When one thinks of local filmmakers, George Lucas often comes to mind with American Graffiti and the Star Wars franchise among some of his best and most beloved films. Lucas and so many visionary filmmakers like him have inspired new generations of filmmakers including Liam Greenlee, a former Oakdale resident. Graduating from Oakdale High School in 2021, Greenlee knew he wanted to work in the arts early on in his life, playing in a band for a while, but during his sophomore year of high school he began writing scripts and realized that becoming a filmmaker was his true calling.
Greenlee noted that his parents were very supportive of his endeavors throughout his life. Elizabeth and Zach Greenlee, Liam’s mom and dad, encouraged him to follow his heart when finding his path. The Greenlee family spent a year in Africa where Zach worked as a Physician’s Assistant and Elizabeth took care of the family. The aspiring filmmaker had the opportunity to film a documentary in Uganda in which he followed the medical missionaries to various areas of Uganda, capturing their work, their cultural experiences and their interactions with those they were serving, which he said helped him become the filmmaker he is today.
Greenlee shared that he still loves the Central Valley, Oakdale being one of his favorite communities, but that growing up he found himself searching for other young people that were interested in forging a path in the arts, noting that because he wasn’t an athlete or a cowboy, he sometimes looked outside of the valley for others to connect with. He also noted that the film, music and arts scene has really expanded throughout the Central Valley within the last few years and he is very grateful for that.
“I want to show other artists that you can make art and films right here and that you don’t have to move to New York or Los Angeles to make it,” said Greenlee.
Inspired by the Coen Brothers and their films, his new film Whistle-Stop is a feature film that focuses on a small town filled with friends and neighbors, with one man trying to find his place, wanting to be liked and admired by his community. As he sets out to secure his place by running for a political office, he faces various obstacles, including trying to debunk an outlandish rumor about him and his wife, resulting in a satirical comedy of errors. With most of the footage being filmed in Oakdale and the Central Valley, Greenlee said that it is kind of a love letter to the small, rural towns that he grew up in.
Greenlee is producing the film Whistle-Stop through Wefunder, a crowdfunding platform, which ensures that all funds go directly to the production including: the cast, crew and locations. Folks can invest in the project for as little as $100 and Greenlee wants investors to know that they will see a return on their investments and then some.
“I want to show other filmmakers that they can do it too, that great feature films can come from independent film budgets,” Greenlee shared.
As the script came together, Greenlee said he had two actors in mind to play the leads and, as luck would have it, they were already friends and had remarkable chemistry. Daniel David Stewart, known for his work on Broadway and on various shows for Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV+, including Reacher and For All Mankind, was a natural fit for the lead, Danny Dupree. For his wife, Greenlee knew of an outstanding actress, Emily Skeggs, who had been nominated for a Tony for her performance in Fun Home and had also worked in many films including the indie film, Dinner In America. What Greenlee didn’t realize at the time was that Stewart and Dupree were already well acquainted and good friends, having joined a bowling league together. With the lead actors in place, the script written and the landscape of Oakdale and the Central Valley highlighting this dark comedy, Greenlee was ready to roll.
Once again drawing from his parents and the example they set for him, he noted how much their encouragement and support meant.
“I brought Danny, the lead actor, up to Oakdale and we visited other local towns, Riverbank, Escalon and Turlock and visited with my family and my dad gave him a pair of my grandpa’s cowboy boots to help him get more comfortable in the role,” said Greenlee.
He went on to note that the support from his siblings and cousins, uncles and aunts really inspired him to keep moving forward.
“It’s important to me to do this the right way, generously and kindly, just as my parents taught me to do,” he shared.
Filled with optimism for the future of filmmaking and the commitment to honor his small-town roots, Greenlee is aiming to build a legacy which he hopes will inspire future artists for years to come.
To invest or to learn more about this project, visit: Reserve in Whistle-Stop | A modern-day WESTERN about small-town politicians, masculinity, and conspiracy theories gone wrong. | Wefunder, Home of the Community Round
