Film crew shoots short movie in Lake Wylie, written by local resident

Makayla Torres beams at her co-star as they film a scene in a graveyard at a quaint Presbyterian church.

The director and writer of the short film toss fake Spanish moss in a tree behind the two local actors as they sit on a bench at Allison Creek Presbyterian Church near Lake Wylie on Saturday.

A member of the film crew yells “action” and Chris slowly reads his lines from the Bible for the faith-based film “Remnant of Hope,” written by Lake Wylie resident Ricky Teal.

The short film, which will be 10 to 12 minutes long, is a story about two special needs teens who are turned away from church one Sunday after a deacon tells them the church is “not capable of handling their type and they are turned away,” Teal said.

“The film is about peace, joy and love, but it also shows the connection of the church and the special needs community,” he said.

The film is set in Cumberland Island in Georgia, but is being partly filmed in Lake Wylie. The crew arrived Friday for a two-day shoot at the church.

Torres and her co-star Chris Whitley, both local teens, did not have to do research to play their roles. Both have special needs — Chris has cerebral palsy and Makayla is non-verbal and wheelchair bound.

Teal met the two at his special needs ministry and home, Sparrow Ranch on the Island, where he hosts free events. The property has an amphitheater for worship services and lots of room for fishing, boat rides and inflatables.

The idea for “Remnant of Hope” was born out of his love for people with disabilities, said Teal, whose family owns Lee’s Nursery and Landscaping in Rock Hill.

“I have a passion for special needs,” he said. “The Lord took me to a place and gave me a vision and brought it to life nine years later.”

Part of the setting for the film is Allison Creek Presbyterian Church, which Teal does not attend, but passes daily. The cast filmed scenes in the graveyard and in the sanctuary of the church on Saturday.

On Sunday, the crew was expecting to shoot scenes during the church’s morning worship service.

The 48-year-old landscaper said it did not take much work hiring actors and obtaining the money and equipment needed to make the film, which Teal says will cost about $20,000 to make.

He has never written a film before, he said, but as he got to know more people through his ministry. “God started sending people,” he said.

Teal met a make-up artist and she introduced him to well-known faith-based actors, he said. As his ideas for the film developed further, he contacted Karen Abercrombie, an actress who lives in Mooresville.

The star of the film “War Room,” Abercrombie said “I gotta do it,” Teal said.

On Saturday, Abercrombie sat in a small Sunday school room at Allison Creek Presbyterian, where a make-up artist applied fake eyelashes and lipstick in front of professional lighting, as Whitley had his hair combed in the seat beside her.

“It is an amazing story,” said Abercrombie, who plays an angel. “The truth needs to be told... the beautiful story, incredible message.”

The actress, who lives in Mooresville but has worked in California and New York, won awards for her role in “War Room,” which held the number one spot at the box office for two weeks straight, and in the Top 10 several weeks later.

Most recently, Abercrombie played a role in “The Inspectors” and has a recurring character on AMC’s “Turn.” In addition to other short films, television roles and movies, Abercrombie starred in “The Vampire Diaries” and “Ally McBeal.”

Other actors include Ted and Bonnie Johnson, Vanessa Ore, recording artist Danielle Deese and Patrice Gaines.

Teal isn’t giving any more details about the film, other than 150 extras are cast and the names of the eight main characters.

“I can’t give it all away,” he said jokingly.

Before the crew headed to the historical graveyard, Teal ran through the halls of the small church, laughing with the cast, commenting on how beautiful Makayla looked in her orange dress, and answered calls about equipment.

“This day is like my wedding, so much going on, so much preparation,” he said. “It was God ordained all along... I feel just like a puppet, like I’m not even in control.”

“Remnant of Hope” will be a “very, very powerful and touching short film,” Teal said. “The things that it will accomplish are priceless to me.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2016 at 8:33 PM with the headline "Film crew shoots short movie in Lake Wylie, written by local resident."