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Seventh Star Studios Announces Marita Tathariel Svensson for Role of Liana in Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot

Seventh Star Studios is proud to announce Marita Tathariel Svensson as the witch Liana in the TV Pilot Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart!

Marita will portray Liana, a powerful witch dwelling in an ancient forest that Rayden Valkyrie’s war band enters while pursuing brigands attempting to get away with a pair of female captives. Along with her sister Gavrila, Liana is a deadly adversary for even the greatest of warriors.

Marita will also participate as a key member of the makeup/SFX team for the project.

The world Liana inhabits is featured in Stephen Zimmer’s sword and sorcery novel Heart of a Lion. The story in the TV pilot is not an adaptation of the novel, but rather an original storyline envisioned to be the foundation for a series of episodes filled with the adventures of Rayden’s war band.

“Marita is a wonderful addition to our cast and production team,” Director/Screenwriter Stephen Zimmer said. “To say she is multi-talented is an understatement. She is a wonderful actress who has a powerful presence on camera. Her skills in art, sculpting and makeup are all exceptional. Further, she loves the fantasy genre and has a deep understanding of it that will reflect in her performance and work on the project. I’m absolutely thrilled to have her with us for the adventure!”

Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart is scheduled for production late spring on locations in Kentucky and represents the first visual media project for Seventh Star Studios, a division of Seventh Star Press, a publisher of speculative fiction based out of Lexington, Kentucky.

About Marita Tathariel Svensson: Marita Tathariel Svensson started her acting debut at the age of nine doing theater productions in Norway. Since then she has appeared in several plays and was given a part as Naviana in the TV pilot ‘Rangers: A Shadow Rising’ in 2014.

She is now excited to be performing in the role of Liana, in the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV Pilot.

Marita has worked as a TV host for TV-Norge. She currently enjoys a carrier as an alternative model and has been featured on the cover of several magazines such as Fae Magazine and Visjon.

She is actively persuing her main career as a Special Effects Make-Up Artist, and has amongst other productions been a part of the Art Department in the TV series ‘Ren’. Marita has achieved the level of Mastery in sculpting through a course held by the Stan Winston School Of Character Arts, and has attended several workshops with Soda FX.

She has worked with Don Lanning, Ron Newcomb, Kate Madison, Ian Hencher, John Wells, Sól Geirsdóttir and many more. Marita is immensely thankful for have loving friends and family who appreciate and support her artistic and eccentric side.

She is also an accomplished pianist, marital artist and enjoys studying foreign languages and history. She supports numerous charitable organizations dedicated to improving the welfare of animals and nature. Marita strongly believes in following her dreams, and is highly focused on her creative pursuits and artistic growth.

Follow Marita online at the following links:
IG: @tathariel
Twitter: @Tathariel

To follow the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV pilot on Twitter and Facebook, use these links:
Twitter: @RaydenValkyrie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/raydenvalkyrie

Seventh Star Studios Announces John Wells for Role of Hallad in Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot

Seventh Star Studios is proud to announce the casting of John Wells as the warrior Hallad in the TV pilot Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart!

John will portray Hallad, a warrior whose travels have taken him far from his northern homelands and on a path that has seen him join a mercenary war band led by the heroine Rayden Valkyrie to free a number of captives destined for slave markets. A skilled tracker, archer, and sword fighter, Hallad’s skills are essential to the mission; one that will bring him face to face with ancient evils and deadly adversaries.

The world Hallad inhabits is featured in Stephen Zimmer’s sword and sorcery novel Heart of a Lion. The story in the TV pilot is not an adaptation of the novel, but rather an original storyline envisioned to be the foundation for a series of episodes filled with the adventures of Rayden’s war band.

“John is as dedicated to the craft of acting as you can get,” Director/Screenwriter Stephen Zimmer said. “Along with his exceptional acting skill and great physicality, John has an eye for detail and a love for the genre that makes him a perfect fit for Hallad. This character requires an actor with both strong presence and a good range, and John has those things in abundance. He’s one of my favorite actors and I’m thrilled to have him in the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart main cast!”

About John Wells: A life long artist and now international multi-award winning actor, John Wells began his film career in 2006 and has since been well acclaimed for his dynamic versatility, emotional range, and dramatic presence on screen.

Wells has delivered scene stealing performances in a string of features such as the genre bending action/comedy, OVERTIME, and the satirical sci-fi romp, PIRANHA SHARKS. He earned applause as founding father, Patrick Henry, in FOX’s historical docudrama series, LEGENDS & LIES: THE PATRIOTS, and was called a “tour de force” in reviews for his performance in the depression era drama, THE OLD WINTER.

Celebrated international filmmaker, Leigh Scott, director of Witches of Oz and Piranha Sharks calls John “a rare talent. Able to immerse himself into any character roles that have little resemblance to his normal persona, while having the charisma and gravitas to carry an entire film. He is both a character actor and a leading man.”

2011’s Fright Night Film Festival presented him with Best Actor and Delivery of Best One-Liner for his work in OVERTIME. 2014’s gritty paranormal thriller, THE PAPER TIGER, would earn him Best Actor at the Floyd Film Fest. In 2015, Wells won Best Actor at the Open World Toronto Film Festival, and at home was honored with the Médaille d’Or Award for Outstanding Achievements in Film by a Kentuckian.

In addition to acting, John is a writer, musician, fitness enthusiast, and family man. Recently he has taken on the mantle of producer on a handful of his own film endeavors.

Follow John online at the following links:
Website: http://johnwellsactor.com/
Twitter: @JohnScottWells
IG: @JohnScottWells

To follow the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV pilot on Twitter and Facebook, use these links:
Twitter: @RaydenValkyrie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/raydenvalkyrie

Seventh Star Studios Announces Sól Geirsdóttir for Rayden Valkyrie Role in TV Pilot

Seventh Star Studios is proud to announce the casting of Sól Geirsdóttir to bring the heroic Rayden Valkyrie character to life onscreen in the TV pilot Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart.

