Lost Nation: The Ioway

Casting Call Announcement

The award-winning and Emmy-nominated Fourth Wall Films and Casting Director Kimberly Furness are seeking submissions for the GOOD EARTH visitor center film for South Dakota's Good Earth at Blood Run State Park.  The film will be shot near Sioux Falls, SD; Des Moines, IA; and the Quad Cities, IA/IL area, and it will be cast with Native American performers from each geographic location.

Portions of this unique short film will feature historical reenactments set in 1650 depicting everyday life in a thriving city and Native trading center just south of present-day Sioux Falls.

There are three lead Native American speaking roles for professional actors, and some Native American non-speaking roles [in addition to] roles with very few lines in the Omaha-Ponca, and Ioway-Otoe Native languages.

We are seeking Native American actors of all ages as well as Native people with no formal training.  Long hair a plus.  There is also one Euro-American non-speaking role.

All roles are paid.  Please note the character descriptions below.

The Casting Director is seeking digital submissions only for Native Americans and the one Euro-American role.  All submissions for Native parts will be considered, but special attention may be given to members of the Omaha, Ponca, Ioway, and Otoe-Missouria tribes.

All submissions must be received by June 19^, 2016.  Only those submissions that are being considered for a role will be contacted by July 1, 2016 and invited to audition in person.

Auditions will be held in Des Moines, Iowa; the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota during the week of July 10^th – 16^th.  To be considered you must be available for the shooting date specified below for your area.  If selected, you will be scheduled to attend the audition location near you.

All South Dakota actors will be needed on August 5-7, 2016.

All Des Moines actors will be needed on August 12-14, 2016 (and possibly August 26-27).

All Quad Cities area actors will be needed September 9-11, 2016.

Please submit a CURRENT professional headshot or digital picture as well as a resume or a cover letter to Casting Director Kim Furness at Kimberlyann2771@yahoo.com. Please include GOOD EARTH FILM in the subject line.

Working Title: Good Earth State Park Visitor Center Film

Studio: Fourth Wall Films

Website: www.FourthWallFilms.com

Union/Non-Union: Non-Union

Project Type: Short Museum Film

Project Format: 4K

Production Locations: Sioux Falls, SD; Des Moines, IA; Quad Cities, IA/IL area

Shooting Schedule: August 5-7, 12-14; 26-28; September 9-11, 2016

Producer: Tammy Rundle

Director: Kelly Rundle

Casting Director:  Kimberly Furness, Kimberlyann2771@yahoo.com

Synopsis:

The Good Earth State Park at Blood Run Visitor Center film will present the fascinating story of this Native historical and cultural site as told by a Native American grandfather to his grandchildren.  Produced in 4K high-definition by award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, the documentary will combine vivid present-day views of the park's vegetation, wildlife, and scenic vistas with dramatic historical reenactments portraying daily life in one of America's largest indigenous cities.  The Good Earth village site was occupied between 1300 and 1700 by ancestors of the present-day Omaha, Ponca, Ioway and Otoe tribes, making it one of the oldest long-term habitation sites in the United States.  At its peak around 1650, the population is thought to have been almost 10,000 residents.  Good Earth was a thriving and important Native trading center for pipestone, bison hides, pottery, agricultural goods and culture.  The once-vibrant city featured lodges of many different sizes, earthen mounds, and a one-eighth mile-long serpent effigy.  The National Historic Landmark is situated south of Sioux Falls where it spans the Big Sioux River in both South Dakota and Iowa.  The Good Earth State Park at Blood Run Visitor Center will feature the film and a museum exhibit.  The new facility is scheduled to open in April 2017.

Character Details:

* Grandfather – Native American male (50s-70s). Wise, confident, contemplative, deep interest in the history of his ancestors, culture and traditions.  Must have outstanding speaking voice. (Lead role)

* Grandson – Native American boy (8-12), lively, fun-loving, modern, up on latest gadgets, curious, respects elders and counsel. (Lead role)

* Granddaughter – Native American girl (8-12), fun-loving, modern, curious, interested in ancestors and history, respectful of elders. (Lead role)

* Native American female (mother) and one or two other adult (relatives) roles (30s-early 40s).

* 12-16 Re-enactment roles (circa 1650) – Native Americans, various ages (5-70s), long hair a plus, trim or in good shape, must be able to take and follow direction; outdoor settings in August and September (rain or shine); period/culturally-appropriate costumes provided.

*RF Pettigrew – Circa 1880s Euro-American male, dark hair and beard (40s), amateur archaeologist, politician.

