{"id":125,"date":"2007-01-17T01:38:35","date_gmt":"2007-01-17T07:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=125"},"modified":"2014-09-06T15:01:18","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T21:01:18","slug":"qa-du-c-u-eleanore-stasheff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=125","title":{"rendered":"Q&A du C-U: Eleanore Stasheff"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cMuffins and Penguins and Lizards, Oh My!\u201d<\/strong>
\nAn interview with Eleanore Stasheff of EIDOLON and Sine Fine Films<\/p>\n

by Jason Pankoke<\/em><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t watch television. Period. Well, except for peeking glances at the fare flickering on-and-off in the bars like schizophrenic, subtitled ghosts from beyond. And exercising my late-night right to speed-dial through the proverbial 57 channels with nothing on when I visit relatives. I did<\/em> recently sit through my first complete football game in several years, actually, the one where the Cowboys stumped the Colts \u2026 Maybe I\u2019m just fooling myself. Let\u2019s revise the claim. We all<\/em> watch the Boob Tube to some degree, whether deliberately or not.<\/p>\n

However, I\u2019ve been weaned off the daily need for such electronic boobery since college, when I closed out my formal education during the same weeks that CHEERS<\/strong> and NIGHT COURT<\/strong> finished their runs and student cliques gathered \u2018round for weekly first-run helpings of THE X-FILES<\/strong>, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION<\/strong>, and quality-era SIMPSONS<\/strong>. Pretty much anything that lights up my set these days comes straight from a cassette or a shiny silver disc, given the not-ready-for-prime-time mayhem that trickles in for advance review via MICRO-FILM<\/strong>, and I have yet to transform my computer into an unofficial teevee. I know that every day, every hour, I probably miss out on something worthwhile, and I don\u2019t really mind at all.<\/p>\n

In the case of Eleanore Stasheff<\/strong>\u2019s work, I mind. Cable access and community college airwaves are the provinces for her shows, appearing with meager fanfare in half-hour fits of eager-to-please fantasy that make the neon-lit professional serials seem rote in comparison. I found out about this Urbana<\/strong> tale-spinner and her multi-part opus PANDORA\u2019 S BOX<\/strong> (2001) while slaving for The Octopus<\/u><\/strong> a few years ago and, given my keen awareness that interesting things often start incognito \u2013 witness the basement \u201ctalk show\u201d from upstate Aurora that inspired \u201cWayne\u2019s World<\/strong>\u201d on SNL<\/strong> \u2013 you would think I\u2019d know better than to ignore the local listings. Eleanore\u2019s heroines always seem one step ahead of me regardless, traversing space and time to rescue a handsome squire or crazy artifact with amusing quips at the ready, fading to black before I can materialize on the other side of the screen.<\/p>\n

Maybe I\u2019m being too hard on myself. Let\u2019s reverse the curse, shall we?<\/p>\n

Read on, MahDeer\u2026<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jason Pankoke:<\/strong> Thanks a bunch for chatting with us for the third-ever original interview on C-U Blogfidential<\/strong>! Let\u2019s talk first about the current status of Erion Entertainment<\/strong>, which has recently been rechristened Sine Fine Films<\/strong> for its 10th anniversary. What inspired the name change?<\/em><\/p>\n

Eleanore Stasheff:<\/strong> Well, the company was originally called Starlight Productions<\/strong>, but then I found out that name was taken by about a billion other companies \u2013 or maybe 26 \u2013 so I changed the name to Erion Entertainment after a character in the first three movies, played by Jen Weber<\/strong>. The only problem is that the way I wanted the logo to look always made [Erion] seem like Tinkerbell, since she was a fairy who happened to wear sea-foam green.<\/p>\n

