Photography by Sally Kolar

Fans of the supernatural can look forward to a new movie featuring a homegrown cast and crew.
Filming recently wrapped up in Columbia and Richmond counties for Applewood, an indie horror-based thriller that will be released in late 2021 or early 2022.

“Almost all of our talent and crew are locally based,” says production supervisor Nik Wilets of Augusta. “We have a crew of about 50 people, and 35 to 40 of them are local.”

The film also was written by local resident Amy Rhinehart Bailey and Rob Hollocks, a British director, producer and screenwriter who lives in Los Angeles. In addition, the film’s three lead actors, Kate Dailey, Susan Willis and Nathan Rothwell, live in the area.

“The film is a labor of love for these people,” Wilets says. “I think small teams usually make the best products. There’s a certain esprit de corps with a small team.”

The horror-based thriller, based on a story by local writer Zach King, is about “a woman who buys a house and remnants of the past come back to her,” says Wilets.

Some scenes were shot in a Columbia County neighborhood and a local ATV park. However, Wilets says the Clay House on Milledge Road in Augusta will be one of the most recognizable locations in the film. “We show the Clay House in decay, and in flashbacks, in its heyday,” he says.

While Georgia has become a leading destination in the world for filming, Wilets says Columbia and Richmond counties are becoming more popular among filmmakers.

“Atlanta has become a little overused, and this area offers a bit of originality. There’s a lot of diversity here,” he says.

Wilets believes the film will resonate with audiences. “I hope they have some thrills and scares. There’s also a lot of takeaways about loss and redemption,” he says. “I hope they enjoy a good story.”

By Todd Beck