Other/Additional Compensation: Film Credit.

Meals, Snacks and Beverages provided—lodging/transportation possible for key speaking roles only.

**Please submit a CURRENT professional headshot or digital picture as well as a resume or a cover letter to Casting Director Kim Furness at Kimberlyann2771@yahoo.com. Please include GOOD EARTH FILM in the subject line.

Production to Begin for New Film on Good Earth-Blood Run Native American City and Trading Center

Film director Kelly Rundle (center), Omaha Tribe of Nebraska Wildlife and Parks Director Mike Tyndall (L) and Chief of Omaha Tribal Operations Marisa Cummings at an historic overlook on the Omaha Indian Reservation in Macy, Nebraska.

Fourth Wall Films of Moline, Illinois has been selected to produce a visitor center film for South Dakota's newest state park--Good Earth State Park at Blood Run near Sioux Falls.  Mid-America Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle successfully competed with 42 proposals by 36 other companies nationwide to win the contract from the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Department.  A casting call for Native American actors for the 15-20 minute film is open June 1-June 19 (see details below).

The Good Earth State Park at Blood Run Visitor Center film will present the fascinating story of this historical and cultural site as told by a Native American grandfather to his grandchildren.  The Rundles will coordinate the production with South Dakota GFP department officials and representatives from five American Indian nations.

Produced in 4K high-definition, the documentary will combine vivid present-day views of the park's vegetation, wildlife, and scenic vistas with dramatic historical reenactments portraying daily life in one of America's largest indigenous cities.  The film also will feature commentary from tribal elders and representatives of the Omaha, Ponca, Ioway and Otoe-Missouria tribes, scholars and archaeologists. Most of the production will take place on the Good Earth site.

Good Earth sunrise shot by DP Kevin Railsback.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Kevin Railsback will serve as the director of photography. Railsback’s extraordinary nature footage has been featured on National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel and in commercials for companies like AT&T.

The Good Earth village site was occupied between 1300 and 1700 by ancestors of the present-day Omaha, Ponca, Northern Ioway and Southern Ioway and Otoe tribes, making it one of the oldest long-term habitation sites in the United States.  At its peak around 1650, the site may have been home to as many as 10,000 residents.

 

Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Cultural Director Randy Teboe and film producer Tammy Rundle stand in an earth lodge recreated on the Ponca Tribe Educational Trail in Niobrara, Nebraska.

Good Earth was a thriving and important Native trading center for pipestone, bison hides, pottery, agricultural goods and culture.  The once-vibrant city featured lodges of many different sizes, earthen mounds, and a one-eighth mile-long serpent effigy.

The National Historic Landmark is situated south of Sioux Falls where it spans the Big Sioux River in both South Dakota and Iowa.  The Good Earth State Park at Blood Run Visitor Center will feature the film and a museum exhibit.  The new facility is scheduled to open in April 2017.

Meeting with the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska Tribal Elders and Ioway Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and Tribal Elder Lance Foster in White Cloud, Kansas.

A casting call for the film will take place this month for three Native American lead roles (professional actors: male late 50s-early 70s; male child age 8-12; female child age 8-12), and for twelve to sixteen re-enactment roles (Native professional actors of all ages, as well as Native people with no formal training; long hair a plus; fit; filming takes place in outdoor natural settings).  Also casting one Euro-American male role (age 40s-50s, fit, with beard). All roles are paid.  Auditions will take place in Sioux Falls, SD; Des Moines, IA; and the Quad Cities, IA/IL area in July, with production scheduled for August and September.  All Native peoples will be considered, but special consideration will be given to members of the Omaha, Ponca, Ioway, and Otoe-Missouria tribes.  Email Casting Director Kimberly Furness at Kimberlyann2771@yahoo.com for more information/details and to send headshots, resumes, and/or video samples to by June 19^th, 2016. This is a non-union production.

Previous contract work by the Rundles includes "Letters Home to Hero Street" for WQPT-PBS and "Any Kid Anywhere: Sex Trafficking Survivor Stories" for Braking Traffik.  The Rundles' independently produced award-winning films include "Villisca: Living with a Mystery," the "Lost Nation: The Ioway" three-part series, "Country School: One Room - One Nation" and "River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6." Their latest film "The Barn Raisers" is set for release in 2016.

Fourth Wall Films is an independent media production and distribution company formerly based in Los Angeles, California and now headquartered in Moline, Illinois.

Production Continues on "Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3" Sequel Film Project

Promotional art for Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3.

