Blog: Country Gal/City Woman--'The Story of Rhoda and Four Prince Charmings...'

If the "working title" that heads up this Blog smacks just a little bit of a 2011 "Fairy Tale" and a portent (something amazing or marvelous)  of what I feel will become the adventure of my lifetime, then my task of telling our cousin Rhoda's sad story in a winsome way is almost "there"...  

In these 2,000 plus words, as Lucy said to Desi many a time, "I've got some 'splainin' to do," hopefully, you will catch "the big picture" and a bit of the heart behind activities going on in Peoria, Illinois on a daily basis.  (For the new reader who wants the full "back story" the arcadia.patch.com maintains a great Archives Department, and you're welcome to peruse that anytime...just click on my "mug" shot.)

For now, for the uninitiated, let me introduce four fairly-acclaimed young men who live in that other important state in the Midwest, who have added more excitement to my life than they might have thought otherwise. 

I don't know if my new friend, Brandon, has informed his partners yet, but I am, as of this minute and by his own words, a small part of the movie industry!  How about that?  Well, even if it is from a vast distance, it's exciting to know that all my apprentice-type work spent cutting out paper clothes for a heavy stock paper Shirley Temple doll in 1932, or tripping a much younger Jerry Lewis (well, if I had stuck my left leg out in the aisle of the theater where he was making his Hollywood debut with Dean Martin and Lucille Ball I could have) back in 1949 or causing actor/artist Kris Kristofferson (you'll hear more about this in a future Blog) a near heart attack back in 1991, has led to this recent "promotion."  This is huge!  How many other coupon-clipping grandma's do you know who can add "Executive producer" to their Resumes?  Just askin'.

You've read about Rhoda in a previous Blog and you've also read about "Old Moll," her grandmother, who has probably been more maligned than praised because of a lack of understanding amongst her neighbors, back in the late 1700's; you know they are distant Derry cousins with Rhoda being the subject of a film/documentary that is currently in the production phase heading toward the upcoming filming.   Like I said:  this is huge!

And now it's time for you to read the "back story" (an honest-to-goodness replay of the sacrifices, the toil, the fruits and the frustrations, the top-of-the-mountain joy) experienced by these four young film-makers who are making their own mark in the film industry via YouTube, Facebook, independent "shorts" and other venues where their efforts are shared with fellow film enthusiasts...  

In non-alphabetical order meet Brandon Lamprecht, Darrin Ford, Bryan Wolford and Winston Whitten: I shall stop short of calling them "characters" but, instead, "protagonists" of this particular Blog, who have spent the past months filming a five-minute haunting "teaser" for YouTube while gathering up a larger cast and crew to film a longer "The Mysterious Rhoda Derry." (The shorter film "Tragic Love" can be seen on my Facebook page..definitely worthy of a look!  I will be happy to "Friend" you.  The four men can also be seen on Facebook.)

As is the case with even the most successful of movie makers, funding is a key ingredient; and the search continues daily for sponsors and donations, a monumental task even for Hollywood's own Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and (but maybe not) Tyler Perry. (You will get your opportunity to participate during the up-coming commercial break...)

In my "Fairy Tale" script, I call them "Rhoda's Four Prince Charmings."  In reality, the challenge of filming Rhoda's "anything but a fantasy" existence will be a daunting  but not an insurmountable one.  Heroes are made, not born.  Pulled from the lowest shelves of the Carnegie Library in Atlantic, the myriad books of early Fairy Tales from the fanciful minds of the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen taught me that early on!

Perhaps not all that daunting for the young man who chose a camera at the age when, for the ordinary little boy, a  fireman or a policeman's cap was first choice.  That would be Brandon.  His early interests led him, after high school, to Illinois State University where he received a degree in Film and Video Art.   Fellow collegian  Darrin has a degree from Illinois State and one and a half years of graduate school from Columbia School of Art located in Chicago. 

So here we have two well-trained but yet to be employed potential nominees for "The Best Documentary Award," being primed for some future stroll down Hollywood's famous Red Carpet.  The latter part of that sentence is my personal prophecy with, perhaps, a little help from "Old Moll!"  At least, she would approve.

The traveled path to that Red Carpet has had its share of unforeseen "curves,"  "detours," "potholes," and "No U-turns."   With diploma in hand, Brandon headed with fiancee, Alex, to Ft. Myers, Florida, for employment filming automotive training videos for a time, but with the pay scale in upscale Florida less than desirable, Brandon became increasingly aware of his roots, and missing them, to the north in Illinois. 

Darrin, until his job was eliminated in 2001 at "Blast T.V." when it went financially under, was gaining valued experience at the Spanish Television Station.  Again, here we have two accomplished young men and one fiancee coming to that proverbial "fork in the road." ... perhaps time to hit the trail for home, a new path and a new adventure?

As Brandon has said..."Nothing in life comes easy."  He readily acknowledges that his true learning has come from just such patches of stretching.  Because of the decline in employment in the year 2001, Brandon turned to a completely different type of vocation as did Darrin.  Brandon qualified for his CDL and became a ready-mix driver in the concrete industry while Darrin tested the landscape business before  becoming an installer of high-end home theater systems.  These are jobs they still find gainful today: since all my Fairy Tales must have a happy ending, I am most happy to tell you the fellows reconnected in 2006 and started filming again.  Here is how Brandon describes in his own words how that all came about!

