My background includes many years of being a professional musician, a writer, an entrepreneur, and recently a filmmaker. My travels have taken me around the world and I have been fortunate to have experienced the treasures of many countries and cultures, and many times bringing my family and friends with me.
I have always loved movies and have gone to the theatre at least once or twice a week, sometimes more, for many decades, and still do.
My original vision for my short film The Return was inspired by the musical group from Europe called Secret Garden. In the year 2000, I was traveling globally and while in Australia and New Zealand I got their CD called “Songs From A Secret Garden.” I must have listened to their album over one hundred times, literally. It stirred up so many images and feelings in me, specifically the song “Pastorale” and each time I heard it I saw the same, complete movie in my head. I have never had a piece of music affect me like this. I eventually realized that I had to produce the film for which “Pastorale” is the primary soundtrack.
This is mostly a silent, colour film, with ambient sounds and a few lines of dialogue while “Pastorale” plays throughout the middle section of the film, from the battle scenes up to the scene of the boat landing onshore; see timing 01:13 to 04:51. My son, Alex, wrote the opening music. Alex, David C. Clarke, and I contributed to the incidental music. “Legacy,” my original song, comes in near the end and plays as the credits roll.
“After you have been to hell, you just want to go home.”
The Return is a historical drama set back 1000 years ago with an ancient band of young warriors arrogantly (and naively) setting off to war, expecting a victorious return home after a few weeks. To convey a universal theme, we have a team from diverse ethnic groups – indigenous, white, black, and Asian – men and women – struggling to survive together against all odds. After experiencing years of the horrors of war, the few remaining warriors sail back home, and we experience their very emotional reunion with loved ones and a big surprise. My intention was to create a powerful and emotional film about the insanity of war and the power of love to keep us going through the darkness.
