shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com November 17, 2015 • Page 9 From Dream To Screen Meridian Bridge Plays Crucial Role In Independent Movie To Be Shown In Yankton Nov. 22 By Alissa Woockman alissa.woockman@yankton.net An inanimate object such as a bridge can be used as a lighthearted setting for intimate moments or as a dangerous structure high above the water. Conveying the right emotion is the job of a director, and when director Michael Linn saw Yankton’s Meridian Bridge for the first time, he knew it was the right structure for his current film. The city’s bridge was used in key scenes from an upcoming independent film called “Until Forever.” It is based on the true story of Michael Boyum, a young man from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, who was diagnosed with leukemia. While Michael struggles to live, his brother Matt is battling depression and tries to end his own life. The movie is also a love story between Michael and his childhood sweetheart, Michelle, who are seeking answers to questions of faith, life and love. Linn Productions has organized a free showing of “Until Forever” at Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. “I always knew I wanted to have screenings in Hot Springs and Yankton to say thank you to those two communities,” said Carolyn Linn, one of the producers of the film. “It’s a tear jerker, but it is also uplifting which is what we try to do.” This will be the first time the film will be open to the public. The company has only had small, closed showings for the Boyums’ close family and Rapid City’s local Christian radio station KSLT. After seeing the completed film, Bonnie Boyum takes comfort in being able to relive that time in her son’s life. “When I watch the movie now, I feel like I’m back 16 years and I’m going through that year,” she said. “I feel like I am back with (my son) and it makes me feel better.” After a yearlong battle, Michael Boyum passed away in the fall of 1999. Just a few months after his death, Michael’s mother Bonnie Boyum visited Mahoney Media in Minneapolis and told a room full of strangers about a beautiful love story that needed to be made into a movie. “Mr. Mahoney (president of Mahoney Media) said, ‘I want you to get a hold of Michael Linn. He likes to do true stories, true Christian stories. This is his e-mail, e-mail him,’ Bonnie said. “And I did.” Linn is a director for Linn Productions, a family-based company out of Rapid City. Bonnie continued to contact him and tell her son’s story, determined not to give up. “I worked on Michael Linn for 16 years,” Bonnie told the Press & Dakotan. “I knew it would be made because God said it. Michael Linn always said ‘In God’s timing, Bonnie.’ So I had to be patient.” THE PROCESS Linn spent years interviewing close family and friends from Inver Grove Heights and gaining background. He admits this story was always in the back of his mind, despite working on other projects. “Her story was intriguing to me, but I wasn’t sure how to turn it into a film,” he said. “It sort of lingered for a while. It was one of those stories that just wouldn’t go away for me.” After researching for years and questioning whether or not the story would make for a good movie, Linn noticed the particular success of author John Green’s “The Fault In Our Stars” book and later film, which touched on a similar subject. “I was just convinced that no one would want to see a film about cancer and young love,” Linn said. “You’ve got to lead with your best (films) a lot of times, especially in the independent film world where you don’t have a lot Photos: Linn Productions Yankton’s Meridian Bridge became a handy set piece for crucial scenes in the new independent film “Until Forever,” based on a true story about a young man from Minnesota diagnosed with leukemia. Meridian Bridge was chosen as a stand-in for the actual bridge in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, where real-life events took place because the Minnesota bridge was under construction. A few scenes were shot on Meridian in early September 2014, including a scene at night (below) scripted to take place in the rain. There will be a free local screening of “Until Forever” at Calvary Baptist Church at 7 p.m. Nov. 22. of resources available. Once that movie was made, it was like, ‘OK, there is an audience here.’ Let’s move forward and see what we can do with this story.” Things moved forward quickly after that. Linn Productions filmed the movie in 2014, spending three weeks utilizing locations in Minneapolis, Hot Springs and the majority in the Boyums’ hometown of Inver Grove Heights. The film used the Boyums’ home and several locations within the town to add to the authenticity of the film’s storyline. Boyum and her family were involved in making revisions of the screenplay and even choosing the actor, Stephen Bailey, to play Michael Boyum. “They made me a producer,” Bonnie Boyum said. “I know nothing about producing a movie. No one told me what a producer does. But I thought, ‘Well, they probably want to film where they went and what they did.’” THE DREAM While talking with the Boyums about their son’s story, one particular incident provided an unusual, unanswered question several years in the making for Linn. “People who know