To be honest this film has had way more positive reviews than negative, but I take them both in stride. This film is as much fun to watch as it was to make. I knew from the very beginning that viewers needed to fall in love with the two lead characters Gabby (Gabriella Pastore) and Lulu (Ja'ness Tate). Once that happens, you feel like you are jumping on your bike and riding through the neighborhood with them. The story is very simple, but like all things in life, it has different layers to it, that the talent was really able to bring out. You see real people dealing with real life. I am also very proud of how diverse our entire cast is, representing the world we all strive to live in. I learned a long time ago, the one thing you can never do as an filmmaker is try to please everyone. That will never happen, and you will lose yourself and the story you were trying to tell in the process. I grew up loving Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, Escape From Witch Mountain, Pipi Longstocking. This is the spirit that Hidden Orchard Mysteries represents and if you enjoyed those type of films growing up, this will take you back. This is the type of film you can sit and watch with your kids. Some of the jokes are for them, some of them are for the parents watching. As a father that has always loved taking my daughter to the movies, I made sure that there was a little something for everyone. I am so proud to have been able to bring this story to life, and I can not wait to share the next installment of Hidden Orchard Mysteries with all of you!
