Lights, Camera, Community: CineForge Co-Op’s Annual Slate Hits Mid-Year Stride

By Paul Rowe

As the summer heat rises in Columbus, so does the momentum behind the region’s booming film scene. Just six months after unveiling its first-ever Annual Slate, the CineForge Co-Op, Columbus’s homegrown filmmakers’ collective, has proven that the local creative current flowing through the Chattahoochee Valley is no passing trend.

And what a first half it’s been.

It’s also worth highlighting the recent wave of visiting film productions hosted right here in Columbus by Story Mill Entertainment, led by locals John and Alayna Mock. Among them is Bookends, featuring an impressive cast including Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus, The White Lotus), Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, 21 Jump Street), Noam Ash (The Other Two), and Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll, The Acolyte). Also wrapped is The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd, starring the multitalented Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou) and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!).

Local premieres, production launches, and festival entries have already begun to pour in, capitalizing on the success of the past two years and affirming that Columbus is building a new film industry.

From Script to Premiere

Larry “Pop” Thomas Jr.’s debut feature, A Cry in Secret, held its premiere at the National Infantry Museum in IMAX on May 17. Just one day prior, the film, a family drama that tackles childhood trauma with tenderness and grit, made its streaming debut on Amazon Prime, a major leap for Thomas and LPT Film Productions.

The next act? Thomas is already in pre-production for another suspenseful family drama, set to begin filming in late summer. 

He’s not alone in his pace. Fresh off a sold-out red carpet premiere which left audiences laughing, crying, and clamoring for more, Zack Collins’ emotionally rich dramedy Going Postal will have had a sold-out encore at the National Infantry Museum in IMAX – that’s 230+ attendees! 

Created by Zack Collins, a family court judge by day and filmmaker by passion, Going Postal offers a grounded and deeply human portrayal of a modern Black blended family, viewed through the lens of a mailman navigating the emotional weight of his home, job, and community.

Now, with this final hometown screening, Going Postal prepares to take the next big step: securing distribution and expanding its audience. 

In the Works

Terrance Smith continues his streak with two wildly different projects: The House of Asher, a high-stakes thriller set in the luxe skincare industry, begins filming June 28; while Open Road, a 1970s buddy comedy, is slated for production in October. Smith’s range is a testament to the diverse stories being nurtured in Columbus.

Andy Carpenter, founder of Strongland Creative, has been quietly building a powerhouse slate of projects. He wrapped the script for his newest title, You Were Wrong About the Jellyfish, in May and began shooting a promo trailer in June to support funding. Meanwhile, his earlier work, Trajectory, is now under exclusive option by a bicoastal production group, a major accomplishment in itself.

Carpenter’s drama Our Father’s Hands, to be directed by Trey Walker (Mud Films), remains on track for filming in early 2026, with development and casting underway.

Another collaborative feature film, Deadline, is a thriller reminiscent of Nightcrawler and Sleepers from Trey Walker, Andy Carpenter, and Paul Rowe (Last Caress Productions) and is due to complete production in the fall. 

Speaking of range, MetaModern Productions (led by Kane Kettering) has already made waves with their horror short Everybody Eats!, now on its festival run. The time-bending thriller earned early accolades and served as a crucial learning experience for the team.

Their follow-up, Project Lazarus, a twisted Christmas holiday mystery, was funded by a 2024 Columbus Local Filmmakers Grant and is now deep in post-production.

And it wouldn’t be a true community update without celebrating writer Shavonne R. Johnson, whose feature On Borrowed Time, penned for Atlanta-based CA Films, enters production this summer. Meanwhile, Johnson is rallying support for her script Line to Line, a searing exploration of betrayal and redemption in the basketball world.

Coming Soon

These success stories are just the surface. From Paul Rowe’s post-production work on feature film A Southern Horror (now It Wants Nightmares), to be released in the fall, and his newly funded second feature film, Southern Scares, to be filmed in August, to festival-bound shorts like The Archeron from Erin Walsh and soon-to-be-released So Long and Goodnight from Eddie O’Blivion, the city’s creative output is as eclectic as it is unrelenting.

Let’s Celebrate That

This mid-year checkpoint isn’t just a chance to take stock – it’s a call to celebrate. Want to support local film? Follow the filmmakers from the Annual Slate on social media. Help fund if you can. Attend a premiere. Share a trailer. Or grab a camera, join the movement, and make something of your own. The community is here to support you – you don’t have to do it alone.