'Our Very Own' to be shown on STARZ

Those were the words of writer/director Cameron Watson as his company GADA Films announced this weekend that the movie "Our Very Own," a film shot in and about Shelbyville, will premiere on the STARZ network (Channel 700 on Charter Communications cable) in December.

Last month, the film company revealed that the movie had been sold to Miramax Films.

No air dates have been given at this time for the world premiere.

Also, a home DVD/video release is in the works and details will be made available soon, according to Watson.

"Our Very Own" was conceived by Shelbyville native Watson and is a semi-autobiographic tale set in 1978 starring Allison Janney, Keith Carradine and Cheryl Hines, along with rising stars Jason Ritter, Autumn Reeser and Hilarie Burton.

In the film, five local teens are excited about the return of another Bedford County native, Sondra Locke, who starred with her then-partner Clint Eastwood in several films of the era, including "Any Which Way But Loose." The teenagers hope to follow the movie star out of Shelbyville, but at the same time, one of the group is facing a personal family crisis.

Watson said Monday that putting the movie on cable will get it to a wider audience than a theatrical release, due to a recent slowdown at the box office.

"It played a great part in our decision to choose this particular deal," Watson said. "Miramax responded to the film and saw the potential for a long lifetime in the various markets out there for a movie these days."

Watson noted that many movies are being released on DVD and at theaters on the same day in order to get the attention of younger audiences who can now see films and TV shows on their iPods and cell phones and computers. 

"A limited theatrical release of a film like ours does not guarantee that it will be seen or even make it past a couple of days in the theater. It happens all the time. In the end, we all wanted the film to get seen by as many people as possible and by kicking off with a major premium channel release, millions of people will see the film in a matter of days."

In fact, Watson is hoping that the small film becomes a "sleeper hit." "We hear it all the time. It has been referred to as 'one of the best little hidden treasures out there' and now we can take it out and show everybody. It won't be hiding anymore."

No changes have been made to the movie since it was shown in Shelbyville last year. A new preview for the film was done by a professional trailer editing company and Watson said that he was "thrilled by the final product." 

"They really 'got' the movie and the blend of the two stories at play in the film. They caught the tone of it beautifully." The new trailer for the film can be seen at www.spotlight-pictures.com/ourveryowntra....

GADA Films is also working with Spotlight Pictures, the foreign sales company handling worldwide sales of the film for theatrical, TV, and DVD.

"They love the movie and see great potential in many territories around the world," Watson said. "This a major part of any film's long term life; you just never hear much about it."

Watson added that the recent rise to fame of the film's young stars also has propelled the movie's potential. "Jason Ritter has a hit TV show on CBS called 'The Class,' Autumn Reeser has sky-rocketed to fame on 'The OC' and Derek Carter [from Murfreesboro] has a hit show on Oxygen called 'Campus Ladies', thanks to his working with Cheryl Hines in our film!" Watson said.

In September, "Our Very Own" was the opening night film at the Rome International Film Festival in Georgia and was awarded a "Special Jury Award." In September of last year, the movie won the grand prize for Best Feature Film at the Bluegrass Independent Film Festival in Louisville, Ky. Star Allison Janney was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Film Independent's 2006 Independent Spirit Awards.

Shelbyville audiences were treated to a Hollywood-style premiere in August of last year with several screenings held for local residents. The world premiere was held at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June of 2005.

The movie was unveiled at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, Calif., several weeks ago and according to Watson, STARZ will probably be just the first place the film will be seen.

"Miramax has a long term ownership of the North American rights for the film," the director said. "The STARZ premiere is just the first phase. Miramax is now owned by Disney which is tremendous for us, as you couldn't ask for a better home for the life of a film." 

Watson added that the company will exploit the film through "all the venues that fall under the enormous Disney umbrella, including a major DVD release, TV, Pay Per View, airlines etc." There is also talk of a theatrical release in Canada soon with details that are still unfolding. 

"The Miramax executive who made the decision to buy the film called me from New York and said that he loved our movie and that it deserved to be seen by the world! I think we are in great hands." Watson also urged fans to check the new blog on the updated website at www. ourveryownmovie.com for more news as it comes in.

As the movie was shown at various film festivals around the country, it seemed to find its audience "in regional and rural areas because it is about those folks. The uber-groovy urban crowd has never been our audience. Thankfully!"

In fact, Watson hopes that the movie will bring people back to watching more family-oriented films.

"There is a real hunger for films like ours. Every festival we have been to, especially the southern ones, have been packed with audiences that stand up and cheer and say they want their whole family to see this film," Watson said. 

"Hollywood is all about money and a movie about people getting chopped into pieces or a movie about an impostor making fun of other cultures apparently makes money, but those are not the films I am interested in making as an artist."

The director admitted that it had been a long, frustrating wait to get the deal made, but that "we did it" is what he feels now more than anything. 

"Thanks to the unwavering support of fellow Shelbyvillian and friend, Bob McLean, who made this whole thing possible to begin with, we all at GADA Films just stuck to our guns and dug our feet in and never took 'no' as answer. And that is because in our hearts we knew all along that we had made a good movie and that the right person would come along.

"When someone would shut a door, we would run to the next closest door and kick it open," Watson said. "I sure am glad that last door was Miramax."

Local fans may also see themselves on the DVD when it is released. "We have excellent behind the scene footage and interviews from that summer of shooting that will be incorporated into the DVD when that time comes," Watson explained. "It is really fun stuff and Shelbyville will get a kick out of it."

Needless to say, the stars of the film are happy as can be about the deal and premiere. "Allison Janney and I had dinner last night and she was beaming about the sale," Watson said. "She, like everyone else involved with this project, believes in it so much and just fell in love with Shelbyville and the people, so this is really the final step in getting all of our dreams realized with this film. 

"I visited Jason on the set of his TV show and he still talks about the film as if it were yesterday that he was riding his bike around the square."

Watson thanked the Times Gazette for supporting and embracing the film and sent out a special thank you to the town "that is the heart and soul of this film."

"As Clancy says at the very end of the film, 'I'm home!'" Watson said. "And home we are."