The unforgettable story of the Ioway people continues where the award-winning Lost Nation: The Ioway left off in two new one-hour documentary films by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films. The documentaries will be released in the fall of 2012.

When the Ioway are forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands to a reservation in Northeast Kansas, Ioway leader White Cloud (The Younger) believes his people must relocate to survive.  But intermarriage, broken treaties, and the end of communal living leads to a split in 1878 and the establishment of a second Ioway tribe in Oklahoma.  Both tribes endure hardship and challenges to their traditions and culture to achieve successful land claims and self-determination in the 1970s.  Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3 brings the Ioway story full circle.

The Rundles went into production on the sequel project in March 2010 and filming will be completed in the Spring of 2012. Ioway 2&3 was shot in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Additional filming will take place in Montana and Wisconsin.  The film will feature stories told by Ioway Tribal Elders and Tribal Members, as well as other Native Americans, historians, archaeologists and anthropologists.

The documentary project has been awarded grants by Humanities Iowa, The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, The Kansas Humanities Council, The Nebraska Humanities Council, The Oklahoma Humanities Council, Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area and The Wisconsin Humanities Council.

Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3 is slated for theatrical release during National Native American Heritage Month in 2012.  A national DVD release (with an alternative soundtrack in the Ioway "Baxoje" language) is planned for 2013, with Midwestern-PBS broadcasts to follow.

Art: Notchimine by Charles Bird King, Thomas L. McKenney & James Hall. Used by permission, State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia.

"Ioway" Film Feedback Requested

(above) Cyndi Pederson, the executive director of the State Historical Society of Iowa, welcomes Ioway people and other audience members before the premiere of "Lost Nation: The Ioway in Des Moines.

Our showing of "Lost Nation: The Ioway" at the Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa went very well yesterday.  We were also pleased to meet and sit on a panel with Meskwaki tribal historian Preston Duncan following the showing.

Our next screening will be at 6:30 pm on December 13, 2007 in the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska's George Ogden Community Building in White Cloud, Kansas.  The film will be followed by a discussion and Q & A.  The event is partially funded by the Kansas Humanities Council and is free and open to the public.  Call Brenda Lunsford at 785.595.3258 by December 10 to reserve your seats.

Our sincere thanks to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska for hosting this showing, and to the Kansas Humanities Council for their support of this project.  We are looking forward to sharing our documentary with tribal members and area residents.

The film has been very well received by audiences at every location.  As a result, we will not be making any significant changes.  We might inadvertantly "fix" something that is not broken. We have already made a few minor adjustments...with a few more yet to be done.  We also need to remove about three minutes of the current version of the film so it will fit a one-hour PBS broadcast slot.

We also want to be certain the film is as factually correct as possible.  We made our initial request for feedback at the premiere showings in Des Moines.

In this regard, we once again invite feedback from anyone who has had a chance to view the film since the premiere on October 11, 2007.  We are particularly interested in comments from Ioway tribal members.

As I mentioned above, responses to the film have been overwhelmingly positive, but constructive criticism is always welcome.

The picture will be "locked" early in January, so we need to hear from you before the end of December 2007.

e.mail us at: IowayFilm@aol.com

Snail mail: Fourth Wall Films, 5202 38th Avenue, Suite 3, PMB 273, Moline, IL 61265

Thanks in advance for your comments!

Confessions of a Non-Indian Filmmaker

I enjoyed reading this post by Tim Giago regarding his take on the HBO special "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."  He speaks to the problem of non-Indian people making films about Indians.  Perhaps more than that, he criticizes the need Hollywood has to fall back on formulas rather than to embrace a fresh approach to story-telling.

We are accutely aware that we are not Native Americans.  However, that does not mean that we are incapable of understanding and communicating the story to a documentary-viewing audience.  As independent filmmakers, we answer only to ourselves during the creative process.  There are no number-crunching studio production executives dictating story changes based on focus groups and demographic targets.  Our films are not created by committee.  Instead, they are created by collaboration with our subjects and with others with expertise in filmmaking, history, anthropology, and other related fields.  There is great freedom in our situation, but also great responsibility.

It's important to remember that we do not regard our film as the end-all account of the Ioway people.  Just one account that can be used as part of a more comprehensive exploration of this topic.  There will still be room for a historical documentary by an Ioway tribal member that expresses a unique Native American viewpoint on the story.  In the meantime, we toil intently toward the completion of "Lost Nation: The Ioway" and hope that most who see our film will enjoy this dramatic and unique Native American story.