Sól will star as Rayden Valkyrie, an iconic warrior in a dark age who leads a mercenary war band to rescue a group of captives destined for slave markets. When some of the surviving raiders take a pair of female captives with them, seeking escape into an ancient forest said to harbor deadly perils, Rayden does not hesitate to pursue them. In the shadows of the forest, Rayden and her companions must overcome monstrous threats and deadly sorcery to prevail.

“Sól Geirsdóttir is our Rayden,” Director/Screenwriter Stephen Zimmer said. “During our extensive search, we have seen many very talented actresses, but Sól conveyed the right kind of presence needed for this pivotal character. Sól has a passion for the genre, for history, and loves a good sword fight. I know that Sól is dedicated to bringing the best performance possible to the screen, and I am absolutely confident that audiences are going to love Sól and the Rayden Valkyrie character when they see this show. Rayden Valkyrie is my favorite character to write, and I am thrilled that Sól will be the one to portray her onscreen.”

Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart represents the first onscreen portrayal of the Rayden Valkyrie character. The character’s literary debut occurred in Stephen Zimmer’s sword and sorcery novel Heart of a Lion. The story in the TV pilot is not an adaptation of the novel, but rather an original storyline envisioned to be the foundation for a series of episodes filled with Rayden Valkyrie adventures.

More about Sól Geirsdóttir: Sól Geirsdóttir made her stage debut at the age of 13, performing traditional norwegian folk songs. Since then she has been creating and producing music with her band Vǫluspá, who will be releasing a full album in 2017. Sól has also appeared in several theatrical plays and was given a part as “Jora” in the TV pilot ‘Rangers: A Shadow Rising’ in 2014. She has worked with Ron Newcomb, Ian Hencher, John Wells, Marita Tathariel and many more.

Sól is an alternative model and has been featured in several magazines such as Fae Magazine and Dark Beauty. She currently attends the University of Oslo pursuing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. In addition to this, she is a trained vocalist, an accomplished belly dancer and a seemstress specialized in Viking Era clothing. Sól is thrilled to embark on the epic journey of playing the role of “Rayden Valkyrie” in the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV Pilot.

Follow Sól Geirsdóttir online at the following links:

Website: www.thevikingqueen.com
IG: @thevikingqueen
Twitter: @solgeirsdottir

To follow the Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV pilot on Twitter and Facebook, use these links:
Twitter: @RaydenValkyrie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/raydenvalkyrie

Principle Photography Dates and Other Updates

With the full production office opening April 12th, the Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot project is set to hit high gear. Principle photography is set to begin on June 7 in Eastern Kentucky.

The production team is working hard on all aspects of pre-production, ranging from costuming, to locations, storyboards, and other areas. Formal cast and crew announcements will be posted this month.

Production Dates and New Website of Seventh Star Studios Announced!

The production of the TV pilot for Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart, will commence April 12th, 2017. With the dates set, we are very excited to advance with full preparations for the production window.

Seventh Star Studios, who will produce this project, have a brand new website that went live today at www.seventhstarstudios.com Seventh Star Studios is a new division of Seventh Star Press focused on visual media projects and the Rayden Valkyrie TV pilot represents the division’s first production.

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Lots of announcements coming soon! We will be hosting our last open casting call, and then we will determine the full cast for the project. We will also be making announcements soon in many departments such as costume design, lighting and camera, and other areas. Stay tuned!

Announcement Coming Wednesday on Production Dates

An announcement will be made Wednesday on the production dates for the Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot, and the site of the production company will also be announced. Very soon we will also be making announcements regarding the final open casting call, our extremely talented new costume designer and much more. Stay tuned… and stay #RaydenStrong!

First Two Open Casting Calls Announced for June 29 and July 6!

The first two casting sites have been announced for the Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot Project. The first open call will be held on June 29 at Belterra Casino in Florence, Indiana from 4-10pm, and the second open call will be held July 6 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky from 5-10pm.

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For more instructions and information on the kinds of roles we are looking to fill, please visit the casting page on this site.

The TV Pilot Kickstarter Was a Success!

The TV Pilot is moving forward thanks to 187 individuals who made the Kickstarter campaign a success! Thank you to everyone involved in the campaign, from the backers, to the team working on it daily for 42 days, to those featured in the campaign in our spotlights, to everyone who shared, posted, and tweeted. You made it happen!

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All 3 TV Pilot Campaign Videos Available On YouTube

We’re making progress in our Kickstarter campaign and wanted to be sure that everyone knew that the three videos featured in the campaign about the TV Pilot Project have been made available on YouTube. You can view them right here, in fact!

The first video introduces the project, while the second adds more information with the third focusing on the filmmaking/production/location aspects.

Check them out, share them, and come aboard with us today by making a pledge and becoming a member of our backer family at the following link!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seventhstarpress/rayden-valkyrie-tv-pilot/

The Videos

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3

Campaign Now Underway to Bring Rayden Valkyrie TV Pilot to the Screen!

The campaign is now underway to bring Rayden Valkryie to the screen in a TV pilot! The Kickstarter campaign offers numerous levels of rewards, with all kinds of exclusive memorabilia, credits, and events/experiences.

A special video featuring author Stephen Zimmer talking about the Rayden Valkyrie character and the project was released yesterday to introduce the campaign.

The very first concept art of Rayden Valkyrie for the TV Pilot project was also unveiled, an art piece from Jerome Sayers showing Rayden in northern-climate attire.

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Be sure to check out the video, the campaign, and come aboard to help us make it happen. We can do this!

http://ow.ly/Z1IPq