Dreamscape crews up for 6th pic
Although difficult on the eyes, your humble editor reviews the weekly job feed issued by Mandy.com to keep abreast of independent film opportunities taking place in Illinois. Lo and behold, last week’s listings confirmed the suspicion that Dreamscape Cinema of Champaign was moving quickly towards production on yet another feature film. Paid positions to be filled include Production Designer, Key Grip, Grip, 1st Assistant Director, Sound Mixer, FX Coordinator, and Make-up/Hair, according to a post which lists Sunday, August 3, as the start date. Readers should check out the item “Misc. Dept. Heads for Feature” if interested in applying for work on the show.
Over lunch earlier this year, Dreamscape president Robin Christian pitched C-U Blogfidential on an idea about characters dealing with crime and a rogue panther in a downtrodden urban setting. An e-mail sent yesterday from Christian to CUBlog verifies that this is the project shooting next month. However, as the tentative title PANTHER ISLAND implies, the setting has obviously shifted to something a little more … tropical.
I guess if the Dreamscape drama CRAB ORCHARD can pass off West Side Park as NYC‘s Central Park, then a judicious blend of location photography, crack editing, and movie magic could sell viewers on this new geographical illusion. (Sure, PANTHER PENINSULA might be a little bit easier to achieve in land-locked Champaign County, but how dorky does that sound?) I’m much more worried about the techniques needed to pull off the show’s ferocious feline, especially in the wake of all those recent low-budget creature features that have appeared on Sci-Fi Channel and home video featuring too-obvious CGI beasts. Let’s hope that Christian chooses his effects artists wisely and avoids a snafu on the level of the ill conceived and badly lit make-up appliances worn by Michael Muhney in ACT YOUR AGE.
Dreamscape Cinema’s prior efforts also include DISPOSABLE, DISCONNECT, and LINK.
~ Jason Pankoke