SPLIT PILLOW’S CHALLENGE 3.0, the group’s third annual collaborative filmmaking contest, runs Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30. Friday, each filmmaking team writes a short script in 12 hours in an assigned genre.
Saturday, teams exchange scripts and each team has 24 hours to shoot their film based on the script they’ve received. Sunday, teams exchange footage and each team has 24 hours to edit the footage they’ve received.
Judges include IFP/Chicago executive director Elizabeth Donius, Movieside organizer Rusty Nails, Midwest Independent Film Festival director Mike McNamara, and Kelly O’Brien of GenArt. Registration is $50 for competition, $35 for non-competition, half off for students.
The completed shorts will screen Wednesday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Lakeshore Theatre, 3175 N. Broadway. See www.splitpillow.com.
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| Daniel Mueller |
DANIEL MUELLER STARTS PRODUCTION this June on his second feature, the micro-budget DV sci-fi dystopian thriller “Question Room,” produced through his Border Collie Cult Productions.
“Question Room” centers on a group of renegade free thinkers in a world devoid of reflection, both literally and figuratively. “The people in this world have never seen their own image reflected in any surface?they cannot reflect on themselves internally either,” Mueller said. “Divergent thinkers?are unseen and operate illegally from underground. These people are feared, misunderstood and condemned by society.”
Shooting runs from mid-June through July, mostly in Rogers Park, with additional stunts and effects shooting in Racine, Wisc. Mueller directed the 2003 feature “Pulling Wool.” Casting director is Prince Parise. And Mueller is looking for “the largest freestanding wall in Chicago.” See www.geocities.com/bordercolliecultproductions/questionroom.html.
BRAD WELLS’ indie feature “Dark” will be distributed direct-to-video by Image Entertainment Co. and there’s talk of “Dark” getting a limited art house theatrical release. As described by Wells, the story’s “a coming of age, hip-hop version of ?Catcher in the Rye.'” “Dark” was produced for $250,000. It was the film to receive a state Lights, Camera, Illinois! loan. More under $1 million films in the hopper at Wells’ 33 Degrees company.
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| Rebecca Doppelt |
REBECCA DOPPELT IS IN POST on her documentary about the annual spring musical performed by disabled students at Clare Woods Academy in Bartlett. “The students vary from very high functioning to nonverbal autism, Down Syndrome, etc.,” Doppelt said.
“The show is almost entirely student run. In the end, all the students, even the ones who can’t speak, or write their own names, or do anything for themselves, get up and perform memorized dances in front of sold out houses.” Doppelt’s brother Bryan, who has Down Syndrome, attended Clare Woods for 12 years before graduating in 2002.
Producer is Annick Wolkan. Camera, Brian Barnhart, Josh Tallo, and Hunter Whalen. Sound, Andre Azoubel, Gunnar Jebsen and Jesus Beltran. Editors, Bryan Whalen and Rob Chambers. Doppelt aims to wrap post by Thanksgiving. See www.clarewoodsdoc.com.
WAUKEGAN’SESHWAR GUNTURU is in postproduction on his debut DV feature “Drives,” shot over the past two years in Chicago, Madison, Texas and India. The film “brings love and money together into one psychological musical thriller?when desperate people from two continents chase theirs dreams and ambitions,” Gunturu said. Email jaydamb@yahoo.com.
DAN CONSIGLIO’SALTBURN company starts preproduction June 18 on “The Alleyball.” Producer/director Cosiglio wrote the script with Johnny Ray Meeks. John Yaworsky is executive producer; James Schwartz is DP, Rikki Hill and Brad Demarea production designers and Christina Stumpfl will edit. Phone, 619/675-1873.
DEN LETIP SHOOTS THE THRILLER shoots the thriller “Red Star” this September for Shadow, Inc. of Darien. “Red Star” follows a Russian agent racing to clean up a botched mission before his colleagues take him out. Email sabakacl@yahoo.com.
Email info to edk@homesicklblues.com.