me know that I am pretty cynical about visions and premonitions and stuff,” he said. “That doesn’t change the fact that this story is very strange and unusual.” Approximately four years before Linn even met the Boyums, he had a vivid dream of two guys on a bridge in the rain. There was no sound, he said, but it looked like it had been edited for a movie with changing perspectives and the variety of shots. Although Linn couldn’t hear anything, it was clear that the two men were arguing. One was about to jump off the bridge and the other attempted to talk him down. One of the men eventually did talk the other one into coming down off the bridge. And then Linn woke up. But what he remembered were the details of the bridge. “It made me start thinking about maybe it was a scene I would love to see in a film,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what it was all about, so I dismissed it. But it stuck with me because it was such an unusual dream.” Ironically, when Linn sat down with the Boyums and heard their story, there was an event that they shared with him that became very familiar. Michael Boyum’s brother, Matt, donated bone marrow for a transplant that ended up being unsuccessful. That rainy night, Matt, struggling with depression, disappeared and no one could find him. Michael eventually found Matt on a nearby bridge, where the brothers visited often. He saw that Matt was standing on this bridge, ready to jump. Michael ran out and talked him down. “I got goosebumps,” Linn said. “It was just like the dream I had several years ago.” But, when Linn scouted the actual bridge to prepare for filming, it wasn’t what he expected. “It looked nothing like my dream, not a thing,” he said. “It was small, it didn’t go all the way across and it was a reddish color.” So Linn dismissed his dream and planned to use the bridge in Inver Grove Heights where the particular event took place. But fate had another plan. Carolyn Linn had all the arrangements made to start filming on that bridge. But three weeks before filming began, she got a call saying further construction on that bridge would make it impossible to use in the movie. “If we hadn’t gotten the call, it would be a different film,” Michael said. “I believe it wouldn’t have been as good of a film. I don’t think we would have been able to pull off some of the stuff we were able to pull off with that location.” Because the filming schedule was already planned, filmmakers had to find a bridge that they could utilize between Rapid City and Minneapolis. After some online research, Linn stumbled upon Yankton’s Meridian Bridge — and it was something out of his dream. “I looked at the images of the bridge in Yankton and thought this is it,” he said. “Where we could put our equipment and our lights — everything was perfect.” The crew arrived in Yank- Estate of Robert D. Wiebenga Land Sale Bids Now being Accepted 128 Acres (more or less) Hancock Township Bon Homme County Located Approximately 5 miles South of Avon, South Dakota and ½ mile West from the Intersection of County Road 407 (407th Avenue) and County Road 309 (309th Street) Signs are Posted. Legal Description: The Northwest Fractional Quarter of Section 4, Township 93 north, Range 61, West of the 5th P.M., excepting the West 24 acres thereof. Closing is expected on or before December 31, 2015, with Possession on March 1, 2016, as land is currently leased. 2015 taxes due in 2016 to be paid by seller. Closing Costs paid by Seller. Procedure: Interested Bidders should contact Paul R. Boschma, Attorney for the Estate of Robert D. Wiebenga, for more information, ASCS Maps, Crop Information and Bidding Packet. Bidding will be narrowed to four (4) highest bidders on or about December 15, 2015. The final four (4) bidders will be required to supply a 10% deposit for the final round of bidding which will close on or about December 28, 2015. Seller reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Joyce E. Wiebenga and Randall Tjeerdsma are the Co-Personal Representatives of the Estate of Robert D. Wiebenga. ton on Sept. 3, 2014. Within 24 hours, filmmakers had captured three crucial scenes for the movie. “It is a low-budget film, but it looks like a much higher budget,” Carolyn Linn said. “One of the reasons for that is because of those bridge scenes. People see it and they go ‘Wow! Where did they find that thing?’” SETTING THE SCENE The first scene is at sunset, depicting a sharing moment between the two brothers before Michael Boyum’s bone marrow transplant. At night, the crew filmed the rain scene on the bridge where Linn finally saw his dream realized. “The night I was shooting, I wasn’t even worried,” he said. “I had a peace about me. I figured if I dreamed it, I convinced myself it would all be fine and it was. It was amazing.” The team contacted Yankton city manager Amy Nelson to get permission to use the bridge, the water hook-up to Saturday, November 21, 2015 10:00AM 801 Valley Road, Yankton, SD Estate of Dr. R.J. and Betty Buckman AUTO: 1985 Cadilac Eldorado, Pickup box trailer. ANTIQUES: Oak chair and settee set, oak table, iron bed, oak dresser, dressing table & chair, Red Wing water cooler, high chair, sewing chair, lamps, doctor’s bag, farm tools. HOUSEHOLD: Washer/Dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, 