Glen Owen’s upcoming film ‘Signing Day’ is a trailblazing new movie currently in production that humorously depicts the popularity of college football and the recruiting efforts teams utilize to sign star recruits. ‘Signing Day,’ scheduled to be released in the fall of 2024, added a few more big names to its roster, including Marshawn Lynch, Brian Bosworth and Brad Carter.
The full cast now includes talented actors Michael Mosley (‘The Sinner,’ ‘Ozark,’ and ‘The Girl From Plainville’), Mira Sorvino (‘Shining Vale’ and ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’), Rob Morgan (‘Don’t Look Up,’ ‘Winning Time,’ ‘Mudbound’ and ‘Just Mercy’), Brad Carter (‘True Detective,’ ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ ‘Ozark,’ and ‘Yellowstone’), Marshawn Lynch (former California Bear and NFL running back for the Seattle Seahawks, and others). Lynch also played roles in television shows (‘Westworld,’ ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ and the breakout summer hit ‘Bottoms‘). Brian “The Boz” Bosworth, linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks, also acted in several films including (‘Stone Cold,’ ‘The Longest Yard’ and ‘Three Kings’).
‘Signing Day,’ written and directed by Glen Owen, is a dramatic comedy based on the sensational fictional story about one of the most important days for high school football players seeking football scholarships. The story follows an ambitious football coach, Walt McFadden, but he’s no good at the politics that rule today’s game. Buried at the bottom of the Louisiana University staff and almost fired for failing to sign one of last year’s top prospects, he gets a second chance when he is sent to rural Alabama with a bag full of cash and instructions to do whatever it takes to sign the nation’s top defensive end, Tony Raymond. Promised a promotion if he succeeds, Walt hits the road and soon finds himself having to outflank rival recruiters, grifting townsfolk, and Tony’s own dysfunctional family.
This film is full of humor, heart and grit and highlights the NIL (name, image, likeness) deals turning teens into instant celebrity millionaires and how college sports fanatics hope young recruits will take their team to a national championship game.
‘Signing Day’ will be produced by Glen Owen from State Line Films, Don Mandrik from Georgia Production Finance, as well as John Thomas and Kristy Clabaugh from SB Pictures. The production team is proud to point out that the film is completely homegrown in Georgia. It was not only written, developed and produced in the state, but was also fully financed by a small group of Georgia-based investors with NFL Hall of Famer and UGA legend Champ Bailey serving as one of the executive producers alongside Tiffany FitzHenry for FitzHenry Films. Mitch Olsen, Kevin McGrail, and Seth Ingram are also Executive Producers.
Writer and Director Owen describes the process of recruiting and signing aspiring college football players as a system that has ‘spun out of control:’ “I didn’t set out to write an expose. I simply wanted to create a film that takes a humorous, but clear-eyed look at what’s happening today on the college football recruiting trail. The coach in ‘Signing Day’ is prepared to do whatever it takes to sign the star player but starts to realize that the “big-time” isn’t necessarily what it’s cracked up to be.”
After graduating from the University of Georgia (where he played on the Bulldogs SEC championship basketball team) with a degree in film, Owen moved to Atlanta to pursue his dreams of becoming a filmmaker. He went on to serve as Associate Creative Director at TNT, where he turned out work for the NFL and NBA. While at Turner, Owen coined “Win. Or Go Home” for the NBA Playoffs. In 2004, Owen formed State Line Films where he directs national commercials and narrative branded content projects for brands like Mercedes Benz, Delta Airlines, Geico, Dodge and numerous others.
Most recently, Owen co-wrote and directed the thriller ‘Stalked Within’ for Paramount/BET. He also served as Co-Producer on the hit comedy, ‘Golden Arm,’ which aired on HBO.