I tried a bunch of different names but none of them seemed to work or feel right. So in the end, at the suggestion of Diana Neatrour<\/strong>, I created the logo first and then [settled on] Sine Fine Films which, in Latin, translates to \u201cWithout End\u201d Films \u2026 and television shows are films without end. Also, I am notorious for never-ending filming days and projects, so you could also think of it as \u201cfilming without end.\u201d Any of the actors who\u2019ve been in my projects will tell you that it\u2019s pretty much true.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> \u201cFilm Without End\u201d actually sounds like a great concept for a future Sine Fine series! It would also be a good title for an Irwin Allen<\/strong>-style disaster epic, which have seemingly become in vogue on network television \u2013 a depressing development, really, given the real-life natural disasters that have occurred in recent years.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> I don\u2019t think the rash of natural-disaster movies and television specials is unusual. Story telling themes go in cycles in the entertainment industry because they reflect the themes cycling through the audience [and their] human consciousness. Sometimes there is a rash of ghost movies, because the spiritualist and supernatural theme [in regards to the afterlife] is being desired and expressed. Or, there may be a rash of war movies, often dealing with a specific war, because the universal war theme is pervasive in the culture.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> In contrast, Sine Fine Films productions take their overt cues from another arena of storytelling that is usually more light-hearted \u2013 the fantasy-mystery filled with high adventure, clear-cut good and bad guys, stylish period garb, and magic spells aplenty. What is your inspiration for creating serials that emphasize thrills and escapism over, say, the \u201crealism\u201d that marks much of today\u2019s television dramas?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> Unlike most filmmakers, my college degree is not in film. It\u2019s a BA in University Studies \u2013 I\u2019m qualified to study a university and say, \u201cYup! It\u2019s a university!\u201d \u2013 with an emphasis in Cinema and Anthropology and a minor in Classical Civilizations. (I can also say \u201cLuke, I am your father\u201d in Latin!) I have no high aspirations of creating great works of art or gritty hard-core dramas that will crush your spirit and win me an Emmy. I just want to tell a story. If you think about it, that\u2019s all most filmmakers and television producers are \u2013 storytellers. If we lose sight of telling a good story, then what\u2019s the point? I hate sitting through a two-hour movie that tells a story badly or doesn\u2019t tell one at all.<\/p>\n

So, why do I choose to tell stories the way I do? Several reasons: I love fantasy. I love magic and the supernatural. I love mythology. (I eat universal archetypes for breakfast \u2026 and<\/em> lunch \u2026 and<\/em> dinner, because they taste so yummy!) I love costumes. I grew up in the theater. (The first play I was ever in was Shakespeare<\/strong>\u2019s A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream<\/u><\/strong>.) My father is a science-fiction\/fantasy author.<\/p>\n

\"Brittany<\/p>\n

As for escapism, I ask you \u2013 what\u2019s wrong with that? So many fancy critics and artsy filmmakers look down on escapism. They don\u2019t want to use film to show people an illusion; they want reality. I don\u2019t. Call me crazy, but I don\u2019t want to pay 10 bucks to be depressed. I get enough of that for free.<\/p>\n

I want to step outside my own world for an hour or two and live someone else\u2019s life and have adventures and romance and live happily ever after even if it\u2019s just for one night. I want that movie ticket to be a plane ticket to fly me off into another reality. I want to suspend my disbelief that the pyramids were not built by aliens, that there wasn\u2019t anything in that windmill to make it blow up, and that the princess\u2019 boobs were so<\/em> not her own.<\/p>\n

So, naturally, if that\u2019s what I want to see, then that\u2019s what I want to make.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Yet, behind formulating the engaging story and embodying it in a satisfying dollop of escapism, there\u2019s the real-life ethics of hard work and dedication that must go into the behind-the-scenes for the filmed story to take shape as intended. Most people are sure to take notice that you have produced several movies and numerous episodes since you began.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> I will admit to being unusually prolific for an amateur with a budget that strongly resembles the cost of a large pizza. I\u2019ve produced, directed, edited, and costumed 10 movies and six television shows, and written all but two of the movies, resulting in more than 60 hours of edited programming \u2013 all in the last 10 years.<\/p>\n

