Obtaining a completely utopian existence for both independent filmmakers and in a society contending with economic troubles has ultimately proven to be highly difficult to achieve. The new indie action thriller television pilot, ‘Neo-Dome,’ is proving just that with its road trip-inspired story, which is set in America after its citizens suffered from severe financial ruin.

The road trip-inspired show emphasizes the dire struggles challenged individuals and society are facing through stunt work fueled by gunfire and VFX. The emotionally and physically demanding drama features five page of acting and action that needed to be filmed over the course of only three days, due in part to its limited independent budget.

The pilot was written by Matt Pfeffer and directed by Bonnie Discepolo. ‘Neo-Dome’ was executive produced by Matt and his brother, Mark Pfeffer, and produced by the project’s lead actress, Anna Camp. Besides Camp, the show also stars Michael Mosley, Nicholas Logan and Anthony Discepolo.

‘Neo-Dome’ follows a woman (Camp) as she travels alone towards the promise of a utopian dome on the horizon. When she negotiates a ride with strangers, she learns to not trust anyone on the road to the titular Neo-Dome.

‘Neo-Dome’ had its Texas Premiere in the Independent TV Pilot Program at last month’s SXSW. In honor of the drama’s screening at the Austin-based festival, Mosley and Logan generously took the time to talk about starring in the project during an exclusive interview.

Film Factual (FF): You both star in the pilot of the new action thriller television show, ‘Neo-Dome.’ How did you become cast on the drama?

Mike Mosley (MM): Well, we all knew each other; Anna and I knew each other, as did Nick. We were all running around together, 10 or 15 years ago.

Nick Logan (NL): Yes, 15 years ago, man.

MM: Then Anna ran into the Pfeffer Brothers, and our friend Bonnie was going to direct it. Then somehow, she reached out to us. Then all of a sudden, we were all dusted up and in the desert, playing cops and robbers. It was pretty cool.

NL: Yes, exactly. Then I think at some point they wrote the project and they were like, well, Mike, obviously, would be perfect. Mike brings a little prestige. Then they were like, “We have to cast this mutant; who out of our friends could play this trash panda from the desert, who’s even somewhat remotely believable?”

They thought, our friend Nick Logan – he‘s the guy, let’s call him. I think that’s how I got involved.

MM: Back in the day we used to call him trash panda!

NL: Yes, every time they’d out to the garbage can and I’d be in there. They take it out and they go, “Oh trash panda, good to see you!”

FF: Once you both signed on to star in the pilot, what was your experience of collaborating together to create your characters together?

MM: Well, I think the Pfeffer Brothers pretty much had everything in the script. I mean, our characters’ names are Larry and Gary, and that should make you smirk.

So I think that there’s something kind of Easter eggy about naming somebody Larry and Gary. You can immediately relax and you can be like, “Oh, we’re allowed to smile at these two.”

So even though we’re kind of violent, there’s still a little twinkle to the show that lets you know that you don’t have to wring your hands too much about this thing. It should be a fun ride, like a roller coaster.

FF: ‘Neo-Dome’ also stars Anna Camp. How did you work together to create your characters’ connections?

MM: Anna Camp and I ran around for a long time, and we ran a lot of lines together, but we’d never actually shared screen time together. So this was a nice little bucket list thing to do. Hopefully we get to do more of them.

It was just a great experience overall. It was like being with old friends.

FF: Did you and the rest of the cast also improvise together to help advance your characters and the story?

MM: Well, Nick usually treats the script like a rough suggestion of what the lines should be.

NL: That’s not entirely false, unfortunately. (Logan laughs.)

MM: He often looks at the script and he’s like, “Something like that.” Then he just kind of throws the script out the window. But this is part of his genius.

No, I’m just kidding. Did we improvise very much? I don’t think we did.

NL: No, it was a really good script. I think everyone liked the script, as it was tight and had a really good rhythm. I really liked it – it had a lot of like fun stuff in there.

We all had a little bit of rehearsal in this studio out in L.A. about week before we shot. We got together and just played around. Everyone was just very generous with letting people go the route they wanted to go.

I was doing some wild stuff with Larry, and people were just like, “Hey, yeah, that’s fun, do it.” I think it ended up working,

But there wasn’t too much improv, as the script was good. The Pfeffer Brothers wrote a really interesting script that’s tight, and I think works. I’m just excited to see where they take it as they develop it.

FF: The thriller was directed by Bonnie Discepolo. What was your experience collaborating with Bonnie on developing your characters?

MM: Bonnie is like a positive, beaming bright light battery. She’s always keeping us moving and positive, and she also keeps things light, even though independent projects can be hellish.

