The seven-year old Springfield-based Central Illinois Film Commission (CIFC) decided that the time has come to let people know that the area — “everything below I-80 to the Kentucky border” – has the goods to handle filmmaking.
CIFC aims to promote the area’s charms Oct. 26-28, with what it calls a “Film Expo and Trade Show,” but actually seems more like an informational and networking event, with film speakers lined up for Saturday afternoon.
Dean Williams, CICF’s colorful founder/executive director, notes that since the CIFC was founded in 2005, film activity in Central Illinois has contributed a total of $11.7 million to the state’s overall revenue from film.
“People like shooting here,” says Williams, a veteran movie set still photographer and union member. “We don’t charge permit fees, free police and fire protection are free and we shut down streets for shooting.”
Just recently, he says, Springfield was host to two cable shows. Animal Planet shot a documentary about the Asian carp roundup in Illinois waters and the Travel Channel’s roving “Food Paradise” show highlighted Springfield as “the chili capital of the world” and home of the original Cozy Dog corndog.
The area’s biggest draw, especially for producers of period pieces, are locations, such as the Old State Capitol’s circa 1840 interiors and the New State Capitol exterior that often subs for its mirror image, the US capitol in Washington.
Open fields are free of telephone poles, small towns have Victorian-era homes and cobblestone streets and scenic beauty is exotic, wild and natural.
Area filmmakers speak on Saturday
Even the weekend venue is representative of the colorful region. The Riverfront Lodge is on the Sangamon River in Petersburg, near Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site and a fish and wildlife preserve.
(Ironically, Steven Spielberg by-passed Lincoln’s political stomping grounds for “Lincoln,” his Nov. 6 theatrical release. He opted to film in that other Petersburg, and Richmond, Virginia.)
For Saturday’s film discussion, starting at 1:45 p.m. Host and CIFC board member Robert Martel, an award-winner writer and documentarian, has assembled a potpourri of local speakers. They include Jim Betts, retired chief set designer at Paramount, local filmmaker Jim Conover, acting coach Quinn Wilson, writer Tom Jones and himself.
Cinespace VP/general manager Alex Pissios was scheduled to be the main guest speaker at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, but has to cancel due to a personal emergency. He was invited when a CIFC visited him in August to find discuss ways of mutual help to each other.
One way, says Williams, “would be to help CICF encourage the state legislature to add incidentals to the Illinois Tax Credit, to help lower the cost of producing in Illinois.”
The drive from Chicago to Petersburg (35 miles north of Springfield), is three-and-a-half hours. For reservations at the Riverfront Lodge call 866/459-3040. Reach Robert Martel at 217/960-0528 or at robpb1@comcast.net.
Tickets are $25 for the three days, or $20 per day, $15 for students.
