Locals Lens Thriller

Julien R. Fielding

On May 9, cameras began rolling on Skyline Entertainment Productions fifth independent feature. A psychological thriller-cum-crime drama, ITK is a homegrown film conceived by writer-director Daniel B. Iske, executive producer Wendy Biernbaum, producer Adam Molzer and assistant director Scott Coleman, the same brainchildren behind 1999’s Dean’s Boys and 2001’s The Rock That Made Us.

About a year ago the group came together to work on the new script. "Myself, Wendy and James, my brother, worked on the script," Iske said. "We wanted to do something darker; a compelling crime drama. We all worked on the ideas and the plot. I wrote the dialogue then went back and we [fine-tuned it]."

In the film, a young homicide detective tracks an elusive serial killer by drawing on a special skill — he is able to see in disturbing detail what the killer does. Preproduction began in January, and auditions were held in March. For the first week, the digital camera ran every day, usually from mid-afternoon to, on some days, 2 a.m. For the remaining weeks — the film is scheduled to wrap June 8 — the cast and crew will work only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. ITK is scheduled to wrap June 8.

As with their previous films, all of the funding for the project has come out of the 20-somethings’ pocket. They were, however, able to procure food sponsors, mainly from Subway and Don & Millie’s. All in all about 30 actors, including principals and extras, are working on the film, with two Kansas City-based actors joining a mostly all Omaha-based cast, which includes Iske, as the main character; and Diane Watson, who recently starred in the Playhouse’s Game Show and Blue Barn’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.

The 12-person crew includes some regulars and some newcomers, including Erin Bauer, who serves as second assistant director. Bauer said she learned about the project from a listserv she subscribes to that alerts people of upcoming independent film projects. Having written and directed three videos herself — completing them while a reference librarian at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Library — she immediately responded to the call so she could expand her skills. "I keep the audio and video logs at the end of each take," she said. "I run the clapper, call sound-camera-action and take photos. I hope to continue with these types of projects. I’ve really enjoyed this."

The majority of the crew are working for free, primarily to gain some experience, Iske said. "We can get it done on a small budget."

Iske, who has been making films since he was 9 years old, made his first feature-length film while in high school. Knowing that directing was the career path he wanted to follow, after graduation he enrolled as a film studies student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He will graduate in December. "I’d like to use this film as a stepping block, and we hope it will get us funding for the next film," he said. "We don’t have a lot of money, but we keep improving. It’s not all about the budget; it’s about having great people."

Once ITK wraps, next will come the arduous task of editing, which will be done on a home basement unit the group has put together. Iske estimates the final film will have a running time of about 1+ hours and should be ready for viewing in early 2004. Since the it has been shot on location in both Omaha and Lincoln, he said he would like to have a premiere in both cities. (Dean’s Boys debuted at the Rose.) "I’d like to enter it in more festivals so we can catch the attention of distributors," he said. "We’re really excited about it." He said he also might try to cut a short or a trailer so as to whet viewer’s appetites at the Great Plains Film Festival, scheduled Aug. 1-14 in Lincoln at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center.

Bauer said she thinks the film has great potential for finding a market outside of Omaha. "The script is really cool. It has good dialogue and a lot of good twists. The acting is just excellent, and the angles they are choosing are really good. On Sunday I was watching a scene on the viewfinder, and I was just drawn into it. It’s compelling." For more information, go to www.sepomaha.com.

Locals Lens Thriller was originally published in The Reader on 29 May, 2003. © 2003 Reader Publishing Inc.