2008 Woodie Awards
Eastern students star in movies filmed in east-central Illinois
Ryan Rinchiuso/ Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/18/03 Section: The Verge
For anyone at Eastern, the chance of being discovered and becoming a movie star has historically been incredibly slim. Though filled with talented people, few agents have thought to mine the creative pool of Eastern. With the help of local independent production company Westfield Entertainment Group, however, this is changing as Westfield began using Eastern students in its films.
Writer/director Eric Shook, a native of Illinois, was always interested in film making, but lacked the funding to realize his dreams. After coming back to Central Illinois and writing a screenplay titled "Lost on Mars," everything began to come together. The biggest problem would be finding a cast in the local small towns to fill out the movie. Eric then thought of nearby Eastern Illinois University as the perfect place to find his stars.
Bev Shook, the coordinator of Westfield Entertainment Group, contacted Eastern theater department chair John Oetling, asking if the company could put up fliers calling for actors for the film. Oetling agreed and the Shooks got a nice response.
"There are not a lot of opportunities around here, and friends would tell their friends (about the fliers)," Bev Shook said. After casting the film, which tells the story of the first manned space exploration of Mars, filming took place between September 2001 and late February 2003. The Shooks had to contend with the students and their ever-shifting schedule to shoot the film.
"We had problems at breaks because a lot of people were going home, (and) also at finals time because students put school first, which we wanted them to do," Bev explained.
This meant the shoot took place primarily at night and on weekends. Filming on top of school work was taxing, but Bev believes everyone enjoyed their time on the project.
"When we were casting the second film, we had a much better response; I don't think we were so much of a joke," Bev said.
"(For)The second film, the cast was anything but theater majors. We had journalism, business majors and many others," Bev exclaimed. She went on to say that many of the high school students that were featured in the films were seriously considering coming to Eastern to major in theater arts.
Writer/director Eric Shook, a native of Illinois, was always interested in film making, but lacked the funding to realize his dreams. After coming back to Central Illinois and writing a screenplay titled "Lost on Mars," everything began to come together. The biggest problem would be finding a cast in the local small towns to fill out the movie. Eric then thought of nearby Eastern Illinois University as the perfect place to find his stars.
Bev Shook, the coordinator of Westfield Entertainment Group, contacted Eastern theater department chair John Oetling, asking if the company could put up fliers calling for actors for the film. Oetling agreed and the Shooks got a nice response.
"There are not a lot of opportunities around here, and friends would tell their friends (about the fliers)," Bev Shook said. After casting the film, which tells the story of the first manned space exploration of Mars, filming took place between September 2001 and late February 2003. The Shooks had to contend with the students and their ever-shifting schedule to shoot the film.
"We had problems at breaks because a lot of people were going home, (and) also at finals time because students put school first, which we wanted them to do," Bev explained.
This meant the shoot took place primarily at night and on weekends. Filming on top of school work was taxing, but Bev believes everyone enjoyed their time on the project.
"When we were casting the second film, we had a much better response; I don't think we were so much of a joke," Bev said.
"(For)The second film, the cast was anything but theater majors. We had journalism, business majors and many others," Bev exclaimed. She went on to say that many of the high school students that were featured in the films were seriously considering coming to Eastern to major in theater arts.
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