Downtown Lansing Bed and Breakfast Stars in Local Indie Film

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 | Source: Capital Gains

She thought it would be fun and she’d be proud. It was, and she is, but she’s not sure she’d do it again—unless money is attached.

Such is Diane Sanborn’s review of her first experience hosting a movie crew for two weekends.

The movie is called “Gemini,” a 30-minute murder mystery, made by Best Little Ever, an ad hoc film group that’s been around the Capital region for several years.

“It was blood and guts all over my kitchen ceiling,” laughed Sanborn, happy that the clean-up crew did a good job.

The 30-member crew arrived at her bed and breakfast, the Cozy Koi, on North Seymour Street with two truck-loads of equipment. The first night, they were there until 2 a.m. The next, until 1:30 a.m.

“I’m exhausted,” she laughed, heading off to her Realtor’s job and making plans for the next raft of guests.

Ray Kurtis, “Gemini”s artistic director, searched for the location and presented it to the team, that included Jason Gabriel, the producer. The artistic director oversees everything you see in a movie, explains Kurtis.

A workable space is critical. What may appear as a large enough room suddenly shrinks when you cram 14 people, lights, cameras, and dollies into it.

Kurtis describes “Gemini” as a suspense thriller written by Aarin Ohrt. It involves a single family, a long lost brother, aka the evil twin, who comes back to wreck revenge on his family.

Film completion is expected soon and the mystery will hit the festival circuit. The crew has high hopes for inclusion in as many as 30 festivals, including the East Lansing Film Festival next Spring.

Sanborn says the experience was valuable and the crew was respectful of her place. But she’ll be looking into registering the Cozy Koi with the Michigan Film Office. Then, if she considers having her bed and breakfast star in another movie, dollars would be a nice incentive.