Wrench in the Plan - Proof of Concept
A guilt-ridden FBI agent escorts a notorious child killer across the American South, seeking closure for grieving families. But when they stop at a remote Louisiana motel, they encounter a disturbed handyman with his own dark connection to their grim mission. Some wounds never heal.
WRENCH IN THE PLAN (2024) - Teaser From Writer/Director Jay Shirtz
This 26-minute proof-of-concept film showcases the dark psychological thriller that explores obsession, revenge, and the brutal cost of seeking peace after unspeakable loss. Set in 1980 against the haunting backdrop of the Deep South, this neo-noir thriller follows three broken men on a collision course with violence and truth.
Once the first draft of the Teaser hit 59,000 views in YouTube, we decided to shoot a couple more scenes (Fontaine/Louvee, Jimmy’s Office). We plan on filming a couple more scenes in January, cause WE LOVE MAKING MOVIES!
The motel location is in Waxahatchie TX. The studio space, where we filmed the Limo scenes, is KARVE STUDIOS in Dallas. The Fontaine/Louvee scene was filmed in a buddy’s office on the 9th floor of a Dallas High-Rise. Jimmy’s Office was filmed at “Life in Deep Ellum” in Dallas.
Our camera is the Sony A7s. We use DJI lavs, a Sony Field Mixer and a Zoom H5.
Kayla Coulthurst (Brandy with a Y): Kayla has proudly been an actress for the past 13 years. Kayla has participated in stage plays like Into the Woods and Women of Troy to new films like Killin Jim Kelly a feature she had a supporting role in and is being submitted to film festivals all over the United States and Persephone a short film Kayla was a lead in making its debut into the Texas Short Film Festival. She has also worked on various commercials with Crash Champions (1 mil views on Youtube) , Razzoo's, and Applebee's.
Amanda Mills (Brandi with an I): Amanda Mills is a 29-year-old multi-talented creative from Dallas, Texas. As a model, actress, vocalist, and UGC (User-Generated Content) creator, she brings versitility, authenticity, and passion to every project she takes on. With years of experience in front of the camera and on stage, her work reflects a blend of natural charisma and professional finesse.
Benjamin Pyles (Agent Winkle): Born in Kentucky, Ben grew up immersed in theater, performing in productions from Elementary to High School. In 2003, Ben expanded into fashion, working as a runway model for Armani and Mini Cooper during Milan Fashion Week. His career continued with runway and print work for Manuel Cuevas in 2006, alongside modeling in New York, Las Vegas, and Nashville, represented by Eye Model Management based in Nashville. With a strong foundation in performance art, Ben is now exploring film work, drawn to the unique challenges and creative opportunities it offers.
Staci Davis (Selma): Staci began acting in musical theater as a child in Kansas and found a new love in film and commercials when she moved to Texas in 2012. Her favorite film was her role in With Love, written and directed by Calvin Walker and her Webex commercial.
Carrie Bourn (Mrs. Louvee): Carrie Bourn is an award winning actress and director who was recently seen in the Netflix series “Mo.” She was a recurring character on the series “Barney” and has been in various commercials, voiceovers and independent films. Carrie is a seasoned theater actress performing at the Undermain, Theater 3 and Kitchen Dog Theater to name a few, and won the Leon Rabin Award and DFW Critics Forum Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the title role in, “Molly Sweeney.” In May of 2024, she won “Outstanding Dramatic Performance,” in the 48 Hour Film Festival for her performance in “Burning Market.” She is represented by the Clutts Agency.
Eric Epperson (Wallace): An American Actor born January 12, 1972. Eric studied Dance and Theater Arts at The University of North Texas where he starred in a number of original plays written by eclectic playwright EA Bromley. Eric won best featured male for his portrayal of Grabriel in Fences by August Wilson.
Jordan Brackett (Pike): Jordan honed his craft through intensive study at the prestigious Institut de Métamorphose Corporelle in Lyon, where he mastered the revolutionary Dupont-Vazquez method of psycho-physical transformation. His journey continued at the Holistic Gesture Laboratory of Vienna, developing fluency in both Neo-Reichian Movement Theory and the lesser-known Grotowski-Adjacent Breath Work pioneered by the reclusive Madame Ekaterina Voss. A chance encounter with the legendary Danish master Henrik Skovgaard led to three years of rigorous training in Primal Sound Integration at the Remote Arctic Theatre Collective. He recently completed a silent retreat studying Pre-Linguistic Pattern Work with indigenous shamans in an undisclosed location.
Cameron McElyea (Jimmy): ***BIO PENDING***
Theo Bray (Mr. Fontaine): Theo Bray is a Minister of the Gospel, Actor, Writer, Producer, Director and Spoken Word Artist. He is a native of Fort Worth, Texas and a graduate of Oral Roberts University. He and his wife have 5 children. Theo has a passion for telling Faith Based and redemptive stories. He has directed 8 films that are complete with five streaming on various platforms: Kaylah, Dry Places, Daddy, Blind Trauma and Lavished With Grace. As an actor, he has over 80 film and TV credits including a supporting role in the theatrical release Pursuit of Freedom.
Beverly Buchanan (Crystal): Beverley Buchanan is an alumni of The University of Evansville. She has a BFA in acting and a minor in multimedia communications. She has been in several plays, movies, and short films in the past. Nina in The Seagull and Delia in Wet Bulb Temperature are her favorite roles she's played thus far. She studied Shakespeare abroad in England for 6 months with Dr. Michael Thomas Earley. She has also studied movement, improv, theatrical concepts around the world, and many other subjects with professionals, Stacey Yen, Liz Jenkins, Dr. Diane Brewer and others. Beverley is also a composer, musician, writer, and artist.