'THE DARK PLACES' FILM WILL SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON TOPIC OF DEPRESSION
The official “The Dark Places” promotional image. Insets: At left, Producer/Writer LeAnn Morris, top, Producer/Director/Actor Tommy G. Kendrick. At right, actress Bethany Becker.
▶ BY KEVIN SCOTT COLLIER
Sometimes to see the light we must delve into darkness. Such is the upcoming short film The Dark Places, which engages production from October 25-27, 2019, at the Coyote Creek Cabin, near Tyler, Texas. The bold endeavor addresses an issue that rarely creeps into a Sunday sermon: the devastating effect of depression and how it can manifest into self-harm.
The Dark Places is produced by Tommy G. Kendrick’s Orange Buffalo Productions and LeAnn Morris’ Six Mile Productions. Morris is the project screenwriter, with Kendrick as director, and James Burgess as director of photography. David Michael Hyde is on-board as the project’s composer, with Travis Driver juggling the tasks of make-up, set design and wardrobe.
The Dark Places focuses on a young woman named Sarah, whose depression has resulted in self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Writer Morris explained that the light of faith pushes back darkness and believes the project will help the afflicted draw an end to suffering.
“For those struggling in the storm of depression and self-harming, it’s a message of hope, that their story doesn’t have to end, or continue where they are,” Morris told CM. “The reality of self-harming is that it is becoming an epidemic in our society. The message is to open our eyes, and see the souls that are hurting, and truly care [for them].”
Morris explained that all of us have scars, some visible, while others remain hidden, however “Christ knows them all intimately.”
Actress and pop/country singer/songwriter Bethany Becker, cast in the principal role of Sarah, said that when Tommy Kendrick explained his vision for the project to her, she was “almost brought to tears.”
“When I first looked at The Dark Places audition sides [part of a script provided an actor for use in an audition], I was already intrigued,” Becker told CM. “Self-harm, specifically cutting, is not something that I have struggled with personally, but something I had watched friends and family around me struggle with. It was also something that I had never heard discussed in church.”
Sarah’s father in the film (played by filmmaker Kendrick) reaches out, providing a pathway to hope, but she’s deteriorated to the degree where she doesn’t even recognize him anymore.
“Is he a figment of her imagination…. Is he her parent…. A father figure?” Director Tommy G. Kendrick told CM. “Sarah isn't sure, but she speaks of the man as someone she would like to know better: ‘He’s kind of relentless’ Sarah says. ‘In my mind he never stops chasing after me. And I don’t mean in a bad kinda’ way. But when I’m in a dark place, he’s there to bring me out.’ So...is he of flesh and blood, the father she has never known? Or is he much more?”
Kendrick amusingly stopped at this point, as “revealing more of the story will give away too much.”
“It’s a message to be relentless in our love for others, just as our heavenly Father relentlessly loves us and doesn’t give up on us, no matter how messed up we are,” Morris said.
It is the second time Kendrick and Morris have worked together. The pair can be considered a Holy odd-couple of sorts, Kendrick performing out front, and Morris, who prefers operating “behind the scenes.”
“We are different in many ways,” Morris said. “He’s an extrovert actor and I’m an introvert writer. At least that’s how I see us. Our differences have helped us move this project forward, without getting in each other’s way, at least not too much, lol. Tommy is an amazing character actor, and will bring years of experience and ability to his dual roles as the Man and Dr. Harris.”
The approximate length of the film will be around 12 minutes or more. According to Morris, the film will initially target churches for exhibition.
“I think we can’t possibly help those outside the church if we don’t have eyes to see the hurting people we share a pew with,” Morris said.
Actress Bethany Becker agreed, and said the film will be important because it will provide an opportunity to engage in a dialogue concerning self-harm, and mental health, in general.
“I think that the church and the Christian community have come a long way in how we talk about, and respond to, mental health, but I think we still have a long way to go,” Becker said. “I really believe that The Dark Places will change and save lives.”
Kendrick said that in polling people at his own church, he discovered there was some vague recognition of the term “self-harm,” but limited understanding of what it means and how it impacts peoples’ lives.
“In my experience, depression and self-harm are not typical sermon topics. But most pastors don’t hold themselves out as therapists, or otherwise qualified to address serious mental health issues,” Kendrick said. “I have to admit, until I began working on this project, I was terribly uninformed about self-harming. However, I have had strong support on this project from my pastor, Nathan Loudin, of Milwood Baptist, in Austin, and from the congregation, who have been some of our largest donors to our crowd-funding campaign. They understand the need for this film project.”