I have to say that I owe a huge thanks and a large amount of the success of my projects to the very hard-working, dedicated, and talented actors who also and often served as crew \u2013 many of whom did not know what they were getting into until it was too late. (I lock the doors at ten.) (No, that\u2019s not true.) They\u2019ve put up with a lot of very long, grueling days [involving] late hours, blistering hot, freezing cold, pouring rain, ravenous mosquitoes, and practically anything else you can imagine. Some of them have even been with me for all 10 years, which makes me wonder if they\u2019re gluttons for punishment or just as crazy as I am\u2026<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> It\u2019s extremely cool \u2013 and gratifying to you, I\u2019m sure \u2013 that you have a mutual loyalty with the folks that you work with. Which Sine Fine players have been the consistent \u201cregulars\u201d over the years, and what qualities make the typical Sine Fine crew click, regardless of the scope of one\u2019s contributions?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Annamarie<\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> The quintessential regular is by far Annamarie MacLeod<\/strong>. She\u2019s been in more movies and TV shows than anyone else \u2013 14 out of 16, in fact \u2013 and is one of the most talented and amazing actors I know. Jen Weber is another awesome actor who\u2019s been in tons of projects \u2013 12 out of 16. Another person I have to mention is Diana Neatrour who has not only acted in several, but is the script editor and my personal muse.<\/p>\n

Also, every member of the MacLeod family has participated more than once, and their farm has been used as a shooting location almost as many times as Annamarie has appeared in a project. Mark<\/strong>, Michelle<\/strong>, Jacob<\/strong>, Chris<\/strong>, and Annamarie all are amazing performers and people; I couldn\u2019t have done half of what I have without them. Every member of my own family has \u201cvolunteered\u201d to participate, of course, but my brother Edward<\/strong> has been in [the most] \u2013 nine out of 16 \u2013 and he actually seems to enjoy it. Bonus!<\/p>\n

Other people I\u2019ll list according to who is most likely to be reading this article. I\u2019d like to give a shout-out to the stunningly gorgeous and fabulously talented Margaret Olson, Rachel Anderson, Kate Weber, Nina Samii, Christopher Hutchens, Morgan Thomas, Brittany Ann Whalen, James McKinley, Bryan Kieft, Syndi Eller, Russell Martin, Ryan Homberg, Michael Bunnel, Christine Komiskey-Kastorff<\/strong>, and Aaron Thomas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What was the second part of the question? Oh, right, what qualities make the SFF crew click.<\/p>\n

A sense of humor, I think, is the biggest thing. There are a lot of situations where we should be (and probably are) miserable, but still find ourselves laughing. There\u2019s also a big sense of community on the set. For many of the actors, this is the only time they get to see each other because we\u2019re not all from the same place, physically or otherwise. When you go through some of the things that happen on the set \u2013 such as [weathering] a 16-hour day covered in ripped clothing and fake blood, freezing in a dark, dank cellar or the middle of the woods \u2013 you tend to form a close bond. Moments like that can make you friends forever. God, I\u2019m such a nice director!<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> It\u2019s probably a good thing that these folks are indeed friends, because given the demands of making movies or serials on a scrappy budget, it definitely takes something a bit extra to also remain friends of The Cause.<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe to get a perspective on what your works (and working conditions) are like, we should discuss your most recent long-form adventure, EIDOLON<\/strong>. If I remember correctly, the last time we talked in-depth, you were in the middle of hightailing it all over the great state of Illinois to shoot the project. I believe that you were intending this production to be the capper of \u201cStage 1\u201d of what was called Erion Entertainment\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> I\u2019m famous for saying, \u201cI swear, this movie is going to be the last one I do \u2013 I\u2019m not filming any more!\u201d And I always make another one, so even though I intended not to make something after EIDOLON<\/strong>, I \u2013 of course \u2013 did. I have decided not to say that any more because I want to make something at least once a year, some small movie or something just for fun. I\u2019m addicted to filming and editing.<\/p>\n

