'Reality' feature film shot in Wahoo
By DeManda Arkfeld

WAHOO - Years of revisions, maturing and planning have led up to the recent filming of the feature, "The Reality of My Demise." Director Jake Hull of Wahoo, has a degree in advertising but has a passion for making independent films.

The film is being shot in two different apartments located above Lasting Looks on East Fifth Street. According to Hull, the main idea for the film developed over five years ago in the Wahoo Super break room where he and the lead in the film, Jeremy Furrow used to work. "A good friend, Luke Virgil, would give me his honest opinion on the drafts that have been written over the years," Hull said. "The ideas changed as we aged, they became more mature and dramatic."

Hull also credits his cousin, Seth Requenez, for his structure and planning skills. "I wouldn't have been able to plan this without him," Hull said. "He jokes he is my secretary but he is far from it." According to Hull, Requenez balances the budget, does the scheduling and keeps the whole company on time. Hull and Requenez own a production company together. The AB Productions company has produced three other independent films which were each short films.

One of the AB Productions short films was awarded first place in a UNL Halloween film festival. They shot that film outside of Malmo last October. Another actor in the film, Luke Rustermier of Wahoo, has worked in all of Hull's other films. Rustermier has also produced his own feature film in the past in Wahoo. "He has been a mentor to me," Hull said. "I was 18 when I started and seeing Luke make his film gave me the drive to do my own."

The production company was able to have Hal and Judy Hoppe, of Lincoln to financially back their feature. Judy Hoppe also read at an audition for the part of the grandmother in the film and was chosen for the part. Hoppe has previous acting experience from a part she had in About Schmidt. Red Bull in Omaha also is providing the company with Red Bull beverages during filming over the next 10 days. With the funds, Hull was able to hire cinematographer Rhett McClure for the week.

Hull met McClure, who is originally from Wahoo, while he was participating in an internship at Snitily Carr Advertising in Lincoln where McClure is employed. Another producer of the film is Trevor Snell a UNL film student from Burwell. Zach Votipka, a UNL broadcast student from Sacramento is the grip on set.Both students are receiving independent study credit hours towards their degrees.

The film follows the search for a serial killer lurking in a small college town. Lead character Grapes doesn't have to look far when a quiet strange fellow named Arthur moves into the apartment complex owned by Grape's disabled grandmother. Hull stated that during a dream sequence, they used over $600 worth of grapes to fill up a room.

"We have been reading up on wine fermenting and plan on making wine out of our grapes," Hull said. "We hope to open a bottle of the wine years from now and toast our success." The movie will be between 70 and 80 minutes long and it will be of a PG-13 standard. The company finished up shooting on UNL campus on May 24 and May 25

Hull stated that they will be sending the film to a minimum of 15 festivals across the country but that he does not want to limit himself to that number.

©Suburban Newspapers 2008

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