You can almost hear the uninformed student at the Hoff Theater box office now: “$10?” Typically when the Hoff showcases independent films, it’s for free or a small price. But the writer-director of What Goes Around, Steve McAlpin, is charging $10 a head for university students. If you ask him, it’s worth it.

“It’s a relationship movie. … Every demographic, everybody in the world can relate to this. We all have friends, we all have mothers,” McAlpin said in an interview with The Diamondback. “It was shot on location in South Florida – shot hi-def, high production value, the acting is superb. Initial reviews … have been consistently positive.”

But you don’t have to just take McAlpin’s word for it – a trailer for the film is available at www.sunrason.com and features an all-black cast with gun-toting men, scantily clad women and flashy cars. Yet while the film seems sensational, McAlpin’s comments suggest something more in the vein of Tyler Perry.

“My goal with this movie, as with most of the movies I have done, is always to try to entertain people, as well as leave them with a message,” McAlpin said. “The big problem we have with HIV. … As far as unsafe sex goes, the movie tackles that as an underlying theme.”

One thing that appears unquestionable simply from viewing the trailer is the high production value. The visuals are crisp, and there is no shortage of expensive cars. All this is particularly impressive, considering McAlpin said he shot the film for just over $100,000.

“We had Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royce Phantoms; we shot on the water,” McAlpin said of the process.

It’s been a gradual rise for McAlpin, whose first feature-length film, Foreign, was distributed “Mom and Pop” style. He then secured a direct-to-DVD release for his second film, Bashment: The Fork in the Road, which he claims suffered extensively from bootlegging.

This time, McAlpin is trying for a theatrical release. The film features a number of dancehall artists, with one of note being Alton Ashman, otherwise known as Rraw Dawg. Ashman, who lived in Washington, was gunned down earlier this year right around the corner from this campus, at the intersection of Adelphi and Metzerott roads.

“A lot of his friends and fans are from that area, and the movie is dedicated to his memory,” McAlpin said. “Alton’s death really shook the area; this is the last footage of him, I believe, prior to him being killed. I hope that people that get to see him in his last moments will take a chance to reflect on their lives and [realize], if nothing else, our time on this planet is not everlasting.”

Another musical talent appearing in the film is reggae artist Mavado, whom McAlpin called “the Jay-Z of hip-hop reggae.” Mavado has in fact collaborated with the real Jay-Z before (with the song “I’m on the Rock”) as well as G-Unit (“Let it Go”).

Despite the impressive production value and notable cast members, McAlpin is still very much an up-and-coming filmmaker. He is not listed on www.imdb.com, and a Google search for his name turns up mostly his own promotional sites. But his previous films are available on Amazon and www.blockbuster.com, and he is continuing to shop What Goes Around for theatrical distribution as he tours the film around the country.

When the Hoff typically premieres a film by an independent filmmaker, the attendance might be about 20 people. With What Goes Around, McAlpin hopes to break that trend.

What Goes Around will screen Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Hoff Theater. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for non-students.

dan.benamor@gmail.com