Chance Film Productions is holding auditions for the the feature film Candles this Sunday at Murray State University's CFSB Center. The suspenseful drama starring Kathryn Eastwood is based on an event in 1977 in Locust Grove, Oklahoma where three young girls (ages 8-10) were raped and murdered at the Camp Scott Girl Scout Camp. The production company hopes to bring justice to these girls and their families by recreating the manhunt and trial that followed and revealing the true killer. On Sounds Good, Kate Lochte speaks with Producer/Screenwriter John Russell Penn and Associate Producer Connie Maynord about the film, what they're looking for in auditions and why they chose to film in Kentucky.
The auditions will be held at Murray State's CFSB Center on Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are seeking to fill several roles, including 2 women ages 25-35, 5 men between 30 to 45, 80 roles for men and women of all ages and 100 girls between 7-15. They ask that under aged actors have a parent or guardian with them. Please bring a headshot and resume. Headshots can be taken with purchase on site (a photographer independent of the film company will be at the auditions). A resume can be as simple as contact information if no experience is available.
Candles will be the first film in Kentucky taking advantage of the new film incentive program. This program puts Kentucky as number one in terms of film incentives in the nation, says John Russell Penn. Connie Maynord adds, "Kentucky is one of the places right now that is really going to be booming with different films because of that incentive program.... [From] flatlands, mountains, to lake areas, you've got a lot of things to offer to film producers that come there." She also credits her roots to the region, having lived in Mayfield for 20 years and has three children who attended Murray State. She hopes to provide some jobs to the area with this film.
The Camp Scott Murders occurred in 1977, in which three young girls were raped and murdered at a Girl Scout Camp. Penn says he wants to pursue justice not only for the parents but also for himself because the same people who refused to investigate the killer were the same trying to stop him from revealing the information to the authorities, he says. Six other murders had taken place where the alleged killer in the Camp Scott case was the main suspect. Penn says the alleged murderer was a known pedophile and serial killer and that the authorities refused to allow investigations on even though he would have been the number one suspect. The film hopes to reveal the true murderer. Maynord says Chance Film Productions has kept communication with two of the families of the victims. The third has refused communication with anyone since the day of the killings, which she says is understandable and says the film company is very respectful of those families in this film.
Candles Trailer
