Dear parents and students:

You may have heard that Rolling Prairie resident and Oscar-nominated director John Hancock (“Prancer,” “Bang the Drum Slowly”) is in pre-production on his next film, which begins shooting in La Porte County, South Bend and Southwest Michigan in June.
“Prancer,” by the way, Hancock's 1989 Christmas classic, isn't the only movie he and actress/screenwriter Dorothy Tristan have filmed in our area. Other acclaimed efforts include “A Piece of Eden” (1999) and “Suspended Animation” (2001).
Moved by the community's outpouring of support, John and Dorothy have been inspired to “pay it forward” by inspiring the next generation of filmmakers with their “Dare to Dream Essay Contest.” They want our students to reach for the stars. Daring to dream, they say, is a reminder that anything is possible, even in a small Indiana town. This passion is, in part, what they hope to pass on to our youth.

The Guidelines

High-school students are asked to prepare a 300- to 400-word essay that is typed and double spaced. No handwritten entries will be accepted. Write your name, school, your parents' names, your age/year in school, phone number and email in the top-right corner. Explain why you want to be a filmmaker or director and why you believe it will happen. If you like, write about any particular story you want to tell, or when you realized filmmaking was your dream.
The winner will spend two days on the set, which will include:
• Experience with the lighting crew.
• Experience with the sound department.
• Experience with the cinematographer.
• Experience co-directing with John.
• A walk-on role.
Submit the essay by email to contest@filmacres.com or to your designated teacher or school official by Friday, May 24. The contest's judges are FilmAcres Co-Producer and Columbia College Chicago Professor Doreen Bartoni, FilmAcres Production Office Manager and retired educator Margaret Clifford and Tammy Lakes, the vice president of product management and marketing, Accelerated Performance Solutions, Pearson Education Inc.
Winners will be announced no later than Friday, June 7.

Happy dreaming ... or shall we say - Action!

Visit www.Indiegogo.com, then search for “Untitled John Hancock Film” for additional information. The movie website is www.filmacres.com. Join us on Facebook at FilmAcres or twitter @filmacres