Three young Iowa City-based filmmakers are bringing Hollywood star power to their newest independent film project, currently being shot in locations around Iowa, including Iowa City until Friday (7/27).

University of Iowa graduates Ravi Patel, Tim Nash, and Joe Clarke bring the story of two engineers who fail at love and decide to invent a mathematical formula for seducing women with “The Formula.”

The film stars Brandon Baker, best known for his work in Disney movies such as “Johnny Tsunami,” “The Jungle Book,” “Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board,” and the NBC sitcom “One World.” Also starring in the film is Reginald VelJohnson, a veteran actor best known for his roles in the classic action picture, “Die Hard,” and as Carl Winslow in the long running family sitcom, “Family Matters.” Rounding out the cast is Sasha Jackson, who played the lead role of “Dana” in 2011’s “Blue Crush: Wild Coast.” She also plays the recurring character of “Kylie” on the popular TV series, “One Tree Hill.” Also appearing for cameos will be Hawkeye football star James Morris, and Frank Meenik whose life story inspired American History X, and is the author of “Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead.”

“The Formula” is the story of Quinn (Baker) and Graham (played by Iowa Native Mike Schminke), two engineering students who discover a mathematical formula to pick up women with ease. Quinn is a hopeless romantic who falls head over heels for a young student teacher.

Graham is a chauvinistic womanizer who thinks the key to finding the woman of his dreams is by wooing as many as possible. As “The Formula” follows Quinn and Graham from one date to the next, they discover that there is no shortcut to finding true love.

“The Formula” is the third film produced by Backrow Studios, LLC. Their first feature length film “Kung Fu Graffiti” has signed a contract for sales and distribution with Los Angeles -based production house Entertainment 7. Their second feature “The Wedge” is hitting the film festival circuit, and landed three awards including Best Professional Feature at the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Makers Festival in April.

“The Formula” was written by Joe Clarke and directed by Joe Clarke and Thomas Beecher.