Steven Culp in "Leaving Barstow"
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(September 1, 2007)
Genre: Drama Directed by: Peter Paige Produced by: Kevin J. Sheridan Budget: US$ 500,000 Production Company: Leaving Barstow Films Filming dates: July 2007 Filming location: Barstow and Los Angeles, California, USA And yes, it has been confirmed: Jayson Crothers, the principal photographer on "Leaving Barstow," wrote in his blog: It's a small, quiet character-driven story - very dialogue heavy and entirely performance based, but the director has an extremely strong and distinct visual tone in mind. We're shooting 106 pages in 18 days, so it'll be a fast shoot. Day 6: We shot one of my favorite scenes today with our lead [Kevin Sheridan] and Steven Culp (from Desperate Housewives and The West Wing) – working with really great actors (both Kevin and Steven were really amazing in this scene together) gets me energized and the performances were really stunning – I think it was some of my most dynamic work in this scene and Peter [Paige] and I did some exciting blocking with the camera, starting people in wide-shots, bringing them into very dirty OTS's, and then further bringing them into extreme close ups with a lot of energy created in camera. |
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(September 16, 2007, hollywood.com)Synopsis of "Leaving Barstow":Eighteen year old Andrew Dayton is college material but seems to have given in to inertia and has apparently decided to remain in Barstow with his needy, lonely, mother, Sandra, his low level Barnes and Noble job, and no future or girlfriend in sight. However, circumstances conspire to galvanize him to action, made all the more impelling when he learns his best friend Carlos retrieved Andrew's college application to UCLA from the garbage and sent it in. |
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(October 6, 2007, insidesocal.com)From an interview with Peter Paige, the director of the movie "Leaving Barstow":Peter: [...] I just directed a movie that I'm cutting right now, it's called "Leaving Barstow". Michelle Clooney is one of the leads, a kid named Kevin Sheridan who wrote the film stars in it, Steven Culp is in it and Ryan Carnes. It's good stuff. It's very charming and I'm very excited about it. |
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(October 29, 2007, peterpaige.net)"Leaving Barstow" ... the entire cast is pretty damn spectacular [...] I'm very proud of the film, which should be hitting the festival circuit early next year [2008]. |
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(April 5, 2008, leavingbarstowmovie.com)"Leaving Barstow" has its own website. A picture of Steven can be seen there too. |
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(April 5, 2008, newportbeach.bside.com)Steven's movie "Leaving Barstow" will be played at the Newport Beach Film Festival that takes place from April 24 until May 1, 2008. "Leaving Barstow" is scheduled to play at the Edwards Island Cinemas - Screen 6 on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 8.30 pm. |
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(April 18, 2008, newportbeach.bside.com)Newport Beach Film Festival update: The screening of "Leaving Barstow" at 8.30 pm is sold out. However, due to the increased demand a second screening was scheduled at 6 pm, at the Edwards Island Cinemas - Screen 6 on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. |
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(April 21, 2008, desertdispatch.com, Review by Abby Sewell)
But Andrew feels obligated to stay and help support his single mother, Sandra. And when an attractive new girl arrives in town, Andrew's budding relationship with her gives him one more reason to stay in his hometown. In the end, Andrew will have to choose between staying with the people he cares about and chasing his ambitions. That's the story line of the independent feature film "Leaving Barstow," which recently wrapped up production and is set to premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival next Tuesday. According to Kevin Sheridan, who wrote the script and stars in the film, "Leaving Barstow" is a coming-of-age story focused on a young man's struggle to leave what he knows. As high school graduation approaches, the film's protagonist Andrew, wrestles with the choice between staying in Barstow with his mother and new romantic interest, Jenny, or heading off to college in Los Angeles. "I wanted to make a coming-of-age story of people who are suffering from inertia and decide to take that leap in life," Sheridan said. Sheridan, who grew up in Los Angeles, said he settled on Barstow as the