Welcome to WeeklyWilson.com, where author/film critic Connie (Corcoran) Wilson avoids totally losing her marbles in semi-retirement by writing about film (see the Chicago Film Festival reviews and SXSW), politics and books----her own books and those of other people. You'll also find her diverging frequently to share humorous (or not-so-humorous) anecdotes and concerns. Try it! You'll like it!
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The category is self-explanatory, but it would include new or old businesses, political elections, trends, restaurants in town, entertainment in town, etc.
Based on a true story – The art of creative invention to tell a complete story
By Lisa Montalto
Titanic
As we all know, an autobiography or memoir is based on a true story, but there are also other forms of writing where the story happened. When a novel is written based on a true story, it can be written in first person by the person who experienced it, but often it’s written by a third party.
When a novel is based on a true story but written by a third party, there is a lot of research involved. And even with the most intense detective work, not all of the story is known. The little nuances and gaps need to be filled in and that’s where the writer uses their imagination to do the filling-in.
Where do you find a writer? Ghostwriters Central, Inc., is one great source. They have many skilled writers under contract, including me, thoroughly vetted, and ready to assist clients worldwide with books, screenplays, speeches, or whatever else they may need. The company was founded in 2002. If you need their help, click the link. Your first consultation is free. What follows are some examples of fiction based on fact.
TITANIC
Let’s begin with the story of the Titanic. There have been several books written and movies made about the days leading up to and the day the Titanic sank. So, what are the facts and what part of the story is fiction?
Fact: The RMS Titanic hit an iceberg off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 14, 1912.
Fact: It sank two hours and forty minutes later.
Fact: 1,510 people lost their lives out of 2,240 souls on board.
Fact: First Officer Murdoch, on the bridge, was alerted the by a man in the crow’s nest at 11:40 pm about the iceberg.
Fact: There wasn’t enough time to avoid the iceberg.
Fact: The ship was sailing at full speed.
Fact: The band continued to play as the ship sank.
That book or movie would be relatively short if not for an author filling in the gaps, creating backstories for passengers who didn’t exist, and adding drama to the plot.
SCHINDLER’S LIST
This is how a book is written when based on a true story. Let’s take the movie Schindler’s List. It was written as a novel called Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally about Oskar Schindler. Its genre is historical fiction because, while the facts surrounding the story are true, the rest are fictionalized.
Oskar Schindler became a hero when he saved 1,200 Polish Jews from the gas chambers. Keneally wrote the story based on factual names and events, but he needed to fill in the gaps about things he couldn’t possibly know, such as private conversations and actions that only the long-deceased Schindler would know.
Novelist Thomas Keneally happened to be in the right place at the right time when he entered Poldek Pfeffferberg’s shop in Beverly Hills, looking for a briefcase. Pfefferberg was a Holocaust survivor who worked for Oskar Schindler. He had been trying to gain the attention of publishers and moviemakers to tell the story of Schindler’s heroic efforts to no avail. When he found out Keneally was an author, he presented his story idea. Pfefferberg had extensive files on Schindler from working with him and it didn’t take long for him to convince the author to write the story.
In the United States, the book and subsequent film became named Schindler’s List, a number-one bestseller and blockbuster movie.
UNITED 93
To be a great non-fiction author you have to be able to fill in the blanks using research to validate what you’re presenting. When writing dialogue, it has to be believable that the real-life figure would say this or that. You must be able to use their voice to speak for them in ways that are most likely to have been true.
In the case of the 9/11 movie, United 93. We couldn’t possibly know everything that was said on that plane. We have a great idea based on phone calls from the plane and can piece it together, but the writer had to do their research. They had to imagine being there and what the passengers and terrorists would say. They had to research the people through interviews with family and friends to hone in on their personalities and how they would react. All of this leads to a more complete and credible story.
Writing fiction and non-fiction requires their own special skill sets. A fiction writer can most likely write non-fiction because they have the skills to embellish and take on the voices of their characters. However, a non-fiction writer might have a hard time with fiction if they’ve only ever written factual-based true stories from interviews with the story’s subject. However, if you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer. If you’re not, contact Ghostwriters Central, Inc., at ghostwords.com.
Something that the MAGA group seems to need to be reminded about is that CHARACTER MATTERS. A person’s past actions are the single best predictor of their future actions, as I was once told by a job recruiter running “mock” interviews for my Rhetoric students at Eastern Iowa Community College,
CHARACTER, DOES INDEED MATTER. A Washington Post reporter interviewed a former aide to Senator John McCain and the news from the front was not pretty.
