“Spirits” is Posted! I swear, there ain’t a damn word in it!
July 31, 2009 at 4:21 am | Posted in Keith Boynton | 9 CommentsTags: alcohol, liquor, silent film, subway
Film #8, “Spirits,” is now online and ready to be seen! So what are you reading this introductory text for? Get to it!
My scripts have a tendency to be extremely talky (see “After Perfect”), so it was fun giving myself the challenge of telling a story without the use of words. It’s a project I’ve been meaning to take on for some time now; in fact, I have a dream of one day doing an entire feature without dialogue. If that aspiration makes you doubt my sanity, check out 3-Iron, by Kim Ki-duk. There’s some dialogue in it, but the great majority of the story unfolds non-verbally, and it’s a hauntingly beautiful film.
“Spirits” marks the return of Jeff Pucillo (“Script 2″), James Fauvell (currently tied with Mike for greatest number of 12in12 appearances), and composer Michael Redfield, as well as the stunning 12in12 debut of cinematographer Derek Van Gorder. The only thing better than working with great new people is working with great old people; both make my job easy.
Hope you enjoy the film. As always, your comments are profoundly appreciated. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if I can catch a couple of hours’ sleep before my 7:30 AM call time. That’s right: I’m supposed to be in DUMBO looking dashing in only four hours! Whose idea was that?
Posted by a somewhat worried Keith
Our Official T-Shirts Are Up for Sale! (Don’t be bilked by those swindlers peddling unofficial ones …)
July 30, 2009 at 3:05 pm | Posted in Keith Boynton | Leave a commentTags: American Apparel, apparel, fashion, t-shirts, what's hot this season
For those of you who are ready to make your love of 12 Films 12 Weeks known to the world at large (or at least that portion of it that happens to be staring at your chest), we are now offering lovely, high quality t-shirts, at just a fraction of the cost of a 12in12 tattoo!
For ordering instructions, please see the t-shirts page on this very blog. And spread the word! If I see a stranger walking around the city in one of these, I think my life will be complete.
Posted by Keith
“Moving Pictures” Cast Complete!
July 30, 2009 at 12:02 pm | Posted in Keith Boynton | 1 CommentTags: casting, Harold Bloom, poetry, rock and roll
Scandal! Devin McEwan has been FIRED from the role of “Dave,” and re-hired for the role of “Evan.” This leaves “Dave” open for (drum roll, please) …
Stuart Watson, composer of “Sublet,” and consummate blogger/literary theorist/rock god. I’ve known Stu since we were both wildly arrogant teenagers at The Hotchkiss School, where we co-starred in a student-directed production of “The Misanthrope.” Stu hasn’t done a ton of acting since, but his whole life is a performance, so he should be fine.
And that completes the cast! A full day in advance of shooting! We’re getting this down to a science, folks …
Posted by Keith
Film #9 Has a Cast and a New Title!
July 29, 2009 at 2:00 pm | Posted in Keith Boynton | 2 CommentsTags: actors, casting, ensemble, motion pictures
I’m pleased to announce that Caitlin McEwan’s Film #9 — whose new working title is “Moving Pictures” — is almost entirely cast. It’s another large ensemble — not “Proposal” large, but definitely well above our summer average. And why not? The more, the merrier!
Playing the lead role of “Claudette,” we have Caitlin FitzGerald, a friend of Mike’s and a wonderful actress, who, as it happens, attended a very early 12in12 production meeting, way back in May. We’ve been looking for an opportunity to work with Caitlin all summer, and at last, here it is! (In order to avoid confusing Caitlin McEwan with Caitlin FitzGerald while on the set, I plan to call them, respectively, “Mack” and “Fitz.”)
Two 12in12 veterans are returning to the fold for this one; Dylan Bandy, of “Sublet,” will be playing “Carla,” and Abby Holland, of “The Proposal,” will appear as “Genny.” Both of them are a joy to work with, and I’m excited to have them on the set once more.
Tamara Cacchione, with whom Mack and I used to do community theater back when we were all wee children, will be playing the role of “Bernice.” Tamara’s been doing quite well for herself since our days at Tri-Arts; check her out in the 2009 New York Film Race short “Moans.”
Also joining us: Devin McEwan, brother of Caitlin McEwan, brother also of me, whose acting appearances have been decidedly sparse since his triumphant portrayal of Mortimer in The Fantasticks at the Hotchkiss School in 1999. This time, Devin will be be taking on the role of “Dave.”
Nora and Bob Rivkin, family friends for as long as I can remember, will be playing “Amanda” and “Frank,” respectively. They are far too smart to have pictures of themselves on the Internet, so you’ll just have to wait till Monday, when we shamelessly blow their cover by posting production stills.
Finally, in the role of “Eric,” we have me, Keith Boynton. Some may smell a noxious whiff of favoritism when I announce that I’ve been cast in my sister’s movie, but I wish to clarify that she did not cast me because I’m her brother; she cast me because I’m her producer. I hope I’ve cleared that up.
The part of “Evan” is still uncast at this point, but an offer is out, and we should be hearing back this evening. In other news, “Spirits” DP Derek Van Gorder will once again be manning the camera for us, and after spending two days sifting through his footage to arrive at a rough cut, I can confidently say that he’ll be doing a wonderful job.
That’s all the news for now! Watch this space for further updates about this and other upcoming projects. “Moving Pictures” (or whatever we end up calling it) will be posted on Friday, August 7th.
