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ANDY MOTZ
REBECKAH BELL
ALYSSA THOMAS
TIM RICHARDSON
MICHAEL ASMUS
JULIA ROTHENBUHLER
DON CORRIERI
MATTHEW HAGGERTY
MELISSA HASHIMOTO
RACHEL ROBINSON
welcome to
about
struggling, married couple into a current time period, in the midst of an Evangelical
culture.
Since my initial desire to tell my Grandparents story, to redeem it in a way,
three years ago I have changed a lot as an artist, as a Christian, and as a person.
Motz has witnessed a Queer Underground rising on Biolas campus as well as other
conservative campus around the country. While these groups call attention to
marginalized individuals in the Christian culture, there is also resistance. I decided
I wanted to make this movie, not to shove a message down anyones throat, but to
humanize people who are often dehumanized. When the pain of others is told,
accepted, and experienced it is harder to write it off as an unimportant.
I began and ended WHITER SHADE OF PALE with the intention of creating
a visceral film experience, redeeming the tragedy of my Grandparents, and giving
the demonized or marginalized a face. A WHITER SHADE OF PALE is a finely
tuned combination of personification and representation of passion and creativity
that Motz holds for his grandparents and other stories that relate closely to it.
the residents of
screen make it hard to believe that the process of getting there was not as fluid as
they make it look. When it came to casting the film, Motz claims it was difficult to
say the least. Motz and casting director Rachel Robinson did three full days of
auditions, and there was no one the first two days. No one. And then there was
Roger Stewart. He had the look of John. Not too young, but not too old. When he
read, what stood out to me was the pain he was able to communicate through his
facial expression and how well he took direction. Debby Gerber demonstrated the
same emotional capability.
However they did not become John and Ann for me until they were in
callbacks together. Stewart and Gerber read the first and last scenes, and in
those intense and touching moments I knew these were the actors for the roles.
Their chemistry was heartbreaking.
I fell in love with my character, Ann, claims Debby Gerber. Ann is
introverted character, but something happens within her that will not be hushed as
she faces the truth that her husband is homosexual and has infected her with HIV.
When Gerber read the sides for her first audition for A WHITER SHADE OF PLALE,
she felt for Ann. What was Anns story? Where did she come from? Who is she?
What is her relationship to John? How did she refrain from walking out on her
marriage? Why did she ignore the truth rather than accept or support the
situation? Gerber was full of questions as she entered the audition process for
WHITER SHADE, and her passion and curiosity for her role only increased when
she didnt have the whole script when the process first began. Anns strength and
unwillingness to give up aided in the scripts compelling and meaningful story,
attracting Gerber to the challenge of tackling this role.
Roger and Debbie are incredibly talented actors who challenged and
helped me grow as a director. Their commitment to roles that demanded a lot both
physically and emotionally is honorable. Every scene of this film is filled with
The role of Chris, or Johns lover, was proving more difficult to find. Most of
the men were not comfortable with the physical nature of the part required. Motz
and Robinson were turned down by nearly everyone they contacted. When I was
at the end of my rope, when I thought of Bradley. Motz and Bradley Estrin
volunteered together at the AIDS Health Care Foundation where Bradley was
providing free HIV testing. Conveniently, Bradley was also an actor. And then
suddenly, Motz realized that he looked the part too. I realized he was going to
bring this minor, but important part to life in a way that none of the other actors
would have been able to.
Chris is lonely, but caring. Hes desperate and broken and manipulative,
stated Estrin. Chris experience, trials, successes, and failures are all displayed in
his relationship with John. Chris lures with cunning experience, while Johns naivety
reflects the person Chris once was. Estrins immediate draw to play Chris was
merely because of his faith in Andy. And beyond their friendship, Estrin also
recognizes the piece of work as heartbreaking. To play a character who is just as
lost and scared in his own was, as the character he tries to seduce, let alone do it
without any dialogue, well it was appealing to me. While the role was wrought with
difficulty from the casting call, Estrins determination, investment in his character,
and creativity through backstory generated a role that is larger than the camera
may even lead on. This character, although unknowingly, is the catalyst for altering
the lives of both John and Anns lives permanently - thats heavy stuff.
