What started as a script idea and a passion for filmmaking became a reality for the makers of Warrior Road and Charliewood Pictures. “It was somewhat serendipitous,” Doug Coupe, one of the producers of Warrior Road, says. Coupe, a former actor, was working in Charleston’s film industry (mostly music videos and commercials) when he met Rob Gorman, a man with the same back story and desire to work on feature-length films. Together they met Brad Jayne (Song of Pumpkin Brown), who had the idea for the movie. The trio created Creative Forge Productions and embarked on their first film together, Warrior Road.
Meanwhile, Charliewood Pictures is a new investment and production company dedicated to finding, funding, and producing films by South Carolina filmmakers. Owner Denis Gallagher, a fan of Jayne’s previous work in film, liked the story idea and decided to fund Warrior Road.
The movie is a coming-of-age story about three young men from the water lands of South Carolina who rob a dive bar and flee to Myrtle Beach armed with psychedelics and a desire for adventure. The story’s main character Joseph learns some invaluable lessons in the film. “It’s a quest of courage from a painful past,” Coupe says. “He becomes the spiritual warrior that he is destined to be.”
The movie is going to be shot on Super 16 film, which will give it an old-time feel. No actors have been confirmed, but a casting director in L.A. is looking to fill five to seven of the lead roles, and there is a local and regional casting director as well. Hootie and the Blowfish’s Mark Bryan is serving as music supervisor. The music will include soulful blues, jazz, and R&B mixed with some hard-hitting rock that was born from those classics. “Music is a key component to the film,” Coupe says. “Mark and his partner Gus Gusler have the resources and relationships to create a unique and powerful soundtrack.”
The plan is to start filming in S.C. this fall. There will be a webinar series with behind-the-scenes footage, giving online viewers the chance to provide input. The Warrior Road Facebook page has already asked fans where their favorite locations are as the men brainstorm spots to shoot the film. “We want to make this less about us and more about the audience and those intrigued with filmmaking in Charleston,” Coupe says.
It seems Warrior Road came together naturally with the usual Charleston flow. “We were just fortunate to have the right people in the right place at the right time,” Coupe says. Follow Warrior Road on their website. Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.