Young filmmaker hoping for a career behind the camera

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By Jody Ferres | Thursday, April 20, 2006 12:08 AM CDT | () comments

Jeff Cook/QUAD-CITY TIMES Twenty-year-old filmmaker Joe Boyle shows the tools of his trade in the studio that dominates his room in the family’s Davenport home. Two of his films were featured in an independent film festival sponsored by the Arts Club from Scott Community College.

Joe Boyle loved “Star Wars” when he was growing up and gathered hundreds of action figures of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and others from the science-fiction series.

But his toys weren’t mere playthings and didn’t stay in the packaging as collector’s items. They became characters in Boyle’s first action films.

With a home video camera and an avid imagination, the Davenport boy and a couple of middle-school friends would position each character’s limbs one-by-one to shoot stop-motion animation.

They came out looking pretty good for the efforts of sixth-graders.

“I got live-action pictures, but it was pretty crude,” Boyle said, remembering the days.

His mom, Carolyn, thought it was pretty neat.

“I was amazed at how they could take the Star Wars figures and make them walk and climb walls while putting all the action to it,” Carolyn said. “They were having fun.”

Now at 20, Boyle has left behind his Star Wars figures for the world of independent filmmaking. He’s made everything from 80-minute feature films to five-minute short stories.

His films have won him more than $4,000 in scholarship money toward college. His latest 35-minute short film “Six Feet Frozen” earned him an Award of Achievement at the 2005 Iowa Motion Picture Association Convention and a spot playing for an independent film festival at a movie theater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

“It’s a passion,” Boyle said.

After starting with stop-motion camera work, Boyle went to editing from one VCR to another. While attending Davenport West High School, Boyle tried his hand at an 80-minute full-length film.

“Ninth grade was when I made my first large production,” Boyle said. “It was a medieval movie. We had a lot of costumes and pages of script.”

The medieval film took Boyle and a high school friend about eight months to film and $2,000 to finance with money earned from a newspaper route. In his junior year at West, the school showed the film and Boyle ended up making a $400 profit.

“Money isn’t my driving goal,” he said. “I just want people to see my work.”

Bryan Bogatz, a fellow West High graduate, writes and records all the music for Boyle’s films.

“I’m really interested in that kind of work,” Bogatz said. “It’s fun and a good time.”

Bogatz is one of hundreds who helped Boyle in his films. Every actor, actress and extra cast member is non-paid.

“All the actors are really helpful,” Boyle said. “I can’t pay them, but I buy them food while we’re shooting and give them as many copies of the final movie as they want.”

His room in his parent’s Davenport home is filled with six video cameras, a high-tech computer and high-end video editing equipment — and now a set for his newest film.

“He’s removed his bed from his bedroom and made the set in his room,” his mother said. “I tell him it’s your room, if that’s what you want to do, go for it.”

As one of four children, Boyle finds support from his family.

“We support him all the way,” Carolyn said. “He’s set his goals, and he’s willing to go and get there. He’ll climb to the top and be a film director because he has the capabilities to do that.”

His work recently was showcased at the first Scott Community College Independent Film Festival, sponsored by the newly formed Arts Club. The club showcased local independent films, which included Boyle’s short film “Six Feet Frozen” and “Eternal Child.”

Teresa Muller, dean of Scott Community College, was stunned when she saw the caliber of Boyle’s work.

“I’m a movie buff, and I just sat there in awe,” she said. Muller planned to show part of the film at a college board meeting, and said Scott is working on expanding its fine arts program.

For Boyle, the films meant a lot of sleepless nights in front of the computer.

“He works a lot at night, and I always ask him how in the world is he getting any sleep,” his mom said.

When Boyle looks back, he sees how far his camera and editing skills have progressed.

“Those first pieces aren’t so great, but the best way to learn is experience,” he said. “Every time I watch an old film of mine, I see there has been so much growth.”

He hopes it will spawn into a full-time career.

“One day, hopefully, someone will notice my films who has a lot of clout,” he said. “If I got an offer I’d take whoever up, but around here is a good place to work on movies. It’s a lot tougher in Hollywood to get help because everyone is out for themselves.”

The city desk can be contacted at

(563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.

On the web

For more information and a complete listing of Joe Boyle’s films, visit www.Lemonus.com.