One of Cheney's Hollywood connections

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – It takes a lot to succeed in the movie business — time, skill, patience, hard work and a little luck.

Cheney High School alums Andrew and Gina DeCesare have been practicing all of those — and it’s beginning to pay off. For writer and producer Andrew DeCesare, that came with recent high ratings for a project he has been involved in through the company he works for, 5150 Action Productions.

DeCesare, 5150 owner and president Mike Gunther and vice president of finance Mike Day began the “Rogue Warfare Trilogy” in 2018; and ambitious project where all three films were shot at the same time in only 45 days and on a low, $750,000 per film budget. While teaming to produce all three, the 2004 Cheney High 2008 Washington State University graduate drew the writing assignment of the second installment of the trilogy: “Rogue Warfare” The Hunt.”

Released in April 2020, “The Hunt” was the top-viewed movie on Netflix for the weekend of Aug. 1-4. Together with the first installment, “Rogue Warfare” and the series finale, “Rogue Warfare: Death of a Nation,” the trilogy has created some industry excitement.

DeCesare said he, Gunther and Day each contributed on all of the films, but also decided to split up the main writing duties. He decided to take “The Hunt.”

“I got the chance to make it my own, which was pretty cool,” DeCesare said.

DeCesare described the trilogy’s premise in an Aug. 30, 2018 Cheney Free Press story. The films, which were specifically written for and shot on location at the Blue Cloud Movie Ranch and the Polsa Rosa Movie Ranch, center around a special forces team composed of the best soldiers from the United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia and their altercations with an ISIS-type terrorist group.

And that’s where DeCesare’s sister, Gina, comes in. The 2007 CHS and 2011 University of Washington graduate plays Officer Marino, the team’s coordinator who monitors satellite images and other intel sources while setting up needs such as helicopter escapes.

“I’m kind of the eyes in the sky,” Gina DeCesare said.

Unlike Andrew, who majored in broadcast production and theater, Gina DeCesare hadn’t done any acting since she was in elementary school. But after graduating from the UW, she said the bug hit her again.

Moving to Los Angeles, Gina said she began getting into production roles and working on sets. She also took acting classes with TGI Studios, Second City Improv Conservatory and recently into the Groundlings Writer’s Lab and Les Kahn & Company, moves that helped her begin to land small roles in various productions.

“It’s provided great training, which has really prepared me to do things,” she said.

For Andrew, Rogue Warfare has also begun opening some doors. Having more control over a project as a writer and a producer has allowed him and the others at 5150 to explore subjects with the films that other similar action movies don’t.

DeCesare said they eschewed the politics of films built around terrorism in favor of looking at the conflict through soldiers’ eyes. They also gave more of a voice and lines to the terrorists, allowing them to opine at times on subjects such as what drove them to take up arms.

DeCesare said they also delve into the conflict between the terms “terrorist” and “freedom fighter,” noting that which term is used depends on the society and the culture.

“The more clout you get, the more risk you get and get a chance to tell a good story,” he added.

Both DeCesare’s said working on the films was an enjoyable experience despite the grueling shooting schedule. It was one of the more diverse casts assembled, with 78 percent of the performers either female, Asian, Black or Middle Eastern – something that was also reflected in the crew.

“It was nice to see on screen but off screen too,” Gina said. “It brings out different nuances in everything.”

The third installment, Rogue Warfare: Death of a Nation is due for release around Sept. 25.

John McCallum can be reached at jma@cheneyfreepress.com.