Posted by Keith

Our new endeavor is called the Four-Week Feature, and in many ways, it’s a crazier venture than 12in12.  The pitch is this: ten of us will gather in Park City, Utah this August, where we will write, shoot, edit, and score a full-length movie in a mere four weeks.  To celebrate this exciting new project, we’ve launched a new website, over at FourWeekFeature.com.  Check it out!  And if you’d really like to get in our good graces, you can head on over to our Kickstarter campaign and pledge money to support the cause.  Every dollar helps!

Park City in winter. What's it look like in the summer? We'll soon find out!

The team members will be familiar to anyone who followed 12in12.  It’s:

• me;
• Mike Lavoie;
• James Fauvell (“Sublet,” “Spirits,” “Magic Marker” );
• Michael Redfield (“Captivated,” “Hero by Proxy,” “The Jogger” );
• Brigitte Choura (“The Proposal,” “Hero by Proxy,” “Thirsty Work” );
• Derek Van Gorder (“Spirits,” “Moving Pictures,” “Magic Marker”);
• Clint Byrne (“Script 2,” “The Proposal,” “Hero by Proxy”);
• Sumi Lee (“Old Love,” “Captivated,” “The Jogger”); and
• Chad Sonenberg (“Script 2,” “Moving Pictures,” “Hero by Proxy”).

Now, I know what you’re thinking: isn’t that only nine people?  You are very astute; we’re still waiting to hear back from the tenth.  Keep watching our new blog for updates.  And tell your friends!

Posted by Keith

Mike and I saw Richard only three times: at the 12in12 audition, and on the two shoots he participated in.  Each time he was courteous, sprightly, and a consummate professional.  I remember falling behind schedule on the “Sublet” shoot, and feeling more and more guilty about wasting Richard’s time.  Finally, I took a moment to step aside and apologize to him.  “Are you kidding?” he said.  “This is how it is!”  And I instantly felt better.  There was such a calm assurance about him that it was hard not to be relaxed in his presence.

Here are Mike’s memories of Richard:

The parts Richard had were small, but I don’t think he looked at them that way. A lesser actor would have just have gone through the motions and been on his way, but Richard wanted to get it just right.

At the end of the shoot, he smiled, shook my hand, thanked me and exited stage left. It was a pleasure working with him. He was a true professional.

Richard’s tango-dancing friends are planning to hold a celebration of his life at the end of the summer.  If we can get our hands on the details, we’ll post them in this space.

Rest easy, Richard.  You will be missed.

Rest in peace.

Posted by Keith

We’ll let you know when the films are posted for online voting.  Till then, please enjoy the movie!  We couldn’t be more proud of it.

Posted by Keith

Speaking of which, come to this Saturday’s 7:30 screening at NYU’s Cantor Film Center!  We’ll be there, and we’d love to see you.  Tickets and details are available here.

“Thirsty Work” will be posted in this space sometime next week.  Till then, here are some pictures to tide you over!  I hope they capture a little piece of the experience.  It was a magical time.

(It may be noted that our beloved Clint Byrne doesn’t appear in these photos.  That’s because Clint was too busy taking photos to pose for any.  Thanks, Clint!)

Brigitte Choura and James Fauvell croon their hearts out on the pier before dawn

James Creque preaches hellfire while surrounded by it

The sun rises. We keep right on shooting.

Going about our work in the shadow of Coney Island's famed Parachute Jump

Yes, that's water from the Atlantic Ocean. No, Mike's not very happy about it.

Are you intrigued yet?

Done with shooting! One happy crew.

Mike's innovative credits-designing posture

James Creque sleeps the sleep of the recently drenched.

Two cousins enjoy some family editing time.

With a few hours left to turn in the movie, the remaining team enjoys a short break on the roof.

… and we got the film in with time to spare!  We’re getting pretty good at this.  Should that worry me?

Posted by Keith

There's not actually a trophy involved, but I couldn't find a good image for "bragging rights."

Last year, before all this 12 Films 12 Weeks nonsense got underway, a crew of future 12in12 accomplices assembled for the 2009 New York City Film Race — and totally dominated it.  “The Queen Bee of Mushroomtown,” the bizarre little movie we threw together in 24 hours, took home Best Film, Best Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Cinematography, Best Direction (tie), the Audience Award for its screening block, and the Online Audience Award.  For a group of people just about to plunge into a summer-long filmmaking project of dubious feasibility, all that affirmation was deliciously welcome.

Now the Film Racing tour has come around to New York once again, and, like a pack of fools, we’re back for more.  We’ve brought together most of the original team — actors Mike Lavoie, James Creque, and James Fauvell, cinematographer Robb Stey, composer James Bruffee, and yours truly in the director’s chair — and we’ve added Brigitte Choura, Clint Byrne, Sumi Lee, and Chad Sonenberg, all tried-and-true 12in12 comrades.  Is there any chance we can recapture that “Queen Bee” magic and sweep this year’s awards the way we did last year’s?  I don’t know.  But when Mike, Robb, and I were out scouting locations yesterday, Robb spotted a very promising sign.

Seriously, what are the odds?

Truly the gods are smiling upon us! Or taunting us. It’s difficult to tell.

We are SO HAPPY.

We’ll post the film race results in this space when we have them. Good luck to all the teams!

Okay, fine, this is a pretty good image for "bragging rights."

Posted by Keith

A fairytale castle? Close; it's a firehouse-turned-television-center! Pretty neat, huh?

The discussion was held at the Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV), a very cool facility located in a former firehouse (see photo); it was sponsored by the New York Film/Video Council and Channel Thirteen, and Mike and I were brought in through the wonderful Ginger Brown.  Dan Allen did an excellent job of capturing the whole conversation on video; the link to his final product is below.  Obviously, I’m way, way late in posting this, but I figured it should be up here for posterity’s sake!

Click here to see how it all played out.  Mike and I speak up at around the 11-minute mark, and again an hour later, but the whole thing is well worth watching if you’re interested in this stuff.

Posted by Keith

Our gracious hostess, Stacey

It’s always interesting to see the films with an audience.  At this point, I think I have a fair amount of perspective on the whole experience, but it’s still difficult to separate the movies themselves from the process of making them.  I watch “Moving Pictures,” and I can still feel the stickiness on my hands from the sparkling cider we used in lieu of champagne; I watch “The Proposal,” and the panic and joy of that hectic shoot come back to me in full force.  Being in a room with strangers, hearing and feeling them react as the stories unfold, helps me detach myself from those memories — and to see the films, at last, simply as films.

Thanks again to Stacey Burgay for making it all happen, and to Theresa Lopez for all her help with the technical stuff.  And thanks to all who attended!  It was a lovely time.

Posted by Keith

The screening is mainly for Stuyvesant Town residents, but if you’d like to attend, please e-mail keith.boing@gmail.com, and I’ll see what I can do!

Aerial view of Stuyvesant Town –– development of destiny!

Posted by Keith

That's right. It's GRAY.

The results of the 2009 Film Racing tour are in, and the good news is, we made the top ten!  Ninth place may not be the rousing endorsement we were secretly hoping for, but hey, we’ll take it.  Our heartiest thanks and congratulations to everyone who worked on (or voted for) “The Queen Bee of Mushroomtown”!  In our hearts and minds — no matter what Minneapolis, Vancouver, or any of the rest of them have to say — it’ll always be #1.

As for the 2010 Film Race: it’s anybody’s game at this point.  But I wouldn’t bet against us …

Posted by Keith