COD professor premieres his first feature film

When the housing bubble burst a few years ago, College of DuPage Motion Picture/TV Professor John Rangel heard stories from his friends working in real estate about the long-lasting impact on their livelihoods. Those stories, mixed with the rhythm of life in Chicago, served as the impetus for “South Loop,” Rangel's first feature-length film.

Rangel, of Berwyn, said he hopes the film also serves as an inspiration to the dozens of students he teaches each semester at COD.

Until he wrote, directed and produced South Loop, Rangel had completed a number of award-winning short films but hadn't yet found an idea he felt worthy of a feature-length film.

Making a film is never an easy process and, while there were some trying times, this has been an excellent teaching tool for my students and a way to show them firsthand the highs and lows of filmmaking.”

Inspired by real-life experiences, the film explores the ups and downs of one man's life and loves during the housing market crash. Rangel completed filming in just 15 days, crafting characters that reflected his complex vision of Chicago.

Filmmaking became a dream for Rangel while he was working for Discover Financial Services after earning his master's degree in engineering psychology. Realizing he was unhappy in his job, the lifelong movie fan took screenwriting and directing classes before deciding to enroll in film school. He earned his master's degree in fine arts from Chapman University in California in 2003 before embarking on a teaching career in Chicago.

“Teaching never feels overwhelming and that has to be because I teach film,” he said. “(Teaching) is enriching in very different ways from filmmaking because it allows me to encourage creativity in my students.”

A teacher's schedule also allows for film projects outside the classroom. After a nine-month delay in completing the sound editing, ”South Loop” premiered in early December at the Portage Theater in Chicago. The film was well received, but the screening was bittersweet, Rangel said, as it marked the end of the project's creative process.

“There's still a part of me that feels it's not done,” said Rangel, who noted that he and co-producer and star Juan Diego Ramirez are still seeking a distributor.

Rangel's also busy planning his next film. He's been working on a new script and will assist a film school friend with a project this summer.

In the meantime, Rangel has received numerous requests from students to host a screening of “South Loop” at the College. The screening date is still under discussion.

“The idea is to use the screening as an information session where students can ask me questions about how I shot the film,” he said of South Loop. “What's been great for me in all of this is the message it's sending students that they can have a film career on a smaller scale. It's possible to pursue this dream even outside of the larger Hollywood film industry.”

For more on “South Loop,” visit: www.parksidefilms.com/southloop. For information on the Motion Picture/Television program at COD, visit: www.cod.edu/academic/acadprog/occ_voc/ComArtSc.htm.