In 2016, writer and director J.C. Doler created the short film “Hangman” for the Louisiana Film Prize. Nine years later, the same story, now a feature-length film named “The Twin,” will have its red-carpet premiere on July 10 at The Strand Theatre in Shreveport, La.
With a small crew consisting of Doler, his wife, and some friends, “Hangman” made the top 20 at Film Prize. Doler took the film to other film festivals, where he says it was well received.
“Someone was like, ‘Hey, is there a feature-film version of this?’ And I kind of fibbed and said, ‘Yeah!'" Doler says. "And I spent like, three weeks writing, like, the worst screenplay ever, but it was a good start.”
Then, for six years, Doler worked on the screenplay while making other projects in the meantime. “Hangman” became “The Fetch,” but the skeleton of the story stayed the same: a psychological horror film about a man haunted by his evil doppelganger. In 2021, it won Best Screenplay at the ScreamFest Horror Film Festival.
“And that was kind of, like, what really got the ball rolling to help us get funding and get this thing shot the next year,” Doler says.
But before they started shooting, Doler needed a new leading man. It just so happened that producer Alexander Jeffery knew Logan Donovan from an acting class in Los Angeles. Doler says Donovan fell in love with the script and he joined the crew.
“So, he was with us for four years as we went through Covid and rewrites and, like, giving us ideas, and really helping to develop the character in the script with us,” Doler mentions.
After the team worked on the script for years, changing it again from “The Fetch” to “The Twin,” Donovan became a producer on the film, too, making it his first feature-length film as a producer. Because of his connections in LA, he was able to get some financial support for the film.
"After some back and forth and vetting, we were able to start rolling," Donovan says.
The crew spent 23 days in production for the feature-length version in 2022. During this time, Donovan was given the chance to really get to know Shreveport, since most of the film was shot in the city. He says the crew received immense support from the community.
“Making a movie is so hard, and it can be even more challenging like, say, in Los Angeles where you have to get permits, and everybody’s second guessing you," Donovan says. "And it just makes it a real challenge. And so, it’s just incredible that, you know, we could go out to Shreveport and make the movie that we did and have such a good experience pretty much the whole way through.”
Community support included blocked off parking for film vans, Rhino Coffee opening its doors for filming, Ki Mexico feeding the crew, and so much more.
“These little things that really add up to making the productions efficient.”
Donovan notes that community support isn’t just good for the filmmakers. For example, if a business is used as a set piece during filming, viewers will recognize it and visit, putting their money into the local economy.
“It could be a great thing for the community,” he notes.
On top of that, Donovan says the crew for the film is incredibly tight, and Doler agrees. They both say that every member of the crew had a say in the making of the film.
“I work with them to make something that they are happy with and that we can all be happy with,” Doler says.
Once the filming wrapped and everyone was happy, "The Twin” spent two years in post-production.
“Here we are releasing the film,” Doler excitedly says. “We spent a long time on this… nurturing it and trying to get it to where it is today.”
Both Doler and Donovan say that the film wouldn’t have happened without the support from Shreveport.
“This is a Shreveport production, through and through, and I’m hoping that, you know, people can be proud of that."
With Red River Radio News, I’m Alaina Atnip.