location for his film because it is a small town located just a couple hours away from a major city. "It's not so much that he's stuck in Barstow — it's his relationship with his mother that is codependent," he said. None of actors or the filmmakers are from Barstow. Sheridan said he made scouting trips to Barstow before the filmmakers began shooting in August of 2007, and some of the exterior shots were filmed in and around Barstow. The interior scenes were shot in Los Angeles, since the production's small budget did not allow the actors and crew to move out to Barstow for a month, he said. The trips to Barstow led to some interesting interactions with the locals, director Peter Paige said. One night, while filmmakers were shooting footage by the railroad tracks, a neighbor called the police thinking that they were drug dealers. The neighbor had seen a black Audi parked by the tracks and decided it was up to no good, Paige said, but the officers were gracious about the situation. Another night, a passerby inquired what movie they were making. When told it was called "Leaving Barstow," Paige said, the man responded, "Leaving Barstow?" That's what I gotta do!" The director said he was struck by Barstow's atmosphere, from the screech of the train whistles to the hot wind that permeated the town. "I really wanted to capture that sense," he said. "Barstow is such a special place. I know the film is called, "Leaving Barstow," but I really wanted to honor it." Paige has an acting career that includes roles in the television series "Queer as Folk," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Without a Trace." He directed his first feature film, "Say Uncle," in 2005. Having been raised by a single parent, Paige said Sheridan's script spoke to him. "The quality of the writing is really beautiful, and Kevin tapped into something really human, I think," Paige said. "The performances in this movie are staggering, so beautiful, complicated without being contrived. They're so human it's almost startling to watch." Producer Madelon Smith said the story reminded her of her own youth in a small Indiana town. "I am from Southern Indiana, and the people I went to high school with are, for the most part, still there," she said. Smith left her hometown for Chicago, where she got a master's degree in economic policy. She went on to work in global media and marketing for ad agency Leo Burnett and the Coca Cola company, before returning to school at the American Film Institute, where she graduated in 2005. "Leaving Barstow" is the first feature film for Smith as a producer and for Sheridan as a writer. Sheridan's acting credits include a starring role in "Soul Man" and recurring roles on shows like "American Dreams" and "Veronica Mars." He wrote the script for "Leaving Barstow" as a project during his final year at the University of Southern California. Along with Sheridan, who plays the part of Andrew, the film features Michelle Clunie as his mother Sandra, Steven Culp as Andrew's mentor Mr. Johns, and Ryan Michelle Bathe as love interest Jenny. The film, funded entirely by private investors, had a budget of about $500,000, Smith said. The filmmakers are currently seeking a distributor. Contact the writer: abby-sewell@link.freedom.com For more information on "Leaving Barstow" and to see a trailer see the official web site. For information on the April 29 screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival, see the film festival web site. |
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(April 30, 2008, desertdispatch.com, Review by Abby Sewell)Last week we ran a story about "Leaving Barstow" an independent film that recently wrapped up production. After talking to the filmmakers, I was intrigued enough to make the two-hour drive to Newport Beach after work yesterday and check out the movie's premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival.As the title might suggest, the film depicts our city as a land of little opportunity and lots of meth, and the plot centers around various people who hope to leave it. Being a relatively recent transplant myself, I wasn't offended. I would guess that native Barstonians will be split between love and hate of the film, if it ever finds distribution and makes its way to theaters. Some people will probably relate to it, like the man who reportedly said to director Peter Paige when he came across the film crew on Main Street, "Leaving Barstow"? That's what I gotta do!" Others will probably feel that a bunch of outsiders had no right to typecast Barstow without really getting to know the town and its good features. The film centers on 18-year-old Andrew, who is socially inept, smart and angsty. He