The Plot

After David suffers a personal tragedy, he heads down a dark road, away from all that he loves...including God. Now he must face the demons in his life, and find the courage to take the first step back home.

Our Goal

The First Step is a Christian based film and is being produced by Julie Loncon and John Frederick, with Executive Producer Michelle Ann White. The funding we receive will go toward paying the cinematographer, providing meals for the team, and securing shooting locations that will allow Studio 220 Films to start a tradition of making quality independent films on a shoestring budget. If we exceed our goal, we will use the extra money to help fund the next project that Studio 220 Films has in the works….and it’s a BIG ONE!!

The First Step is a Texas film created by Texas residents and made on Texas grounds. The majority of the film will be shot on location in Beaumont, TX and surrounding areas. Throughout the years, the Texas film scene has seen something of a boom in the quality of its work, and we aim to create something that not only continues that quality, but improves it. Several of the actors and most of the extras are performing in a film for the very first time. Studio 220 Films is passionate about filmmaking and providing other passionate residents of Southeast Texas the opportunity to experience filmmaking, and even start their own careers in film. With your help, we can make people’s dreams come true and make this first film by Studio 220 Films a reality!

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN!!!

Follow along and get to know The First Step!

Meet The Team

Jerry Loncon (Director)

It’s been said that if you want to know God’s plan for your life, you simply have to look at your past and see what He’s trained you for.

Jerry Loncon created his first “movie” when he was four years old by hand drawing single frames on squares of notebook paper and then taping them together to create a strip. He then showed his film (a cross between “The Giant Gila Monster” and “King Kong vs Godzilla” for both of you who wanted to know) in a “theatre”, which was a shoebox with a square opening cut in it. He has been involved in visual storytelling ever since. 

He has always felt the fire inside to tell visual stories. With super 8 film, then ½” tape, VHS, etc., all the way to today’s digital filmmaking tools.

In his past, he has been a scuba instructor, plant worker, Media Director, and a Sergeant for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He has traveled the world creating documentaries which have been seen all across the globe, along with several seasons of documentary television, as well as directing everything from live theater, commercials, and short films, to multi-camera, multi source live broadcasts. Jerry will be directing The First Step.

Julie Loncon (Producer)

Julie Loncon was born and raised in Southeast Texas and has deep roots here. She has been on stage in theatrical and choral productions since childhood. She stepped away from acting in her early adult years to concentrate on raising her family. Her love for production was rekindled as a stress reliever while she was in nursing school. Julie has been in front of the camera several times, starring in several short films at Lamar State College, Orange. She has found her passion in creating and producing projects alongside her husband, Jerry. She has worked behind the camera for a television series as well as was Executive Producer on a recent dramatic biography. She has a small role as an ER nurse (go figure) and is working as producer on this current project.

John Frederick (Producer/Pastor Bryan)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9533389/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1

John Frederick is an actor from a small town in Texas. He enlisted in the navy after high school and retired after serving 20 years in 2011. After trying out several careers, he decided to focus on his true passion, which is acting. He began with several background roles to get familiar with the industry and landed his first major role in Greyhound, filmed in 2018 and starring Tom Hanks. He has been in a string of short films and television appearances and is constantly working on his film career, in front of and behind the camera. He will portray a key character, Pastor Bryan, as well as produce the current project, The First Step.

Travis Myers (Director of Photography)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10095487/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr6

Travis Myers is a multi-award-winning cinematographer based in Orange, Texas. Several short film projects he has shot have screened all over the United States and internationally.  After working several years at an advertising agency in Beaumont, TX as the “video guy”, he eventually moved on to full-time freelance video work in 2020. He has worked on large and small productions from Dallas to New Orleans in various on-set crew positions. Currently, Travis works in the camera and lighting department on some of the best commercials produced in Southeast Texas including Christus Hospitals, Market Basket, Provost Umphrey Law Firm, and Neches Federal Credit Union. If you see a local commercial in Southeast Texas and it looks good, there’s a good chance Travis worked on it. Travis also runs his own commercial production company as the Director and Cinematographer at Bronco Media. Travis is the Director of Photography for The First Step.

Brandon Newman (Writer)

Brandon Newman is a screenwriter from Houston. He has been writing movies for over a decade, having written a number of award winning feature length and short films. He has also produced and directed several short films over the last few years. While working at a local news station, he won three directing awards and numerous team awards including a Lone Star Emmy.

Chad Illa-Petersen (Actor - David)

Chad Illa-Petersen is a multi-talented actor from Southeast Texas. He is the owner/president of The Story Catcher, a social media marketing agency, as well as a much sought after public speaker for social media conferences. He is an award winning stage actor who has played iconic characters such as Bert in Mary Poppins (even danced on the ceiling), Scrooge in Scrooge, The Musical, Harold Hill in Music Man, Fagan in Oliver Twist, and Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone. He has been looking for a way to expand his talent onto the big screen and is looking forward to bringing his vast talent and stretching himself in the dramatic role of David Fields in The First Step.

Josmery Mulvahill (Actress - Alison)

Josmery Mulvahill is a singer-songwriter, model and actor. After achieving her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Lamar University and a Graduate Diploma in Vocal Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, she and her husband served for six years in college ministry in Beaumont. In 2018 she attended a scouting event in L.A. and gained interest from the likes of SONY and Tyler Perry Studios, spurring her to grow in her film experience. The First Step is her debut as the lead in a dramatic role. Josmery is an accomplished singer/songwriter with a published album, and multiple singles, and has written and will perform an original song in the film. She is playing the lead role of Alison Fields, wife of David Fields.

Anthony Taylor (Actor - Kendall)

Anthony Taylor, born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Centerville, Texas, is a husband and a father of 2. He is the founder of “Let The Sweat Speak”, host of the AGH podcast, certified personal trainer, and actor starring in The First Step as Kendall.

Reese Ravencraft (Actress - Marly)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11015486/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t3

Award winning actress, Reese Ravencraft, began her intensive study of acting while earning a B.A. in Theatre from McNeese State University. She has spent many years in continued training while being involved in countless stage productions. She has held every position involved in a theatrical show from Director to stage sweeper! Reese is also a Texas State certified Theatre teacher who spent almost a decade training young actors. She has twenty years experience in commercials, but has transitioned into film over the last few years. The short film Billy, in which she appeared as the wife, has garnered multiple awards and is still going strong on the film festival circuit. She was cast in one of the lead roles in the short film SHHH which has also won many awards, as well screening on Broadway in New York City. She has bounced around the country finishing four feature films in the last year and a half as well as a guest appearance on a streaming episodic. She is represented by Pastorini-Bosby Talent and looks forward to being able to film in her home territory.

Myles Meyer (Actor - Jude)

Myles Meyer is from the San Antonio area. Although only 21, he has an immense passion and enthusiasm for performing - both as an actor and a musician. He has been in multiple theater productions, and has performed onstage in numerous concerts, events and open-mics. Recently he was cast in the TV show Fear The Walking Dead. Myles has the role of Jude.

Karina Carielo (Actress – Dr. Shelby) 

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7797737/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t2

Karina Carielo was born and raised in the Lone Star State of Texas. She has been acting since she was eight years old in community theater and performed all over Texas with a touring youth theater company. With all her training and background, at eighteen she wrote, directed, produced, set designed and acted in her very own full length theater production that ran in a professional community theater in her hometown for several weeks. For college, she pushed theater aside and decide to study film and screenwriting. She has a BA degree in Communications Cinema Studies and was a quarter finalist for the Nicholl Fellowship soon after.

THANK YOU!!!