Curtis Everitt, Founder and President of Saint Studios Films, has been directing and shooting a movie adapted from Dr. Darden North’s book, Points of Origin.
Everitt spent the first 10 years of his life in Alaska while his parents were teachers there. At age 10, his family moved to Flowood. After inheriting a house in Pelahatchie, he moved into the home in 2014, and he has lived in Pelahatchie ever since.
Everitt received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Mississippi College. He then utilized his degree knowledge to further his film business, Saint Studios Films. Since 2007, his company has done over 80 feature films.
Saint Studios Films is a single member LLC. Everitt refers to his business as “a hobbyist film company that makes movies because we like to.” Occasionally, freelancers are hired to work for a variety of tasks. They will also work with other filmmakers and help them with their movies, especially when, in return, they have worked with his film business before.
One such film business that Everitt partners with is Paragenesis Media, a company owned by Mississippi residents James Wilkerson and Thomas Ray.
Through Paragenesis Media, Everitt became involved with the adaptation of Points of Origin. He enjoys thriller movies, and, when the opportunity to work on the movie came up, he asked if he could direct for the film as well as shoot and edit. Some of the people he usually works with, both cast and crew, became involved in the production, as well.
Local film maker Joey Traywick, located in Pachuta, was thought to be a perfect fit for the villainous character of lawyer Cordell Pixler. Blair Kelly of BK Productions, located in Laurel, helped in the production of the film, and he also performed a variety of different responsibilities, including assistant directing and sound and lighting. Local award-winning composer Christopher Hart created original music for the film. Also, Everitt’s special effects connection, Scott Hambach, created a variety of visual effects. The film is about an arsonist, and several scenes include fire.
Everitt commented on some of the more awe-inspiring aspects of the original shoot, by saying, “we filmed most of it across four days with actors. Eighty percent of the film was shot at author Darden North's house in Eastover. There is such a variety of looks in his house and on his property, that we were able to contain the production, which helped to expedite it.”
“Paragenesis Media has the goal of getting this film into several local film festivals, especially the Rails to Reels Film Festival in Meridian, which is extremely supportive of local filmmakers. Right now, we have about a dozen titles available on the free streaming app Tubi, and most of those are horror thriller titles.”
Points of Origin was written by Darden North, M.D. - a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and daVinci Robotic Surgeon practicing at Jackson Healthcare for Women in Flowood. Darden North’s mystery and thriller novels have been awarded nationally, including an Independent Publisher Book “IPPY” Award in Southern Fiction for Points of Origin. North’s book is described as “set in a contemporary southern town, the death of patient Flowers Ridley costs Dr. Dan Foxworth his plastic surgery dynasty and his own life. While several families are consumed with retribution against the overly ambitious doctor, they are also after Cordell Pixler, the community’s conniving trial lawyer. Many in the boiling southern town seek revenge against Pixler - some because of sex and some because of money. In the race to see who nails him first, an arsonist plans the ultimate revenge.”
Currently, more shooting of the film will take place in Tupelo. Those involved in the film Points of Origin are hoping the film will be completed close to the end of September. Local film festivals are coming up this Fall, and they want to meet their deadlines to participate. Beyond the film festivals, the group needs to work out distribution and getting the film out to as many different streaming services as possible.
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