Published: January 22, 2009 10:29 am      

'Rockabilly Baby' gets audience choice award

The audience chose and Timber Creek Productions’ “Rockabilly Baby” proved to be the favorite film shown during this year’s Trail Dance Film Festival (TDFF) in Duncan, Okla.

Filmed in Gainesville last December, “Rockabilly Baby” (according to the official synopsis) is about a musician during the Rockabilly era who “almost destroys his rise to Rock and Roll fame before he comes to terms with the impact his success has on those closest to him.”

When Director Ken Farmer said he heard the film had been awarded Audience Choice during the Golden Drover Awards Show held Sunday, Jan. 18, he felt a rush he’d never experienced before.

“My only thought was, ‘Wow, holy cow,’” said Farmer. “The fact that the audience picked us as their favorite, the people that buy the tickets picked us, well that’s the whole idea.”

Although Farmer said he has seen the film numerous times, it was much different to view it alongside an audience.

“I’ve seen it many times, you know, but to see the audience’s reactions and how they just seemed to be in rapture and how they just sat there, focused on it, that’s what you want,” said Farmer. “You want people to be totally enthralled and that’s what they seemed to be.”

“Rockabilly’s” Baby Boy, Denton Blane Everett also shined as he was crowned Best Actor.

Prior to the weekend event, Everett said he was quite flattered to receive his first nomination for Best Actor. Everett also admitted his desire to win.

However when his name was actually called, Everett said he soon forgot the speech he planned, but did not write down.

“Well, I was fine up until that point and then I got a little emotional,” said Everett. “It was exciting and I was kind of overwhelmed.”

Even the jokes he had planned to say, seemed to get lost in his rush of emotions.

“The trophy they gave out is a drover, which was a cowboy that drove cattle back in the day,” said Everett. “It kind of resembles the Oscar award, so I wanted to say, ‘This trophy would kick the Oscar’s butt,’ but all I got out was, ‘This is cool.’”

Everett did, however, remember to thank his mother who was present, Farmer, Executive Producer Buck Stienke, cast, crew and his late father.

“My dad loved Rock and Roll music and I said something about how I hoped he was proud of me,” said Everett. “He passed away three years ago this month and I would have liked to see his face when he watched (the film), because he loved Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis.”

Even though his father may not have been there physically, Everett added, he knew he was there in spirit.

Everett said he was equally as honored and excited when the film was named Audience Choice.

“That to me is just really important because that’s everyone that comes to the festival,” said Everett. “I think that says a lot for everybody and I was just very happy for Ken and Buck. It was just one heck of a night.”

“Rockabilly Baby” was also nominated for Best Drama, Best Poster, Director’s Choice and was announced as a finalist for Best of Festival.

Currently Farmer said he is waiting to hear from other festivals he applied to enter “Rockabilly Baby” including AFI in Dallas, SXSW in Austin and several others.

“It’ll be a couple of weeks until I hear anything, but I have applied for festivals to take place throughout June,” said Farmer. “As for now, I’m just going to sit and enjoy the hell out of this.”

To learn more about “Rockabilly Baby,” and to watch it’s official trailer, please visit www.rockabillybabymovie.com or www.myspace.com/rockabillybabymovie.

Also be sure to look in future editions of The Register to read more on Farmer and Everett’s next project, “Faith,” to begin filming in Gainesville this summer. “Faith” will be a fictionalized drama based on the life of Faith Stringfellow, the famous two-legged dog.