This 2023 film shot in Salina won a big international award. Here's where to see it
A short film partially shot in Salina has been recognized in an internationally respected film competition among projects from high-profile moviemakers in the industry.
“The Ballad of Rich and Champ” won a prestigious Award of Recognition from the IndieFEST Film Awards in September. The film was part of a Kansas native’s film school thesis and involved people from Salina and other parts of the state throughout production.
Among other aspects, what makes the film unique is how a group of 20-something-year-olds recorded original music for the soundtrack, coordinated set photography and played supportive roles – essentially creating a studio pipeline from scratch themselves.
“The recognition and work on this production is exciting for us,” said Caleb Voyles of Last Dance Pictures. “We hope it shows other Kansas kids or people anywhere that if you have a goal that may seem way out there, that you could never access, just don’t give up on it.”
What is 'The Ballad of Rich and Champ' about?
“The Ballad of Rich and Champ” is a 13-minute short film set in the 1970s and follows pool hustlers Rich and Champ at a small-town bar. The two are caught off guard when a new competitor enters their stomping grounds. The film features high production value, even as a student film, with a talented cast of young actors and storytelling that keeps the viewer hooked and invested in the characters.
“We just really wanted to make a film that felt like those, fun, classic, American films in the ‘70s and ‘80s – a time when you could go to the movies and completely escape reality,” Voyles said.
The IndieFEST Film Awards, where the film was most recently recognized, honors film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievements craft and creativity. It also recognizes standout entertainment and those who contribute to profound social change through projects.
Voyles, who is originally from Haysville, Kansas, is currently studying at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. His master’s thesis, “The Ballad of Rich and Champ,” was honored among high-profile winners at the IndieFEST Film Awards.
Other winners of this award include: 2021 Academy Award winner “If Anything Happens I Love You” by Laura Dern, Will McCormack and Michael Govier; Oscar nominee Liam Neeson as the narrator of “Love Thy Nature, A Path Appears,” a documentary featuring Oscar-winner George Clooney and Blake Lively; “Radical Grace” produced by Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon; “Davids and Goliath,” by Peabody winner Leon Lee; and “Touched with Fire” starring Katie Holmes, among others.
“The IndieFEST is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent,” said Rick Prickett, who chairs the IndieFEST Film Awards.
Isaiah Marcotte, a Salina resident who is friends with Voyles, helped produce parts of the film. Marcotte said the production was an invaluable learning experience he will take with him in future projects.
“I really got a taste of what fundamental filmmaking looks like,” Marcotte said. “We had a lot of fun with it.”
Where was it filmed in Salina?
Marcotte has space at The Temple in Salina where he works on other independent projects from time to time. Parts of the film were shot there, and others were shot at The Voo, a dive bar across the street from the old Lee Building.
Much of what was shot in Salina was made up of pool games in the film. A Salina resident named Dinora Charles acted as the pool player’s hands since the actor who played the film’s main character wasn’t skilled at pool. The film editors created seamless transitions to help the viewer believe it was the same person.
“That was really cool and took a lot of meticulous planning,” Marcotte said.
Other local people, Mike Gebhardt and Mira Minkler, helped with specific local shots in the film. There were close-ups of Minkler’s unique-looking jukebox from the 1970s at another location, but edited to make it look like the jukebox was in the same bar as the pool game.
The majority of the film, though, was shot in Orlando. Marcotte flew out to meet with Voyles as a producer on the project.
Of course, with any good film, there is a soundtrack tailored to scene settings conveying the proper mood and tone of the story. The soundtrack to “The Ballad of Rich and Champ” was written, recorded and mastered in one week.
Marcotte had a hand in that, too.
“That’s something we’re really proud of. We essentially recorded it in the basement of a house in Lawrence, Kansas in one week,” Marcotte said.
The soundtrack was written by Jonathan Hess and an arrangement band. Marcotte recorded the tunes on a 16-channel reel-to-reel tape – a completely analog production fit for a 1970s-era film.
The soundtrack’s title track, “Easy Money” features artist Alex Costeo as the vocalist. Along with a release copy of the movie, the soundtrack will be released next year. At that time, digital releases on streaming platforms will also be available.
Watch a screening of the film in Wichita Oct. 7
In addition to being honored in the IndieFEST Awards, “The Ballad of Rich and Champ” secured a spot in this week’s Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita. This year marks the 21st annual festival and will last from Oct. 5-8.
“The Ballad of Rich and Champ” will be featured as the Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers Program. That program will happen on the Saturday of the festival.
When: 10 a.m. Oct. 7
Where: The Orpheum Theatre, 200 N Broadway Avenue, Wichita, Kansas
Ticket information: People can visit the Kansas Tallgrass Film Festival webpage at https://tff23.eventive.org/welcome and click on “schedule.” Then scroll down to Saturday and click on the “Timothy Gruver Spotlight” event to order tickets.
Tickets start at $12.28 after fees and there is an option to donate to the festival at checkout.
More information about The Ballad of Rich and Champ
Year: 2023
Rating: 13+
Content Warning: Language and drug use
Director: Caleb Voyles
Producer: Caleb Voyles, Hophni William, Isaiah Marcotte
Cast: Hophni William, Max Kelly, Don McDonald, Meghan Fazel, Cailey Kehoe, Eddy Vanegas, Vince Mirabile
Kendrick Calfee has been a reporter with the Salina Journal since 2022. You can reach him at kcalfee@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @calfee_kc.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: This award-winning 2023 short film features shots of Salina bar