“Karen Tumulty writes that we have catapulted past constitutional crisis and are now in the domain of constitutional collapse. She is also writing about the shadow emperor, whose designs lurk behind an executive branch “run-a-Musk.”
Of course, the president is at fault for this collapse, Karen writes, but so, too, is Congress, which the nation’s Founders could never have imagined would be “so supine in the face of such a barrage.”
Karen writes wistfully of the “statesmen of an earlier era, all Republicans,” who stood up for Congress’s authority when presidents overstepped. One of those was Sen. John McCain, whose former chief of staff Karen interviews.
He tells her: “We’re getting a pretty intense lesson in how much our constitutional order depended on people’s character. … Republicans, almost to a person, have failed.”
“Why Musk’s Nazi Salute Matters” –from Zach Beauchamp of “Vox”
“Elon Musk doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt,” said Zack Beauchamp. While speaking at President Trump’s inauguration, Musk twice thrust his arm out in a Nazi salute—there’s “no other plausible interpretation of his gesture.”
Some tried to dismiss it as merely an awkward moment, but context matters, and Musk has an “extensive track record of extreme right policies, flirtations with antisemitism, and juvenile trolling.”
Elon Musk
Musk responded to the uproar not with an apology, but by mocking critics with snide Nazi-themed puns, including “Bet you did nazi that coming.” Not surprisingly, neo-Nazis were giddy about Musk’s salute; the fact that it occurred at a presidential inauguration signals “a deeper rot.”
The tech oligarch is promoting Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, urging party members to move “past guilt” over Nazism’s horrors, and he personally restored neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes’ account on “X”. It’s all part of “the Trump era ‘vile shift,” in which there’s no accountability for extremist rhetoric and performative cruelty. As we descend this slippery slope, it’s vital that decent people “assert that there are real moral standards” and that Nazi play-acting violates them. Those standards may be our only bulwarks against the return of “honest-to-goodness Nazism.”
“Ryan Can’t Read” is a depressing 2025 Oscar-eligible short that tells the story of Ryan, who, as the title suggests, is illiterate. Since there are estimated to be at least 8 million others in the United Kingdom who cannot read, Ryan is not alone. Lewis Ian Bray plays Ryan. Lewis is “neurodivergent” in real life. Another way of categorizing the neurodivergent is to say that they are “on the spectrum.” For nearly 40 years of my life I worked with students who were autistic or on the spectrum in a variety of ways, including ADD and ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity), dyslexia, and many other ailments. For several years we were the only entity in a community of half a million residents qualified to work with patients with traumatic brain injury, so this touching and timely short hit close to home.
CAST
Ryan (Lewis Ian-Bray) and his best friend Tyrone (James Nelson-Joyce.)
The production rests on the shoulders of Lewis Ian-Bray portraying Ryan and James Nelson-Joyce as his best friend Tyrone. Rhys Chapman directed the short and co-wrote it. Chapman is known for “Wonderkid” and Sir Ian McKellen assisted him in getting this short made. James Nelson-Joyce has appeared in “The Outlaws” with Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken and in “Time” with Sean Bean and Stephen Graham. He is also set to appear in next season’s “Black Mirror” and in Disney’s “One Thousand Blows.” However, it is Lewis Ian Bray who embodies the title character, who is struggling with daily life because of his disability. Lewis Ian-Bray also co-wrote the film and was awarded the Best Actor award for his performance at the Tokyo Short Shorts Festival.
PLOT
The 19 minute 35 second story takes Ryan through the trying hurdles that anyone would face if unable to read, including an interview for a job and a frustrating and futile attempt to read his own mail. The city is Liverpool; there is a reference to eating scouse. Scouse is a type of stew typically made from chunks of meat with potatoes, carrots, and onion. It is particularly associated with the port of Liverpool; hence, the inhabitants of that city are often referred to as “scousers.” The word “scouse” comes from lobscouse, a stew that was commonly eaten by sailors throughout northern Europe in the past.
Ryan and Tyrone in “Ryan Can’t Read.”
Ryan’s friend Tyrone keeps encouraging him to attempt to learn to read and cheers him on throughout the disquieting departure of his mother, who writes to Ryan, saying, “Never stop being yourself. Don’t be scared. I will always be by your side. Don’t think I’m not watching, because I am. I am so proud of you, my son.”