Motzs vision and intentionality to deliver Chris without any dialogue in turn
depended heavily on a mere look, a subtle touch, how close to sit from someone,
how long to hold eye contact. This physical language
Roger, Debbie, and Bradley all helped develop the essence of A WHITER
SHADE OF PLALE. Scenes would begin to come along that hadnt previously
worked, lines would fall flat, and the blocking would seem too melodramatic. Yet
together we molded and changed the scenes during production to achieve a look
of authenticity, explains Motz. The actors, the characters, the story, and the
authenticity is what made A WHITER SHADE OF PLALE a more honest film.
discovering
fears or hesitancy in order to tell an honest story. Both are terrifying for writers,
says Motz. However in order to tell such a personal, potentially over-dramatic, and
intense story, both are also very mandatory. I then learned if there is anything more
terrifying than writing about something I am passionate about, it is actually going
into production. Motz acknowledged that in production, the variables were
endless, and from there, they could go endlessly wrong.
However, all the fear and stress were totally worth the collaborative effort
with my loving friends, crew, and cast. These are the true variables that allow
WHITER SHADE to transcend the confinements of script and intricately produce a
film that connects to an audience.
Working with Andy Motz and Nathan Ingalls was an amazing experience,
says Roger Stewart (John). The raw investment and collaboration of these two
filmmakers and storytellers allowed the cast and crew to feel both comfortable and
brave throughout production. When Stewart and Gerber described Motz as a
director, they both focussed on his passion. The clarity in which Motz and Ingalls
both aimed to achieve throughout this film was driven by their passion and vision.
While Motz is so passionate about A WHITER SHADE OF PLALEs story, he
also concludes, I am proud of the film. Is it good? I dont know yet. With the real
life experiences and emotional connection to the film has made Motz realize that he
hasnt had had that appropriate distance from it to be able to take an objective
look at the finished product. Regardless of his passion for WHITER SHADE, the
film has still evoked strong reactions, both good and bad, from viewers. The mere
spark of discussion has been an artists dream, claims Motz.
Stewart observed that the two filmmakers guidance, leadership, and
technical ability was both mature and sophisticated beyond their years. The MotzIngalls team was mirrored in the cast as Stewart and Gerber played roles that
largely depended on how comfortable they needed to be with each other. The
amount of trust that went into the intensity of their individual characters only
strengthened the connection on screen. Motz stresses that it is Trust, love, truth,
and humility that make the creation of a film something beautiful.
might be chaotic, with the the camera rushing this way and that, a wild dance of
sorts. Ingalls approach reinforced his desire to emphasize the importance of the
cameras interaction with the characters as a focal element. We really worked hard
at allowing this relationship to feel natural based on the emotion states of the
characters, at least to the best of our abilities. They let the camera merely
reenforce that relationship. When they laughed, I attempted to make the camera
laugh with them. That was the connection that needed to happen between lens
and character, and became Ingalls mantra throughout the course of WHITER
SHADE.
In Amos Volgers book, Film as Subversive Art, he describes cinema as
moving away from horizontal storytelling and toward a vertical line where both
visuals and emotions drive the story. Terrence Malick, Andrea Arnold, and Ingmar
Bergman constantly strive toward this goal. So did we, resulting in the numerous
montage sequences throughout the film, says Motz. Both Motz and Ingalls are
huge Harmony Korine, Lars Von Trier, and Ingmar Bergman fans, adding a great
deal of influence in some aspects of the film as well.
