Shadow FX Films

Welcome to the Red Earth Descendants Website | Red Earth Descendants

2010-11-19T17:18:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Red Earth Descendants Website | Red Earth Descendants

First Tuesdays with The Midwest Independent Film Festival!

2010-10-04T18:30:00.000-05:00

First Tuesdays with The Midwest Independent Film Festival!

History of Lac Courte Oreilles

2010-10-01T23:13:00.000-05:00

History of Lac Courte Oreilles

Tale of Two Cities

2010-06-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

Comedic Shorts Film Fest

2010-05-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

Film! Food! First Tuesdays! The Midwest Independent Film Festival presents another knock out Comedic Shorts Program this Tuesday, June 1st at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema -- 2828 North Clark -- 6 p.m. Filmmakers in attendance for a post-screening discussion include SUCCESSFUL ALCOHOLICS (Sundance 2010) director Jordan Vogt-Roberts.

Check out this hilarious lineup: http://www.midwestfilm.com/pages/june_1_2010_lineup/446.php.

Purchase tickets today at http://www.midwestfilm.org -- First Tuesdays sell out every month!

Join the festival’s e-mail list at http://www.midwestfilm.com/pages/join_our_e_mail_list_/331.php. We send no more than two e-mails per month with all the latest on film events in Chicagoland, special advance screenings and of course, all the Indie action at the only year round film festival in the nation.

Who’s on First? Midwest Independent Film Festival!

Refuge of Dragonflies (2008)

2010-02-10T17:28:00.003-06:00

Refuge of Dragonflies (2008)

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Refuge Essay

2010-02-10T16:54:00.000-06:00

The short film “Refuge of Dragonflies” is a modern multi-cultural adaptation of one chapter of Victor Hugo’s classic “Hunchback of Notre Dame” written, directed, edited, and produced by Michael O’Rourke. It was filmed on location in West Palm Beach in May and June of 2008. Hugo’s novel, originally published in 1831, is in public domain.

Hounded by depression, rage, and survival guilt, the street poet Chancez wills himself into states of exhaustion and ecstasy, building a refuge with words—poetry in defense of civil and human liberty. He offers his poetry as shelter to every stripe of human creativity in every color he imagines might hear or read it. But who’s listening to an unknown Poet who lives in an industrial dumpster?

Heaven sees him struggle with his well-intentioned delusion, takes mercy, and hurls a messenger at him. The messenger is the message—Esmeralda, a “celestial street dancer,” the Poet’s Muse in the flesh, and she’s being hunted down by Father Frollo, assisted by his “monster” Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Hugo’s title. When Chancez creates a diversion, Esmeralda escapes, but so do Frollo and Quasimodo.

After the collision of Poet, Muse, and the Predators, Chancez is literally pulled out of the trash heap by Moon Dog, a blind street Prophet and guardian of Esmeralda. Moon Dog puts Chancez on trial in the Court of Miracles, pushing the poet to engage in his fate—not write about it, not protest about what others are doing, but live his hero’s journey. “Be here now.” The Prophet gives him one last opportunity to prove his humanity, to prove he is at least a pickpocket. When he fails at this basic and basest of occupations, the Prophet pronounces a sentence of death by hanging, which I take to mean the death of the trash heap of his ego—an absolute necessity if he is to have a fighting chance against the Predators in the future. As the noose tightens, Esmeralda, his Muse, miraculously appears, and performs a belly (rebirth) dance and agrees to take Chancez for her husband for four years.

Though Chancez is ecstatic about his escape from death into the arms of his Muse, he soon learns he is fated to be her husband in name only. She introduces him to her Dragonflies, orphans whom she has rescued from the streets. Esmeralda keeps Chancez at a distance physically, while urging him to forge his poetry anew in defense of the oppressed. She leaves him in the courtyard of her refuge asking himself: “Have you saved my life to break my heart?”

