Production company 33 Degrees is poised to open a new one-stop production facility and is on the verge of closing a multi-picture film deal including the sale of their feature “dark,” which screens May 25 at Excalibur.
Philip Faversham of Highroad Productions joined forces with Brad Wells and D.A. Bullock of Cheeseburger Films to form 33 Degrees late last year, and are committed to growing the company into an outfit that handles development through post- production on feature films, television and commercials.
“It’s been a dream in Chicago to work with a company that has everything we want under one roof,” Faversham said, and he’s confident that 33 Degrees is on the verge of realizing that goal.
33 Degrees is in final negotiations on a studio space they plan to equip for film and HD production and post, and they’re in talks to open satellite offices and post facilities in New York and Los Angeles.
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| Jason Bonner stars in “dark” |
The company is in the process of closing a sale of the Wells-produced feature “dark” with a New York cable outlet and expects to land a production deal to produce four more urban-oriented features in Chicago for the cable outlet over the next two years. “It was because of the strength of ‘dark’ that they approached us with this opportunity,” Faversham said.
Commercial and video veteran Bullock directed the HD drama “dark” over 35 days in late 2002. Jason Bonner stars as a University of Chicago student and bike messenger struggling to reconcile the idyllic privilege of his academic life with the violent bleakness of his South Side neighborhood.
Cheeseburger financed the under-$500,000 budget largely through a loan from the state’s Lights, Camera, Illinois! funding initiative. ‘dark’ screened at the Toronto and Chicago film festivals and won best feature at New York’s Urbanworld fest and best first feature at Worldfest in Houston. DP was Jeffrey T. Brown (“One Week”). Music and sound design by Patrick Yacono. Editor, Eric Lange. Production Designer, Andy Mason.
33 degrees is also actively developing several TV series and continues a thriving commercial business ? they recently wrapped a Bullock-directed campaign for Warren Buffett’s NetJets.
“dark” screens Tuesday, May 25 at 7 p.m. at Excalibur, 632 N. Dearborn, as part of the Black Cinema Caf? series.
33 Degrees is at 1000 W. Washington, Suite 541. Call 312/226-2726 or see www.darkthemovie.com.
? by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com.
