23 Blast is a movie by Jerry Baker and Dylan Baker, and it is available on DVD.
Dylan Baker is the director of 23 Blast.The story of a Kentucky teen who loses his sight, but eventually overcomes the challenges of his disability, and continues to live his dream of playing football, was the inspiration for the film.In the film, Mark Hapka is portraying the character of Travis.[8]
The film was made by Touchdown Production and Toy Gun Films.Max Adler and Becky Ann Baker also starred in the film.
A local football star is an average high school junior.Living in the town of Corbin, Kentucky, his inner circle includes his parents, girlfriend, and childhood best friend, Jerry Baker.After being rushed to the hospital, he undergoes surgery to save his life.He is blind after he came out of the procedure.A man who lost his sight experiences depression as he adjusts to life without sight.When his cheerleader girlfriend quits on him, he has to decide if he wants to go to school for the blind or not.With the help of his parents, his best friend, Jerry, and his mobility coach, he is able to adapt to his new disability and start his senior year at the high school.Every day after school, a football player stays on the sideline with help from his friend.One day, his coach and mentor, Coach Farris, approaches him about rejoining the team.Without much convincing, Travis rejoins the football team as a center and helps them turn around their season and advance to the state playoffs.[8][13]
Dylan Baker used his personal network to cast the film.Baker's first choice to play coach was Stephen Lang, who was known for playing mean or unlikable people.The role of Jerry was changed to be played by Bram Hoover.Baker cast his wife as a character.Fred Dalton Thompson, Timothy Busfield, and Kevin Cooney were employed by Baker.Baker cast four people in the same day in Los Angeles.Kim was supposed to play the role of Molly's mother in the film, but it didn't survive the final cut.Kim was re-christened as Mary Freeman.
Dylan Baker's wife, Becky Ann Baker, was approached by Toni Hoover about a script she had written.The Bakers intended to only act in the film, but Dylan Baker soon became involved with the writing and casting process.Baker agreed to direct the project after Hoover approached him.Gary Donatelli was contacted by Baker due to his work on Monday Night Football.After adding Line Producer, Carrie Holt de Lama, the three decided to produce the film themselves.
The title of the project was Sight Unseen.The producers decided on a name at a dinner.The producers agreed that the name was drawn from a hat.
The shooting of 23 blast began on April 2, 2012Filming took place in Kentucky for 23 days.Scenes were filmed at a number of locations, from his high school to his church.One day ahead of schedule, filming was completed.
Extras stayed over night due to the game being filmed at night.Local football players who attended the University of the Cumberlands were utilized by the producers.The players would leave at 5:30 AM to go to weight training.The real live hits for the movie were done by a Semi Pro Football Team from Cincinnati, Ohio.
A scene of the Freemans at church was added late and the actual family requested that it be shot at their church.
There is a seemingly arbitrary portrayal of the life of a man.Football is used as a catalyst in the film.Football is the beginning of their friendship.When they can't play football, they lose their identity and have to rethink their identities.
Coach Farris expresses the theme of unity.He gets backlash from the town for allowing a player to play.The team is unified by him as a collective group.Coach Farris being unified in his decision making and unifying the team is explored.
Sight and blindness can be shown to show true vision on a deeper level.A star football player with a level of celebrity, but loses his sight and redefines himself without vision.In order to find himself, he must see beyond the physical ability.The metaphor for "vision come from within" is important to the film.
The life of a Kentucky native, who at the age of twelve began having severe headaches, inspired the creation of 23 Blast.He was diagnosed with viral meningitis.His eyes got bigger and he became sick.His surgery resulted in blindness.He was assigned as a center on the football team after initially seeking a support role.He played football for four years.At the University of Kentucky, he was offered a position on the team's support staff.In 1999, the High School Athletic Hall of Fame presented a first-ever award to him.