Sometimes it’s said that real life is stranger than fiction, or that fiction can mirror reality. For the most part I haven’t had a real strong opinion one way or another about either of those ideas. Sure, I guess either could be true on one hand, and then on another, maybe not at all … or maybe a little bit? As a writer/director/filmmaker I just go along through my life creating what is compelling and intriguing to me. And sure, sometimes things that have happened or are happening in my life can subtly intersect with my life as a content creator. (Gad, did I actually say that? I guess since the digital age crushed the analog world, all of us writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, etc. have been thrown into that cold catchall phrase – anyway, I digress …)

Now that I have settled into this long phase of post-production for ‘One Hand Clapping,’ which has involved piecing together all the fragments into a coherent specimen of cinema, I have had some time to reflect on what I am attempting to create here …. until a somewhat unexpected event recently occurred in my life. A piece of intense reality intersecting strongly with a piece of created fiction … the death of a parent.

My Dad in foreground on ‘One Hand Clapping’ set

Last month my father passed away. It wasn’t exactly expected. He had a stroke around Xmas and passed a couple weeks later. He was 86 and in relatively good health before this happened. The good thing was that he went fairly quick, and he lived a long, productive, and eventful life. He was well known by his peers in his line of work and had lots of friends, and quite a few showed up at his service (although many went before him). Good for him.

As I now sit here in my editing suite going over a number of scenes, I begin to realize the truth of the first sentence of this blog entry. Not only that; I am having to contend with both ideas at the same time. Without giving away any real plot points to the film’s story, I can tell you that as I delve into some of the more emotional scenes, there is a newly realized poignancy to the choices I have in crafting how these scenes now play out. Art and craft are now intersecting life and reality as I put certain pieces of the film together.

My Dad and I as a high school freshman

In fact, it seems that going forward both the challenges of finishing the film and the level of expectancy for what the film says have been raised to another level. Certain scenes that need my touch and care now have new meaning to me … and I find the timing of this a bit otherworldly. First, because of one of the overriding themes of the film, and second, because of the nature of several specific scenes that relates to this recent life event.

It is a challenge I must not shy away from but embrace into the forward momentum of this particular film project. In reflection, I wonder now how all this will turn out. Probably not at all how I had originally expected … but then that is the nature of the cinematic art and craft that we work, sweat, and grind in.

Jerry Alden Deal

Writer - Director - Producer

Over the past thirty-five years Jerry has been hired numerous times to develop and write screenplays for other production companies. During that same period several of his spec scripts were also optioned. In 2007 ‘Dreams Awake,’ shot in the Mt. Shasta area, was Jerry’s feature directorial debut. He currently has several other projects in various stages of development. One of which, ‘The Inner Sonic Key,’ a documentary, is in the post-production queue, while another, ‘One Hand Clapping,’ wrapped production in Austin, TX in April of last year (2018) and is currently in post-production. Two other projects are also on the horizon; ‘Patterns of Creation,’ an animated sci-fi adventure going through an extensive script rewrite, and ‘The God Dilemma’, an unorthodox courtroom drama, whose story is being fleshed out.

4 Comments

Matt Williams on February 8, 2019 at 11:51 pm

I was honored to be a part of this
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- Jerry Alden Deal on February 13, 2019 at 8:18 am
  
  Thanks Matt. Glad you enjoyed the experience!
  Reply
Paul Jokisch on February 9, 2019 at 5:55 am

Mr. Deal,

As I conveyed to you following the memorial service for your father, your dad meant the world to me.

Your dad was so very proud of you and he was more than excited about your current project. He mentioned it often when he and I communicated. I look forward to seeing it once released.

Only my very best to you and your family, always, and my continued prayers and sympathy.

Paul Jokisch
Reply
- Jerry Alden Deal on February 13, 2019 at 8:20 am
  
  Thanks Paul. Appreciate your words and the sentiment. It should be an intriguing film.
  Reply

Fact and/or Fiction

Jerry Alden Deal

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