works in a bookstore — a dead give-away that none of the filmmakers are actually from Barstow, which doesn't have a bookstore — lives with his single mom, who seems to be bent on recapturing her youth through cleavage-baring shirts and an inappropriately young aspiring country singer boyfriend. Andrew's main sources of support are his best friend, Carlos; his teacher/father figure Mr. Johns; and a late-night radio DJ who goes on long, rambling on-the-air rants because, as he puts it, "There's nobody listening at this hour, and if you are awake, you're probably on meth." Enter Jenny, the attractive newcomer, who somehow got stuck in Barstow on her way to L.A. and dreams of an acting career. We never find out how Jenny ended up marooned in Barstow working at a Chinese restaurant and living in her grandmother's apartment; or why Mr. Johns, who makes it clear that he didn't want to end up as a high school teacher Barstow, got derailed from his chosen path. Likewise, we never find out exactly what Andrew's ambitions are, outside of leaving his hometown. Being a reporter, I like to have details and specifics, so some of the film's omissions left me fretting. The vagueness may have been intentional, to make the story more universal, or maybe it simply came about because the movie was written by an actor in his 20's who was more interested in the characters' inner struggles than in nitty-gritty details. The acting is definitely the movie's finest feature. The characters felt like real people, with human flaws, loves and dreams. I didn't feel that I was watching people acting; I felt as if I was simply a voyeur in the lives of these people for two hours. The storyline was a little overly dramatic, piling bad luck on poor Andrew's head until I wondered if he was going to go on a shooting rampage. Overall, though, it was an intelligent, heart wrenching movie about people who feel trapped in their lives. Unfortunately for Barstow, if the movie ever reaches theaters, our town will probably become a national synonym for that feeling. But hey, there's no such thing as bad publicity, right? |
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(May 7, 2008, Newport Beach Film Festival blog)Newport Beach Film Fest has announced Audience Award winners at the 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival blog:And the winner is…. "Leaving Barstow" --- for winning the Audience Award for feature Congratulations to the winner! |
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| "Leaving Barstow" will be shown at The 28th Annual Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado, June 5-8, 2008 Venue: Breckenridge Theatre Date: Friday Jun 6th Time: 9:00 pm (May 8, 2008, summitdaily.com, Summer film preview, by Leslie Brefeld)"Leaving Barstow," Drama. 89 min.On the precipice of adulthood, high school senior Andrew faces the decisions of an 18-year-old — choosing a college, finding love, leaving his family — with a sometimes stable, sometimes not, support system. Andrew, the main character, plays opposite his mother, Sandra — a once young mother now in a sad rut. When the film begins, it shows a need to escape, and follows a period of loneliness experienced in different ways by most of the people in Andrew's life. Andrew is able to keep his head above water and, in that way, keeps the story from getting too down also. This is an indie movie to the height of perfection, which nudged me to ponder — what is the difference between mainstream and independent films? I suppose it comes down to the fact that sponsors affect a film, and indie movies steer clear of that. Watching "Leaving Barstow," there was a real story, not just manipulated situations. It was viewing art. |
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(May 23, 2008, desertdispatch.com, "Leaving Barstow" wins audience award, by Abby Sewell)Since I went to see the independent film "Leaving Barstow" at the Newport Beach Film Festival last month, I've been rooting for the filmmakers to find distribution for it. I'd like it to hit the theaters so the people of Barstow can make their own call about how the film portrays our town.It looks like the film may have gotten a boost from the people who came to see its premiere last month. Audiences voted it "Best Feature Film" at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Now, it's on to the Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado, where it has already gotten at least one favorable review [see entry from May 8, 2008]. |
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(June 11, 2008, "Leaving Barstow" offical website)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at The Rhode Island International Film Festival in Providence, Rhode Island, August 5-10, 2008. |
