As an aside to a tangent, we vicariously saunter about Mother Murphy’s of Normal, IL, thanks to another student project born at Illinois State University, ANYTHING BUT NORMAL. Take a trip with us!
Posted in Business Matters, Documentary, Education/Classes, Happy Places, Media Coverage, Preservation, Student Film, The Old School, Videos du C-U | 
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Ye Ed is rooting for the film culture of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to rebound from the turbulence of recent years. Not everything will survive, such as the theaters he recently photographed.
Posted in Business Matters, Images du C-U, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on August and everything NAFFter
What is reasonable give-and-take when a city is attempting to improve its central hub? The student project MAKING A MURAL illustrates the issue with an artistic conundrum in Normal, Illinois.
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Documentary, Education/Classes, Media Coverage, Preservation, Student Film, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on Student art doc wins BEA award
Nationwide consensus is that small businesses and organizations will get raked over the coals before the pandemic is over. We look at how a first-run, mixed-use, and former movie theater are doing.
Posted in Business Matters, Education/Classes, How You Can Help, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Public Events, Sad Places, The Old School, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Virus fells Orpheum, shorts Avon
Our first post today is to announce the website for the New Art Film Festival has been retired. What transpires in the future for the NAFF will dictate whether it will be of service to the C-U as before.
Posted in Area Festivals, Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, C-U Confidential Shows | Comments Off on NAFF website indefinitely closed
A pair of documentaries with downstate Illinois ties, WHITE HEAT/BLACK ASHES and WHERE ARE YOU, JAY BENNETT?, are close to completion. If interested and able, why not nudge them along?
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Crowdsourcing du C-U, Documentary, Education/Classes, How You Can Help, Music Video, Sad Places | Comments Off on Help fundraise for riot, rock docs
The scenes from a film culture that we have been watching mostly from afar fill us with mild disenchantment instead of wonder. And then we were ordered to self-shelter and keep personal spaces to ourselves. Joy.
Posted in Area Festivals, Article du C-U, Business Matters, Education/Classes, JP Confidential, Local Meetings, Media Coverage, Ones That Got Away?, Public Events, Roger Ebert, Sad Places, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on C-U cinema hits a slippery slope
The Workshop Films Collective, a newer group devoted to developing technical skills and honing storytelling concepts, is led by John Isberg and gathers weekly at Shatterglass Studios in Champaign, IL.
Posted in Business Matters, Education/Classes, Job Opportunities, Local Meetings, Music Video, Production Updates, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on Collective hones film skills weekly
Three upcoming film productions between Dreamscape Cinema of Champaign, IL, and Swede Films of Urbana, IL, are in need of acting talent to fill roles. Ready to submit the right stuff, thespians of the C-U?
Posted in Business Matters, Job Opportunities, Production Updates | Comments Off on Casting underway for feature films
We are happy to see Champaign-Urbana, IL, once again vote with their wallets to help keep the Art Theater afloat, despite the imposition. Also, anybody ever hear of a flick called 100 BUCK HUSTLE?
Posted in Bittersweet Places, Business Matters, Crowdsourcing du C-U, Media Coverage, Preservation, Theatres & Venues | Comments Off on Art Theater seeks $25K, film at 11