When it came to resources, WHITER SHADE had enough money to do what
they needed, laughs Ingalls, and it still required compromises along the way. Both
Motz and Ingalls reinforce that shooting the film was no easy process. The film
was shot over the course of roughly five and a half days. Finding crew members
that were comfortable with the subject matter and content was a very prominent
struggle throughout the film. Biola attempted to shut production down while Motz
was shooting in a gay bar. The morning before the second weekend shoot, we lost
an actor and two locations only to regain them late that night. And somehow, the
fair share of setbacks that WHITER SHADE ushered only made the success on set
that much more appreciated. Motz celebrates that during the making of these
painful, intense, despairing, beautiful, and complex moments I witnessed love,
commitment, and artistic talent in all the cast and crew. Everyone, from actors to
set design to grips, put their all into it and it is for that reason the film finished.
Ingalls recognized they really lucked out in regards to locations and
equipment. Light. Light was a huge component of the film that generated the tone
of each location, each scene, and each character. And the team was able to make
that component possible and use their resources to achieve the look they desired.
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But making this vision come even more to life was made possible by Julia
Rothenbuhler, set designer. I am such a visual person, so whenever I read a story,
I see it in plain color. When I read A WHITER SHADE OF PALE, the colors popped
out. Rothenbuhler recognized how vulnerable and raw WHITER SHADE needed to
be, so she drew upon her specialty: colors, cool colors. Not only does Ingalls use
of light enhance the essence of the film, but it also works with Rothenbuhlers use of
pale greens and blues and whites, making the film appear revealing, just as Motz
has envisioned.
Rothenbuhlers color methods created a unique way of character association
as well. Ann was a dirty pink, while John was various shades of blue. These
provided a visual way of telling their stories. The sets further enhanced WHITER
SHADEs tone as they were laced with subtle props and forms of symbolism. For
example, I used a few floating candles or flowers in a bowl of water to symbolize
how Ann and Johns world was like a fish bow. Everyone could see into their world,
but they couldnt see out.
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the sound of
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about the
CAST
ROGER STEWART | John
Roger Stewart received his MFA in acting from Harvard Universitys ART/MXAT
joint program and has a bachelor of arts degree in theater from the University of
California, San Diego. He can be seen in the upcoming movie The Perfect
Wedding, with James Rebhorn and Kristine Sutherland. Stewart also has
experience featured in commercials for Bavaria Beer, with Charlie Sheen, and
Spinmasters Board Game: Battle of the Sexes. Stewarts recent theatre credits
include American Repertory Theatre: David Mamets Romance, Endgame, The
Seagull; New York: The Water Dream; Moscow Art Theater: Charm; and Art
Institute: Largo Desolato.
DEBBY GERBER | Ann
Deborah Figlio goes by her acting name: Debby Gerber. Originally from
Switzerland, Gerber came to Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue her love of film.
Planning to return to Switzerland after seven months, Gerber enrolled in a two
month course at Stella Adler Academy of Acting. Instead of sticking to her original
plan, Gerber continued learning at the Academy and graduated in 2011. She
equates a large amount of her experience to her lead role in Angels in America, by
Tony Kushner. Gerber played a complex, moody character that she claims to have
shaped her into the actress she is today.
Gerber has been successful as a lead and supporting actress in both short and
feature films. She has worked with producer Jack Black in a webisode called Ghost
Ghirls which will air on SYFY. Gerber was also featured in the blockbusters J. Edgar
with Leonardo DiCaprio, and Gangster Squad with Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn.
She has most recently worked as a spokesperson and testimonial for Proactiv, as
well as appeared on the sets of Glee, the Glee Project, Teen Wolf, and Dog With a
Blog. Gerber is now a member of the acting union SAG - AFTRA and continues to
find success in her acting career through films like A WHITER SHADE OF PALE.
