Some of Plant City’s finest will walk a red carpet on June 28 at the Florida premiere of “No Postage Necessary.”
Created by Two Roads Picture Co., the film follows the story of a computer hacker who falls for a war widow. Throw in
a massive amount of missing Bitcoins, an aggressive FBI agent and a fight for redemption and the indie film is well on its way to becoming a household favorite.
Much of the film was shot in Plant City and its Florida premiere is finally here. On June 28 guests have the opportunity to have a red carpet experience at the Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., with the cast of the film.
The VIP reception is at 5:30 p.m., the general admission is at 6:30 p.m. and the screening is at 7:15 p.m. with a cast Q&A to follow. While tickets are sold out online a handful are still available for purchase in town.
“Shooting in Plant City was a very unique experience,” Charleene Closshey, star and producer of the film and Plant City native, said. “That’s where I grew up and it was so neat to be able to share a piece of myself with others.”
She said the “colorful nature” of Plant City is brought to light in the film and showcases some of its eclectic and beloved locations. Approximately 150 local residents were extras in the movie and she said it will be exciting to watch the film during the premier with all of the people who opened their stores and restaurants to help make it happen.
When the cameras stopped rolling, the cast and crew frequented local gems like Krazy Kup, The Corner Store, Johnson’s BBQ and Twistee Treat. The locations played a major role in the film and Charleene Closshey said local viewers will hopefully enjoy watching their town come to life.
Jeremy Culver, writer, director and producer of the film, is forever cementing Plant City in the history books with his unique vision for the project. Unlike any movie before, “No Postage Necessary” is making waves with the help of blockchain technology.
Using the blockchain-based app Vevue, viewers will be able to view the film once it has been widely released using digital currency. It’s the first film in history to use the platform to launch itself toward success, but Culver and his team are convinced it is the future of the industry.
Blockchain essentially is a secure distributed ledger of data maintained via a large network of computers. Blockchain can
be used to serve as a public record of contracts and, due to its decentralized nature and immutable record keeping, it heavily reduces the risk of identity theft. The service will also help distribute royalties instantaneously to those who work on the film.
“None of us have to know how to do mechanic work on our car, we only have to know how to drive it,” Jennifer Closshey, producer of “No Postage Necessary,” said. “That’s the kind of change that’s taking place in the distribution. Just as Netflix had this huge impact by going with original content… blockchain is changing the business model in general.”
Though it bursts onto Florida screens on June 28, on July 6 it will grace select theaters across the country. On July 10 it will be available online and via blockchain. If interested in obtaining the remaining tickets, email lisa@tworoadspictureco.com.
When taking part in film festivals, Charleene Closshey said she has had multiple interactions with fans who shared how much the story and her character meant to them. She said Culver wrote characters that truly represent real people and that it’s encouraging to see how a character from a small town like Plant City can resonate with so many people in diversifying walks of life.
“I hope it makes Plant City proud, I really do,” Charleene Closshey said. “I’m really thankful for all of the support we’ve gotten throughout the project. We couldn’t be more thankful. Once again, this just proves Plant City is a really wonderful place.”