DPU alums, profs, students unite for Kickstarter indie film

Friday, April 18, 2014
Steve Timm

After 19 years, filmmakers Kyle Ham, a 1994 DePauw University alum, and Steve Timm, professor of communication and theater, are finally bringing their script to the screen as an independent feature film.

"Reparation," an adaptation of Timm's play, "The Activist," began funding on Kickstarter Thursday, and will star Jon Huertas ("Castle," "Generation Kill") and Marc Menchaca ("Homeland," "Generation Kill").

"Reparation" is a psychological thriller about a small-town Indiana vegetable farmer, Bob Stevens (Menchaca), who has a three-year hole in his memory.

When a stranger (Huertas) shows up claiming to have been his best friend in the Air Force Security Police, Bob and his family must try to discover the truth before it's too late.

Playwright Timm feels strongly about going independent.

"We rewrote this script for at least a dozen directors in L.A., each time altering the story to fit someone else's vision. Finally, it dawned on us that if we wanted to retain our vision of the story, a vision that doesn't align with the Hollywood formulas, we'd need to make the movie ourselves."

Ham, who will direct the film in his feature debut, has to pinch himself almost daily as the film is finally coming to fruition.

"The momentum that swells once you say, 'I'm doing this,' is mind-boggling," Ham said. "We are so excited to have Marc and Jon on board, both powerful actors. Can't wait to see what happens when they go head-to-head."

The film's fundraising efforts launched Thursday on Kickstarter.

Filming will begin in Greencastle on or around June 21.

Kyle Ham

The production is crewed with a number of DePauw alumni, including casting director and producer, Matthew Lessall '96, Kaitlin Klose '13, Olivia Carmel '13.

To view a video teaser and support the project visit http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/reparation.

The writing duo of Ham and Timm met as student and professor, respectively, at DePauw in 1990. Five years later, they began work on an adaption of "The Activist."

Ham has worked in television and film for 20 years, on movies such as Miramax's "She's All That," and most recently at the Discovery Channel.

Timm has written at least 30 produced plays, including "Dionysis On Ice," which earned him the National Playwriting Award.

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