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LUCY KEYES PREMIERES ON LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK
This Saturday at 8:00PM marks the first National airing of The Legend of Lucy Keyes. Slated for 40 airings total on the Lifetime Movie Network, the film makes it's debut and earns solid reviews. Entertainment Weekly calls Lucy, "a beautifully shot spookfest that really brings out the goosebumps" and rates the film a B+.
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DATE ANNOUNCED FOR PREMIERE ON LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK
The Legend of Lucy will premiere on the Lifetime Movie Network (not to be confused with Lifetime) on October 7th, 2006 at 8:00pm. We will continue to air after that date so check your local schedules for additional air dates.
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Woods Hole - Last Stop on the Festival Tour
The spirit of Martha Keyes was definately present at the outdoor screening of The Legend of Lucy Keyes last week at the 15th annual Woods Hole Film Festival. Under the stars, the film played on a 20ft. inflatable screen that billowed in the wind as Martha made her presence known. The moon was bright and car headlights danced across the screen casting shadows of tree limbs resulting in a multi sensory experience of the movie. 250 people stood and cheered as the film came to and end. Cassidy Hinkle and Kathleen Regan, the films two young stars were in attendance with their families.
This was the final festival screening for the film which has its nationwide DVD release September 5th. The Legend of Lucy Keyes will debut on the Lifetime Movie Network this September as well. It was fitting that the film ended its festival run where it began three years prior by winning the screenplay competion in the 2003 Woods Hole Film Fest.
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Woods Hole - Last Stop on the Festival Tour
The spirit of Martha Keyes was definately present at the outdoor screening of The Legend of Lucy Keyes last week at the 15th annual Woods Hole Film Festival. Under the stars, the film played on a 20ft. inflatable screen that billowed in the wind as Martha made her presence known. The moon was bright and car headlights danced across the screen casting shadows of tree limbs resulting in a multi sensory experience of the movie. 250 people stood and cheered as the film came to and end. Cassidy Hinkle and Kathleen Regan, the films two young stars were in attendance with their families.
This was the final festival screening for the film which has its nationwide DVD release September 5th. The Legend of Lucy Keyes will debut on the Lifetime Movie Network this September as well. It was fitting that the film ended its festival run where it began three years prior by winning the screenplay competion in the 2003 Woods Hole Film Fest.
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SNEAK PEAK UNDER THE STARS IN PRINCETON 8/3/06
We'll be screening Lucy Keyes under the stars at Krashes Field in Princeton, MA - the place where it all happened! If ever there were a time for Martha to make an appearance, this is it! Everyone will be keeping their ears open and their eyes peeled. The event is taking place August 3rd at 8:30 and will benefit the Krashes Field Development Fund. The suggested donation is $20 per carload. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and settle in for one spooky night. The rain date is the following night, Aug. 4th - same time, same place. Krashes Field is located on Rte. 31 in Princeton between Rte. 62 and Rte 140. (110 East Princeton Rd.)
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DVD Release Date Set
The official release date for the DVD of The Legend of Lucy Keyes has been announced. MTI Home Video is releasing the film in North America starting September 5, 2005. Watch for it in your local Blockbuster, at Walmart, on Amazon... where ever DVDs are sold or rented. Meanwhile we have inked a deal with Lifetime Movie Network for a Cable Premiere sometime in August.
Here's the artwork for our DVD cover! Pretty gruesome, huh?! Anna Friedman, you never looked so good!
