“A Place to Call My Own”

A Place to Call My Own from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and Crew

Produced-written-directed by James Overton
Assistant Director: Susan Conner
Director of Photography: Mark Miller
Production: Isaac Cook, Natalie Hall, Theresa Reynolds Curry, Bill McGill, Andrew Robinson, Michael Carlin, and Zan Gillies
Original Score by Jimmy O
Starring: Amy Porterfield, Paul Conrad, Martha Woodroof,
Also featuring: David Ferreira, Vanessa Schroeder, David Witt, Barbara Hodgen, Tom Miller, Cindy Fowler, Susan Reynolds, Hope Powell, Linda Witt, Ashley McGee, and Ron Engleman

Synopsis

The new feature film from Alpha Vision Films, “A Place to Call My Own,” is an intense and complex psychological thriller with some pretty frightening paranormal elements. A contemporary Southern Gothic tale of murder, insanity, and horrific skeletons in the closet. Elaine Anderson, as portrayed by talented actress Amy Porterfield, embarks upon a treacherous journey. A journey between the real and the unreal. A journey into the past that will determine the future. A journey from the known to the unknown. For in these borderland places, she hopes to find, A Place to Call My Own. This film was produced between January and May of 2013. We are pleased to have several of the cast and crew who have distinguished themselves in our previous films returning, along with some exciting new faces. The seventh feature film from Virginia’s Alpha Vision Films, this is our most ambitious and acclaimed picture to date.

‘The Name on the Bullet’

The Name on the Bullet from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and Crew

Produced, written, and directed by James Overton
Mark Miller – director of photography
Susan Conner – production
Theresa Reynolds Curry – associate producer
Original score – Denver DeWitt
Starring Denver DeWitt, Bill McGill, Lonnie Jarvis, Susan Reynolds, Paul Poluito, David Hickman, and Jerry Hatton.
Filmed on location at The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Staunton, Virginia between April and June 2012.
 

Synopsis

New from Alpha Vision Films! This revisionist Western takes a second look at a fabled myth of the American frontier. Spanning the post-Civil War era to the turn of the century, “The Name on the Bullett” will call to question the generally accepted version of the fate of one of the most widely studied personalities in American criminal history. The production was filmed on location at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia in Staunton, Va.

‘Patriots’

Patriots from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and Crew

Produced, written and directed by James Overton
Mark Miller – director of photography
Theresa Reynolds Curry – associate producer
Starring Lonnie Jarvis, Paul Hodgen, Susan Reynolds, Doug Fritz, Ken Evans, Jeff Ward, Paul Bosserman, Barbara Hodgen and John Curry

Synopsis

It is spring, 1963 and the location is Little Havana in Miami, Fla. Here is a seething cauldron of political exiles, criminals, gangsters, spys, and intelligence operatives. A terrible crime is being contemplated and carefully planned. An offense with ramifications far beyond the understanding of those involved. Patriots is a drama, based on speculative theories, about how one of the most world changing tragedies may have occurred. A look into the back alley of history.

“Patriots” was filmed during August 2011 in the Basic City district of Waynesboro, Va., and Eagle’s Nest Airport. From an original screenplay by director James Overton, “Patriots” unfolds in glorious, vintage black and white. The location is a veritable cabinet of curiosities, Southern Rose Tattoo Company, and the filmmakers are incredibly indebted to Doug Fritz for allowing the use of this once in a lifetime set. Also, along with another extensive cast, two new actors are introduced and give tour-de-force performances. Lonnie Jarvis as Carlos and Paul Hodgen as Mr. Bishop.

‘Seasons’

Seasons from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Crew

Produced, written and directed by James Overton
Mark Miller – director of photography

Synopsis

An odyssey through the seasonal beauty of The Old Dominion, Virginia U.S.A. A year-long project, “Seasons” was an exercise in patient filmmaking. And also, a graphic reminder of just how fleeting a year can be. Filmed from the first to last snowfall of 2011, this film conjures up the emotions sometimes brought to our lives through the passing seasons. From the lonely solitude and beauty of winter, the brave, hopeful struggle of the emerging spring, the peaceful, timeless contentment of high summer, to the weary resignation of the oncoming autumn. A year has passed and the cycle of life begins again.

