‘Range Runner’s’ premieres Opening night – Friday, April 26 at the Santa Monica Film Center, Santa Monica, CA.
RANGE RUNNERS is an exciting and inspiring survival story set along an isolated and wooded 2,200-mile-long hiking trail and follows Mel, an endurance runner, played by Celeste M. Cooper, as she attempts to complete the trail alone. Thru-running in the woods, Mel pushes herself to the limit daily with nothing standing in the way but her own will – until she encounters two strangers along the trail who claim to be day-hikers, but she sees that they have been out in the wilderness much longer than they claim. After her pack is taken, Mel is left with no food, a dwindling water supply, and no hope of rescue. Left stranded, she is forced to make a choice: to give up on the trail and backtrack to find help or to follow her attackers further into the woods and take back what was stolen from her. Armed with nothing but her wits, a will to survive, and a hardened resolve bestowed upon her by her over-bearing father, Mel must find a way to push past her body’s physical limitations and persevere in the face of overwhelming odds. Also starring Sean Patrick Leonard, Michael B. Woods, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Sarah Charipar, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, and Mariah Gordon.
“The role of Mel is the definition of a badass woman,” says Celeste M. Cooper. “She was never going to back down and be controlled. She was determined to preserve and take back what is rightfully hers. Her entire life has been about taking back her power. I loved playing such a powerful action woman and I am thrilled it is being premiered at the Artemis Festival alongside so many other films focused on powerful women.”
RANGE RUNNERS was produced by Fatal Funnel Films, an Illinois-based production company. This is their first feature-length film. Founded by RANGE RUNNERS director and executive producer Philip S. Plowden, and writer and executive producer Devon Colwell.
An additional screening of RANGE RUNNERS is set for Sunday, April 28, 2019 at 2:00 PM
I was privileged to watch the Screener, and to speak with Director Philip S. Plowden, and star Celeste M. Cooper, about making this edge of your seat thriller.
What kind of preparation did you endure to be able to give your all to this challenging role?
Celeste M. Cooper. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I am athletic. I jog, work-out and play basketball. I knew what I signed up for. I had my own private little cabin in the woods where I could prepare and think about how to stretch my brain into gear, and immerse myself in the dangerous atmosphere. It’s funny, my career is either high stakes roles or comedy. I guess I enjoy stretching myself beyond my limits. As Mel’s Dad would say in the film, “embrace the discomfort”!
Were auditions held for the lead role?
Philip S. Plowden. Yes, we held auditions, but Celeste basically took all the air out of the room. After her audition, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind. She had the part.
The Cinematography was really engaging. The way the breathtaking forest environment was used 360 degrees.
Philip S. Plowden. Darryl Miller was our Cinematographer. He brought plenty of skill-sets that enhanced the film. We had a ‘crawl-cam’, that’s basically a camera on a 2×4, allowing us to shoot scenes from underneath, and the drone gave us the ability for the over the head action, and panoramic views of the Tennessee mountains.
Sean Patrick Leonard and Michael B. Woods were very scary antagonists, your life was in their hands.
Celeste M. Cooper. They are the sweetest guys! We had a great stunt coordinator, and the scenes were carefully rehearsed, but I was able to really bond with Sean and Michael. I trusted them completely.
The Artemis Women in Action Film Festival is a perfect venue for you. How did you get invited?
Philip S. Plowden. Yes, we were hoping for a festival that could really showcase a strong woman’s survival story. Melanie Wise, the founder and coordinator of the festival, has been so supportive.
Thanks guys. Enjoy the celebration, you earned it!
“We’re honored to be premiering RANGE RUNNERS at the Artemis Women in Action Film Festival,” says director Philip S. Plowden. “We wanted to create a film that engaged audiences with our main character’s journey, while simultaneously showcasing the limits one can be pushed to in order to persevere through a harrowing survival situation. We’re thrilled to be in such great company among other films showcasing women in action.”
“Stories of survival have always had universal appeal, but we wanted to push the boundaries of how it’s perceived, even as the genre itself continues to evolve,” says writer Devon Colwell. “Artemis is the perfect fit for what we set out to achieve with this film, and we are proud to lend our voices to this amazing festival.”
Fatal Funnel Films is an Illinois-based production company dedicated to the creation of independent feature films. Utilizing the increasingly relevant accessibility of digital filmmaking techniques and technologies, Fatal Funnel Films seeks to push the boundaries of filmmaking in order to tell unique and dramatic stories that will connect with audiences across the globe.
For more information about the film, please visit www.fatalfunnelfilms.com
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