Film Festival Hit Edited at The Colonie

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Tue, 02/25/2020 - 10:52 -- Nick Dager

Two Dum Micks stars Sean Astin, left, and writer, producer, director D.B. Sweeney.Two Dum Micks, an offbeat comedic short film, written, directed, and produced by D.B. Sweeney and edited by Keith Kristinat at The Colonie in Chicago, has won more than two-dozen first-place film festival awards to date. It tells the story of Mikey and Mick, played by Sean Astin and Sweeney, as two down-and-out guys who come up with an implausible jailhouse scheme to get the money they need to solve their legal problems.

Two Dum Micks is an homage to the classic one and two-reel comedies that were Hollywood staples during the silent era,” says Sweeney. “I wanted to capture the fun, the unpredictability, and the universality of the characters. Everyone relates to a guy down on his luck, puckishly trying to get back on his feet.”

“Cutting a film with a concept that takes its cues from this classic comedic genre was a unique experience,” says Kristinat.  “D.B. wrote a nuanced, wacky, engaging script with a specific vision. It relied on editing to create the right pace and unique feel needed to achieve the kind of off-kilter comedic style that he had in mind.”

Sweeney is currently developing additional episodes to turn the film into a series.There was an abundance of great footage with tightly written dialogue, driven home by great performances by Astin and Sweeney. Kristinat honed it down to find just the right moments needed to create an engaging, humorous story that unfolds during a short window of time. The editor cut and finished the film on Adobe Premiere, working with assistant editor, Lexi Midkiff.

While working as a creative consultant on another D.B. Sweeney project, Kristinat showed the prolific actor some of his editorial work. Impressed by his reel, Sweeney mentioned that he was sitting on a short film that had lost steam and asked him if he wanted to take a crack at it.

“I had initially engaged another editor who did a good job getting the film to a certain place, but I wanted a different approach,” says Sweeney.  “Keith came into the picture and did a beautiful job. He brought a lot of energy and the kind of comedic sensibilities to the editing process that helped put Two Dum Micks’over the top. Keith had a big hand in the film’s success and deserves the praise and acclaim he is getting for his contribution to this project.”

“As the writer, D.B.'s expertise and insights, along with his openness to all of my suggestions, helped me find the right rhythm. His collaborative spirit made editing this project a dream experience,” says Kristinat

Sweeney is currently developing additional episodes to turn the film into a series.