‘Family in the Old Country’

Family in the Old Country from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and Crew

Produced, written and directed by James Overton
Mark Miller – director of photography
Theresa Reynolds Curry – associate producer
Starring Barbara Hodgen, Bill McGill, Susan Reynolds, Georgie Young, Sean Miller, Paul Gayda and Michelle Cook

Synposis

A woman has nursed a terrible secret for a quarter century. She has suffered a loss so painful and devastating that her will to live and believe in others is waning. The light of hope flickers dimly. Into her life come two new neighbors. A single divorced father and his teenage son. They have also known sadness, yet still manage to cling to the belief of goodness in the world. From this fragile friendship unfolds an inspiring life-affirming story. After 25 years a desperate effort to reclaim the past is mounted from America to the old country. And with it go the hopes of three generations to find happiness.

“Family in the Old Country” is the first full-length feature from Alpha Vision Films. It was filmed between February and July of 2011 from an original screenplay by director James Overton. The locations are the historic Basic City district of Waynesboro, Va., standing in for New Jersey 1970. And also, in the third act as our players make the transition to France, the Inn at Osceola Mill in Steele’s Tavern, Va., and The Staunton Virginia National Memorial Cemetery. In addition to being the longest motion picture from Alpha Vision Films, it also features one the largest cast, introducing several new actors to the stock company.

‘A Visit from Annie’

A Visit From Annie from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and Crew

Produced, written and directed by James Overton
Mark Miller – director of photography
Starring Susan Reynolds and Brenda Wilhelm

Synposis

A young woman visits a beautiful and strangely deserted gothic cemetery on a gray, blustery winter’s day. She is bringing flowers to the headstone of a long-passed ancestor. Is it simply the cold that causes the shivering that creeps over her? She feels eerily not alone. There seems to be another unseen presence just out of sight. Suddenly and terrifyingly she has an unexpected visitor.

“A Visit from Annie” marked the second Alpha Vision Films production. Shot over a period of two weeks at Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, Va. It was January of 2011 and extremely, bitterly cold! The crew and two actors, Susan Reynolds and Brenda Wilhelm, could only remain outside filming for a few minutes at a time. But somehow, the harshness and emptiness of this desolate graveyard in deep winter created an incredible mood for this film.

‘Last Call’

Last Call from Alpha Vision Films on Vimeo.

Cast and crew

Produced, written and directed by James Overton
Cinematography by Paul Sanders and Mark Miller
Starring Tony Fischer, Susan Reynolds and Bill McGill

Synopsis

James is a lonely stranger in town. He’s spent the entire evening nursing drink after drink in a local watering hole seeking … something. As the night winds down, his only remaining companion is the bartender, a polite, but slightly distant guy. As the hour of last call approaches, a solitary woman, Sheila, enters hurriedly for one final nightcap. After a brief introduction, the typical bar room banter begins, but soon takes on a deeper meaning as the true personalities of these final two patrons begin to emerge. Is it too late to find faith, hope, and love at last call?

“Last Call” is the first film from Alpha Vision Films. It was originally written by director James Overton as a comedy entitled “Endangered Species.” After several rewrites, while retaining a few of the comic elements, it was rendered down to the bittersweet, but hopeful, light romance it is today.

All of the non-professional actors contributed bits of dialog, and the film was completed between September and December of 2010. The location is Colby’s On Main in Waynesboro, Va. The cafe was for sale during the production, but fully furnished. So it became something of a “workshop” for the crash course self imposed upon Alpha Vision Films in filmmaking. The production values and techniques would improve in future projects, but “Last Call” remains a charming and sweet little story.