TRAIL TERMS

Southbounder: A thru-hiker traveling south on the AT. Southbounders usually start in Maine in June and finish in Georgia in December.

Thru-Hiker: Someone who undertakes hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one continuous period.







TRAIL TERMS

Hike Your Own Hike: The mantra of the trail. Each hiker is in control of his or her journey.

Register: A journal left in each shelter along the Trail. Hikers use registers to relate anecdotes from their journey. Thru-Hikers use them as a means to relay messages to other hikers behind them on the trail.







TRAIL TERMS

Slackpack: Automobile assisted hiking. A hiker leaves his pack in a hostel or car, then hikes a 10-25 mile section of the trail without the added weight. They are then picked up at the end of the section by someone driving a car, who takes them back to a hostel or hotel.

Trailname: A hiker's "handle", their name of introduction to other hikers on the trail. Playful or philosophical, a trailname is meant to give a sense of a hiker's personality, and give other hikers an easy way to remember them.










AMY CALE PETERSON - OLIVIA

A native Minnesotan, Amy began her career in the third grade presenting her brilliant rendition of the field mouse in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. She eventually landed in the theater department at Northwestern University and upon graduation, left her Midwest roots and set up shop in New York City. She worked with the Joseph Papp/Public Theatre, the Atlantic Theatre Company, SITI Company and the Looking Glass Theatre. She also co-founded the Open Door Mime Company. A recent Los Angeles transplant, Southbounders marks Amy's feature film debut. She is a member of the Hothouse Improv Studio, has performed with several theatre companies around LA and starred in numerous short films. She is currently in development for her next feature project, a political mocku-mentary entitled Get Up, Stand Up. www.amycalepeterson.com.

Olivia
Follow Her Journey
A 19-year-old college student, Olivia had always been in control; her domineering parents wouldn't accept less. An All-State Soccer player and National Merit Scholar, Olivia's overachieving spirit guaranteed her a place in Northwestern's highly selective pre-med program. While at Northwestern, Olivia was an honors student, and also found time to help the athletic department as an assistant trainer. Despite her successes, Olivia felt constricted by the pressures forced on her by both her parents, and herself. After suffering a mental breakdown, she returns home, but she finds no refuge there, as she continues to feel her parent's relentless pressure and criticism for her failures. Though humbled, Olivia's indomitable spirit cannot be denied. Unwilling to wallow in her misery, she decides to confront her demons by hiking the Appalachian Trail.



SCOTT SPEISER - ROLLIN

Scott graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. In college, he starred in numerous plays such as Assassins, Present Laughter, and Brighton Beach Memoirs to name a few. He was also in The Mee-ow Show, Northwestern's premiere sketch comedy and improv troupe. Mee-ow claims such stellar alumni as Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Dermot Mulroney, and Scott Speiser. Since living in Los Angeles, Scott has performed in several improv and sketch comedy shows at Improv Olympic, The Groundlings, and other theaters around town. He has also written, produced, and directed many of those shows including Starsky & Christ and Christmas in December. He has acted in a large handful of short films, but Southbounders marks Scott's feature film debut. Later this year, you will be able to see him in his second feature, the horror film, Mangler Reborn.

Rollin
A Rollin' Stone Gathers No Moss
A listless wanderer, 22-year-old Rollin hasn't called any place home since leaving his family when he was 17. Highly introverted, Rollin expresses himself through his writing, which he refuses to share with anyone. Life on the Appalachian Trail seems to have opened him up, and he uses the trail registers as an outlet for his creative instincts. Rollin is uncomfortable in his skin. He won't settle down because he doesn't want to risk getting hurt. At least on the Trail, he's free from the world that has threatened him.



CHRISTOPHER McCUTCHEN - SLACKPACK

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Dramatic Art and English, Chris took time off from acting, working a variety of jobs from audience development for a professional theater group to video store clerk to factory worker, with many strange stops in-between.

Deciding eventually to give the entertainment industry a more serious attempt, Chris moved to New York City to pursue a stage career. Many off-off-Broadway productions have followed, with companies such as Basic Theater, Inverse Theater Co., Downtown Cabaret Theater, and others. He even branched out into directing and worked as the company text coach for The Women's Shakespeare Company, a group dedicated to giving female actors equal shot at the great roles of the classic stage.

Focusing mainly on the stage, and especially classical theater, Chris has studied at places such as The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and The Public Theater / NY Shakespeare Festival. A member of Actors Equity Association, this is his first feature film.

Slackpack
Even The Trees Need Quiet Time
Slackpack desperately needs approval. He's accident prone, and bumbling. He's never really had success at anything in his life. Instead, he's the butt of countless jokes and the recipient of constant ribbing. He's uncomfortable in his lifelong role as comic relief. He's managed to get himself a lady friend, who somehow puts up with his know-it-all personality. They're taking some "time off" while he attempts the Trail. Slackpack sees the Trail as his chance to finally excel at something... anything.



BEN WAGNER - WRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

Ben Wagner grew up on his family's apple orchard on the seacoast of New Hampshire. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy, then earned his Bachelors Degree in Filmmaking from Northwestern University. Upon graduating, Ben hiked the Appalachian Trail, the 2,170-mile continuous mountain footpath from Maine to Georgia. Ben then moved to Los Angeles, where he has been involved in various stage productions as a writer and producer, and has served as director of photography on multiple film and video projects. Ben was commissioned to write and develop THE ROQUE DE LA FUENTE STORY, the chronicle of one man's crusade against the County of San Diego and its attempt to destroy his family's business.



CHARLOTTE PAI - PRODUCER

As a graduate of Columbia College's Film Program, Charlotte Pai worked on a number of independent features before coming to Los Angeles where she continues to freelance as a Producer and Post Supervisor.



Lukas shoots a cut away while Philip Andelman attempts to distract Amy Peterson (with mild success)

PHILIP ANDELMAN - 2ND UNIT

Philip attended Phillips Exeter Academy, spending most of his free time in the darkroom. In his junior year he began working for photographer Annie Leibovitz, a job that lasted through his sophomore year of college. His position with Leibovitz led to his next job as an official photographer for the Grateful Dead. After graduating from Exeter, Philip studied film at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. In his senior year, he wrote, edited, and directed Looking for Actionman, a fifteen minute comedy which would later win a grant from Martin Scorsese.

In the summer of 2000, he began working as a 2nd unit director and cinematographer with music video director Joseph Kahn. In his two years with Kahn, Philip collaborated on over twenty videos (among them: U2's Elevation, Moby's Southside, and Enrique Iglesias' Hero). Throughout 2002, Philip followed Lenny Kravitz on tour across Europe and North America, shooting a feature documentary/ concert film with Seliger. Philip has since directed Lenny's music videos supporting his latest album, BAPTISM, including the video for WHERE ARE WE RUNNIN'?

LUKAS ETTLIN - CINEMATOGRAPHER (SUMMER)

Lukas Ettlin studied filmmaking at NYU's Tisch Film School before establishing himself in Los Angeles as a director of photography. In 2001, he won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography from the American Society of Cinematographers. Since then he's been shooting features, commercials, and music videos, including Usher, Marilyn Manson and 50 Cent and the upcoming feature "Life on the Ledge". Lukas Ettlin is represented by the Mirisch Agency.



LEIF JOHNSON - CINEMATOGRAPHER (FALL)

A graduate of Northwestern University's film program, Leif has worked as a freelance cameraman and director of photography on multiple documentaries and reality based programs.

More info about the Movie:
Cast and Crew
Letter from the Director
About the Production
About the Music