EIDOLON<\/strong> thus far is the last of the large-scale TV shows because it\u2019s expensive to film that much with that many people. Like a lot of my TV shows, however, it didn\u2019t start out that big. It was supposed to be only eight half-hour episodes and ended up being 13 episodes. And, it was only supposed to be filmed over the course of three months during the summer, but in the end took almost a year to film.<\/p>\n

\"Andrew<\/p>\n

It\u2019s probably the biggest project I\u2019ve undertaken to date because it involved actors and locations from all around the state. We filmed by Lake Michigan<\/strong> and by Goreville<\/strong> in southern Illinois as well as here in Champaign-Urbana<\/strong>, and many places in between. Of the six principal actors, two were from the Chicago<\/strong> area, two were from Champaign, one was from Pekin<\/strong>, and the other was from the Springfield<\/strong> area or Carbondale<\/strong>, depending on the time of year. Getting everyone together was challenging enough; add in the longer-than-planned shooting schedule, and weather also had to be factored in.<\/p>\n

So, in many ways, it was a nightmare production-wise, but overall everyone had a blast and it\u2019s a lot of fun. And, it looked great \u2013 that\u2019s the important thing, right?<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Absolutely! One wonders if you might have set a record for the most locations ever used in Illinois for a single production. Or, at the least, the most miles logged.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> We filmed in more than 25 locations, so yeah, that\u2019s a lot I guess. For a TV show, though, it doesn\u2019t seem like it\u2019s too many, but they were all over the place and that did make it challenging.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> I was hoping that we could recount what happens in EIDOLON<\/strong>, for those who have not seen the series, because I\u2019m guessing that its mix of elements is pretty representative of your work to date \u2013 an obvious assumption, given that EIDOLON<\/strong> is a sequel to another one that also has a prequel.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> EIDOLON<\/strong> is about a teenager named Zelda who hates ghosts and hunts them down, trapping them in magic lockets. One day, she hunts the wrong ghost and ends up getting cursed to be a ghost. So, she becomes what she hates most and has to turn to the only person who cares about her for help, her legal guardian Maria. Beyond that, it starts to get confusing.<\/p>\n

However, EIDOLON<\/strong> is more representative of my later work at SIU-Carbondale<\/strong>, but not my early stuff. The movie that really is a perfect summation of the \u201cYibbleverse,\u201d as I like to call it, is the most recent movie, THE CURSED DESTINY OF PANDORA\u2019S GIFT BOX<\/strong>, which takes the most common characters, plot devices, etc., in all of my movies and makes fun of them in a good way.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s about three sisters \u2013 a bitch, a nut, and a ditz \u2013 who all get cursed, then get a magic box which allows them to travel through time. They meet a prince whose throne was usurped by his evil uncle and an evil, power-mad villainess with a sidekick that is the suave and debonair \u201ccursed ghost of a pirate sorcerer.\u201d He promptly falls in love with the bitch, the prince and the ditz fall in love, and the nut carries on conversations about muffins and penguins with giant purple lizards. There are a lot of jokes, music montages, and costumes. It\u2019s rather fabulous if I do say so myself, mostly because it plays off of clich\u00e9 [found in] general adventure\/fantasy movies, not just mine.<\/p>\n

\"DESTINY<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Curiously, I just had framed a Ray Harryhausen<\/strong> exhibit poster, so you know what jumps out at me from your description, right? \u201cGiant purple lizards.\u201d<\/em> [Laughs] I\u2019d have to presume that we\u2019re talking less Harryhausen animated majesty and more \u201cRats of Unusual Size\u201d from THE PRINCESS BRIDE<\/strong>, but I digress heinously\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