CONCLUSION
“Ryan Can’t Read’s” music is by Bill Ryder-Jones and K.E.E.M. “Don’t Be Scared; I Love You” plays over (and over and over) the end credits. The cinematography by Borja Lopez Diaz captures the frustration of the subject, well-acted by Lewis Ian Bray. Why Ryan finds himself on his own, battling life with only his friend Tyrone encouraging him in person, is left a bit murky. A longer film might have explored Mom’s absence more thoroughly, but this is a short. It focuses on Ryan the non-reader and Lewis Ian-Braye does a fine job in both writing and acting the title role.
“Sister Wives” – Director/Star Louisa Connolly-Burnham plays Kaidence, the wife of a polygamous husband (Mormon) who must welcome a new wife, 19-year-old Galilee, into her home. Galilee is played by Mia McKenna-Bruce. This is actually streaming on Channel 14, which, I assume, is British, as it has qualified for Best British film and Best Actress at the Iris Prize competition and was picked up for distribution. It is eligible for the Oscars and the BAFTA, which makes it the fifth of the five female-directed films I have most recently reviewed to qualify for the 2025 Academy Awards.
There is a plan to develop this story of love emerging between the two sister wives into a full length feature film in summer, 2025, with the Director/Star reprising her role. Connolly-Burnham is known for the HollyShort film “How to Have Sex” and is currently working on the Netflix adaptation of an Agatha Christie work, “The 7 Dial Mystery” with Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman. The series was inspired by Broadchurch Creator Chris Chibnall.
PLOT
We learn that Kaidence was married to their mutual husband Jeremiah (Michael Fox) at age 14. Galilee is only 19, but she has a more adventurous spirit and actually has a cell phone (verboten in the community). Jeremiah is called away to Nevada for four weeks because Brother Amos is sick. While he is away, the sister wives play. Kaidence goes skinny dipping and learns that there is a whole world outside of her marriage, waiting for her.
The film was dark, making some things difficult to precisely determine. Director of photography was Angela Zoe Nei and the film could have beneifted from more light in some of the scenes. We certainly can understand why the girls decide to bolt and strike out for freedom. Galilee, who had said, “I’ll be very happy here” instead makes both downtrodden women happy when she suggests escape. I did find it difficult to understand the ending scene with Galilee, Kaidence and a car. Whose car is it? How did they get it? Is someone assisting them in their desire to flee? Many questions.
“Sister Wives.”
CONCLUSION
I grew up in Amish country in Iowa. This one was not hard to believe or imagine.This was the fifth short directed by a woman. It didn’t involve filming entirely in a car, but there is a scene at the end where the two escaping wives take off in a vehicle. I wish them good fortune!
“His Mother,” a 13 minute and 39 second short film that is Oscar eligible, stars Jennifer Lawrence look-alike Bethany Anne Lind as the mother of a young man who is threatening violence at his college, Southern Tech. Young Harrison Miller, age 19, 5’ 10”, has left a variety of clues that he is about to explode, saying things like “The end has come” and “None of you ever gave me a chance.”
Maia Scalia wrote and directed this high tension race to save lives, She is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of Art and has worked on 2022’s “Call Jane” with Director Phyllis Nagy and star Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver in 2022, a film about the fight for abortion rights in pre-Roe days, which would be just as timely right about now. Ms. Scalia’s choice of Bethany Anne Lind to play “His Mother” is fortunate, because she does a believable job as a half-hysterical mother on her way to try to save her son from committing murder
Bethany Anne Lind played Grace Young in “Ozark” and Sandra in “Stranger Things.” It is a tribute to Bethany Anne’s emoting while behind the wheel of her car and racing to the scene of the potential crime that this short works at all. It was the third (of five) that had significant—or all, as in this case—portions shot inside a vehicle. Having written a few screenplays, I understand how tempting it is to use a car or a truck for the setting, as it certainly helps keep expenses down and frees up the set decorator and art decorator and lots of other sorts (not muchneed for unique costumes, either) and, consequently, helps keep the cost(s) of a production down.
We never actually see her son, Harrison, or his preoccupied father, Jason Miller, whom Bethany Anne talks to on the phone. The voice of father Jason is D.W. Moffett, a Chicago native who has played roles in “Traffic,” “Falling Down,” and “Friday Night Lights.” The voice of Harrison, her son, is Ben Irving, who played Bobby Freeze in Ben Affleck’s 2020 film “The Way Back.” Officer Davis (Evan Hall of “Orange isthe New Black”) and the emergency dispatcher (Aleah Guinones; Keisha in 2023’s “Shrinking”) are the only other voices in the piece, and we never see them.
“His Mother” Oscar eligible short.
