A few weeks ago when I was in Las Vegas for the Broadcast Education Association I met a group of students who have been using my book, Filmmaking in Action. They’re planning a movie and doing a Kickstarter campaign, so c’mon, team, let’s help ’em out!
Their film is called Wandering Off, which, as they describe it, deals with family dynamics when faced with a crisis, specifically siblings who are still holding onto decades of tension. Their past continually creeps in while they try to understand not only what has happened to their parents, but who they are now and who they thought they would be. Their parents, on the other hand, are obviously blissful…and nowhere to be found.
What makes this movie so relatable is that it’s about family. We all have one, whether you like them or not. It deals with your parents getting older. Love lost. Ex-boyfriends. New girlfriends. Figuring out how to deal with your siblings after you’ve gone your separate ways. Dealing with loss.
What sets this movie apart is that it deals with a form of dementia called Sundowner’s Syndrome. You’re able to see how it affects not only the people who have it, but the people they interact with. You’ll never look at a sunrise or sunset the same.
Before you wander off, go to their Kickstarter page to learn more and show them some support.
Adam Leipzig is the founder and CEO of MediaU, online career acceleration. MediaU opens the doors of access for content creation, filmmaking and television. Adam, Cultural Daily’s founder and publisher, has worked with more than 10,000 creatives in film, theatre, television, music, dance, poetry, literature, performance, photography, and design. He has been a producer, distributor or supervising executive on more than 30 films that have disrupted expectations, including A Plastic Ocean, March of the Penguins, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Dead Poets Society, Titus and A Plastic Ocean. His movies have won or been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, 11 BAFTA Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 2 Emmys, 2 Directors Guild Awards, 4 Sundance Awards and 4 Independent Spirit Awards. Adam teaches at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Adam began his career in theatre; he was the first professional dramaturg in the United States outside of New York City, and he was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Theatre Center, where he produced more than 300 plays, music, dance, and other events. Adam is CEO of Entertainment Media Partners, a company that navigates creative entrepreneurs through the Hollywood system and beyond, and a keynote speaker. Adam is the former president of National Geographic Films and senior Walt Disney Studios executive. He has also served in senior capacities at CreativeFuture, a non-profit organization that advocates for the creative community. Adam is is the author of ‘Inside Track for Independent Filmmakers ’ and co-author of the all-in-one resource for college students and emerging filmmakers 'Filmmaking in Action: Your Guide to the Skills and Craft' (Macmillan). (Photo by Jordan Ancel)