Love Never Dies - A Film Project

10/05/2025

🎬 That’s a wrap on week one of filming Love Never Dies — and this photo says it all!

Local actor Chris Nagle, seen here coated in feathers, is bringing real-life Culpeper resident and intrepid Confederate spy Frank Stringfellow to life. In this scene, Stringfellow narrowly escapes the Union army (again!) by hiding inside a feather mattress. The result? One very triumphant — and fluffy — getaway.

We’re thrilled by the energy, grit, and humor our cast and crew have poured into this first week. If this image captures how we feel, it’s equal parts exhausted, exhilarated, and ready for more.

10/02/2025

🎬 It's day 3 of filming on Love Never Dies!

None of this would be possible without our incredible camera department. Pictured: Jeremiah Morrison, our Director of Photography (DP), and Joe Carney, our B Camera Operator, on set in Culpeper, VA.

They’re the eyes behind the lens, capturing every emotion and framing every moment with precision and creativity. We’re honored to have their assistance in bringing our epic story to life, one frame at a time.

A big cheers to the camera department, which also includes Jeremy Murray (who took these behind-the-scenes photos), Doug Black and Carrie Stone. Thank you all for your invaluable contributions!

09/30/2025

🎬✨ Day 1 is officially in the books!

Today marked the start of filming on Love Never Dies, our independent feature film based on Virginia Morton’s beloved Civil War novel Marching Through Culpeper. With 13 more days of filming to go, we’re diving headfirst into a story that’s as gripping as it is heartfelt.

Pictured: Director/producer Stephen Pappas setting the stage—literally—before a green screen that will soon transform into a rich, period-specific backdrop straight out of the 1860s. Also pictured: background actor Ben Murray and crew member Carrie Stone, who captures each scene's essential information—such as the scene number and take number—on the "slate" prior to cameras rolling.

The magic of filmmaking is underway, and we couldn’t be more excited to see this journey realized on the big screen. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes moments, cast highlights, and more as we march forward together. 🎥

09/30/2025

🎬 SNEAK PEEK!

We’re thrilled to announce that the legendary storyboard artist David Russell has been an instrumental part of the Love Never Dies team—all the way from Queensland, Australia!

David’s career is the stuff of Hollywood history: from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi to Batman to Moulin Rouge, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wolverine, his dynamic compositions and masterful storytelling have helped shape some of cinema’s most iconic moments. With over $7 billion in box office success and 18 Oscars tied to his work, we’re honored to have his talent guiding our visual journey.

This stunning scene rendering—showing Confederate spy Frank Stringfellow escaping death as well as capture by the Union army—is just one of many that David has helped us bring to life. His ability to capture tension, emotion, and movement in every frame ensures Love Never Dies will hit the screen with heart-pounding impact.

Thank you, David—we’re so lucky to have you! 🎥✨

09/28/2025

CASTING NEWS!

We've revealed more Love Never Dies cast members on our website, including who will be playing our protagonist Constance Armstrong's parents as well as Confederate spy Frank Stringfellow. Check it out!

https://loveneverdiesfilm.com/meet-the-cast

09/17/2025

More great press for our film! Riley Brazell recently talked to her hometown newspaper, the Chronicle-Independent in Camden, South Carolina, about her excitement over being cast as Constance Armstrong, the spirited protagonist of Love Never Dies.

“I submitted my audition, but didn’t hear for a bit, but felt good about it, so I prayed and prayed and prayed,” Brazell said. “I ended up getting a callback on Zoom, and the team and I talked about Culpeper and Camden — and found out that the producer had been to Camden — hearing their side about what they wanted to do. I was interested in learning more about the true story, about the real people.”

To read more of Riley's interview, see the PDF version of the article in the comments below.

Riley Brazell, a Lugoff native, recently signed on for the leading role in Love Never Dies, the cinematic adaption of acclaimed Civil War novel Marching Through Culpeper by Virginia Beard

08/26/2025

🎬 HIRING NOTICE: HAIR & MAKEUP ARTIST 🎬
For the Civil War feature film Love Never Dies

We're on the lookout for a talented regional hair and makeup artist to help bring our cast to life with historically inspired looks that honor the era and elevate the emotion. In particular, we’re looking for someone who can also do special effects makeup/moulage, creating the look of injuries or bruises.

📍 Location: In and around Culpeper, VA
📅 Dates: Weekdays only for three weeks, from Sept 29 – Oct 17, 2025
💰 Compensation: Paid position
🎥 Project: Love Never Dies — a gripping Civil War drama and love story

This is a chance to collaborate with a passionate indie team and leave your mark on a story that celebrates resilience, honor and history. If you love storytelling through style and have a passion for period detail, we want to hear from you!

Interested or know someone perfect for the role?
📩 Email [email protected] and include any relevant details, such as resume, portfolio and/or experience with hair and makeup as well as special effects makeup/moulage.

Let’s make history—beautifully.

08/25/2025

🎉 Love Never Dies is in the headlines again! The Culpeper Star Exponent just dropped an exclusive announcing our two incredible lead actors: Riley Brazell and Ethan Averton.

