Resplendent Pictures presents Chasing Comets/ In cinemas 23 August 2018

Directed by Jason Perini Produced and Written by former Football Legend Player

Starring , Dan Ewing, Walker, Rhys Muldoon, , Kat Hoyos and George Houvardas

Check out our “conversation” with Jason & Beau: https://youtu.be/2ThfuYP8l6I

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySDNB-kgyr4&t=4s

PUBLICITY REQUESTS: Rebecca Stevens [email protected]

IMAGES High res images and poster available to download via https:// www.jasonstevensproductions.com/films/

Distributed by Resplendent Pictures

SYNOPSIS

Wagga is a country town that loves its sport but is divided over its loyalty for the rival codes, AFL and NRL.

It’s in this setting that we find our hero, Chase Daylight.

Chase’s dream to play in the NRL is falling by the wayside, just like his relationship to Brooke. Chase seems destined to follow in the footsteps of his unfaithful Dad. At his lowest point, Chase takes a leap of faith to sort out his life. Living this out is a far greater challenge than he imagined. Chase gets dropped from the team and dropped by his girlfriend. His leap of faith might possibly be the worst decision ever he has ever made.

Former player turned TV host, Jason Stevens, has written and produced his first feature film, a comedy drama set in Wagga called “Chasing Comets”.

The film is loosely based on the life of Jason Stevens, and stars a host of great Aussie talent, including Isabel Lucas, Dan Ewing, Rhys Muldoon, Stan Walker, John Batchelor, George Houvardas, , Kat Hoyos, Gary Eck, Gemma Pranita and more.

The film also marks a welcomed return to screen for Justin Melvey who played the role of Dr Colin Murphy in Days of our lives, as well as showcasing the acting debut of DJ Havana Brown and Footy Show favourite Beau Ryan.

DIRECTOR – JASON PERINI

Vision My introduction to this project came through the writer and producer Jason Stevens.

I had grown up watching the colourful football career of Jason, however, I was always less interested in his ‘on the field’ stats as I was about his life off the field. I was always struck by the way he excelled in rugby League and yet lived his life ‘against the grain’ of the sporting culture he was surrounded with.

It was hard not to be curious about a guy who had lived the cocktail of being an elite sportsman in a tough, athletic and at times brutal sport, whilst within that culture living a gentle life and outspoken Christian faith.

My journey was similar to Jason’s (barring the good looks and physical prowess) but I had my own huge, personal wrestles with faith when I was a young adult, which was at a time when Jason was in the spotlight for his faith. He was actually a personal inspiration for me growing up as I had to work out whether I was going to ‘own’ my faith, or hide it due to the social difficulties of it. Jason proved to be an encouragement to me as I dealt with my own personal journey of faith. A faith which often felt out of step with the culture I grew up in.

Having this distant affection for Jason meant I was all too eager to read his script. My first reaction to Jason’s script was how funny it was. I knew we had a comedy on our hands from the opening pages. What then continued to get me excited about this story was how Jason dealt with humour and faith and how all this was explored through the characters he had created.

It’s a great ensemble piece with a really enjoyable and honest journey of the protagonist ‘Chase’. The Jason Stevens’ story is a real, lived one, so who better than to write the story of Chase Daylight - a guy who's trying to figure out what to go after, what direction to head in, what to value, what to prize, and who to be.

The script is funny, the script has heart and the script deals with faith issues. What I am excited about is finding ways to make these themes exist in the same film, and that we tell the one story but give equal love, playfulness, humour, heart and weight to all parts of the film. This isn’t a faith story with some laughs, nor is it a comedy with some faith chucked in. It’s the story of Chase who lives in a world where life is confusing, messy and fun, where faith and funny exist side by side.

Added to that I’m excited in the way female audiences are represented, in how they will connect with the themes of faithfulness and commitment in a way that is in tune with the current diversity that makes Australia so great.

I feel Jason has crafted a strong script that explores the journey of a group of young men moving into adulthood and what they need to learn about sacrifice, honour and mate ship in order to become men. This is something I am passionate about.