The Dark Places 30-day crowdfunding campaign launched on August 29th and runs to September 28th on Seed and Spark. Visit The Dark Places on Facebook and on Instagram to become involved and support this ground-breaking Christian project.
Sometimes to see the light we must delve into darkness. Such is the upcoming short film The Dark Places, which engages production from October 25-27, 2019, at the Coyote Creek Cabin, near Tyler, Texas. The bold endeavor addresses an issue that rarely creeps into a Sunday sermon: the devastating effect of depression and how it can manifest into self-harm.
The Dark Places is produced by Tommy G. Kendrick’s Orange Buffalo Productions and LeAnn Morris’ Six Mile Productions. Morris is the project screenwriter, with Kendrick as director, and James Burgess as director of photography. David Michael Hyde is on-board as the project’s composer, with Travis Driver juggling the tasks of make-up, set design and wardrobe.
The Dark Places focuses on a young woman named Sarah, whose depression has resulted in self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Writer Morris explained that the light of faith pushes back darkness and believes the project will help the afflicted draw an end to suffering.
“For those struggling in the storm of depression and self-harming, it’s a message of hope, that their story doesn’t have to end, or continue where they are,” Morris told CM. “The reality of self-harming is that it is becoming an epidemic in our society. The message is to open our eyes, and see the souls that are hurting, and truly care [for them].”
Morris explained that all of us have scars, some visible, while others remain hidden, however “Christ knows them all intimately.”
Actress and pop/country singer/songwriter Bethany Becker, cast in the principal role of Sarah, said that when Tommy Kendrick explained his vision for the project to her, she was “almost brought to tears.”
“When I first looked at The Dark Places audition sides [part of a script provided an actor for use in an audition], I was already intrigued,” Becker told CM. “Self-harm, specifically cutting, is not something that I have struggled with personally, but something I had watched friends and family around me struggle with. It was also something that I had never heard discussed in church.”
Sarah’s father in the film (played by filmmaker Kendrick) reaches out, providing a pathway to hope, but she’s deteriorated to the degree where she doesn’t even recognize him anymore.
“Is he a figment of her imagination…. Is he her parent…. A father figure?” Director Tommy G. Kendrick told CM. “Sarah isn't sure, but she speaks of the man as someone she would like to know better: ‘He’s kind of relentless’ Sarah says. ‘In my mind he never stops chasing after me. And I don’t mean in a bad kinda’ way. But when I’m in a dark place, he’s there to bring me out.’ So...is he of flesh and blood, the father she has never known? Or is he much more?”
Kendrick amusingly stopped at this point, as “revealing more of the story will give away too much.”
“It’s a message to be relentless in our love for others, just as our heavenly Father relentlessly loves us and doesn’t give up on us, no matter how messed up we are,” Morris said.
It is the second time Kendrick and Morris have worked together. The pair can be considered a Holy odd-couple of sorts, Kendrick performing out front, and Morris, who prefers operating “behind the scenes.”
“We are different in many ways,” Morris said. “He’s an extrovert actor and I’m an introvert writer. At least that’s how I see us. Our differences have helped us move this project forward, without getting in each other’s way, at least not too much, lol. Tommy is an amazing character actor, and will bring years of experience and ability to his dual roles as the Man and Dr. Harris.”
The approximate length of the film will be around 12 minutes or more. According to Morris, the film will initially target churches for exhibition.
“I think we can’t possibly help those outside the church if we don’t have eyes to see the hurting people we share a pew with,” Morris said.
Actress Bethany Becker agreed, and said the film will be important because it will provide an opportunity to engage in a dialogue concerning self-harm, and mental health, in general.
“I think that the church and the Christian community have come a long way in how we talk about, and respond to, mental health, but I think we still have a long way to go,” Becker said. “I really believe that The Dark Places will change and save lives.”
Kendrick said that in polling people at his own church, he discovered there was some vague recognition of the term “self-harm,” but limited understanding of what it means and how it impacts peoples’ lives.
“In my experience, depression and self-harm are not typical sermon topics. But most pastors don’t hold themselves out as therapists, or otherwise qualified to address serious mental health issues,” Kendrick said. “I have to admit, until I began working on this project, I was terribly uninformed about self-harming. However, I have had strong support on this project from my pastor, Nathan Loudin, of Milwood Baptist, in Austin, and from the congregation, who have been some of our largest donors to our crowd-funding campaign. They understand the need for this film project.”
The Dark Places 30-day crowdfunding campaign launched on August 29th and runs to September 28th on Seed and Spark. Visit The Dark Places on Facebook and on Instagram to become involved and support this ground-breaking Christian project.
