Private Project

The Raking

A group of college co-eds embark on a weekend-long camping trip as part of a project to research a local urban legend. After settling upon the Joshua Tree legend of the “The Rake,” a terrifying, long-clawed humanoid creature who emerges to feed only on the Equinox, which happens to be tomorrow, Kennedy, Jade, Noah and their TA, Ethan, head into the desert to prove the story untrue.

With palpable tension among them, the trip is off to a rocky start when they are forced to pull over after discovering Jade’s younger sister Kelly has stowed away. While roadside, they are approached and given a cryptic warning from a local, weathered and wary man. They dismiss him as crazy and forge on to Joshua Tree.

The group arrives shortly after sundown and sets up camp, but when Kennedy and Ethan sneak away to steal a secret romantic moment, Kennedy is scratched by something she can only describe as a hand. Upon anxiously returning to the group to report what has happened, they hear indescribable blood-curdling shrieks and see movement in the brush around them.

Fearful for their lives, the group flees to the car and presume they are safe, that is until Kelly is ripped away seemingly out of nowhere and dragged off into the dark. Frightening them further, James, the man who warned them on the roadside, arrives suddenly waving a gun and yelling for them to stay in the light, which he claims is their only defense from the “creature.”

Unsure of what to believe or whom to trust, the group reluctantly goes with James back to his home, a secluded and well-lit bunker in the desert. There he reveals his 30-year sordid history with this creature whom he says is pure evil and can’t be killed, solidifying their worst fears of Kelly’s fate. James assures the group though that as long as they stay in the light of the house they will survive until sunrise, and the end of the harvest.

But as the Rake tracks their scent, a simple but tragic mistake leads to a power outage, leaving the group once again in the dark and fighting for their lives until dawn.

  • Bryan Brewer
    Director
    The Wake
  • Laura Greenman Heine
    Writer
  • Bryan Brewer
    Writer
    The Wake, Infection: The Invasion Begins, The Healer's Son
  • Allie Rivera
    Producer
    The Wake
  • Bryan Brewer
    Producer
    The Wake
  • Laura Greenman Heine
    Producer
  • Bryan Brewer
    Key Cast
    American Pie, Hyperion Bay, The Wake
  • Allie Rivera
    Key Cast
    Drake and Josh, The Wake
  • Thatcher Robinson
    Key Cast
    Superior
  • Cree Kelly
    Key Cast
    The Runner, The Mysteries of Laura, Loving the Bad Man
  • Peyton McDavitt
    Key Cast
    Star Seed, The Radiant One
  • Chandler Rylko
    Key Cast
    The Toy Soldiers, Have Love Will Travel
  • Marshall Hilton
    Key Cast
    I am Alone, Monumental, In the Name of God
  • Alan Maxon
    Key Cast
    Night of the Living Dead: Reloaded, Ninja Turtles: Blood Brothers
  • Marisa Davila
    Key Cast
    Crazy Ex Girlfriend
  • Nick Gomez
    Key Cast
    The Walking Dead, Looper
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 36 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 10, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Bryan Brewer

Bryan Brewer has been working in the film industry for the past fifteen years. He began modeling at age 20 and continued to find success with guest starring roles in TV shows such as "Hang Time" (NBC), "Hyperion Bay" (CW/ WB) as well as films such as "American Pie." He soon began to broaden his involvement and grow as a filmmaker by writing his own projects. The first script he penned, “The Healer's Son,” was picked up before the script was finished. The film was made, and he was cast to play the lead. The film took first runner up at the Sundance Film Festival.

He later went on to Co-Star in “Coyote Monday,” which took first place at The New York Film Festival. Still looking to deepen his involvement in the industry, Bryan started his own production company, Cause Entertainment in 2007. In 2008, he wrote and starred in “Infection: The Invasion Begins” (co-starring Lochlyn Munro and Kelly Pendygraft) under the Cause banner. The film won Best Sci-Fi Film and Best Actress (Pendygraft) at the NY/LA International Film Festival. The Film was picked up by Screen Media and distributed worldwide via Netflix, Video On Demand, and enjoyed a limited DVD release.

After filming "The Wake" in 2013, he has now added the role of director to his resume. He continues to write, produce and act, sourcing his own material as well as collaborating with other artists.

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