Cory Boughton

When the idea first came to me to write this film over five years ago, I was living in NYC and trying desperately to find a project that would utilize the picturesque style of the city I was in but would also stand out against the smattering of other short films coming out at the time, most of them involving crypto-currency, iPhone apps and the ghosting culture.

 

I thoroughly appreciate the past. Understanding the raw, hand-crafted aspect of filmmaking then, I could easily respect the achievements early filmmakers made. I grew up on early cinema and their tales. The complex, tangled webs of human intricacies that they wove in front of me, the witty banter and funny jokes that always forced a smile, the tragically truthful endings that could strike a chord with a single word. I wanted to pay homage to them all and maybe even give a new audience something like it to love. 

 

After working a few drafts, the film was pre-produced and scheduled to be shot in NYC in the fall of 2017 but after an unsuccessful IndieGogo campaign (mainly due to Hurricane Irma ravaging the East Coast that September) it began to seem that the cost of that particular famed location might need to be reconsidered.

 

After another full year of attempts to get the project rolling, another solution came to mind. Having worked on several indie feature films and shorts in Asheville, NC from 2003-2008 and knowing the locations and people there who could help make this film possible, I decided to spend two months there and see if the project could be completed in that time. I hired a DP, cast the actors, contacted a local theatre that I had done work with in the past to rent authentic props and costumes, locked my locations, obtained city permits to shut down a few streets and in Sept of 2018, all principal photography for the film was completed there. 

​

Heading back to NYC with a film in the can felt great and a filmmaker I had worked with previously got me the necessary equipment to do professional edit work and voice-over there.  By 2019, we had a short film on our hands and were ready for the next step in the filmmaking process, sound-mixing and sound mastering. 

​

By April of 2019, our composer, SHAZDAR, had created an original score and that was laid into the film but the equipment scheduled for mastering use was needed elsewhere and the project went on hiatus. The rest of the year I was dedicated to other projects, taking a two-month contract to perform as Eddie Lawrence in Shear Madness at Circa 21 Playhouse in Rock Island, IL and then in January as a supporting role in Je-kyu Kang's Road to Boston filmed in and around Victoria, Australia. 

​

When I returned, I quickly scheduled sessions with my favorite mixers and engineers and by March 15th, we had a completed, mixed and mastered film. It was such a special moment seeing the finished product for the first time, hearing those words I had decided on so long ago, seeing all the shots I deemed as best for the picture, it was surreal to say the least. 

​

It was right about then when the lockdowns were enforced and the world shut down for 18 months so sadly, the film is yet to be seen by an audience. But it is a period piece, a timeless tale that will age with grace and dignity. 

​

I am excited for this to be seen by audiences and in film festivals world-wide and I hope it leaves an imprint on the many that will see it. I also aim to inspire a younger audience to watch, admire and appreciate films from another time and generation. This is Lady in Black's ultimate goal. 

      Sincerely,

         Cory Boughton

 

​