Seth Worley, Bianca Belle, and Kalon Kox dive into the fresh film Sketch

Seth Worley, Bianca Belle, and Kalon Kox dive into the fresh film Sketch

New Family Drama “Sketch” Sparks Theatrical Release

Plot Overview

When a young girl’s sketchbook slips into a peculiar pond, the drawings escape confinement and manifest in unpredictable, chaotic, and dangerously real forms.

Family Tension

  • She and her brother must track down the creatures or face permanent ruin.
  • The father races through fallout to reunite the family and halt the accidental disaster.

Cast Highlights

  • Seth Worley as the determined father
  • Bianca Belle as the courageous protagonist
  • Kalon Kox as the loyal brother

Release Details

The Angel Studios film “Sketch” opened in theaters on August 6th, capturing audiences with its unique blend of family loyalty and dangerous imagination.

Worley on his inspiration to write and direct ‘Sketch’

Director Embraces Childhood Dream in New Film ‘Sketch’

Early Childhood Drive

Worley recounts the first spark that set his career in motion: watching the original blockbuster on the big screen at nine years old. That experience solidified his conviction that his first feature should echo the same sense of awe.

Creative Conflict and Vision

Worley admits that crafting a script about two people talking in a room was a daunting challenge. He needed action, a pursuit, and a profound emotional journey for a character. Those elements formed the backbone of his narrative strategy.

Family Art and Psychological Insight

  • Sunday Encounter – A daughter returned home with drawings that depicted violent acts in an inventive rage, including an unprecedented amount of blood and the death of a parent.
  • Childhood Counselor – Worley recalls a younger sister who faced a counselor after drawing a violent picture of her teacher. The counselor asked, “Did you really want to see this happen to your teacher?” The sister answered, “I did when I drew it, but I don’t now.”
  • Positive Judgment – The counselor replied, “Well, I think you did the right thing.” Worley acknowledged that drawing the scene was a healthier choice than actually harming it.

Final Creative Synthesis

Exploring these drawings led Worley to confront a tension: violent art is the safest channel for expression, while the daughter could be perceived as a serial killer, implicating the father. That psychological paradox felt instantly writable. It became the genesis of ‘Sketch’, a film that blends intuition, personal history, and a bold narrative vision.

Bianca Belle and Kalon Kox talk about playing their characters

Young actors Bianca Belle and Kalon Kox find resonance in their roles

Both actors expressed a deep connection with the characters they portray, citing personal experiences that mirror their on‑screen personas.

Bianca Belle’s perspective

  • Freedom to express herself – “I love that she doesn’t care about what anybody else thinks because she wants to be free to express herself,” Belle noted.
  • Relatability – Belle recalled a phase in her life where she was “just didn’t care about anybody else’s opinions, and I felt free to be myself.” She added that many peers “don’t really feel that anymore.”

Kalon Kox’s take

  • “I love the annoying aspect of Bowman.” Kox described the character as the “mosquito at 3 a.m. that keeps buzzing in your ears.” He added that after smacking it away, the foe “tunes in on the other side of your bed.”
  • Bowman as comedic relief – “I just loved playing Bowman; he is the comedic relief of film,” Kox continued, highlighting the character’s role in lightening the mood of the storyline.

Lessons learned from the screenplay

What We Learned from the Screenplay

Trusting Your Children with Their Emotions

  • Worley said: “Writing this movie taught me that I need to trust my kids with their emotions.”
  • He added that a child’s feelings should be heard, not hidden.

Giving Children a Safe Space to Process Feelings

  • Worley explained: “I also must provide them with a safe space to process their feelings and not fear the more complex and darker things we feel when life happens.”
  • Such spaces encourage open conversations and emotional health.

Bianca’s Takeaway: Don’t Bury Your Emotions

  • Bianca advised: “You shouldn’t shove your emotions down into a deep pit and bury them six feet under.”
  • Instead, she urged: “Feel them, talk to people, and let them out in the open.”

Kalon’s Bold Message: Be a Courageous B‑Hole

  • He recounted: “Bowman has taught me that if you’re going to be a b‑hole, be at least a slightly courageous b‑hole.”
  • He emphasized that the film will clarify why that “courageous b‑hole” is a powerful lesson.

Worley on his writing process

Worley’s Ideation Journey

Guiding the Narrative

Purpose‑driven drafting is Worley’s cornerstone. When a spark ignites, it’s not a solitary thought but a thousand‑idea continuum. He captures them all, then the world pauses, leaving him alone to weave coherence.

The Lightning‑Strike Phase

  • Idea harvesting – raw thoughts pour in, unfiltered.
  • Buried pause – the influx stops, forcing introspection.
  • Scene‑thematic synthesis – he balances cinematic fragments with thematic payoffs.
  • Dot‑connecting strategy – a personal roadmap links loose movie pieces.

Production Reality

The project spanned six to seven years to materialize, followed by an additional year to finalize. Worley’s method steered the nine‑year odyssey.

Worley on the filmmaking process for ‘Sketch’

Reimagining a Film’s Core Narrative

Driving Forward the Vision

He noted that the journey to securing belief in the film demanded persistence. Tony Hale’s unwavering support was pivotal, yet the reasoning that sustained the drive was the concept of a protagonist who “everyone else perceives as broken and must be fixed”—Amber, the character Bianca’s focus.

Uncovering the Underlying Twist

  • Worley emphasized the importance of flipping the narrative to reveal Amber’s unique role in fulfilling everyone else’s intended purpose.
  • He clarified that the remaining characters appear flawed, while Amber processes her emotions genuinely.
  • He described the scene that allowed Amber to “exert herself confidently and embody her dark, cool self” as the essential motivation behind his work.

Keeping the Mystery Intact

Without revealing plot points, Worley acknowledged that the pivotal scene was the catalyst that kept him engaged. He expressed his aspiration to see this movement unfold in the cinematic world, connecting the scene to the broader film experience.

Enduring the Scene’s Impact

Worley concluded that the ambition to showcase the scene—and consequently the film—was a driving factor, ensuring that the story’s key moment remained compelling and unique in its presentation.

Closing thoughts on ‘Sketch’

Upcoming Feature Sparks Heart‑Opening Dialogue

Young performers share a simple yet powerful message: “Feel your feelings! Don’t shy from the darker stuff. Let art be a safe way to express, process, and talk to the people in your life.”

Parents Walk Away Empowered

  • Three actors concur: “Parents should leave the film feeling empowered to provide a safe space for their kids.”
  • Even if you’re not a parent, adults should assume a responsibility to create safe spaces for each other.

Director’s Final Thought

Seth Worley concludes: “Even if you’re not a parent, we want adults to feel like they have a responsibility to themselves and to the people in their lives to create safe spaces for each other to feel things.”

Learn More

Discover more about director and filmmaker Seth Worley by following him on Instagram.