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AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER AT IFFB 4/28/06
It's been officially announced, The Legend of Lucy Keyes is the Audience Award winner for narrative feature in this year's Independent Film Festival of Boston. Audience awards are determined by attendee ballots at the screenings as opposed to Jury awards which are selected by a small panel of industry professionals. This means we were truely the favorite film at the festival! What a thrill for me! Over 1000 people saw Lucy Keyes at the IFFB. At the Coolidge Corner on Friday night we were sold out with close to 300 seats full, and Sunday at the Somerville Theater we sold almost 800 seats virtually filling theater number one - balconey and all! The audience response was fantastic and we had wonderful Q&As with lots of the local actors present. Cassidy Hinkle came in for Sunday's show which was a real treat. This was our New England premiere and the first chance for local fans and friends to get a chance to see the film. - JS
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Independent Film Festival of Boston 4/15/06
Tickets have been on sale at www.iffboston.org for this weekend's screenings for about 10 days now. Lucy Keyes screens Friday night, April 21 at 8:30 at the Coolidge Corner Theater and Sunday, April 23 at 6:30 at the Somerville Theater. Advance tickets for the Friday show are "sold out" which just means they aren't selling any more tickets online. I have been assured that more seats will be available at the box office, but people should show up early. The Coolidge Corner's upstairs theater only seats about 300 people, so we are definitely expecting this to be a full house. The Somerville theater seats about 900 people, so it will be easier to get tickets to this show.
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SONOMA VALLEY AN EPICURIAN DELIGHT 4/10/06
Julie Delpy had to fly to Paris on Saturday so she was unable to attend the Sonoma Valley Film Festival like she had planned. We missed having Julie there, but the festival put on a wonderful tribute to her making me even more proud to have worked with such a talented actress. Brooke Adams and her husband Tony Shalhoub were able to attend and it was great to have Brooke join me for the Q&A after our sold out screening in the historic Sabastiani Theater. It was the largest crowd we've ever played to, and based on the enthusiasm of the response they loved it. Sonoma is one of my favorite festivals. We screened The Winter People there two years ago, and it was so much fun to go back.
Here are a couple pics from the festival. One with fellow Boston filmmaker Gabrielle Savage Dockterman and actor Ernie Hudson and the other of the crowd outside our screening.
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3/17/06 RIVER RUN SCREENING SOLD OUT!
The luck o' the Irish was with us as our South-East premiere at the River Run International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, NC was a sellout. Again, the demand for Lucy Keyes was so high they had to add a additional screening. I am very impressed by the Southern hospitality down here. The River Run staff and volunteers are taking great care of me, putting on a great show and the audiences are very enthusiastic. The most fun was for me to meet Jamie Donnelly's family who live in the area. Jamie threatened to fly back to be here, but work got in the way.
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SEDONA FESTIVAL ANOTHER HUGE HIT! 2/28/06
Jamie Donnelly and Anna Friedman (and her family) joined me in beautiful Sedona, AZ for the 12th annual Sedona International Film Festival last weekend. What a stunning place, and the perfect backdrop for a film festival. And a perfect place for a film about spirits. Sedona is home to about 25 vortexes, or spiritual energy centers (if you believe in this stuff!). Jamie, her friend Patrice and I climbed into the red rocks to visit a couple of them and it was a really cool experience. We all felt enegized and balanced, and ready to face the music at our Saturday evening screening which was sold out! The audience was hugely receptive and asked lots of really interesting questions, primarily about the actual haunting and what I had experienced. It was great to have Anna and Jamie there and the audiences loved meeting and talking with them. - JS
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LUCY'S NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE!
Lucy Keyes has been selected to screen at the Independent Film Festival of Boston, April 19th -24th. We are very excited to be a part of this hugely successful up-and-coming film festival. And finally we will be at a venue where local fans can get a glimpse of Lucy! As soon as we know specific dates and times we will post them here. Meanwhile, check out the IFFB site at www.iffboston.org.
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2/6/06 SELLOUT CROWD FOR WORLD PREMIERE!
The line wrapped around the block and many had to be turned away for our world premiere screening at the Santa Barbara Film Festival Saturday. We were the first official sellout of the festival. The demand is so high for our film that the festival staff has added a fourth screening this Wednesday night. Lots of major press representatives were there and I'm holding my breath waiting for reviews.
The crowd's reception was fantastic and we had a 30 minute Q & A following the show. Cassidy Hinkle, Mark Boone Junior, Jamie Donnelly, Tom Kemp and Kathleen Regan were all in attendance. People were blown away by Boone and the girls particularly. Thanks so much to Lori Hinkle and John Regan for making the huge effort to fly across the country to be here with Cassidy and Kathleen!
