Swords, sorcery and spoofs

A subculture of gothy nerds emerged to close a few blocks of downtown Friday night after taking over the old Edmonds High School earlier in the day.

The Jan. 21 invasion was all in good fun. They were filming scenes for “The Gamers: Dorkness Rising,” a parody of fantasy films and the swords and sorcery of adventure video games such as “Dungeons and Dragons.”

The scenes filmed in Edmonds were more subdued, except for the lead character’s hairdo. Gary, played by Christian Doyle, sported vertical bangs.

Writer and director Matt Vancil said the film has a comic vibe similar to “Galaxy Quest,” a big-budget 1999 film that simultaneously spoofed and reveled in the Star Trek convention culture.

The difference is that “Dorkness Rising” is sticking tongue in cheek at fantasy games and the fictional roles each player acts out.

Another big difference is the budget — about $40,000, or maybe $90,000 if they can line up more investors.

That’s still a good deal more than Vancil spent on the project that spawned all the silliness. “The Gamers,” filmed on digital video, cost $500. It built a cult following and eventually sold about 8,000 copies, earning $135,000.

That allowed Vancil and other partners to open an office in Tacoma for their Dead Gentlemen Productions.

“The Gamers: Dorkness Rising” is not exactly a sequel, but it again digs into the fantasy game subculture.

During a break on Friday, Doyle said he carried the proper dork credentials to assume the lead role. “I married my dungeon master!” he said, smiling.

The 27-year-old from Tacoma said his wife encouraged him to audition. The couple share more than a love for “Dungeons and Dragons.” They also enjoy Dead Gentlemen movies and Vancil’s spoofy, improvisational style.

“Me and my wife were big fans … I had to go. I absolutely had to go and audition,” Doyle said.

One scene at the school on Friday involved Doyle’s character, Gary, absentmindedly drawing lusty pictures of his teacher, played by Jen Page, instead of taking notes. When she asks him if he’s paying attention, he says, “Oh, God, yes.”

After several takes, Vancil gets an idea.

“Christian, can you add a dark (quote) bubble that says, ‘I want Gary,’” Vancil said.

The crew rolls the camera and Doyle obliges, writing, “I want you Gary” above one of the drawings.

“Cut,” Vancil said with a smile. “I think we’ve got everything we need.”

Doyle said he enjoyed working with Vancil on other improvisational projects. Spontaneity is encouraged.

“He gives me pretty free rein to say what I want,” Doyle said.

James Heck, 23, first assistant cameraman, said Vancil struck a nice balance between his “guerrilla filmmaking” experience and his crew’s professional background.

“I think if we made it Hollywood-slick it wouldn’t be accepted as much by its cult following,” Heck said.

M.C. Shuler, one of the film’s producers, lives in Shoreline, and that connection helped Edmonds land a few scenes.

“We wanted to come to Edmonds because it’s a cute little town,” Shuler said.

She praised the city’s economic development office for paving the way. “They’ve been a huge help,” she said.Scott Morris is a reporter for The Herald in Everett.