111 minutes | 2.35

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Michelle Moore
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Winter 1839.  Liberty, Missouri. 

Local jailer, Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) is tasked with watching Missouri’s most wanted men as they await their upcoming hearing.  Caught between the local Missourians’ increased drive to remove the prisoners, and the prisoners’ desperate efforts to survive, Tillery is pushed beyond what any lawman can endure.

Based on actual recorded accounts, OUT OF LIBERTY is an intense, evocative western, with an outcome you have to see to believe.

OUT OF LIBERTY is an intense western jailbreak film based on actual recorded events starring Jasen Wade, Brandon Ray Olive, Casey Elliott, and Corbin Allred. The screenplay is written by Stephen Dethloff, and Garrett Batty and S. Mckay Stevens. OUT OF LIBERTY is directed by Garrett Batty and produced by Stevens and Batty. 

Winter 1839. For months, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been gathering to Missouri, stoking fear and uncertainty into the locals. This fear and misunderstanding leads to rising tensions, and the leadership of the Church—led by Joseph Smith (Brandon Ray Olive)—are eventually arrested on charges of treason. By the end of 1839, they are placed in a recently constructed jail in the town of Liberty, Missour. Jailer Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) is tasked with guarding them until their next court hearing. 

The seemingly simple task spirals out of control quickly, however, as Tillery realizes that he’s holding the most hated men in all of Missouri. Nightly gatherings at the jail consist of verbal harassment and throwing rocks through the windows. The growing mobs want these men dead, and they feel they’ve been given permission from the state to interpret and carry out the law as they see fit. Tillery—a man of the law—finds himself caught in the middle of the prisoners, the charges against them, and the mob desperately fighting to take them down. 

OUT OF LIBERTY’s creative team includes production design by William Rowan Jr, and costume design by Emily Jacobson. Cinematography by Jeremy Prusso (The Saratov Approach, Freetown). Edited by Connor O’Malley (The Saratov Approach, Freetown). Music by Robert Allen Elliott (The Saratov Approach, Freetown). 

PRE-PRODUCTION

In early 2018, writer/director Garrett Batty was exploring several options for his next feature film. Prior to this, he had received a message from writer Stephen Dethloff and was intrigued by Dethloff’s pitch, so encouraged him to come back to him with a completed draft. Several months later, deep into 2018, Dethloff re-emerged with a draft. Batty was instantly intrigued by the dynamics between the characters, the western-feel, and the relevant themes. 

After Dethloff completed a few additional drafts, Batty and his writing/producing partner S. Mckay Stevens took the script and wrote additional drafts, building on to Dethloff’s framework. “History has always been intriguing to me, but as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, this story was special. I didn’t know previously that these prisoners tried to break out of Liberty Jail multiple times, and I thought that would be a fascinating piece of history to explore,” says Dethloff. “We worked hard to keep our characters true to their descriptions and the storylines true to their records. Our goal from the very beginning was to make sure it was entertaining for any movie-goer, but also something that any historian would appreciate because of the lengths we went to maintain accuracy,” says Batty. S.

S. Mckay Stevens (Freetown, We Love You, Sally Carmichael!) had already worked with Batty on previous projects, but this would be his first as producer. “I’d been waiting for the right story to surface to be able to have the opportunity to produce something with Garrett, and ‘Out of Liberty’ was the perfect fit.” Batty and Stevens worked through the final drafts of the script together, then immediately jumped into pre-production.

Location scouting began early fall 2018. Batty and Stevens had already been discussing some possibilities during the writing process, and they knew they had the resources in the State of Utah to be able to keep locations somewhat close together to cut down on cost during production. “We found a perfect little patch of land just north of Utah Lake where there’s a near-360-degree view without a single mountain or sign of modern civilization. It was perfect,” says Batty. For their interior sets, they repurposed the interior of a barn in Lehi, Utah. Both the interior and exterior sets for Liberty Jail were an exact replica to historical accounts, in dimensions and furnishings.   

PRODUCTION

Production began in November 2018. The 11-day shooting schedule was ambitious, and didn’t come without its hiccups, but ultimately worked. “We were updating our shooting schedule until the day before production,” recounts Stevens. “We ended up scheduling our biggest scenes for the first day. It was a bit wild trying to wrangle nearly 100 cast members on the very first day, but every single person there was committed to getting it done the right way. That mentality and focus set the tone for the remainder of the shoot.” 

Along with shooting a period western, Batty had the added challenge of capturing the essence of some beloved figures during some of their most trying circumstances on record. “It was a perfect combination of gratitude and weight that drove every creative decision on set. I was grateful for the chance to tell such an important story, and we felt the weight of that significance throughout the shoot. This is our shared legacy, and we owed it to these men to do it right.”

POST-PRODUCTION

Post-production began immediately after production wrapped in mid-November 2018. Editor Connor O’Malley (The Saratov Approach, Freetown) worked quickly to put the film together. With input from Batty and Stevens, the film began to take shape. “There’s nothing quite like seeing the chaos of production leading to a finished film. Watching that come together for such a meaningful story is a profound feeling,” says Stevens. 

Robert Allen Elliott returned to compose his third of Batty’s three most recent films. “I count down the days until I get to score another Garrett Batty film,” says Elliott. “The moment I began to see footage from the film, I knew the score had to be as unique as the film itself, yet remain complementary to the storyline.” 

AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

Described as an “intense, evocative western,” OUT OF LIBERTY stands out, singular in its space. But where it really stands out is in its striking parallels to modern trends. “It would seem with the saturation of social media and 24-hour news that there has never been another time like this in history where the voice of the people—regardless of motive or facts—overrules the truth and condemns without due process,” says Stevens. “Well this story painfully illustrates otherwise, and gives our protagonist—the jailer—a difficult but relatable position of figuring out where and how to take a stand in that kind of social climate.” 

At the same time, Stevens and Batty saw an exciting opportunity to deliver an intense, action-filled western to audiences everywhere. “Not only do we have these fascinating parallels to contemporary mob rule, but we also have this rough, gritty depiction of an old time that has been memorilized in film for decades. And this time, it has the added benefit of being true,” says Batty.

While containing some religious themes and historical figures, the story is much broader than that. Adds Batty, “You won’t see happy church-goers or baptisms in a river in ‘Out of Liberty,’ but you will see the authentic struggles of a man caught between the law, the mob, and the truth, and you will see a group of prisoners learning what it really means to trust in a higher power. There is something in this film for everyone, regardless of faith.”

JASEN WADE – Samuel Tillery 

Jasen Wade was born in Spain and raised in Utah. After spending years between New York, Los Angeles, and Colorado, Jasen and his family have settled back in Utah, where Jasen continues his ambitious acting career. He is best known for his roles as Levi Savage in 17 Miracles, Bud Curtis in Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed, and Ron Hartley in The Cokeville Miracle. 

BRANDON RAY OLIVE – Joseph Smith

Brandon Ray Olive hails from Shreveport, Louisiana and has been working in the film industry for over 15 years. He’s best known for his work on HBO’s Mosaic, Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky, and TV’s NCIS and CSI.

CASEY ELLIOTT – Hyrum Smith

Casey Elliott is an American actor and singer. He currently sings with GENTRI: The Gentlemen Trio, a cinematic pop trio. 

CORBIN ALLRED – Porter Rockwell

Corbin Allred has been working in film and television since he was 12 years old, working on shows and films such as: Robin Hood: Men in Tights, CSI, JAG, Monk, NCIS, Saints and Soldiers, ER, and The Saratov Approach. His role in OUT OF LIBERTY marks his return to filmmaking after a 5-year hiatus to pursue a medical degree. 

ADAM JOHNSON – Caleb Baldwin

Adam Johnson is an actor from Santa Monica, California who is most well-known for his roles in the Mythica independent fantasy film series, and he currently plays Munt in The Outpost on The CW.  

JAKE VAN WAGONER – Cyrus Daniels

Jake Van Wagoner is an actor, writer, and producer from Utah. He has worked as a writer and producer on TRUtv’s Impractical Jokers and currently produces and performs on BYUtv’s Show Offs.  

DANNY JAMES – Alexander McRae

Danny James is a multi-talented filmmaker in front of and behind the camera. His most notable on-camera credits include the tv mini-series NASCAR: The Rise of American Speed, Blood & Oil, and The Outpost. 

BROCK ROBERTS – Sidney Rigdon

Brock Roberts was raised in Springville, Utah, and grew up acting in plays, but as he grew up, he took a more traditional approach with his career. After a car accident nearly took his life, he decided it was time to return to acting. 

MORGAN GUNTER – Lyman Wight

Morgan is a young actor whose performances have stood out in every project to which he is attached. He’s been accepted to a prestigious acting program in San Francisco and will be relocating there this fall to begin intensive training.

ERIC WOOD – Neil Rowland

While being relatively new to the game, Eric Wood is easily one of the most sought-after actors in the state of Utah. His most notable project is PARABOLIC, a hit short film which Eric also wrote and directed.

GARRETT BATTY – Director / Producer / Writer

Garrett Batty’s company, Three Coin Productions, began as a post-production facility in southern California. His feature film slate includes SCOUT CAMP, the independent hit THE SARATOV APPROACH, and FREETOWN, an ambitious war drama set in Liberia. OUT OF LIBERTY is his fourth narrative feature-length film. 

S MCKAY STEVENS – Writer / Producer

Mckay Stevens first job on a feature film with Garrett Batty’s second film, THE SARATOV APPROACH. Following that, Mckay worked as an editor, post supervisor, and writer on projects such as FREETOWN, WE LOVE YOU SALLY CARMICHAEL, and EXTINCT (TV Series). This is Mckay’s debut feature as a writer and producer. 

JEREMY PRUSSO – Director of Cinematography

Jeremy Prusso is one of the most sought after cinematographers in the state of Utah and beyond. He has traveled the world as a result of his unique ability to capture the purest images available. His work includes THE SARATOV APPROACH, FREETOWN, CHRISTMAS TIME, AND JEWTAH, among others. This is his third film with Batty. 

SALLY MEYER – Casting Director

Sally Meyer is a household name for the Utah film community. There are few as well-connected to the breadth of talent Utah has to offer. She’s also an experienced writer. Her credits include: THE CHRISTMAS PROJECT 1 & 2, EXTINCT, and WE LOVE YOU SALLY CARMICHAEL.

CONNOR O’MALLEY – Editor

CONNOR O’MALLEY has edited all of Batty’s films: SCOUT CAMP, THE SARATOV APPROACH, and FREETOWN.

ROBERT ALLEN ELLIOTT – Composer

Composing music since childhood, Robert Allen Elliott received his formal music education at Cal Poly, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He has composed music for numerous television programs, web videos, and feature films. His notable film composition credentials include: THE SARATOV APPROACH, FREETOWN, and LITTLE WOMEN.