Peyton Lea '10 has written a feature-length film with the working title "In a Day" that he will be shooting in Charlotte, N.C.
Lea, who majored in cinema while a student at Elon, made a final 36-hour push to raise $20,000 by March 11, money he needed to produce his film. In all, 92 backers gave money that he says will go toward equipment and actors.
Lea began the production process in February with casting and location scouting. He figures to shoot the film in April and then spend the next three months editing before premiering the picture in August in Charlotte.
“In a Day” follows Tom, a 30-year old down-on-life watch salesman, who is forced by his boss to attend a watch sales convention in Charlotte. Tom has no interest in the southern city when he first arrives, but his attitude changes when he meets April, a bartender in the lobby of his hotel. The Charlotte-native is free-spirited, and she convinces Tom to spend a day with her, touring the city. According to the movie’s website, “The film is about the day they spend together and how surprisingly meaningful their impact is on each other’s lives. But more deeply it’s about embracing time. Learning how to make the most of your days, your minutes, your seconds.”
Lea says the idea for the film originated a few years ago in a screenwriting course at Elon. Since that time, the story has undergone a couple of iterations, but Lea says he’s happy with how it’s turned out.
“I have developed it into a 90-page drama/comedy with richly developed characters who push the story along. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to return to Charlotte, a city I came to love growing up in Union County, to make a feature film. Charlotte serves as the stage in which the characters interact, learn about each other, learn about the city, and, ultimately, learn what it means to really live.”
For more information about Lea’s film, visit the movie’s website here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/140084687/in-a-day-narrative-film.