Discover local "lost/found"

By Linda Cook / QUAD-CITY TIMES / September 11, 2003

Hey — don’t wander off before you have a chance to see “lost/found,” the latest drama from local filmmakers Bluebox Limited.

I’ve been blessed by the friendship of one of the actors, Susan McPeters of WQPT-TV, who’s had approximately 1 zillion appearances in local stage productions (We go back so far that, one day when someone asked us where we met, neither one of us could remember. Seriously). Because I have a close friend in this production, I’m omitting a star rating, which could be misinterpreted as bias. What I will do is tell you about the movie and its young filmmakers.

Bluebox Limited started two years ago when Scott Beck and Bryan Woods were in high school (they‘re both freshmen in college now). The two have written, directed and produced 11 short films and two feature length films that have earned awards. Each of their movies has become more professional as Beck and Woods hone their filmmaking talent.

Their latest drama centers on a lonely writer, Keith Johnson (Justin Marxen), who doesn’t think there’s any reason for his existence. His parents were killed in a plane crash when Keith was a kid. He doesn’t remember the last time he had a best friend, and he’s never had a date. He has shut himself off from other people because he doesn’t think he can relate to them.

He does, however, make daily visits to a park bench. “I go out to the park every day to observe,” he says — he’s collecting material for his writing.

One day, his phone rings. And the caller asks him a single question before he hangs up: “Are you happy in your isolation?” Then, one day as he writes his observations, the appearance of a stranger leads him to connect with a variety of other people who need Keith in a variety of ways.You’ll recognize lots of local spots that create the perfect background for various scenes, and of course you’ll see a lot of familiar faces in the cast. Two of the young actors, Kenny Lue as Paul and Travis Shepherd as Jordan, are particularly outstanding — they’re naturals in front of the camera, which, by the way, Beck has developed quite a knack for handling.

There’s talent right here in River City. “Talent” — that starts with a “T” and that rhymes with “B” and that stands for ... “Bluebox.”