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‘Owenstory' follows three characters frustrated with their lives. Each character inadvertently finds the answers to becoming the person he wants to become through a small town called Owen.Local shooting started in May and ended in August. ().

"I would have rather spent my life chasing dreams then wishing I had."

— Charles Henry Attenborough,

www.chaproduction.com

By Jeff Petersen

Observer Staff Writer

They're working on a bare-bones budget with dreams as big as the Hollywood sign.

Christopher Jennings, Chuck Peters and Mike Surber are the principals behind the quirky drama "Owenstory," which started shooting locally the first week of May and wrapped the second week of August.

The next step is editing and setting the musical score. The moviemakers have some 900 minutes of film to break down at their studio in Union.

"We'll be able to weed down to the first 300 right away," said Jennings, the producer and cinematographer.

"It's seeing what's important to getting the story across," said Peters, the production and location designer. "There are lots of good scenes, but if they're redundant they go."

The end product will be a full-length movie of an hour and 20 minutes or an hour and 45 minutes.

According to the Web site cha.production.com, "Owenstory" follows three characters frustrated with their lives. Each one inadvertently finds the answers to becoming the person he wants to become through a small town called Owen.

A trailer of the movie can be previewed on the Web site, which was designed by Jennings, along with lots more still photos, biographies of actors and casting crew, a script sample, technical information on cameras, a donations page and more.

Writer/director Surber started the script two years ago. He moved back to the area last November and started the video production company C.H.A. Productions. He lists such people as writer-directors Steven Soderbergh ("Traffic"), Quentin Tarantino ("Pulp Fiction," "Reservoir Dogs") and Kevin Smith ("Dogma") as big screen-influences.

Shooting took place all over Union County, including such places as Foley Station restaurant, Shop ‘n Kart, Miller's Hardware, Marie Josephine's and Joe & Sugars.

The filmmakers said making a movie here on a shoestring budget is only possible because of the generosity of local businesses.

"Here they give us locations for free," Jennings said. "In a big city, you'd have to get location permits. You're looking at $50,000 to $100,000, where here you can do it for next to nothing. People help out. Hopefully, that all comes back full circle to the community."

The filmmakers aren't rich. Far from it. Peters supports his avocation by working in a movie superstore, Surber works at a restaurant and Jennings is currently unemployed but does telecommunications work at Eastern Oregon University.

C.H.A. is not new. They were responsible for the digital rant series, and for short films like "Four Days" and "Picking Pearl."

A lot of people have contributed to making the filming of "Owenstory" a success. In fact, the filmmakers are astounded it ever worked.

"Getting 30 or 40 people's schedules to coincide with school and jobs," Surber said, "and having no budget — it's a miracle we did what we did with what we had."

‘Owenstory': Small town, big problems

"Owenstory" is about the small town of Owen and three main characters who realize their lives are nothing like they dreamed about as kids.

Kenneth (played by Mike Surber) is in his late 20s. Years after buying his pregnant fiance a bus ticket and asking her to leave town, he has now asked her to come back. After a lifetime of hurting people and making his living as a thief-for-hire, he makes a commitment to stop cutting corners in hopes of becoming a "decent person." He quickly realizes that this won't happen overnight.

Natalie (Sarah Delamarter), in her early 20s, suffers "paralysis of analysis." She often freezes when faced with important decisions. Her fear of making the wrong choice has become overshadowed by the results of doing nothing at all.

Bucky (Greg Rawlins) represents the path of shortcutting and risk-taking that seems best because it's easier and faster. Constantly digging himself out of one hole and falling straight into another, he becomes the tragic character who never learns his lesson.

— From the Web site

C.H.A. Productions and Visible Pictures has announced the wrap of principle photography for their first feature film titled, "Owenstory," with filming occurring in Union County.

Principle photography began in early May and ended in August. C.H.A. Productions and Visible pictures officials said they were grateful to the communities of La Grande, Union, Pendleton, North Powder, Salem and Eugene for their contributions.

A scheduled showing of the finished film is planned for January 2004. Those interested in up-to-date information on the film can check out the production companies' Web site at www.chaproduction.com .

— C.H.A. press release