HuB Studios began production on The Montooth Books video trailer this weekend.

The first shoot for the 4-6 minute trailer to promote the series took place at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center in Sarasota County.

Joey Panek and Lucas Collavecchio are co-directing the short film and are joined by theater pro Christine Alexander, helping to coach the actors and call the shots. The beautiful yet swampy Crowley Museum was the back drop for the first shoot, amidst wet, swampy conditions, fat hungry mosquitoes and giant spiders! The book is set in old Florida, circa 1950. 

Three local high school students are starring in the production: Megan McCarville, a sophomore at Riverview High School plays Carty, and after battling mosquitoes, mud, and a humid hot and swampy day, McCarville headed to her homecoming dance Saturday night! Treyvon Thomas plays Hale, and he is a student in the VPA program at Booker High School in Sarasota. Ryan Holler, a student at Sarasota High School, plays athletic character Blake. While Thomas has had a lot of experience in the arts and theater, Holler and McCarville have never acted before.

All of the kids did great and were joined by other local actors: Kathryn Parks, a popular actor at The Players Theater plays Sally the Canfield witch, and she is joined by several others including Connor Chatfield, Assunta Swier, Tyler McCool, and Dylan Jones.

The trailer is for the first book in a five part series, Montooth and the Canfield Witch.

The video release will coincide with local author Robert Jay's third book in the series, coming out this Fall.