Sound effects (bullets and sirens, for example) become important in this short piece. The music by Eli Keszler is crucial and the cinematography by Matt Clegg is mostly close-ups of Bethany Anne Lind’s face. I found myself wondering how his mother telling the authorities to look for her son in a blue Accura was viewed by Ms. Miller when the authorities caught up to her son, who had posted videos that led to him being sought as an “active shooter at large.” Phrases like “This is his only choice” are countered by his frazzled mother’s plea “Please help me understand.”
This one was tense and dramatic and takes place completely inside a car. I saw five in one sitting; this was my favorite.
“Buscando Alma,” a short about immigrants’ separation from their children at the border, has qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards.
“Buscando Alma,” a 15 minute 21 second short, has qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards in competition in Atlanta. It is also a timely subject, given the Trump administration’s vow to deport millions of immigrants. It is directed by a woman and stars a trans-gender female, also topics that are current.
“Buscando Alma” was written by Maiv Flores and Melissa Fisher; Fisher directed. It is a heartwarming tearjerker. The synopsis sums up the plot this way: “A Honduran immigrant is given the chance to meet her mother after nearly two decades of separation. As she grapples with the uncertainty of their reunion, she is confronted by tumultuous memories of her past.”
The short film won the 2024 Jury Award for “Best Drama Short” at Out On Film: Atlanta’s LGBTQ Film Festival, qualifying it for the 2025 Oscars®. Having just finished reviewing films at the Chicago International Film Festival where I saw the Errol Morris documentary “Separated,” the story of children separated from their parents at the border during the first Trump administration. I related to this one. Children who lose their connection to their parents are enveloped by a sense of longing and often suffer major psychological trauma. Separation has “left a hole in their hearts.” “Buscando Alma’s” heartfelt message hit home after seeing “Separated,” a sobering revisiting of one of our nation’s most shameful episodes. (The “Separated” crew actually rebuilt the cages the immigrants were placed in at the border to revisit the Tom Holman-supervised incidents of man’s inhumanity to man, infants ripped from their mothers’ arms). After nearly two decades apart, Cristina (Carolina Gutierrez) is finally able to locate her mother with the help of an attorney, but their long-awaited reunion comes with trepidation as she confronts memories of her past.
DIALOGUE
With lines like, “I want to know if she looked for me the way I looked for her” and “I have been searching for you my whole life” from lead actress Gutierrez, you’re in for a sad commentary on today’s headlines, with the Trump administration’s vow to deport millions. More chaos and heartbreak to come. As “Separated” made clear (based on reporting by the New York Times) the Trump administration intentionally kept very poor (if any) records of family members separated at the border. A child of immigrants flew in from Miami to tell us her own personal story. A teenager, she did not see her father again for five years after they were separated at the border. The actress playing the mother in this short (Neher Jacqueline Briceno) says to her daughter upon their reunion, “You are my life. I love you with my whole soul.”
DIRECTOR
Melissa Fisher is a Los Angeles based writer and director. She is also a member of the International Cinematographer’s Guild and has worked on Academy and Emmy Award winning films and television series. Melissa went from camera PA on Michael Bay’s “Pain & Gain,” to camera assist on films like “La La Land.” She headed up the camera department on hit television shows like “GLOW” and “The Dropout.” She is currently working on a new Amazon Prime series, “Ballard,” that is scheduled for release in 2025.
LEAD ACTRESS
Lead actress Carolina Gutierrez.
Lead actress Carolina Gutierrez is a Bravo award-nominated Los Angeles based trans-gender actress born in Barranquilla, Colombia. She played the role of Marissa on the TV Show “L Word Generation Q.” She also played the lead role of Sofia on Amazon Prime’s web series “Starlet Diner,” a supporting role in the Web Series “The Good Samaritans,” and appeared on the Amazon Prime hit show “Goliath.” A proud Latina transgender woman, Carolina has utilized her platform to advocate for trans rights. Carolina has also appeared in several television shows, movies and national commercials, including her role as assassin Emma Ruiz on NCIS LA, Sara on La Costilla de Eva in Colombia, and the lead in a national car commercial with Nissan.
OTHER CAST
The sets for “Buscando Alma” particularly impressed me, whether a church, a deck, or a kitchen, Mars Feehery was responsible for the sets. Matt Schwartz also has done a great job on sound design. Music was composed by Simon Franglen and the Cinematographer was by Boa Simon.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 17: Austin Butler at the Los Angeles Premiere of Focus Features’ “The Bikeriders” at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 17, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Focus Features)
Key Considerations When Shipping Motorcycles Across the U.S.