The Lucy crew all gathered after the screening at Elements, a local restaurant, for a wonderful reception and a much needed reunion. - JS
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WORLD PREMIERE AT SANTA BARBARA FILM FESTIVAL.
Lucy Keyes has been chosen for its world premiere at the 20th annual Santa Barbara Film Festival. The festival runs from February 2nd through the 12th. We will rubbing shoulders with some big stars and high profile projects since the festival is honoring George Clooney, Naomi Watts and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Lucy will screen three times; Saturday the 4th, Thursday the 8th and Saturday the 11th. Check out the website www.sbfilmfestival.org for specifics.
Meanwhile we have been officially selected to screen at the Sedona International Film Festival and Workshop in Arizona, February 23rd - 26th, the River Run Film Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, March 16th - 19th, and the Sonoma Valley Film Festival, April 5th - 9th.
They may not have schedule information yet, but here are the websites: www.riverrunfilm.com www.sedonafilmfestival.com www.cinemaepicuria.org
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10/12/05 Down to the Wire! Lucy's Almost Done
Having just finished our color correction in Technicolor's beautiful new DI suite down in NY, we are moving on to the sound mix! Coll Anderson at Sound One is heading up the sound team recording all kinds of spooky wind and leaves and calls in the woods. We finished all our ADR with the actors and Ed Grenga at Handsome Brothers in Somerville, MA is bringing in the live musicians to put the finishing touches on his haunting score.
All this work is coming together just in time for the American Film Market in Los Angeles in early November. We'll be screening at the market with our sales company, Voltage Pictures, hoping to secure distribution deals around the world. Stay tuned for how it all goes!
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Editor Joel Plotch on Board
Editor extraordinaire, Joel Plotch has joined our team. Stepping in to put the finishing touches on the cut before we lock picture and move into our sound work, Joel comes with an impressive filmography. Working with director Neil LaBute on such breakthrough indies as In the Company of Men and Your Friends and Neighbors, the pair broke out with the Renee Zellweger hit Nurse Betty. I'm thrilled to have Joel as a collaborator on Lucy Keyes and I can't wait for the results.
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Apple sites Lucy Keyes as a groundbreaking production utilizing the absolute latest tapeless HD production and post-production technology.
Apple Computer and Final Cut Pro have taken notice of our little production and the revolutionary tapeless workflow we have adopted, with a glossy feature article on their pro video webpage. Utilizing the synergistic relationship between the Panasonic Varicam and Final Cut Pro, we have eliminated the need for tape and offline. Post Supervisor, David Bigelow has design an efficient and extremely flexible system for working in full resolution HD from initial media capture all the way to filmout. We are extremely grateful for the attention and the exposure that Apple has bestowed upon us.
Visit www.apple.com/pro to check out the article and read more about our edit process.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
REVOLUTIONARY NEXT GENERATION
DIGITAL FILMMAKING REACHES FULL POTENTIAL IN INDEPENDENT FEATURE “THE LEGEND OF LUCY KEYES”
For More Info Contact:
Ed Peselman
Moody Street Pictures
(781) 647-5626
BOSTON, MA - April 18, 2005 - Oscar Nominated Julie Delpy and Justin Theroux play the leads in Moody Street Pictures' haunting feature “The Legend of Lucy Keyes,” but it may very well be the state-of-the art digital filmmaking that steals the show.
Based on a true story, “The Legend of Lucy Keyes” was shot entirely on location in central Massachusetts and has delivered upon the full promise of High Definition moviemaking. In addition to the high-profile cast, the project was edited with a new all-digital process that features a seamless integration of the Panasonic VariCam's HD 24p footage and the latest version of Apple's Final Cut Pro software. The post-production and editing process is being executed in the same digital HD format as the camera originals. The result has been a revolutionary and efficient digital production and post-production process, complete with high-tech visual effects sequences that have set a new standard for independent filmmaking.
