Student Stars in Bob Dylan Movie

Marcus Franklin may be new to the Harvey campus, but in the world of movie-making he’s a rising star.

In the recently released film “I’m Not There,” Marcus plays a young Bob Dylan. He described the experience as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity that allowed him to work with world-renowned actors Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore, and Michelle Williams.

The movie is an unconventional look at the life and times of Dylan. It depicts the singer-songwriter through seven stages of his life by using different actors and a variety of non-traditional techniques, much like the poetic narrative style of Dylan’s songwriting.

Marcus, who started his career in TV commercials, admitted to not knowing much about Dylan when he received the script two and a half years ago. After much research on the man, his music and that of Woody Guthrie, the persona that Dylan emulates during his early years, Marcus said he felt pretty confident about playing the character. “Because Dylan is still alive and he’s eventually going to see it,” said Marcus, “I wanted to play the part the best that I could.”

Director Todd Haynes shot the scenes that Marcus was in over a seven-week period in Montreal. Working with Gere was the best part, he said. “He is amazing. Not only is he a good actor, but he also knows what goes on behind the camera.”
The friendly 14-year-old has two previous movies to his credit, as well as a part in the play “Caroline, Or Change,” which debuted on Broadway in May 2004. The play’s director, George C. Wolfe, cast Marcus in his next project, an HBO production called “Lackawanna Blues,” which dramatized the real-life story of Ruben Santiago, Jr., who grew up in upstate New York during the late ’50s and early ’60s.

While Marcus enjoys working in both mediums, being in front of an audience is more challenging, he said. “On stage, the performance is always changing,” he explained, “but in the movies, you’re kind of trapped in time.” For that reason, Marcus said the theater seems “real,” while movies, “to some degree, are fabricated.”

Other projects he’s worked on include “The Water is Wide,” a Hallmark Hall of Fame film about a group of kids growing up on an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina, and the soon-to-be-released “Be Kind Rewind,” a comedy.

Marcus is grateful to his mother, Debbie, for much of his success. “She is the best stage mom and manager anyone could have; she is really awesome,” he said. Other factors cultivating his career success include his own stick-to-itiveness and securing agent Emily Gerson Saines, who once served as agent to child star Macaulay Culkin.
With all the excitement of making movies and mingling with stars at various movie premieres, it might be easy to lose focus on his education, but that’s not the case. “Harvey is a really awesome place,” he said. “There’s more responsibility on the student, less kids and you can really focus on your studies,” said Marcus, who came from classes of 35 and more at Mahopac Middle School.

So, what does the future hold for this bright young man? While acting is his first love, Marcus has more than enough ideas to keep him busy for years. Creating his own music label is one, attending the Berkley School of Music is another, and he’s also interested in completing a business degree. If there’s one thing the Bob Dylan movie taught him, it is this: “Do as much research as you can, look at other things and see what other people are doing,” he said.