This Wednesday, a local installment of what is being billed as a nationwide talent search comes to a close. Two women–one each from the
”beauty” and ”dance” categories–will be declared local winners. Their prize: a role in a ”soon-to-be-filmed Major Motion Picture” (I`m quoting the promotional material here) by the name of ”StarDancer.”
The contest has been running since November in the Olivers restaurant/
nightclubs in Des Plaines, Downers Grove and Elmhurst. There have been 25 preliminary contests, and three semifinals. Just 24 women–12 in each category –will compete in Wednesday`s finals, which begin at 9 p.m. in Olivers in Downers Grove.
Scores of star-struck Chicago-area beauties have flocked to the clubs in the last two months, strutting their visual and choreographic stuff. The winners are guaranteed a part in the movie, which could be anything from a
”bit” part (you`ll be on-camera long enough for Aunt Ethel to spot you)
to the lead role itself. For someone with little or no professional acting experience (i.e., most contestants), it seems like a golden opportunity.
All this is the brainchild of James P. Blake, the author, producer and director of ”StarDancer.” Blake`s unorthodox talent hunt has enabled him to travel all over the country, picking unknown talent for his film-to-be
–without spending a nickel.
In fact, he`s making money on the deal. Olivers paid Blake $4,500 for the right to stage the talent contest in the Chicago area. Olivers also supplied the prize money awarded to each preliminary winner–$100 to each of 50 winners, or $5,000–and picked up the cost of any and all local advertising. In return, Olivers gets a big boost in business on otherwise slow nights.
Blake defends the $4,500 fee by saying that the two round-trip airfare prizes and his own travel expenses–he serves as final judge at all these events–come from that money. He also provides the publicity material, including the slickly designed movie poster featuring a former Playboy centerfold (not to worry, kids–Blake says she can`t dance). Blake says he breaks even, not counting the publicity value. But considering that Blake has conducted 54 of these contests to date and has yet to fly any winners out to Hollywood, his bank account must be getting pretty substantial.
The reason no winners have been flown to Hollywood is because Blake isn`t ready to film yet. And he won`t be ready until all the contests are completed. ”We have another 30 underway,” he says, ”and I haven`t ruled out doing more.” Blake figures he`ll be done in two to four months.
After that comes the casting. Any winner who wants to compete for a principal role (the lead or any speaking role) must travel to Hollywood and audition. But that`s not the free trip to Hollywood promised to the winners. The free trip is for the filming itself; those wishing to compete for a meatier role will have to journey to Tinseltown beforehand, and at their own expense. If they don`t want to make the extra trip, they`ll still be in the movie, but in a bit part or better.
Blake can guarantee parts to all the contest winners because his script calls for dozens of them. ”StarDancer” is the story of a young girl who strives to be a dancer, who travels coast to coast, nightclub to nightclub with her boyfriend/manager to achieve that dream. The script calls for numerous dance contest scenes and also a beauty contest. ”We`ll be able to use a lot of the beauty winners in that scene,” Blake says. Blake even has offered roles to contestants who didn`t win, but impressed him–though they`ll have to pay their own way.
A view of two preliminary contests confirmed that the participants are taking this chance at the big time very seriously. One woman said she even tried to rent Blake`s previous film, ”The Contest,” to get an idea of the acting style he prefers. ”But I couldn`t find it,” she said.
She didn`t look in the right place. ”The Contest” is listed in video catalogues under ”The Miss Nude America Contest.” It`s a documentary-style look at the goings-on at Naked City in Roselawn, Ind. Blake, the producer and director, says the movie is ”a serious work, a sensitive and satirical expose, like a `Woodstock` or `Pumping Iron.` ” The distributor, Blake says, changed the title.
Blake doesn`t have a distributor yet for ”StarDancer.” ”I haven`t even shopped it, to be honest with you,” he says. ”My position will be much stronger later. And I`m not in any way fearful of putting in on the market myself.”
Blake concedes that ”StarDancer” won`t be in the theater for about a year. Maybe longer. Maybe never? ”I can`t prove the movie will be made,” he says, ”any more than I can prove the sun will rise tomorrow. Anything can happen. But I`d be crazy not to make the film after all this legwork and production. I`ve got $1 million in private financing. I`ve got multitiered market penetration. I`ve got news coverage. I`ve got local celebrity judges. And to top it off, I`ve got two girls or more from each town who`ll be in the movie. When you add all that up, someone`s got to go see it, wouldn`t you say?”
Women all over the country hope so.
