Jack Savage - Writer/Director
Jack Savage is a passionate filmmaker, and one of the seemingly rare, “native Georgians”. A full time film editor, his career began as a PA after graduating with a degree in Mass Media during one of the worst hiring seasons in 25 years. Since then, he has gained valuable experience in several areas, including color correction and compositing.
Savage has written and/or directed several short films, including Foreigner (2018), which has won numerous awards. He most recently directed The Bright Side of Darkness, written and produced by Kelly Ladd. MODERN PRODIGAL is his first full-length feature film.
Francine Locke - Executive Producer (as Dr .Elizabeth Chaffin)
Francine Locke, ambitious, creative, focused, and flexible. Her film credits are solid, with lead or major supporting roles in Stand Your Ground, Christmas Ranch, Mine 9, Heavens to Betsy 2, Charlies Christmas Wish, and of course Dr. Chaffin in MODERN PRODIGAL. She has also co/guest starred in Fox’s latest hit, The Passage, Necessary Roughness, The Dream Factory (series regular), and recurring on ABC’s Nashville as Sandra Barkley.
Not one to sit waiting for things to happen, or get hired, Locke formed ElFilm Productions, LLC (in honor of her mother), and several of her shorts have won multiple awards.
Locke’s tireless Can-Do attitude made her a natural to produce MODERN PRODIGAL, her first full length feature. She pulled together a team to help with casting and production, scouted unique locations, obtained permissions, and relied on past relationships, to bring the film full circle, from the edit to audio, score and color.
Bridgestone Media Group (BMG-Worldwide) has picked up MODERN PRODIGAL, for worldwide distribution!
Her greatest joy will be in sharing the success of the film with all who have contributed on so many levels!
Michael McClendon - Co-Producer (as Dr. Walter Reynolds)
Michael McClendon is a Writer/Director/Actor for both stage and screen. After decades on the stage, he turned to film and TV, and has appeared opposite film greats like Tommy Lee Jones, Carroll O'Connor, Lily Tomlin, Patrick Swayze, and Jessica Lange.
McClendon's writing and directing have won first place honors at the Alaska Film Festival, New York Screenplay Contest, LA Screenplay Contest, Indie Horror Film Fest, Avalonia Film Festival, WWWFF, Wular Lake International Film Festival, and more. His novel A MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH won the Gold (First Place) by the Christian Book Awards, only two months after release. He directed and wrote the screenplay for Stand Your Ground.
Between gigs, McClendon teaches film acting and was recently named one of the five People To Watch In The Georgia Entertainment Industry.
James Hamilton (starring as Brian Sanderson)
James Hamilton’s training began in Los Angeles, California, studying at the renowned Stella Adler Academy as well as with several other accomplished teachers including Howard Fine. Since moving to Atlanta several years ago, he has returned to the stage in productions including Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. He has been the regular stand-in and double for film actors Jeff Daniels and Liam Neeson here in Atlanta.
Hamilton relishes each and every opportunity to act and contribute in telling compelling stories in a lasting and meaningful way.
Scott McDonald (as Jonathan Phillips )
Scott, another native Georgian, finds time to pursue his acting ambitions while maintaining a regular 9-5 corporate job and being a devoted husband and caring father of two. Scott began acting in plays when he was in elementary school but it wasn’t until his first daughter got involved in acting that he really immersed himself into the craft. He has been active in the Atlanta film scene for the past ten years and enjoys spending time on set. He also enjoys the unique challenges and surprises that each new role brings and feels honored to be able to work and learn from so many talented local actors.
Adam LaBorde (as Wade Mullins)
Adam LaBorde is an Actor, Producer, and Writer based in beautiful Atlanta, GA. He has appeared on the network TV shows Your Worst Nightmare, Blind Basketball (Kevin Hart LOL network), Murder Decoded, and Bravo TV's Survivor. He regularly performs on stage with a repertoire that ranges from Shakespeare, to musicals, and to plays.
