{"id":2396,"date":"2010-11-18T20:13:25","date_gmt":"2010-11-19T02:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=2396"},"modified":"2014-09-06T14:55:32","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T20:55:32","slug":"c-u-biz-en-scene-11-18-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=2396","title":{"rendered":"C-U Biz-en-sc\u00e8ne: 11.18.2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cC-U Biz-en-sc\u00e8ne\u201d appears every Thursday\/Friday on <\/em>C-U Blogfidential <\/strong>to give our readers a succinct snapshot of the cinema activity in and near <\/em>Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA<\/strong>. Please support the artists and their work, attend screenings and events, and otherwise become active in our esoteric little world!<\/em><\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

MFHQ & YOU:
\nGood Things Come to Those Who Break<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given that the University of Illinois<\/strong> will allow its student body to collectively escape for a week to visit home\/friends\/wherever and individually observe Thanksgiving <\/strong>if they so choose, thereby dialing down the Champaign-Urbana<\/strong> energy level by a few notches, we might just do the same here at the Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters<\/strong>. Unless we spring for a bare-bones column next week, expect CUBiz <\/strong>to return at the latest on Thursday, December 2<\/strong>, with more craziness sure to follow. Until then, enjoy this here column and Sunday\u2019s \u201cImages of the Week<\/strong>\u201d which will conclude our unofficial \u201clocal festival hopes and dreams\u201d trilogy with discussion about the future facing a little something you probably haven\u2019t thought about since it took place last April \u2013 the New Art Film Festival<\/strong>. It\u2019s all good. We love you anyway.<\/p>\n

\n

MERCH ALERT!<\/strong><\/p>\n

We ask that you consider purchasing back issues of MICRO-FILM<\/strong> and C-U Confidential<\/strong> to help erase our outstanding print bill before we return to the printer with files for not only CUZine no.5<\/strong> but our delayed special issues, C-U Confidential \u201999<\/strong> and MICRO-FILM 2000<\/strong>. You can order by using the \u201cDonate\u201d PayPal<\/strong> button here<\/a> or sending cash\/check\/money order\/cashier\u2019s check to: Jason Pankoke, Editor, MICRO-FILM, 401 N. Prairie, Suite 3D, Champaign, IL, 61820<\/strong>. Documents should be made payable to \u201cJason Pankoke\u201d and personal\/business checks will have to sit 4-6 weeks to clear. The sale is good for MICRO-FILM<\/strong> issues 1-7<\/a> (do not <\/em>use the old PayPal buttons if you want sale prices) and C-U Confidential<\/strong> issues 1-4<\/a> until further notice. For any single order: 1st copy MF<\/strong>, $5 ppd; 2nd copy MF<\/strong>, $4 ppd, 3rd copy MF<\/strong>, $3 ppd; 4th+ copy MF<\/strong>, $2 ppd each; 1st copy CUZine<\/strong>, $4 ppd; 2nd copy CUZine<\/strong>, $3 ppd, 3rd+ copy CUZine<\/strong>, $1 ppd each. If you have trouble figuring out a total price, simply write us at cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com<\/strong> for help. We need to nail this by the end of February 2011<\/strong> or nefarious decisions will have to be made in the bowels of the Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters<\/strong>. Thanks in advance for your support!<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

PRODUCTION<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good old-fashioned snooping has turned up the news that Dark Maze Studios<\/strong> will release PRESS START 2 CONTINUE<\/strong> on Friday, February 11, 2011<\/strong>! Champaign low-budget movie maven Ed Glaser<\/strong> promises in this Weblog post<\/a> that fans and noobs everywhere will be rewarded for their patience. Glaser and his comrades unleashed the first PRESS START<\/strong> in October 2007 followed by an onslaught of PRESS START ADVENTURES<\/strong> Webtoons and the live action short PRESS START: BIO HAPHAZARD<\/strong>, amongst other ventures, so we can hardly fault them for juggling a consistently full plate since they actually get the job done. Give them extra props for not, er<\/em>, Mickey Mousing around and waiting a generation to pump some fresh quarters into their videogame franchise. Et tu<\/em>, TRON 2<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This past Tuesday, your humble editor sat in on the weekly Illini Film & Video<\/strong> meeting with the main topic of conversation being a \u201cclub film project\u201d cooked up by IFV president Beanz Ramirez<\/strong>, tentatively called SNOWBOUND<\/strong>. We can\u2019t give too much away by default since the story and script are still in development, but influences cited by Ramirez and Adam Dreyfuss<\/strong> include LORD OF THE FLIES<\/strong> and the classic 1960 episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE<\/strong>, \u201cThe Monsters are Due on Maple Street<\/strong>,\u201d while the plot involves a group of college students holing up in a creepy campus building during a massive snowstorm. You can follow its progress<\/a> at the IFV Web site and get involved by contacting illinifilmandvideo [at] gmail [dot] com<\/strong> or attending the next meeting, which will hit Tuesday, November 30, 6 p.m.<\/strong>, in Room 259<\/strong> of the English Building<\/strong> after semester resumes at the University of Illinois.<\/p>\n

