"Art Imitating Life"

As I mentioned in my earlier post "The Heart of Darkness," shortly after I began seeing the pain management psychiatrist and specialist, things started to take a sharp upswing. That upswing was my feature film project, "Art Imitating Life."

If you're familiar with my film company Brickyard Hill Productions' website, you'll likely be familiar with "Art Imitating Life." It's a project I've been working to get made for almost two years. Now, we are slated to start shooting the film beginning July 10, 2006.

The story of "Art Imitating Life" is fictional, but it is inspired by my own experiences with disability and chronic pain. It didn't necessarily start out that way, but as is the case with all the material I've written, the piece took on a life of its own. As much as I am the author of any written material, I eventually become no more than the scribe to the characters and events in any given story. The story and characters tell me where to go with them.

About year into writing the draft of the script, the lead character "Art Hackett" took not an entirely sharp turn but one that resulted in his being as physically and mentally crippled and scarred as I have been and still am. Like myself he appears dangerous, aloof, even compelling to those who once they are drawn into his life find that something dark and torrential rages below the surface of someone who seems strong and independent. I don't say these things to suggest either "Art" nor myself are to be admired. Instead, I believe all the qualities about myself which are best are derived by a simple need to survive. The illusion one must create in order to keep the world from knowing you are forever agonizing can lead to disastrous results.

Such is the case when Art meets "Callie Kalasky" and a strange love affair ensues. All of the romantic drama is set against an ongoing family struggle between Art, his younger brother "Adam" and their older sister "Whitney." As a result, "Art Imitating Life" is not just the story of how Art battles with chronic pain but how those who love and live with Art battle against the invisible enemy.

Once I came to the conclusion to take Art in the direction of my own experience, I discovered through research that never before had any film on this scale been told about the cruel reality of chronic pain let alone that it had been directed by a filmmaker who suffered with the same conditions as the lead character. It had become a groundbreaking project...and not by design.

It took me sometime to come to the conclusion that after hiding my own struggle for more than 30 years I needed to go as public about my experiences as possible. For me that is best served through the entertaining medium of film. However, it is also my goal to talk more specifically about what I have experienced, and not just through fiction. Deciding to "come clean" or "out of the closet" as it were about my life with disability has resulted in find a most remarkable and passionate team of experienced producers who have whole-heartedly embraced the message of "Art Imitating Life." They are dedicated to bringing my vision to the scream and to get me out into the public eye to help others who, like myself, fight the invisible enemy.

The greatest challenge for any truly independent, groundbreaking film, is raising the financing. One the one hand there is the argument that any film must follow the formulas that have come before, modeled on successful films of the past. That's why most indie filmmakers start out with either comedies, horror films or geared toward one kind of demographic specific audience. "Art Imitating Life" is none of these. It has comedy, family drama, elements of a thriller and will cut across demographic lines since chronic pain is not specific to any one disability, age group, ethnicity, economic class...it doesn't care who you are or how much money you have...and anyone can become the victim of chronic pain.

Fortunately, investing in a groundbreaking film offers someone the opportunity to part of a project that is bound to make a splash. The marketing potential of "Art Imitating Life" is limitless. Its message is universal. Its appear will be wide ranging.

We are in talks with top level talent, all of whom have been touched by either chronic pain or disability. We already have one A-level talent attached, and the actor playing Art is an award-winning comic veteran of Second City out of Chicago.

The response has been overwhelming, and I find myself embarrassed at times by the complements on the script and the goal of this project. I only say embarrassed because it's not easy when you have had to hide who and what you are for so long to hear praise for going public. I had been afraid for so many years that if anyone found out how truly screwed up I was physically and psychically by my disability and pain that I'd be accused of hiding or even lying! It's ridiculous, I know, but we don't live in a society that believes anyone who isn't "functional" be definition of the corporate model isn't worth the society's help or assistance. I truly believe "Art Imitating Life" will change this opinion.

Therefore, I would like to put out a public plea, here, in this blog to have anyone who suffers from chronic pain or suffers along side someone with chronic pain to reach out and communicate with me and one another, here, in this forum. I want both the investors in this film, the investors still to be found and the distributor of this film to know just how important it is to give voice to the tens of millions of Americans who, before now, have never had a voice in the mass media.

The producers and I are currently securing financing with investors who are interested in funding this film. Also, we have become discussions with potential distributors. However, we are open to any assistance that may yet be out there to getting this film completed and into any and all regular indie and disability related film festivals. We have brought a publicist on board who is preparing a media blitz on the movie and getting me out there to tell my story. I will make every effort to keep all of you posted, through this blog and on the Brickyard Hill website about any and all appearances and articles as they are released. I will also be posting project updates on the "Art Imitating Life" page of the company website.

Please contact me through my company email: matthew@brickyardhill.org with any suggestions, ideas, feedback, etc., regarding chronic pain or those who believe in supporting a feature film as important as "Art Imitating Life."