Up on High Ground is a half-hour drama, U.S. syndicated television series, directed by Tommy Callahan and Bryan Kreutz,
written by Bryan Kreutz and Lec Zorn. Produced by Bryan Kreutz and Brayden Patterson and Joe McGettigan. Starring Brayden
Patterson, Cody Jarvis, and
RyleCravens.[1]
Summary
A college psychology student is tested daily with his roommates, one in friendship, and the other on patience as a third wheel freeloader.[2] Dillon and his roommate Landon are majoring their college courses in applied developmental psychology: variability in teacher-student interactions at East Valley Academy High School. Dillon, an everyday Christ like purposeful male example, must deal with his unemployed roommate crashing on the couch, and being more than just a neighborly influence to his neighbor, a widowed, pregnant, mother of three children. An ongoing high school feud of girl foes is at the top of Dillon and Landon’s psychology as the two who aim to bring Christianity into overcoming their principal leader’s Buddhist beliefs into the light of salvation![3]
Tagline
A life effort in the psychological, even pathological, and typical day of students who make this school of no fools and broken rules.
Cast
- Dillon Magnum — Brayden Patterson
- Landon Lofton — Cody Jarvis
- Savannah Swanson — Rylee Cravens
- Bartholowmew Bogroe — Billy Patricks
- Erin O'Byrne — Erin Morris
- Sydney Ashdown — Sydney Thomas
- Griffin Sundin — Matthew Becker
- Hayley Sundin — Molly Cravens
- Thea Swanson — Jessica Jordan
- Neil Rowley — Neil McDonald
- Principal Guidry — Joe McGettigan
- Miri Cyanne — Malissa Williams
- Brody Vanderschmidt — Bryan Kreutz
- Brianna Langford — Londyn Downey
- Hialeah Oxendine — Sarah Cotton
- Jaris Sundin — Courtni Aries
- Veronika Earney — Emma Mitchell
- Kaidence Crews — Jamie Fritz
- Roxy Sundin — Aliyah Studt
- Khalil Burris — Lawson Burris
- Teagan Janney — Stephanie Swink
- Tessa Stockton — Taylor Vandelicht
- Ellie Cross — Tessa Drake
- Charissa Kirk — Grace Clark
- Ms.Fritz — Allison Shadwick
- Shane Sumner — Conner Lee
- Melody Hull — Ashley Pavlige
- Stu Charles — Charles Heuvelman
- Lara Camille — Camille Marolf
- Juliana — Emily Livaudais
- Jeremy Estrada — Charlie White
- Grant Kosanovich — Igor Stevanovic
- Emma Loughborough — Dacey Geary
- Tara Giordano — Blair Dinucci
Cast Notes
- This marks the third time that Brayden Patterson, Joe McGettigan, and Erin Morris have worked together alongside sisters Rylee and Molly Cravens.[4] The first was the 2013 Indie Fest USA qualifing short film, To Inflict[5], and the second was the feature film Hercules: The Brave and the Bold.[6]
Format
The series utilizes a house in the Dutchtown, St. Louis neighborhood in the city of St. Louis, Missouri for the Apartment settings and utilizes classrooms in Arnold, Missouri as its primary settings for the program.[7]
Look of the show
| Episode | Title | Up on High Ground (Season 1) Writer(s)/producer | Episode summary & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superiority of the High and Mighty Kind-ness | Joanna Ferbrache, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Two college psychology student roommates, taking college-prep classes at a High school are introduced as counselors observing
variability in teacher-student interactions. Clashing personalities between students Erin, the drama department class president, and Savannah the most popular student are evident observations. A former high school roommate of the two college students crashes on their couch as a freeloader. |
| 2 | Friends, Family, and Freeloaders | Joanna Ferbrache, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Widow neighbor and mom Jaris receives a call that Dillon is driving her son Griffin home instead of letting him ride the bus
due to his sickness, Dillon takes it a step further to invite the family, not just Griffin over to watch old pro basketball videos of Griffin's deceased father and Jaris' husband. Savannah and Shane as a couple have high points and a rather questionable two- timing moment when Shane is seen with his Ex, Londyn, on what appears to be a date. |
| 3 | Friends, Family, and Freeloaders, Part 2 | Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Upon overhearing a music class side conversation about a new show choir, Miri, Erin’s best friend, tracks down Savannah to get
the details for her and Erin to gain an edge on an early scoop about the audition. A multi-talented group of students audition for the new East Valley Academy show-choir where the results are left as a cliffhanger. Finding it difficult to deal with family tragedies, Khalil, slits his writs in front of the class and passes out. |
| 4 | Fued of Friends and Foes | Thomas Callahan, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Singled out by Mrs. Hialeah and standing front and center in class as do not do examples, the school's most popular girl
Savannnah and smartest girl Erin have to endure a cooperative project. Mrs. Hialeah's philosophy of student discipline goes too far in they eyes of Avril, Erin's mom, as she makes an in school visit confrontation. Bogroe successfully sets up Landon on a blind date to entice him to leave his current girlfriend Tara so he can have her. |
| 5 | The Quintessence of a Situation | Lec Zorn, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Landon cracks down on Bogroe’s laziness. Erin gets accepted to a prestigious acting school in Ireland, to the dismay of
Savannah, who’s already devastated from being cheated on by Shane. Kaidence reaches out to comfort Savannah and Khalil. Londyn tries to build herself up in front her and her sister Berlin's friends by charging off in a blaze of glory with her ex-boyfriend, then demanding her sister lie to their parents about her whearabouts. |
| 6 | Underlying agreements | Lec Zorn, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Kaidence meets Jaris at home for the first time and the two become friends. Griffin and Erin quickly become a couple of
forevers. Bogroe is caught by the nosy neighbors on his way to a money making gig. Catcalls and bribery from Hayley force his hand to the coercion of cash to keep his secret gig an unknown to Dillon and Landon. A show-choir meet before the state finals reveals Ellie is giving Ms.Fritz pointers from last years championship. |
| 7 | In the Middle of It All | Lec Zorn, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | East Valley's Show Choir competes short handed on the road in the state competition. Bogroe introduces his girlfriend Gemma.
