Jolene Loraine wants to turn pages into film.

The Auburn woman, a published author of the science fiction-fantasy series who has been active in the regional movie industry, has launched her own nonprofit, independent film community, locally-based White Horse Entertainment.

For Loraine, it is a daunting pursuit to build a brand and produce high-quality, professional feature films for mass theater distribution.

“We’re not jumping into this naive,” Loraine said of her dreams to make engaging films. “We have skills … we are willing to learn.

“It is very challenging. We’ve been trying to be very creative in the way we approach this, getting our name out there, raising the needed funds to do our films,” she said. “It’s not easy. It’s an uphill battle. … The hardest part right now is getting the people behind it and support it because we are so new.”

The company’s “Going the Distance” campaign is not as conventional as it is just seeking investors, Loraine said. The goal is to gain the needed financial and talent support to produce independent films locally that can compete on the same level as those coming from Hollywood and British Columbia. The plan is to grow into a transparent film company that embraces the local arts community by making films closer to home.

“This is a very ambitious dream that requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice to achieve,” said Loraine, who has worked in the industry in many capacities – from grip to screenplay writer, advisor to performer. “We wish to connect with the community and draw much of our support from those we work around and with.”

The company’s team includes Loraine’s mother, Jeanine Bartelt, the business manager; Carrie Avery Moriarty, the social media director; and satellite support groups.

Initial plans this summer are to film a documentary on the role horses play in society and the economy of the Pacific Northwest, with hopes of pitching it to someone, perhaps PBS, Loraine said.

Bigger plans include adapting Loraine’s sci-fi book series, “Night Hawk” (Amazon), to the screen. The four-book series, now two years old, follows the lives of humans who occupy another world. Storylines deal with war and dark times, bringing out themes of courage, honor and self-sacrifice.

Born with a passion for storytelling and influenced by film, Loraine’s early published stories involved fantasy and adventure, rich with character struggles and growth. Her first book, a short story series entitled “White Horse”, was published through West Bow Press, chronicling the life of a white horse and the challenges she faced in a mountain realm.

In 2014, Jolene launched her first full-length novel series, “Night Hawk”, realizing a 20-year dream.

Now she wants to take her stories to the next level.

“My passion has always been in film. … I do like storytelling, but I do like the visual,” Loraine said. “From the very beginning, from writing ‘Night Hawk’ and stuff, it was always my passion, my dream to move it into film, which is how the film company kinda came about.”

With good fortune and support, the book series could become a trilogy for all to see.

“I loved the story,” Moriarty said. “The way Jolene tells the heart of the story and (how she wants to) share it not just visually within the book but eventually visually within the film, I think, is truly a remarkable story.”

The daughter of professional puppeteers and costumers, Loraine has developed her own skills with the craft on the live stage and in film. She has also studied swordplay, performing for five years with the Seattle Knights. She plans to continue her work on the “Night Hawk” series for publication and film.

The film team is prepared for the hard work ahead.

“There has to be a beginning. That’s where we’re at,” Bartelt said. “A lot of it has to do with becoming known and sharing the dream with others who might share the dream with us.”

“We have a dream and decided to put a little muscle behind our dream and step forward.”

To learn more, visit http://www.whitehorse-et.com and https://nighthawkseries.com.

Imaginary: Jolene Loraine has created many characters from her science fictionfantasy book series, ‘Night Hawk,’ one of which is a larkrae, an animal trained for war. MARK KLAAS, Auburn Reporter