BRADLEY ESTRIN | Chris
Bradley Estrin was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. Estrin knew he wanted
to be a professional actor at a very young age and began training with Judy Berlins
Kids on Camera in high school. He began performing in local theatre productions
through college. Bradley graduated from San Francisco State University with a
B.A. in Film/TV Production; and a minor in Theatre. Soon after relocating to Los
Angeles to start his acting career, Bradley took a slight detour into the music world
when he auditioned for Season 1 of American Idol; making it into the Top 30 semi-
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about the
FILMMAKERS
ANDY MOTZ | Writer & Director
Andy Motz grew up in the small of town of Atwater, CA. Since watching Vertigo in
the second grade, he has found a passion and love for film as more than that of
mere entertainment value. His love for film and its power has grown as Andy has
explored such artists as David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock, Lars Von Trier, and Ingmar
Bergman.He currently resides in Los Angeles County and is a senior at Biola
University. During his college career Andy has made three short films, culminating
with A WHITER SHADE OF PALE. While film is his major and focus, he has also
grown more passionate about issues of gender both in the church and in society
over the past four years. In the future he hopes to incorporate this newfound
passion with his love of film as he begins his first semester in Chapmans Film
Studies Graduate Program in the fall of 2013.
REBEKAH BELL | Producer
Rebekah graduated in 2012 from Biola University with a degree in cinema and
Media Arts. In the Camera Department at Biola, she worked on Dreams and Kids
on the Run. Bell has interned with Warner Brothers and NBCUniversal. This gave
her the opportunity to produce her senior thesis film, The Flight of Man, that shot on
a back lot at Universal Studios. Bell has also gained a lot of experience through her
work with a filmmaker in the Middle East. This provided an in depth opportunity for
Bell to work hands on with hiring the crew, working with insurance, overseeing
logistics, and scheduling meetings. She credits her time with him to have really
prepared her for what she wants to pursue now. After finishing A WHITER SHADE
OF PALE Bell has begun working with a country music video company and hopes
to ultimately produce music videos in the future.
ALYSSA THOMAS | Producer
Alyssa Thomas attended Biola University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Media Arts with an emphasis in Production. Prior to WHITER SHADE, Thomas
gained her producing experience through a several Biola productions. She was the
Unit Production Manager on Cardboard Dreams, The Unraveling, and Mansfield
Memoirs. Thomas has gained experience as a producer while working on The 5
and Kids on the Run. Kids on the Run was screened at Birmingham Film Festival
and Flatland Film Festival and received Best Drama for the Biola Cinema Media
Arts Festival. Her experience on WHITER SHADE has given her a chance to
oversee the film from development, pre-production, production, and post. She
states that its been a long journey in the making and is very thankful to be a part of
Andys vision. Thomas is currently pursuing a career in production and is interning
at CollegeHumor Media.
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CAST
John
ROGER STEWART
Ann
DEBBY GERBER
Chris
BRADLEY ESTRIN
Lydia
STEPHANIE GILBERT
Hank
PETER MOGLYNN
Tim
JOSH STARNELL
Young Teen
AARON SMITH
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FILMMAKERS
Writer & Director
ANDY MOTZ
Producers
REBEKAH BELL
ALYSSA THOMAS
Co - Producer
TIM RICHARDSON
Director of Photography
NATE INGALLS
Editor
MICHAEL ASMUS
Production Designer
JULIA ROTHENBULER
Costume Designer
MELISSA HASHIMOTO
Casting by
RACHEL ROBINSON
Art Director
ADDI ESSON
Set Decorators
JAIMIE JOHNSON
RACHEL ADAMS
Set Dresser
CAMERON BOYCE
Script Supervisor
CAMERON WEST
RACHEL ADAMS
Key Grip
AARON KIM
Gaffer
JACOB WATTS
Sound Designer
ADAM CZECHOWSKI
Sound Mixer
DON CORRIERI
JON BRUNSON
Composer
MATTHEW HAGGERTY
Production Manager
MITCHELL CALLISCH
Production Assistant
OLIVIA HERNANDEZ
First AD
RACHEL HARRIS
Second AD
MELISSA MCALISTER
First AC
CAMON DAVISON
Second AC
GISELLE GONZALES
DIT
ANNALESE FRANKLIN
BB Electric
Andy MCINTOSH
Electric
MAX PARADA