Iowa Film News

Local Filmmaker Continues Work on "The Offering" Through Many Obstacles

Cedar Rapids filmmaker, Eric Freese encounters many challenges when facing the production of a film set in Iowa. The worst of these problems is one that cannot be controlled -- the weather. Freese says the majority of "The Offering" takes place outside and when below zero temperatures persist, not only do the cast and crew suffer, but also the cameras and equipment.

"The Offering," a suspenseful black and white thriller, is set in Iowa where the Sheriff, a single mother of an 11-year-old girl, is forced into a terrifying moral dilemma. When the author of a book about serial killers comes to town to discuss criminal tactics with the Sheriff, this author turns out to be a serial killer himself. After her daughter's kidnapping, the Sheriff is then forced to select particular townspeople for sacrifice in order to save her own child.

Freese's main filming location is in Iowa City at a number of private residences, but has also filmed in various other locations such as North Liberty, Des Moines, Burlington, and Washington, Iowa.

One factor that Freese is particularly proud of in the production of this film is that 99 percent of the budget has stayed in the state of Iowa, while most films spend nearly half of that in outside resources. Additionally, the cast of the film consists of all residents of Iowa with the exception of one. Freese is very supportive of the Iowa film industry in part by the large number of jobs created.

Freese and Director, Writer, and Co-producer Bruce Heppner-Elgin hope to complete the film in time for the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival 2010. They also plan to submit it to a number of other festivals with their ultimate goal being theatrical distribution.

On the set of "The Offering"

Great River Film Initiative Draws Movie Making Buffs to Dubuque Area Theater

First established in November, the Great River Film Initiative assembled a crowd of 28 filmmakers at the Dubuque Mindframe Theater, a far larger pack than was expected of this formerly low profile organization. Coordinator Suzanne Wright arranged for the group to meet at the local independent movie house, where they plan to gather every second Saturday of the month.

The primary goal of this group is to encourage and discuss the making of films in the Midwest and surrounding areas. Wright and other administrators considered calling the union the Northeast Iowa or Dubuque Area Guild, but filmmakers from Illinois and Wisconsin also wished to join, thus expanding the membership base. Although an emphasis is placed on the Dubuque area, anyone interested in filmmaking is welcome to attend.

"From an economic development standpoint, this is the right time for the film industry to grow," said Wright. "In times of economic hardship, across the board, people look for entertainment. Films are affordable. Hollywood grew because it responded to be entertaining for the masses during the Great Depression and World War II -- times when the country needed to be entertained."

Future plans for the group include workshops, where training will be available for the filmmakers. They also plan to present a film during this year's Get Reel Festival.

Wright said the idea for this organization came from Joe Scherrman of Dyersville, Iowa whose production of "Ghost Players" is in the making. The full story of this film can be read below.

The next meeting for the Great River Film Initiative is at 10 am on March 14th at the Dubuque Mindframe Theater.

Ghost Players Are Soon to Take the Field

"Is this Heaven?"
"No, this is Iowa."

Right now you probably don't feel like you're in Heaven with Iowa's negative 17 degree wind chills and sporadic ice storms. But, there is something to look forward to which will thaw you from inside out. A new film is in the making which will take us back to the heartwarming story of the Hollywood blockbuster, The Field of Dreams. No, it's not Field of Dreams II, and Kevin Costner will not be starring in it- but what this film will bring are the real players of the Field of Dreams...the Ghost Players.

"FIELD of DREAMS GHOST PLAYERS is a documentary that chronicles the adventures and misadventures of a boisterous and unlikely team of middle aged Iowa baseball players. In 1989, Hollywood went to Iowa to shoot the FIELD of DREAMS. Little did anyone know this blockbuster would spawn a comedic baseball show starring local ballplayers that would have an 18 year run and travel the world."

"THE FIELD of DREAMS GHOST PLAYERS tells the story of how this zany team ranging from a hog farmer to a state representative moved audiences around the world and changed the players' lives forever. From Dyersville, we follow the Ghost Players around the world as warm hearted, comedic ambassadors of the best that the American Heartland has to offer -- baseball, tomfoolery, and good old-fashioned family fun. We see them bring the comfort that only baseball can give to men and women stationed in the military in the far-flung corners of the world. But most of all, we witness how America's favorite pastime and a Hollywood movie set can give one group of men from a small Iowa town a second chance to live the life they've always dreamed." (www.ghostplayer.us)

According Joe Scherrman, Producer and Director of Ghost Players, "The Studio has set aside time to assemble and edit starting the end of February with hopes to have rough cuts third week in March. Also, a 50 minute show in the first part of April." He would love to have it completed by May. Scherrman says, "The footage is approximately 90 percent logged and archived." As of February 4, 2009, three editors are getting set up to reduce the amount of film (approx. 630 hours) to bring to the studio. As for the subject material, Scherrman has "20 years and 200+ hours of "home video" of the activities and travels of the Ghost Players." He is planning on entering it into the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival in 2010 and he is currently working on contacting distributors and broadcasters, getting music rights, editing, and fundraising.
In the next couple months over 430 tapes are being edited, logged and digitized. This large undertaking is to be finished in time to celebrate the 20th year anniversary of the release of the classic movie, Field of Dreams.

Check out the Ghost Players project at www.ghostplayer.us

VISIT THE GHOST PLAYERS EBAY STORE:
HTTP://WWW.STORES.EBAY.COM/GHOSTPLAYERLLC

SEE GHOST PLAYERS ON YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GhostPlayers

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1462 Twixt Town Rd. Marion, IA 52302
(319) 377-4555

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