Bypassing the traditional offline to online process, once the picture is locked the editing system will output a final non-color corrected series of files for film transfer at Technicolor in New York. Technicolor will then color correct the uncompressed media, and using a laser recorder, will scan the images back onto negative film. Prints can then be made of this negative master and be distributed to tradition film projection theaters.
Writer, director and editor of “The Legend of Lucy Keyes” John Stimpson, has been blown away by the process, from both a visual standpoint as well as how smoothly the workflow has progressed. “For financial and logistical reasons we decided to embrace HD.” Stimpson says, “We knew the film's cinematographer Gary Henoch had the talent to deliver a strikingly beautiful film, but none of us expected that post-production supervisor Dave Bigelow could design such an efficient and trouble free workflow.”
Dave Bigelow, a pioneering HD editor and the film's post-production supervisor, orchestrated the workflow and oversaw much of the HD process, a process he'll be showcasing at this years NAB Conference before a number of eager Final Cut users and production professionals. “With the relatively low cost of digital storage, the whole post-production process has been handled in the very same HD format on which we shot - there was no need to down-res for an offline edit,” said Bigelow. “On top of that, the relatively small size of the VariCam's digital format, allowed us to have Brickyard VFX, our special effects house, deliver their completed effects sequences over the web. In fact the sound mix process worked in the exact same way. As a result, we were inserting and matching visual effects scenes into the film's timeline as we were shooting. This has been a truly digital filmmaking process and we couldn't be happier with the results. I think the production of this film is proof of a new method to make films at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional filmmaking.”
“The Legend of Lucy Keyes” was shot on the Panasonic VariCam's 720p/24fps digital format. Due to its relatively small size and portability the camera allowed for the majority of the footage to be shot handheld, giving the filmmakers the ability to move about freely and quickly and accommodate as many as 30 set-ups a day. Since there were no expensive film stock concerns the director and cinematographer were able to experiment with shot selection and angles without sacrificing cinematic image quality. Because of the VariCam's compatibility with Final Cut Pro the post-production process could begin immediately on set in full resolution 720p HD. “There were no additional compression issues and no quality loss,” Stimpson says, “I was dumping the HD footage, in its entirety, directly onto my portable hard drive and cutting shots directly into the film on my Powerbook G4. I have a completely portable edit suite and every stage of the post-production process has been 100% tapeless.”
Moody Street Pictures has a number of High Definition feature film and television projects in the works. Their partnership with Boston Camera (a camera rental house) has allowed them to hone the HD production process by staying on top of emerging technologies and constantly streamlining the HD workflow.
Moody Street Pictures is a Boston-based multimedia production company with acclaimed experience in all aspects of film, television and commercial production. Established in 2002, Moody Street Pictures leverages unparalleled HD production expertise and a passion for quality storytelling in providing end-to-end production and development services for clients as well as its own slate of original film and television projects.
For More Info Contact: Ed Peselman Moody Street Pictures (781) 647-5626
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4/14/05 Lucy disappeared 250 years ago Today!
Today, Thursday April 14, 2005 is the 250th anniversary of Lucy Keyes disappearance. While this momentous day will go by without much fanfare, I thought it fitting to send out my sympathies to the Keyes family, and my thanks to them for sharing their tragic story. Although it is unlikely that the truth of what happened to Lucy will ever be discovered, hopefully by sheading light on the story through this movie, some good will come. Let's all spend a moment today to remember little Lucy Keyes.
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1/10/05 Post Production Underway
Happy New Year and away we go! The edit is moving along and the movie looks fantastic. I can't believe that I have the entire movie's footage in full resolution 720p HD on my hard drive and I'm editing this movie on my laptop. It absolutely blows me away.
I made the switch from AVID to Final Cut Pro HD for this project and I'm very impressed. FCP has made the work flow very smooth and Dave Bigelow, our post production supervisor and all our assistants have made my life and the transition very easy. Having cut on AVIDs for 10 years, I was warry of learning a whole new system, but there is actually a lot about FCP that I've grown to prefer. FCP has definitely embraced the Panasonic HD format that we chose to shoot in, so it was the obvious choice. Ultimately, it's just a tool with which to make creative choices, and both systems have their advantages.
