{"id":9987,"date":"2016-04-30T15:15:26","date_gmt":"2016-04-30T21:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=9987"},"modified":"2016-05-01T01:37:38","modified_gmt":"2016-05-01T07:37:38","slug":"i-do-to-set-hca-ablaze-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/?p=9987","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I DO\u2019 to set HCA ablaze tonight"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cSold out\u201d is one of the operative phrases for the debut of the downstate Illinois<\/strong> film production BEFORE \u2018I DO,’<\/strong> set to enthrall a full house starting at 7 p.m.<\/strong> tonight, Saturday, April 30<\/strong>, at the Hoogland Center for the Arts<\/a><\/span>, 420 S. Sixth St., Springfield, IL<\/strong>, in the main auditorium. Director, writer, and executive producer Kimberly D. Conner<\/strong> will introduce her newest big-screen story at the premiere, following a year-and-a-half-long post production stretch<\/a><\/span> during which her freshman feature effort, JUMP IN<\/strong>, received national distribution<\/a><\/span>. In the past two weeks leading up to show time, Conner graciously engaged C-U Blogfidential<\/strong><\/span> in an e-mail exchange about all things \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong> and Predestined Arts & Entertainment<\/strong>, the media studio she co-founded with sister Candice<\/strong>, and we\u2019d like to share a few highlights with you!<\/p>\n

When asked about what viewers might experience from \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong> as they watch it for the first time, Conner hints that \u201caudience members and supporters can expect a myriad of surprises, twists, and turns when a secret is revealed, as the story\u2019s plot unfolds\u201d and also describes the film as \u201cbeing more action-packed than JUMP IN<\/strong>\u201d given its firefighting angle. The filmmaker goes on to compare the successive features in that \u201cboth stories contain strong plotlines that force the characters to react\u201d but differentiates the projects in terms of whom is front and center for audiences to empathize with, stating that \u201cthe stories are told from two different perspectives. JUMP IN<\/strong> is told from a female\u2019s perspective; \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong> is told from a male point of view and differs greatly.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also reveals details about the premiere itself, saying \u201cthe majority of the cast [from \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong>] will be in attendance. The film\u2019s lead, Jensen Atwood<\/strong> [who plays fireman-by-day, artist-by-night ‘Caleb Abrams’] will be there, along with costars Andrea Kelly, Danielle Ward, Thea Camara, Harold Dennis, Lamar Barnes, Kathleen Purcell-Turner<\/strong>, and Michael Pittman<\/strong>.\u201d Collaborators from behind the camera will also partake, according to Conner. \u201cIn terms of crew, our director of photography Mike Ware<\/strong> plans to attend, along with wardrobe [coordinator] Brandi Armstrong<\/strong> of Cabryl Breotti Designs<\/strong>. A couple of our producers will be attending also \u2013 producer David Anderson<\/strong> and associate producer Sunday Akinyemi<\/strong>.\u201d While a VIP gathering and after party will be held mainly for members of the production team, Conner offers that \u201cthe red carpet event [before the screening] is open to the public to show our appreciation for their support!\u201d<\/p>\n

A second show has been set for May 28<\/strong> at the Plaza Theatre<\/strong> in Atlanta, Georgia<\/strong>, with many more certain to follow including, we hope, a local reprise for those who will not descend upon the Hoogland Center this evening. You can keep up with the progress of BEFORE \u2018I DO\u2019<\/strong> by frequenting its Facebook<\/strong> page<\/a><\/span> or checking in on its official Web site<\/a><\/span>; once we receive concrete information on close-to-home developments, we\u2019ll post them for you and watch the sparks fly! It simply warms our collective CUBlog<\/strong><\/span> heart to no end as we witness the tireless effort put towards a career in the cinema arts by this Capital City resident and Champaign<\/strong> native. Hurrah!<\/p>\n

~ Jason Pankoke<\/p>\n

p.s.<\/em> \u201cI write, produce, and direct my own films. I\u2019m not waiting for permission.\u201d ~ Kimberly Conner<\/strong>, posted March 5, 2016<\/strong>, with a photo on the BEFORE \u2018I DO\u2019 Facebook<\/strong> page<\/p>\n

p.s.2<\/em> Consider the mic dropped.<\/p>\n

p.s.3<\/em> That is, until the mic is picked back up and we continue our conversation with Conner in an upcoming article. Exercise those eagle eyes, dearest readers!<\/p>\n


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

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The latest from Predestined Arts & Entertainment of Springfield, BEFORE ‘I DO,’ will premiere at that city’s Hoogland Center for the Arts tonight, April 30, 2016. Director Kimberly D. Conner helps us preview the show!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,395,13],"tags":[1423,396,257,1425,317,1608,212],"class_list":["post-9987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alums-done-good","category-central-ill-commission","category-public-events","tag-before-i-do","tag-central-illinois-film-commission","tag-hoogland-center-for-the-arts","tag-jensen-atwood","tag-kimberly-d-conner","tag-omar-gooding","tag-predestined-arts-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9987","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=9987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9987\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.micro-film-magazine.com\/cublog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}