Carolina Blue
Charlotte, North Carolina | Film Feature
Crime, Drama
A gritty NC crime thriller about grief, corruption, and trafficking. Carolina Blue follows a broken detective who must expose the truth when powerful people fight to bury it. Your support brings this story to light.
Carolina Blue
Charlotte, North Carolina | Film Feature
Crime, Drama
1 Campaigns | North Carolina, United States
10 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$3,816
Goal: $18,000 for production
A gritty NC crime thriller about grief, corruption, and trafficking. Carolina Blue follows a broken detective who must expose the truth when powerful people fight to bury it. Your support brings this story to light.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
After a botched raid leads to the death of a beloved detective, Lt. Jack Davis reluctantly agrees to lead the Investigation Division, while still mourning the loss of his daughter who was killed by an unidentified suspect. This is a story of two criminal investigations, where one case involves a break-in and another investigates human trafficking. Jack has to gain the respect of his grieving and angry team of investigators and get information from sources starting with an old woman and finishing with members of the city administration. Carolina Blue is a realistic crime story about betrayal, corruption and the consequences of blurring the line between a guardian and a predator seeking justice.
We're starting with a feature film to serve as our pilot for a series, and building something bold and real, the way Miami Vice once did in the 80’s, but telling a distinctly Carolina story with Carolina people, in a place we call home.
Why This Story, Why Now?
I never thought I would be a filmmaker or an actor, honestly. I did a little acting back in high school in the 90s then life went on, the way it does. Decades passed then out nowhere, I received an email from a director who asked me to act in a short film about the Civil War. I almost did not write back but something told me to say yes. That one decision reintroduced me back to something in me that I thought was gone.
I started working with an amazing agent and I put my energy back into the acting craft. I met some extremely talented and geniune people along the way. The people who worked on Carolina Blue are some of them. The more I acted the more I wondered why there were not many police shows made in the Carolinas. So I decided to write one. Now is a time to make this kind of movie because people are watching independent movies with real characters and stories. Many people and platforms are looking for stories that are not from the same major cities we are used to seeing such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Now is the perfect time for a crime movie, from the Carolina's to become popular. The Carolina Blue people are a part of this and I am glad I got to work with them on this amazing project, Carolina Blue.
Why Now:
Human trafficking isn't just a global problem, it's a Carolina problem, hiding in plain sight. Data from 2017 to 2024 shows North Carolina consistently ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for reported human trafficking cases (UNC). Major interstate highways, a large transient population, and gang activity all contribute to making the state a hotspot. (Carolina demography.cpc.unc.edu) Between 2023 and 2024 alone, state programs assisted over 700 survivors. (Carolina demography.cpc.unc.edu) This story exists because this issue is real, it's local, and it deserves to be looked at through a story that treats survivors and the people fighting for them with the weight they deserve. There is no time to waste, let's get this issue to the forefront now!
Where We Are, and Where Your Support Takes Us
We are not a studio. There's no network behind us, no big-budget safety net, just passion, purpose, a story worth telling, and a cast and crew who have shown up with their whole hearts for this project. We are currently in pre-production to resume filming. We shot 9 scenes in our first round of production, with our lead cast attached and our primary locations secured for a focused 10-12 day shoot. Your support directly funds three things: fair pay for our cast and crew, securing the remainder of our locations, and the cinematic production quality this story demands.
We expect to resume filming in September. From there, we'll move into post-production. We already have our color grader lined up, and we're actively bringing an editor on board. Post can take time to get right, but our goal is to have a completed cut ready to share with our supporters and submit to festivals within the following months. We'll keep you updated on progress every step of the way.
With your support, you're not just helping us finish a film, you're helping tell a story that treats this issue, and the survivors behind the statistics, with the seriousness they deserve. Pledge what you can, follow our page, and share it with anyone who needs to hear this story exists.
— Shawn Hawthorne, Writer, Producer & Lieutenant Jack Davis
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Police Station Location
Costs $1,250
The location for the police station in Carolina Blue is where we will spend most of our time. This would be a big help.
DP
Costs $6,000
Great stories deserve great visuals. Our DP makes sure every frame of Carolina Blue looks exactly how it should. Help us bring them on board
1st Assistant Director
Costs $3,000
Every minute on set costs money. Our 1st AD makes sure we don't waste a single one. Help us bring them on board before cameras roll!
1st Assistant Camera
Costs $2,000
Blurry shots = sad movie. Our 1st AC makes sure every frame of Carolina Blue is crisp, clean, and cinematic. Help us keep it in focus!
