About a year after being filmed mostly in North Webster, a mockumentary will be shown at the community center to help benefit the Dixie.
"Welcome To Gentle Waters" will be shown July 29 at 6 p.m. at the North Webster Community Center. Admission cost is a $5 donation at the door. A raffle also will be held to win a DVD of the film, with proceeds benefitting the Dixie.
Co-producers, directors and writers of the film, Brent Kado and Jessica Hardy, sat down June 28 for an interview to discuss the film.
"It's basically about a guy who runs a small retreat center. He has five people come stay with him to overcome addiction," Hardy said. The guy also has his own personal issues.
While the actors developed their characters prior to shooting the film, the movie was improvised. Kado said the movie pretty much stayed the same between the filming and editing processes. There were some parts they thought would be focal points which didn't end up being what they thought, and parts that became more a part of the story, but Kado said they expected that might happen.
Twenty-seven hours of footage was shot, but the film was edited down to 90 minutes, he said.
Kado and Hardy both agreed editing the movie was more difficult than shooting it. Hardy said there's more of a plan with shooting. In editing, she said there's so much to think about, and you can feel differently about a scene from one day to the next while editing. Kado said there's also the pressure of meeting a deadline.
"Welcome to Gentle Waters", the finished version, has only been shown to the cast and crew for a private screening in April. The fundraising screening of the film July 29 will be the second showing.
The cast includes Michael Palascak, a Wabash High School graduate. Palascak recently appeared on the "Tonight Show".
Hardy said what people might find interesting is that most of the cast of "Welcome to Gentle Waters" is from the comedy scene in Chicago. Everyone involved studied at Second City and branched out from there. Some got into movies or theater, and one guy landed a White Castle commercial.
Kado said they are waiting for the film festival circuit to take hold to decide where to premiere the film. Hardy said they knew last year when they were filming it that they wanted to show it in North Webster because that's where the principle photography took place.
Kado said they wanted to make sure they showed it in the immediate area because of the local support and curiosity the filming of the movie had.
Places in the area people will recognize include the BP, the community center, the driving range, a local restaurant and a lake house. The Dixie also appears in the film.
"It's a waiting game for the festivals," said Hardy. "It's excruciating."
Kado said they are definitely happy with the final outcome. At film festivals, they will be competing against other films from everywhere.The comedy is rated PG-13 because of language, Hardy said. It is a comedy, so people can use their own discretion as to what the appropriate age for viewing should be.
At the July 29 showing, Hardy said Joel Wiersema, who plays the leader of the retreat, Terry, will make an appearance.
"He's a hoot," she said. "He'll have a good time talking to people."
Kado said they want to interact with the crowd at the showing, and will answer any questions people have.
For more information about the film, to see teasers and the trailer, visit the Web site at www.gentlewatersmovie.com That Web site also has links to the movie's Facebook page.