Shipping a motorcycle across the United States can be a convenient and efficient way to transport your bike, whether you’re relocating, selling a motorcycle to a buyer in another state, or heading to a rally. However, it’s not as simple as loading your bike onto a truck. Proper planning, preparation, and choosing the right shipping method are essential to ensuring your motorcycle arrives safely and without any issues. Here are key considerations to keep in mind when shipping a motorcycle across the U.S.
Choose a Reputable Shipping Company
Selecting the right shipping company is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when shipping a motorcycle. Not all transport companies specialize in motorcycles, and you’ll want one with experience handling bikes. Consider moving your motorcycles with Shiply, a platform that connects you with transport providers. Research companies by reading customer reviews, checking their safety records, and verifying that they have the necessary licenses and insurance. Ensure that the company provides specific motorcycle shipping services and understands how to handle and secure bikes during transit.
Open vs. Enclosed Shipping
When shipping a motorcycle, you typically have two options: open or enclosed transport. Open transport involves shipping your motorcycle on an open trailer, which is more affordable but exposes the bike to weather conditions, road debris, and potential damage. This option might be suitable for shorter distances or if you’re shipping a bike that’s not particularly valuable or vulnerable.
Enclosed transport, on the other hand, involves placing your motorcycle inside a fully enclosed trailer, protecting it from the elements and external hazards. While enclosed shipping tends to be more expensive, it’s the better option for high-value motorcycles, classic bikes, or long-distance trips across the U.S. For those who want peace of mind, especially during cross-country transport, enclosed shipping is often worth the extra cost.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 17: Jodie Comer (L) and Austin Butler at the Los Angeles Premiere of Focus Features’ “The Bikeriders” at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 17, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Focus Features)
Understand the Costs
Shipping costs are influenced by distance sending, the size and weight of your motorcycle, and the choice between open or enclosed transport. Other elements, like the time of year, can also affect the price. For instance, shipping during winter or holidays may be more expensive due to higher demand or more difficult weather conditions.
Make sure to get a detailed quote that outlines all fees. Some companies may offer lower initial quotes but add hidden charges later. Understanding the total cost upfront will help you avoid unexpected expenses. Consider additional insurance costs as well, especially if your motorcycle is particularly valuable.
Insurance Coverage
While most motorcycle shipping companies offer basic insurance as part of their service, it may not be enough to cover the full value of your bike, particularly if it’s a custom or high-end model. Before shipping, review the shipping company’s insurance policy to understand what’s covered in case of damage, loss, or theft during transport.
If the coverage is insufficient, you may want to purchase additional insurance for peace of mind. Also, document the condition of your motorcycle before shipping by taking detailed photos from multiple angles. This evidence can help you file a claim in the event of damage.
Prepare Your Motorcycle for Shipping
Properly preparing your motorcycle before it’s picked up for transport is crucial to ensure it arrives in the best possible condition. Start by cleaning your bike thoroughly so that it’s easier to spot any pre-existing damage. Take detailed photos, as mentioned earlier, to document its condition.
Next, remove any loose items or accessories, such as saddlebags or custom mirrors, that could get damaged during transport. You should also check for fluid leaks and ensure that the gas tank is no more than a quarter full. Lowering the fuel level helps reduce the weight of the motorcycle and mitigates the risk of leaks. Finally, check tire pressure and ensure the battery is fully charged.
Conclusion
Shipping a motorcycle across the U.S. can be a seamless process if you take the time to plan carefully and choose the right service. By considering factors such as the type of transport, cost, insurance, and preparation, you can ensure your motorcycle arrives safely at its destination. Ultimately, working with a reputable shipping company such as Shiply and preparing your bike correctly will give you peace of mind throughout the journey.
One of the most interesting and well-scripted films out now is “Heretic,” a horror/suspense thriller written and directed by the boys from Bettendorf (Iowa), Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who gave us “A Quiet Place” back in 2018. During my interview with them at SXSW on March 10, 2018, I wrote, “I’m predicting ‘A Quiet Place’ will take off like a rocket, helping Beck and Woods receive even more deserved recognition.” That prediction is holding up well with this third film from the dynamic duo. The film earned back its production costs in its first weekend. It was sitting at $22 million in revenue, worldwide, as of November 14, 2024 for a film that cost less than $10 million.