This is actually the first I\u2019ve heard of CURSED DESTINY<\/strong>. Is this another series or a singular show, and would you consider it the legitimate \u201cfinale\u201d to all your prior productions as Erion? I\u2019m guessing that, maybe, this particular show was made less for public consumption and more for you and the Sine Fine faithful\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> The \u201cgiant purple lizard\u201d is a very bizarre in-joke, actually. So is most of CURSED DESTINY<\/strong>, and yes, it was made mostly with members in mind. However, people who have never stepped on set and have never seen a single Sine Fine production have found it very funny as well. It features mostly Sine Fine regulars including Annamarie MacLeod, Margaret Olson, Kate Weber, Brittany Ann Whalen, Bryan Kieft, Syndi Eller, Jen Weber, and newcomer Michael Steen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very entertaining 32 minutes [and it] would make a fine \u201cfinale\u201d to the Sine Fine Films productions, but I had too much fun making it (in one weekend), so I\u2019ve decided to do something once a year \u2013 nothing as big as EIDOLON<\/strong> until I have actual crew and a large budget not provided by me. I won\u2019t stop making movies until I die, I suspect. In fact, there may be one or two posthumous ones if someone else decides to edit them for me. But, that\u2019s hopefully a long, long<\/em> way off. Right. Anyway. Next question, please.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Okay, next question \u2013 how<\/em> does one get to watch your shows? Your main outlets since you began have been local PBS and cable access\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> Unfortunately, I can\u2019t sell copies of my movies or shows because the music is not original and although the TV stations that have aired it have ASCAP<\/strong> and\/or BMI<\/strong> licenses, I don\u2019t and can\u2019t profit from using other artists\u2019 work \u2013 nor would I want to. I really need to become good friends with a composer. And an orchestra. Or, a band. That would help a lot. I can write, direct, produce, edit, costume, run camera, even do a little lighting and basic audio, but I can\u2019t write music.<\/p>\n

So, where can you view my past shows? Hopefully soon, on Urbana Public Television<\/strong>. All future projects will hopefully have original music and be shown on YouTube.com<\/strong>. Look for that sometime in the spring.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Considering this area\u2019s rich talent base in music, I\u2019d think you would have no problem finding willing groups to score or provide tunes for your films. (Besides, could you imagine \u201cAn Eleanore Stasheff Movie\u201d with music by Elsinore<\/strong> or The Eleanors<\/strong>? The alliteration boggles the mind!) Do you prefer \u201cclassic\u201d\/symphonic music<\/em> a la John Williams<\/strong>, or a more pop\/rock sound as in LADYHAWKE<\/strong> or LABYRINTH<\/strong> or, in a stylistic clash that has raised many a critic\u2019s eyebrow recently, MARIE ANTOINETTE<\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> I like all kinds of music, so my only preference is that the music adds to the story and helps emphasize the meaning of it. I can see why people didn\u2019t like some of the music choices of MARIE ANTOINETTE<\/strong>, but I actually thought it worked well most of the time. The songs, like \u201cI Want Candy<\/strong>\u201d [by Bow Wow Wow<\/strong>], helped modern audiences connect to the vibrant and outrageous historical person and her legend. As long as the music helps tell a great story, that\u2019s what I care about.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> If you eventually might have to re-edit the older shows in order to accommodate music that you can use outside of public television airings, would you consider condensing them in the spirit of the classic adventure serials, which studios re-released in the Forties and Fifties as feature-length stories? Many television series, such as THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.<\/strong>, also received this treatment when going theatrical. I\u2019d think that you could possibly grow an audience for your work if you had shortened programs to show publicly that wouldn\u2019t necessarily leave an audience hanging too much.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> That\u2019s a very interesting idea, actually \u2013 and one that I hadn\u2019t thought about. I did the opposite with the DESTINY<\/strong> movies by turning them into a TV serial. However, a lot of the TV shows I\u2019ve made would not be so easy to condense. For example, PANDORA\u2019S BOX<\/strong> and THE GIFT BEARER<\/strong> could never be shortened to 120 minutes, they\u2019re just too expansive and it would leave too much out that\u2019s too important. And in the case of THE GIFT BEARER<\/strong>, it would probably make your brain explode if you tried. However, with both DREAM CHASERS<\/strong> and EIDOLON<\/strong> it could be possible, and in the case of DREAM CHASERS<\/strong> it might actually help [the show] make more sense!<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Begging the question, then \u2013 why have all of your \u201cbig\u201d productions been full-on, multi-part serials to this point? I\u2019m sure that one could wonder what path you might have taken had you concentrated your resources and stamina, of which you seem to have much more than the average no-budget filmmaker, on short subjects or feature-length projects. Several of your earlier works<\/em> do<\/em> clock in at less than an hour.<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> It\u2019s amazing how many times I\u2019ve been asked this question. Even more amazing is the fact that I don\u2019t really have a good answer for it. From what I understand, from other people\u2019s stories, most filmmakers start off with home movies or recording short films in their backyard with their friends when they\u2019re 10 or 12 or something like that. The first thing they make that\u2019s got any editing or music added is usually 10 to 15 minutes, and it\u2019s not usually the first thing they\u2019ve ever done. I didn\u2019t start out that way. My friends said, \u201cHey, let\u2019s make a movie! Eleanore, you can write it.\u201d So, I did.<\/p>\n