After spending time this year in America working in Los Angeles with Dana Brunetti and Maggie Gyllenhaal on a short film I wrote and directed, I am itching to take the lessons and experiences gained from my time in America and make something distinctly Australian and community based.

Lastly, you don’t say no to Jason Stevens…Have you seen the size of him?

PRODUCER/WRITER – JASON STEVENS

About Jason Stevens was not your average sports star. Jason completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at UNSW and is an author of 2 books, one of which, Worth The Wait, became a best seller in Australia. Jason had a successful Rugby League career where he played at the highest level (NSW and Australian representative) for 14 seasons with both the Cronulla Sharks and St George Dragons.

Since retiring from the game in 2005, Jason’s charismatic, warm and witty nature catapulted him onto our TV screens when he featured and had his own segments on The Footy Show, ABC’s The Fat, Ch 7’s Matty John’s show and currently Weekender with his wife Beck. In 2010, Jason hosted his own lifestyle/variety show on called “Big J’s Place”. Jason’s various roles on TV have seen him swap smack down stories with The Rock, flex his muscles at a blushing Nicole Kidman on the red carpet, sing with The Village People, talk a good plan with Liam Neeson. He learned dance moves from Carmen Electra, though it didn’t help him, as he finished last in the 2010 Dancing with the Stars series. In 2006 Jason hosted The Disposable Ones, a documentary that explores the amazing strength and survival of Colombia's underprivileged children and child soldiers struggling to live amid harsh conditions, abuse and disease. Keen to discover how they survive, Jason travels to Colombia to explore what challenges they face daily and find out what he can do to help.

In 2010, Jason’s “wait” was over and he married Rebecca. Their ceremony was televised on Ch 7’s Sunday Night program. Jason has also undertaken various film courses at NIDA and performed as Pharaoh in Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat and The Cowardly Lion in The Wiz both at the Seymour Centre.

How did you get into the film industry?

I’ve been in the entertainment industry for a while but I stumbled into the film industry. I still remember my brother Paul (who makes a cameo in the film in the opposition team) taking me to the city to see my first film - Star Wars - and am extremely excited and privileged to have made one. I remember in 2006, the year after I retired from Rugby League, I started writing my first script. Did I know how to write a script? No. Did I know what to write a script on? I used a pencil and pad! But I had a good concept. I started going to script writing courses and then it was a process of writing and re-writing, then re-writing. At the end of the day, a good concept is really only the start - to execute that concept is the grind of screenwriting.

I actually never thought I’d be in the film industry. For me the focus was on TV as I love to entertain. Over the years whilst I was playing, I had contracts with Ch 9 and 7 to do sport based entertainment shows. I would get great opportunities to travel and do movie junkets. But after my last year, the show I had a contract with, stopped doing the entertainment side of the show and I wasn’t needed. I was pretty devastated. I mean, I had a commerce degree but there was no way I was going back to accounting! I eventually got a job with Fox Sports, who were great to work with, but they probably sensed, as did I, that it wasn’t my passion. I’d be watching the game at half time in the green room and whilst other panellists were preparing what to say, I’d be stuffing my face with Thai food. Needless to say, that ended. I then began a longer and more intense journey with film to find my feet.

How did this film come to be made?

I initially wrote Chasing Comets as a pilot for a TV series set in the US in the competitive field of NFL. A director friend of mine suggested I re-write it and set it in Australia set against the backdrop of Rugby League. I had a feeling it was going to be a tough sell to the networks because Rugby League is in NSW and Queensland, but in the rest of the Country AFL is stronger. So the networks pretty much said they didn’t feel like a Rugby League based show would resonate with a National audience. It’s from there that the idea came to make Chasing Comets into a feature film and include the themes of AFL.

We set the film in Wagga Wagga, a great country town that is divided over its passion for both league and AFL. I then tried to find a Producer to help me produce the film, but being low budget, this was a tough ask. I think only one producer came forward and he wasn’t the right fit for the project. So, I take heart from a quote from Einstein; “I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself.”

