Colin Michael Day and Mardana Mayginnes Travel "The Loneliest Road in America"

In Nevada, a 287-mile stretch of Highway 50 is known as "The Loneliest Road in America," but it has proven to be anything but lonely for up-and-coming actor Colin Michael Day and director Mardana M. Mayginnes. Day and Mayginnes combined forces on "The Loneliest Road in America," an independent feature film that uses that long stretch of Nevada highway as a backdrop.

More than just two friends going on a road trip.

Day spoke to Associated Content by phone about his experiences making The Loneliest Road in America." Once a member of the Pioneer Tennis Team for the University of Denver, Day switched gears from athletics to acting during his collegiate career. "The main thing I knew in life was tennis," Day said. "When I made the switch and stopped playing tennis, it actually felt right."

After earning his theater degree, Day and Mayginnes, a filmmaker and Day's best friend, relocated to Los Angeles to make their marks in Hollywood. Mayginnes worked for a commercial house while Day continued his acting studies, but neither one gave up on the idea of creating their own film.

Ultimately, the decision to make the "The Loneliest Road in America" happened at a coffee shop, Day said. "He (Mayginnes) actually had this idea in college for this film; he didn't have all the characters or anything outlined, though. He had the Jamie character in his mind and the Ashley character, but that was about it," he said.

At the coffee shop, Day and Mayginnes discussed their own personal experiences, including every road trip they had been on in their lives. "We decided it would be fun (to make a road movie), but we wanted to make a meaningful movie as well, something with deeper meaning than just two friends go on a road trip and get drunk. Every character in the movie is a combination of people we know or an actual person we know. The girl characters are kind of based off of real people," Day said.

"The Loneliest Road" is a journey of self-discovery

Ghost towns and historical markers appear on Highway 50, as well as the people who live in communities near the road. Running parallel to an old Pony Express Route, Highway 50 passes through several mining towns that were prosperous as long as the mines were operational. When the mining companies pulled out, they took a lot more than just raw materials with them.

Although "The Loneliest Road in America" does refer to that stretch of Highway 50, it also can mean the road to self-discovery that people have to take in their lives. In the film, Day plays Jamie, a young man who has become disenchanted with his career and his relationship with his girlfriend. A road trip with friends Matt (Chris Hayes) and Ashley (Abby Swagart) down that so-called "Loneliest Road" becomes a real eye-opener for Jamie.

Day said that director Mardana Mayginnes had been to the towns featured in the film with his dad. "And then we did a scouting trip. It was an amazing trip-we actually changed the shooting script around because of all the things that happened to us," Day said. "The pervert that hits on me in one scene, that actually happened on the scouting trip."

Far from being lonely filmmakers, Day and Mayginnes have done well on the film festival circuit, including an appearance at Method Fest earlier this year. For two Hollywood newcomers, the road ahead looks anything but lonely.

Resources:

National Scenic Byways Program, "The Loneliest Road in America"

http://web.mac.com/loneliest_road/loneliestroadinamerica.com/HOME.html

Travel Writer's Magazine, "Nevada's 'Loneliest Road in America' Celebrates 20 Years," Ron Bernthal