\"Eleanore<\/p>\n

DESTINY<\/strong> is the first movie I made [myself]. I had never even picked up a camera before that. Filming as a hobby or a career had never occurred to me; I was a theater person, though, so I knew the basics of putting a show together. DESTINY<\/strong> was fully scripted [and] fully edited (albeit on the two-VCR premise) with music montages, period costumes, 17 locations, and 25 actors. It was 61 minutes long, and I was 17. Never let it be said that I live life in moderation.<\/p>\n

I fell in love with making movies and made a second, DESTINY II<\/strong>, which was similar to the first in length and scale. The third movie I made, DESTINY III<\/strong>, was a much larger project and ended up running three hours and 12 minutes. I made movies until I was in college and then edited the DESTINY TRILOGY<\/strong> as a mini-series for Parkland Television<\/strong> [at Parkland College<\/strong> in Champaign]. Next was PANDORA\u2019S BOX<\/strong> and it was originally supposed to be four episodes. It ended up [running for] 24. With episodic television, the story could go so much further, develop and change and grow [and since] what I love most of all is being able to tell a good story, I became addicted to making TV shows.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m working with Brian Paris<\/strong> on a short film (10-15 minutes) to focus my creative energy on quality more so than quantity \u2013 not to say that my other stuff wasn\u2019t quality, of course, it just lacked a lot on the technical end.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> Will this be separate from the Yibbleverse?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> I\u2019m hoping to co-brand it with the Sine Fine Films logo since it\u2019s a joint project. However, it will be very different from most of my previous endeavors because it will be much shorter and actually have a crew, nice equipment, lighting, etc. In other words, it will have technical standards, not just, \u201cShoot the darn thing, I don\u2019t care if it is dark and raining!\u201d<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> You mean dark and stormy nights weren\u2019t a pre-planned running motif in your shows?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> It\u2019s Illinois, Jason. It\u2019s very rare that the weather cooperates for more than five minutes. Thunderstorms never pay attention to the shooting schedule anyway.<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> True. Moving on \u2026 Will the new short be independently produced like all your other work? Also, how do you balance the demands of your own projects and the proverbial day job, which in your case happens to be as an editor for our local PBS television station and, therefore, in the same relative ballpark?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> Yes, the new short will be independently produced. As for how I balance the demands of my own projects with the demands of my oh-so-wonderful editing job at WILL-TV<\/strong>, that\u2019s easy. Work comes first. After all, without work to provide a paycheck, there would be no money to make projects. And I find my work very rewarding. I have learned far more from working at WILL than I could learn on my own.<\/p>\n

