Oklahoma teacher directing faith based film she wrote about her dad’s life who is a Vietnam vet – FOX23 News

RIPLEY, Okla. — Oklahoma teacher Robin Maxwell often teaches college students in a classroom in Noble, Okla. Maxwell is at the moment on Winter break and finds herself on a film set throughout her college break directing a film she wrote.

Today, the crew was scheduled to shoot exterior scenes. However, the winter climate compelled the crew to make modifications to how the scenes could be shot in the present day. Maxwell didn’t wish to postpone filming, as she didn’t wish to get behind on the mission. She instantly shifted gears and the scenes had been then arrange inside.

Only a few years in the past, Robin Maxwell was in film college brainstorming concepts at school on an upcoming Film Festival.

“One of my directors said, ‘I’d really like to see a film that that paints a good picture of a father because there’s so many out there that are about really bad dads or abusive fathers or, you know, guys that really messed up. I’d really like to see one about a father who did something right from the beginning to the end or, you know, kind of a good father story.’ And I piped in, I said, well, my dad’s like that. He was really a great father,” mentioned Maxwell. “Our writing teacher looked at me and he said, well, that’s my assignment for you, Robin. Write a movie about your father. And he was mostly joking, you know, because we’re just brainstorming. But I really kind of took it to heart.”

Maxwell’s father, Wayne Elliot is now 77 and is a Vietnam veteran. According to Maxwell, her dad has lived his life with such character. She mentioned it was in the best way he raised her and her siblings and that she at all times felt liked unconditionally.

“Not everyone lives that kind of life with it, with that deep sense of character. That’s extraordinary,” mentioned Maxwell.

Maxwell wrote most of her script in 2020 when courses had been digital through the pandemic. It’s a faith based film known as UNSUNG HERO.

“It follows my dad’s life. From childhood up through current day,” mentioned Maxwell.

Unsung Hero has been taking pictures since final yr on location in Ripley, Okla., the place her mother and father reside. Maxwell’s mother and father seem within the film as themselves from the ages of 57-77, and so they have even opened up their very own house as a film set. The scenes that happen in Vietnam had been really shot on location within the woods behind Maxwell’s mother and dad’s home.

A complete of about 100 actors and crew have been a a part of the manufacturing.

“They’ve just been really great to work with and very talented,” mentioned Maxwell. “We filmed nine scenes last summer. We have only about three film days left, so almost all of it has been filmed.”

Many of Maxwell’s crew members she met at a Texas film pageant. Maxwell’s sound designer is from Pennsylvania.

“And he has such a vision. I’ve never seen met someone so passionate about sound, but he’s part of his passion is he feels like many faith-based films are lacking in the sound department and it makes it sound like a very low-budget movie,” mentioned Maxwell. “So he’s been with us from the beginning trying to help us get the best equipment available.”

The sound designer even flew into Oklahoma to assist prepare the sound crew on easy methods to use state-of-the-art sound tools.

Maxwell says she has a nice editor from Wisconsin who she describes as very artsy.

“Our composer is just an incredible, incredible person, very very gifted with movie composing and again we’re just we’re lucky to have them,” mentioned Maxwell. “We have all these professionals that most low-budget films don’t have the privilege to have and yes I’m very excited to see what’s going to come about with this.”

Even on a teacher’s wage, this manufacturing has been a labor of affection for Maxwell. She is producing her personal function film and has been capable of fund the mission with every little thing from bake gross sales to expertise exhibits to chili contests throughout Oklahoma to beneficiant donations by the group.

Maxwell hopes that UNSUNG HERO will premiere on June 18, 2023, which is the proper date as will probably be Father’s Day.

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