This is a story that interlaces the archetypes of dreams with earthbound street people, not unlike the phantasmagoria found in the pages of Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The making of “Refuge” was very nearly a waking dream, in which I encountered obstacles; made deals with tricksters; shed light on shadow figures inside and out. The film is an attempt to perfectly match universal aspects of the psyche—The Poet, The Muse, The Prophet, The Twisted High Priest [or Predator Mind], and The Monster with the dirt-under-the-fingernails humans called Chancez, Esmeralda, Moon Dog, Frollo, and Quasimodo.

Impossibly, ephemeral and iridescent Dragonflies hold the whole thing together, like a fairytale.

'Refuge of Dragonflies' | MailTribune.com

2009-12-18T11:28:00.003-06:00

'Refuge of Dragonflies' | MailTribune.com

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"Refuge" Wins Two More Awards

2009-11-27T09:35:00.000-06:00

CHICAGO – The Indie Fest (), an international film festival, recently announced winners, recognizing film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Michael O’Rourke’s first short film “Refuge of Dragonflies” received two Awards of Merit. O’Rourke was recognized for his screenplay adaptation, and John Mazzei for his original score.
Based on characters in Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame.” O’Rourke’s contemporary adaptation features an international cast and crew from 11 countries filmed on location in West Palm Beach. The film uses striking images and evocative scoring to tell the centuries-old story of the struggle between innocence and corruption, creativity and destruction, love and obsession.
“In winning these Indies, ‘Refuge of Dragonflies’ joins the ranks of high-profile winners of an internationally respected award,” says Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs The Indie Fest. “Our goal is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”
O’Rourke, executive producer for Shadow FX Films, earned a Master’s at the University of Wyoming, worked 7 seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and co-founded Actors’ Theatre (Ashland/Talent, OR) in 1982, where he served 13 years as producing artistic director. He now freelances in Chicago, and works as grant writer for the Midwest Independent Film Festival (). He has written 13 produced plays and the award-winning screenplay “In the Land Where Acorns Dance.”
He wrote, directed, and edited “Refuge” while attending Palm Beach Film School in West Palm Beach, Florida last year (See ). Earlier this year O’Rourke won The Accolade Award of Merit for direction of his film. (See ) MovieMaker Magazine includes The Accolade among the Top 25 Film Festivals “Worth The Entry Fee.”
Mazzei has composed for film, TV, and theater and has traveled the world as an improvising accompanist for spiritual and inspirational gatherings. He first worked with O’Rourke at Actors’ Theatre as music director and accompanist for Leona Mitchell’s “Tribute to Judy Garland,” which premiered at Oregon Cabaret Theatre in 1990. “That show was a highlight for me. It taught me the value of collaboration with artists of other disciplines,” Mazzei says.
O’Rourke turned to Mazzei, now a composer for Harpo Productions, to write the original score for “Refuge.” “Michael always said ‘tell the story,’ and that has stuck with me,” Mazzei comments. “I was happy to work with him again to be able to help tell the story of our first film collaboration.” Mazzei recently completed the score for the independent feature “Meipporul,” which opened in May concurrently in the US and India. His piece “Summer Memories” was placed in episodes 1-10 of HBO’s “True Blood.” His music can be heard at .
“When we received news about the The Indie Fest awards,” O’Rourke says, “John and I were thrilled and a bit overwhelmed to be honored in the company of such amazing filmmakers from around the world.” Winning films came from Italy, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Spain, Brazil, Denmark, Italy, Peru, and the United States.
“Speaking of Brazil,” O’Rourke continues, “it was our great good fortune that Vilmar Borges, my film classmate and a Brazilian, agreed to be the director of photography on the project.”
“Michael and I met at film school,” Borges says in a very strong Portuguese accent, “and I remember on the first day of school we had to introduce ourselves, and this guy sitting at the back of the class—a slow talking kinda guy—telling about him and his ideas and so on and so forth. And I thought to myself, ‘Man, I think this guy eats books for breakfast.’ When we got deep into the course, I got to know Michael better, he saw my passion for cameras, and we became friends. He came to me and ask me if I wanted to be his DP, and I was very happy to accept. We did an awesome job.”
For information and photos about “Refuge,” visit , or the IMDb title page at . O’Rourke can be contacted at (773) 279-9043.

