Struggle and Hope
Writer/directer/producer Jared Douglas on his motivation for The Sound of The Wind
September 28, 2020
By Jared Douglas
While THE SOUND OF THE WIND is, at times, an epic story about a man on the run for his life; it is also an incredibly personal film about the struggles with and around mental illness. This was the starting point from which I began to craft the story of Lucio. Mental illness has always been a personal subject matter for me, and was a crucial part of the story I wanted to tell. Growing up I witnessed mental illness first hand in my own family, as well as the toll it takes on those touched by it. These experiences made me see the stigma surrounding mental illness in a different light, specifically, the fact that at times the stigma did more harm to the people suffering than the illness itself. With this film I wanted to bring the audience into the center of that experience, allowing them to witness first-hand the perspective of someone suffering. In this case, from Delusional Disorder, as Lucio does.
I wanted to bring the audience into the center of that experience, allowing them to see first-hand the perspective of someone suffering
It was important to me, however, that the film transcend this niche topic and connect with viewers on a universal level. One of the biggest challenges from the start of this process was answering the question, what does every human have in common with someone who is suffering from mental illness? Through this exploration, I began to see the biggest challenge for someone suffering was the fact that they did not have control over their own mind. For Lucio, this is his greatest fear, and a problem he is unwilling to look directly in the eye. For some of us, we may have an unaddressed fear similar to Lucio’s: fear of the lack of control of something larger. But for all of us, it is our own personal fight. It is in Lucio’s journey that we find a bravery and strength that can be an inspiration.
Our aim was to hold up a mirror to the audience’s own reality, and in turn present them with a film that has a meaningful and beneficial impact on their own lives.
This story blends elements of horror, thriller, action, and drama to present a story of struggle and hope. At the end, Lucio is reborn. And while his journey is far from over, we know he has just overcome his greatest obstacle in life. Whether it be through the extreme wide shots capturing Lucio as a small object in the large landscape of life, or the extreme closeups of Lucio as he fights with Vanessa, and in turn with himself, it was important for us to always present Lucio’s reality in a way that would visually represent where he was emotionally in place and time. Through the performance, cinematography, art, sound and editing we wanted to connect with the audience in a visceral way. In doing so, our aim was to hold up a mirror to the audience’s own reality, and in turn present them with a film that has a meaningful and beneficial impact on their own lives.
