Dear supporters of Train Keeps A Rolling,
I hope you are all healthy and safe in this challenging time. I’m writing with some good news, which I hope will lift your spirits.
In short: we have completed the film!
It’s a bit surreal to type those words — it's been a long journey since I first met Jeff in the spring of 2012, but I truly believe that we have produced a compelling and heartfelt portrait that will both do justice to Jeff’s illustrious career, and also help bring light to PSP, the neurological disorder that eventually led to his passing.
I appreciate the help, support, and patience of everyone who has been involved with the project over the years. First and foremost, I have to thank Jeff’s wife, Audrey, and their two boys, Chris and Matthew. Without their patience, perseverance, and support, this film would never even have gotten off the ground.
Secondly, to everyone who participated in the film, your contributions can not be overstated. When we screened our first rough cut over 4 years ago, it was clear that the purely verite piece that we’d put together did not do justice to Jeff’s spirit — and we needed to make sure that we illustrated the type of person Jeff was before he got sick. Without all of the people we spoke to, that picture would not have emerged. We talked to far more people than we could include in the film, but please know that all of your stories and thoughts contributed greatly to our understanding of Jeff and helped immensely in crafting an honest portrait of him.
We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to David Kemp and CurePSP, for providing the initial grant that allowed us to start post-production, and for continuing to provide support and consultation since early 2015. To learn more about CurePSP, please visit https://www.psp.org.
Speaking of support, to our Kickstarter backers who helped keep the project going, those of you who have donated through the website and the community on Facebook and elsewhere who has contributed photos, stories, and messages of support: we could not have made this film without you.
I of course have to thank the team that made this film possible. Over this project’s life, many talented artists contributed in a myriad of ways, simply because they trusted that the story was one worth telling. You know who you are, and to all of you, I can only say that I hope I have the opportunity to return the favor.
I have to give a particularly special shout out to Steve Gaboury, who composed an original score by weaving new compositions around old b-sides and stems of Jeff’s guitar playing, then brought in many of Jeff’s old friends and colleagues to record their instruments and bring the pieces to life. The level at which these contributions elevated the film cannot be understated. To learn more about Steve and his work, check out his website.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a personal shout out to my editor, co-producer, friend, and colleague, Philip Shane. Phil signed on to this project with many award winning films under his belt, despite the fact that I was a first-time feature documentary director. Without his guidance of and belief in this film, I have no idea where it would have ended up.
So what’s next? Though the film is finished, we still have some hurdles to overcome before we can release it publicly. All of the music and archival material featured in the film needs to be licensed, and all of those licenses cost money. I’m actively reaching out to individuals, distributors, and potential brand partners to try to secure financing to allow for the release of the film. Though the current climate adds its own challenges, I’m confident we will be able to raise the money and get this film out to the world.
Please know that I won’t stop working until Train Keeps A Rolling is released. I hope someday soon we’ll be a able to have a big celebratory public premiere. In the meantime, I hope to be able to make it available online sooner rather than later, and will keep you all posted with any developments.
With sincere, heartfelt appreciation,
Kyle
