By Abel Nobel
Back in ‘94, when I was 14, I remember going to see Lion King at the Lewis Theatre with friends. While looking around at this unique theater, I thought, “One day it would be neat to come back here and show a movie I’d made myself.” A childish dream, perhaps, but over the years it set in as a goal in life. I wanted to do just that, to come back to Lewisburg and show my movies in this small theater, as if it were alive and rooting for me all those years ago.
As time passed, I put together short films and videos from many of the short stories and screenplays I’d written. I often had the help of my younger brother, and many friends who also shared the same dreams to make films. And through this process, I gained some field experience in the industry, whether it was being a film extra or grabbing my hand-held and just loosely filming and editing shots for my own purposes. While in California, I got involved in a small budget feature film. It was an insightful experience. I loved it and wanted more. Later, in Dallas, TX, I met director Andrew Patterson at the premier of his independent zombie film. A long-term friendship developed between us that brought me to become a producer for his next film, PREPPER.
In the summer of 2015, the shooting of PREPPER began, and I had the privilege of working with some amazing people. It’s been one of the best experiences of my life. Patterson wrote the script in only days and had it ready to shoot within weeks. PREPPER was a story close to his heart, and mine as well. In fact, the entire production crew were Preppers.
What is the meaning of Prepping? It means, “To be prepared.” Okay, but prepared for what? How can I be prepared? In this film, the viewer is to asked, “Are you prepared?” This could mean for something as catastrophic as the end of the world down to things more localized or smaller in scale. Practicing preparedness in your daily life means planning escape routes in case you ever need to leave home in an emergency. This could be escaping from a house fire or a flood in the area, or by providing security for your home and safety for your family. Being prepared includes having enough gas in your car if needed at any time, for example. Being a PREPPER doesn’t mean one has to be a millionaire hermit who lives underground eating Spam for the rest of their life with a bunch of other crazies. It’s knowing what to do and having a plan if needed.
PREPPER was awarded Best Selection at the Fort Worth Indy Film Showcase, Best Feature at Boomtown Film Festival, received Honorable Mention at Lionshead Film Festival and was also a Semi-finalist at the Los Angeles Cinefest.
It’s my hope that when watching the film, the viewer can come away not only entertained, but having learned something about being prepared in life, and what to do and what not to do. Join us this Monday, June 11, at 7 p.m. at the Lewis Theatre. Tickets are $8.
