dingy backyard into an elegant outdoor Los Angeles restaurant. One scene required the character of Danny (played by Joe Tyler Gold) to have acupuncture needles stuck into his foot. Unable to afford a real acupuncturist, Joe hired a student who was thrilled with the prospect of having someone to practice on.