With Borgoe gone more, Dillon and Landon begin to wonder about a possible money making mystery and are even more suspicious when asking neighbor Brody if he knows something they don't about Bogroe. Savannah and Erin endure their required school project together. Mr. Neil's covering for Mr. Stu's accused class wrongdoings are brought to the forefront by Hialeah. |
| 8 | Gone, But Not Forgotten | Lec Zorn, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | When the results at the hospital appear seemingly glum, Jaris trusts in her faith and believes its a blessing in disguise.
Recent family tragedies trigger traumatic experiences and even some meaningful dreams of past memories for Jaris and Hayley. The Sundin's lean on support from Dillon and the Annie's Hope/Bereavement Center for their grief. Savannah and Erin move closer to making amends with their fractured relationship. Jake makes a heartfelt move to solidify his relationship with Sydney. |
| 9 | All good things must come to an end | Lec Zorn, Bryan Kreutz (Writer) - Bryan Kreutz (Executive Producer) | Savannah and Erin's cooperative class project for Mrs. Hialeah becomes the talk of the school and even has the Principal
dicussing and Mr.Neil watching from afar. Sydney suprised as ever to see her best friend Savannah finally make peice with her class rival on stage, is moved by the moment, and takes a risk herself with Landon. Bogroe is busted by blabbing neighbors revealing the truth of his money making and is literally foot chased by his roomates. |
Characters
Main Characters
- Dillon Magnum. Played by Brayden Patterson.
- Straightforward, Early 20's, open-minded, athletic as a track champion. He shares the rent with Landon. His other roommate, a friend from high school named Bogroe stays with him as a freeloader. Dillon takes responsibility and stands up for him knowing his old friend has fallen on hard times. A student of Saint Louis university, majoring in psychology along with Landon they are finishing up taking College Prep Classes at a local high school, East Valley Academy. Landon regularly gets opportunities to do the right thing (or not) and follow Christian principles, such as the biblical principal "Love thy neighbour as thyself." Brayden's character develops a friendship with the Sundin family and their assist the mother, A widow with three kids.[8]
- His girlfriend is Veronika Earney.
- Landon Lofton. Played by Cody Jarvis.
- The original of the two roommates with Dillon[9], and, as a Christian, is really intent, with the help of Dillon, to convert their down and out roommate Bogroe from being a walking advertisement for welfare into a straightforward, taxpaying good man, and Christ believer.
Landon often shows a heightened animosity towards Bogroe and his laziness of hogging the couch and by forcing him to apply for 10 jobs a week with e-mail confirmations sent. Often a fun guy to watch an anime or a play a basketball game 1-on-1, he helps coach his high-school freshman neighbor Griffin, often meeting with him on the courts and afterwards for talks on strategy.
- His girlfriend is Tara Giordano.
- Savannah Swanson. Played by Rylee Cravens.
- She is the most popular girl at the high school East Valley Academy. A blonde, High School Sophomore, and a riled up gossip girl.
Savannah lives the luxury life in the Upper East Side of the burbs with her dad and freshman sister Thea. When with her friends, notably Sydney or Teagan, she points out others downfalls or creates rumor starting stories to their achievements to make them appear as superficial achievements. Typically her arguments, rumors, or frustration is toward student rivals Erin, Miri, or less popular girls who have gained a certain importance she feels is infringing on her as the main focal point of attention. Ms. Fritz looks at Savannah as the teacher's pet giving her the requirements on what the judges will be looking for in the auditions to make the madrigal Show Choir squad.
- Her boyfriend is Shane and her best friend is Sydney.
- Bartholomew Bogroe Played by Billy Patricks.
