On September 30, Wayne State College film instructor, Dr. Mike White, premiered his original film titled “The Painter” at the Majestic Theatre.
Before the premiere, various meet and greets discussions about production were open to the public, showing the process of creating the film.There was also a red-carpet event an hour before the film began, featuring the cast inside of the film.
The film is about a young painter traumatized by the horrors he experienced during World War I. After staying at an estate, he meets a young woman who slowly falls in love with him. Her love is kept secret from her parents, who seek a different man for her to marry. The plot thickens as drama ensues, and various surprises reveal themselves as the story progresses.
“The Painter” took around 2 years to finalize, starting off as a screenplay submission for the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting. After winning various awards for his previous works, White began production on “The Painter.” The film was shot in a variety of locations, including places in Iowa and Nebraska.
The cast had a variety of ages, from current students to older people, giving the movie a large variety of actors, both new and experienced.
“There are only so many opportunities for women above a certain age,” actor Chrissy Hogue Bartels said. “This script was immediately special to me and stood out.”
A question-and-answer session happened after the film was finished. During the question and answer, White said, “I was very inspired by biopics… I got really fixated and really wanted to make this picture.” When asked on how he directed the film, he replied, “I can’t do it alone. I’m a much better filmmaker as a team.”
I went and saw the film’s premiere, and I believe that Micheal White, as well as the actors in the film, did a wonderful job with the film. The story was very compelling and had a lot of interesting moments that added both humor and drama to the story. Even with a low budget, the film does a respectable job working with what they had available to them, offering great landscapes and detailed camerawork.
With a total runtime of one hour and fifty minutes, “The Painter” manages to create a captivating story about the love of two young adults stricken by parents and PTSD. Under the direction of White, the film benefits from its dramatic storytelling and world-building in the age of post-war America.
