“The Genesis Code” working on a Grand Rapids premiere ahead of national release

Producers of the movie “The Genesis Code” that filmed around the Grand Rapids area this summer have their movie finished and are now planning the premiere.

The movie is said to be on track for a December/January release and Producer Mark VanderWal says “We are working with Loeks (Celebration! Cinema) to confirm the dates for the premiere.  We will likely be doing a two week run of engagement here in West Michigan prior to releasing TGC nationwide.”

 ”The Genesis Code” is about a college hockey player and a female journalism student trying to find common ground between their spiritual faith and scientific studies.  

Logan Bartholomew and Kelsey Sanders play the lead characters “Blake” and “Kerry”.   The cast also includes Louise Fletcher, Ernest Borgnine, Fred Thompson, Rich Franklin, Lance Henriksen, Rance Howard, Catherine Hicks, C.R. Lewis, Susan Blakely, Adam Chambers, Ben Murphy, Jerry Zandstra, Roger Garcia, and Armon York Williams.

The movie is directed by Patrick Read Johnson.

The movie shot for five weeks in August on the campus of Calvin College (at the Chapel, in classrooms, in the cafeteria, at the President’s House, at the Nursing School), at the former Lear Plant in Walker, in Lowell, the Patterson Ice Center, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, and at the Silver Bullet shooting range on Division in Wyoming.

Previous posts on “The Genesis Code”:

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/09/03/genesis-code-props-for-sale/

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/08/26/extras-needed-genesis-code/

http://blogs.woodtv.com/2009/07/30/not-just-borgnine-more-cast-for-genesis-code/

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As production wraps, props to be sold

The crew of “The Genesis Code” is wrapped production Monday.   The movie shoot started earlier this month at the campus of Calvin College.   Jerry Zandstra, CEO of American Saga Productions (the local production company), will be selling off some of the props and set pieces used on the movie this week.

Zandtra says “we end up getting rid of many of the props – some to cast members, sell what we can, and then donate the rest to local charities”.

The sale is today September 3rd, 2009 from 8:00 am-8:00 pm at John Hyatt and Associates in downtown Grand Rapids:

John S. Hyatt and Associates
420 Alabama NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

http://www.jshaa.com/pages/GR.html

(616) 451-9245

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“The Genesis Code” putting out call for extras 18 and older

“The Genesis Code”, filming in West Michigan, is looking for nearly 200 extras to be in the crowd of hockey scenes at Patterson Ice Arena for Thursday and Friday night.   Prospective extras must be 18 or older and available to stay for 5:00pm to 5:00am overnight shoot.  The extras are not paid positions but be fed.

Send your contact information and desired date (August 27 or 28) to genesisextras@gmail.com 

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More cast details released for “The Genesis Code”

Three more recognizable names coming to West Michigan to be part of the cast of “The Genesis Code”: veterans actors Lance Henriksen and Rance Howard and veteran actress Catherine Hicks.

Veteran movie bad guy Lance Henriksen will play “Dr. Hoffer”, Henricksen recently starred in ”Appaloosa” (2008) and played a minor part in “The Quick and the Dead” (1995) amoung others.

Rance Howard, the father of Ron and Clint Howard, and recently starred in “Angels & Demons” (2009) and “Frost/Nixon” (2008) will play “Dr. Tolley”.

Catherine Hicks who may be most best known most recently as the mom on “7th Heaven”, and also starred in “Child’s Play” (1988) and “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) will play “Myra”.

The main characters of “Blake” and “Kerry” will be played by Logan Bartholomew (parts on “CSI” and “Ghost Whisperer”) and Kelsey Sanders (parts on “CSI” and “iCarly”).

The rest of the cast includes: C.R. Lewis will play “Shane”, Adam Chambers (”Night of the Living Dead 3D” (2006) and parts on “CSI”, “ER”) will play “Marc”, Jerry Zandstra (Pastor at Wayland CRC) will play “Rev. Wells”,
Michael William Freeman (”parts on “The Mentalist”, “Bones”, “The Closer”) will play “Chase”, Ben Murphy (tv parts inclduing ”JAG” and “Navy NCIS”) will play “Professor Campbell”, Jamie Kramer will play “Michaele”, Chris Yen will play “Lin Chen”, and Roger Garcia (bailiff on “Days of Our Lives” 1997-2007) will play “court clerk”.

Louise Fletcher will play Ellen Taylor
Ernest Borgnine will play Carl Taylor
Rich Franklin will play Coach Edwards
Fred Thompson will play Judge Hardin

First casting news 7/28/09:

The first batch of casting news is coming out today for “The Genesis Code”, with three acting heavyweights and a middleweight… a middlewight fighter that is.

