Producer Erik Crary and director Steven Piet’s first feature will be among the 145 indie films from famous international directors, actors and first time filmmakers screening at ever-growing SXSW 2015 next month in Austin, Texas.
“We’re super excited,” says Crary, senior producer at Sarofsky, with good reason. Their film, “Uncle John,” making its world premiere, was selected from 1,400 entries to be one of 10 films screening in the Narrative Feature Competition.
SXSW received a record 2,385 feature submissions this year.
“Uncle John” stars John Ashton (“Beverly Hills Cop”) in the title role. The story is about one man’s struggle to keep a mysterious disapperance unsolved..
After reading the script, Ashton proclaimed it as “the best script I’ve read in years. I read it and said, ‘Man, I’m on board.’ I don’t think I’m going to work for anyone over 40 anymore.” (The filmmakers are in their 30s.)
The partners co-wrote “Uncle John;” DP was Mike Bove; W.T. O’Brien edited; theme music composed by Audiocastle. David O’Connor cast the 20 local actors.
Crary, a Wisconsin native, spent eight years in LA working for director David Lynch as an associate producer and production supervisor. Returning to Chicago in 2008, he produced for Foundation, where he met Piet who had been a director/editor/DP.
Crary left Foundation in 2010 to join Piet in their own small production company, Witness, producing commercials and content. The following year Crary joined Sarofsky Corp. Erin Sarofsky, Crary says, “is very supportive of anyone who has a project going on.” Piet is a frequent freelancer for the company.
The filmmakers will be in attendance for their premiere at SXSW held March 13-21 in Austin, Texas.
