Vampire flick screens at YFF

A film about a vampire, shot in Dundurn, SK., has a tie to the Yorkton Film Festival.

Not only did the film screen Thursday night at the Painted Hand Casino as part of this year's Festival, but filmmaker David Schultz said a meeting he had with Richard Gustin at the local festival several years ago was instrumental in accessing funds for the film.

"I think at any Festival deals can be done," said Schultz during the post-film question and answer, adding it's all about networking. " Every place you go you meet people."

And you need contacts to find the dollars to produce a film.

"It's hard to raise money," said Schultz, adding in his mind funding for films is becoming harder, and that means lower budget pieces.

Still the marketplace remains a crowded one.

In fact when asked if Rufus would see a European release, Schultz's earlier work Jet Boy has just been dubbed for German release, the filmmaker said "foreign's tough today." He said there are actually more films than slots for broadcast in Britain these days.

And once a broadcaster and funding is on board, there are risks inherent with the medium and its process.

In the case of Rufus, the key roles were all played by actors under 25.

"Our young cast was really, really good," offered Schultz, who added in the case of his then 15-year-old lead he was going more on gut feeling than anything else.

Rory J. Saper was 15, from Britain, and with no film experience when he was chosen for the lead role in Rufus.

"The kid's going to do well," predicted Schultz, adding he had a choice of a more experience actor, but liked what he saw in Saper. " I didn't want the Eastern European vampire."

Saper has a 'big city' English accent which "in North America he sounds old school," and that works for the role, said Schultz.

The feature length film shot over 22-days in February, with temperatures hovering around minus-20.

"It was much colder than it looks on screen," said Schultz.

While shot in Dundurn, Rufus has a generic 'American' look. Schultz said you have to cater to that market, noting if the successful 'Fargo' movie was 'Dundurn' "no one would watch it," adding a Canadian locale in a film "is the kiss of death."

Schultz said you look at Yorkton and see great architecture and locations for a film shoot, but added "it would be cheaper to build the street in Toronto than bring everybody in here."

In spite of all the challenges Schultz said "this was a fun movie It's probably my best movie I think the story works really well Everything means something."

Rufus will make its Canadian theatrical debut this summer.

"We have 20 screens across Canada Twenty screens, that's more than most It's really tough to hit screens in Canada," said Schultz.

But the real market is television.

"It's got a big TV run (ahead)," he said, adding it will hit Movie Central and HBO.

Past hitting big screens in Canada, Schultz said indie films in this country have a tough time turning a profit on investment, in the case of Rufus $2.2 million.

"It's hard to make money," he stated matter-of-factly. "It's really hard to make any money."

As a result filmmaking in Canada is something of passion, and less of business.

"I think anyone who makes a movie should get an award," he said, adding as result of tough funding and low expectation of profit "independent film is almost dead."

"It's a tough world out there.

"I think it's harder for young filmmakers than in my day. It's a hard business, but we love it, otherwise we wouldn't do it."