\n

CLASSES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Skip Huston<\/strong> of the Avon Theater<\/strong> in <\/a>Decatur<\/a> <\/strong>has announced his next \u201cRichland-at-the-Avon\u201d class, \u201cBogart Movies \u2013 Part Two,\u201d which will begin on Thursday, January 13, 2011<\/strong>, and last through Thursday, March 3, 2011<\/strong>. The Head Honcho educational sessions are offered through Richland Community College<\/strong> and enrollment will cost $80. Interested in watching the iconic Humphrey Bogart<\/strong> conduct business on the big screen where he belongs? Contact Huston right now at skip [at] theavon [dot] com<\/strong> if you\u2019re in!<\/p>\n

\n

MEETINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget that tonight, Thursday, November 18, 7 p.m.<\/strong>, the Central Illinois Film Commission<\/strong><\/a> will meet at Di Piero\u2019s Sicilian Cucina, 2690 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield<\/strong>, to discuss member activities and area opportunities. CIFC head Cameron Counts<\/strong> states in his e-mail message that David H. Lowery<\/strong>, billed as \u201cThe Paranormal Highwayman,\u201d will talk about his travels and related projects<\/a> (including a Webisode series) during the meeting; you can contact Counts at nmdcone [at] yahoo [dot] com<\/strong> or visit their Web site for more information!<\/p>\n

And then keep in mind that on Tuesday, November 23, 7 p.m.<\/strong>, Champaign Movie Makers<\/strong><\/a> will meet at Class Act Interactive, 114 S. Neil St., Champaign<\/strong>, to afford area filmmakers and talent an opportunity to discuss and join forces in the making of independent cinema in the area. This month\u2019s presentation will cover special effects including \u201cgreen screen, set extension, and other digital effects that we as low budget independent filmmakers can do to get maximum effect out of our resources,\u201d says group founder Johnny Robinson<\/strong>. Additional topics are TBA. Feel free to contact Robinson at johnny [at] johnnyrobinson [dot] com<\/strong> for further information!<\/p>\n

\n

MEDIA LINKS<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Roger Ebert<\/strong> defying all logic and permeating the public consciousness more than ever as film critic crown prince and populist blogger extraordinaire, it may be no wonder that the media paid skimpy lip service to fellow University of Illinois alum and Daily Illini<\/span><\/strong> reporter emeritus Gene Shalit<\/strong>, who formally concluded his impressive 40-year run on NBC<\/strong>\u2019s THE TODAY SHOW<\/strong> as of last Thursday, November 11<\/strong>. You can read about it<\/a> in one of the only notices we could find with actual meat on its bones and then glean more of the 84-year-old Shalit\u2019s accomplishments in this cheeky biography<\/a> on the TODAY <\/strong>Web site. In a different vein of \u201call good things must pass,\u201d the News-Gazette<\/strong><\/span> revealed on Tuesday<\/a> (after a seemingly endless run of progress reports) that the Champaign Park District<\/strong> elected to remove instead of repair the classic neon marquee of the Virginia Theater<\/strong>; it will be replaced with a replica of the Virginia\u2019s original 1921 flat-front marquee, presumably by the next \u201cEbertfest<\/strong>\u201d if not sooner. Next, CUBlog <\/strong>contributor Michelle Kaffko<\/strong> of \u201cA Knife in a Gun Fight<\/strong><\/a>\u201d is flexing her muscles as indie movie publicist on the upcoming documentary sequel REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR<\/strong>, encouraging fans of the original WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?<\/strong> \u2013 and people who give a shit about conserving resource consumption in the 21st century \u2013 to like their new Facebook <\/strong>Page<\/a>, which will debut the REVENGE <\/strong>trailer once 10,000 folks click its Ebert-esque thumb\u2019s up button. Finally, CUBlog<\/strong> friend Laura Zinger<\/strong> pointed out via the FB an interview with her posted Tuesday<\/a> on a Web site new to us, Chicago DIY Film<\/strong>, through which we discovered another <\/em>Web site new to us, CINE-FILE Chicago<\/strong>. Curiously, the former offers up regional news\/reviews\/etc. a la<\/em> CUBlog <\/strong>while the latter serves a similar weekly function as CUBiz<\/strong>. Even stranger, we have no other Ebert allusions to toss into the mix today. Sorry.<\/p>\n