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(August 6, 2008, riiff2008.withoutabox.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at The Rhode Island International Film Festival at the Cable Car Cinema in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 9, 2008 at 7 p.m.Synopsis: Growing up in Barstow, CA, a town of about 9,000 homes in the Mojave Desert, high school senior Andrew Dayton hopes for a bigger world. Andrew lives with his somewhat irresponsible single mother, Sandra, a waitress. Despite being college material -- a quality noted by his science teacher, Mr. Johns -- Andrew seems to be slipping into the inertia of Barstow. Mr. Johns aggressively challenges Andrew's decision to delay college, painting a bleak picture of Andrew's future if he doesn't leave Barstow. This angers Andrew because he feels trapped, but deep down he knows Mr. Johns is right. In the midst of confusion, Andrew meets newcomer Jenny and begins his first real sexual experience. Discovering the relationship, Sandra becomes increasingly possessive while at the same time throwing herself into her current fling with a much younger man, Cody. Andrew's main ally is his best friend Carlos who shares Andrew's dreams of college and encourages him. Carlos surprises Andrew with the news that Andrew has been accepted to college, but when Andrew goes to tell Sandra, he finds her drowning in misery. Cody has stolen their few valuables and run off. Desperately relying on Andrew more than ever, Sandra's need and self-absorption overshadow Andrew's news as she grabs and clings to him. While Sandra sleeps, Andrew contemplates, weighing those who need him against the possibilities of life in the larger world. Ultimately, Andrew realizes he must make a choice between himself and those he loves. Forms: Narrative Fiction, Feature Genres: Drama, Coming of Age, Independent Production: Kevin Sheridan (Producer), Madelon Smith (Producer), Peter Paige (Director) Writing: Kevin Sheridan (Writer) Performance: Kevin Sheridan (Lead Actor), Marques Ray (Lead Actor), Michelle Clunie (Lead Actor), Ryan Carnes (Lead Actor), Ryan Michelle Bathe (Lead Actor), Steven Culp (Lead Actor) |
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(August 8, 2008, NevadaCityFilmFestival.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Nevada City Film Festival at the Miner's Foundry in Nevada City, California, on August 16, 2008 at 2 p.m. |
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(August 8, 2008) - "Leaving Barstow" is scheduled to screen at the following film festivals:* at the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival, Sep 11-14, 2008, exact date tba, Big Bear Lake, California* at the Eugene International Film Festival, Oct 3-5, 2008, exact date tba, Eugene, Oregon * at the Red Rocks Film Festival, Nov 13-16, 2008, exact date tba, Utah |
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(August 12, 2008) From the Eugene International Film Festival website: |
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(August 19, 2008, BigBearLakeFilmFestival.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival at the Village Theatre North 2 in Big Bear Lake, California, on September 12, 2008 at 4 p.m. |
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(August 21, 2008, TheUnion.com, NC Film Festival in retrospect, by Chuck Jaffee)The 8th Nevada City Film Festival is history...For feature length film, "Leaving Barstow" won the Audience Award. [...] "Leaving Barstow" also collected the Jury Prize for best feature between sets at the "after-party," Saturday. Congratulations to the winner! |
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(October 2, 2008, HHMFest.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Hell's Half Mile Film and Music Festival that takes place from Oct 2nd until Oct 5th, 2008 at Downtown Bay City Center & Washington in Bay City, Michigan:In a more serious vein, "Leaving Barstow" focuses on young people trying to find themselves and break out of their dead-end town. The film's lead character is Andrew (Kevin Sheridan), a high school senior whose charming single mom dates men almost as young as Andrew. Andrew develops a crush on Jenny, a newcomer to town who is haunted by her own demons. The film was produced and written by Sheridan, who will appear at screenings at 9 p.m. Friday at the State and at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Planetarium. |
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(October 2, 2008, EugeneFilmFest.org)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Eugene International Film Festival, on Oct 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. The screening will be held at the Regal Cinemas Valley River Center Stadium, Theater 14, in Eugene, Oregon. |
