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The Dark Hammock

Coming of age film set in the early 1990's -
In a time of less connectivity but more adventure. Teenagers, Chad and Ryan, take another step toward their own perception of manhood and devise a plan to invite their girlfriends on a no-parents camping trip.
Things seem to be going perfectly when the kids stumble upon a duffle bag of money in the forest. The situation takes a turn for the worse when the suburban teens find themselves mixed up with a nefarious group of locals and their crime boss - the newly elected sheriff Baker.
Amongst all the chaos an evil presence lurks deep inside the forest. Two Vietnam vets and several townies are convinced the origins are extraterrestrial and not of this planet.
Set in South/Central Florida in the early nineties, Dark Hammock highlights the independent streak of the era and the importance of having your friends back. It’s a throwback to all the Latch-Key kids who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s.

  • Ashley Billington
    Director
  • Ashley Billington
    Writer
    Lake Fear 2/ Everglades Killings
  • Marshall Critchfield
    Writer
  • Ashley Billington
    Producer
    Lake Fear 2/ Everglades Killings
  • Marshall Critchfield
    Key Cast
    "Sheriff Baker "
  • Noel Brillinger
    Key Cast
    "Chad "
  • Logan Billington
    Key Cast
    "Ryan"
  • Jane-Hadley Critchfield
    Key Cast
    "Jackie "
  • Ella Johnson
    Key Cast
    "Rachel "
  • Brian Lannon
    Key Cast
    "Ex-Sheriff O'Banion"
  • Matthew Lenz
    Key Cast
    "Jasper "
  • Sean Therrien
    Key Cast
    "Gil (Blue Gil) "
  • Jeff Johnson
    Key Cast
    "Jesse "
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, Thriller, Suspense, Coming of Age, 90's
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 8 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 19, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Red Raptor- 8k VV
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ashley Billington

Producer/Writer/Director, Ashley Billington was born and raised in South Florida in the late 80's early 90’s. Ashley spent summers in North Carolina where an appreciation for southern culture was formed. Ashley studied at the University of Mississippi and earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After College Ashley worked for Bloomberg Television in Washington D.C., then moved back to South Florida. Ashley went on to form the Advertising firm Reel Digital Inc. Ashley has always had a love for writing and film. Ashley currently has 7 books published on Amazon. Ashley also co-produced and wrote the film Everglades Killings (named changed to Lake Fear 2 for distribution). The Dark Hammock is the first film that Ashley has directed. The film truly encompasses the feel and vibe of the early 90’s.

ashleyrobertwriter.com --- reeldigitalinc.com

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have always wanted to make a movie completely on my own and free of outside influences. So last spring I decided to pul th trigger. I sat down at my desk and tried to think of a great idea. I thought about all the childhood memories that I had as teenager and all the crazy stories that I could remember. I tried to apply the lessons and the feel of the era to modern day but they just didn’t translate to 2023. That’s when I decided that an early 90’s time period piece would have the best of all worlds. I went to work in my spare time and wrote The Dark Hammock over a 5-week time period. Next I got everyone’s summer calendars and I came up with a 9 day shoot schedule that would take place in both South & Central Florida. We shot the film in 8K on a Red Raptor VV with a Rokinon Xeen Cf Prime Lens Kit. We also used a DJI RS3 Pro with Lidar Auto Focus, a Kessler crane, Manfrotto tripod and the Sennheiser MKH 416 microphone.
When production started in late May I was very worried about weather (rainstorms in Florida) Needless to say the gods were on our side, and everything went down almost flawlessly.
My son and a few of his friends acted and helped out on set. They formed a lifelong bond throughout the film as well as the rest of the cast and crew.
To make this film happen I called in every favor I had. I managed to get the film shot, edited, color corrected, secure music, score sound, and make artwork for around $100k all in. In the end I really think the film is a fresh take on the early 90’s. It’s a total coming of age film that tells the story of 4 teenagers and how they have each other’s backs even against all odds. The Dark Hammock is true throwback to late 80’s early 90’s cinema. Hopefully you will, laugh, cry, be scared, and fall in love with the characters and storyline. Thank you for your time in reading this and watching the submission. I hope you enjoy it.
Ashley B.