Posted by Keith
Oops.
July 28, 2009 at 8:28 pm | Posted in Keith Boynton | Leave a commentTags: really long movies, screenwriting, silent films
The script for “Spirits” is almost exactly two pages long. The rule of thumb in “the industry” states that a page of script equals approximately one minute of screen time. So great, I thought, a two-minute movie — something short and sweet to contrast with the long-and-sweet “Proposal.” Maybe, when all was said and done, it would wind up being closer to three minutes; after all, the page-a-minute rule is just a rough guideline. Three minutes, then — still brief, still punchy. God knows I don’t want to bore people with a silent film that goes on forever. Just get in, tell the story, and get out.
But you see, my dear friends, I’ve never directed a film without dialogue before. And as it turns out, one page of action takes up a lot more time than one page of talk. How much more time, you ask? Well, I’ve got a rough cut of most of the movie right now, and it’s currently running six minutes and twenty-four seconds. That’s without the montage and a good chunk of the last scene.
Let this be a lesson to all you aspiring filmmakers out there: Keith Boynton is a moron. Never listen to a word he says.
Posted, paradoxically, by Keith
“Spirits,” a.k.a. Film #8, will be posted on Friday, July 31st.
Behind the Scenes of “Spirits” – Weather, Journey and a Dirty Joke!
July 28, 2009 at 2:37 am | Posted in Mike Lavoie | 3 CommentsTags: banal, dull, expected, married life, typical, vanilla
When you’re shooting a silent film with a small cast in two locations where you don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention, it’s amazing how little quality-behind-the-scenes footage is produced. No one is interested in antics or practical jokes, and when there are literally ZERO lines, the “flubs” aren’t really that funny. Fauvell missing his mark is — ya know — boring.
But here is what we managed to get. I hope you enjoy — or at least understand.
Posted by Mike, still recovering from 6 AM shooting
Photos From a Surreal Late-Night Shoot
July 27, 2009 at 1:26 am | Posted in Keith Boynton | Leave a commentTags: guardian angels, MTA, night owls, night shooting, photos, subway
Looking back, I think there was a guardian angel watching over the “Spirits” shoot. (Perhaps the title attracted it?) No cops, no dire weather, no real bums trying to steal Mike’s Sesame Street blanket from fake bum James Fauvell. Does this mean we’re due for a post-production disaster? Time alone will tell!
Either way, enjoy the photos. In its own weird way, it was a pretty magical night.

As the sun rises, Derek indulges us by shooting a little improv (coming soon to this space -- or not!).
Posted by Keith
It’s late. It’s dark. We’re tired. Movies!
July 26, 2009 at 3:01 pm | Posted in Mike Lavoie | Leave a commentTags: a-team, brooklyn, gorilla, guerilla, martini
Last night was a much different movie making exercise as compared to last week. Cast of just two, total crew of five, and I have absolutely no idea what this movie will look like.
Sumi and I were the “non-essential crew” (ie: not the director, DP or sound guy) and we decided Sumi would play the part of “budding film student” on the 4th Ave subway platform. She was in that role in the event that some nosy member of the NYPD stuck his or her nose into our business and we figured she was more sympathetic and cuter than myself. And so I sat in and on the Volvo, making coffee runs, recharging batteries at 12in12 HQ a dozen blocks away and generally chillin’.
Tune in Friday and see what the movie looks like. I’m as curious as you are!
Posted by Mike
Errrg.
July 26, 2009 at 6:19 am | Posted in Keith Boynton | Leave a commentTags: all-nighter, Canon 5D MK II, coffee, DSLR, exhaustion
“Spirits” is wrapped! Well, minus a couple of second-unit shots. We’ll get those tomorrow night. I mean, tonight. I mean … holy Moses, am I still awake?
Shoot went well. No police interference, thank goodness. A few rubbernecking onlookers, but they petered out starting around 2 AM. We had a bit of a SNAFU with a misplaced memory card, and that cost us a little time, but we got the shots we really needed, and the footage looks amazing. This is our first shoot using the awkwardly-named Canon 5D MK II, and I may be just a little bit in love with it. It’s another one of these crazy video-shooting SLRs (like the Nikon D90) that make you feel like you’re living in the future of filmmaking. And come to think of it, we pretty much are.
Also improvised a one-take movie on the roof after we wrapped. Mike’s idea. Pretty ridiculous. Maybe we’ll post it on the blog if Mike can talk me into it …
Now I need to go to sleep.
Posted by a very tired Keith
12in12′s First All Nighter!
July 25, 2009 at 7:17 pm | Posted in Mike Lavoie | Leave a commentTags: 5-0, all night, all night long, college memories, Jim Davis, the block is on fire, the fuzz
Remember college?
Yeah, me neither.
Well, I guess a few memories have stuck around, and it seems like almost all of them take place in those those magical, fever dream hours when all reasonable people have gone to bed and I was left alone with my work or was joined by some conspirators in revelry. Tonight, I will return to those wild hours — but now to work with conspirators . On a beautiful summer night in NYC, what could be better?
We will be traveling light and shooting fast. My list of items to bring is short but essential:
- Red Bull
- Water
- Cookies
- Bananas
Filmmaking fuel, baby.
We will be guerilla filming in NYC and then in Brooklyn — so if you happen to be on the F or G train late late tonight or early early tomorrow — keep an eye out for us. Just don’t tell the po-po!
Sleep well, reasonable people. See you soon, revelers!
Posted by Mike
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