O'Rourke Wins Accolade Award

2009-05-24T19:09:00.000-05:00

(Chicago, IL, May 20, ‘09) – Michael O'Rourke has won the Accolade Competition Award of Merit for direction of his first short film, “Refuge of Dragonflies,” one of three films cited for direction in that category. Based on characters in Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” O’Rourke’s contemporary adaptation features an international cast and crew from 11 countries filmed on location in West Palm Beach. The film uses stunning images and soulful direction to tell the centuries-old story of the struggle between innocence and corruption, creativity and destruction, love and obsession.
O’Rourke, executive producer of Shadow F/X Films, wrote, directed and edited “Refuge” while attending Palm Beach Film School in West Palm Beach, Florida, last year. On hearing of the Accolade’s recognition of the film, Jim York, founder and director of the Film School, said, “Michael established himself as one of the ‘quiet leaders’ in our hands-on training program. He wrote an excellent script. His directing and producing abilities were exemplary.”
About bringing “Refuge” to the screen O’Rourke says, “I’ve had a ‘Hunchback’ project on the back burner for a long time, and with it so many aspirations—a fairy tale with dirt under the fingernails; a sexy, one world, human rights, poetry dance with irony, that reflects the war, famine, and climate change of our time. Before film school, I never considered making a short film. How could I put all those ideas and visions into 15 minutes? The teachers and staff of Palm Beach Film School turned that around. The mantra was simplify, simplify, simplify. I’ve produced theatre on a shoestring for 30 years, so it wasn’t hard to convince me to be practical. But it was a lot of painstaking and ego smashing work to get down to the bedrock of this chapter out of Hugo’s masterpiece. As I did, I found all my aspirations were in fact already imbedded in the original, and then some. Updating it proved to be a process like Michelangelo sculpting what is already in the stone.”
The film school curriculum requires all students in a class to rotate crew positions for each student film. “There were numerous challenges translating the script to a visual medium. As fate would have it, I found a great cinematographer among my classmates—Vilmar Borges of Brazil.”
In postproduction O’Rourke turned to John Mazzei (http://www.johnmazzei.com/), a composer for Harpo Productions, to write the original score for “Refuge.” “John and I have been collaborating since the late ‘80s. I wanted my first film to feature his music in a big way,” O’Rourke comments. Mazzei recently completed the score for the independent feature “Meipporul,” which opened in May concurrently in the US and India.
The Accolade recognizes film, television and videography professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Thomas Baker, PhD, who chairs The Accolade, had this to say about the latest winners, “This is not an easy award to win. Highly qualified professionals judge entries received from around the world. O’Rourke and Shadow F/X Films join the ranks of high-profile winners of this internationally respected award.” Information about the Accolade and a list of recent winners can be found at http://www.theaccolade.net/.
For more information about “Refuge” contact O'Rourke at (847) 483-5726 or visit http://www.sfxfilms.blogspot.com/. The Palm Beach Film School website is http://www.palmbeachfilmschool.com/.

The Refuge Crew

2009-04-11T23:58:00.000-05:00

In alphabetical order (Position) [Country of birth / ancestry]

George Anderson (Boom, Behind the Scenes Camera) [USA]

Ann Britt and Christian Angle (Associate Producers)

Vilmar Borges (Director of Photography) [Brazil] I was born and raised in Curitiba, the capital of Parana State in south Brazil. During WW II, many immigrants from Europe went to south Brazil, running away from the war, for a change to a better life. Because of this immigration, Curitiba is like living in different parts of Europe. Coming from there helps me to open my mind and to understand others cultures better and also helped me to adapt very quick in the US. Cameras and lenses fascinate me. Since I was a kid, I wanted to be a photographer, but after a friend of mine asked me to video record his kid's birthday party, that was it! I knew making art through lenses was my destiny. In 1997, I came to the US with a dream to go to film school. 11 years passed by and I fulfilled that dream at the Palm Beach Film School. Now, when I'm behind the camera nothing else matters, I become part of the scene though the lenses.

