Video Director Chris Hicky To Shoot Debut Feature Film

Hicky’s film The Grace of Jake will be set in the crop-dusting fields of Arkansas.

Country video director Chris Hicky will direct his debut feature film, titled The Grace of Jake, beginning this September. The film was written by Hicky and stars actors Jake La Botz (Animal Factory, On The Road), Roy Lee Jones (True Grit, Daredevil) and Chris Bauer (True Blood, The Wire).

The Grace of Jake is a redemptive story of ex-inmate and wandering musician Jake Hayes, who travels from California to Palestine, Ark. in search of a father he never knew. Jake is intent on exacting revenge from his father, whom Jake holds responsible for all of life’s misfortunes. After reaching Palestine and interacting with the locals, Jake begins to unravel a complicated family history that leads him to find life, love, and a gospel record contract.

The feature film will begin shooting on location in Forrest City, Ark., pending a crowd-funding campaign to raise $125,000 via Kickstarter. Possible Kickstarter campaign rewards include movie screening tickets (to those pledging $125 and up), a Jake La Botz private show (for those pledging $9,000 or more), a day with Hicky to film a music video or special event at any US location (to those pledging $10,000 or more). As of this writing, the Kickstarter campaign has raised nearly $48,000.

Hicky has earned the 2006 CMT Video of the Year honor for his work on Keith Urban‘s “Better Life” clip, the 2010 ACM Video of the Year award for Miranda Lambert‘s “White Liar,” and a 2010 Grammy nomination for Urban’s “Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy World Tour Live.” Recently directed videos by Hicky include Chris Young‘s “You,” Tim McGraw‘s “Truck Yeah,” Kip Moore‘s “Hey Pretty Girl” and Joel Crouse‘s “If You Want Some.”