Early December, when the last drying cycle of the day ended at Tony Ray Laundromat at 5601 N. Keystone Ave., and all laundry items were carried away folded or piled in baskets, the lights stayed on for the filming of “Dirty Laundry,” the latest production of local film company 12 Stars Media.
“Dirty Laundry,” a coming-of-age story about two friends that magically find themselves unable to lie, is the first fiction film by the documentary-focused production company. The cast and crew of 15 to 20 people includes Indianapolis arts and theater legend Deborah Asante of the Asante Art Institute. Filming will not interfere with regular business hours.
Because the story takes place in the ’90s, the vintage look of the laundromat places the film in the past without the need of elaborate film sets.
“People have reached out to tell me their stories about their experiences at Tony Ray Laundromat,” says Rocky Walls, writer and co-owner of 12 Stars Media. “It just has such nostalgia – it’s kept a lot of its charm instead of updating to the newest technology or paint scheme.”
Besides the historic laundromat, other filming locations around Indianapolis included Calvin Fletcher’s Coffee Company in the Fletcher Place neighborhood, and the newly renovated auditorium at Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where 12 Stars Media produced the documentary series, “No Limits: An Arts Series Focused on Access for All.” The film is expected to premiere in the fall of 2024.
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