- Couch crashing older freeloader, living as the third wheel roommate with Dillon and Landon for no payment and, as such, is really cashing in on a side gig as a Dj.[10]
Dillon and Landon question Brody about Bogroe's unusual behavior and coy smiles when Landon continues to see online Job applications filtering to his inbox. Bogroe has an ongoing fued of words with sassy neighbor Hayley who follows him to discover he has been storing music equipment for Dj gigs. Brody, who knows more than Bogroe's roomates about his side gig, ultimatly is one of the two neighbors who divulge Bogro's secret life much to his dimise of his hopes to live at the apartment for free.
- His girlfriend is Gemma Qiao.
- Erin O'Byrne. Played by Erin Morris.
- High School Sophomore, and a integral part of the state finalist show choir team. Erin is an introverted, super smart redhead, and much to the chagrin of her class rival Savannah, she is the president of the school's drama department. Revealing she was accepted into the prestigious Abbey School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland to friends, a confrontation of sorts ensues about her gifts from God when Savannah throws her out of her house when the two are finishing their required joint school cooperative project together. Erin mentions to her best friend Miri that her in-school restraining order with rival Savannah shouldn’t restrict her from participating in a new school show choir. She is seen hanging around Griffin Sundin playing basketball and quickly gets swept away by his charm, shortly thereafter the two become a couple of forever's.
- Her boyfriend is Griffin Sundin.
- Griffin Sundin. Played by Matthew Becker.
- Griffin Sundin is a show choir singer, mulch-talented dancer, and basketball player who gets private lessons from East Valley High varsity coach Landon Lofton during his high school freshmen year. Griffin lives in an apartment across from Landon and Dillon with his Mother Jaris and sisters Hayley and Roxy. Griffin is best friends with Khalil, a classmate in a higher grade level at the local high school. His girlfriend Erin is one year ahead of him in school although they are about the same age, boldly he is found making out with his new girlfriend while in detention by Principal Guidry and plays it cool when caught. Griffin mentions to Dillon that East Valley Academy recently retired his father’s Basketball Jersey number, the son of the late Johan Sundin, a Swedish basketball league great in the Ligan, meaning simply the “League” in Sweden.
- His girlfriend is Erin O'Byrne.
- Sydney Ashdown. Played by Sydney Thomas .
- A "solo-pianist-singer”, a bit of a bad rich girl, prone to sarcastic remarks. She is best friends with Savannah Swanson. Sydney has a serious boyfriend named Jake, who makes a heartfelt move to solidify his relationship with Sydney. While she accepts Jake's intense sentiment of love towards her she ultimately takes a risk herself with college student Landon. Sydney is very close to her Grandfather who has Alzheimer’s, in an early episode she is prepared for a good read at the East Valley Academy library however she unexpectedly is confronted by an embarrassing moment when Grandpa Ashdown is at her school thinking it is the public library.
Upon an obvious moment of ridicule from students her grandfather makes the situation worse by falling into a small bookshelf-cart.
- Her boyfriend is Jake.
- Hayley Sundin. Played by Molly Cravens.
- 15-year-old "verbally-vivacious" Freshman girl at East Valley Academy high school. She has a twin brother, Griffin Sundin whom she often places blame for everything towards. Her infamous catchphrase is a very sarcastic and distinctive phrase ("Do we have to start like this") that she normally says after a rude or snide comment. Her father, a Swedish professional basketball player passed away at a young age and she relies upon her single mother and neighbor Dillon for parental influences. Among three children of a widowed mom, she appears to be affected the most in grieving for her deceased father when dreaming of past memories that have a profound outcome.
She is in the East Valley Academy Show Choir after a strong solo singing performance for the try out auditions, but is noticeably gone when a Laryngitis epidemic forces several students to miss the State finals competition.
Supporting characters
- Hayley Sundin. Played by Molly Cravens.
- 15-year-old "verbally-vivacious" Freshman girl at East Valley Academy high school. She has a twin brother, Griffin Sundin whom
she often places blame for everything towards.
External links
References
- ^ http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMovies/tabid/258/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13180/Local -Spotlight-Up-on-High-Ground.aspx
- ^ http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1
- ^ http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1
- ^ http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1
- ^ http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/news/granite-city-man-s-short-film-features-local-backdrops/article_83be093b-90e1-59f2-9c40a4627a5225c8.html
- ^ http://www.joomag.com/magazine/play-channel-magazine-volume-3/0306684001399607627
- ^ http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1
- ^ http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1
- ^ http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMovies/tabid/258/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13180/Local- Spotlight-Up-on-High-Ground.aspx
- ^ http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMovies/tabid/258/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13180/Local-Spotlight-Up-on-High-Ground.aspx
http://www.bnd.com/2014/07/06/3286860_tv-pilot-has-familiar-metro-east.html?sp=/99/673/&rh=1 http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/Community/STLMovies/tabid/258/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13180/Local-Spotlight-Up-
on-High-Ground.aspx http://www.joomag.com/magazine/play-channel-magazine-volume-3/0306684001399607627 http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/news/granite-city-man-s-short-film-features-local-backdrops/article_83be093b-
90e1-59f2-9c40-a4627a5225c8.html