TRAVERSE CITY -- Director and writer Rich Brauer is letting his hometown have the first look at his latest film.
"Fitful," a dark comedy/suspense movie starring Larry Joe Campbell and Renee O'Connor, will screen at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the State Theatre in downtown Traverse City. The movie was filmed this fall, with many scenes taking place on board the historic ship S.S. City of Milwaukee in Manistee.
"That's the fun thing about this. When you do a movie in a community, the community likes to look at the movie because of all the landmarks," Brauer said.
But the ship audiences will see in the movie has been transformed with "dramatic camera work" and lighting that turns it into a creepy setting that matches the actors' skillful performances, he said.
"You start to see that the ship took on a character of (its) own," said Brauer.
Campbell is known for his long-running role as Andy on the sitcom "According to Jim" and will be in attendance for the Traverse City screening. In "Fitful," he plays Vigs, a self-appointed caretaker of a ship for which he has sought historical status. O'Connor, who won fans for her portrayal of Gabrielle on "Xena: Warrior Princess," plays the role of an Historic Trust inspector. She arrives at the ship for a visit and ends up spending the night after car trouble leaves her stranded.
A trailer for the film depicts Campbell delivering eerie lines as the inspector battles a restless night on board the big boat. Brauer kept some mystery to Campbell's character and lauded both actors.
"Renee and Larry Joe Campbell are both super good at this, and they got the story from the beginning," Brauer said. "He's really a comedy guy, but he's very capable of dramatic work."
Only a handful of people have seen the movie so far. Brauer plans to take the indie film to Los Angeles after the first of the year.
Brauer was named the Michigan Filmmaker of the Year during the 2009 Traverse City Film Festival. His films include "Mr. Art Critic" and "Barn Red," among others.
Plans call for a brief question-and-answer session at the Traverse City screening. For State Theatre tickets to "Fitful," visit the Web site www.statetheatretc.org or go to the theater box office, 233 E. Front St.
News submitted by Barbara Davies