It's hard to believe the idea for the film came up in February 2015, when pre-production began. Quick timeline:
September 2015: The shoot in Fairmount, Indiana.
March 2016: Film is completed & film festival submissions begin
April 2016: Private Screening party in LA
October 2016: World Premiere at 1st film festival (Louisville International)
November 2017: 12th and final official film festival screening
December 4, 2017: 'Deaners' will be released online
And now, some personal Thank-Yous to the members of this team who helped make the film happen... :
Sam Webb: My right hand man through this whole process. ‘I
wouldn’t have been able to do this without you’ is quite an understatement. To
my Director of Photography and Editor, and all around great guy- So glad that I
found you on the world wide web. I lucked out in your answering the call. So
many laughs and good times through the process, the conversations, and quality
all the way. Hope to cross paths again soon, and to maybe even have an excuse
to work together again on something.
Dan Mehta: I’m so glad that Ringo had referred me to you to do
the score. A one-stop shop and one-man band, you added a great deal to the film
tonally, and it was a good time working with you through the process, getting
to know you, and hanging out.
Tom Bottelsen: My friend, my brother, my musical muse. The time,
thought, and effort you put into creating a song specifically for the film is
so appreciated. Love it so much. ‘Riding with Jimmy and me’ is so good and
worthy of having a montage, then on thru the credits (to be fully played in
it’s entirety in the film). You done real good. #greatearworm
Ryan Kerchner, Ryan
London, Kevin Asami: For a 2nd
time around, I’m so bowled over by your musical prowess and assist to create a
song for a film I’ve done, and I have yet to meet you. I wanted to let you know
I’m so appreciative that ‘Riding with Jimmy and Me’ sounds SO great. Top notch
quality good stuff. #shouldbeasingle
Scott Gutierrez (Gute
Productions): You cleaned up and
smoothed out the sound to make it seamless, and in a few cases where I didn’t
want to scrap the moment, you worked some miracles to make it happen. Thankful.
Walter Volpatto: Thanks so much for doing color consulting for
‘Deaners’. With a full-time job with kids, I’m so thankful that you squeezed in
the time to be able to help out. It looks great, pops with color, and I’m very
appreciative that you had reached out to see if I needed help along those
lines. Some crafty dodges, my friend!
Rachel Yonda: Thanks so much for lending your graphics prowess to ‘Deaners’!
Enhancing the photos in the opening, adding titles, and creating the marquee
nameplate template adding flair to the project in introducing all of our
Deaners. Much appreciated for adding to the look of the film.
Russell Anthony Stewart: So glad the Sound guy we had previously scheduled for
the shoot had to cancel shortly before we started. That made room for Sam to
recommend that we have you join the
team. Such a great, positive, and fun energy you have, and diligently getting
the job done in a great way. Had a lot of fun with you, and have been fortunate
to stay in touch and hang as you did your Conan O’Brien internship in LA the
following summer. Kudos for your NYC job, as well. Thanks for helping make it a
fun shoot, and will look forward to our paths crossing again someday, some way.
Rachael Collins: Thank you so much for your help on the busiest day of
the shoot (full festival mode). Glad you could make it out… had a lotta laughs
with you, Sam, and Russell, and thanks for being a go-getter in nabbing people
to do interviews, for getting paperwork signed off on, and for holding an
umbrella awwwwllll day in case it rained. J
Chad Hanna: Thank you so much for all those many phone
conversations in ‘pre-production’ where I was getting a lay of the land, how
the festival goes, who might be great Deaners with interesting stories to
interview, and for helping out during the shoot itself, giving us an idea of
where everything is, when events happen, coordinating a location for us to film
an interview in, and more. Much appreciated.
Nolan Karwoski: So glad we got you on camera right before the
lookalike contest, for your sharing of your experiences in being a Deaner and
on visiting Fairmount, and ALSO for creating the poster and artwork for marketing
for ‘Deaners’! It’s a great shot of you, and proud to have you be the face of
the film. Much appreciated, and great to see you in Indianapolis on the eve of
our first film festival (in Louisville, Kentucky). Hope to see ya again someday,
some way.
Jay J. Levy: Thank you for being a sounding board thru the process
of the film, for giving notes/suggestions for an early cut of the film, and for
lending your wordsmith expertise in formulating the sentences that are seen in
the very beginning of the film. Much appreciated.
David Loehr & Lenny
Prussack (of the James Dean Gallery): Thank
you so much for letting us shoot inside of the Gallery a couple of times… 1 of
the times we were just there on the doorstep at the crack of business hours
beginning. We were lucky to shoot in there first without the crowds, then later
with. Also, being able to use a few of your James Dean images (that were in the
film) was very helpful to make sure we did have him in there somehow, someway.
AND, being able to use the drone footage that you had secured not long before
our shoot was a huge assist. It really takes the film up a notch and adds an
impressive element to it. Very thankful for everything.
