Posted by Nathan Barnes
Filmmaking siblings plan to stay home, no matter where career takes them
By Janet Ortegon, Sheboygan Press staff
Ask filmmakers Chris and Philip Leclerc about the first movie they ever made, then stand back and watch them turn red.
The brothers, 20 and 22, are well on their way to a successful film career — racking up numerous awards in regional film festivals and creating award-winning commercial videos — but please, ask them about “Finally Home.”
The brothers were 15 and 17 at the time (Philip is older), and the home-schooled teens from Glenbeulah decided to enter the San Antonio Independent Film Festival because a friend of theirs had already done it.
So they took the money they’d saved up from a little business they’d been running breeding and selling Labrador puppies and bought some equipment.
And the movie they made, about boys who escape from a boys’ home, made the cut and was accepted into the festival.
They didn’t win anything, but just having made it into the festival was an enormous achievement.
“The fact that we were accepted ...” started Philip.
“We were, like, freaking out,” Chris finished.
They now squirm and grimace when they talk about that 33-minute film, which starred buddies of theirs and was the epitome of low-budget.
And after it was all over, Philip was ready to move on to something new, but Chris knew they could do another movie, and do it better, if they tried again. After some cajoling, Philip signed on and the result was a 10-minute film (budget: $200) called “The White Handkerchief.”
The movie, a modern twist on the story of the prodigal son, made it into the festival and then won two awards, including runner-up to Best of Festival.
After that, neither of them ever considered another career.
They still live in their family’s home, with their four siblings (ages 7, 9, 15, 18) three foster and soon-to-be-adopted siblings (ages 2, 3 and 4) and their parents, Jeff and Jennifer.
They worked for several years out of the piano room in their parents’ home, and then converted the attic into a studio. In the spring of this year, they moved into Jake’s Café, a new local headquarters for creative thinkers in the former Jacobson-Rost Advertising building.
Tryg Jacobson, who recruited the Leclercs to move into Jake’s Café, sees nothing but success for them in the future.
“I have so much respect for their abilities and I’m so excited to be part of what I know is not only going to be a successful venture for them, but terrific opportunity for Sheboygan,” Jacobson said. “It’s rare that you get this kind of talent, particularly at this age.” ...read the rest of the article on the Sheboygan Press website here.