<p>Next summer, the race will be on.</p>
<p>With only five days to work, filmmakers will criss-cross the county to shoot all of the scenes they need to tell their stories. Settings such as Mallow Run Winery, the Apple Works, Johnson County Park and Franklin College’s campus will provide the backdrop for drama, action and hi-jinks.</p>
<p>And when it’s all done, Johnson County’s most recognizable landmarks and settings will make it to the big screen.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>“If these films are shown across the state or possibly on TV and other outlets, that whole audience gets to see a part of the state they otherwise wouldn’t get to see,” said Kenneth Kosky, director of tourism for Festival Country Indiana, the county’s tourism organization. “With backdrops such as the Artcraft, Franklin College, Mallow Run Winery, we can show those and get people interested in them.”</p>
<p>The county has been chosen to host the 2020 Indiana Film Race, a unique competition in which three teams of filmmakers have five days to make a movie. The aim is to amplify the creativity of Hoosier film crews by connecting them to places unique to Indiana.</p>
<p>Filmmakers can spotlight the assets that the state offers to the film industry, and local directors can showcase the talent incubating throughout Indiana.</p>
<p>“We’ve had a lot of groups and people working on this. Our objective is to provide another tool in the toolbox, to promote Indiana as a filmmaking destination,” said Joe Buser, executive director of the Indiana Film Race. “The film industry can do a lot of great things for Indiana, but we need to create an environment to encourage the film community to stay here.”</p>
<p>To super-charge excitement for the event, Indiana Film Race organizers and local officials involved in film and tourism will host a free showcase of last year’s film race participants. People will be able to come to the Johnson County Museum of History on Monday for food from area restaurants, as well as samples from Mallow Run Winery and Taxman Brewing Co.</p>
<p>Afterwards, the party moves to the Historic Artcraft Theatre for a short presentation by representatives from the Heartland Film Festival, Indy Film Fest and Film Indiana, among other state film groups, before screenings of five short films.</p>
<p>“We’ll be celebrating the first year of the Indiana Film Race, but also to show other short films and recognize that genre. It will also be a kickoff to greater things coming up in 2020,” Kosky said.</p>
<p>The Indiana Film Race was founded by Film 765, a production company focused on Hoosier film.</p>
<p>Indiana has a talented film community, and a number of groups organized to promote shooting movies in the state, Buser said. Those groups continue to work with state legislators to offer tax incentives for movie crews that want to film in Indiana.</p>
<p>“We’re surrounded by states that have incentives of some form, and that’s where all of the big movies are going so far,” Buser said. “We want to do our part, and help get visibility out for short films and feature films that have made in Indiana, so they can be seen by the communities.”</p>
<p>The competition debuted in 2018, and featured three teams of filmmakers traveling to Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Putnam, Monroe and Brown counties to make a movie. They were given a $2,500 budget, assigned specific locations, then had five weeks to write a film and work those locations in to the story.</p>
<p>Once the competition started, they had five days to film all of the scenes.</p>
<p>“They travel through these counties in an RV, competing for a $10,000 grand prize,” Buser said. “It’s been an amazing concept, and we’ve been really supported throughout the different communities we were in. We think it’s going to be even better this next year.”</p>
<p>The success of the initial year proved that this competition could be a boon to the Indiana film community. Buser and other organizers went to work planning the next inception, to be scheduled for June 2020.</p>
<p>Buser approached Festival Country Indiana and spoke with Kosky about bringing the Indiana Film Race to Johnson County. The county was a priority for the group, Buser said.</p>
<p>“Johnson County is just an incredible place, from Bargersville to Prince’s Lakes to Greenwood, Franklin College and historic downtown Franklin. We really like what it offers, and showcases a country atmosphere as well as a unique historical communities just south of Indianapolis,” he said. “That will be a major asset once we can get more films shot in Indiana.”</p>
<p>When Kosky sat down with organizers, he felt hosting the competition was directly in line with what the tourism bureau was trying to do. Not only would outside film crews be spending nearly a week in the county, but their finished products would show off the diverse landscapes located within the county.</p>
<p>“The backdrop is going to be a lot of places that residents will recognize. it’ll be good publicity to showcase Johnson County,” Kosky said.</p>
<p>Organizers of the competition will also have film crews following each filmmaking group, creating behind-the-scenes documentaries about the competition. Another film crew will follow Johnson County hosts and organizers.</p>
<p>That footage will be edited down into episodes, which will be created into a series that can be pitched to television or cable distributors.</p>
<p>With plans in place to hold the competition in the county, organizers wanted to announce it with an event to generate excitement for the race within the Johnson County community.</p>
<p>The best way to do that would be to show the films that came out of the 2018 Indiana Film Race, Buser said.</p>
<p>“We always felt there was a missed opportunity to have people see the films that were shot here in Indiana. We wanted to try to get this rolling by giving them that opportunity,” he said.</p>
<p>The perfect place to do so would be at the Artcraft Theatre, Johnson County’s historic movie house that has been more involved in statewide film in the past.</p>
<p>“A Trail’s End” tells the story of an Indiana State Police detective investigating the disappearance of a wealthy and powerful man’s eldest son. As a mother and daughter take a tour of Indiana colleges, their trip is cut short by strange occurrences in “Honey River.”</p>
<p>“Golden Voices” focuses on a paranormal investigator who takes her radio show on the road to uncover the source of “golden voices” appearing on unknown frequencies across Indiana.</p>
<p>Two other Hoosier-made films, “Smiley’s” and “Mr. Not Too Bad,” will also be screened at the Artcraft.</p>
<p>Prior to the screenings, representatives from groups such as Heartland Film, the Indy Film Fest, Film Indiana and Hoosier Films will address the audience and talk about what makes the state an ideal place for shooting movies. A beer and wine reception at the museum will highlight two of the county’s craft beverage companies, Taxman Brewing and Mallow Run Winery.</p>
<p>“We think it’s going to be a great night for people to see what people are doing to encourage filmmaking here,” Buser said.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>The Indiana Short Film Showcase</strong></p>
<p>What: A showing of five short films, including three featured in the 2018 Indiana Film Race. A discussion by Indiana filmmakers and organizations will precede the screenings.</p>
<p>When: 5 to 8 p.m. Monday</p>
<p>Schedule</p>
<p>5 to 6:30 p.m., beer and wine tastings by Mallow Run Winery and Taxman Brewing Co., Johnson County Museum of History, 135 N. Main St., Franklin</p>
<p>6:30 to 8 p.m., discussion and film screenings, Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 N. Main St., Franklin</p>
<p>Cost: Free</p>
<p>Information: historicartcrafttheatre.org</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