Deep down I think I was meant for this and in some way I learnt to produce from my mother. My dad left when we were young and my sister was involved in a bad road accident. Somehow she managed to do two jobs and make ends meet with 4 kids, one now with special needs. She handled pressure, spotted a bargain and was resilient.

The film is based on a true story…kinda?

Actually, a lot of the film was inspired by true events, but we put the “kinda” in because it works with the tone of the film, which is basically to try and have a laugh about everything. One of the key elements of the narrative is a footy player who is loose off the field. This effects every area of his life; his relationship with his girlfriend is in tatters, his ability to stay focused on his dream and more. When he intersects with faith, things begin to change. In some area things get better. He begins to experience peace, but in other areas, things get worse, like his footy career and his attempts to reconcile with his girlfriend. This was all true of my life, especially the bit where Chase Daylight tells his team he is following God – I did that! And when I found faith, I soon got dropped to reserve grade and it was the worst football year of my life. Also, Chase’s backstory about his dad leaving his mum in a dire state and being a womaniser was also true, but in real life it was much worse. The intervention of the Rev played by George Houvardas is also spot on. We had a minister when I was playing at St George, Graham Crew and he pointed me towards faith, as did my brother Paul who at the same time as me, was going on his own spiritual journey.

But I wasn’t born in Wagga and included the AFL themes to reach a broader market and also because it was fun to play on these themes about which code is the superior footy code in Australia.

Films cost money, how did you find yours?

Argh the money!! Initially I went about asking people of influence and wealth I knew for 100k instalments, deep down thinking I would possibly consider less. Ha!!! Boy I learnt fast that people, no matter how much cash they have, do not like giving to a first time writer, producer, especially when they are making an Aussie film. It didn’t take long to readjust my expectations. But it was a challenging part of the process, and a humbling one, which has its benefits. My wife Beck, who did the wardrobe and costume design became an EP on the film because she found a few investors – she has a great ability to connect with people and genuinely cares – somehow it led to money in the bank. We filmed on a very lean budget, but spent most of our money on the screen because we were determined to give the film that cinematic feel. Once we did the initial rough cut, we showed Screen Australia and they helped out, as did Create NSW.

Casting

I was very fortunate to have people in my world like Wayne Blair, Rhys Muldoon, Phil Wade and Gary Eck who reached out to their network of friends. All these people have a great heart for Aussie stories and Aussie filmmakers. I also had my own network of people. Funny story, I met Isabel Lucas a long time ago. We were driving in the city and some car grazed the car ahead of me. I was with my friend Eroni at the time and we pulled over to see if all was okay. It was Isabel! She was in town for but her episodes were not out yet. We then met up again through a mutual friend Chris Egan who was on Home and away at the time.

But all these actors were so generous with their time and their gifts. Nothing was a problem, even though they’ve done gigs for much more money, they cared about the story and poured themselves into it.

What’s the hardest part about writing?

Initially it was the rejection. I remember sending a pilot script to a network. I had a very good Director attached and the head of their T.V Production said to me “I don’t read anything from first time Writers”. I thought it was pretty narrow minded, but in the end, you make a decision to just keep going and never give up. And things always work out in the end. If that TV person had taken the project, I probably would’ve been shafted by more experienced writers and I would have never written the film.

But I welcome notes. You might get 5 things that don’t resonate with you, but then you get one piece of gold and that can make the difference. I have learned though that experts can be wrong, and sometimes you must trust your gut. Actually, Peter Phelps in the film uses the line “experts can be wrong” and that was from personal experience in both league and in writing.

What did you learn from this being your first film?

I learnt so much. Preparation, preparation, preparation. But that’s hard when you’ve never done a film before and you don’t know exactly what to prepare for. I met with many producers but advice was given sparingly. Phil Wade (EP ‘I am Mother’) and Wayne Blair were unbelievably generous with their time. As were Jonathon Page from Bonsai Films and Greg Denning from Studio Canal. I think next time I will have a better handle of crew and be more involved here. I also learned how important the edit was. It’s here that the film can shaped entirely different from the script.

