Dark attraction

Films with a $4,000 budget generally aren't fit for a showing on E! or a layout in US magazine, but the premiere of locally made "Dark Garden" Friday at the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University was a success -- if just for the fact that there were hardly any empty seats to be found among the roughly 200 that were set up.

It was not full of glamour. The director carried in the popcorn that would serve as part of the refreshments, and there were no fancy signs or red carpets anywhere in sight.

A few minor hitches occurred early on in the evening, making it impossible for planned music and film shorts to be shown before the main feature. But otherwise everything went smoothly.

Once the opening credits started to run, the filmmakers likely were breathing sighs of relief.

About an hour before the film came on screen, director Patrick Bond was running around nervously trying to make sure everything was taken care of. The audience and media-attention parts of film making were new to Bond. During the seven months he worked on the movie, Bond said he and the others were "just trying to get the movie made. Pretty much the last seven months of my life have been film school."

By the day of the premier, Bond was feeling the stress of being educated.

"I don't think my phone has ever rang more in its life than in the past two or three days," he said.

A thriller

"Dark Garden" is a psychological thriller that it's makers say is best suited for viewers 17 or older.

The movie follows the character of Warren (Kyle Van Pool), a downtrodden man who finds himself having to choose between good and evil when he moves into a new house and befriends Harry (J.W. McCrary), a man who makes Warren assist in his wicked acts.

One of Bond's supporters who showed up for the film premier was David Allstun, who has known Bond for about five years.

"I could tell Pat had the drive to make this a serious movie," said Allstun, who had made some short films with his friends while in high school in Jackson. Allstun had gotten Bond in touch with friends who went to Los Angeles to work in movies. Bond got some tips from an L.A. friend, but he also got help from the people in Cape Girardeau who were willing to come on board the project.

"I figure it's an independent movie, and you have to work with what you have around you," Allstun said of "Dark Garden," which he had not yet seen.

One of those local residents the film makers came to know is Michael Huntington, who owns Cape Video.

Huntington also has an interest in film making. He got in touch with the "Dark Garden" film makers after he saw them shooting scenes outside his video store.

Out of their shared interest, Huntington, Bond and the "Dark Garden" makers formed the Cape Film Makers Cooperative, which will provide information and assistance to others wanting to work on independent movie projects.

Huntington called "Dark Garden" the beginning of film making in Cape Girardeau and said a Cape Girardeau film festival is possible in the future.

University student Megan Wilson, who came to see "Dark Garden" Friday, said she thought it was possible to bring more film making to Cape Girardeau, especially with the number of college students in the city. Wilson is a video major who hopes to someday to work behind the scenes of a television sitcom.

"I was just excited, being a video major, that someone was showing something like this," she said.

Producer Greg Levrault also has high hopes for film in the city.

Levrault said even though he did not know any of the other people involved with the film before it got underway, it did not take long to become close. The people working on the film "bonded so quickly because we had the passion to make movies and to make movies here and not wait until we got to Hollywood," he said.

Hollywood actor

One of the actors of "Dark Garden" actually had some experience in Hollywood.

McCrary, who plays Harry, briefly lived in Los Angeles, working on theater productions and occasional small movie rolls. When he first saw a casting sign up at a local gas station, he thought it might be a good opportunity for his 10-year-old daughter, Aura, who has appeared in some commercials.

"I didn't really known what to expect from it," he said.

When he got to the casting call, he was asked to read for the part of Harry. He liked the script and the people involved in the project and decided to sign on.

"After I talked to the guys I was impressed by their professionalism," he said.

McCrary said he was interested in films while he was at Southeast Missouri State University, but said there were no outlets available to him in Cape Girardeau at the time.

"We just felt like we can't do anything here, we have to go to L.A. or New York."

With today's technology, however, McCrary said it is possible for just about anybody with interest to make his or her own film.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182