When people think of the film industry, they usually think of cities like Los Angeles, Hollywood, or New York, but soon they'll have to add Wausau to that list. That's what producers of the short film "Microcosm" hope, anyway.

The film was shot in Wausau over the course of the summer, and its' creators felt it was important to truly make a *Wausau film*.

Erik Cieslewicz, director of "Microcosm" says, "It's a very realist film; it's about growing up in this small town area in Wausau."

And when "Microcosm" premieres, its' creators hope it will strike a chord with the audience.

Production on the film started back in January of 2007, and its' creators hoped to make it more than just a fun project for their friends, instead giving it a professional touch, which included over a year of pre-production, hiring a professional crew, and auditioning actors.

Cieslewicz says, "We had open auditions, which is something I was kind of like, 'We can just cast this with the people I know,' but producer Seth Callaway was like, 'No no, you do open auditions, you find the best people for the part,' and he was absolutely right."

Actress Arwen Fonzen, who plays Ireland Singer in the film says, "I read the script and went to the auditions, and thought, this is a good script, and this seems like a fun project, so I'll give it a shot, I'll audition."

One of the major shooting locations for "Microcosm" was right in downtown Wausau, and both cast and crew say it was important for them that the heart of the film was kept right in the city.

Cieslewicz adds, "I started looking around downtown Wausau and thinking, 'this is a Wausau film, I should really entrench it in this area,' so before I had anything locked down I was writing locations in this town into the script."

And the city got involved as well, giving cast and crew access to all the locations they needed, meaning the film really was a community effort.

Fonzen adds, "I think for anybody who lives in Wausau or the area, it's exciting just to see something that was put together in Wausau, and something that is a community project."

The film's director, Erik Cieslewicz, has also been an employee at NewsChannel 7 for more than two years, but is leaving us now and heading to Baltimore to further his film career.

If you'd like to see the film's premiere, it's Friday night at 8:30 at the UWMC Theater, and admission is free.