Tell us more about the edit and post production. Edit was a gruelling process for Jason Perini, the Editor and I. We worked very hard to make the film work. I remember seeing an early draft of the edit and I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept thinking: “What the heck have I filmed here”. There were plot points missing and getting the balance between the comedy and drama was tricky. But thank goodness for Voice over and ADR! We also had several screenings and got great feedback. After it, we shot a new opening scene which introduced our hero and a few other key characters. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the feedback was brutally honest and that was painful to hear but I’d prefer that than feedback that just butters you up.

It’s been great working with Final Post in Newcastle. They care about the Project and know their stuff.

What are some of your most memorable moments?

There was one day, where it was pelting rain. One of the unit managers had clocked off and left the bins overflowing. The bin fell and because of the wind, got dragged down the street. I was left picking up you know what from the streets as I was getting soaked. I had tonsillitis the whole shoot and I just smiled (still beats playing footy with needles to numb the pain… ha).

The other two memories were watching my wife get up at 4 am every day and do the whole wardrobe department. She would then come home after being exhausted and wash all the clothes, iron and then get to bed at 1am. Then do this for 5 weeks and she had had a chronic back injury since I have known her. She was a warrior. The last is Jason Perini and the way he handled people on set. He was brilliant and I would jump at the chance to work with him again. I mean we had volunteers coming up to him and asking what was for lunch and he would give them time.

This film has elements of faith in it, but there’s plenty of humour.

Yes, I hope the film is a reflection of me. I’m always laughing at myself but then like to talk about meaningful things as well. Above everything we wanted a fun film, but wanted to make the faith part raw and real. I loved how Jason Perini upped the comedy and so I think that even if you have no interest in the faith element, there is still plenty of laughs and relationships you will care about.

What’s next? I have 9 other scripts, some great true Aussie stories and many for the International market, so I will do my best to get these made. One things for sure, I’m in the film industry for the long haul.

How does filmmaking compare to Rugby League?

Umm footy was a breeze compared to filmmaking!! Actually, I am grateful to league for teaching me how to work extremely hard and overcome challenges. You need that in film above any creativity or natural talent.

MAIN CAST

Brooke played by Isabel Lucas

Isabel was born in , Australia. Her father is Australian and her mother is Swiss. When she was age 6, her family moved to Switzerland for a year. They moved back to Melbourne for a while before moving to a very small mining town in the Northern Territory (population 1,000). Along with her sister, she attended the Jabiru Area School, which included both white and Aboriginal children.

Isabel was always involved in drama during her time at school. She went on to study drama at the Victorian College of Arts and Queensland University of Technology. She never auditioned for roles until she was discovered by her agent in 2002. She auditioned for the part of Kit Hunter on Home & Away (1988). They felt she wasn't right for the part but were sufficiently impressed and created a new role for her, Tasha. She spent 3 years playing her first television role and won a Logie Award (for new popular talent) for her performance.

In 2008, she moved to Los Angeles. Her breakthrough role came in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).

Chase played by Dan Ewing

Dan first appeared on Australian TV as Rueben Humphries on 7’s Home and Away in 2007. He went on to appear in Revolution and in 2008 and Rescue:Special Ops in 2009. In 2009 Dan was cast as Black Ranger, Dillon in Disney’s Power Rangers: Rpm Dan then went on to win hearts as the bad boy Heath Braxton on Home & Away earning him a nomination for Best New Talent as 2012’s Tv Week . Dan was also nominated for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor in 2014. After leaving Home & Away in 2014 Dan worked on the award-winning short film Factory Hands, portraying American photographer Lewis Hine, whose work was instrumental in changing the USA's child labour laws. Dan delighted fans when he was attached to film Home & Away special Eye For An Eye for streaming service which broke several streaming records across Australia and the U.K. He then took on the lead role of Nick Marshal in blockbuster action adventure Red Billabong which was nominated for several AACTA awards and his made millions at the international box office.

