White Feather
(1976)
(1976)
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The only time a student summer feature was adapted from a published work. (And, this was the
summer when Cinekyd was born.) Anyhow, during the nation’s Bicentennial Year (1976) the young
filmmakers handled a script adapted from Ellen Tiffany Pugh’s The Adventures of Yoo-Lah-Teen.
Entitled, The White Feather, this production told of the Salish tribe, peaceful native Americans
living in the northwest part of Washington state. Their lives were disrupted by the disappearance of
several of the tribe’s children. These youngsters were captured by cheehahs, legendary witches
and ogres, who live in an enchanted forest and follow their evil queen, Ish-Me-Ooth.
Mothers of the Salish tribe pray to the Great Spirit for help, which arrives in the form of Yoo-Lah-
Teen, “The Wondrous One,” a young lad with incredible powers. The film chronicles the efforts of
this mystical brave as he searches for the missing children, faces the demons of the forest, and is
ultimately triumphant.
The challenge of extensive outdoor cinematography (during a particularly rainy summer season)
coupled with the demands for all kinds of Native American costumes and props, ramped up the
students’ efforts. Again, this was quite literally a film, shot on Super 8mm stock, with music,
narrative, and effects added in post-production. Carson Simpson Farm became the movie backlot.
Teepees were raised and lowered daily. A Boy Scout cabin doubled for a settler’s home. Horses
were brought in from Ball Stables. Interiors were shot in the all-purpose room of the Round
Meadow School, where several standing sets remained for several weeks. On-camera visual
effects included everything from the capsizing of a sailing ship, to the transformation of a feather to
the figure of Yoo-Lah-Teen.
Each year the summer program was focused on achieving an all-important goal: to complete an
original, feature-length motion picture. One-hundred-eight kids from grades 5 through 12 shared
in this ‘authentic’ combination of frontier legend and movie science fiction.
Viewers take note: the picture and audio have been transferred from an original S8mm sound film.
By today’s digital standards, they are somewhat antiquated. You must forgive the soft image, the
shifts in color and the ‘muddy’ sound track. This was a summer movie … made more than thirty
years ago.
THE CAST (in order of appearance):
Megan McLane, Carol Conrad, Tom Russo, Dave Power, Maria Jennings, Andria Lure, Joe
Klusman, Kurt Odendahl, Brian Swift, Paul Gindhart, Steve Kent, Matt Grebner, Jenny Kwait, Holly
Drauglis, Julie Pippel, Andy Faunce, Scott McGowan, Eileen Klawans, Jane Bickel, Peggy
Rastiello, Bob Platt, Maureen Power, Mary Steinmetz, Tina Nagurny, Jim Gilmore, John Petersen,
Dave King, Mark Gindhart, Diane Klawans, Mike May, Brian Clapper, Fred Krauss, Val McGaffin, Liz
Betterley, Lisa Hitchcock, Steve Ochsenreither, Dan Ochsenreither, Bill Power, Jennie Thomson,
Karen Clemens, Sam Cramer, Ed Dumberth, Linda Van Wieren … with … Neil Barger, Tyler Jones,
Kim Walker, Debbie Przepioski, Rachel Karton, Carol MacDonald, Scott Dudenbostel, Ted
Hitchcock, Kevin Clapper, Lyn Barford, Denise White, Clelland Green, Steve Bennett, Tim Berkoff,
Steve King, Kevin Bennett, David Green, Lori Burman, Jennifer Carson, Fran Bellezza, Becky
Beemer, Sue Krauss, Susan Locke, Polly Schaffer.
THE CREW:
Lee Barford, Ann Beswick, Mark Booth, Mark Connelly, Diane Czerwonka, Karen Czerwonka, Steve
Depman, Scott Dudenbostel, Danny Fox, Andy Fuller, Skip Fulton, Paul Gindhart, Todd Gray, Jim
Howard, Alan Johnson, Diane Johnson, Linda Kalbach, Dave King, Joby Kolson, Harold Kormos,
Mike Kormos, John Lure, Mike Marinari, Greg Palmer, Gabrielle Perkins, Jeff Pippel, Bruce Raine,
Linda Raine, Paul Salfi, Charles Scalies, Chris Spink, Mary Steinmetz, James Stills, John Stills,
Dave Swift, Doug Van Wieren, Jeff Weissman, Patrick Windover, Scott Wolfson, Bob Young, Mike
Young.
summer when Cinekyd was born.) Anyhow, during the nation’s Bicentennial Year (1976) the young
filmmakers handled a script adapted from Ellen Tiffany Pugh’s The Adventures of Yoo-Lah-Teen.