Always learning and growing in his craft, LaBorde does stand-up comedy and improv in the Atlanta area. He finds joy in life, family, friends, and loving his fellow neighbor, he just has to sometimes be reminded to get out of his own darn way!
Branden Lewis (as Choo Choo)
Branden Lewis is a six-year working actor based in Atlanta, GA. He has studied under Jemal McNeil, Cecelia Specht and Dwayne Boyd. He has a strong foundation from the stage, but his pursuit in the faith-based film world has taken off.
Lewis has worked closely with Wes and Amanda Llewellyn on several projects including The Plug. He is best known for his co-star role in Sid Roth’s Its Supernatural, and won the lead in a powerful Short Film Immerse, which was an official selection in the Christian Worldview Film Festival.
Lewis is also found on the other side of the camera as Director, Producer and Writer for a series of testimonial videos for Christ Place Church.
Josh Murray
Josh Murray debuted nationally in TV movie Killing Lincoln (as assassin Lewis Powell) – Executive Produced by Ridley Scott and narrated by Tom Hanks – it set a new record in viewership on the National Geographic Channel. Since then, he has starred in the real life spy drama Game of Pawns on the Pentagon Channel which won 2 regional Emmy awards and was featured in major media outlets world-wide, NBC's Revolution and Taxi Brooklyn and family indie Wish You Well (starring Ellen Burstyn and Josh Lucas). He has also worked as an actor for and/or with multiple branches of the military and various law enforcement agencies.
He can next be seen in forthcoming Action/Adventure film The Reliant as the romantic interest of the protagonist (played by Mollee Gray) which also stars Kevin Sorbo, Brian Bosworth and Eric Roberts.
Bryan McClure (as David Sanderson)
Bryan McClure is a busy tri-coastal actor living in Atlanta. His credits include Sheep, alongside Paul Walter Hauser (I, Tonya and Blackkklansman) and Randy Havens (Stranger Things), Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets, In Other Words, the new Warner Brothers TV show Doom Patrol, as well as a recurring role in an “unnamed Emmy nominated Netflix show”.
His film Still won "Best Produced in Georgia" at the Atlanta Film Festival (starring Madeline Brewer from Handmaid's Tale, Lydia Wilson Star Trek: Beyond and Nick Blood Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), available on iTunes and VOD. Additionally, McClure's episode of Atlanta was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.
McClure has acted alongside Colin Hanks in Lucky, Grace Park & Lauren German in Hawaii Five-0, Tom Arnold in April Showers, and after a worldwide talent search, he won a recurring role as Lt Bradbury, in the Sci-Fi series Space Command.
Holly Morris (as Melissa Thomas)
Holly Morris is an Atlanta-based actress and a Georgia native. Drawn to the theater from a young age, she dabbled in school plays and minored in Theater at Georgia State University. Morris never felt the urge to move to NY or LA to pursue acting, opting instead for a successful Real Estate career. Decades later, her acting career was formally launched, when her husband asked, “If you could do anything in the world and failure wasn’t an option, what would it be?” And so her childhood dreams became reality.
For the past 8 years, Morris has been fortunate to work on many commercials, television and film projects including ABC’s Nashville (now CMT) and a recurring role on Netflix’s hugely successful and award winning Stranger Things.
She believes that acting is a call put on her life by God and trusts in His plans, even when it ay not be an easy or straight path. She is grateful for every opportunity and enjoys encouraging and helping others who also have this dream but don’t know where to start, just as she had many people along the way helping her.
L.A. Winters (as Marie Sanderson)
L.A. Winters is an Atlanta based actress. She worked and studied in Chicago, NYC and Atlanta before leaving the industry to raise her family. She re-entered the business six years ago mainly acting in independent films and television.
L.A. is most known for her work in Logan Lucky and Grantham and Rose. More recently, she returned to her roots in theater, acting in and producing the play The Fall to Earth.
Winters has discovered a love for screenwriting and producing as well. She founded her production company, A Thousand Word Pictures in 2017, executive producing, writing and staring in the short film PARKED.