Jennifer Crozier (Assistant Director Palm Beach Film School)

Tiki Donaho (Line Producer)

Christian Gonzalez (First Assistant Director) [Puerto Rico / Taino Indian] See Cast Bios.

Michael Eldon Lobsinger (Line Producer, Sound Editor) [USA] Michael is a graduate of The Palm Beach Film School (September 2007) and is currently the ‘line producer’ for both Palm Beach and Miami Film Schools and has been on over 120 film shoots since he started his passion in the film business 23 months ago. He has written and directed two short films: “Miss Fyer” (2007) and “Interfearence” (2009). And in 2008, he directed a music video for his band, Godwired, a song called “Falling” (2008).

Jared Lopez (Production Assistant, Pro Chef Caterer, Behind the Scenes Camera)

John Mazzei (Composer) As a composer, John brings many influences and life experiences to his music. He has composed for film, TV, and theater and has traveled the world as an improvising accompanist for spiritual and inspirational gatherings. Currently he composes for Harpo Productions and for various publishers and music libraries. He lives in San Francisco with his wife Jean and their Maltese dog, Winston. His music can be heard at www.johnmazzei.com.

Susannah McClellan (Second Assistant Director, Boom)

Matt Miller (Line Producer)

Kevin Neville (Script Supervisor, Boom, Still Photographer) [Canada]

Norma Guadalupe Dobrikoa O’Hep (Costume Designer, Choreographer) [Venezuela / Jewish, Spanish, Irish]

Michael O'Rourke (Writer, Director, Producer, Editor) [USA / Irish, Welsh, English, French, German] See sidebar.

Nick Sacchi (Final Cut Pro Guru)

Jim Stasek (Producer SFX Films) [USA] Jim has been working with Michael O'Rourke since earning his BS in Theater Arts at Southern Oregon University in 1985. Actors' Theatre of Oregon is their greatest accomplishment to date. While working with that company, Jim held the titles of technical director, production manager, set designer, and actor. Though he has acted in several staged readings of screenplays, “Refuge” is his first film credit.

Jim York (Palm Beach Film School Executive Producer)

Jake Ziegler (2nd Gaffer)

Night Shoot at the Industrial Dumpster

2009-04-11T23:49:00.000-05:00

Cast and crew on Dumpster Set for Moon Dog (Tony Thompson)

and Spider Knacker (Kaitlyn Barnell) scene

Refuge Leads prepare for abduction scene

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Jhonny Obando [Quasimodo], Cecilia A. Perez [Esmeralda],

and Christian Gonzalez [Father Frollo]

The Refuge Cast

2009-04-11T18:59:00.000-05:00

Kaitlyn Barnell (Spider Knacker) is a student at Dreyfoos High School of the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has extensively trained in acting, singing and dancing for both stage and screen. “In third grade I saw Shania Twain in concert, and I knew I wanted to be a performer.”

Christian Gonzalez (Father Frollo) [Puerto Rico / Taino Indian]. Christian is currently pursuing two bachelor degrees in Theatre Performance, and Television and Film Production. He was recently chosen to intern with the improv troupe Mod 27. He is a featured actor in “Clash,” a short film in which he plays a Middle Eastern man who kills a US soldier in retaliation for the murder of his father.

Juan Gonzalez Machain (Chancez) [Mexican / Aztec / French] Born in Mexico City and raised in Champaign, Illinois, Juan moved after middle school with his family to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He is working towards a BM in Musical Theater at the University of Miami where he performed in Gianni Schicchi, The Music Man, and a short student film, Vagabond.

