(BLYTHEWOOD, SC) — Lights, camera, action! Three words usually associated with Hollywood will soon be heard around Blythewood as a new independent film prepares to bring its cameras, cast, and crew to town this winter.
The upcoming production, BOUND, is a young adult psychological thriller produced by veteran South Carolina author and filmmaker Stephanie Perry Moore of Perry Moore Entertainment.
The film is scheduled for a ten-day shoot in Blythewood, where the town’s quiet neighborhoods, wooded landscapes, and small-town Southern charm will provide the backdrop for a suspenseful story filled with mystery, secrets, and unexpected twists.
For Moore, bringing the production to South Carolina is another step in a creative career that has taken her from the pages of bestselling books to television and film.
From Bestselling Books to the Big Screen
Moore is no stranger to storytelling. With more than 80 published books and over one million copies sold, she has built a successful literary career creating stories that speak to young people, families, and communities.
She is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking Payton Skky series, recognized as the first African American Christian teen book series. Her work has also expanded into television, including the award-winning, Emmy-nominated South Carolina ETV series The Cool and the Strong.
Now she’s bringing that storytelling experience to BOUND, which she co-wrote with her daughter, filmmaker Sheldyn Moore Miller.
The production brings together an impressive creative team, including award-winning South Carolina filmmaker Dr. Brandon M. Glover, president of Out Da Barnz Entertainment, who will direct the film. Producer Monique Green is also part of the project.
The film follows a celebrated high school athlete whose championship victory takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious message draws him to a secluded lake house, forcing him to confront a troubling secret from his past.
A Warm Welcome to Blythewood
The South Carolina Film Commission is providing a grant to support the production of BOUND, in partnership with the University of South Carolina’s Get On Set initiative, which gives students and emerging filmmakers hands-on experience working alongside industry professionals.
Closer to home, BOUND has also found an enthusiastic early supporter in Blythewood Economic Development & Tourism. The Blythewood-based private nonprofit organization, which operates independently of town government, welcomed the project from its early stages and participated in location visits as filmmakers explored potential shooting sites. Led by Executive Director Edward Straiter, the organization recognized an opportunity not only to showcase Blythewood’s small-town charm but also to connect the production with local residents and businesses.
For Straiter, whose background includes music, entertainment, and local entrepreneurship, bringing a movie production to Blythewood represents the kind of community-level opportunity his organization was created to encourage. Having previously owned the Movie Gallery video rental store in Blythewood, Straiter understands both the entertainment business and the importance of supporting local businesses.
“When people think about economic development, they usually think about big corporations and major industries. But a film production creates opportunities that reach directly into the community. BOUND will rent a private residence, film at a local restaurant, and bring cast and crew who will need accommodations, meals, and services during their stay. That’s money reaching individual property owners and small businesses.
Edward Straiter, Blythewood Economic Development & Tourism
Building South Carolina’s Film Future
BOUND was previously selected for the South Carolina Film Commission’s LONG LENS production entrepreneurship program, an initiative developed to help independent filmmakers move their projects toward production.
Moore also participated in WIDE ANGLE, another film development initiative associated with filmmaker and industry advocate Brad Jayne.
The Film Commission, under Director Matt Storm, is supporting BOUND through the University of South Carolina’s Get On Set initiative, which provides students and emerging filmmakers opportunities to work alongside industry professionals.
USC Associate Professor Dustin Whitehead serves as executive producer and leads the initiative, which is designed to provide students with practical experience while strengthening the state’s professional film crew base.
For Straiter, these efforts represent something bigger than a single film production. He believes South Carolina already has many of the assets needed to attract filmmakers, but continued investment will be essential to building a stronger industry.
South Carolina already has the natural beauty, historic character, and talented people filmmakers are looking for. What we need is continued investment in the incentives and programs that bring these productions here. The work of Matt Storm and the South Carolina Film Commission, along with Brad Jayne’s efforts to develop our homegrown filmmakers, is invaluable and deserves greater support.
Edward Straiter, Blythewood Economic Development & Tourism
While BOUND may be a relatively small independent production, its arrival offers the community an opportunity to be part of South Carolina’s growing filmmaking story.
And who knows? The next time audiences see Blythewood on the big screen, they might discover what residents already know.
Sometimes the perfect setting for a great story is a small town with a little Southern charm.