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Three award winning actors and a UFC championship fighter join “The Genesis Code”

The first batch of casting news is coming out today for “The Genesis Code”, with three acting heavyweights and a middleweight… a middlewight fighter that is.

Fred Thompson, actor from “Law and Order” fame and Republican Presidential candidate will be playing a judge.

Ernest Borgnine, 1955 Academy Award winner for Best Actor in “Marty”, will be playing grandfather to the male lead.

Louise Fletcher, 1976 Academy Award winner for Best Actress in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, will be playing grandmother to the male lead.

Rich Franklin, UFC Middleweight Champion, will be playing a Hockey coach.

The family-friendly feature-length drama is about a college hockey player and his relationship with a female reporter at the school newspaper.

Jerry Zandstra, vice president of American Saga Productions, says that more of the casting news will be released soon and that the principal cast is coming into town for wardrobe fittings and rehearsals this week.

The crew has spent the last few weeks in pre-production, shooting some exterior locations and one scene at the Silver Bullet shooting range on Division in Wyoming, Michigan.

The cast and crew will spend the first 11 days of shooting at Calvin College starting next Monday, August 3rd.  In a previous update, Zandstra said the majority of scenes will be shot in and around Calvin College… on campus, in classrooms, the cfaeteria, the President’s House, Nursing School, the Chapel.

The movie is also expected to shoot in Grand Rapids and Lowell in various locations including Patterson Ice Center and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

The movie will be directed by Patrick Read Johnson.

Anyone interested in being an extra can email: genesisextras@gmail.com.

“The Genesis Code” production schedule blog

Crew call for “The Genesis Code” blog

If you’d like to be part of the crew, send electronic submissions to crew@thegenesiscodemovie.com.

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Updates on 3 movies shooting/possibly shooting in West Michigan

As I wrote for 530pm news script Cliff Claven, Hercules, and the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer are coming to Grand Rapids… some big names are coming for a movie finally ready to start rolling… and a movie that might shoot in Grand Rapids has been approved for state film incentives.

. “What If” to shoot in Grand Rapids

“What If” stars John Ratzenberger (best known for his role as Cliff Claven on the tv show “Cheers”), Kevin Sorbo (best known for his role in the tv show “Hercules”), Kristy Swanson (who played the title role in the original “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer”), and Debby Ryan, who’s well known for her role in the Disney Channel series “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”. 

“What If” started shooting in Manistee June 28 and will be moving its production to Grand Rapids during the upcoming weekend.   The film is a co-production between 10 West Studios in Manistee and Jenkins Entertainment and Pureflix Entertainment, both of Los Angeles.

“What If” is scheduled for a DVD release on Valentine’s Day 2010.

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. “The Genesis Code” sets new production schedule

After a few delays (originally set to start in April), “The Genesis Code” is moving ahead with production starting July 27th.

The family-friendly feature-length drama is about a college hockey player and his relationship with a female reporter at the school newspaper.

The movie will be shooting shoot in Grand Rapids and Lowell in various locations including Calvin College, Patterson Ice Center, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

The movie will be directed by Patrick Read Johnson, he the producers and others are already in West Michigan, prepping for pre-production, out of town crew will start arriving on Monday.

Jerry Zandstra, vice president of American Saga Productions says that they decided not to shoot the hockey scenes at Van Andel Arena because “it doesn’t look like college hockey, it looks like IHL or NHL”.  The scenes at Patterson Ice Arena near Ford International Airport will be shot to make it look like there are fans on both sides of the ice.

The majority of scenes will be shot in and around Calvin College… on campus, in classrooms, the cfaeteria, the President’s House, Nursing School, the Chapel.

The cast is yet to be announced, but there are some big names, they won’t be announced until contracts and schedules are finalized.

Previous “The Genesis Code” blog

If you’d like to be part of the crew, send electronic submissions to crew@thegenesiscodemovie.com.

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. “Tribes of October” approved for state incentives

The movie “Tribes of October” is considering production in Grand Rapids, and according to the production company, has now been approved for the state film incentives.   The CGI heavy film starring James Caan, Jamie King, Ray Stevenson and Robert Duvall is scheduled to begin pre-production in July and August and will most likely start shoot August through October. 

The West Michigan Film Office has been working on facilities, accommodations, and several details to pave the way for this production to shoot in Grand Rapids.

Previous “Tribes of October” blog

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