Cait Maloney — All Posts — The Jasper Project

Wednesday night was a brilliant night for local independent filmmakers at the Jasper Project’s 2024 2nd Act Film Project at 701 Whaley! With a sold-out house and fabulous arts energy, we celebrated all 14 SC filmmakers who were juried into the project, screened all 14 films, and awarded a total of $2500 in cash prizes to our participants.

Participants included Adam Weber, Idris Pearson, Nick Clay, Marley Gregory, Chad Henderson, Thaddeus Jones, Bakari Lebby, Silas Rowland, Taiyen Stevenson, Alex Steele, Andrew Smith, Ebony Wilson, Dustin Weible, and USC SGTV 1080c, a student film group from USC.

2024 welcomed the largest roster of filmmaker applicants thus far and, in keeping with the mission of the Jasper Project, there was no entry fee for participating in the project. Filmmakers also received a $100 stipend from the Jasper Project to help offset production costs.

2nd Act Film Project director, and Jasper Project Board of Directors president Wade Sellers had this to say about this year’s event: “The 2024 2nd Act Film Project confirms that the indie film community in the midlands is stronger than ever. Filmmakers and indie film fans gathered to watch 14 films created solely for the screening and a packed house of almost 230 people laughed and celebrated the strongest group of movies made for the second act project thus far. This group of films marks 84 movies that have been made by South Carolina filmmakers and produced by the Jasper Project. The Jasper Project is proud to take a leading role in supporting the growth of the new wave of indie filmmakers in the state.”

Sellers continues, “Our 2nd Act judging panel of creative professionals, faced difficult challenges choosing individual awards from this year‘s group of 2nd Act Film Project films. Each film exhibited highly professional approaches to the craft and awards came down to serious discussions between panelists. Quite simply, the talent in every category was just too good to pick an obvious winner. To witness the serious approach each filmmaker took toward the creation of a six-minute short film is humbling and the high quality of the end product is overwhelming. Our indie film community is as strong as ever.”

**In addition to cash prizes, winning filmmakers were also presented with artisanal awards created by Columbia, SC - based visual artist Michael Krajewski.**

Adjudicators included Kwasi Brown, founder of Black Nerd Mafia, indie filmmaker Robbie Robertson, and visual artist Michaela Pilar Brown, all of whom viewed the films in advance of the screening . The Audience Award was decided via secret ballot (one ballot per person) by attendees at the Wednesday night event. The awards were as follows:

Audience Award – Toreador, Chad Henderson

Producers Award (Best Film) – Toreador, Chad Henderson

Best Script – For He’s a Jolly Dead Fellow, Silas James Rowland

Best Director – the Easter Sunday Massacre, William Nicholas Clay

Best Cinematography – Toreador, Jonathan Palance

Best Editing – The Other Within, Collins White

Best Actor – Toreador, Cesar Davalos

Best Score – Ryde, Ebony Wilson

All 2nd Act Film Project screenplays are bound, given an ISBN, and filed with the US Library of Congress as a way of preserving for posterity some of the art created by the Jasper Project and art coming out of Columbia, SC.

This event, including our cash awards, was made possible by our generous sponsors. Please thank them for their support of local film art and patronize their places of business. Sponsors were Bill Schmidt, The Dragon Room, Fit Columbia, Sound and Images, Precision Garage Door of Columbia, Marketing Performance, Rikard & Protopappas, Columbia Arts Academy, Final Draft, and Coverfly.

Thanks again to everyone who came out to support LOCAL INDEPENDENT FILM in Columbia, SC! To keep up with future film arts projects and all of Jasper’s many arts projects, including the call for the 2025 2nd Act Film Project, subscribe to Sundays with Jasper. To put your name on the 2nd Act Film Project, the Play Right Series, Jasper Magazine, and all of our multidisciplinary arts projects, join the Jasper Guild of Supporters for as little as $25 at the Artist Peer Level.

Enjoy a few of the images captured Wednesday night by local photographer Perry McLeod.

**Delicious food by Chef Joe Turkaly is a tradition at 2nd Act Film Project**

**Jasper board member & visual artist Keith Tolen (r) with filmmaker Thaddeus Jones**

**Nick Clay accepting his award for The Easter Sunday Massacre**

**Alex Steel and Collins White — the Other Within**

**Silas Rowland with crew - For He’s a Jolly Dead Fellow**

**Jonathan Palance and Chad Henderson — Toreador**

**Jasper Project Operating Director Bekah Rice**

**2nd Act Film Project director Wade Sellers with 701 Whaley’s Leeann Kornegay and Jasper Project founder & Executive Director Cindi Boiter**

**Working the door — Jasper Board members Christina Xan and Liz Stalker with Coal Powered Filmworks employee Jami Wiseman**

**Award artist Michael Krajewski with Jasper Magazine co-founder Bob Jolley, aka Bier Doc.**

**Jasper board member Kwasi Brown enjoying snacks by Joe Turkaly.**

**Cesar Davalos accepting his Best Actor award for Toreador**

**Wade Sellers with filmmaker Kari Lebby.**

Back for its 6th installment, the Jasper Project is delighted to celebrate the 10 filmmaker team leaders whose 6 minute films will premiere on Wednesday October 30th at the 2019 2nd Act Film Project.

