University Star

The impending doom of the world and a battle of good versus evil will come to Texas State when Snout Productions premieres “The Storybook” Saturday evening on campus.

Debuting in 2009 with “It’s Over,” Snout Productions began a trilogy about a battle at the world’s end.  The first film tells of Lucifer recruiting soldiers on Earth for the battle of Armageddon. “The Storybook” will show audiences the beginnings of Armageddon’s toll on those on Earth.

“It’s exciting to watch the changes in the characters and their development,” said Angela Finley, one of the film’s returning cast and crew. “My character goes from being relatively innocent to doing things she’d never normally do.”

In addition to character development, “The Storybook” will present a sharper cinematic look than its predecessor, giving the series a more professional touch and standard.

“The production value is definitely better,” said Caleb Straus, the film’s writer, director, producer and editor.  “We used the same equipment in a more sophisticated way this time around.”

The improvement in the series’ production value is one of many attributes Straus and Dustin Johnson, Snout Productions co-founder and crew member, sought to give their growing fan base. 

Since the series’ conception, both Straus and Johnson have striven to produce films that are not unique solely to the art form, but the industry as well.

“It’s so fundamentally anti-commercial,” Straus said.  “We’re going into a bunch of stuff that some people wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.”

Critics who viewed the first film in the series weren’t able to place a finger on where “It’s Over” stands in terms of genre.  “The Storybook” will continue this trend.

“(‘The Storybook’ is) a very different kind of movie,” Johnson said.  “It has drama and action moments, but it’s very artsy at times too.”

Johnson and Straus feel “The Storybook” exceeds its predecessor and will become a staple for the series and Snout Productions.  Straus expressed the company’s premise is not to be limited by a single medium and uniting the art and its creators is the primary goal.

“Every opportunity to get our name out there is good for us,” Straus said.  “I hope (this series) puts me in a position where I can do what I want and puts Snout Productions on the map.”

Production on the third film of the series, titled “It’s Over: Nephilim,” will begin following the premiere and reception of “The Storybook.”  In addition, the series includes a planned graphic novel titled “It’s Over: Tribulations,” which chronologically takes place between the first two films.
An online multi-media miniseries titled “It’s Over: Chronicles” is currently running on Snout Productions’ website.

The premiere of “The Storybook” will be a free, public event hosted in room 206 of the Theatre Building on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.