AHOSKIE – Independent filmmaker Ian Brett, an Ahoskie native, doesn’t like to rest on his laurels.

Less than one month after premiering his first film, &uot;At Night With No Curtains,&uot; at the Earl Theater, Brett went to work on his next project entitled &uot;From Midnight to Morning, Baby&uot; in early June.

The project is now nearing completion.

After doing &uot;At Night With No Curtains,&uot; Brett and his team were ready to step away from the horror genre and try their hands at something more dramatic.

&uot;I love horror films,&uot; said Brett, &uot;but I wanted to show my versatility as a writer and director, rather than limiting myself to one genre.&uot;

Many of the same local actors that appeared in &uot;At Night…&uot; will be featured in Brett’s new film.

Marcus M’teo and Sterlin Lake play two prominent characters in &uot;From Midnight to Morning, Baby.&uot;

The film also features Parker Britt of Conway, Jennifer Joyner of Ahoskie and April Hope Smith of Raleigh.

All five actors are veterans of Brett’s first film.

The film boasts a large cast with over 30 speaking roles, many of which are performed by local actors, including Herbert Eley of Murfreesboro and Terence Sykes of Ahoskie.

Sykes, an accomplished comic book artist, is one of the stars of the film.

&uot;Working on this film has been a new and exciting experience,&uot; commented Sykes, &uot;and I’m grateful for the chance to do it.&uot;

The film has received an immense amount of support from local businesses and organization.

&uot;We owe so much to many of the Ahoskie area businesses,&uot; said producer Matt McElfresh.

&uot;The support of so many establishments like Mugg Shotz, J&J Equipment Rental, Zakk’s Coffeehouse, the VIP Club and Daniels Thrift Store, make it possible for us to continue working in the Roanoke-Chowan area.&uot;

Brett and company are also being assisted by Future Leaders in Action of Murfreesboro, who also supported his first film.

Many local residents have expressed excitement about Brett returning to the area to shoot his next project.

Some, like Harold Mitchell of Ahoskie, have visited the set multiple times to observe the crew at work.

&uot;I think it’s great to see these young people taking an interest in the town of Ahoskie and I hope that they can help to revitalize the region,&uot; said Mitchell.

Production of &uot;From Midnight to Morning, Baby&uot; should be wrapping up within the next month.

Meanwhile, &uot;At Night With No Curtains&uot; is beginning to make the rounds at film festivals and private venues up and down the east coast.

Brett is currently in negotiation to screen the film in New York City and is also planning a special Halloween showing in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

For all the latest info on any of Brett’s projects, check out www.purplehayesproductions.net.