Keri Pickett and Dawn Mikkelson Talk ‘Uncle Roy’ Documentary And Kickstarter Campaign

Keri Pickett and Dawn Mikkelson previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed documentary “Finding Her Beat,” and now they are back together for “Uncle Roy.” The project has already surpassed its $40,000 goal on Kickstarter, but there are stretch goals to be had before the campaign ends Sunday, May 25th. CinemAddicts co-host Eric Holmes is a huge fan of “Finding Her Beat” and Mikkelson’s documentary “Minnnesota Mean,” so he jumped at the chance to interview these filmmakers once again. Check out details on “Uncle Roy” and how you can help this intriguing indie project below!

For more details on “Uncle Roy,” check out its official website: uncleroyfilm.com

Question: Dawn and Keri, how’s it going?

Keri Pickett: Really good. I’m digging your backdrop.

Question: Yeah, it I had the black and white for me, so I blend into it, but it seemed distracting, so I turned that off. But yeah. You guys are doing a Kickstarter for Uncle Roy. What can you tell me about Uncle Roy and what this new documentary is?

Keri Pickett: Roy Blakey was a legend in many communities. The figure skating community revered him because of his long career as an ice skating performer. But then since he was 10 years old, he started collecting the history of theatrical figure skating, and he made the largest archive of this history at total 44,000 pieces.

And he’s also a pioneer in the world of gay photography, and he did a groundbreaking book in 1972 called He. I didn’t really know him growing up, but he and I bonded when I moved to New York City in the early eighties, and I think his career as a photographer helped inspire my own career as a photographer.

And so over time, his story turned me into a filmmaker because I did the film, “The Fabulous Ice Age“ in 2013, about the history that his archive contains. And for all these years I’ve been filming him and hoping to do something more personal about his life. And now here we are. That’s what “Uncle Roy” is.

Question: What are you guys looking to raise for the documentary?

Dawn Mikkelson: We’re raising $40,000 in 40 days. The film is at rough cut stage, so the funds would be going towards final finishing of the film, the original music composition and animations and graphics, particularly around these photos. To bring them to life that kind of thing.

So yeah, we’re in the final stretch with the goal being submission to festivals starting in early fall.

Question: What are some stretch goals you guys got for once you pass the 40,000?

Keri Pickett: I think we have a very long stretch goal list, including essential items like color correction and sound sweetening and publicity is a huge part. I know that most films have a publicity and marketing campaign that mirrors their production campaign and or their production costs.

And we really hope to have an impact with this film in a number of areas. And so the stretch goals are many, but I would say the next steps would be color correction and audio sweetening, and having money to apply to the film festivals.

Question: I haven’t seen all of your work, but I have seen “Finding Her Beat” and loved it.  I’m excited to see “Uncle Roy.” But yeah, anyone donating to this don’t know what Uncle Roy’s gonna be exactly, I can tell you it’s gonna be a banger!

Keri Pickett: The sizzle reel has been getting a tremendous amount of wows.

I would say that is the major response that people say is, wow. And so that’s a really good sign. The sizzle reel is on Uncleroyfilm.com, and of course you can just search for “Uncle Roy” film in Kickstarter.

Question: Yeah. What’s some of the challenges you guys had in putting this together? I’ve never done a Kickstarter before or any crowdfunding, but I’ve heard that’s a separate job in and of itself.

Keri Pickett: Yes, I would say it really is. And the other thing that has been challenging is that we really started the editing process over a year ago while I was still filming. And because of me being in the film, which believe me, Eric, I never thought in a million years that I would be in one of my own films. I’m one of these filmmakers that really doesn’t even like to hear the director ask a question off camera, and so here I am. Asking questions off camera, and I’m in the film. And so this needed this edit and this approach to the film really needed some outside perspective.

And so Dawn has been editing the film as well as producing.

Question: Yeah. And what’s what goes behind that? Because I, I know that in documentaries, some like on Michael Moore documentary, for example, he’s front center in most of his documentaries. You have other documentaries where it’s just the people, but what’s your thoughts on that?

