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Filmmaker James Weston Lynne and actress Beverly Cady are but two of a massive team of people that brought together Lynne’s brain child “Blind Pursuit” which will be holding its premiere on Wednesday, July 30 at InsideOut Gallery. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Photo by Brooks Vanderbush

TRAVERSE CITY

Some will remember July 30 for a meal, a certain situation, a unique predicament or a shared moment in a day full of fun.

A select few, however, will remember July 30 as the day a dream became reality. At the forefront of those select few is James Weston Lynne.

Lynne is the man responsible for the soon to be premiered (July 30) film “Blind Pursuit.” Lynne has been working on his project for three years now.

In 2005, inspiration struck. Lynne was faced with a choice: continue to save for film school, or strike out on his own and try to make a dream come true. He chose the latter.

“I decided to take action and make this movie,” Lynne said. Being 18 years old at the time, this was no minor undertaking.

Lynne grew up in Leelanau County. He attended Northwestern Michigan College where he obtained his flight instructor and commercial pilot credentials. Though the road held some bumps for his movie - and he was forced to shelve it at times - Lynne was able to mix his twin passions of flying and movie making, and see his art come to fruition in the end.

Lynne is the head of Westonfilm, LLC based in Traverse City. He feels quite strongly that movie making has come to town and he hopes to spearhead a movement that will turn Traverse City into a filming giant.

His passion for local landscapes is evident throughout “Blind Pursuit.” Scenes range from downtown Traverse City to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Sweeping vistas dot the film’s landscape as well thanks to Lynne’s flying prowess and that of his friends. Lynne showcases Traverse City in a way that has yet to have been done in film, and he is proud of it. He states that this movie is an excellent reference to what Traverse City was like in 2006. The old airport terminal is brought back to life before it was torn down and the dinner train makes an appearance. He hopes that other filmmakers see the potential that Traverse City and its surrounding areas have to offer.

Lynne also hopes that his film promotes the art of local filmmaking. His success could certainly serve as an inspiration to many young, up and coming, local filmmakers. His lead could inspire those teetering on the edge to take that leap, much as Lynne did three years ago.

Three years is a long time to be involved in a movie, and as a result the cast and crew grew quite close.

“It really was something that made me realize that this is fun and that this is something that I could do all of the time. Being in the film with all of the other actors and actresses who have such eccentric personalities, and getting to hang out with James everyday was something that in one moment we were goofing around, we were friends, and then, all of a sudden, there he is with the camera, and the mood turned to ‘does everybody remember their lines?’ Let’s do it. It was like play and business all at the same time,” said Beverly Cady, star of “Blind Pursuit” and self proclaimed “face on the poster.”

It is, indeed, Cady’s face that graces the posters that are seen throughout downtown and in advertisements.

Both Cady and Lynne tell of how close the cast and crew became. Lynne even goes so far as to promise an exciting look at behind the scenes fun as part of the special feature package of the forthcoming DVD.

Lynne’s passion for moviemaking is evident in his voice, his eyes and his words as he described in great detail the struggle and accomplishments of making this film. His contagious energy spilled over to Cady as her smile seemed to grow wider as the conversation progressed. It is more than obvious that this was a project of love for more than just Lynne.

So many people, states Lynne, have invested so much into this project. The fact that it is done and is less than a week from premiering seems as though it is a bit surreal to those involved.

When selecting the venue for his premiere, Lynne, again, was faced with a do or die choice. He approached the Traverse City Film Festival first. They stated that they were swamped with films and may not be able to give his film the attention that it deserved. So, Lynne decided to once again take fate into his own hands and approached InsideOut Gallery, where he was welcomed with open arms.

“I just want to give it back to the community and the people of Traverse City,” Lynne said.

An entirely unique feature of the premiere is that the soundtrack will be performed live by two local musicians, Dede Alderman and Sarah Paquet.

For more information about the film, go to www.blindpursuit.com.

Brooks Vanderbush can be reached at bvanderbush@michigannewspapers.com.

Article from: http://www.grandtraverseinsider.com/results.asp?ID=105