Harrisburg-born filmmaker has new movie coming out Thursday

A Harrisburg native now in the movie business is anticipating the U.S. release of a new film Thursday.

John Hollaway, a 1992 graduate of Harrisburg High School, didn't take a traditional route into the film industry, but that hasn't stopped him from being successful.

His award-winning film, "Be Afraid," a psychological thriller shot in Pennsylvania, will be available on iTunes, Google Play and VOD Thursday. The film has garnered several industry awards, including the 2017 NYC Winter Film Award for "Best Horror Feature Film." It also was accepted for viewing at the Cannes Film Festival.

"It has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point in my life, but making movies is something I have always wanted to do since I was a boy around age 8," Hollaway said.

"I am fortunate enough to get the opportunity to work in an industry I really love, all of which wouldn't be possible without of the support of my family, friends, and an amazing fiancee, Holly, who has been patient and stood behind me in everything."

Hollaway studied at Southeastern Illinois College, but left Illinois for Orlando before he finished his associate degree. In Orlando he got hired as a bodyguard, and some of his clients were actors. That enabled him to see the movie-making process up close, reaffirming that dream of his 8-year-old self.

Eventually, he got the opportunity to work for a talent agency owned by Lou Pearlman, the founder of boy bands N'SYNC and Backstreet Boys. He then started his own talent agency, sold shares of it, and at some point found himself working for investing conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.

When the company began downsizing, he took his savings and severance and founded a new talent agency with his best friend, who at the time worked for the Orlando Sentinel.

"It started as a promotion company, putting people at events that would push promotions for the paper," he said. "At first it was fairs and food and wine festivals. Then, we moved to trade shows. Next, we started booking models for Universal Studios. A lot of ads for Universal Studios and Disney have our models in them."

Hollaway went back to school. He enrolled at Full Sail University, a for-profit school in Orange County, Florida, and got a degree in entertainment finance. He said it's a more practical side to the business.

"I can tell you that a lot of people can write great shows and scripts but don't know how to make money from it," he said. "That's where people get cheated; in the distribution of it."

Hollaway currently has several other projects he's working on, and he said he would like to try to screen "Be Afraid" in or around Harrisburg in the near future.

He also said he'd like to find a film to shoot in southern Illinois, though he said Illinois is not as competitive with tax incentives as other states.

"The big thing is, I'd really like to give back to the community," he said. "It would be great to come back and do something."