Jon Ross has the church to thank for the chance to produce and star in a 35mm feature film from his own script, “Love’s Curves.”
Since January, Ross and co- producer John Rogers III have raised $100,000 of the film’s projected $250,000 budget through Ross’s Cornerstone Productions.
The bulk of the money has been donated by nearly 100 churches, locally and across the country, largely through the support of Pastor Corby Brooks of the South Side’s New Beginnings Church. Ross and Rogers are talking with private investors to finance the remainder of the budget.
“I was born and raised in the church and I always try to help out when I can,” Ross said. “A lot of the pastors have really strong connections, and they’ve been supportive of the vision I have for the movie, since it has a slight Christian message that it’s better to wait until marriage to have sex.”
Theater veteran Wendel Eatherly is set direct the romantic drama for four weeks beginning Aug. 1.
Performance poet Jennifer Stutts stars with Ross as “a couple that, through the trials and tribulations of their relationship, find out if what they really share is love,” Ross said.
Ross has already recorded much of the R&B/ classical/rap soundtrack for “Love’s Curves” in his home recording studio. He’s aiming for a Valentine’s Day theatrical release for the film and is reviewing a few other people’s scripts for his next producing project.
Ross starred in Nathyn Masters’ Christian Endtimes thriller “The 4th Beast: Mask of the Antichrist,” which Rogers produced and which is now in post- production. Ross is also starring with Ch. 32 traffic reporter Sheila White in Eatherly’s play “Let No Man Put Asunder,” premiering July 13 at the Nathan Manilow Theater in Park Forest.
Reach Ross at 773/263-7289 or e-mail cornerstonedpictures.yahoo.com.
? by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com.