Mike Parker (as Christopher Beckman)
Mike Parker is an award-winning actor, director, producer, screenwriter and playwright. His notable stage roles have included George Antrobus in Skin of Our Teeth, Judge Danforth in The Crucible, Juror 3 in 12 Angry Men, General Lew Wallace in The Andersonville Trial, Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap, and in the title role in The Giver. He has appeared in numerous television commercials, short films, music videos, major motion pictures and TV shows including A Modern Prodigal with Francine Locke, All Saints with John Corbett and Cara Buono, Lukewarm with Bill Cobbs, A Season of Miracles with John Schneider, and in ABC’s hit television drama, Nashville opposite Connie Britton. He produced and directed the independent feature film, The Trouble With Rain, and created and hosted the nationally syndicated music video show, NightVision.
Parker is the Executive Producer for Rule 14 Productions, is also the founder and publisher of WordCrafts Press.
Vanessa Ore (as Julie)
Vanessa Ore has a long and impressive list of film credits, including Imperium, opposite Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Sam Trammel (True Blood), and the Sci-Fi Thriller, Dark Resonance with Muse Watson (NCIS), which has had much success on the Film Festival circuit. She co-starred The Vampire Diaries (as Detective Sudano), and was featured in the the 3rd Season of Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies as Clara Barton.
Ore has been honored by being named, “Favorite Local Actress” of 2015 and 2017, by Elevate Lifestyle Magazine in Charlotte, NC and was featured in Today’s Charlotte Woman Magazine as one of 12 notable local Charlotte Women taking on Film in North Carolina. Currently working as a Producer, as well as Acting in several award winning short films.
Ore, along with Catherine Trail and Tara Lynn Marcelle, founded the production company, 4 Pies Productions. She co-produced and starred in their first feature film CALM BEFORE, that is currently in post-production.
Vince Pisani (as the Bartender)
Vince Pisani has been a working professional actor and acting coach for over 20 years on stage and screen. He loves the art of storytelling and the way it can touch lives and has been fortunate enough to make his living doing so. Select credits include recurring roles on “Six”, “The Gifted”, “Halt and Catch Fire”, and “Brockmire”, along with film appearances in “TAG”, “Little”, “Same Kind of Different As Me”, “American Reunion” and “Office Christmas Party”.
Travis Turk (Sound Editor)
Travis Turk is an audio sound specialist living in Nashville, Tennessee. With 40 years experience he has worked on many award winning films and music projects. Hollywood has called Travis to work on a number of wide-ranging films like Iron Man 2, The Guardian, The Blind Side and The Mexican. Music City was home to his talents on artists like The Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Waylon Jennings and Anne Murray.
Turk’s broadcast experience gives him a perspective and skills that very few others can claim. Also a voice actor for many years, Turk brings a unique skill set to every project.
Christopher James Cain (Composer-Original Score)
Christopher James Cain is an award winning film composer with a musical sense ranging from classical to contemporary film music. He began writing music for documentaries and corporate films in 1996 with a growing curiosity about film music. In 2009, after writing music for several short animation films at Clemson University and music for an independent video game, he dedicated himself to learn the art and craft of film music.
Cain’s most recent work is featured on the film Play By The Flute by Five & Two Pictures. He has scored several short films, and is also known for his original score for the film MODERN PRODIGAL by ElFilm Productions, as well as writing additional score for Badge of Faith by Stone Table Films.
Chop Volpe (Original songs/Musician)
Chop Volpe began his musical career performing in plays in high school, but after only 3 years he began touring the country with Beatlefest, Inc as Abbey Rhode along with his three brothers. He was the Lead singer and Bass player for Carte Blanche playing rock clubs in New York City, Philadelphia and New Jersey.
In 1999, an Australian church moved him to Georgia to become Worship leader. He has recorded Live cd shows with C3 Church, and also lead worship at Atlantafest ‘99, in Stone Mountain, GA.
A childhood dream was fulfilled when he was asked to write and perform original music for MODERN PRODIGAL.
An incredible performer and entertaining and gifted musician, Chop can be found playing local eateries as a solo act on weekends.