But, enough tech talk. It feels a little bit lonely working away in my quiet little office after the tremendous frenzy of activity that surrounded the shoot. Much as I love this phase of production, I miss everyone who put so much energy into making this project come to life. I am very excited about how everything is cutting together and I can't wait to start playing with the special effects.
Stay tuned for more info on when and how we will be rolling the film out.
- JS
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Final Cast List
Julie Delpy - Jeanne Cooley Justin Theroux - Guy Cooley Brooke Adams - Samantha Porter Mark Boone, Jr. - Jonas Dodd Cassidy Hinkle - Lucy Cooley Kathleen Regan - Molly Cooley Ken Cheeseman - Bud Travers Michele Greene - Sheila Travers Jamie Donnelly - Gretchen Caswell Tom Kemp - Chief Kemper Bates Wilder – Deputy Officer Charlie Broderick – Bob Greenwood Frank T. Wells – Gus Jasper Rachel Harker – Martha Keyes Anna Friedman – Lucy Keyes Jillian Wheeler – Anna Keyes David Ian – Eli Farnum Elizabeth Duff – Librarian Sarah Newhouse – Mary Sawyer
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11/30/04 Principal Photography Wrapped
It was with many tears and lots of hugs that we wrapped the production of Lucy Keyes last Tuesday. We pulled out of our location in Princeton after an extremely successful 18 day shoot. The out of town actors and crew headed home for Thanksgiving, and we all breathed a deep breath for the first time in three weeks.
The footage looks fantastic and after our 1 day of second unit shooting next week, we'll dive into the edit and begin putting our movie together.
Thanks to all the cast and crew for making the experience so rewarding and positive especially when we were under such enormous time constraints. Everyone did a fantastic job and I know we have something special in the can.
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October 18, 2004. Justin Theroux to star opposite Julie Delpy
New York actor Justin Theroux has agreed to play the role of Guy Cooley, the husband of July Delpy's character. Justin is a fantastic actor who will bring an interesting edge to the role.
He has gained industry notice with his unforgettable performance as director Adam Kesher, opposite Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring in David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive".
Last Summer, Theroux returned to the HBO's acclaimed series "Six Feet Under," reprising his role as Joe, Rachel Griffiths's neighbor and new love interest. The season's most featured guest star, Theroux's character was the center of a love triangle between Griffiths and the shows Peter Krause.
Theroux recently wrapped production on IFC's quirky comedy "Baxter" along side Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks and Michelle Williams. The film chronicles the anxiety ridden weeks leading up to the marriage of Elliott Sherman (Showalter) to his bride-to-be (Banks) who is smitten with a handsome rival suitor played by Theroux.
Theroux was most recently seen in last summer's blockbuster hit "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," in which he played Seamus O'Grady, the psychotic Irish mobster who teams up with fallen Angel Madison Lee (Moore) to steal the missing set of rings that hold the secret to unlocking the list of the members of America's Witness Relocation Program. Released by Columbia Pictures, the film grossed over 100 million dollars domestically.
Theroux's other film credits include "Duplex" opposite Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore, Mary Harron's "American Psycho" opposite Christian Bale, "I Shot Andy Warhol", Ben Stiller's smash hit comedy "Zoolander", Greg Berlanti's romantic comedy, "The Broken Hearts Club" and "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion". Theroux's television credits include guest spots on "Alias", "Sex and The City", "Spin City" and "Ally McBeal".
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Julie Delpy on Board
FOR RELEASE: October 6, 2004
Julie Delpy Signs on to Moody Street Pictures’ The Legend of Lucy Keyes
Julie Delpy has signed on to play a starring role in Moody Street Pictures’ psychological thriller “The Legend of Lucy Keyes.” Massachusetts-based writer-director John Stimpson will direct.
