Oconomowoc native Kristofor Brown talks with actor Owen Wilson, who plays the lead role in the movie "Drillbit Taylor," which opens Friday. Although Brown has previous experience working in animation and television, this is his first feature film to premiere on the big screen.

OCONOMOWOC - There is no place like home, even for Hollywood writer and producer Kristofor Brown.

With his first feature film, "Drillbit Taylor" starring Owen Wilson and Leslie Mann, opening in movie theaters nationwide Friday, he fondly remembers growing up in Oconomowoc.

"I lived in this area from the time I was born until I was 18. The farthest I ever lived away from southeastern Wisconsin was in college and that was only Oshkosh," Brown, 42, said. "Even though it is a small town, it is a distinct place. It is a great place to make certain who you are as a person and create your own identity."

His Wisconsin beginnings inspired Brown while writing the movie that details three high school freshmen who hire a bodyguard to protect them from the bullies who rule their school.

"Brown was 5 (feet), 3 inches tall and wore braces and glasses when he began high school in his hometown of Oconomowoc," according to the press materials for the movie. "He quickly learned to avoid bullies."

"My experiences were a huge point of reference to draw on. For every single scene that I wrote for the film, Oconomowoc High School was staged in my head," he said. "Even though it was filmed on a great location in L.A., that had a outdoor cafeteria rather than a indoor one, a high school hallway is still a high school hallway and a high school classroom is still a high school classroom, no matter where it is."