Approaching Midnight, a new film starring Emmy-nominated producer Sam Logan Khaleghi and country singer/actress and CMA "Top New Female Artist" winner Jana Kramer, has recently been garnering quite a bit of attention in the country music world.

Khaleghi, who also acts as writer/producer/director of the film portrays Army Staff Sergeant Wesley Kent, a soldier returning home from Afghanistan. After being wounded in battle and losing his best friend from the war, Kent discovers his girlfriend Aspen (portrayed by Kramer) was killed in a car accident during his time away. However when Kent returns home, not all is as it seems.

“Home isn’t really in the same shape Staff Sgt. Kent left it,” Khaleghi said. “There is sort of a small town conspiracy that turns into a small town action thriller as the film gets into the third act.”

In the film, Khaleghi seeked out veterans during a casting call in Michigan to achieve an authentic feel for scenes featuring military characters.

Khaleghi stated that during one of the days they were filming his character walked in a building with his military uniform on. Khaleghi put on his hat before filming and afterwards he stated that he had to re-shoot the whole scene because their military adviser explained that when indoors, military members would remove their hat.

Despite the time crunch of his filming schedule that day, Khaleghi did the re-shoot to keep the authenticity.

With the many roles Khaleghi filled during production he noted that it was a challenge, but at the same time made him more critical when making decisions.

“The challenge is you’re very self-critical, but, at the same time it’s a positive thing,” Khaleghi said. “Because I had all that pressure, I was more apt to try to get it right every time.”

The making of the film was not your typical production. Khaleghi notes that even though it was a small film, it was created through “a budget of passion.”

“In a standard Hollywood movie you would have a straightforward thirty day shooting schedule and you’re rushing to it to get it done,” he said. “In our sense we would shoot, take two or three days off and come back because some of the actors had to do other things.”

During production of the film Khaleghi noted that Kramer always shared her passion of country music on the set. He even learned that the two worked at another job together before they launched their respective careers in film.

“Way before we did this movie together we actually worked at the same night club,” he said. “She was a server and I was a photographer at that night club, we didn’t necessarily chat that much. This was ten years ago, way before ‘One Tree Hill’ and her breakout in country music.

Jana Kramer as Aspen in the film Approaching Midnight
Photo courtesy of Monterey Media
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Before launching his career in film Khaleghi began working on commercial sets and his “big-break” was after he completed college where he got a job as an associate producer on MTV.

Shortly afterwords he began doing on-camera work as well, such as starring in Ford commercials and the U.S Marines. He even had a role in ABC’s crime drama, Detroit 1-8-7.

Khaleghi has just finished showing the film in his hometown of Detroit and states that he is currently looking at other projects to begin working on.

In 2010, his work would be recognized by one the most prestigious awards in the television industry, an Emmy. He served as producer in a short film titled Prison Boat, where it was nominated for “best short film.”

Approaching Midnight is currently available on DVD at most retailer websites as well as online movie rental services.

Khaleghi notes that fans of Kramer will enjoy the behind the scenes footage and interviews with the country star.

For more information on the film you can view their Facebook page.

Watch the trailer for 'Approaching Midnight' below:

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