You don’t have a lot of room for error. If something happens, like the car breaks down, the sun’s starting to go down or if an effect doesn’t work, you have to make it up as you go.

She was so good about that. Putting out fires is a big part of directing, especially independent directing. She did it with such grace and ease; she’s really impressive.

NL: Yes, to Michael’s point, she really was this big bright light. She never let us see her sweat. We just moved along at a pretty solid rate and had fun.

There were small adjustments, but everyone was just so great. Anna and Mike are also such pros that we were able to make the pilot pretty efficiently. The rest of the crew was also great, especially the DP (Director of Photography, Carson Nyquist). So it was a pretty smooth, easy shoot. Bonnie and Anna were wonderful leaders in it all.

FF: Speaking about the VFX, your characters must battle Anna‘s character of Monica in a fight for survival. What was your experience creating the physicality for your roles?

MM: Well, if you don’t think you want to roll around in the sand, pick up guns and have fake blood on you, you don’t have to. But for some reason, the minute they call action, that’s all I want to do. Suddenly I’ll just dive into something.

I’ll take a couple of bumps and be like, “Oh, that hurt. I probably could have been safer about that fall.”

But it’s just fun. It’s the little kid in me; we used to do this for free out in the yard when we were kids, and now, we get paid to do it. We can also share it with a wider audience.

NL: Yes, absolutely. For me, the physical side of a character is really important. It always like gets locked in in different ways, and usually I don’t really know how it sneaks up on me.

But on this project, I just had this weird thought that my character has a silver tooth, and I was very adamant about that. They were nice enough to let me have this silver tooth.

But when I put it in, all this stuff happens that you don’t expect – the glue goes out on your teeth and you have to hold the tooth in. Then as soon as you’re doing that, it affects your whole body and the lines.

Then all of a sudden, you’re just out in the desert and you’re Larry.

I don’t really quite know how it happens, but for me, it all came from there. Then you just settle in and you can go anywhere with it. Then it’s more about being free to exist within this new shell that’s grown on you and explore what’s inside that shell.

FF: Speaking about the desert, the drama is set on the road your characters drive down to the titular Neo-Dome in the aftermath of a post economic collapse America. What was your experience like of shooting the pilot on location?

MM: Well, setting is everything. Things get really real when you’re in the right setting. There weren’t any green screens.

But I don’t know how they made that dome. Who flew in that dome? Did they build that?

NL: I think it was Bono! U2 brought in the dome. It was a nice set piece. Just playing inside that thing was amazing.

MM: Yes, overall, the desert was great. It was harsh but still great. I have a little house out in the desert. I like it out there.

NL: Listen, Karen, Bono didn’t bring out the Neo Dome. That was a call back to an earlier interview and I’d like to apologize. I think as long as I can keep apologizing, that’s what counts! (Logan laughs.)

But the desert is the best because then the sweat really happens. It is hard, though – you’re drinking a ton of water. You also start to smell, as you’re in a hot car. You also have to turn off the A/C so it doesn’t mess with the mics and the sound.

But it’s cool because you look out of the car, you see the desert and it’s beautiful. You don’t have to imagine anything as it’s right there.

Being on location immediately grounds you. It can also be tough, though, because it can be physically uncomfortable, but artistically, it’s just the best.

MM: Yes, cinematically it’s beautiful, but it can be oppressive. But for this project, it’s good that they’re driving to the desert.

NL: Yes. We also have this moment where we’re laying in the sand and the sun was setting, so it was cooling off. Then all of a sudden, we’re just having fun, looking at each other. Like Mike was talking about earlier, we were like kids playing around.

Then all of a sudden, we had to be still, laying in the desert, and these little desert creatures started to come up and poke their heads up out of the sand. So we were like, “Oh, yeah, we’re in the desert. You guys having fun? Now we’re being attacked by these little critters.”

MM: Yes, this is now their time because the sun’s going down and they’re very eager to get out.

FF: ‘Neo-Dome’ (had) its Texas Premiere in the Independent TV Pilot Program during this year‘s SXSW. What does it mean to you that the show (screened) at the festival?

MM: It’s exciting because we initially thought we were making a short film, but we actually probably made a television pilot. The Pfeffer Brothers are a bottomless well of ideas, enthusiasm and motivation.

I’ve never done this much press for a project of this size before, so I feel like there’s a lot of buzz, which is exciting.

Everything’s such an abstraction when you’re out there shooting a project. So you don’t know what it’s going to be or how it’s going to land. So the fact that we’re sitting here talking to good people like you, Karen, is a good sign.