In the Works: Raise It Up For Ma Dukes

In the Works: Eerie "Inn," Crude Story, Quiet Hunt, Immigrant Mess, Microloan Impact & Raise It Up For Ma Dukes By Brian Brooks and Basil Tsiokos (Updated 13 hours, 58 minutes ago) Director Ti West in front of the The Yankee Pedlar Inn where he's currently filming "The Innkeepers." Image courtesy of Dark Sky Films. This week in our production column, ‘In the Works’, indieWIRE checks in with Ti West – the maker of recent horror smash “The House of the Devil” – about his new project, “The Innkeepers,” then takes a look at a number of documentaries with crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter. EDITORS NOTE: “In the Works” is a weekly column taking a look at upcoming films, in addition to projects in production. It spotlights films in development, as well completed films that are taking creative paths towards distribution and occasionally ventures away from films to look at other types of projects, such as interesting new film distribution, funding, or exhibition mechanisms. “The Innkeeper” Director Ti West unexpectedly found the story for his newest film in the hotel he stayed in while shooting his previous film, “The House of the Devil.” He’s returning to the Connecticut inn for “The Innkeepers,” inspired by unexplainable occurences during their stay. “We stayed here during ‘House of the Devil’ and all this crazy shit happened,” West told iW. “So, it’s allegedly haunted. It’s weird stuff and I must say I’m a skeptical person, but the lights would turn on and off on their own and even the TV turned on by itself.” Employees told West that they believe one of the ghosts in residence at the hotel, called “The Yankee Pedlar Inn,” is a woman who committed suicide there after being stood up at her wedding. West, who penned “The Innkeepers” following “Devil,” began production this week with Dark Sky Films. The film stars Sara Paxton (“Last House on the Left”) as the lead, and the cast includes Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, and George Riddle, among others. “The Innkeepers” follows the story of two employees working in a haunted hotel before it goes out of business after a century-plus in existence. According to Dark Sky Films, the plot centers on “the last remaining clerks, Claire (Paxton), a twenty-something that has come to terms with her lot in life, and Luke (Healy), a computer-smart loner, are convinced that the hotel is haunted and are determined to prove it. As time ticks down to the final days of operation, mysterious guests check in including Leanne Rease-Jones (McGillis), a former TV actress turned psychic, and an old man insistent on staying in room 353. As several strange occurrences begin to add up, both Claire and Luke must make the crucial decision on what to believe and what not to believe…” West will work with much of the same crew who worked on “Devil.” He said that after they saw the script, they were eager to work with him again on “The Innkeepers.” “They were all on board to do it,” said West. “They saw the script and said [to me], ‘We know this film, we can do this…’” Continuing, West added, “I’m still skeptical about all this stuff and I’m still not sure if I believe it, but there was a lot that happened when we stayed here and if it continues, I might have to be a convert.” More projects “Oil in the Family” Logline: “Oil in the Family” follows filmmaker Jon Goldman in his attempt to understand his family’s connection to the oil industry and the classic 1948 documentary film “Louisiana Story.” Using Robert J Flaherty’s final masterpiece as a touchstone, Goldman returns to his bayou roots sixty years later and discovers the price of progress on the land and its people. The team: Jon Goldman, Director/Producer; Ed Slattery, Cinematographer; Bill Lattanzi, Writer; Daniel Neiden, Co-Producer; Roger Day, Co-Producer; Kevin McCaffrey, Producer; Jean Dunoyer, Editor; Nicole Guillemet, Advisor; Jay Spain, Producer “Raise It Up for Ma Dukes” A scene from Dana Bartle’s “Raise It Up for Ma Dukes.” Image courtesy of the filmmaker. Logline: When celebrated hip-hop producer J Dilla was struck by Lupus, his mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey, sacrificed everything to help him. After his death, she lost her home and her life savings, and is forced to fight for her son’s estate, even as she herself combats the same disease that took her son’s life. The team: Dana Bartle, Director/Producer/Cinematographer; Jude Ray, Executive Producer; Greg Boas, Editor; Jeremy Deputat, Cinematographer; OUTLAW KOPPS, Animators; Michael “task” Hudson, Photographer/Graphics About the film: Director Dana Bartle has been a fan of J Dilla since the early ‘90s, recognizing his work producing for celebrated musicians including A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson, and Busta Rhymes. While Dilla kept to the background during his life, his early death brought him media attention, and introduced Bartle to his mother and her role in caring for her son both physically and financially in his last years, and its continuing aftermath. She explains her motivation for making the documentary: “The bond that J Dilla and Ma Dukes shared throughout his career and his illness is an aspect of hip hop culture that is rarely examined.” Current status: Principal photography is scheduled to begin in September. A Kickstarter campaign is currently underway to raise the $5,000 needed to complete the trailer, which includes footage from a benefit party for Ma Dukes hosted by Questlove of the Roots. For more information and to support the film: http://kck.st/cn3dnr. As with all Kickstarter campaigns, the filmmakers will not receive any donations unless they meet their fundraising goal of $5000 by their May 11th deadline. Also currently In the Works: Faith-based urban drama “I’m in Love with a Church Girl,” directed by Steve Race and written by Galley Molina, recently announced the addition of Stephen Baldwin, Vincent Pastore, Michael Madsen, Michael Rivera, and T-Bone to the cast already featuring Ja Rule and Adrienne Bailon (from the “Cheetah Girls”). The production is scheduled to begin principal photography on May 13, and is the first feature from Reverence Gospel Media, a new independent production company specializing in developing and producing faith-based films and other media. “Church Girl,” based on Molina’s life, focuses on a former high level drug trafficker who has gone legit but struggles to keep on the right side of the law, and the relationship with the titular figure who helps him find redemption.