In her newest project and Kickstarter push, Decatur-area native Jessie Seitz sets out to course-correct monster movie history in MONSTER GIRLS, a salute to women makeup effects artists.
Posted in Business Matters, Cinema Discourse, Crowdsourcing du C-U, Documentary, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, How You Can Help, Production Updates | 
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Wouldn’t be prudent for us to promote this weekend’s UIUC and ISU student film shows without honoring the 50th anniversary of the UI student-made ‘MaGuffin’ and SHOT as well. Get learned!
Posted in Alums Done Good, Area Festivals, Cinema Discourse, Competition du C-U, Education/Classes, Ones That Got Away?, Preservation, Print Matter du C-U, Public Events, Student Film, The Old School | Comments Off on ‘MacGuffin,’ SHOT hit 50th mark
Filmmakers of all ages have a week and a half left to submit their short subjects to the brand-new CU International Film Festival, which is set to debut in October on the UIUC campus.
Posted in Area Festivals, Competition du C-U, Deadline du C-U, Education/Classes, For the Children, Happy Places, How You Can Help, Job Opportunities, Public Events, Student Film | Comments Off on 10 days left to enter C-U film fest
A month late yet in perfect timing with the Champaign County Fair, which opens today, we look at the newest in-house WILL-TV documentary directed by Sarah Edwards, COUNTY FAIR.
Posted in Documentary, Education/Classes, For the Children, Public Events, The Old School, YouTube du C-U | Comments Off on Gettin’ set to enjoy COUNTY FAIR
To many, THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD might as well have come from outer space. To cult film connoisseurs like Big Bosphorus Media, it instead holds a place in their movie-loving hearts.
Posted in Deadline du C-U, Education/Classes, Miscellaneous Merch, Preservation, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on Blu-ray SAVES Turkish sci-fi fave
The University of Illinois Press publishes a fair amount of books and journals concerned with cinema, television, and new media. We provide a quick guide to what’s available as their “Summer Sale” winds down very soon!
Posted in Article du C-U, Cinema Discourse, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, Print Matter, The Old School | Comments Off on Two days remain for UI Press sale
Joseph Tykociner’s fabled sound-on-film apparatus did not find favor in its time. Lenny Lipton provides an appreciation in his new book, ‘The Cinema in Flux,’ from Springer.
Posted in Cinema Discourse, Education/Classes, Preservation, Print Matter, The Old School, Videos du C-U | Comments Off on ‘Cinema’ history nods to UI prof
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 | Comments Off on ISU video crew high on ‘Mother’
Our limited series on filmmaking books from the Michael Wiese Productions library continues with ‘John Badham on Directing’ by John Badham, reviewed by Andrew J. Rausch.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Critique du C-U, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, Print Matter | Comments Off on Hollywood vet ‘Directing’ at MWP
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
Once upon a time, next to no one in our society knew how to make movies. Traveling impresarios of a century ago made sure to tease the average citizen with the possibilities in programs like ‘Making Movies.’
Posted in Advertising du C-U, Education/Classes, Gone Hollywood, Images du C-U, Ones That Got Away?, Print Matter du C-U, Public Events, The Old School, Theatres & Venues, VHS is Best | Comments Off on Let’s all go to the ‘Movies,’ C-U
The Central Illinois Film Commission wants to tell you about how filmmakers make it happen in downstate Illinois. Interested in inside knowledge? There’s a Zoom event on Saturday afternoon for that!
Posted in Broadcast Dates, Central Ill. Commission, Cinema Discourse, Education/Classes, Zoom du C-U | Comments Off on Online panel will talk indie filming
Our limited series on filmmaking books from the Michael Wiese Productions library continues with ‘Making it Big in Shorts: The Ultimate Filmmaker’s Guide to Short Films’ by Kim Adelman, reviewed by Jason Pankoke.
Posted in Alums Done Good, Critique du C-U, Education/Classes, Print Matter | Comments Off on MWP home to ‘Shorts’ whisperer
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