The Last Song Goes Into Production

The Last Song, a coming-of-age drama starring multi-talented singer/songwriter/actress Miley Cyrus, Kelly Preston and Greg Kinnear, begins production in Savannah, Ga., this week. The film is based on best-selling novelist Nicholas Sparks' forthcoming novel.

Hitting bookstores on September 8, 2009, Sparks' The Last Song is the 15th book published by the novelist whose other books include The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe. Though several of his books have been adapted to film, The Last Song is the first to make it to the big screen within the first year of publication.

The Last Song is set in a small Southern beach town where an estranged father (Kinnear) gets a chance to spend the summer with his reluctant teenaged daughter (Cyrus), who'd rather be home in New York. He tries to reconnect with her through the only thing they have in common-music-in a story of family, friendship, secrets and salvation, along with first loves and second chances.

Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine) stars as the father, and Preston (Jerry Maguire) has been tapped to play the teen's mother. The film also features Bobby Coleman (Friends with Money), Liam Hemsworth (Knowing), Hallock Beals (Letters From Iwo Jima), Nick Lashaway (The 40 Year Old Virgin) and Carly Chaikin (the upcoming feature The Consultants).

Julie Anne Robinson makes her feature-film directorial debut with The Last Song. Robinson has been twice nominated for a BAFTA and received a Golden Globe nomination (Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Blackpool). Her credits include a variety of television series, including Grey's Anatomy and Pushing Daisies. Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot, the duo behind 17 Again produce; Dara Weintraub (Superbad) is co-producer. Jeff Van Wie co-wrote the script with Sparks.

The creative team also includes cinematographer John Lindley (Pleasantville), costume designer Louise Frogley (Good Night, And Good Luck.) and production designer Nelson Coates (The Proposal).