TalleyWags Films is a production company started by Jen Wagner and Talley Wilford to produce the film “You Can Stay Or You Can Go”, written and to be directed by Wilford about the death of a lifelong Talbot County resident, Matt Schilling. Schilling and Wilford were childhood friends, attending the Country School together. They saw less and less of each other in high school and eventually fell out of touch completely before Schilling passed away from a heroin overdose at the age of 22.
TalleyWags Crew
Wilford’s experience with this loss resulted in a script of memories of their childhood together and where life took them as individuals. Originally written as a play, it had “too many scenes” and Wilford redrafted it into a screenplay. The script impressed Wagner, who agreed to serve as the film’s producer.
Wilford and Wagner received widespread support for the project, particularly from Midshore Community Foundation, who will act as a 501c3 umbrella for all donations made to TalleyWags Films, as well as the support of Talbot Partnership. “Talbot Partnership, in caring for our community, understands the importance of this film in helping parents recognize the need to prevent substance abuse. We commend Talley for addressing such a personal loss through his practiced storytelling and to encourage others to talk about the real tragedies of addiction.”
Talley Wilford staged/directed numerous plays and musicals over the past seven years, having started his own theatre troupe, the Underground Actors in 2007, which has since partnered with the Avalon Foundation. Wilford graduated from Shenandoah University with a BFA in Theatre For Youth. He learned camera skills and video editing during his time working for the Avalon’s MCTV. Jen Wagner has worked all over the Eastern Shore Community for over a decade, most notably through her artwork with Jen Wagner Mosaics. Wagner and Wilford worked together at the Avalon Foundation. Joining them as cinematographer for the film is Beth Ewing, who has worked behind the camera for over five years and launched her own photography/videography business in 2012. Composing the score for the film are Ben VanNest, co-founder of the Underground Actors with Wilford, and Jacob Porch, local musician best known for his work in musical theatre in the area.
TalleyWags Films aims to begin filming in May of 2015, and is working to raise the funding necessary to see that goal through. Their kickoff fundraiser is December 15th at 7:00 PM at Ouvert Art Gallery located at 207 Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD. The kickoff fundraiser hopes to answer questions about the story or the process of the production for interested donors, local activists, and film enthusiasts. Please RSVP.
For more information and to RSVP: Call 443-521-4084 or [email protected] or find them on Facebook/TalleyWags Films.
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Rebecca Federici says
I believe this is a very great thing that Talley Wilford is doing. I worked with Matt for a little over a year at Town Dock. He was a awesome person, very loving and kind. I think about him often. I support this one hundred percent.