Plot: Having discovered a way to reverse the aging process, a German scientist (William Boyer) turns to an elderly couple (Kirtan Coan and Roger Durrett) for financing; what follows is a dizzying series of double-crosses that inexorably lead to murder.
Guiding Lights: David Temple, writer and producer; Rick Fisher, director; David Svenson, director of photography. The 17-minute Rewind marks the maiden effort for their newly formed film company, the Charlotte-based Slingshot Pictures.
Budget: "The estimated budget was around $64,000," explains Temple, "but the actual budget was $5,200. It went toward some equipment, catering, props, research, and many of the little miscellaneous items that often get put in the "petty cash' column. Nobody made a penny from this. It's all "sweat equity' and volunteered time."
Location Shooting: Rewind was entirely shot at three Charlotte locations: The Providence Cafe, the BlackLion headquarters in South Charlotte, and at the Myers Park home of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Smith.
The Project's Genesis: "I wrote this story when I was living in Los Angeles a few years ago, trying to break into the business as a screenplay writer," relates Temple. "It's based upon America's -- especially Hollywood's -- obsession with youth. I was constantly amazed at what lengths people would go in order to retain their youth -- between their tips, tucks, implants and enhancements. It started with this idea that a scientist would discover the "fountain of youth,' perhaps while working in Nazi concentration camps. His research would be loosely based upon what we have come to know as stem cell research... During the process, I asked myself, what if we were to take this "secret formula' whereby we could rewind our lives some 40 years, but retain the wisdom of our current age? So, at the core, it's a story about our obsession with youth, our inner battle with greed, and as a morality play, it asks, how far would you go in order to be young again? What price would you be willing to pay?"
Filming Schedule: "From the time we sat down to formulate the script, cast it, equip it, shoot it, edit it, score it and finish it, it took us 14 weeks," reveals Temple. "This type of production is not for the faint of heart."
The Future Of The Film: The future's actually in two parts. On one hand, Temple and co. plan for their short film to make the film festival circuit and score additional bookings at specialized venues. "We've been graciously invited to share our movie with the "North Charlotte crowd,' those living in the Lake Norman/Davidson communities. Chris Boukedes, at The Brickhouse Tavern, has invited us to show Rewind at his restaurant/bar in the near future. And we're also very excited to be a part of Cinefest; we will be opening the segment of movies [shown in] the Knight Gallery at Spirit Square on October 3, starting at 6pm. On the film festival circuit, we've just been accepted into the Asheville Film Festival, and we're currently on the desk at Sundance and the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. We're also entering Slamdance, South-By-Southwest, Chicago, Tribeca (NYC), Toronto, and the San Francisco International Festival, to name a few."
Yet Rewind's future may not end with this 17-minute cut -- Temple hopes to eventually turn his project into a feature-length motion picture. Of course, for that to become a reality, the folks at Slingshot Pictures will need to locate some financial backers, either on the West Coast or here in town. "We must find other investors, both in Charlotte and in Hollywood, who catch the vision and feel the passion," emphasizes Temple. "In a perfect world, we would love to find Charlotte investors who would like to dip their toes in the showbiz pond while helping us realize our dreams. Our goal is to continue to help make Charlotte one of the premiere movie-making cities in the country, even more so than it has been in the past."
Screening Info: Rewind will be screened Wednesday, October 1, at the Visulite Theatre. Cocktail hour begins at 7pm, followed by the movie premiere at 8pm. Live music by local band Hardcore Lounge will follow at 9pm. Tickets are $10 at the door. For further information, call 704-375-8500, or go online to www.slingshotpictures.com.
