STONE HARBOR – It’s often difficult to find items made solely in the U.S., but twins Nate and Noah Wenker are the proud producers of a new feature-length movie filmed and produced in Cape May County, with only Cape May residents as actors.
Its debut, of course, was also in Cape May County, when the Harbor Square Theatre in Stone Harbor held a special screening Dec. 22 for their action-packed sci-fi “Bloodlust.”
“The screening was great,” said Nate Wenker, of Court House, who with his twin spent more than two years working on the film. Both 2023 graduates of Cape May County Technical High School, the duo developed their idea, wrote the script, filmed it mostly on an iPhone and then edited and added music to the movie.
“We had over 100 people there, with all the cast and their friends and families,” Nate said, describing the film as “a war movie, but with a superhero theme.” The 75-page script took about six months to develop. The 97-minute film is now available on their YouTube channel, Sliced Bread Studios.
“‘Bloodlust’ follows the story of Chad Ross, a boy who was born with a rare condition that causes his blood cells to infinitely regenerate themselves, as the government notices his potential,” according to a press release about the movie.
“Kidnapped by a deranged drill sergeant, Ross is trained to become an American super-soldier and a cold-blooded and lonely killing machine. But when a formidable terrorist group commanded by their psychotic leader, Reaper, takes a nuclear weapons bunker hostage, he is forced to work with a squad who helps him realize what it means to find your purpose. ‘Bloodlust’ contains sequences of action/violence and some graphic images.”
The twins were looking for a senior-year project as students in Chris Jones’ communication arts technology class, which is about digital video, television and film. They took his class for all three levels, from tenth through twelfth grades, and have produced nine short films.
“We wanted to see if we could do a full-length film, something 60 to 90 minutes long,” Nate said.
The twins, 19, took first place two years in a row in the digital cinema competition for SkillsUSA, leading them to also place in the top 10 in the SkillsUSA national competition.
While Noah did most of the writing and costumes, Nate did much of the filming and editing. The pair worked at Tree to Tree Cape May during the summer and used their wages to pay for the production – about $2,000, mostly for costumes.
“The biggest challenge was finding days when everyone was available for filming,” Nate said. The actors are all friends who live in the area. Scenes were shot at Cape May Point and the nearby state park and lookout tower, at Reeds Beach and other nearby bay beaches, Stone Harbor, in Belleplain State Forest and even in the woods behind their house.
Jones helped with the film as well, providing and helping construct one of the filming locations. “I do a voice-over for part of the film,” he said. “I also helped secure the screening venue at Harbor Square, who are great supporters of new filmmakers in the community.”
Jenn Hasson, manager at Harbor Square Theatre, said, “We have been working with Chris Jones for several years now. His student film festival, CMCTech Frightfest, is a yearly tradition for us. Chris asked to show their feature-length film, ‘Bloodlust,’ at Harbor Square. Luckily, they picked a time when we could show the film, so we said yes.
“We very much try to support and encourage filmmakers, of any age, by offering a chance to see where their art can land them, on a big theater screen with a living audience sharing the experience of their art. This is also why we are excited about the yearly Frightfest, because without new filmmakers breathing life into an ever-changing industry, what future would the film industry, or any theater, really have?
“I also believe there is a magic to the theater experience,” Hasson added. “Not unlike live entertainment, movies have the power to cause an entire audience to gasp, laugh, cry, etc., and it’s something you can’t feel in your living room. It’s some of our favorite moments, when the audience erupts with laughter or cheering.”
The twins are attending college for filmmaking – Nate goes to Rowan College at its Cumberland campus, and Noah attends Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky – with a goal of seeing their names in lights as big-time producers.
“It takes a lot of dedication,” Nate said about producing a film. “Halfway through you are going to want to give up. But stick with it because it’s worth it to see the end result.”
“Keep your vision in mind,” Noah added. “It takes dedication, but it is really inspiring and well worth seeing the end product.”
