HomeMy Public PortalAboutMovies: Companies & actorsCouple sets up McCall movie
BY PENNY EBERLE
For The Star -News
Hundreds of local youths and
adults crowded into the Evergreen
Theater last month, but not to
watch the latest movie on the big
screen. Instead, these people were
there for a casting call with the
hopes of one day seeing them-
selves up on the big screen.
The audition was held by
Idaho Films, a newly created Mc-
Call based film production com-
pany, in order to find people for
an upcoming movie, which is
scheduled to begin shooting in the
McCall area during the McCall
Winter Carnival and continue in
early Spring.
Idaho Films is operated by
Johnn and Kristina Wintergate
with Johnn's sister, Roni Ros-
wood.
The Wintergates moved to
McCall two years ago from Bur-
bank, Calif. There, they had both
been involved with the motion
picture and entertainment industry
for over 20 years, including writ-
ing, producing, and acting in
movies and commercials.
Kristina's acting credits include
My Science Project and roles in
the television series Night Court.
The Wintergates owned Blue
Star Films in Los Angeles, and
made several films that Johnn de-
scribed as "'B'-type adven-
ture/horror films."
The move to McCall came af-
ter the Wintergates and their two
children, Kodey, 14 and Chanti, 9,
became disenchanted with life in
southern California. "It was time
to leave the city and move to a
better environment," Kristina said.
The family wanted to move ei-
ther to Hawaii or the mountains,
and Kristina chose the mountains
for "their spirit." They embarked
on a drive through the western
U.S. and Canada and arrived in
McCall early one morning. The
beauty and serenity of the area
made them decide to stay.
They hand -built their unique
home near Jughandle Mountain,
and decided that the Valley County
area and Idaho in general would be
a perfect place for movie -making.
"The scenery, lakes, mountains
and the charisma that exudes from
it make it perfect," Johnn said.
"Our dream was to build a
house on top of a mountain,"
Kristina said, "and we wanted to
continue our craft."
With a script titled "Sally &
Jess," specifically written for this
area by Johnn, the Wintergates set
about making their dreams a real-
ity.
The screenplay is a family movie production state. They company
story about two children whose want the local people to "feel in -
parents have died and officials try volved," and with the casting
to separate them. The children run
away into the hills, where they
have to overcome numerous ob-
stacles and dangers. The Winter -
gate children will have the lead
roles in "Sally & Jess."
After production, they hope to
sell the movie to the Walt Disney
studios but if that doesn't work
out they will market and distribute
the project themselves.
With the script in hand, they
needed to find talent to fit the
project, but found that there was
no casting agency in Idaho. So the
couple decided to hold auditions
and begin their own agency, Idaho
Casting.
Having dealt with the big -
business aspect of movie -making
in California, they said they want
to keep as much control of their
projects as possible. They said
that the creativity has gone out of
a lot of movies, and that they
want to return to make "wonderful
little movies."
Their dreams also include
making Idaho a self-sufficient
agency they will have not only
actors but eventually Idaho resi-
dents as set builders, make-up
artists, hairdressers and musicians.
The Wintergates have already
formed Idaho Soundworks, in
conjunction with local musician
and composer Jim Cockey. Idaho
Soundworks will compose, ar-
range and produce all the music
for "Sally & Jess." -
Thor and Lee Fin-Kelson of
McCall are also part of the pro-
duction, with Thor as the produc-
tion manager and Lee doing the
wardrobe and set design. Their
son, Andrew, who attends Mc-
Call -Donnelly High School, will
assist with the musical score.
Johnn Wintergate said that he
hopes to one day have a sound
studio built in McCall so that
other musicians and producers will
have a local facility in which to
work.
Johnn and Kristina Wintergate
Kay Larson, a McCall busi-
nessman and owner of K&L Jew-
elry and Gifts, is the public rela-
tions officer for Idaho Films.
Roni Roswood will be the pro-
ducer and Johnn Wintergate will
be the director. The camera crew
will come from California, but
they hope to eventually have a
trained local crew.
Shooting began the first week-
end of Winter Carnival, with
some family scenes and skiing
shots will also be taken before
winter ends. The major shooting
is set to begin May 6 and should
last about a month, Wintergate
said.
Photo by Penny Eberle
ope to sell their film to Disney.
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S h o o t i n g o f r i v e r - r u n n i n g m o v i e s h i f t s t o C a s c a d e
C A S C A D E A r e a r e s i d e n t s w i l l g e t a
t a s t e o f t h e m o v i e - m a k i n g b u s i n e s s n e x t m o n t h
a s t h e l o c a t i o n f o r f i l m i n g o f a r i v e r - r u n n i n g
m o v i e "