Tagline: Band Together.
When gifted singer-songwriter Charlotte Banks (Aly Michalka) asks new kid in town Will Burton (Gaelan Connell) to manage her fledgling rock band, she appears to have just one goal in mind: go head-to-head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend, Ben (Scott Porter), at the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands called Bandslam.
Against all odds, their band develops a sound all its own with a real shot at success in the contest. Meanwhile, romance brews between Will and Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens), who plays a mean guitar and has a voice to die for. When disaster strikes, it’s time for the band to make a choice: Do they admit defeat, or face the music and stand up for what they believe in?
Let’s Start A Rock Band
When it came time to cast Bandslam’s three leads, the filmmakers knew they needed players who possessed both extraordinary acting ability and musical chops. “Bandslam is about that time in life when you are finding your place in the world,” says David Weil, CEO of Anschutz films, the parent company of Walden Media and Bristol Bay Productions. “Will, Charlotte, and Sa5m are a little lost when we meet them. After their worlds collide, they help each other grow up and find their inner strength. We’ve worked with amazing, talented young actors in the past and this film was no exception. Everyone really brought something special to their characters.”
For the character of Sa5m (“the 5 is silent”), a quirky outsider who eventually finds her voice in the coming-of-age story, the filmmakers needed an actress with the skills to make the slightly odd, introverted character likeable-and the musical ability to rock the house in the film’s climactic scene. It was a tall order, but one perfectly filled by actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens, known to millions of adoring fans for her role as Gabriella Montez in the mega-hit High School Musical franchise. In addition to her acting experience on stage and in films, Hudgens has recorded two hit albums.
Read the Full Production Notes
Bandslam
Starring: Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Alyson Michalka, Lisa Kudrow, Scott Porter
Directed by: Todd Graff
Screenplay by: Todd Graff
Release Date: August 14, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements and mild language.
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Box Office Totals
Domestic: $5,210,988 (60.4%)
Foreign: $3,409,970 (39.6%)
Total: $8,620,958 (Worldwide)