Clint Hemstalk: Thanks for agreeing to chat on camera. It was our
first attempt at nabbing someone from a crowd to talk. Your willingness and openness
was much appreciated. And cool tat.
Cole Reeves (of the
Fairmount Historical Museum): Gosh,
Cole…thanks so much for getting up so early to open up the Fairmount Historical
Museum at dawn (as the sun was rising) allowing us to film in there before
crowds showed up from the festival, and for taking us on a tour of the museum
on camera, sharing about your experiences with Deaners who visit. Good notable
moments throughout.
Evan Derry: Thanks for agreeing to be on camera so last minute
just before the lookalike contest! As 1 of 3 lookalikes we interviewed, you
gave a good idea of how much effort can go in to being a James Dean lookalike.
Hope to see you in Fairmount again sometime.
Gregory Swenson: What a treat it was to be able to have you on camera and
talking about your recipe book, ‘Recipes for Rebels’, with recipes from James
Dean family or famous costars…which I’ve tried a couple already! Your moment is
one of my favorites that gets a good reaction in screenings. Will look forward
to seeing you in Fairmount again someday.
James and Dean: So thankful to have you both be interviewed on camera,
sharing your stories and about the festival and your music. Thanks for coming
out from Las Vegas to catch the private screening in LA. Look forward to
catching your next project, your finished album!
Janet O’Dare: As Peter Gallo’s friend, we didn’t get a chance to
hear you on camera, but your smiling face along with the Jimmy shirt you have
on lends a great presence. Thank you.
Jason Carpenter: Thanks for agreeing to have some of your emceeing
skills used for our film. Rip roaring and fun, you add to the entertainment of
the lookalike contest. Much appreciated.
Jason Naylor: So glad that you made it out to the Lookalike contest
in the nick of time, and that we got to interview you on camera. Great moment
captured of the group shot of lookalikes including you, and I will look forward
to crossing paths again in Fairmount someday.
Jerry Payne: We never got a chance to come back for sausage,
potatoes and green beans. But what a tremendously sweet hospitality we caught
on camera. Will have to take you up on the offer next time I’m there for a
visit to Fairmount. And would love to hear more of your stories.
JR Dziengel: So glad to have met you in Fairmount, and have you be
interviewed on camera. Thanks for an assist with camera batteries to help us
out during the shoot, and for giving notes/suggestions in an early cut of the
film. Glad to have forged a friendship in LA with you to hang, have good times,
and spend time with your fam.
Lee Raskin: Honored to have you in the film, Lee… loved both of
your books ‘At Speed’ and ‘The Road to Salinas’, and your help in double checking
on a couple of facts for the film. It’s admirable, your helping lead a crusade
to fact check James Dean info in general, laying the groundwork for generations
to come of new James Dean fans.
Mark Kinnaman: Thank you for being a great ambassador to the Deaner
community…for opening your home to us, sharing your story in being a Deaner,
showing us your collection, for leading a night walking tour every year of the
Fairmount Jimmy sites, and for supporting the film at the River Bend Film
festival in Goshen, Indiana with a carload of Deaners to catch the screening!
Marlin Wilson: Thanks so much for not only talking on camera about
your James Dean picture collection, etc., but for also sharing some photos from
your childhood and thru the years of going to Fairmount, Indiana (that we ended
up using some for the opening of ‘Deaners’). Much appreciated!
Naomi Yamada: We’re so lucky to have you share on camera about being
a Deaner, and about the creation of your handmade paper cranes for the grave
bouquet. Love your energy, excitement, and sweetness in being a part of the
Deaner community. And what dedication you have in going back each year (to
Fairmount) for the festival. Will look forward to seeing you again sometime in
the future.
Olivia Winslow: So fun and spirited, so happy to get you on camera for
the film! And cool to get to know you a little more in the last trip to
Fairmount. Good luck with school and your own documentary project on being
Jimmy’s cousin. Whatever we can do to help, let us know.
Pamela Crawford: We’re glad to have a snippet of you in the film.
Although brief, happy to have you in there. Thanks for the sharing of the
film’s info and successes along the way through the Deanzine, etc. Hope to
catch you in Fairmount in the future.
Pamela Des Barres: So many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed on
camera for ‘Deaners’, and sharing so eloquently about James Dean, being a fan,
and about the community. Glad to also have you there for both of the LA
screenings. Thanks for taking part in the Q&A at the Valley Film Festival,
as well!
Peter Gallo: Hope we didn’t come off as stalkers seeing you first
at the gravesite, and then having to stop you and chat with you and Janet on
camera, visiting all the way from NYC for the festival. Hope to cross paths
again someday.
