Several students and graduates of New York University have been in the Old Forge area this week shooting a Western themed short film titled “Blackwell.”
Kurt and Ximena Gardner of Adirondack Mountain Productions of Old Forge worked with the film’s director, Ed Barnes, to provide site location management and logistical and general local support.
The production is Barnes’ thesis for the New York University Graduate Film program.
The film, which will run about 20 minutes, is about an outlaw and a bounty hunter and takes place primarily in the woodlands of Montana.
Local sites and properties were used to recreate the feeling of being in the West, with snow being a necessary element.
“We needed snow, so we knew this was the place to come,” said Mollye Asher, one of the producers.
Asher, who previously produced a film in the area, said the Gardners have been a huge help in introducing them to the community.
“Old Forge is the perfect place. The community is so generous, helpful and excited. We really couldn’t do it without the kind of community that is here,” she said.
For example, Old Forge resident Scott Liddle assisted with the filming.
The cast and crew stayed at the Water’s Edge and Walt’s Diner provided the catering.
Some forest scenes were shot locally on privately-owned land, and in one case, a Sheriff’s office was created in a building on private land.
Along with Barnes and Asher, there are 20 crew members and five actors involved with the film. All are students or recent graduates of NYU.
Ben Rutkowski, another NYU student, is shooting the film.
A number of cast and crew are already quite accomplished in the film industry.
One of the actors, Steven Ogg, is best known for his role as voice actor and motion capture artist Trevor Philips in the video game, Grand Theft Auto V.
James Mcmenamin, another actor, will be in James Franco’s upcoming Broadway production of, Of Mice and Men.
Actor Sean Weil, who owns a house in Raquette Lake, was a regular on the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire.
And Asher, a recent NYU alumnus, has a couple of feature films premiering at the upcoming South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX.
Asher and Barnes previously worked on another NYU film with the help of Adirondack Mountain Productions that was shot in and around Old Forge titled, “And Winter Slow.”
When the film was released the Gardners organized a festival of short films in Old Forge at the Strand Theatre, showcasing the film which ultimately won a number of awards and was reviewed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“The team can’t wait to bring the final film to Old Forge,” Asher said, adding that they are excited about the Strand’s new digital projection.
“We’re very grateful to Molly and Ed for coming back up here to shoot in Old Forge. And we look forward to more productions in the future with them and a number of the new people we have met on this shoot,” Ximena said.