These two are about to bring heart, grit, and unforgettable chemistry to our Civil War love story. Check out the front page article from Saturday, August 23rd, to learn more about them as well as the latest scoop on the film.

https://starexponent.com/news/local/history/article_18c2f764-295e-4939-a574-dfbd5ecf255d.html

S.C. actress Riley Brazell to play Constance Armstrong, fictional Culpeper woman who falls in love with a Union solder to be portrayed by Ethan Averton, a British actor.

08/15/2025

🎬 Casting Call – Love Never Dies 🎬

The independent feature film Love Never Dies, based on the acclaimed novel Marching Through Culpeper, is currently seeking local male actors for two key roles: Abraham and Joseph, who are father and son.

✨ Who We’re Looking For:

• African American male in his 60s or 70s
• African American male in his 20s or 30s

🗓️ These are paid roles requiring approximately 4–5 days on set, with filming scheduled to take place in Culpeper, VA, between September 30 and October 17. The actors would need to self-transport to and from Culpeper for filming.

📩 If you're interested, please email: [email protected]. Include your photo/headshot, any past acting experience (not required), and links to a resume or past audition footage, if available.

🔗 Learn more about the film at: loveneverdiesfilm.com

Know people in the Culpeper area or even a father-son duo who would be perfect for these roles? Please share this notice with any local actor friends (or those with aspirations) as well as the local theater community! Let’s shine a spotlight on Virginia talent. 🌟

07/22/2025

VOLUNTEER ROLES ON LOVE NEVER DIES! 🎬

In addition to seeking local extras (see our previous post), we’re also looking for enthusiastic local volunteers to assist our cast and crew behind the scenes. Here are some of the areas where you could lend a hand and get first-person exposure to the independent filmmaking process!

💄 Hair & Makeup (get the cast camera-ready)
👗 Costumes (assist the wardrobe department)
🛋️ Set Dressing (help decorate and move furniture)
🔨 Construction (build out certain key sets)
🚗 Transportation (shuttle our out-of-town actors)
🍿 Craft Services (keep the drinks/snacks flowing!)
🎥 Production Assistant (our go-to problem solvers)

📅 Filming runs for two short weeks, Sept 30–Oct 14 (weekdays only), in Culpeper, VA. Certain departments, such as construction and set dressing, may work over the weekends.

👉 If you’re available during our dates, visit loveneverdiesfilm.com and use the Contact Us form at the bottom of the homepage to get in touch.

Be sure to include your contact info (email and phone), your availability (weekdays, weekends or both), any relevant experience or skills (film, theater, Civil War reenacting, carpentry, seamstress, etc.) and which roles you’re most interested in. No experience is required, however—just a can-do spirit and a love of history, movies or storytelling!

THANK YOU for your interest and support!

07/21/2025

LOCAL EXTRAS NEEDED! 🎬

Would you like to appear as an extra in the independent feature film Love Never Dies?

If so, please visit our website (loveneverdiesfilm.com) and use the “Contact Us” form at the bottom of the homepage to reach out to us with your email address, phone number and any pertinent info, such as experience with acting, Civil War reenacting, period costumes, etc. If you also happen to be in possession of Civil War era costumes or props, let’s talk!

Extras casting will take place in late August, and we’ll be sending out an email notification in early August as well as posting updates here on Facebook. Filming will occur in Culpeper, VA, between September 30th-October 14th (weekdays only). If you’re 18 or older, available on weekdays during those dates, and willing to volunteer your time on our bootstrapped production, we want to hear from you. We’re eager to have our local community members represented on the big screen, and a few of you may even get speaking lines!

p.s. Don’t have any interest in being on camera, but still want to support our production? We’re also looking for volunteers to assist our cast and crew in a number of ways. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about volunteer roles!

07/15/2025

🎶 BIG NEWS for fans of Marching Through Culpeper! 🎶

Acclaimed songwriter Rod Stone—the musical force behind the 2012 stage play adaptation—is BACK as music supervisor for the highly anticipated feature film Love Never Dies, the latest adaptation of author Virginia Morton’s timeless Civil War epic. And yes, the title itself is inspired by Rod’s hauntingly beautiful ballad from the stage play, “My Love Will Never Die.”

But that’s not all... At least four of Rod’s evocative songs will be woven into the film’s soundtrack, adding soul-stirring depth to the story. Rod is also crafting a brand-new original song just for the movie. “Waitin’ on You,” this powerfully moving new song, will play toward the end of the film as our heroine Constance anxiously awaits her beloved’s return—a scene destined to linger in hearts long after the credits roll.

“I am blessed to be a part of this epic film and part of a great team of creative people who are working together to bring Virginia’s dramatic and redeeming story to the screen in Love Never Dies,” says Rod.

Having spent over two decades in Nashville’s country music scene before relocating to Anacortes, Washington, Rod brings unmatched artistry and emotional resonance to this project. You can learn a little bit more about Rod and hear a growing list of other songs written by him on Soundcloud at: https://on.soundcloud.com/owqYexq4MFRTHb8EIF

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