Apr 24, 2018
Paul’s dad wanted to be a writer and it really never worked out for him. He always held writing in super high regard and instilled in Paul, even if he didn’t realize it at the time, a love and respect for a good story. His father’s passion rubbed off on Paul and he eventually started writing.
It’s really a workplace comedy. The workplace is the church and the workers are three priests. The film explores love and fear, life and death, spirituality and passion through the eyes of each character. Along the way, one of the priests makes a connection with a quirky woman who pushes him to better understand himself.
Paul sees a lot of puff being blown about religion and the idea that only certain people have special access to god. Danny Glover’s character instills the idea that what they do as priests takes work. It’s getting up every day and doing it. A deeper connection comes with that but it doesn’t just happen magically. Paul feel like this concept is true for creative endeavors as well. Writers block, an empty canvas, every successful creative person has systems for doing the work and being present when inspiration hits. Maybe spirituality and creativity aren’t really that different.
Ollie is a very real and present character who truly gets the spirit of religion and serving people. This scene is one of Paul’s favorite. Ollie is giving a Homily (sermon) on compassion. His main point is that the definition of compassion is “to suffer with”. This 3 minute scene gets at the heart of the story even though it doesn’t exactly fit most of the storyline.
Paul’s mom was a nun and his dad was a priest when they met. So the backbone of the story is based on them. It’s a story he’s wanted to tell for a long time. But then, in 2013, his father passed away. So the deeper personal elements of each character are a mix of Paul’s feelings about losing his dad, opinions on life, and everything else.
Directing a film is like popping up a hypothetical million-dollar business but you have to start before you know if you’ll have the million dollars. For Paul, it has to be a true project of passion to even consider directing a film.
The film is called Ms White Light and it’s about a woman who is able to connect with people who are about to die but are struggling to let go. Miss White Light (Roberta Colindraz) is able to connect profoundly with someone who’s dying but is incapable of normal day to day interactions. It deep and dark but also, a comedy.
The show was produced and edited by me Jeremy Goodrich.
The music is by my high school buddy Mark VInten. Mark and I lived together our second year in college. I painted my bedroom candy apple red had a water bed and listened to a lot of The Rolling Stones on the radio. Mark was most well known for looking exactly like Jim Morrison.
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