KDSM explores showing works of Iowa filmmakers

By Jeffrey Bruner / DES MOINES REGISTER / December 16, 2004

A Des Moines television station wants to put the spotlight on Iowa filmmakers.

"There's not a whole lot of venues for it," said Travis Ballstadt, promotions director at KDSM, the Fox affiliate. "I mentioned it to our general manager and he thought it sounded like a decent idea."

Ballstadt is compiling a pilot episode with hopes of getting the program on the air by March. The length or time slot of the weekly show is undetermined but Ballstadt wants it to be flexible to accommodate full-length features.

"I would like it to be mostly a venue for the filmmakers, similar to what Sundance Channel does between their features," he said.

Ballstadt is looking for submissions at this point - he's already gotten some computer-generated short films and plans to feature Quad Cities filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods in the pilot. Their short film "Shades" made the final three in the MTV Best Film on Campus competition.

"There are many people in the state who have no idea about the films being made in Iowa, and KDSM is helping us get our material out there," Beck said. "The program is a great opportunity for filmmakers to gain a larger audience, and it also supports the Iowa film industry, which definitely needs to be recognized."

Beck is absolutely right. You have no clue how much is going on in Iowa until you look at something like the Wild Rose Film Festival at the Vaudeville Mews or the Des Moines Art Center Film + Video contest. It's only a matter of time before our own Alexander Payne emerges.