Robert Anthony Green (Scooter)

Jhonny Obando (Quasimodo) was born in the city of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. He started his career studying at CIFALC in Miami, Florida under Venezuelan director and actor Aquiles Ortega. He also joined the Actor’s Workshop, a school directed by renowned Mexican directors and actors Hector and Martha Zavaleta. Jhonny worked with film director/producer Gabriel Alfonzo in the Mexican production Lapsus (2007). He then acted and co- produced A Spanish Woman’s Guide to Finding a Good Man (2008) produced by Warning Films. He is currently filming Ricardo Valdez’s Carpe Diem, and in pre-production for his new short film Ocaso (Night Fall). http://www.renacerfilms.com/ or http://www.jhonnyobando.com/

Cecilia A. Perez (Esmeralda) Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cecilia moved to the United States at the age of 18, and now currently lives in Florida where she works as an actress. She has appeared in the Spanish soap operas El Rostro de Analia and Pecados Ajenos, as well as independent films and commercials.

Tony Thompson (Moon Dog) is an award winning theatre actor, director and playwright. He has starred or been featured in over 50 plays, directed 55, and written four. He is proud to have worked with the legendary Broadway director Vinnette Carroll for 15 years in her Repertory Theatre Company at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is an African-American born in Greensboro, NC, and a child of the Civil Rights Era, who participated in the Student Civil Rights demonstrations in 1961, which served as a model for subsequent demonstrations all over the United States.

Jonathan Wade (Djali) was born in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam, has appeared in several school plays including Miss Saigon, South Pacific, and now appears in a new kids TV sitcom, The Chefsters.

ORPHANS
Keri Bruner’s (Orphan) ancestors are African, Native American, and Irish. A junior student at Dreyfoos High School of Performing Arts (Florida), she has been acting in school plays since age 5. She appeared as Beatriz Garlando in the 2008 Florida Renaissance Festival. Luis Alberto Rodriguez Escobar (Orphan) is a son of Karina Escobar and Wilmar Salinas from Guatemala. Jamilet Garcia (Orphan) is a daughter of Delfino and Veronica Garcia of Guatemala. Jenna Templin (Orphan). Lili Wade (Orphan) was born in Jiangxi, China and is the adopted daughter of Vicki and Fred Wade.

The blind prophet Moon Dog

2009-04-11T18:52:00.000-05:00

South Florida actor Tony Thompson in the role of Moon Dog

Refuge invited to post on IMDb

2009-04-07T23:29:00.000-05:00

This post is dedicated to my first short narrative film produced by SFX Films in association with Palm Beach Film School. It is also inauguration of my first blog.

Great news, Refuge has an IMDb title page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1409706/

Refuge of Dragonflies

A new millennium.
The climate is changing.
The world is at war.

A poet and his muse are under siege.

Brought to trial by the blind judge Moon Dog, a visionary poet is condemned for a crime he tried to prevent. If he is to escape death by hanging at the Court of Miracles, he must surrender to the demands of the celestial street dancer, La Esmeralda. Based on characters in Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” this contemporary adaptation features an international cast from 11 countries.

Le Refuge des Libellules

Un nouveau millénium.

Le climat change.

Le monde est en train de changer.

Le monde et en plein guerre.

Un poète et sa muse sont sur siège.

Emmené en justice par l’aveugle juge Moon Dog, un poète visionnaire est condamne pour une crime qu’il a essaye de empêche. Pour échapper d’être pendu jusque la mort au Cours des Miracles, il doit se rendre aux demandes danseurs célestiel de la rue, La Esmeraldas. Base sur les caractères de “Notre Dames” de Victor Hugo, cette adaptation contemporanéité est présente par des vedettes international.

Mission

2009-04-02T15:08:00.000-05:00

Our objectives include, but are not limited to, film and video produced:
In defense of civil and human liberties;
To encourage environmental awareness;
To promote the rights and traditions of indigenous peoples worldwide;
And to encourage production of artistic merit, with special emphasis on films suitable for children.