Keri Pickett: I, all moral objections have been thrown out the window. I. And I’m embracing whatever is needed to tell the story at hand. And so I’ve never felt that it was appropriate for me to be in or visible in any of my other films.

But this one, because it’s about my uncle and the way that he inspired many, including myself, it seemed really important for me to be in it. And my participation grew over time. Dawn can speak to that as well.

Dawn Mikkelson: And I’ll say that, it’s definitely a story about Roy, but it’s also a story about friendship and memory and legacy and all of these things, and Keri’s really a part of (that).

Those stories of memory and legacy, in the end, Keri knew Roy’s story better than he did.  I think that’s important that this film is about Roy, but it’s also about that meaning and memory and legacy piece and how we care for our elders. It’s a cyclical relationship, right?

It’s like they care for you and you’re younger and in the end you’re caring for them. And it was critical to have Keri front and center. 

Question: And I’ll say the sizzle reel, it it set up the hook ’cause going quickly who Roy is, and then it’s I didn’t know, Roy from anyone. And then, yeah, halfway through that sizzle reel, it takes a turn.

But then when you sit there, you’re there for the characters. Because now all of a sudden maybe the story doesn’t matter so much. I just follow the characters and wanna see more about them.

Dawn Mikkelson: I think that makes sense. There’s a sense of intimacy in documentaries, right? That if done well, you really get a sense of who this person is or who these people are and they become your friends.

And I certainly, now I have a bias ’cause I feel like Keri is a friend. But I think because the film is edited by a friend, you’ll also, in addition to the gorgeous footage that Keri has created, and Roy’s created, this film is full of Roy’s work as well from, eight millimeter film back in the fifties and sixties.

It really is an intimate story where you get to know these people and I hope, feel like their family in the end.

Question: What were some discoveries you made along the way? ‘Cause I’m guessing with all that footage you probably came across something like, “Oh, hey, that’s news.”

Dawn Mikkelson: Keri, do you . . . 

Keri Pickett: I’m telling you, I knew almost everything that was in there because I made it or have combed through it. But what I was surprised at is when we would be moving through the edit and all of a sudden another roup of gems would show up in the edit and I would go, “Wow, she is really digging through the footage.”

And I think Dawn did an amazing job of thoroughly examining all the footage, even though there was so much. But that’s why it’s taken over a year to edit this film.

Question: And Dawn, how many pots of coffee did that take to go through all that footage?

Dawn Mikkelson: So much coffee to the point where I stopped having coffee ’cause it was giving me tremors. You upgrade to . . . 

Question: The crack. I got you!

Dawn Mikkelson: Yeah!

Keri Pickett: I think that Dawn has made seven or eight films and this is my fourth feature film because my first career was as a photographer and as an author and a photojournalist.

For both of us, the hallmark of our work is really telling stories that are marginalized and that are not often seen. And so I do believe that this film will be incredibly unique and I also guarantee that it’s emotional. And that it will open your heart and help you to access your feelings.

I know when I’m a huge cinema person. I just love movies, and I’m so appreciative when filmmakers can make me cry, I really feel like they’ve given me a great gift to touch my humanity. To open and to access and to activate my inner humanity. So I’m open for people’s hearts to be opened up and that they examine and look at their own families and their own situations and maybe be influenced by Roy and I.

Question: I mean, this is coming from both of you, so I have no I have every reason to believe you guys will do just that. Love having you guys on hope to have you on again and can’t wait to see “Uncle Roy” and whatever else you guys got in the future. Don, Carrie thanks for joining me and one last time what’s the Kickstarter project and where can people donate to that?

Dawn Mikkelson: It’s Uncle Roy on Kickstarter, so you just have to search that and you will find Uncle Roy. 

Keri Pickett: To keep up with us. It’s super important to join our mailing list over at uncleroyfilm.com.

Speaker: Dawn and Keri, thanks for joining me and wish you all the success.

Keri Pickett: Eric, thank you so much!

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