PIERCETON – Someone once said, “always keep one foot in the past, your head in the present, and your eyes on the future.” There’s a company in Pierceton, that takes that proverb to heart. For 35 years, Jas. Townsend & Son has been a leading supplier of quality historical reproduction menís, women’s, and children’s clothing and accessories. The company has sold its wares to 18th and early 19th century reenactors, museums and historical institutions, theater companies, government agencies, as well as to Hollywood movie companies. The list of productions that have used Townsend products is long. It includes, to name a few, “Last of the Mohicans”, “The Patriot”, “Master and Commander”, “John Adams”, “National Treasure”, “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “True Grit.” Most recently, however, it’s an independent film called “Crimson Bond” that has put Townsendís goods back up on the screen. Crimson Bond is Jas. Townsend & Son’s own feature-length motion picture release, shot in various locations around northeast Indiana, including the historic fort in Fort Wayne. Crimson Bond is a story about two friends, Jon and Josh (played by Jas. Townsend & Son’s very own Jon Townsend and Joshua King), who unwittingly serve in the Continental Army in the Ohio wilderness under the command of a tyrannical commander, Bartholomew Grigg (played by local actor, Mike Yocum). Jon is begrudgingly bound to Josh by a childhood promise to keep Josh safe from the trouble that seems to hound him. The tension between this promise and self preservation finally reaches a breaking point as the two find themselves falling deeper into danger. For Jon and Josh, acting and video production is nothing new. Jas. Townsend & Son has produced nearly 100 instructional, informative, and promotional videos which often feature the 18th century duo. These videos can all be viewed on the company’s website www.jas-townsend.com or on its YouTube channel. “Some of our videos are serious in nature, others tend to push the envelope.” admits Jon Townsend, “While we take historical accuracy very seriously, we also like to have fun.” It was this growing collection of videos that inspired the feature-length Crimson Bond. “We had just completed shooting a commercial,” Jon recalls, “and as we loaded up the equipment, we started talking about how there had to be a back story to the relationship between Jon and Josh. One thing led to another, and it wasnít long before we had our plot.” It took a year to produce Crimson Bond. There were many challenges along the way. While the skeleton crew had video production experience, no one had ever produced a feature-length movie. While film production is a side step for a company whose reputation is built on historical clothing, the folks at Jas. Townsend & Son believe Crimson Bond provides one more creative way to connect with their customers and to showcase what the company has to offer. Townsend anticipates entering Crimson Bond in various independent film festivals. The movie is available on DVD at www.jas-townsend.com