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(October 8, 2008, RedRockFilmFestival.bside.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown twice at the Red Rocks Film Festival:* The first screening will be held on Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 5.45 p.m. at the Pioneer Backlot, Springdale, Utha. * The second screening will be held on Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 8.15 p.m. at the Canyon Community Center, Springdale, Utha. |
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(October 26, 2008, MammothFilmFestival.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Mammoth Film Festival, that will take place from Nov 13 until Nov 23, 2008. |
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(November 2, 2008, EugeneFilmFest.org)The Eugene International Film Festival has announced this year's winners:And the winner is... "Leaving Barstow" for Best Narrative Feature Congratulations to the winner! |
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(November 22, 2008, MammothFilmFestival.com)
And the winner is... "Leaving Barstow" for Best Picture and Best Drama Congratulations to the winner! Synopsis: Growing up in small-town Barstow, CA, high school senior Andrew dreams of college, but feels torn. He and his single mother Sandra share a tight-knit devotion to each other. Andrew's strong sense of responsibility for Sandra, combined with his fear of the unknown, make him hesitate to pursue his ambitions. When Andrew meets Jenny, caught in Barstow on her way to LA, his reasons for staying grow stronger, but his bond with Sandra begins to fray. In spite of encouragement from friend Carlos and mentor Mr. Johns, Andrew finds inertia all too easy to rationalize. As Andrew's loyalties become confused, his opportunities seem to fade until he realizes he must choose between those who need him and starting his own life elsewhere. |
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(December 2, 2008, MyrtleBeachFilmFestival.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival in Myrtle Beach, SC, on Dec 6, 2008 at 3.30 p.m. The film festival will be held at the Carmike Cinema at Broadway at the Beach. |
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(December 19, 2008, PSFilmFest.org)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Palm Springs International Film Festival that takes place from Jan 6 until Jan 16, 2009 in Palm Springs, CA. The movie will screen twice: on Jan 11 at 6 p.m. and on Jan 12 at 4 p.m, Annenberg Theater. |
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(December 21, 2008, SFIndieFest.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the San Francisco Independent Film Festival that takes place from Feb 5 until Feb 19, 2009. |
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(February 2, 2009, SFIndieFest.com)
Leaving Barstow Forms: Narrative Fiction, Feature Genres: Drama, Coming of Age, Independent Directed by: Peter Paige Written by: Kevin Sheridan Starring: Kevin Sheridan, Michelle Clunie, Steven Culp, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Marques Ray, Ryan Carnes Country: USA Language: English Dates and times for this film: Fri. Feb 6 2009, 9:30 pm @ Roxie Cinema Mon. Feb 9 2009, 7:15 pm @ Roxie Cinema Synopsis: A bright high school senior without a real sense of direction, Andrew shares a small house in Barstow with his young mother, Sandra. She waits tables at a Chinese restaurant, he stocks shelves in a bookstore, and they split bills to make ends meet—living more like roommates than mother and son. Their situation grows increasingly precarious, though, with the arrival of Sandra's new boy-toy Cody, a hunky aspiring country singer scarcely older than Andrew. Sandra and Andrew share a bedroom wall. A thin one. Something's gotta give. Can the various people in his life—his best friend Carlos, a jaded teacher, a pretty waitress, a sardonic radio call-in host—awaken his ambition, or will his devotion to the people he loves keep him in Barstow forever? A coming-of-age drama with jabs of sharp humor, Leaving Barstow is the first feature film written by Kevin Sheridan, who also produced and stars as Andrew. Sheridan won the top acting prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival for his sensitive, understated performance, and Michelle Clunie (Queer as Folk) was named best supporting actress for her role as Sandra at the Breckenridge Festival of Film. Directed by Queer as Folk's Peter Paige. —Joel Hoglund |
