News > October 18, 2007

By Blake Brittain | Staff writer

Portions of The 5th Quarter, a movie about former Wake linebacker Jon Abbate, was filmed at the Wake-Florida State football game Oct. 11. According to senior Devin Kidner, who is working with the film as a campus liaison, the camera crew was in the Gold Parking Lot scouting out the location for more filming during the game against UNC – Chapel Hill Oct. 27.

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Jon Abbate, ‘06, plays in the 2006 ACC Championship. His inspirational story will be told in the upcoming film, The 5th Quarter. (Jeff Merski/Old Gold & Black)

The crew also filmed the cheerleaders, marching band and student section at the FSU game for use in the movie.

The film will be directed and co-produced by Rick Bieber, best known for his work on such early 90s films as Made in America and Flatliners. Bieber is currently finishing work as co-writer, producer and director of Crazy, a biographical movie based on the life of guitar player Hank Garland.

Bieber says he was introduced to the Abbates’ story through a mutual friend of his and the Abbate family, Doug Ames.

“It was Doug who actually broached the subject with Jon and his dad, Steven,” Bieber said.

“Their feeling was it would be a way to pay homage to Luke and his life, and also bring attention to the Five Foundation that they’ve started.”

The Five Foundation, established by the Abbate family, educates teenagers between the ages of 16 and 20 about the dangers of reckless driving. Luke Abbate was killed in a car crash in February 2006 at the age of 15 while riding with a friend who was driving recklessly.

“For those of us that have gone through those first few years while their kids are getting their licenses, it’s a real tough time,” Bieber said.

“Everyone’s hope in making a film like this is that from the ashes of Luke’s tragedy comes a higher purpose, and that we can really have a positive impact. The movie can’t preach, but it can educate.”

The film centers on the football team’s 2006 ACC Championship season, of which Jon Abbate was an integral part. Abbate averaged 8.6 tackles per game as a middle linebacker while earning First Team All-ACC honors, and received an Honorable Mention for Sports Illustrated’s All-American team.

Abbate’s greatest performance occurred in the ACC Championship game against Georgia Tech, where he had 15 tackles in the 9-6 victory.

During the season, Abbate changed his jersey number from 40 to 5, the number that Luke wore for his high school team.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter of each game, Abbate would signal his parents by holding up five fingers in honor of his brother, a gesture that was also adopted by the rest of the team, the Wake crowd and even opposing fans.

Bieber will attempt to tell the story from multiple viewpoints that eventually intersect, including those of people who inherited Luke’s organs after his death, in the style of films like Babel and Crash.

“You’d be hard-pressed to create a story that’s more dramatic and more inspirational,” Bieber said.

Kidner says that the film will stay faithful to the true story of the Abbate family.

“As Rick has said, the real life story is more compelling than any script could be, so he will be sticking as closely to the story as possible,” Kidner said.

The movie has not yet been cast, and filming with a full crew is currently set to begin in January 2008.

Senior Devin Kidner, campus liaison for the film, can be reached for questions or comments at kidndb4@wfu.edu.