If your travels take you anywhere near the Wagner Funeral Home in Three Oaks this weekend, you might have the chance to witness the filming of a short film directed by award-winning Chicago film Director Ashley Thompson.
Filming is underway today, Friday, December 6th and continuing through the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, December 7th and 8th.
The film is called “The Funeral Photographer,” and is written and produced by Mark Strauss, along with a team of passionate creatives who are working on the project including local and regional actors who have been in productions such as Chicago Fire.
According to the motion picture website IDMB the storyline takes place, “When Julie steps into a funeral home for what appears to be an ordinary photography job, it will transform what we think we know about love, loss, and remembrance.”
The project has been funded by crowdsourcing on Seed and Spark, where creators and audiences come together to tell stories that celebrate diverse voices. They exceeded funding goals ahead of the target timeline.
Once the film is completed, one of the screenings held will raise money for Final Farewell, a national organization that provides resources to families that cannot afford funeral expenses for a loved one.
A photographer turned filmmaker, Ashley Thompson has worked as an editor and cinematographer in Chicago’s independent film scene since graduating in 2013. She has worked on award-winning web series such as Brown Girls as well as collaborating on music videos with artists including Chance the Rapper and drag queen Shea Coulee.
Mark Strauss, the local Screenwriter and Producer of The Funeral Photographer, says, “Making this film is really a dream come true and I am so grateful to each and every person supporting The Funeral Photographer. We have an incredible diverse and creative team coming to Three Oaks this weekend to help bring this story to life.”