\n

PLAYING THIS WEEK<\/strong><\/p>\n

LEADING LADIES*<\/strong>: Saturday, 11\/20, 3:30 p.m., Landmark Tivoli Theatre, St. Louis, MO<\/p>\n

@ The Art Theater, Champaign, IL: TAMARA DREWE<\/strong> (11\/19 on), HOT FUZZ<\/strong> (11\/19, 11\/20, 11\/25, 10 p.m.)<\/p>\n

@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1, MORNING GLORY, UNSTOPPABLE<\/strong> (11\/19 on)<\/p>\n

@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL: WAITING FOR SUPERMAN<\/strong> (11\/18-11\/21, 11\/23-11\/24, 7 p.m.)<\/p>\n

@ The Lorraine Theatre, Hoopeston, IL: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1<\/strong> (11\/19 on), MEGAMIND<\/strong> (11\/19-11\/23), TANGLED <\/strong>(11\/24 on)<\/p>\n

@ That\u2019s Rentertainment, Champaign, IL: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, THE LAST AIRBENDER, A CHRISTMAS CAROL<\/strong> (2009), METROPOLIS <\/strong>(1926), more! (11\/16 on)<\/p>\n

NEW!<\/strong> @ Various venues, Chicago\/Niles\/Park Ridge, IL: Polish Film Festival in America<\/strong> (11\/18-11\/21)<\/p>\n

@ Hi-Pointe Theatre\/Tivoli Theatre\/Webster University & other venues, St. Louis, MO: St. Louis International Film Festival<\/strong> (11\/18-11\/21)<\/p>\n

@ Buskirk-Chumley Theater & other venues, Bloomington, IN: Dark Carnival Film Festival<\/strong> (11\/19-11\/21)<\/p>\n

<><><><><><\/p>\n

@ The Canopy Club, Urbana, IL: Pizza + Pitcher and Movie \u2013 returns 12\/5<\/em><\/p>\n

Locally produced movies and events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*)<\/em>. Go see \u2018em!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

COMING SOON<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW! <\/strong>12\/3-12\/5: Minneapolis Underground Film Festival, Minneapolis, MN<\/p>\n

2\/18-2\/27, 2011: Big Muddy Film Festival
\n@ Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL<\/strong><\/p>\n

3\/22-3\/27, 2011: Ann Arbor Film Festival, Ann Arbor, MI<\/p>\n

3\/30-4\/1, 2011: Wisconsin Film Festival, Madison, WI<\/p>\n

4\/27-5\/1, 2011: Roger Ebert\u2019s Film Festival
\n@ Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

COMMUNITY FILM SERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cReal Vs. Reel\u201d Movie Series
\n@ Danville Public Library, Danville, IL, 6:30 p.m.<\/strong>
\n12\/13: ROCKY; 1\/10\/11: SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS; 2\/14\/11: HOOSIERS; 3\/14\/11: A PLACE IN THE SUN; 4\/11\/11: THE FUGITIVE<\/p>\n

\n

UNIVERSITY FILM SERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

AsiaLENS: AEMS Documentary\/Film Series
\n@ Knight Auditorium, Spurlock Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.<\/strong>
\n12\/7: BURMA VJ<\/p>\n

