Filmmaker Lotfy Naan Talks Cinematography and Counter Culture in O Clock Boys

We spoke to the versatile filmmaker Lotfy Nathan about his visually revelatory documentary and gaining access to the wild world of the '12 O'Clock Boys.'

You've never seen a documentary quite like 12 O' Clock Boys. Trust us. Filmmaker Lotfy Nathan follows Pug, a rambunctious, spirited teen who dreams of nothing but dirt-bikes as he desperately tries to get in with the 12 O'Clock Boys, a group of riders dominating the streets of Baltimore. Spanning the course of three years, we watch Pug go through hardships (like his older brother's death) and develop into a young man, still hell-bent on proving himself worthy of membership into the club.

The film's striking visual style mesmerized audiences at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. Using the Phantom camera, Nathan and his team were able to capture the aero-balletic beauty of the 12 O'Clock Boys' stunts and bike work, aided by slow motion and a haunting voiceover from Pug. We talked with the filmmaker about male adolescence, his two successful crowdfunding campaigns, and the laundry list of equipment that helped produce the film's stunning cinematography.

Tribeca: You went to college practically right down the street from Druid Hill Park in Baltimore. What about the 12 O' Clock Boys drew you to the group as the potential subject of a documentary?

Lotfy Nathan: I was struck by how little I knew about them. They were mysterious and exotic, which didn't necessarily make them a good subject for a film [laughs]. I think as a documentarian, it's almost more of an achievement if you can make a great story about something or someone that's kind of mundane, but that wasn't the case here. I was surprised that these men would share their stories with me. It was all just very exciting.

Tribeca: Was it difficult to gain access into their tight-knit community?

LN: No, surprisingly, it wasn't. While I was a student, I just approached them slowly at Druid Hill Park with a camera. I just remember being really nervous. The first guys I approached weren't even part of the 12 O' Clock Boys. They just lived in the area right off North Avenue, and they were sharing this beat-up old dirt bike. One was teaching the others. Through them and a few others, I was able to gain access to the main group of riders.

Tribeca: Before this, I just associated Baltimore with John Waters. Now your film provides this fascinating peak into this rich city that I really had no idea existed.

LN: John Waters is great, and he did see the movie and liked it a lot. He invited me to his Christmas party last year. It was a lot of fun!

Tribeca: I noticed throughout the documentary and when people talk about the film they're very careful not to say the word gang because the 12 O'Clock Boys are not that kind of organization. Is that stigma one you've had to correct through the process?

LN: Yeah, that's been a tricky word. Technically they're a gang. A gang is a group collectively engaging in illegal activity, quite simply as I understand it. However, that's just a dictionary definition. There are real gangs in Baltimore, but the 12 O' Clock Boys are not one of them. If I had to describe them, I would say they are more like Robin Hood and the Merry Men. They're pranksters. They're friends with everybody and nobody at the same time.

We wanted those bikes to be the audience's dream as well as Pug's.

Tribeca: Do you remember your first interaction with Pug? When did you know you were going to devote the next four years of your life to following his development into a man and a rider?

LN: Before I met Pug, I was fishing for material. I originally looked at this film as a subculture portrait, which I thought seemed weak. However, when I was first introduced to Pug, I knew there was definitely something there. Plus, his family was really funny and colorful. They were all such characters, and I found myself really enjoying the footage I was shooting of them. It looked different.

Pug's innocence and enthusiasm drew me in, and I knew, ultimately, it would draw in others too. He provided a great point of entry for an audience into the world of the 12' O Clock Boys. He's definitely the underdog. Plus, on the outside, he looks so sweet and vulnerable. He's even lactose intolerant!

Tribeca: Obviously, Pug undergoes a huge change over the course of the documentary. Was it difficult to watch his transition from idealistic kid to hardened young adult with a sleeve of tattoos before his 16th birthday?

LN: Sometimes. Pug is the strong silent type so that was a worry in terms of measuring him up as a documentary subject. He didn't provide too much exposition; he couldn't speak very objectively about his feelings. I think it's always a little sad to watch people grow up. Plus, he suffered a lot over the course of the film, and it was painful to watch him internalize everything. I think he had a lot of conversations with himself, but not necessarily with the camera.

Tribeca: From the documentary, it's clear that you and Pug really developed a friendship over the course of filmmaking. Should there be a line between documentarian and subject?

LN: It's strange. I think I will only be able to answer that years from now. I don't know how our relationship will survive over time. I left Baltimore after I finished the film, but I still feel a great kinship with Pug and his family. The production felt really scrappy. I will always appreciate their patience, even when we were at Coco's house. They were absolutely great. We didn't know what we were doing and I had no accountability but they accepted us. I'll always be grateful.

Tribeca: There are moments in the documentary when you can hear off camera voices. When Pug starts wandering into

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