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(March 19, 2009, OrlandoSentinal.com, 'Leaving Barstow' -- 2 of 5 stars by Roger Moore)"Barstow" has long been the California version of Perth Amboy or Flushing -- the town as regional punchline.Thus, Leaving Barstow, a coming-of-age drama whose title says it all. The kid's stuck in blue-collar, dusty, dull Barstow. And he needs to get out. That's what Mr. Johns (Steven Culp) has decided his best student, Andrew (Kevin Sheridan), must do. But it's not that simple. Andrew is half-supporting his dizzy and promiscuous waitress-mom (Michelle Clunie). She's constantly blowing her salary and sometimes his (he works part time at a book store) on her latest fling. Andrew is painfully shy, so it takes him a pretty good while to hit on mom's new co-worker, Jenny (Ryan Michelle Bathe), who has been flirting with him from the first time they met. At least he's world-wise enough to size her up in an instant. "If you're in Barstow, you must be on your way to LA." Leaving Barstow has scenes that seem to date from Screenwriting 101 as taught in, say, 1985 -- with absurdly frank sex-talk among pals, Andrew's devotion to an amateurish late-night radio host and cliched confrontations with mom's too-young new beau. Decent acting hides some of those shortcomings. But not most of them. |
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(March 20, 2009, OrlandoSentinal.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown twice at the 18th annual Florida Film Festival, which runs March 27 to April 5 at the Enzian Theater and the Regal Winter Park:* on March 29, Enzian, at 6:30 p.m. * on April 2, Regal, at 4:30 p.m. |
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(March 21, 2009, ClevelandFilm.org)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown twice at the Cleveland Film Festival:* on March 26, 2009 at 5.30 p.m. * on March 28, 2009 at 7.00 p.m. |
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(March 29, 2009, phoenix.bside.com)"Leaving Barstow" will be shown at the Phoenix Film Festival* Fr, Apr 3, 2009 at 5.00 p.m. at Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 5 * Sat, Apr 4, 2009 at 12.00 p.m. at Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 6 * Sun, Apr 5, 2009 at 9.00 a.m. at Harkins Scottsdale/101 Theatre 5
Peter Paige Writer: Kevin Sheridan Producer: Kevin Sheridan, Madelon Smith Cinematographer: Jayson Crothers Cast: Kevin Sheridan Steven Culp Marques Ray Michelle Clunie Ryan Carnes Ryan Michelle Bathe Growing up in Barstow, CA, a town of about 9,000 homes in the Mojave Desert, high school senior Andrew Dayton hopes for a bigger world. Andrew lives with his somewhat irresponsible single mother, Sandra, a waitress. Despite being college material -- a quality noted by his science teacher, Mr. Johns -- Andrew seems to be slipping into the inertia of Barstow. Mr. Johns aggressively challenges Andrew's decision to delay college, painting a bleak picture of Andrew's future if he doesn't leave Barstow. This angers Andrew because he feels trapped, but deep down he knows Mr. Johns is right.In the midst of confusion, Andrew meets newcomer Jenny and begins his first real sexual experience. Discovering the relationship, Sandra becomes increasingly possessive while at the same time throwing herself into her current fling with a much younger man, Cody. Andrew's main ally is his best friend Carlos who shares Andrew's dreams of college and encourages him. Carlos surprises Andrew with the news that Andrew has been accepted to college, but when Andrew goes to tell Sandra, he finds her drowning in misery. Cody has stolen their few valuables and run off. Desperately relying on Andrew more than ever, Sandra's need and self-absorption overshadow Andrew's news as she grabs and clings to him.While Sandra sleeps, Andrew contemplates, weighing those who need him against the possibilities of life in the larger world. Ultimately, Andrew realizes he must make a choice between himself and those he loves.
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(April 9, 2009, AsuWebDevil.com) Phoenix Film Festival celebrates art of independent filmmaking, by Bryan BroughamThe Phoenix Film Festival has announced this year's winners:And the winner is... "Leaving Barstow" for Best Screenplay Congratulations to the winner! **** "This year's Phoenix Film Festival's Best Screenplay award went to Kevin Sheridan's "Leaving Barstow." This must-see film, directed by Peter Paige and starring writer Kevin Sheridan, tells a story of a high-school senior living in the small town of Barstow, Calif." |
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NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!
© 2004-2022 SConTV.com and Steven-Culp.com