“YEAR OF THE SNAKE,” called by its filmmaker, Nic Collins, “a sci-fi, punk rock, genre-bending omedy webseries about a lovable, childish alien named Snake,” is now available on YouTube.
In the nine-episode series, Snake (Patrick Lindhorst) is sent to earth to kill a lonely stoner named V (Danny Backer, who also co-wrote and produced with Collins). V’s kindness makes Snake reconsider his mission and they become the best of friends. As Snake and V band together to defeat the forces of evil, Snake learns that being a human is a little harder than he thought.
Collins directed and edited; Sean Godsey animated; Diem Ngo was the makeup artist/effects, Mary Morrice the production and art director; music by the band, Evasive Backflip.
Collins of Twin Visuals, who’s now in LA freelancing as a director/editor/DP, shot with a crew of 31 in Humboldt Park in 2015, editing while shooting and finishing the series in October. Since then, “Year of the Snake” has showcased in 13 film festivals.
JACK NEWELL’S FEATURE “OPEN TABLES” uses top Chicago and Paris restaurants as backdrop to tell intertwining love stories and the importance of a good main course, with local improv greats T.J. Jagodowski, Dave Pasquesi, Susan Messing and Joel Murray, screens Sept. 15 at the 8th Naperville Independent Film Festival, at the Hollywood Palms Cinema.
WHITE LIGHT CINEMA SERIES has been revived by its founder/programmer/author Patrick Friel and the new iteration plays Sept. 16 at the Nightingale Theatre, with a program of quirky docs of the ‘70s, “A Better Day in Every Way: The Films of Rhody Streeter and Tom Ganz.” Streeter will be in attendance.
Friel also has a cineaste-dedicated website, Cine-File.com, a comprehensive guide to best of underground, experimental/avant-garde and repertory / revival cinema screenings at known and unexpected venues around the city throughout the week.
The current week’s site lists 20 such screenings and events, along with long-running film installations.
FILMMAKER/ACTOR LUKE JADEN directed and acts in his 10-minute horror short, “King Ripple,” now playing on Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/172805433 Jaden co-wrote with Cort Jones, based on Josh Malerman’s original story about four teens who travel into a desolate and decrepit urban wasteland brought forth by the very being they wish to find, dead or alive.
Shot in Detroit, it stars Keith Stanfield (“Straight Outta Compton”), Callaghan Belle, Torrey Wigfield, Allie DeBerry and Ed Kelly. DP was Joel C. Warren, editor, Adam Pillon, special effects makeup by Jayne Laube, music by The Newton Brothers and special effects makeup by Jayne Laube.
Send news of your latest indie project to ruth@reelchicago.com or phone 312/274-9980.