“Heretic” depicts two Mormon missionaries, Sister Paxton (Chloe East of “The Fabelmans”) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher of“Yellowjackets”) accepting an invitation to share their faith with a seemingly kindly older gentleman named Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). He tells them his wife is busy in the kitchen baking a blueberry pie, when inviting them into his house. Since missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not enter his small home if there were not a woman present to chaperone their discussion, the rest of the film becomes a game of cat-and-mouse, belief and disbelief, control of the two girls by a man who may or may not be diabolical.
(Left to Right) Scott Beck, Connie Wilson and Bryan Woods at SXSW (Austin, TX) on March 10, 2018.
When “A Quiet Place” opened SXSW in 2018, I interviewed Scott Beck & Bryan Woods in Austin. We talked about our mutual hometown area and how it contributed to the phenomenal success of creating “A Quiet Place” and then handing off their creation to John Krasinski (who contributed tothe script). Beck & Woods have moved on to give us another wildly original and well-plotted current film, “Heretic,” starring Hugh Grant. Two young female Mormon missionaries pay a call on Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) and place their lives in danger while discussing their faith.
Anyone who has seen “A Quiet Place” knows that, dialogue-wise, it is spare. The creatures might hear you and come for you, so mum’s the word. The 2023 sci-fi outing “25” that Beck & Woods did last, starring Adam Driver, was also more action, less talk. This one is dialogue heavy and Hugh Grant pulls it off beautifully.
Hugh Grant in “Heretic.”
SCRIPT
With “Heretic,” Beck & Woods have created an original script for a film that is a very in-depth talk about religion and life-after-death. It’s all couched within a horror movie concept. Talk—and deep concepts—dominate the movie. As Scott Beck told Matt Grobar of “Deadline”: “Heretic was something that Bryan and I had just been scratching at—the idea of religious ideologist Trojan horsing into a genre movie—for years and years.”
Bryan Woods: “We started writing the film 10 years ago, and got to the young missionaries meeting Mr. Reed. They sit down with him. Mr. Reed opens his mouth, and immediately we kind of stopped dead in our tracks, because he has a genius-level IQ. He has studied all the world’s religions, and we felt like we had not done that work yet. We’ve been interested in religion and cults our whole lives, but we hadn’t sat down and read the Quran or the Book of Mormon. We hadn’t filled our heads with enough information. So we spent the last decade just enriching our point of view—speaking with a lot of people, sitting down with missionaries, reading a lot of atheist thinkers and ingesting their points of view. The reason we picked up the script again and kept writing wasn’t so much that we reached a point of, ‘We did it! We’ve solved religion! or, ‘We’ve read enough to understand Mr. Reed.’ It was actually a confluence of personal and professional events.”
Woods said, “Every time we’d write a line, we’d have to stop and then go to Wikipedia to research something. It just felt inorganic, and so we did some fun research over the course of 10 years so that it could be a first language once we got further into writing Reed.” Woods told the “Hollywood Reporter” (David Brians, Nov. 9, 2024), “We also set out to make a movie that was deeply personal in terms of our relationship with the subject matter of belief and disbelief and what happens when you die. So, after pouring out all our neuroses and spilling our guts into this movie, it’s very exciting to see it connect with audiences, to say the least. We read interesting thinkers like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. It wasn’t rigorous research every night at the library, but we read a lot of atheist thinkers and contemporary philosophers, as well as holy books we’d never read like the Book of Mormon or the Quran, just so that it could be a first language once we got further into writing Reed.”
GENESIS
Sophie Thatcher & Chloe East in “Heretic.”
Sophie Thatcher (L) and Chloe East in “Heretic.”
Woods: “It was just in our lives we had hit this emotional low point where it seemed like everything was going wrong. At that low point, my father passed away unexpectedly from esophageal cancer…It was that kind of pain and depression. Confrontation with these large questions of, ‘What happens when you die? Is there something? Is there nothing?’ It was that moment where we were like, ‘It’s time to finally pick up the script and write it.’ Because we were feeling so raw emotionally. We always felt that “Heretic” needed to be one of those projects that’s just embarrassingly personal, and we’ve always dreamed of doing a movie like that. It was time to express all of our fears and anxiety about what happens when you die and the mystery of death. So that’s where it came from, and once we sat down to write the script in earnest, it just poured out of us.”
Scott Beck: “We wanted to swing in the opposite direction of “A Quiet Place” and “65”, two films that are void of dialogue and are straightforward thrillers. For “Heretic” it was all about how we could weaponize dialogue and ideas about theology to create something that hopefully feels as scary a ‘A Quiet Place.’ There’s a line in the movie that goes ‘The more you know, the less you know’ and the older we get (they are 40), we find ourselves gravitating to the philosophy that life is a mystery. And what happens when we die is the greatest mystery, but there’s something beautiful in not knowing. There’s something beautiful in the pursuit of the truth of knowing, while also embracing the fact that you won’t know until it’s too late.” As the young men pointed out in various interviews, almost every horror movie has fear of death as a catalyst and plot point.
