It may not become a Hollywood blockbuster, but a full-length documentary about East Dundee will capture the voices of its residents and the village’s identity and roots, local filmmaker Dave Hudson says.
With the village’s $24,900 financial backing, D. Hudson Productions will be shooting the movie this summer to be finished sometime in 2027 under a deal that’s been tentatively approved by the East Dundee Village Board.
“It’s going to be a documentary that is historical in nature but from the perspective of longtime residents and former residents of East Dundee talking about their memories and perspectives of the village,” Trustee Scott Kunze told the village board at a recent meeting.
Kunzee and his wife conceived the idea and proposed it to Hudson, who submitted a proposal to the village.
East Dundee’s story “runs far deeper than the village’s size suggests — from the German Lutheran families who settled the east bank of the Fox River in the 1800s to the kilns of Haeger Potteries that shipped bricks to rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire and went on to produce iconic American art pottery for 145 years to the gates of Santa’s Village that have welcomed generations of families since 1959,” according to Hudson’s proposal.
“These are not just landmarks; they are the threads of a community’s identity,” his proposal said.
Hudson’s production company works with “businesses, brands, marketing teams and agencies who want high-quality video content,” according to its website.
Exploring the history on this film will be “like a treasure hunt,” said Hudson, who grew up in East Dundee and Carpentersville and currently lives in Elgin. “I know there are really amazing people who have a lot of information about the history. I can’t wait to put them on camera and can’t wait to learn more.”
Kunze said he suggested the idea to Hudson to find out if it was realistic, and “(Hudson) really very quickly latched on and thought it was a good idea and put forth a proposal.”
He has “taken it further than what we talked about,” Kunze said. “I appreciate he’s sort of taken ownership of it and has a vision of what it can be.
“In my mind, it’s been more of a historical documentation of prospects that are not going to be here forever,” the trustee said. “Quite frankly, as generations switch over, we’re going to lose the perspectives of people who’ve been here a long time. This is a way to sort of capture that and lock it in forever.”
Hudson will film at eight to 10 locations throughout the village, doing interviews and capturing aerial shots and images of significant landmarks, including the downtown district, according to village documents.
Principal filming will start this summer. A two-minute trailer will be ready later this year. Post-production will begin in January 2027.
“This is going to be something personal for him because this is his town too,” Kunze said.
East Dundee will be able to maximize its investment by using clips from the film to market the village, Kunze said.
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Village officials have described the movie as a “cultural asset,” which not only can be displayed in village-owned buildings and online and in marketing campaigns, but could be submitted to film festivals as well.
“I’m a product of the Fox Valley,” Hudson said. “(These are) all my people. I’ll bring all that love to every frame.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The (Elgin) Courier-News.