When Nick Cassidy and David Rice began the journey of producing their debut revenge thriller, Fallen Drive, they faced a major challenge: insufficient funds.
Using their ingenuity and the resources at hand, they charted a path forward.
Residing in a run-down apartment and working as caterers, the duo recognized their financial constraints. “Given our budget, we knew our film had to be set in a single location. It was the best we could manage,” Cassidy shared with MovieMaker.
Fast forward, Fallen Drive is all set for its global premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival this coming August.
To jump-start the project, Cassidy’s younger sibling chipped in $10,000 from his college savings. Furthermore, Cassidy’s girlfriend, Maryana Dvorska, who also has a role in the film, managed to gather another $10,000 by marketing workout routines on Instagram. These plans were co-authored by Rice, utilizing his expertise as a fitness trainer.
Adding $5,000 from Cassidy’s savings, they finally had enough to commence filming.
Cassidy’s proactive attitude was pivotal. Even while filming, he wasn’t sure where he’d find the funds to compensate his crew. Fortune smiled when he secured a role in the Peacock series, The Girl in the Woods, immediately after wrapping up Fallen Drive.
Adopting a ‘yes-man’ approach, Cassidy mentioned, “I figured I’d navigate the hurdles as they came. And it paid off.”
What’s the plot of Fallen Drive?
The narrative revolves around high school lovers plotting revenge against a former schoolmate during a 10-year reunion. The film intriguingly blurs the boundary between the wrongdoer and the victim, challenging viewers about whom to support.
For Rice, Cassidy’s relative, realizing Fallen Drive was a long-cherished dream.
“We’ve been passionate about filmmaking since our childhood, shooting mini-movies during holidays,” Rice recalled. “Transitioning from that to directing a film with a professional crew was an enormous leap and an unforgettable moment.”
Given their financial constraints, the duo had their task cut out.
“The main obstacle was tailoring the story to our budget and single location,” said Rice. “It can be daunting to write with such constraints, but it also fuels creativity.”
Their fascination with revenge served as the movie’s foundation. Cassidy, who also plays a significant role, remarked, “We explored events potent enough to incite revenge even after a decade.”
In the movie, Cassidy portrays Liam, targeted by Reese (played by Phillip Andre Botello) and Charlie (Jakkie Jandrell) for retribution. Dvorska enacts Ivy, Liam’s old schoolmate, who despite Liam’s engagement, doesn’t shy away from pursuing him. Reese and Charlie’s plan hits a snag when Liam’s younger brother, Dustin, brilliantly performed by Donald Clark Jr., intervenes.
The movie saw Nick Cassidy as the producer. Alongside him, executive producers included his brother Cash Cassidy, father Tim Rhys (founder of MovieMaker), Dvorska, and Edwin Kho. Yelena Krivosheyeva took the role of associate producer, with Kelly McPherson, Doug Millar, and Rice as co-executive producers.
On the technical side, Harvest Moon’s Josua Fischer was the director of photography for Fallen Drive. Filippo Landi contributed the soundtrack, with film editing by Kenji Ito and set design by Kathryn Forrest.