IFA Chicago and SAG-AFTRA Chicago hosted an At The Table event, featuring a screenplay by IFA Member Beah Travis, titled Belladonna.
Produced in partnership by IFA Chicago and SAG-AFTRA Chicago, At the Table pairs completed scripts with professional actors for a table read and curated feedback session. This is especially valuable for projects in the process of finding investors and exploring casting possibilities.
The At The Table reading was performed by SAG members Cynthia Judge, Sheryl Nieman, Iris Lieberman, Justine C. Turner, Chloe Skoczen, Aeris Danet, Tommy Martin, Chris Holder, Eve Rounds, MichaelDowney, William C. Thompson, and Susan Hofflander.
Belladonna is a coming-of-old-age-film set in the Midwest. After living her life as a devoted wife and mother of five, a housewife helps her husband end his life and embarks on a new chapter of her own.
Following the table read, there was a moderated feedback session where performers and members of the audience provided feedback and reactions. The audience was encouraged to complete a survey accessible via QR code to leave written feedback for Beah and team. The evening concluded with refreshments, networking, and continued conversation.
We had a chance to talk with Beah about her experience with At The Table:
Is this your first screenplay?
Belladonna is my first feature screenplay. Since I started the script for Belladonna in 2017, I’ve written a few more features and shorts, but Belladonna was my first endeavor into feature film writing. The first draft of Belladonna is vastly different from what I have today; and the last seven years of writing and rewriting have really served as my screenwriting school.
Can you tell us a bit about the process of how your script was chosen for the table read?
Belladonna was part of the year-long Chicago Industry Exchange Lab through the Chicago International Film Festival, which is how the Independent Film Alliance learned about it. They reached out and asked to read my script and that’s how it was selected to be part of the At the Table program.
Was the story written as fiction or is it based on a true story?
Belladonna is fiction but inspired by my hometown of Sheboygan, WI.
How did it feel to hear your script come to life in the hands of talented actors?
It felt really cool! It’s one thing to hear the lines in your own head and then a totally different thing to hear them read out loud and interpreted by actors. The cast was so talented and extremely thoughtful in how they approached the characters and the story. The experience provided me with more insight into the characters and their relationships with each other. I’m so grateful.
As you listened to the performance did you find yourself taking notes on script changes?
I did. Listening to the performance allowed me to identify lines that weren’t quite landing how I imagined and areas that needed a little more finessing. Overall, the experience gave me confidence in the story that I have along with the opportunity to hone parts of the script.
Was the screenplay written with Chicago as the location for filming?
The film is set in Wisconsin, and I believe there are many options for filming between both Wisconsin and Illinois.
What’s next for Belladonna?
Belladonna is currently looking for both equity investors and donations to the project. We hope to start filming in the next year or two.
The At The Table Program:
To date, At the Table has featured 15 scripts and 5 have gone on to be produced while the others are progressing towards that goal. Scripts are welcome to be submitted throughout the year, and questions can be directed to info@ifachicago.org.
The general criteria for submissions are that:
- The writer is either a member of IFA Chicago or SAG-AFTRA (or has won pitch contest)
- The plan to film is at least 50% in the midwest, preferably in the Chicago area
- The budget is under $2MM
- The script is under 100 page, has been through many revisions, and is production ready
The event was organized and produced by Kathy Byrne and the SAG-AFTRA Chicago team; and IFA Chicago’s At the Table committee and their team. Kelly Demaret and JC Farris were the Volunteer liaisons from each organization.
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