Dan recently teamed up again with Red Billabong writer/director Luke Sparke for his new film Occupation with an all-star cast including Temuera Morrison (Star Wars, Aquaman ), Stephany Jacobsen (Battlestar Galactica, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) Jacquline McKenzie (The Water Diviner) Aaron Jeffries (Wolverine)

Rhys played by Stan Walker Stan Walker is an Australian-New Zealand recording artist, actor, and television personality. In 2009, Walker was the winner of the seventh and last season of Australian Idol. He subsequently signed a recording contract with . He is known in the acting world for Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016), Mt. Zion (2013) and The Stolen (2017).

Warren played by Rhys Muldoon

Rhys has starred in numerous television roles including Dead Lucky, Rake, Secret River, Childhood’s End, Offspring, Jack Irish , Valentine’s Day, Miss Fisher’s Mysteries, Bastard Boys, , Play School and the high rating Dr Bogle And Mrs Chandler, the BAFTA nominated Lockie Leonard based on the books by Australian writer Tim Winton, Blackjack with Colin Friels, the multiple AFI award winning Grass Roots (series 1 and 2) as the scheming general manager, Greg Dominelli, Secret Life Of Us, Big Sky, and The Genie From Down Under. He featured regularly on the ABC news and current affairs programs The Drum and on Sky News. He is currently filming The Killing Season for Foxtel and Dead Lucky for SBS/.

Sam played by Justin Melvey

Justin Melvey (born 7 May 1969 in Sydney) is an Australian actor who has appeared in a number of television series in Australia and the US. Melvey is best known to Australian audiences for his role as Harry Reynolds in the evening Home & Away from 1999 to 2001. This earned him a Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent on Australian television. Melvey is best known to United States television audiences for his work on the soap opera Days Of Our Lives. He played Dr. Colin Murphy from October 2001 to January 2003.

Dee played by Kat Hoyos

Kat was featured in professional stage roles in productions of Jersey Boys, Hairspray, Bring It On, Xanadu, and Fame. Her onscreen credits include Here Come The Habibs, Body In The Yard and short film The Road Home.

The Rev played by George Houvardas

George Houvardas is an actor, known for (2008), (2007) and 1% (2018)

Harry played by Peter Phelps

Peter Phelps is an actor and director, known for Stingers (1998), Point Break (1991) and Lantana(2001). Coach Munsy played by John Batchelor

John graduated from NIDA in 1992. He then moved to and acted in many plays there including Jacques and his Master, The Millfire, Bouncers, Cyrano de Bergerac, Macbeth, A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Shaughraun, Sweet Pheobe, Julius Caesar and The Misanthrope. He was awarded 2 State Theatre Awards (Matilda Awards) before leaving to go back to Sydney. Here John performed in many more plays including, Deathwatch, She Stoops to Conquer, Antony & Cleopatra, Troilus & Cressida, The Way of The World, Twelfth Night, Festen and Romeo and Juliet. After 15 years in theatre he took on a leading role in, 'Sea Patrol' for 5 years. His character "Charge" was very popular with fans around the world. The show was sold to over 170 countries. He also starred in many films including The Tenderhook, Inspector Gadget 2, Man Thing, Subdivision and the AACTA Award winning Red Dog. He has also been in Home & Away, Wonderland, All Saints, Stingers and Water Rats.

Tom played by Beau Ryan

Beau Ryan is a former professional rugby league footballer turned all-round Entertainer. Ryan is well known for his comedic work on The Footy Show and has become a crowd favourite for his ability to ad lib, conduct funny interviews, as well as for his performances in bringing characters like Dj Yalla to life. These skits have gathered a cult following on the Footy Show and on line. Ryan has also ventured into the world of Pantomimes, receiving great reviews for his performances as Vince Fontaine in Grease and as the Genie in Aladdin.

A man of many talents, Ryan has also released a single, "Where You From?" featuring Justice Crew in 2014.

