Feature-length thriller,
“Hunting God,”
recently wrapped production
in Savanna, Il,
located just two and a half hours
west of Chicago
(Chicago — 4 May 4) Produced by JJack Productions and backed by investment group Chicago Media Angels, Hunting God follows a recent widower who, when reunited with his old church buddies to film a hunting show, comes across a supernatural presence that forces him to confront his faith.
Directed by Justin Jackola & written by Ken Miyamoto, the film adds a unique twist to the found footage genre and is seen exclusively through the lenses of the characters’ own cameras during their hunting journey around a secluded cabin in the woods.
“Hunting God faces the deepest and challenging issues of friendship and faith … we knew it was only a matter of time until Justin made a great feature … we knew he was going to get this thing done, and done right”
—Ted Reilly, CMA
Justin & JJack Productions’ ten years of commercial filmmaking experience culminated with the greenlight of Hunting God — the production companies’ first feature-length project to be produced entirely in house.
The team (Justin & his producer Samantha George) brought on Stage18 member Jacquelyn Jamjoom (Digital Hydra) as a Producer in 2017, immediately after obtaining greenlight status. The film was shot with an entirely local cast & crew, something the filmmakers felt passionate about.
“One of the best things about producing a film is that you’re literally building a small company. You’re bringing together the best people, to build the best thing you can, while having as much fun as you can.”
—Justin Jackola, Director
The Hunting God team worked with the Northwest Illinois Film Office (NIFO) – a new branch of the Illinois Film Office that facilitates on-location filmmaking in 4 counties. Janell Loos (Director of Tourism and Events, NIFO) played a key role in supplying resources for the production: everything from housing, restaurants, and transportation, to on-site safety measures.
“I grew up in Northwestern Illinois. I’ve always known about all the unique and varied topographical locations, and I couldn’t wait to let the world know about everything we have to offer in our film friendly area.”
—Janelle Loos, NIFO
The film was shot at Bill Delp’s historic Grandpa’s Cabin, a structure that’s been around since 1837. Bill & his partner Rhonda, both photographers, instantly became part of the team putting in long days and late nights during production to shoot behind-the-scenes photos for the crew. In fact, many of Savanna’s residents stepped in when help was needed. Whether they were lending truck or a generator, Savanna’s hospitality never wavered.
“All indie films are tough to produce because there are limited resources, so it’s incredibly valuable when you have an entire community ready to help out and support you. It was humbling to see just how generous everyone was.”
—Jacquelyn Jamjoom, Producer
With support from Throughline Films, Hunting God’s producer’s reps, the film is on track to secure distribution with faith-focused platforms and mainstream outlets alike.
The film’s post-production is being completed by a stellar post team including Cutters’ Michael Lippert for editing and finishing, Company 3’s Tyler Roth for color correction, and NoiseFloor’s Bryen Hensley for sound mixing and design.
