Feature film to be shot in Woodlands area

“Sacrifice,” an independent movie written, directed and produced by Houston area resident Michael Cohn, tells the story of four high school-aged boys who celebrate a successful football season with a hunting trip. The film is being funded by actor Forest Whitaker's JuntoBox production company.

The trip takes a turn for the worse when one of the boys accidentally shoots another hunter whom he believes to be a deer, Cohn said, and the film deals with the decisions the characters make and the effects of those decisions.

“It's a story about four kids making increasingly wrong and disastrous decisions,” he said.

The characters, Cohn said, come “full circle” by the end of the film and try to correct those actions and decisions.

To fill the roles of the cast, Cohn is looking for local talent, as well as locations.

“It's very much going to be a Woodlands project,” he said.

The production team has scouted several area locations and may shoot in places such as the George Mitchell Nature Preserve or the W.G. Jones State Forest for scenes taking places in the forest. Scenes will also be filmed at Oak Ridge High School, including in its classrooms, hallways and football field, Cohn said.

As part of the effort by the filmmakers to draw local talent, two auditions are being held. The first audition will be Jan. 19 at the offices of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce from noon to 5 p.m. The first day of auditions will be for those primarily interested in playing one of the lead roles with speaking parts, Cohn said.

The second day of auditions is Jan. 20, also at the chamber offices, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 2 to 5 p.m. The second audition, he said, will focus mostly on non-speaking roles, including families, kids, couples and crowd extras.

The film will use about 100 extras, Cohn said. Those interested in auditioning must first register for an audition time and date on the movie's website at https://sites.google.com/site/sacrificefeaturefilm/home.

“Sacrifice” will begin filming in The Woodlands area next summer.