FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 30, 2010

Contact:  Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director
W: (216) 623-3910
E: ischwarz@clevelandfilm.com

Alex Barder, Producer, “Freerunner”
C: (818) 487-8800

Parkour Action Film ‘FREERUNNER’ Being Filmed in Cleveland

CLEVELAND – FREERUNNER, a parkour action film directed by Lawrence Silverstein (“The Cell 2”) has commenced principal photography in Cleveland, OH. The film is the 9th to receive the Ohio Film Tax Credit and will continue shooting in greater Cleveland through mid-August. Filming locations have focused on downtown Cleveland and the Flats. Alex Barder and Warren Ostergard are producing the film which is about a local freerunner (SEAN FARIS – “Never Back Down”) who must lead the world’s best freerunners when an evil criminal madman locks explosive collars to their necks and forces them into a death race against time, the city and each other.

The producers were encouraged to come to Cleveland by Greater Cleveland Film Commission Executive Director Ivan Schwarz, who told the team of the state’s film incentives and worked with them on initial location scouting. “There is a very special connection to the environment in freerunning, and so there needed to be a special connection between the filming location and the movie,” said Schwarz. “We worked to bring this film here because Cleveland has the locations, resources and incentives that make it ideal for an independent feature.”

The connections to Northeast Ohio run deep for “Freerunner” producer Warren Ostergard who was raised in Bay Village, OH and the film’s star, Sean Faris, hails from Elyria.

“We have found the people of Cleveland to be incredibly welcoming and accommodating. We have an ambitious project and have received amazing support from the film commission, the local government and most importantly the community,” says producer Alex Barder. “We’ve had great partners in this endeavor and we look forward to doing many more films here.”

“Freerunner” is the 9th film to apply for and receive the Ohio Film Tax Credit, which was signed into law by Governor Ted Strickland in July 2009 and includes $30 million over two years to provide tax credits to film, television and other media productions in Ohio. In Ohio’s current film industry, economists calculate that every dollar spent will generate approximately $1.50 in economic activity.
For more information about the Ohio Film Tax Credit, visit www.clevelandfilm.com.

About the Greater Cleveland Film Commission
The mission of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission is to promote the increase of media production in Northeast Ohio using effective strategies for attraction and workforce development including building an artistic infrastructure through film.

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