Scaring the Movie Masses with the Help of a 'Skin

“You don’t have to be in L.A. or New York to break into the business,” Espejo, 39, pointed out over the din of cars whizzing through quaint Hamilton in western Loudoun. “Actually, studios are looking outside L.A. and New York for fresh material.”

So what kind of non-stale stuff does Espejo have to offer? Try a feature-length paranormal thriller starring some very familiar faces, set in Loudoun and piquing the interest of some very big players in Hollywood.

Espejo, whose day job is with Microsoft and who started in the movie business by making short films about life as a “techie,” is the writer and director behind “Ghosts Don’t Exist,” a movie now in post-production that he hopes to have ready for distribution in early December.

Shot this past summer mostly in tiny Hamilton for somewhere under $500,000, the movie tells the tale of a famed ghost hunter, who after giving up his work over the pain of his wife’s death, is called back to duty by an offer he can’t refuse.

Obviously, a plot rife with bump-in-the-night potential, but also one that may never have made it onto film without the backing of one celebrated football player.

Redskin tight end Chris Cooley is the movie’s executive producer (meaning the one with the money), plus he had a small part in the movie.

In a bold move, Espejo and producer Aaron Goodmiller e-mailed Cooley via the football star’s personal blog, asking him if he would invest in their low-budget scare-flick. After an initial answer of no, Cooley eventually, and happily, caved in. Part of the movie was even filmed at Cooley’s Hamilton house.

“Being a football star might not help in Hollywood, but it does help in the world of football,” Espejo said of how Cooley benefits his movie.

Because of Cooley, the NFL Network recently aired a clip of “Ghosts Don’t Exist.” Cooley was also able to lure NBC4 sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak, former local radio personality Mike O’Meara, and fellow Skin tight end Todd Yoder to take on small parts.

Currently, Espejo and the rest of the crew at 19th & Wilson, the production company behind the movie, are searching for a company to put “Ghosts Don’t Exist” in theaters. Espejo said a former Hollywood executive producer who has the movie “Reservoir Dogs” to her credit has said she’ll pitch the movie once it’s done.

One route to mass distribution is success in the festival circuit. The indie project has already been submitted to the Sundance Film Festival for consideration. Espejo and his cohorts at 19th & Wilson may send "Ghosts Don't Exist" to other festivals, including the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. And what of Cannes?

“Cannes would be a big deal, because they usually don’t take a lot of American-made films,” Espejo explained. “Unless you’re Quentin Tarantino.”

Of course, Espejo hopes to reach the moviemaking stature of Tarantino, or one of his moviemaking inspirations, M. Night Shyamalan. But if he does, he admitted, then he may have to leave the confines of Ashburn for the star factories in Tinseltown.

“Everybody has got a passion and a dream,” he said, “and that’s the dream [for me].”

See ghostsdontexist.com to view a trailer of the movie.