Noting the needful film things
And a good Saturday to you, film faithful du C-U Blogfidential! We’d like to plunk down one of our patented omnibus posts to help you catch up on cinematic activities stemming from Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond. This time, our particular stress is in helping out these respective parties with their goals and strengthening our media-making subculture in the process. However much or little you can provide or participate, we think you will find both satisfaction and fun in enabling their success! To that end…
A need for student-written film scripts and student-made films has been signaled by the Champaign-Urbana Film Society, which is now accepting entries for both its third annual Pens to Lens Screenwriting Competition and first-ever Pens to Lens High School Film Festival. Winning entries of the former will be made into short subjects by local filmmakers as in prior years; those finished works, as well as the chosen submissions from the latter, will be presented during gala public showings at summer’s end…
A need for extras and other crew positions has been voiced by Danny Hill, a young video producer and photographer from Champaign who is in pre-production on his first full-length movie, HOLLY, described as a “fast-paced thriller” per this Facebook page. Other HD Productions projects include the comedy Web series DOWNTOWN and an Internet interview show, ALMOST INTIMATE. CUBlog previously told you about Hill’s zombie apocalypse short INFECTION two years ago…
A need for fundraising has arisen for Champaign filmmaker Robin Christian and Dreamscape Cinema as they begin development of a documentary titled LIVES MATTER, which will aim to tell “both sides of these very real stories” stemming from aggravated encounters between police officers and urban youth. Dreamscape is seeking $25,000 to cover production and promotional costs; the Kickstarter campaign runs through Friday, February 13. Enlisted to narrate is actor Quinton Aaron of THE BLIND SIDE…
A need for dedicated board members has been proposed by the Art Theater Co-op in Champaign. They are accepting applications from current co-op members through Sunday, February 22, to fill three vacant seats on their Board of Directors. Candidates will then state their respective cases for inclusion during the annual owners’ meeting at the Champaign Public Library on Sunday, March 1, after which votes will be cast. Please write the [dot] art [dot] theater [at] gmail [dot] com for details or hit the link above to apply…
A need for holding an organization to its word has been self-implicated by David Thiel, the program director of WILL-TV 12 in Urbana and a sitting Art Theater board member, who offered a commentary on the local PBS affiliate’s Web site earlier this week “restating our commitment [at WILL] to independent films.” This stance is mainly in reference to documentaries and showcases of the same such as P.O.V.; we do remind the station to step up its game in narrative and locally-based content as well…
And finally, a need for supporting independent publishing has been highly implied in an e-mail blast sent out by Michael Wiese Productions, the California-based specialty imprint founded by Urbana native Michael Wiese nearly 30 years ago. In this case, a 75% off sale of select titles in the MWP library, your business can help them help you if you happen to be a budding filmmaker, producer, cinematographer, screenwriter, et cetera. The discount applies to these volumes between now and Sunday, March 22!
We’ll discuss another need for supporting independent publishing with you in a week or so. Stay tuned!
~ Jason Pankoke