Feature film to be shot in Hartsville

A New York City independent cinema production company will come to Hartsville to shoot a new feature film next spring and will be looking for locals to appear in the movie, including some in major roles, according to the film's producer, herself a Hartsville native.

Producer Ambre Kelly, who is originally from Hartsville, and writer/director Andrew Gori, both of The They Co. Productions, along with a large group of out-of-town cast and crew, plan to spend nearly four weeks in Hartsville in the early spring shooting "The Brogue," a film they describe as a "small town mystery."

At the end of October, Black Creek Arts Council will sponsor a casting call for the film.

Kelly said the "site-specific" production about a small Southern town was written just for Hartsville.

She said the production was "inspired by Hartsville's spooky, lush and undeniably compelling local flavor."

"We're looking to combine the authenticity of local talent with the professionalism of experienced filmmaking," Kelly said of her decision to host casting calls for major rolls in Hartsville.

"This is a recent technique proven by the work of Steven Soderberg, the Coen Brothers and even older directors like [Pier Paolo] Pasolini. And I feel close to this town -- this is our way of giving back to it."

"As a Northerner, I was struck by the charm and the natural presence that each townsperson I met embodied," Gori said.

"The story instantly began to develop with that backdrop in mind, and though the concept is completely fabricated, certain townspeople I met started to give faces to the names I created. I knew the film was going to be devoted to this wonderful community and the people within it."

Aiming to be a hybrid of local talent and city hustle, along with professional and inexperienced actors from Hartsville and New York City alike, the production represents a new direction in independent cinema, Kelly said.

Recent Oscar-nominated productions like Courtney Hunt's "Frozen River," Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood," and Sundance Film Festival favorite "Ballast" all similarly popularized the use of local actors and non-actors in major productions.

Casting calls for the film will be held on from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and from 2 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Black Creek Arts Center. The production team is asking for both experienced actors and interested nonactors to audition for both primary roles and extra roles during those times.

Persons interested in auditioning should send an e-mail with their name, age and a description of their talents and interests to auditions@thetheyco.com or call 212-518-3138.

Kelly, an artist, actress, curator and arts event organizer now living in New York City, is the daughter of Joe T. Kelly Sr. and Donna Kelly. She graduated from Hartsville High School in 1996 and went on to Wofford College where she majored in art history and psychology. She has worked as an event consultant for art fairs like Design Miami and Design Miami/Basel. She studied painting and printmaking in Italy.

She moved to New York in 2006.

Gori has been a screenwriter and director for nearly 10 years. He was nominated for awards for his first feature film, "Every-man," just out of college. In 2008, his feature script "My Thirty Year War" was selected as part of the Independent Film Project's Emerging Narrative Program, where it was placed in competition for the Kodak Grand Jury Screenwriting Award.

He has written and directed several short films, been selected for the second round of the Sundance Institute for two subsequent feature-length scripts and has mentored under notable independent filmmakers like Jim Jarmusch and Miranda July.

"The Brogue" is his sixth completed feature-length screenplay.

This story was originally published October 22, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Feature film to be shot in Hartsville."