Entitled, The White Feather, this production told of the Salish tribe, peaceful native Americans
living in the northwest part of Washington state. Their lives were disrupted by the disappearance of
several of the tribe’s children. These youngsters were captured by cheehahs, legendary witches
and ogres, who live in an enchanted forest and follow their evil queen, Ish-Me-Ooth.
Mothers of the Salish tribe pray to the Great Spirit for help, which arrives in the form of Yoo-Lah-
Teen, “The Wondrous One,” a young lad with incredible powers. The film chronicles the efforts of
this mystical brave as he searches for the missing children, faces the demons of the forest, and is
ultimately triumphant.
The challenge of extensive outdoor cinematography (during a particularly rainy summer season)
coupled with the demands for all kinds of Native American costumes and props, ramped up the
students’ efforts. Again, this was quite literally a film, shot on Super 8mm stock, with music,
narrative, and effects added in post-production. Carson Simpson Farm became the movie backlot.
Teepees were raised and lowered daily. A Boy Scout cabin doubled for a settler’s home. Horses
were brought in from Ball Stables. Interiors were shot in the all-purpose room of the Round
Meadow School, where several standing sets remained for several weeks. On-camera visual
effects included everything from the capsizing of a sailing ship, to the transformation of a feather to
the figure of Yoo-Lah-Teen.
Each year the summer program was focused on achieving an all-important goal: to complete an
original, feature-length motion picture. One-hundred-eight kids from grades 5 through 12 shared
in this ‘authentic’ combination of frontier legend and movie science fiction.
Viewers take note: the picture and audio have been transferred from an original S8mm sound film.
By today’s digital standards, they are somewhat antiquated. You must forgive the soft image, the
shifts in color and the ‘muddy’ sound track. This was a summer movie … made more than thirty
years ago.
THE CAST (in order of appearance):
Megan McLane, Carol Conrad, Tom Russo, Dave Power, Maria Jennings, Andria Lure, Joe
Klusman, Kurt Odendahl, Brian Swift, Paul Gindhart, Steve Kent, Matt Grebner, Jenny Kwait, Holly
Drauglis, Julie Pippel, Andy Faunce, Scott McGowan, Eileen Klawans, Jane Bickel, Peggy
Rastiello, Bob Platt, Maureen Power, Mary Steinmetz, Tina Nagurny, Jim Gilmore, John Petersen,
Dave King, Mark Gindhart, Diane Klawans, Mike May, Brian Clapper, Fred Krauss, Val McGaffin, Liz
Betterley, Lisa Hitchcock, Steve Ochsenreither, Dan Ochsenreither, Bill Power, Jennie Thomson,
Karen Clemens, Sam Cramer, Ed Dumberth, Linda Van Wieren … with … Neil Barger, Tyler Jones,
Kim Walker, Debbie Przepioski, Rachel Karton, Carol MacDonald, Scott Dudenbostel, Ted
Hitchcock, Kevin Clapper, Lyn Barford, Denise White, Clelland Green, Steve Bennett, Tim Berkoff,
Steve King, Kevin Bennett, David Green, Lori Burman, Jennifer Carson, Fran Bellezza, Becky
Beemer, Sue Krauss, Susan Locke, Polly Schaffer.
THE CREW:
Lee Barford, Ann Beswick, Mark Booth, Mark Connelly, Diane Czerwonka, Karen Czerwonka, Steve
Depman, Scott Dudenbostel, Danny Fox, Andy Fuller, Skip Fulton, Paul Gindhart, Todd Gray, Jim
Howard, Alan Johnson, Diane Johnson, Linda Kalbach, Dave King, Joby Kolson, Harold Kormos,
Mike Kormos, John Lure, Mike Marinari, Greg Palmer, Gabrielle Perkins, Jeff Pippel, Bruce Raine,
Linda Raine, Paul Salfi, Charles Scalies, Chris Spink, Mary Steinmetz, James Stills, John Stills,
Dave Swift, Doug Van Wieren, Jeff Weissman, Patrick Windover, Scott Wolfson, Bob Young, Mike
Young.