New movie to be filmed partially in Greencastle

Thursday, December 4, 2014
Brian Boswell, who plans to shoot part of his new movie in Greencastle late next year, checks the website he set up the film titled "The Purloined Millstone by E. A. Sprechmann."

between the season of giving of thanks and the giving of gifts, the City of Greencastle appears to be getting quite a present.

Film producer Brian Boswell -- whose parents (Larry and Sandra Rains Boswell) grew up in Greencastle -- has chosen the community as the Indiana location for his new movie scheduled for production next year.

Greencastle had been under consideration with Fort Wayne and Muncie, explained Boswell, who has been housesitting at his late grandmother's home here in recent weeks.

"I had a meeting with some of my production staff over the weekend," Boswell told the Banner Graphic, "and I can now officially announce that Greencastle will be the location of the production offices of 'The Purloined Millstone by E.A. Sprechmann.'

"Greencastle has a lot going for it," he added, noting it could become his base of operations for future films, too.

Boswell sees filming his "light-hearted murder comedy" locally as "a win-win" for Greencastle and Monterey, Calif.-based Clean Slate Films.

"We plan to involve the people of Greencastle, including the faculty, staff and students of DePauw, wherever possible," the 43-year-old Boswell, who grew up in Mooresville and graduated from Ball State, said.

"We will do an immediate search for a small initial office for the development and pre-production phase, and then when the production begins, we will be renting a larger production office space and a large building where we will be shooting most of the interior shots."

The film company plans to hire local contractors to build interiors, he said, noting that he also wants to utilize local services for hospitality, food services and transportation.

"Our development phase will go into full throttle now," Boswell said, calling his film a "light gray comedy, not as dark as some things coming out these days."

"Imagine if Woody Allen and the Coen Brothers made a film together. I am going for that feel."

Boswell said he plans to shoot about 75 percent of the film in Indiana, including scenes involving the film's lead Hollywood actors, who currently are unannounced.

"I have my eyes on a few people," the filmmaker said, declining to name names at present. "I had two people in mind when I wrote the script, but for everyone's best interest, I'm not going to say anything more about that.

"It is an independent film," he reminded, "so I don't expect any 'A-list' Hollywood actors to be in the film, but you will likely see some familiar faces from Hollywood films and television."

Because of Clean Slate Film's commitment to benefit the local community, many office staff, film crew and even some acting roles will be selected from the local area.

"The Purloined Millstone by E. A. Sprechmann" is now in the development phase of production. Shooting is due to begin in late 2015.

Admittedly featuring a "clunky title," Boswell hopes "that won't work against us."

The plot of the film revolves around an Indiana writer who moves out to Monterey, Calif., and authors a fabulous new book about the same time he's told he has only a short time to live. His friend sees a chance for fame and fortune and plots to steal the credit for the book. But when the author finds out his dire diagnosis was wrong, he ends up a murder victim at the hand of his former friend.

Taking the advice of "writing about something you know," Boswell says he has penned a story about "Indiana, home and relationships."

The original script, based in part on an old radio show, is getting rave reviews, as is the film trailer, Boswell said.

A link to a "speculation" movie trailer, a quite creative piece -- put together with help from former Disney animator Paul Lewis (of "Beauty and the Beast") -- is available at https://vimeo.com/94303124.

Producer Mark Archer, a Sundance Film Festival winner, told Boswell most scripts he reads, especially those by first-timers, are terrible, "but yours is good."

Hollywood producer Carole Dean called it "the best trailer I've seen all year."

In a unique bit of fundraising, Boswell said he is conducting a "111 campaign," hoping to get 111 people to give $111 each, to raise enough to get the project into pre-production.

If he does, Boswell pledges to make a Guinness World Record attempt at the "highest human whistle" in February.

While that isn't essential to the movie in any way, he admits he may try to sneak it into the film somewhere.

That begs the question: Why?

"It's just something I found out I could do," Boswell said.

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