Primarily, I edit promotional spots, but I also get to produce and edit segments for the local show PRAIRIE FIRE<\/a><\/strong>. I find the latter particularly challenging and have learned an immense amount about location production, as well as new and innovative ways to tell a story. My favorite projects for PRAIRIE FIRE<\/strong> include segments about Cave-In-Rock State Park<\/strong>, George Rogers Clark<\/strong>, Fort Des Chartres<\/strong> in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois, and Vincennes, Indiana<\/strong>. Currently I\u2019m working on a segment about Edgar Lee Masters<\/strong> and the Spoon River Valley<\/strong> that is promising to be quite excellent, if I do say so myself.<\/p>\n

However, since I have a creative outlet at work, I don\u2019t push to be constantly filming TV shows and movies on my own any more. Now I\u2019m concentrating on quality over quantity in my independent work. Oh, and having lots of fun, of course.<\/p>\n

\"Morgan<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> It\u2019s interesting that you single out the segment about a regional author. Have you ever considered adapting any of your father\u2019s writings?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> Yes, I have, and his influence is everywhere in my work. However, most of his books would require a budget in order to make them as good as I would want to make them. I could<\/em> adapt one of his short stories\u2026<\/p>\n

JP:<\/strong> \u2026 and there<\/em> is one particular place where the implied budget of large proportions could be obtained for adapting your father\u2019s science fiction stories properly if you make the right connections and deals \u2013 Hollywood. What became of the Big Move that you were considering a couple of years ago while making EIDOLON<\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n

ES:<\/strong> The Big Move is still planned as an eventuality, but there is no set date. There are a number of reasons for this. Mostly, I don\u2019t want to be one of those people who go flying out there with $10, big dreams, and no back-up plan, only to come crawling back home a year later completely broken. I have no doubt that I am an intelligent, talented, and creative writer\/director\/producer\/editor who could excel in any one of those jobs. But, in many ways, I am not as much of a risk-taker as I would like to be. When I get into a comfort zone, it takes a lot to push myself out of it. And since I loathe \u201cplastic\u201d people, big cities, no changing seasons, and a seemingly endless amount of warm, sunny days, you can understand my reluctance to move there.<\/p>\n

Seriously, dude, I could be a vampire if it wasn\u2019t for the whole blood thing. I refer to my small, dark edit bay as my \u201cbat cave,\u201d and if I could take a nap by hanging upside down from the ceiling, I\u2019d be set!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

F I V E & O U T<\/strong>
\nTell us, Miss Yibbleverse:<\/p>\n

\u2022 What you\u2019ve made:<\/p>\n

\n

10 movies, six TV shows, 22 segments for PRAIRIE FIRE<\/strong>, more than 100 DVDs and VHS tapes, several dozen costumes, 54 new friends, and a hole in my personal finances that you could drive a truck through.<\/p>\n

DESTINY<\/strong> (1996)
\nFantasy adventure<\/em><\/p>\n

DESTINY II<\/strong> (1996-7)
\nA prequel with an oh-so-original name<\/em><\/p>\n

DESTINY III<\/strong> (1997)
\nThe first two worked, so let\u2019s try a third!<\/em><\/p>\n

FRUMPY GETS IT<\/strong> (1997)
\nHorrible murder mystery, enough said\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

THE DRAGON & THE UNICORN<\/strong> (1997-8)
\nGothic tale about reincarnation<\/em><\/p>\n

THE KING OF ELFLIN\u2019S DAUGHTER<\/strong> (1998)
\nCeltic-based fairytale<\/em><\/p>\n

THE PERFECT COMBINATION<\/strong> (1998)
\nModern romantic, slapstick comedy<\/em><\/p>\n

THE VIGIL<\/strong> (1998)
\nDramatic tale dealing with death and the afterlife, written by Joel Peirson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

MIND GAMES<\/strong> (1998-9)
\nPsychological sci-fi about Death roaming a spaceship, written and co-directed by Edward Stasheff<\/em><\/p>\n