Global Lens 2010: International Films
\n@ Main Lounge, Allen Hall\/Unit One, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.<\/strong>
\n12\/1: THE SHAFT, China; 12\/8: SHIRLEY ADAMS, South Africa<\/p>\n

Global Lens 2010: International Films
\n@ Latzer Hall, University YMCA, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 5:30 p.m.<\/strong>
\n11\/18: ORDINARY PEOPLE, Serbia; 12\/2: THE SHAFT, China; 12\/9: SHIRLEY ADAMS, South Africa<\/p>\n

Israeli Movie Club
\n@ The Cohen Center, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 7:30 p.m.<\/strong>
\n11\/29: OR (MY TREASURE)<\/p>\n

\n

OUTRO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not unlike a few weeks ago<\/a>, your humble editor\u2019s temporary encampment in Caf\u00e9 Kopi<\/strong> while writing CUBiz <\/strong>has indirectly triggered ghosts of local filmmaking past, this time not by a glance out the window but a \u201cdrop\u201d of coincidental music overhead. One evening after baristas pumped a relative head-scratcher (Black Sabbath<\/strong>?) a different staff countered with some not unwelcome Beastie Boys<\/strong>, inevitably arriving at their spacey late Nineties anthem \u201cIntergalactic<\/strong>\u201d which not only inspired flashes of the famous Giant Robot vs. Squid Monster video but also a more definitive flashback to the summer of 1998 when said video stomped all over MTV<\/strong>. I saw it for the first time while relaxing in the bar area of the former Ned Kelly\u2019s Steakhouse<\/strong> on north Cunningham Avenue<\/strong> in Urbana<\/strong>, but not while dining with friends or enjoying after hours beers. The lone television glowing in the dead of night served as a convenient distraction for cast and crew members taking a break from being in the restaurant\u2019s kitchen, prep, refrigeration, or office areas and helping make a student thesis film called OPEN TO CLOSE<\/strong>. Except for a handful of short daytime scenes set behind the building, everything would be filmed while Ned Kelly\u2019s was closed to the public and not occupied by staff \u2013 meaning, between approximately 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. \u2013 during four intense, consecutive weekends. My volunteer work as OTC <\/strong>set photographer and gofer qualified as my first time working a shoot from beginning to end and, despite the inevitable challenges and stress, I wouldn\u2019t have traded it for the world. However, the film itself \u2013 which I presume director\/writer and then-Columbia College<\/strong> student Melissa Schmitt<\/strong> finished and turned in to satisfy requirements for earning her degree \u2013 remains lost to me. I keep telling myself to seek her out and ask to see the film, which may or may not be difficult since it was filmed on 16mm stock and possibly never transferred to video. Maybe that doesn\u2019t matter and I shouldn\u2019t let it drop any longer. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it for the \u201cbusiness of our scene\u201d this week!<\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

If you have relevant news, opportunities, dates, or promotions that you would like included in <\/em>CUBiz<\/strong>, please forward the who, what, where, when, and how much to <\/em>cuconfidential [at] gmail [dot] com<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Compiled by Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

Prior \u201cCUBiz\u201d<\/a> | Next \u201cCUBiz\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

~~~~~<\/p>\n

\u201cC-U Biz-en-sc\u00e8ne\u201d no. 17 \u00a9 2010 Jason Pankoke\/C-U Blogfidential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this edition of C-U Blogfidential\u2019s all-purpose column, \u201cC-U Biz-en-sc\u00e8ne,\u201d we find the release date for PRESS START 2, lament a lost student film, spill on a new Illini Film & Video project, and give up what movies are now playing\/renting near you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,406,395,68,217,53,11,12,15,10,18],"tags":[396,1704,555,84,556,283,152],"class_list":["post-2396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alums-done-good","category-c-u-biz-en-scene","category-central-ill-commission","category-champaign-movie-makers","category-column-du-c-u","category-educationclasses","category-job-opportunities","category-local-meetings","category-media-coverage","category-production-updates","category-student-film","tag-central-illinois-film-commission","tag-champaign-movie-makers","tag-humphrey-bogart","tag-illini-film-video","tag-melissa-schmitt","tag-press-start-2","tag-the-avon-theatre"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396","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=2396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2396\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}