The pair told the University of Iowa alumni magazine, “Every scary movie is about the same thing. It’s about our human fear of death and this question of what happens when you die. We wanted to turn that conversation that we’ve been having since we were eleven years old (when the pair began making small films in the Iowa Quad Cities) into a movie.”
Bryan Woods (left) and Scott Beck at SXSW in Austin (TX) on March 10, 2018.
FILM FINANCING
Scott Beck: “I think it’s our responsibility as filmmakers not only to think creatively about the story, but to think creatively about how do we get movies made in this landscape right now, especially coming from the viewpoint that we love movies that aren’t based on anything else and ostensibly are original stories. I think about ‘Heretic’ the same way I think about ‘A Quiet Place.’ When working on the script for these movies we didn’t think either were necessarily a home run, meaning we needed to protect ourselves to just have the means to make each movie. So each movie was written in the spirit of, can we make this for $50,000 in our home state of Iowa? And best case scenario, can we get it made at the studio level with proper resources? ‘Heretic’ was certainly something, because of the content of having a theological debate in the vessel of a thriller, that we felt it may not be a home run, But, if so, a home like A24 could incubate that in a responsible way, both creatively and financially. I think it’s in our interest, also, when creating these movies, to make sure that it feels like there’s a demand to see the movie in a theater. So, while certain people have compared ‘Heretic’ to a stage play, we’re very adamant about the fact that it’s a piece of cinema. (It should be noted that the pair now owns “The Last Picture House” theater in Davenport, Iowa, where “Heretic” premiered on November 8th with one of the film’s stars, Chloe East, in attendance.)
“The Last Picture House” in Davenport, Iowa.
Bryan Woods: “There is a conversation, though, right now, that we’re picking up on in movie culture right now, this feeling of, ‘Oh, if only movies were cheaper then they would be more financially responsible and, therefore, more successful.’ It’s an interesting question to be asking, but, also, we would caution against that a little bit because you do want to preserve this feeling of spectacle, this feeling of going to a theater and seeing something special. Big movies and studios that spend a lot of money on movies, that’s a great thing. I think what’s not a great thing is just how boring it’s all gotten. It’s gotten too easy to make white noise, and so taking risks on a big level, for us, it is a great thing.” Woods added, “With movies, they haven’t quite replicated that experiential feeling of going to a cinema, watching a piece of work with 200 strangers.” (to Matt Grobar, “Deadline”).
HUGH GRANT AND OTHER IMPOSSIBLE GETS
“Heretic” movie poster
Scott Beck: “We feel like one of the movie’s secret weapons is Hugh Grant. Hugh Grant is an actor who has charmed worldwide audiences with his romantic comedies, and yet this movie, we kind of weaponize that good will that he’s formed with an audience. Partly because of that, the movie keeps you guessing. ‘Am I in a dangerous situation or am I just perceiving danger that’s not really there?’” Beck & Woods shared this marketing tactic with the University of Iowa alumni magazine in an interview. Grant, himself, during an appearance on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyer,’ said of this uncharacteristic role, “I spent months building up a huge biography for the character. I don’t know if it helps at all, but it seems to calm me down. It’s better than Lorazepam. He (Mr. Reed) is not exactly charming. What’s so fabulous about this is that it’s so different. What I was aiming for was a kind of groovy professor—a bit of a twat is the word. He’s a prankster who just, for some reason, is not very popular so he over-compensates by being a bit too fun.”
Chloe East (L) & Sophie Thatcher (R) in front of Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant’s) house.
Commenting on his co-stars, Chloe East as Sister Paxton and Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes on “Late Night,” Grant praised their performances, saying, “They are properly good and very three-dimensional and likeable. It could have happened that they came off as zealous Mormon boors.” As Beck & Woods have acknowledged, “Much of this movie is about dialogue and philosophical thoughts and ideas, a man who’s talking, almost mansplaining, but also two women who are trying to basically have a conversation between each other just on their faces. Learning about how much people say when they don’t say anything has always been a good tool to have in our writing toolbox.” The two told me back in 2018 that it was a class in American sign language on campus at the University of Iowa that sparked “A Quiet Place” and, once again, the 2007 graduates of the University of Iowa in communication studies credit a class they took at Iowa on nonverbal communication with helping to inspire their storytelling style. Both of the female leads grew up Mormon.
