In 1997, a friend of mine from Regional Theater told me about an audition.

He was excited and wanted me to consider auditioning with him for an independent film.

The filming schedule was expected to be three weeks, but could go longer.

There was no pay, which between the time off from work using up vacation time,

plus being off from work longer than I had benefit time to cover,

this would have been a tough gig. from work longer than I had benefit time to cover,

this would have been a tough gig,

although the producers offered payment

on the back end if the film made money.

Then the real deal breaker revealed itself,

filming in the woods in Maryland. In the

woods, sleeping in a tent, no facilities. I love the outdoors. I enjoy nature walks, moderate hikes, wildflowers, butterflies, even squirrels, but sleeping in a tent, survey said no thank you.

This audition notice was for a little found footage film known as the Blair Witch Project.

Of course, I kicked myself every day for weeks over not auditioning.

Payment on the back end? Considering how well this

film did because it truly was a well-produced, well-written, and well-acted

independent movie. It was the little film that could and it blew up. Who knows

if I would have been cast I look very different than Heather Don McHugh so likely I

wouldn't have fit the type but damn for the Blair Witch I would have slept on the ground.

The Blair Witch budget was just $60,000, and opening weekend on July 18, 1999, even with limited release, that movie made over 1.5 million dollars.

The success of the Blair Witch drew every would-be independent filmmaker out of the woodwork.

Blaine Nauris of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania was just out of high school a few years

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