(Featured photo is of Joseph Caudill. Courtesy photo)
Hum just a couple of notes of John Williams’ “The Imperial March,” and many people will know exactly what the tune is. They may even see images of Darth Vader.
“All these big blockbusters – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, ‘Star Wars’ – they have memorable soundtracks…,” said Joseph Caudill, a Thomson resident, who has recently written the instrumental soundtrack for a Christian film called “The First Step.” “Christian movies don’t have that. I would like to see the Christian film industry go that way.”
The music of the ”Star Wars” franchise has made a huge impact on the 18-year-old who comes from a musical family.
Caudill’s first instrument was the mandolin, but he’s moved to the piano over the years. Instead of gravitating toward songs with lyrics, he’s been captivated by the way music and instruments tell their own stories, especially in connection with the big screen.
“I grew up watching movies, and the scores would always stand out to me, how they impact the story and drive them forward. That’s where the love of composition came in,” he said.
Through social media, Caudill connected with Julie Loncon, whose husband, Jerry, of Studio 220 Films, was directing the film in Texas, and the two began talking. Caudill created about a dozen pieces plus some incidental music for the film.
Jerry Loncon has been involved with filmmaking for about 50 years. But this is the first project that he’s spearheaded on his own.
“God has been training me to do this my entire life,” said Loncon.
After losing his left eye a few years ago, he felt it was time to set out on his own.
“Things started falling into place. People started coming into our path,” he said.
“The First Step” takes a look at tragedy and the loss of faith and how to take the first step when all hope seems gone.
“The movie is not rainbows and unicorns because life is not that way,” said Julie Loncon, an ER nurse who plays that same role in the film.
The characters, they said, are real people, facing real life situations.
“The First Step” was released in August 2023 in their home state of Texas, but the Loncons wanted to do something to showcase it as well as their young composer near where he lived.
Caudill’s father is the pastor of Washington Heights Baptist Church in Thomson, but Jerry Loncon wanted something bigger than one church.
The Augusta premiere will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Imperial Theatre. Call the Imperial Theatre box office at (706) 722-8341 for more information.
The premiere could lead to other area visits for the Loncons.
“We haven’t started to film our next one yet, but if we’re able to do it in Augusta, we would happily do it there,” he said.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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