Kev played by Gary Eck

Gary Eck is a stand-up comedian, actor, director, and writer with a wide range of experiences in Film, Television and Radio.

Gary co-wrote and co-directed Happy Feet Two with Academy award winning director George Miller. Gary currently has a film optioned by George's company KMM. Gary is currently working on an exciting new film project – stay tuned! Concurrently, Gary and illustrator Nick O’Sullivan have released their debut children's picture book, Wake Up Sleepyhead.

CREW

ADAM HOWDEN - DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Adam Howden ACS grew up on a steady diet of VHS movies, BMXs and his dad’s record collection. Movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Top Gun, Alien, & First Blood were regulars in his childhood home. As a teenager his father introduced him to traditional Black and White photography and Adam’s love affair with the photographed image began. He formalised his studies of photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, then later received a Graduate Diploma from the prestigious Australian Film Television and Radio School in Cinematography. He loves working with ‘natural light’ but has a passion for lighting and new lighting technology. Adam is creatively influenced by street photography, documentary style photography and anything with a sense of authenticity. Adam Howden ACS loves the collaboration, work ethic and challenge of film making and has complete respect for its power to touch our emotions and connect with people all around the world.

PAUL FINCH - PRODUCTION DESIGNER My career of over ten years as a production designer, and twenty in the film industry both in the UK and Australia, has given me rich and varied conceptual and design skills. I’ve worked with and learnt my craft with some of the leading production designers in the history of film making, such as multiple Oscar winner John Box and cinematographers such as Jack Cardiff. In the world of TV drama and reality TV, I've worked on ‘' Network Ten and designed ‘’ for Network 7, where I have gained not only a unique, relevant and valuable skill set, but an individual voice with which to express a new and valid point of view in the world of production design. Recent credits include Australian feature 'Love Is Now' starring Eamon Farren, Claire Van der Boom and Anna Torv, distributed by Universal Pictures.

SCOTT WALMSEY EDITOR

Born in New Zealand, Scott Walmsley jumped across the Tasman in 2000 and has spent the last 17 years attempting to impress his Kiwi wit upon Australians. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Scott has worked on a huge array of projects in a career that has spanned over a decade since he graduated with a Masters of Drama Editing from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. These range from feature films with major cinema releases, documentaries that have played on all major Australian networks, award winning advertising, hilarious web series, shorts that have played at many international festivals, and a music video that won him a coveted award from his editing peers at the Australian Screen Editors Awards. His versatility allows him to bring a dynamic energy to his work giving each project a unique aesthetic. This has led to his projects being recognised by the Directors Guild of America awards, the Australian Film Institute awards, Logies, One show entertainment awards, D&AD awards, ATOM awards, Australian Screen Editor Awards and Tropfest.

HELENA CZAJKA -COMPOSER

Helena is an Australian APRA Screen Music Award nominated composer who writes music for films, documentaries and TV shows.

After receiving First Class Honours in a Bachelor of Music (Composition) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Helena worked as a music journalist for Limelight Magazine, before moving to Tokyo in 2013 to spend a year working as an orchestrator on Japanese feature films and videogames for renowned Japanese composer Yoshihiro Ike.

On her return to Australia, Helena began composing for Australian productions. In 2017, Helena composed the music for seasons one and two of Australian Survivor on Network Ten – for which she was nominated for an APRA Screen Music Award for Best Music in a Television Series. She also composed the music for the documentary series The Queen & Zak Grieve on Foxtel’s Crime & Investigation Channel, TV series Look Me In The Eye on SBS, and the documentary Making Muriel for the ABC. Helena’s feature film projects include her work as composer and music supervisor on the international film festival hit Beast (TIFF premiere in 2016) directed by Tom and Sam McKeith and her work as assistant composer on Stephan Elliott’s feature film A Few Best Men (2011).

Production Company: Jason Stevens Productions Runtime : 96m Format : Feature Film Aspect Ratio : 2.39-1 Sound : 5.1 & Stereo