THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509130156
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WAVERLY LENGTH: Long : 135 lines
THE ``SLAVES'' relaxed on the front porch - talking and chomping Burger King Whoppers.
After lunch, they would return to the field, where one would be beaten.
Jimmy Ballard, portraying Thomas Moore, the slave owner who would administer the punishment, was ready to put the whip to the rebellious subject of ``Nat Turner: The Burning Spirit.''
A video, it is scheduled for December release. It is being taped in and around the 1800 home of its 74-year-old producer-director, Stanley E. Squire Holcomb.
The story follows Turner, who led the largest slave revolt in American history, from birth to death.
The revolt took place in Southampton County in 1831, Turner leading about 65 followers in an uprising that killed more than 50 whites.
About 100 performers - most of them local - several of them descendants of Turner as well as whites who were killed - have been spending their weekends performing in the loose-knit video.
They began in July and are expected to call it a wrap around Oct. 1.
Ballard, who portrays the slave owner, is the Wakefield Flower Shop owner.
``Why are you whipping Nat?'' he was asked. ``What is the motivation?''
``I'm not sure.''
``Do you know how to whip without hitting the person?''
``Nope.''
Not to worry. The scene that day showed Turner being shoved into a barn, followed by whipping sounds, followed by Turner's being shoved out of the barn, followed by a pause for the application of lipstick to signify blood.
If, by chance, the whip should strike skin, there would probably be very little pain. The whip came from the Dollar Tree store.
In a manner of speaking, that sums up the budget for the production. The video is not a costly venture - cameraman, performers, Holcomb's back yard. Holcomb prefers not discussing costs.
He hopes to get a return on his investment by selling the video to churches and nonprofit or-gan-i-za-tions.
``If I could sell one tape to each member of the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference,'' he said, ``I'd be out of debt.''
All the performers are paid, even those with no lines.
Most of the extras portray slaves - fairly well dressed, considering. At one point, a take had to be repeated when one of the slaves forgot to remove her watch.
And sometimes slaves and/or owners ``just don't show up,'' Holcomb said.
Danita Turner, who always shows up, said, ``We have a lot of fun together.'' She believes she is a descendant of the title character. ``I knew a lot about Nat Turner, but not as much as I'm getting out of this.''
The filming is also a learning experience for the man everybody on the set calls ``Crazy Cameraman.''
John Jarvis of Norfolk, who owns Christian Graphics and usually does weddings and beauty pageants, said, ``This is fun and challenging.''
He added, ``I gotta watch electric lines and sounds.''
Planes and automobiles often delay shooting.
``One time it took two hours to shoot a couple minutes,'' Jarvis said. ``It was at the pond at the Airfield 4-H Center - lot of noise from a bass boat.''
Other locations include a farm in Sussex County ``where Turner lived,'' Holcomb said. ``You know, out of 58 killed, he only killed one.''
Turner, who was a preacher, is portrayed by a preacher, the Rev. Marvin Charity, a handsome, charismatic 43-year-old Waverly native who is pastor of Gravel Hill Baptist Church in Amelia.
``I'm coming across as one concerned about his people and their conditions,'' he said of his portrayal. ``I know what it's like being a slave. I've got Turner's energy and charisma.
``The conditions in his time were so adverse, if he had access to a jet he would've used it. He wanted to be free. Killing is never the best way to handle anything, but you can't fuss with him for the reason he did it. He killed to become free.''
Holcomb is putting a lot of faith and hope in Charity.
``He's as good as I could've gotten for $5 million - tops,'' said the director, who works off-the-cuff.
Holcomb, a former movie extra who later produced and directed two mini-budget videos, calls his method, ``top-of-the-head directing.''
Steven Spielberg, he's not.
``He (Holcomb) tells me at the last minute what we're going to do. That's what makes it fun,'' Jarvis said.
``We never know what we're gonna do till we get here,'' said JoAnne Daughtrey Dunker, actress and costumer. ``We do what Stanley says. The rest of us don't know what we're doing. He's our one and only director.''
Holcomb has the director's chair to prove it. Another trademark is his straw hat.
His brother Daniel is also on hand, portraying the last of Turner's four owners. He looked at his script to check the name of his character.
Wally Faison is not sure of the name of the character he portrays. ``I don't even know what I am,'' he said. ``I got a call to come here.''
While waiting to find himself Faison, a Dendron farmer wearing a Stonewall Jackson T-shirt, talked about his crops, the weather and his activities as a Civil War re-enactor.
The Turner re-enactment is being videotaped in a pleasant locale. The house and grounds are impressive, including a former slave quarter now used as the slave quarter of Turner's parents.
The surrounding scenery is as lovely now as it probably was in the 1830s, but there is a jarring note at the far end of a field. An old coat and pants are on the ground, made up to resemble a slain slave.
``We put some road kill behind it,'' Holcomb said, ``to lure the buzzards.''
So far, the birds hadn't bitten. But if they do, the Crazy Cameraman promises he will get an angle to make it appear that the birds are at work.
As for the rest of the crew, they'll settle for Whoppers. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Producer-director Stanley Holcomb hopes ``Nat Turner'' will be
available in December.
Several actors take a break in front of the old slave quarters on
Stanley Holcomb's property in Waverly, which serves as the setting
for part of the video.
The script to ``Nat Turner: The Burning Spirit,'' chronicles
Turner's life from birth through the largest slave revolt in
American history, and on to his death.
Camerman John Jarvis waits for the Rev. Marvin Charity, left, to
take his place on the set as Nat Turner. Sharon Artis, center, waits
her turn to play Turner's wife, Cherry.
Danita Turner, left, and Hattie Davis wait their turn to act a
scene.
ON THE COVER
The Rev. Marvin Charity stands in front of the camera, ready to
play the title role in ``Nat Turner: The Burning Spirit.'' Staff
photo by John H. Sheally II.[color cover photo]
by CNB