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The Lapeer filmmaker's short film "Late Bloomer" has been selected to air on television as part of the horror channel Chiller TV's Dare to Direct Contest. It will air at 10 p.m. Halloween night Oct. 31 on Direct TV. Excerpts from his short flick will be shown along with others, and winners will be announced in categories of best picture, creepiest characters and scariest special effects.

"Everybody is excited," Grinnell said. "We're trying to find a place to watch it. Maybe we'll have a Halloween party. We don't know anybody who has Direct TV."

"Late Bloomer" stars four Lapeer County residents: Eric Eilersen, 15, of North Branch, who plays tortured son Oren Blunt; Jim Kennedy, 30, of North Branch, who plays the abusive father, Walter; Devon Compton, a Lapeer West junior who plays co-worker Kate, and her sister Katie, a Lapeer West graduate who plays co-worker Sandy.

The showing is Kennedy's first time on television and he is excited about the possibility of being shown in front of thousands of viewers.

"It should be fun to see it on the screen," he said. "It's been a lot of fun."

With greenhouse scenes shot at Perkins Flowers and Garden in Lapeer, and the basement scenes in Grinnell's apartment next door to the business, the flick was shown on Chiller TV's Web site www.chillertv.com. More than 300 entries were voted on by viewers to determine who would be in the finals.

According to the rules, finalists would be notified to send in their movie. However officials didn't tell Grinnell which category he were up to win at when notifying him. Now they will have to wait for the movie to air.

"They want us to watch," he said. "We're assuming were finalists."

A top Hollywood producer will determine the winners in each of the three categories, who will win $5,000 in cash and a prize package.

The filmmaker, who directed, edited and wrote the piece, paid homage to other classic horror films from music to camera angles, including "Scanners," "Alien," "Evil Dead," and films by director, producer, and screenwriter John Carpenter, who made films like "Halloween" and "Village of the Damned."

"However "Late Bloomer" won't be heading into retirement after the Halloween night showing. Grinnell is hard at work creating an extended version of the film, which will likely end up clocking out at 20-30 minutes. He plans on sending the screenplay and film to various horror film festivals, including the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

"We're filling in some gaps and filling in some things we couldn't show or had to shorten," Grinnell said. "We're adding a long sequence to the night scenes. We added one more shocking scene."

Grinnell is the owner of his production company Grinnell Timeline Productions. He has taken film classes at Eastern Michigan University, and television and radio classes at Mott Community College.

In 2002, Grinnell won a National Telly Award, which honors the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, for his documentary "The Fifth Legend." It was about local historian Hollis Hayes, who restored numerous photos from the old Lapeer High School, and the alumni association that was formed because of him.

"Thanks to everybody for voting," he said.

Although voting is over, the film can be seen online at http://www.chillertv.com/Dare_To_Direct/Video_Gallery/31565.shtml.

Jeff Hoard can be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8127 or jeff.hoard@lapeergroup.com