Sound Mixer
Costs $2,000
Viewers will forgive a shaky shot. Bad audio? They're out. Help us get a great sound mixer so Carolina Blue sounds as good as it looks!
Gaffer
Costs $2,000
A great gaffer shapes the light that makes Carolina Blue look cinematic. Without one, even great scenes fall flat. Help us light this thing!
Grip
Costs $1,750
Grips are the unsung heroes of every great shot. No grip = no smooth moves. Help us keep Carolina Blue looking slick from every angle!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About Our Team
Carolina Blue is being built by a group of actors, filmmakers, and real-life first responders.
I'm Shawn Hawthorne, the writer, producer, and the guy playing Lieutenant Jack Davis. I started acting five years ago with my first short film, Yankee Escape, and have been working ever since — including projects with Screen Artists Talent Agency and appearances in Skate Shop, Serenity Creek, and TV series such as For My Man and Fatal Attraction. Carolina Blue is my second feature film as a writer and my first feature film as a producer.
And now, the most important part, THE TEAM!
Montel Clark, who plays Detective Wes Bryant, is a former police officer-turned-actor with credits including the TV series No One Like Us and Say Less Improv. He brings real lived experience to the set that you cannot fake, not just in how officers move and speak, but in the emotional weight of the work itself. Jessica Lawrence - Wallin, who plays Officer Carson, spent 17 years in law enforcement. Like Montel, she brings credibility to every scene she's in that only comes from having done the job. Jessica's husband, Chad Wallin, is a former SWAT team member and is a valuable resource, training the actors and making sure we have a safe set.
The cast is filled with talented actors from across the region. Sofia Bragar plays Detective Elena Rojas and has appeared in Eight Ball and I'm Done Being A Yes Man, among many other films. Davis Hickson, who plays Detective Ben Carter, is one of the stars of Whispers in the Hollow. Marty Stroupe plays Detective Arin Sharpe and has credits including The Marketplace and Paramount's Tulsa King — yeah, that Tulsa King.
Remy Wallace, who plays Detective Scott Bishop, is an actor, writer, and acting coach with credits including Neighborhood Kid Sam and What It's Like After. Ben Goldman plays David Mickelson and has appeared in Snapped, Temptation Red, Broken Church, and the film Annapolis. Justin Younts brings Cliff Jenkins to life with credits from Temptation Red, The Pointe, Indigo, and Whiskey Soda. Ryan Patton steps in as Captain Hal Preston with multiple Charlotte-area film credits under his belt.
This team works extremely hard to bring a fantastic film to screens of all sizes. We'd love you to be part of it!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Story
After a botched raid leads to the death of a beloved detective, Lt. Jack Davis reluctantly agrees to lead the Investigation Division, while still mourning the loss of his daughter who was killed by an unidentified suspect. This is a story of two criminal investigations, where one case involves a break-in and another investigates human trafficking. Jack has to gain the respect of his grieving and angry team of investigators and get information from sources starting with an old woman and finishing with members of the city administration. Carolina Blue is a realistic crime story about betrayal, corruption and the consequences of blurring the line between a guardian and a predator seeking justice.
We're starting with a feature film to serve as our pilot for a series, and building something bold and real, the way Miami Vice once did in the 80’s, but telling a distinctly Carolina story with Carolina people, in a place we call home.
Why This Story, Why Now?
I never thought I would be a filmmaker or an actor, honestly. I did a little acting back in high school in the 90s then life went on, the way it does. Decades passed then out nowhere, I received an email from a director who asked me to act in a short film about the Civil War. I almost did not write back but something told me to say yes. That one decision reintroduced me back to something in me that I thought was gone.
I started working with an amazing agent and I put my energy back into the acting craft. I met some extremely talented and geniune people along the way. The people who worked on Carolina Blue are some of them. The more I acted the more I wondered why there were not many police shows made in the Carolinas. So I decided to write one. Now is a time to make this kind of movie because people are watching independent movies with real characters and stories. Many people and platforms are looking for stories that are not from the same major cities we are used to seeing such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Now is the perfect time for a crime movie, from the Carolina's to become popular. The Carolina Blue people are a part of this and I am glad I got to work with them on this amazing project, Carolina Blue.
Why Now:
Human trafficking isn't just a global problem, it's a Carolina problem, hiding in plain sight. Data from 2017 to 2024 shows North Carolina consistently ranks among the top 10 states in the nation for reported human trafficking cases (UNC). Major interstate highways, a large transient population, and gang activity all contribute to making the state a hotspot. (Carolina demography.cpc.unc.edu) Between 2023 and 2024 alone, state programs assisted over 700 survivors. (Carolina demography.cpc.unc.edu) This story exists because this issue is real, it's local, and it deserves to be looked at through a story that treats survivors and the people fighting for them with the weight they deserve. There is no time to waste, let's get this issue to the forefront now!
