Suburban native makes film in West Dundee, 'with the people I love'

For suburban native Trevor Morgan, the Chicago area exudes a certain hospitality and passion for independent art that appeals to him as a filmmaker. But his reasons for moving from Los Angeles back home are a bit more personal.

"I wanted to basically make films in my hometown and the place that I love, with the people I love," said Morgan, 31, who lives in Elgin.

Being able to work closely with family members in the industry, as well as with other local talent he's known for years, brings a unique quality to the production of Morgan's new short film, "10 Hours," he said. The movie, which filmed last week in West Dundee, tells the story of two strangers - a ride-share driver and his passenger - who form an unlikely friendship during a 10-hour drive.

"We live in a time where technology can very easily separate us ... but it can also place strangers in a car together," Morgan said, referring to services like Uber or Lyft. "It's about two people connecting from two completely different sides of life and helping one another, and how important that can be."

Writing and directing short films is fairly new for Morgan compared to his decades-long career as an actor. His experience in show business began when he was discovered at Woodfield Mall and started acting in TV commercials at 5, said his mom, Lisa Morgan.

When his family moved from Barrington to Los Angeles a few years later, Trevor started auditioning for larger projects, his mom said, "and it was leading to thing after thing after thing." He landed roles in "The Sixth Sense," "The Patriot" and Jurassic Park III," as well as other movies and TV shows such as "ER."

Making independent short films allows Morgan to explore a genre that is becoming increasingly popular in the industry, he said.

His latest movie, "Margaret and the Moon," also was filmed in Illinois and is now playing at various film festivals.

To create "10 Hours," Morgan teamed with his parents' Bensenville-based production company, MBM Studios, which also trained lead actors Jose Gonzalez of Palatine and Willow Finn of Chicago. Morgan said he wrote the script with those two in mind.

"I have a lot more resources and people who want to be a part of something for the love of doing it here in Chicago," Morgan said. "This is a family production."

The Dundee area turned out to be a perfect location for filming, Morgan said, not only for its scenery, but also because of West Dundee's willingness to work with MBM.

Viewers will see shots of the village's downtown, Boncosky Road, the Fox River and establishments such as John's Mobil, where the crew filmed Wednesday. They also shot scenes at Santa's Village Azoosment Park in East Dundee.

"West Dundee is really versatile in its appearance," Morgan said. "It has a lot of history that it holds onto in its downtown, but also, it has a lot of things that look rural and suburban."

Next comes the editing process, Morgan said. Producer Paulina Olszynski said the aim is for the movie, which is expected to be about 14 minutes long, to be completed by April so it can be submitted to international film festivals such as Toronto, South by Southwest, Sedona and the LA Shorts Fest.

"We want to make art and then share it with people," Morgan said. "Hopefully they get something out of it. That's the main goal."