Both Steven Spielberg and Steven King have weighed in as admiring “Heretic.” Spielberg called up producer Stacey Sher, because Spielberg had cast Chloe in “The Fabelmans” and wanted to see where she had gone in her career. Beck & Woods asked Sher, producer of “Pulp Fiction,” to help them get permission to use all of the cultural touchstones they wanted in the movie, such as the rights disputes between Radiohead, Lana Del Rey and the Hollies. There were also references to games like Monopoly. Said Bryan Woods, “There was no back-up plan! We were terrified. When we wrote that scene, we were elated and so proud of it, but then that feeling was instantly followed by: ‘This will never get off the page. We will never get Monopoly cleared. We will never be able to air Radiohead’s dirty laundry.’ So it became a depressing moment, and that’s when you pick up the phone and you ask Stacey Sher to please help produce this movie with us. We asked her to help us do what felt like the impossible, which was get all of these pop cultural touchstones into the movie, so there was absolutely no back-up, and we were sweating it even up until three weeks ago. There was some last-minute wrangling about rights,” Bryan Woods told Brian Davids of “The Hollywood Reporter.”
OTHER CAST
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed.
Chang-hoon Chung, the man who shot “The Handmaiden” and “Oldboy” did great work cinematically with the interior of the house. Topher Grant (“That 70s Show,” “BlacKkKlansman“) portrays Elder Kennedy. Also a huge help to the film’s success was Phil Messina, production designer and art director. Messina had worked on “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” (2013) and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” (2015) and “Mother” (2017). As Woods told Matt Grobar of “Deadline,” “We’re very visual writers, and I mean that literally. Like, our script for “A Quiet Place” had certain pages that were completely blank, and then just had one word on it to emphasize a certain sound effect, or would have images and diagrams to help sell the concept of a modern-day silent film. With “Heretic” we’re using the Monopoly board images in the script. We’re putting them in, how we see them all lay out. And to that end, the house layout as Scott and I are writing, we’re diagramming and drawing up the bad version of what the house looks like and how it connects. It’s funny. We write in a kind of dream logic, and there’s two of us. There’s two brains, and sometimes we wonder if we’re like right and left brain, and then the two of us equal one brain. It’s funny how, when we write, Scott will diagram something out. He’ll have a door be on the left side and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, interesting. I always saw it on the right side.’ So a big part of our process is drawing and diagramming so that we’re imagining the same movie. Then you bring in someone like Phil Messina and he elevates it and helps us clarify some of the dream logic.” The house is like a Mobius strip and plays an important role in the plot.
THE ENDING
Chloe East in “Heretic”
Chloe East as Sister Paxton in “Heretic.”
Beck: “How do we finalize this ending and communicate an ambiguity, but an intentional ambiguity, so that it can anchor in people’s interpretations of the movie, in terms of their relationship with either being religious or non-religious, and the way they see the world. The butterfly felt like it was a proper symbol for that.” The open-ended interpretation of what happens (or doesn’t happen) reminded me of “Twelve Monkeys,” which was able to be interpreted in more than one way and set off many discussions among fans and critics. The pair told CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg: “Well, the ending, the mark was always to present a larger question that’s a take home for the audience. Our ambition with this film is that it’s a conversational starter. Everybody has their own relationship to belief or disbelief, atheism, to being staunchly religious. And it felt like this movie, if anything, can hold a mirror up to the questions of like, ‘Why do we believe what we believe? How do we come to our own convictions?’ The end of the film presents, I think, that question in a very ambiguous way, but may be very overt. There can be three, four, five different interpretations of how you walk away from that movie. And the hope is that your interpretation of that reflects upon your own contradictions or your own reasonings to why you believe what you believe.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
“We have movies at different scales and passion will win out. And we love writing things that we don’t direct. So I hope it’s not going to be, we’ve got five great projects and only one of them comes to life. The next one we’re directing will probably be whatever scares us the most,” said Bryan Woods to “Deadline.” “We were terrified of making ‘Heretic’ because the whole conceptual framework of ‘Heretic’ is, can you replace the jump scare that we had been bored with and became our usual bag of tricks. Can you replace that with a philosophical idea? Can a line of dialogue about religion be just as scary as the monster that’s hiding under your bed? A movie that’s wall-to-wall talking, that’s still somehow engaging, felt really hard to do. So, I think whatever we do next is going to be something that we look and go, ‘This is insane. Nobody’s going to want to make this movie, especially us. That’ll probably be the one.”
