January 28th, 2011
San Marcos-inspired ‘Campus Radio’ movie to premiere Feb. 4

Canadian actor Tom Belding stars as the protagonist of Campus Radio, a movie set in and around San Marcos. The film premeieres Feb. 4 in downtown San Marcos. COURTESY PHOTO

SUBMITTED REPORT

Campus Radio, a movie conceived and set in San Marcos, is having its world premiere not in L.A. or New York, but at the Starplex Theatre on Feb. 4.

Shot in 2008 and 2009 in Austin and San Marcos, Campus Radio is a romantic comedy about a band manager torn between his love of the band and his love of its sexy new singer.

Written and directed by Aaron James Sorensen, Campus Radio stars Canadian actor Tom Belding and Austin actress and singer Lauren Walsh. The film is a follow-up to Sorensen’s 2005 film, Hank Williams First Nation, which premiered at the AFI festival.

While Sorensen describes Hank Williams as his country movie, Campus Radio, featuring a sensational soundtrack of local bands, represents Sorensen’s rock ‘n’ roll movie. Bands featured in the soundtrack include One Eyed Doll, Adrian and the Sickness, Belaire, Jesse DeNatale, Annabella, Yellow Fever, Get Back Loretta, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, and the Felice Brothers, just to name a few.

The film, which was shot on location at Texas State and UT Austin, features such Central Texas landmarks as Sixth Street, South Congress, East Austin, and in San Marcos, such hangouts as the Courthouse square, KTSW Radio, and Tantra coffeehouse.

Shortly after moving to Austin in 2008, Sorensen, a Canadian musician turned filmmaker, was working on a script at Tantra coffeehouse when he looked across the parking lot and saw people playing football on unicycles. His immediate reaction was, “this has got to be in a movie.”

Billed by its distributor, Extra Butter Pictures, as a rock ‘n’ roll romantic comedy, Campus Radio features the Unicycle Football League, SXSW live music performances, and several recognizable San Marcos people and places, which can be viewed on the movie’s Facebook page.

Campus Radio will hold its red carpet premiere Feb. 4 at the Starplex theatre, 1250 Wonder World Drive, followed by a question-and-answer session with the director and actors and complete with an after-party at Tantra Coffeehouse, 217 West Hopkins St. The trailer can be viewed at www.campusradiothemovie.com.