"We purchased a small camcorder for about $300 and brought back to life an old Macintosh Computer that Darrin had used back in college to edit our films. Everything was so out-of-date and of very low quality, but thanks to YouTube, even the most amateur film-maker could get people to watch their videos. We did a lot of research on YouTube and found really boring videos about peoples' cats, or just people doing random blogs.  For some reason many of these bland videos were becoming very popular.  We decided to 'up the bar' on YouTube and provide better quality entertainment (at least in editing) to try to break out into the industry.  Darrin and I have a very radical style of humor and tried to push the envelope with our rude, crude and sometimes very vulgar display of humor.  In addition, we recruited my long time best friend, Winston Whitten as sound man, who also had a taste for similar humor.  The intrepid Trio made all kinds of 'shock humor' videos, making fun of everything. 

"The idea was simply this, the more shocking, the better chance we had of 'getting in' with the Industry.  The more shocking they were, the more people wanted to watch.   Probably not the most respectable philosophy, but nonetheless we chose it.  I, personally, have always tried to push the envelope on what is considered the 'norm' due to being a self-proclaimed non-conformist.   Normal never did me any good.  I never liked normal...I simply do not know normal and if I ever met normal, I would probably slap it!  

"Honestly, those were very pure times for us, as crazy as some of our antics were, we really enjoyed making them.  There was no pressure.  We had only to hold ourselves accountable.  The videos cost nearly nothing so we were not out any large expense.   Yet after two years, and still in the same financial status, we knew we needed to do something more.  We had finally matured at ages 33 and 31."

Stuff you should know as you follow these Blogs:  The many YouTube films which became a sensation among that website's followers were produced by Reality's End Films of which Brandon, director, writer and producer, and Darrin, editor, producer and cameraman, are the co-owners.  Bryan serves as first assistant director and co-writer while Winston came on board as the all-important sound man. 

Any promotions or filming activity will be properly acknowledged in future Blogs or Facebook News Feeds...clicking on any of their names on Facebook will keep you up-to-date on my cohorts!  ..and if you feel so inclined to support the Rhoda story, that would be welcomed gratefully, of course...

No "cutesy or what's your point?" Burma Shave roadside signs to inspire or entertain them on their journey to an uncertain destination, the young men, nevertheless, put their hopes and dreams into a film that, in a stunning 17 minutes of pure intensity, later captured great attention on YouTube, that story called simply "Bookbinder." 

Production began in October, 2008, this black and white film that Brandon says was dictated by his own personal favorite, the original Twilight Zone.   

While filming "Bookbinder" the young film-makers learned of the tragic circumstances surrounding the once-beautiful young girl who became the insane and incurable Rhoda Derry.  Brandon and crew knew they had found "blockbuster" material worthy of putting on film the story of this woman who, at one time, was the "most famous woman in the world in the field of mental illness," because of the inhuman treatment accorded her at that time.  And they would do it!

 A. Manuel Bookbinder was a patient at the same Peoria State Hospital as Rhoda in her later years, and was given the responsibility of digging graves of patients who passed away.  Unknown is the legal name of the man who became known as simply "Bookbinder."  What is known is his dedication to the funerals of all those who spent their last days in the Peoria State Hospital, and that would include our very own Rhoda.  In movie-talk, now the sequel "Bookbinder" is a film that should be seen prior to the prequel about Rhoda.

The agony that was Bookbinder's alone as he suffered his own form of mental illness was overwhelmingly palpable to those of us who watched in silence and in awe as the film played out for those 17 minutes.  Yes, great acting, but great purpose in that acting...

Count it all a "great learning experience" this making of "Bookbinder."  Brandon says there were tons of obstacles to overcome before filming:  better equipment, actors, costumes, sets, lights, all in all it was like starting over again in order to get this 1906-1911 period film "in the can."   A starting date of January 19, 2009 (not that long ago!) found our fellows in the office of Brandon's mother-in-law shooting takes of John Johnson (Winston's brother) a local actor from the "Barn II" dinner theater playing the part of Dr. George Zeller, and of whom Brandon says: "John stepped onto the set looking so much like Zeller, it was quite scary.  He seemed to embody the character right away.  Everything just seemed to fall right in place." 

During this current production and filming period, Rhoda's "bittersweet" story will, hopefully, prove to be another great learning experience for Brandon, Darrin, Bryan and Winston, the cast and the crew of "The Mysterious Rhoda Derry" and for those of us who have only lately learned of her troubled existence on this earth. 

It will definitely be a Tribute to an extraordinary woman by these four young movie-makers who have found in our cousin, Rhoda, "a woman to love,"  a re-birth of spirit and a dedication to tell her story to the world...hopefully, a medical game-changer in combating the sometimes terrifying phases of mental illness.  In this initial stage, Rhoda's story has already been given endorsement by several prominent mental health doctors in the Peoria and Chicago areas. 

Rhoda and her Grandma, "Old Moll"...you can bet your bottom dollar...will be "there in spirit" when Brandon, the Director, hollers "Cut and Print!" and the film is safely "in the canl" and all head for the Arby's table.   

And, as for you, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen...move over!  This Blogging "Fairy Tale" has four Prince Charmings! 

The End