Locally made ‘Down to the Felt’ makes Columbus proud

by Clayton Hines

Last spring, locally-made independent film “Down to the Felt” premiered on the opening night of the 2025 Cinema Columbus Film Festival. Months later, it finds itself in the spotlight of local cinema once again.

Directed by Jon Osbeck, a university alumnus, “Down to the Felt” was granted a limited release at local theaters Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse and Drexel Theatre. 

An industry veteran and freelance photographer, Osbeck has held small roles in Hollywood films such as “Dark Waters” and “A Man Called Otto.”

Excluding the top five cast members, all cast and crew members were located in the Columbus area. 

Columbus, which is not widely known as a hub for Midwestern cinema (Chicago and Pittsburgh are usually considered to be the frontrunners), provided the out-of-state cast with a wonderful experience, according to Osbeck.

At a Q&A at Studio 35, Osbeck said the cast considered the set “the most professional [the actors] had ever been on.”

Jokingly, he added: “they were so glad they took the chance to come to Columbus, Ohio, which is not known as a [film hub] yet.”

The film is about a down-on-his-luck gambler, Paul, who loses his job after a string of bad losses. Additionally, he finds himself in debt to a bookie who is becoming increasingly impatient with Paul’s late payments.

After losing his job, he moves in with his mother. In an effort to secure her a better life, he hires a hitman to kill him in two weeks, so his mother can obtain his life insurance. 

When Paul meets a woman named Erica at a poker match, he strikes up a romance and suddenly begins a win streak. 

In time, Paul must answer to his inevitable fate.

As an independent film, “Down to the Felt” exceeds expectations and makes a new path for cinema in an untapped market. Utilizing Columbus as the foreground of the feature, Osbeck offers not only a story, but an experience.

Filmed at multiple Columbus establishments such as local bar “The Walrus,” as well as neighborhoods in Clintonville and Upper Arlington, the familiar locations give the local audience something to look forward to in every scene.

However, the film is not without its faults. An overuse of profanity early on in the film’s 95-minute runtime could be a turnoff for some viewers. The profanity gets tiring after about 10 uses of the f-word in around two minutes. 

Some scenes in the film do feature a darker color palette, which creates a more serious tone that can clash with the humorous and witty dialogue. 

However, as the film went on, “Down to the Felt” became a commentary on death and a desire to control your own destiny. As Paul finds his back against the wall, he must decide if he will choose love, even at the cost of committing a heinous crime. 

In an almost sold-out theater, countless fingers in the crowd were seen pointing at the screen as the audience recognized highways, COTA buses and favorite eateries.

In the future, there is no doubt that “Down to the Felt” will be a trailblazer for the Columbus film scene, solidifying Columbus’s place on the map of American cinema.

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