Inspired by an actual well-known legend in central Massachusetts, the picture chronicles the chilling experiences of a wounded family that flees the city for a quieter life in rustic rural New England. The Cooleys move into a home where 250 years earlier the Keyes family experienced the tragic loss of their daughter who went missing in the nearby woods never to be seen or heard from again. The modern family is about to suffer a similar loss and, in the process, discover the long lost secret of what happened to little Lucy Keyes.
The film will shoot on Wachusett Mountain in Stimpson’s hometown of Princeton, Massachusetts, the site of the legendary tale. Noted Stimpson, “A lot of people from this region know about the legend. There have been unusual experiences involving what people claim to be the ghost of a young girl and her mother. I used the legend and these experiences as the leaping off point for our movie. The most amazing and truly chilling aspect of the legend is that local historical records revealing the truth of what happened to little Lucy Keyes were eventually discovered. The unnerving fate of Lucy Keyes and the thought of history repeating itself result in a very suspenseful and gripping story.”
The movie will be produced by Moody Street Pictures’ Mark Donadio and Miriam Marcus, as well J. Todd Harris, president of production for the Los Angeles-based Intellectual Properties Worldwide (IPW). Moody Street Pictures is a Boston-based independent media company that develops & produces feature films, television and music productions. Founded by Marc Toberoff, IPW is a Los Angeles-based rights company that has acquired dozens of branded properties for film, television and stage exploitation. Executive producers will be Moody Street’s John MacNeil and IPW’s Toberoff. Donadio, Marcus and Harris recently produced the New Orleans-set “At Last” starring Kelly Lynch and Martin Donovan.
“Julie Delpy brings a perfect blend of beauty and pathos to the starring role of Joanne, mother of the new family that moves into the old house,” noted Stimpson. “I’m thrilled to be working with an actress of her caliber.” Julie Delpy recently garnered critical acclaim for her role in “Before Sunset,” which she also co-wrote.
Delpy’s deal was negotiated by Innovative Artists’ Craig Shapiro, Rigberg-Rugolo Entertainment, and attorney Craig Emanuel. Production commences on November 1 in Princeton, Massachusetts.
Contact: Miriam Marcus 781 647-5626 Miriam@moodystreetpictures.com J. Todd Harris 310 277 2140 jtharris@ipwla.com
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Lucy Keyes Logo Items Now Available
Please visit the e-commerce section of our site to browse and purchase our newly available logo wear. The hottest hat and T-shirt in Worcester County can now be yours.
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Flynn composes "Lost Child" for film.
We are thrilled to present a clip from "Lost Child" a song written by Flynn which was inspired by the Legend of Lucy Keyes, here on the website. The song, which will appear in the soundtrack for the film, captures all the pain and heartbreak of a mother’s centuries old search for her lost daughter. I had to give Flynn a hug when I listened to it for the first time. Once again I am floored by the fantastic talent who want to be involved in this project. Thank you Flynn.
About Flynn:
A talented and passionate musician, Flynn immigrated to America to fulfill his dreams of making it in the music business and co-founded a band in Boston, The Cliffs of Dooneen. Immediately, in a town of thousands of bands, "The Cliffs" won several high profile awards at the Boston Music Awards while selling out almost every venue in town. Next came a major label record deal, with Critique/BMG and the release of their debut recording "The Dog Went East and God Went West". The first single, "Through an Open Window", was an immediate hit at radio, landing in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Modern Rock charts.
Flynn's second release "Let the Show Begin" is out on Black Wolf Records, released in early 2003. The Boston Globe already named this release as "One of the top 16 records to listen for." Flynn has had song placements on major TV network shows such as: The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live, All My Children and Haunted. Most recently, his song Human was recorded by Cher and included in the soundtrack for the film Stuck on You.
For more about Flynn visit www.flynnmusic.com
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Ellis Paul to write a song based on the Lucy Keyes legend.
Inspired by the project and the story of Lucy Keyes, folk artist Ellis Paul has agreed to write a song for the film. Ellis sat in my office the other day and played the beginning of his idea and it gave me chills. I can't wait to hear what he ultimately comes up with!
Visit Ellis' website at www.ellispaul.com Check out one of his shows and if you request it, maybe he'll play the Lucy Keyes song!
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