The Dynamiter is a story of creating hope, something we all have to do every day or else we will have no life to speak of. Robbie Hendrick has the spirit and the character we all seek to find within us: the ability to create hope in a completely hopeless environment.

In Robbie’s case, he has no parents to speak of and takes care of his younger, half-brother Fess while dreaming of reuniting the family he has never known. He is a trouble-maker, a thief and a poor student; not the kind of character we imagine could inspire us. But he has goodness, truth and devotion to his loved ones which we can only dream to have. And he will surprise you just as he does me every day. I want to share his story and pass it on so we can all learn together from Robbie what it takes to make life hopeful and true and our attitude strong, looking to the sky when all around us seems dark and cold. In Robbie’s world, he’s not looking for perfection, rather whatever works for those he loves and himself. We can all find this in ourselves as we follow his story. And we can all be better with this touch.

Humid wind over a golden field. Quiet shade of an ancient oak. Peeling paint under a bare porch light-bulb, a haunting glow in a moonless night. Rural Mississippi holds a secret, a charm and an untraditional beauty. The secret is alive, a place where people live, work, grow and sometimes change, despite its outward decay. The charm lies in its tradition, almost as if it was forgotten by the world at large, or perhaps forgot the world. And its beauty lives in miles of two-lane roads, flickering fluorescent lights, red dust, dirty bricks, tire yards, empty storefronts, filling stations, towering trees, antique homes, tired cars and people.

Rarely is a location more than just a backdrop, but then The Dynamiter is a rare story. The world of our characters is as natural and authentic as they are, creating a screen story that unfolds organically and powerfully. Our goal is to let our story come alive in this world and capture this through truthful, honest yet vivid and formal filmmaking, lending our characters keen meaning and perspective.

As the story unfolds—as change grips Robbie, as he becomes conscious, dutiful and strong, our visual vantage on him and the world he lives in grows, too. It is in this way that The Dynamiter, a story of growth amid decay, becomes more than actors, lenses, or lines in a script. It becomes a living embodiment of forgotten America, of growing up hungry for life, and of quiet, thunderous redemption. I look forward to bringing this story to visual life through true artistic collaboration.