MID-MISSOURI GETS ITS MOMENT ON SCREEN

MID-MISSOURI GETS ITS MOMENT ON SCREEN

Production set to begin on independent short movie showcasing Lake of the Ozarks

On average, 150 people a day visit the Madison County tourism board looking for the

covered bridges from Clint Eastwood’s

Bridges of Madison County. 65,000 people a

year visit the site of the 1989 film

Field of Dreams. New Zealand saw an extra 700,000

tourist influx from 2000 to 2006, largely attributed to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

In fact, locations where a successful film is shot generally see a 54 percent increase

in tourism visits over the next 4 years, according to

The Annals of Tourism Research.

However, one of the largest tourist destinations in the Midwest, Lake of the Ozarks, has

been snubbed by the silver screen. Two men are seeking to change that.

Kris Oliver and Eric Venezia are collaborating on an independent short with the

intentions of turning it into a feature length film. The project, titled Just Another

Wednesday, gives an honest glimpse into the lives of service industry employees against

the backdrop of a picturesque Lake of the Ozarks summer day. The story follows Phillip

Jenner(John O’Mahoney), a charmingly arrogant, wise-cracking bartender as his wild

antics and careless decision making begin to catch up with him.

Kris Oliver has been a resident of Mid-Missouri since 1993 and a graduate of Missouri

State University. Eric Venezia is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University

with a degree in Video and Television Production. The two met on St. Thomas in

the U.S. Virgin Islands, where they decided to collaborate on the project. They have

assembled a team of some of the most talented filmmakers in the area, including Director

of Photography Robert M. Barr, Production Sound Mixer Ken Paulakovich, and Make-up

Artist Barb Perkins.

Just Another Wednesday will begin shooting September 14. Principal photography

will take place at the newly opened Tailgate Party in Osage Beach, MO. There are still

openings for cast and crew looking for a high quality project to work on for credit. Any

interested party should contact Kris Oliver at (573) 434-6579.