DESTINY THE MINI-SERIES<\/strong> (1999)
\nGosh, I loved the trilogy so much I did some extra filming, revamped it, and edited it all into a TV show \u2013 12 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

PANDORA\u2019S BOX<\/strong> (1999-2000)
\nPost-apocalyptic dark ages in central Illinois \u2013 24 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

THE CURSE<\/strong> (2001)
\nGhosts and curses and archaeology, oh my! \u2013 8 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

THE GIFT BEARER<\/strong> (2001-2)
\nThree sisters travel through time \u2013 21 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

DREAM CHASERS<\/strong> (2002)
\nI\u2019m not really sure what this one\u2019s about, other than it\u2019s a dark and weird prequel to THE CURSE<\/strong> \u2013 8 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

EIDOLON<\/strong> (2003-5)
\nSequel to THE CURSE<\/strong> \u2026 I just can\u2019t get enough of them curses! \u2013 13 half-hour episodes<\/em><\/p>\n

THE CURSED DESTINY OF PANDORA\u2019S GIFT BOX<\/strong> (2006)
\nA spoof of all my other movies and TV shows<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 Which do you like best \u2013 film, video, or digital:<\/p>\n

\n

Digital video transferred onto film. Mostly, I just use video, though.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 Where is your geographical preference \u2013 Champaign, Urbana, the UIUC campus, or beyond city limits:<\/p>\n

\n

Wherever there\u2019s a nice-looking location that pleads with me to film in it, usually beyond city limits. I\u2019m highly partial to southern Illinois.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 What is the one movie project that you would like to do someday that nobody will ever see coming:<\/p>\n

\n

Ooh, that\u2019s hard to say because I\u2019ve worked in so many different genres over the years, including documentary, that I don\u2019t think I could surprise anyone with anything I did. Except possibly to stop filming altogether \u2026 and actually follow through with it. No one would see that<\/em> coming!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 Apart from your own movies, the one underappreciated gem that you think people should bend over backwards to check out is:<\/p>\n

\n

There are so many movies that are under-appreciated, but three of my favorites are LOVE ACTUALLY<\/strong>, EVER AFTER<\/strong>, and DUDLEY DO-RIGHT<\/strong>. Yes, you heard that right \u2013 DUDLEY DO-RIGHT<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

LOVE ACTUALLY<\/strong> is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. It\u2019s sweet, poignant, meaningful, and its overall message is portrayed beautifully through the (mostly) separate stories of several individuals. It\u2019s the only movie that I have ever seen that attempts to make a single story out of several little stories that actually flowed into a true narrative.<\/p>\n

EVER AFTER<\/strong> is a wonderful example of re-telling a fairy tale with modern ideas and influences without making the modern bits seem too out-of-place. And, it has Leonardo da Vinci<\/strong> and great costumes. What more could you ask for?<\/p>\n

I have yet to meet anyone who agrees with me that DUDLEY DO-RIGHT<\/strong> is actually a good movie, but that\u2019s because most people don\u2019t understand the concept of melodrama. Yes, it\u2019s over the top. It\u2019s supposed<\/em> to be over the top. If you like good, old-fashioned melodrama with all the standard characters, the nods to the audience that break the fourth wall, and general random silliness, then you will love DUDLEY DO-RIGHT<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Interview conducted September-November 2006 via e-mail.<\/em><\/p>\n

All photos courtesy of Eleanore Stasheff\/Sine Fine Films<\/em>
\nexcept * taken by JaPan.<\/em><\/p>\n

Web Source: Eleanore Stasheff<\/em> [sinefinefilms@yahoo.com<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"DREAM<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

CUBlog Interview No.3 \u00a9 2007 Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Back to the fore, MahDeer\u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Visit the Interview Index<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Return to Home Page<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview with the directrix of EIDOLON and numerous other Sine Fine films.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-qa-du-c-u"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}