IOW: Soon we can haz BAND?
Part and parcel to the filmmaking process, especially where feature-length projects are concerned, is that seemingly eternal lag time between the last day of principal photography and the earliest screenings of a close-to-final cut. Of course, it is much more a waiting game for general bystanders as it is the core team that is out there, somewhere, working hard on applying post-production mojo to their baby including reshoots, picture editing, color correction, sound design, music composition, visual effects, and titles. For media outlets like C-U Blogfidential, always keeping one eye open for signs of filmic life, it can be feast or famine in terms of what coverage we can allot to any given topic that is timely but accurate. In certain cases we’re sent regular updates if not an insider scoop or two, keeping our interest piqued, while in other circumstances we have to patiently wait in the dark along with everyone else residing in the wings.
When it came time to assemble C-U Confidential #7 last fall, area native Andrew Steadman was generous with quotes and exclusive pictures relating to his musician-centered indie drama WE HAD THIS BAND, filmed in Bloomington-Normal a year ago. “We had a crazy summer! Our shoot was a success,” Steadman relayed to CUBlog back in September. “Our crew of 30 to 40 included people from Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as students from Illinois Wesleyan, Illinois State, DePaul, and Southern Illinois [universities]. The Town of Normal and City of Bloomington were both extremely helpful, allowing us to shoot scenes in areas such as Uptown Station in Normal. Businesses such as [the now-closed] Chill Out! Yogurt and The Coffeehouse and Deli donated their space to the crew while others like Emack & Bolio’s, Mother Murphy’s, and Waiting Room Records were used as shooting locations.”
The production’s biggest scene involved filling a former movie house, the Castle Theatre in downtown Bloomington, with concertgoers for a real-life benefit staged for the film. “We did 18 days [of shooting in B-N] wrapping with the Tornado Belly Rock Festival at the Castle on July 7,” continued Steadman. “This show featured performances by WitchFeet, Steven, and The Red Hot Valentines [a former Champaign group reunited for the occasion, and] thanks to donations by the fans, we were able to make a small contribution to both the Hammitt Elementary School at The Baby Fold and the Pratt Music Foundation.” Sporadic updates since posted to their various social media accounts, accessible through this bare-bones Web site, have focused on public appearances and recording sessions by WE HAD THIS BAND lead actors Andy Wagner, Julie Carlson, Jane Noseworthy, and Steadman performing as their characters’ group, Burn Daylight.
More recent statuses have teased both a Burn Daylight EP and a complete rough cut of the film. We will provide you current news about WE HAD THIS BAND when Steadman and friends come up for air, including the inevitable downstate Illinois play dates, illustrated with images by set photographer Jamie Day. Until then, here’s a teaser trailer originally released by the 80 West Productions crew last year.
~ Jason Pankoke