Where We Are, and Where Your Support Takes Us
We are not a studio. There's no network behind us, no big-budget safety net, just passion, purpose, a story worth telling, and a cast and crew who have shown up with their whole hearts for this project. We are currently in pre-production to resume filming. We shot 9 scenes in our first round of production, with our lead cast attached and our primary locations secured for a focused 10-12 day shoot. Your support directly funds three things: fair pay for our cast and crew, securing the remainder of our locations, and the cinematic production quality this story demands.
We expect to resume filming in September. From there, we'll move into post-production. We already have our color grader lined up, and we're actively bringing an editor on board. Post can take time to get right, but our goal is to have a completed cut ready to share with our supporters and submit to festivals within the following months. We'll keep you updated on progress every step of the way.
With your support, you're not just helping us finish a film, you're helping tell a story that treats this issue, and the survivors behind the statistics, with the seriousness they deserve. Pledge what you can, follow our page, and share it with anyone who needs to hear this story exists.
— Shawn Hawthorne, Writer, Producer & Lieutenant Jack Davis
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Police Station Location
Costs $1,250
The location for the police station in Carolina Blue is where we will spend most of our time. This would be a big help.
DP
Costs $6,000
Great stories deserve great visuals. Our DP makes sure every frame of Carolina Blue looks exactly how it should. Help us bring them on board
1st Assistant Director
Costs $3,000
Every minute on set costs money. Our 1st AD makes sure we don't waste a single one. Help us bring them on board before cameras roll!
1st Assistant Camera
Costs $2,000
Blurry shots = sad movie. Our 1st AC makes sure every frame of Carolina Blue is crisp, clean, and cinematic. Help us keep it in focus!
Sound Mixer
Costs $2,000
Viewers will forgive a shaky shot. Bad audio? They're out. Help us get a great sound mixer so Carolina Blue sounds as good as it looks!
Gaffer
Costs $2,000
A great gaffer shapes the light that makes Carolina Blue look cinematic. Without one, even great scenes fall flat. Help us light this thing!
Grip
Costs $1,750
Grips are the unsung heroes of every great shot. No grip = no smooth moves. Help us keep Carolina Blue looking slick from every angle!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
About Our Team
Carolina Blue is being built by a group of actors, filmmakers, and real-life first responders.
I'm Shawn Hawthorne, the writer, producer, and the guy playing Lieutenant Jack Davis. I started acting five years ago with my first short film, Yankee Escape, and have been working ever since — including projects with Screen Artists Talent Agency and appearances in Skate Shop, Serenity Creek, and TV series such as For My Man and Fatal Attraction. Carolina Blue is my second feature film as a writer and my first feature film as a producer.
And now, the most important part, THE TEAM!
Montel Clark, who plays Detective Wes Bryant, is a former police officer-turned-actor with credits including the TV series No One Like Us and Say Less Improv. He brings real lived experience to the set that you cannot fake, not just in how officers move and speak, but in the emotional weight of the work itself. Jessica Lawrence - Wallin, who plays Officer Carson, spent 17 years in law enforcement. Like Montel, she brings credibility to every scene she's in that only comes from having done the job. Jessica's husband, Chad Wallin, is a former SWAT team member and is a valuable resource, training the actors and making sure we have a safe set.
The cast is filled with talented actors from across the region. Sofia Bragar plays Detective Elena Rojas and has appeared in Eight Ball and I'm Done Being A Yes Man, among many other films. Davis Hickson, who plays Detective Ben Carter, is one of the stars of Whispers in the Hollow. Marty Stroupe plays Detective Arin Sharpe and has credits including The Marketplace and Paramount's Tulsa King — yeah, that Tulsa King.
Remy Wallace, who plays Detective Scott Bishop, is an actor, writer, and acting coach with credits including Neighborhood Kid Sam and What It's Like After. Ben Goldman plays David Mickelson and has appeared in Snapped, Temptation Red, Broken Church, and the film Annapolis. Justin Younts brings Cliff Jenkins to life with credits from Temptation Red, The Pointe, Indigo, and Whiskey Soda. Ryan Patton steps in as Captain Hal Preston with multiple Charlotte-area film credits under his belt.
This team works extremely hard to bring a fantastic film to screens of all sizes. We'd love you to be part of it!