The brainchild of filmmaker and project director Wade Sellers and sponsored by the Jasper Project, 2nd Act Film Project is unique in its creative challenge, for seasoned and first-time filmmakers alike, in that the first and third acts of a screenplay are provided to the artists who, in turn, write the second act and create the film in its entirety.

Several veteran 2nd act filmmakers are returning to the project for the 2019 event including Ian O’Briant and Amy Brower.

Amy Brower is an actor, film maker and producer based in Columbia, SC. This is her 3rd year involved with 2nd Act. Her overall goal with the festival this year is to challenge herself as a writer and director and support and celebrate the film community in SC. It was a no-brainer for her to join the project again this year. “I just asked myself, ‘Why not?’ she says. “ I wear a lot of hats in the film world, but screen writer is a first for me. 2nd act is special because, unlike a 48, or a feature, it provides just the right kind of time line and writing prompt to fit into my already booked schedule.”

Brower continues, “This year was about taking everything I’ve learned and linking arms with some of my favorite people and committing to tell a story that we hope people with connect with. As a film maker, I knew I wanted to share more of myself. 2nd Act film Project gave me the push I needed to actually make it happen.”

Ian O’Briant agrees. Having lived in Columbia since 2000, O’Briant shares a home with his wife and three children. A graduate of UofSC Media Arts, O’Briant is now an IT director after ten years as a multimedia journalist and television producer. The 2nd Act Project is his preferred annual outlet for all things sleepless and cinematic.

“I’m convinced that the 2nd Film Project is the best way to network with other artists and promote the very talented and growing community of motion media artists here in Columbia,” he says.

Filmmaker Jennifer Baxley is also returning to 2nd Act this year. According to Baxley, she “actually met President Trump during the auditions for Season Five of the Apprentice because of her first film (yes, hold your applause).” For the 2019 project she is partnering with the law firm Baxley, Pellerin, and Lindley. In her other life, she is a software developer and an adjunct instructor for Midlands Technical College. This will be her second foray into the 2nd Act Film Project.

Though this is his first experience with 2nd Act, David Axe is a veteran filmmaker based in Columbia, SC, who also writes, creates content for graphic novels, and serves as a freelance war correspondent. Axe wrote and produced The Theta Girl (2017) and wrote and directed Azrael (2019) and Shed (2019). His goal in producing a short for 2nd Act Film Project is to make something memorable and weird — and to do it quickly.

From the age of 13, Silas James Rowland has been creating and producing visual representations of his ideas through the art of filmmaking. Ten years later, he has two feature films under his belt as director (The Sinful South, Cracks), has DP'd three feature films, a handful of shorts, and most recently ne created an hour long documentary filmed in Scotland. His goal with 2nd Act is to dive back into experimental short films and enter into the festival circuit, something he has never done.

2nd Act first-timer. Henry Coonrod, says that, as a filmmaker his top priority is his cast and crew. “I chose this career because I wanted to make interesting things with interesting people, he continues. “Film is this magical medium where private, intimate, intense and beautiful spaces are created; spaces where people work their hardest to create something real. As a writer, director and student myself I seek to create sets where people aren't afraid to ask questions, learn, and build a foundation to create their own movies. My work moves between traditional narrative films and experimental, usually animated, shorts. I have been making films for three to four years now and I still have a lot to learn, I just feel lucky to be part of such a great local film community!”

Also a cinematographer and graphic designer, Sean Parsons started out as a 35mm film photographer. He then went on to enroll in traditional film studies which eventually led to work in animation for children's education where he focused on background and layout artwork. Parsons returned to filmmaking with short films like, Terminus and Syntrifica, which he directed, photographed, edited, sound designed and did the visual effects for.

Taiyen Stevenson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors Degree of Arts and Science. After his experiences with acting, he decided to write and produce his own short films (Images, Thanks for Everything, and his most recent, The Street Lights Are On). He is currently in the process of launching his film production company, "Virgo Kid Productions." This is his first time entering the 2nd Act Film Project and his main goal is to create strong and significant movies that will capture the audience's attention.

Daniel Colella is a senior undergrad student at The College of Charleston pursuing a BA in English and Film Studies. He is the president of the CofC Film Club and the executive video producer for the Campus Media Organization, CisternYard Media.

Finally, William Woody considers himself pleasantly condescending. He busies himself in screenwriting, stand-up comedy, and illustration.

The public is invited to join these filmmakers and the board of directors for the Jasper Project on Wednesday, October 30th for the 2nd Act Film Project, offering two screenings at 7 pm (sold out) and 9:15. While the first showing will invite audience members to vote on their favorite film for the Audience Award, and the filmmakers themselves to select the coveted filmmakers’ award, the awards will be presented following the earlier screening and announced to the audience of the later screening following that performance. Ticket are available at Eventbrite and are only $10.

The Jasper Project wishes to recognize our generous and steadfast 2nd Act Sponsors Mr. Bill Schmidt, Precision Overhead Door, Columbia Arts Academy, Sound and Images, Trustus Theatre and Coal Powered Filmworks. We are especially appreciative of Chad Henderson, artistic director of Trustus Theatre and former winning 2nd Act Filmmaker himself, who is serving as our host for the second year, Cait Maloney who created our poster art, and Matthew Kramer, formerly of Columbia, who sculpts traditional trophies for our winning filmmakers.

Congratulations to the Jasper Project’s 2024 2nd Act Film Project Winners & Photos by Perry McLeod from the Event!