Today, we’d like to introduce you to Logan Keefe.
Hi Logan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in Massachusetts, I was lucky to be surrounded by art. Surprisingly, my first form of expression came in Karate, where I grew out of my very introverted shell and gained confidence. That confidence built up to a point where I felt comfortable performing in musical theater. Once I was on the stage, I couldn’t get off. I was entranced by all roles within the theater, including acting, assistant directing, and, a personal favorite of mine, serving as the prop master. I would act in my local theater, The Milford Performing Arts Center, as well as in my school’s program from 4th grade until my graduation in 2020.
Simultaneously, I was developing another love: film. My dad and I would see every big release, and our favorite spot, the IMAX Jordan’s Furniture in Natick, MA, was a space to bond while allowing me to get enveloped in every detail of the frame. That’s why when I got into my local trade school, Blackstone Valley Regional Technical High School, I knew I had to study Multimedia Communication with a concentration in Videography. At school, I developed stop-motion narratives, made instructional videos for professional companies, and competed in the SkillsUSA National Competition. The highlight of my high school education was my co-op program for MilfordTV Local Cable Access, where I worked in all aspects of production and created live content for our streaming channel.
Attending the Savannah College of Art and Design as a double major in film and television, as well as dramatic writing, has allowed me to further grow my skills on incredible projects while continuing to try out new roles. My main focus has been in producing and through SCAD, I’ve learned how to maintain budgets up to $20,000 and crews as big as 75 people. However, my true passion lies in writing and directing.
In my courses, I was given the chance to develop short, feature, and pilot scripts, and for my thesis film, Ten Minutes to Showtime, I served as the writer/director. Ten Minutes was the most fulfilling experience at SCAD, and working with my spectacular crew was the best collaboration I’ve ever been part of. As I head towards graduation in June 2024, I’m excited to see where the film takes me next.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think the hardest part about film school is finding your team. I was lucky enough to find my producing partner, Aidan Gomez, and frequent collaborator, Jacob Denton, during my first film class on Zoom during COVID-19. However, filling in for the rest of my team took a while. Crews vary, and when you’re working on many student sets, you learn who has the passion and reliability to get the job done and who you don’t want to work with again.
Every director has a specific perspective of the world, and the most important part of your job is finding the people that also see it from a similar perspective. I am incredibly grateful I was able to find my amazing team of collaborators for my thesis film and by the end of my time at SCAD, found the network of people I want to keep working with after I graduate.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While I have shifted focus to writing and directing, I have spent much of my education producing short films. I think when you’re learning at SCAD, a lot of producers think their job is keeping the director’s vision realistic. While the budget does need to be maintained, I think it’s the producer’s job to find solutions that give the director the tools they need to fully bring their vision to life. There is a great Margot Robbie interview for Barbie where she talks about producing and how if Greta Gerwig needs something for the film to be better, we will find a way to make that happen. That’s always my number one focus when I’m producing.
When it comes to projects, I’m most proud of two things that come to mind. From a directing standpoint, I am most proud of my thesis film, Ten Minutes to Showtime. The film follows Louise Gill, a bright-eyed high school theater actress, as she contends with backstage personalities, her fears and anxieties, and the loneliness of saying goodbye as the final curtain draws on her last ten minutes to showtime. As I move on from my college experience, I wanted to make a story about another part of my life that I miss: performing in musical theater. This film allowed me to come to terms with moving on. I also am a big fan of The Wizard of Oz (I played The Tinman in high school), and I was fascinated by Dorothy’s journey to learning to appreciate the things around her. I found my protagonist, Louise, had a similar path and decided to play around with the structure of The Wizard of Oz to bring a twist to the classic story.
That’s how Ten Minutes to Showtime was born. Working with my department heads was where the project truly came to life. Brenden Mascherino, Josephine Co, and Olive Winograd, my Director of Photography, Production Designer, and Costume Designer, were more than up for the challenge to bring the Ozian/high school mashup to life. When I stepped into that hallway for the first time, I was speechless. My producers, Aidan Gomez, Joey LaFrance, and Jacob Denton, gave us the support to allow us to focus on the vision, and without them, the project would’ve been impossible. That was a very special project for me, and I can’t wait to begin showing it to people throughout the next year.
From a producing standpoint, I am most proud of Aidan Gomez’s thesis film, Press Start. The film follows Jae, recovering from a recent breakup with her girlfriend, who must defend her favorite bar from a robbery on its closing night, using arcade game-inspired fight choreography. I had never had the opportunity to produce an action film before, and when my producing partner, Aidan Gomez, came to be with this script that he wanted to write and direct, I had to jump on the chance. What I am most proud of with this production was assembling a crew that shared the vision that Aidan had for the project. It’s one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with because everyone brought 110% to every frame.
There is no missing detail in our Barcade location thanks to our wonderful Production Designer and Art Director, Brielle Sanders and Belle Lee. The compositions in the film carry such life and atmosphere because of Michael Magarahan’s beautiful cinematography. Aidan Skye’s costume design brought the 80s theme of the film to life with ease. At the center of it all, Aidan Gomez, a person I’ve been lucky to call a collaborator, roommate, and, most importantly, a friend for four years, led this production with great confidence and truly lifted his vision off the page and onto the screen.
How do you define success?
My definition of success is simple: never giving up. I don’t think there is any person in any career who is not learning new things daily, who doesn’t make mistakes, who doesn’t have to adjust when obstacles arise.
But the one thing we can always continue to do is try. If you can walk away from everything you do knowing you gave it your all, I consider that a success in my book.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenminutestoshowtime.film/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcauOqOnuBRne4wPP6AmUfw
Image Credits
Andy Pedroza, Tim Borowiec, and Brenden Mascherino
