the Genesis Code

Story and Photography by Tara Moreno

A cast and crew of star-talent such as Academy Award winners Ernest Borgnine and Louise Fletcher made Grand Rapids, MI their home this summer to produce The Genesis Code. American Epic Entertainment produced the movie with the help of Jerry Zandstra and C. Thomas Howell. Howell, who is directing this movie is no newcomer to the movie making industry. Howell started his career as an actor, starring in movie classics The Outsiders, Red Dawn and The Hitcher. Howell’s youthful exuberance is evident on set and in his words: “we’ve got a young, robust, cool cast and I like working with young people. I’m a people person anyways, so this is a real character driven piece and that’s probably my strong suit as a director, performance and relationships.”

Newcomers Kelsey Sanders and Logan Bartholomew lead the cast of The Genesis Code. Sanders plays a reverend’s daughter named Kerry Wells, a reporter assigned to write a story about the university’s hockey sensation Blake Truman (Bartholomew). Soon the seemingly arrogant hockey star and Wells embark on a journey, during which Kerry discovers underneath Blake’s hard exterior, is a compassionate and caring person.

Through their personal differences they find they are more alike than it appears at first blush. Together they tackle the paradox of creation - the Book of Genesis compared to modern science’s “big bang.”

On prepping for her role Sanders said, “You know, it’s just doing your research and understanding the physics of what’s going on and, other than that, relax and take on the emotions of this character that is struggling with the questions: ‘Do I like this guy? Do I not?’ The internal conflict we all go through.” Bartholomew stated: “living in L.A. for a while, I just watch people. I definitely do my homework.”

In addition to the talented, well prepared cast, the production crew for this 8 million dollar film convincingly gets it done. On one location, an abandoned 300,000 square foot building in Walker, MI (formerly a GM facility), we visited a 400 by 60- foot green screen created for filming in Grand Rapids.

In one scene, Sanders and Bartholomew walk down a set comprised of a propped sidewalk with cotton fluff representing snow. Explaining the green screen and its use in the movie, Head of Visual Design, Mike Rawlak said, “Grand Rapids is really interesting. It’s a movie back-lot where the buildings and streets never really extend forever. There is always a turn and a bend so there is always an end to a street set specifically to be (green screen) shot for a movie”

Jerry Zandstra, V.P. of American Epic Entertainment secured the financing for The Genesis Code. Zandstra said, “Usually my role is finance and negotiations and contracts. This movie is unique for me because I play the role of Reverend Wells, the father of the female lead, and I’m in about 50 percent of the movie.” Zandstra told MMM he had not acted since the 7th grade. “It was a little bit intimidating with all of these professional actors,” said Zandstra!

Zandstra also played a major role in bringing The Genesis Code to production in Grand Rapids. Zandstra said, “I was asked to give a speech in Milwaukee – I think it was on globalization and ethics and at that speech one of the partners came up and gave me his card and said he would really like to talk to me about coming to work with his company.” Zandstra and American Epic Entertainment worked on the movie for seven months ultimately bringing it to life near Zandstra’s home in Grand Rapids, MI.

The magic of movie making is evident around every bend in Grand Rapids. When asked about Michigan’s future in the movies Howell said, “There’s a small group of people that have come together to start making films here based out of Grand Rapids and I really love their model. They’re good people and I hope to film with them in the future, so I don’t really know what will happen, but at the moment I intend on coming back.”

The Genesis Code is now in post-production and is planning a premiere in Grand Rapids, MI in late November. Whether or not they have solved the discrepancy between modern science and religion, Zandstra, and company appear to have deciphered a winning formula for film making in Grand Rapids.

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