3pc bedroom set, dresser/desk set, sofa table, coffee table, couch, 6 dining room chairs, dinette set, artwork, knick knacks, tools, china, crystal, and a complete line of kitchen and household items. For complete listing, please visit www.sdauctions.com. Sale Conducted by: Greg’s Auction Company Auctioneers: Greg Ryken and Dan Koupal 605-661-1451 Follow @alwooc01 on Twitter. AUCTION REMINDER CLAY COUNTY, SD LAND AUCTION 138.69 +/- ACRES PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIP Thursday Nov. 19th, 2015 • 10:30 AM We will sell the following real estate at public auction at the land site located from the Wakonda exit #42 on I-29, 9 ½ miles west on 302nd St. and 1 mile south on 461st Ave. Or from Wakonda SD, 6 miles east on 302nd St. and 1 south on 461st Ave. Or from the intersection of SD Hwy 46 and SD Hwy 19 go 5 miles south on Hwy 19, 1 mile west on 302nd St. and 1 mile south on 461st Ave. If you are looking to expand your current operation or considering land as an investment, here is an opportunity to purchase productive Clay County farmland located in southeast South Dakota’s prime agricultural producing region. The land is currently in a corn/soybean rotation and is available to the new owner for the 2016 crop year. For terms, maps, pictures and more information visit: www.westraatkins.com Mary E. White and Gene & Linda White Family Trust, Owners Mike McGill, Closing Attorney Joel R Westra, Broker Beresford, SD 605-310-6941 Pete Atkins, Broker Associate Tea, SD 605-351-9847 Joel A Westra, Broker Associate, Chancellor, SD 605-957-5222 Phil Eggers, Broker Associate Renner, SD 605-351-5438 Mark Zomer, Vande Vegte Zomer Auctions Rock Valley, IA 712-470-2526 Contact: Paul R. Boschma, Lawyer P O Box 636, Springfield SD 57062 605-369-2833 paulboschma@gmail.com AUCTION create the rain and a “genie boom” lift from Clark’s Rental. The fact that the bridge had a top was an extra convenience for filming, Linn said. Instead of having to rent a rain machine, the crew hooked up hoses on the top deck of the bridge to simulate the rain. “That is the most cinematic bridge,” Linn said. “It is such a solid, large structure. It has a very big screen presence that translates well in the film. It almost has its own character. You notice it right away. It gives it a sense of place that a smaller bridge wouldn’t.” They shot into the wee hours, completing that scene before returning to their hotel for some much needed rest. The next morning the crew returned to the bridge to film some additional day scenes involving main characters Michael and Michelle walking and Michael and Matt tossing around a football. “When we shot in the Twin Cities, we had to get special permission to shoot in the park and it was just a lot of work,” Michael said. “In Yankton, it all went very smooth. It was really nice to have everyone be so accommodating and allow us to get these very important scenes without that stress.” Linn Productions plans to show the film in select areas in February and see if it progresses from there. Regardless of the film’s future, Linn is excited for the Yankton premiere to see how a big crowd will respond to it. This will allow him to make some important notes in finalizing the picture before its release. “There is certainly a rush in being out there, cameras rolling and trying to capture these big moments,” Linn said. “You always hope for the best, but you don’t know if it will work out. If I get the opportunity to shoot in Yankton again, I would. It was just a great experience.” The trailer for the movie can be viewed at the website: www.untilforeverthemovie. com or the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/UntilForev erTheMovie?ref=bookmarks. 30 ACRES OF PRIME YANKTON COUNTY GAYVILLE TOWNSHIP LAND MONDAY, Nov 30th 10:00 a.m. Located: From Marks Machinery in Yankton, SD 4 miles East on SD Highway 50 to 447th Ave and 1/2mile North LEGAL: The SE1/4 NE1/4 except Dale White Addition in Sec 7-93-54, Yankton County, South Dakota 30.61 +/- taxable acres. Taxes are $708.22. The Yankton County FSA Office shows all tillable acres and is presently into alfalfa. Soil type is Ha with a rating of 91. This is an exceptionally nice tract of land with good productivity. This is a very well kept tract of land. It would lend itself to be a great addition to your current operation or for someone wishing to own a small tract of land close to Yankton. Be sure to check this out. For brochure and full details call Girard Auction & Land Brokers Inc at 866-531-6186 or 605267-2421 or check our webpage at girardauction.com for details and pictures. TERMS: 10% nonrefundable down payment due day of auction with balance due on closing. Closing is December 28, 2015. Title insurance and closing costs will be split 50/50 between buyer and seller. Yankton Title Co is the closing agent. Possession on closing. Seller will pay the 2015 real estate taxes due in 2016. Statements made day of auction take precedence over written material. Auctioneers are acting as agents for the sellers. SUSAN BURTON - KRISTI MCKEE - LISA GRANDORFF - OWNERS GIRARD AUCTION Marv Girard, BA; Ken Girard, CAI, AARE; & LAND BROKERS, INC. Mike Girard, CAI, BA; Mike Manning BA; (605) 267-2421 Scott Moore, Auctioneer Toll Free: 1-866-531-6186 GirardAuction.com