Phil Zeigler: A
bucket of thanks to you for being interviewed on camera, for showing us your James
Dean collection, for giving us a tour of the barn and garage of the farmhouse
James Dean grew up in, for pointing towards good spots to catch the lookalike
contest on film, and more. Generosity, good-naturedness, and a spitfire sense
of humor lit us up and made it a good time to hang out with you. Happy to know
ya, and thank you!
Scott Brimigion: What a stroke of luck and good fortune it was that Russell
(who recorded sound) spotted you in the ‘Rebel’ look in front of James Dean’s
farmhouse as we were driving by that day. So glad we stopped and interviewed
you for the film.
Shirley Payne: We never got a chance to come back for sausage,
potatoes and green beans. But what a tremendously sweet hospitality we caught
on camera. Will have to take you up on the offer next time I’m there for a
visit to Fairmount.
Ted Bernal Guevara: As brief a snippet we had of you in the film, I’m glad
to have you featured in it. Good luck with the continued writings of James Dean
stories, etc.
Tom Berghuis: Thanks for agreeing to be in the film. We were able to
catch a snippet of you at the memorial service shortly after the festival, with
nuggets of wisdom that makes you think.
David Scott: Thank you so much for agreeing to bring the boys
(James and Dean) to us for an interview, for being so supportive, and coming
all the way from Las Vegas (while there with the boys recording an album) to
Los Angeles for our private (first) screening back in April 2016. And thanks
for the use of the image of the boys from when they were little (dressed as
James Dean)!
Thomas Wenck: I’m appreciative that you provided some photos of your
experiences in Fairmount, that a couple had made their way into the opening of
the film.
Rob Jarrell (of R.
Christopher Entertainment): Thank you
for being on top of communications early on (in pre-production) for
coordinating James and Dean for an interview for the film before and during. I
appreciate having gotten to meet you and learn a little more on R. Christopher
Entertainment.
Andrew Kadikian: Thank you for creating the template for the credits
at the end of the film ‘Deaners’, and adding them in. Also, I’m appreciative of
your mastering all of the offerings for the private LA screening in April of
2016. To have it be seamless with the shorts, trailers, and all worked out
nicely.
Ashleigh Boiros: Thank you for giving notes/suggestion for an early
cut of ‘Deaners’, and all the while helping produce ‘The Parallel Project’!
You’ve also got some real creative ideas that came out in marketing that I’m
very appreciative of.
Barrett Gregory: What a great experience it was to have us on a
filmmaking journey together at the same time, mine with ‘Deaners’ alongside
your filmmaking journey of ‘The Parallel Project’. To share in the hard work
that we were putting in through all of a film’s stages, and finally to share in
our project’s successes! Thank you for being a sounding board and for giving
notes/suggestions to an early cut of the film.
Charles Paul Waters: I’m
in appreciation of your taking the time to answer some questions in keeping the
integrity of James Dean and his legacy with your expansive knowledge.
Christopher Comeau: Thank you for checking in through different steps of
the process, and for giving notes/suggestions for an early cut of the film. Your
ear and knowledge lent muchly to the process.
Colin Campbell: So glad to work with you again, if but briefly, to
utilize your film background and have your eyes on ‘Deaners’. Awesome that I
had an Oscar-nominated Director take a look-see! Much appreciated.
Eric Mofford: Thank you so much for giving helpful suggestions /
notes for the film in it’s early stages. I am appreciative to be able to access
your experience early on in the film’s post-production process.
Kathi Solms: So kind of you to open up your home so that we could
film an interview in it. Acts of generosity like this go a long way in terms of
producing a film, and are certainly most appreciated.
Matt Landis (of the
Fairmount Camp): You were so helpful
at Fairmount Camp, accommodating me with a cabin to rent that would be a good
size for our film’s ‘base camp’ and also for helping providing another location
at the Camp (another cabin) to shoot an interview, and for other acts of
helpfulness here and there…an extension cord to borrow, and offering help
whenever you saw me/us.
Ryan Stockstad: Wow. It all started with a conversation with you back
in February 2015 when I was considering just going to the James Dean festival
in Fairmount to experience it. Your recommendation to shoot a documentary on
the experience was obviously the spark that got me definitively going to make
it happen. Thanks also for giving notes/suggestions during a rough cut of the
film to help towards shaping it.
Sean T. James: Thank you for being a champion for the film, for
cheering me on and being encouraging, and giving me some assignments on the
side to help fund the shooting of the film.
Stuart Atkinson: Thank you for giving notes on an early cut of the
film, and making (amongst your suggestions) 1 in particular that helped shape
and change up the flow of the film, by moving a couple large parts around.
And, last but certainly not least... anyone who has attended a screening of 'Deaners', who has 'liked' the film page on facebook, or even shared about the film with others... your support is very much appreciated. Thank you!
Best,
David Garry (Director / Producer of 'Deaners')
Website: www.deanersthemovie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/deanersthemovie
