Draft:Sleeping and Waking

Sleeping and Waking is a 2010 American feature length science fiction romantic drama film that deals with the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of a bizarre experimental surgery. The movie focuses on Sullivan Daniels (played by Jeff Allin), who is a religious artist and professor. As the film opens, Daniels is four years beyond his full body transplant that has saved him from terminal cancer, but his wife (played by Hope Lambert) cannot bear to touch him and his mother (played by Helen Hedman) thinks he should have accepted God's will by refusing the operation which would have led to certain death. His best friend (played by Ray Ficca) tries to help Daniels cope, but only his relationship with a beautiful student (Elizabeth Jernigan) allows him to come to terms with his life-saving decision.

Originally written for the stage by Chris Stezin, the screenplay asks "If you had a second chance at life, would you take it?" The film was directed by Helen Hayes Award winner (for directing) Joe Banno and was shot on location in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in high definition by Michael Skinner. Using Final Cut Pro, the film was edited by Jon Michael Shink and the sound was mixed by David Crandall. An original score was composed by Kim Allen Kluge, the conductor of the Alexandria (Virginia) Symphony Orchestra.

The movie played in selected theaters in the U.S. in 2010 including the Lee Four Star Theater in San Francisco, Facets Cinematheque in Chicago, The Grandin Theater in Roanoke and the Cinema Arts Center in Long Island, New York as well as several others. It was then released on DVD.

Synopsis

Director Joe Banno takes us on a journey of rediscovery in his film debut that deals with the ultimate question of life: What does it all mean? In a nuanced and demanding role of Sullivan Daniels, Jeff Allin (Mr. Sterling, NYPD Blue) leads a talented ensemble cast as a man who has cheated death only to wonder if he’s done the right thing.

A drama with sparks of wit and warmth, Sleeping and Waking is the story of a man, an accomplished artist and teacher, whose paintings and woodcuts reflected his deep religious faith, a faith of certainty beyond question. Four years before the picture begins, his doctors find, to their amazement, that although Sullivan Daniels can run three miles a day without pain, his body is riddled with malignancy. Then the choice: certain death, or a highly experimental, radical operation, an operation that had killed the first four who had opted for it.

So, Sullivan, not knowing why at the time, chose the operation. And it worked. He became a medical/artistic celebrity; instantly famous for his survival and his art. But, rather than embracing his public persona, Daniels turned inward, refusing to sell a single painting. When the hot media spotlight finally turned away from him, he was left with the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of his life saving decision. His wife, Amanda (Hope Lambert), could no longer touch him. His mother (Helen Hedman) believed that he had thwarted God’s will and should have accepted the promised life hereafter. And worst of all, his hands won’t draw as before. Having abandoned his faith, Sullivan Daniels finds that everything else in his life has abandoned him.

Sullivan then begins to shut down, both physically and emotionally. He gives Amanda her “freedom” and helps her move out of the house. Feeling his pain, his best friend, Jerry (Ray Ficca), who lost his wife Katie a few years earlier, tries to rescue him by cajoling Sully into going back to church. Sullivan rejects him time and time again, straining their relationship as well. But Jerry stays true to Sully, a non-judgmental, guiding force.

It’s only when his art history student, Renee (Elizabeth Jernigan), challenges Sullivan’s weary arrogance, that he begins to feel the spark of life return. Not only the physical, but the emotional as well. However, with Renee come more complications. As Sullivan is drawn to her, all of his issues resurface. Amanda, now living apart, has a romantic interest, his mom refuses to accept the new “Sullivan” and his artistic impotence becomes all the more frustrating. Sullivan must decide to hold on to the past, or to put it aside and move forward with a new life.

Adapted from the highly regarded new stage play by Chris Stezin (co-founder of The Charter Theatre), the film takes Sullivan on a personal journey, forcing him to address life’s hardest questions:

When should life end?

Who should decide?

Do you forego your faith when you rely so utterly on science?

How do you deal with the unintended consequences of modern medicine?

What makes life worth living? And, at the end, Sullivan does make a choice. The reasons for it aren’t perfect, but nothing in this life is.

Technical notes

Sleeping and Waking was shot in high definition digital tapeless video using a Panasonic HPX-500 camera shooting 24 frames per second in DVCPROHD using Fujinon lenses and Tiffen filters. Color. Edited using Final Cut Pro. Aspect Ratio: 16:9. Runtime is 92 minutes. Some music courtesy of Centaur Records.

Credits

Cast

Sullivan Daniels….............Jeff Allin

Amanda Daniels…............Hope Lambert

Renee……………...............Elizabeth Jernigan

Jerry…………….................Ray Ficca

Mrs. Daniels…..................Helen Hedman

Sister Elysea…..................Kathleen Coons

Violinist………..................Jennifer Herrera

Waitress……….................Melanie Clark

Executive Producer..........Jeffrey A. Koeppel

Associate Producers….....Andrea Koeppel and Michael Skinner

Line Producer…...............Alison Rosa

Art Director………………..Melanie Clark

Camera Assistant ………..Jon Michael Shink

Sound Recordist………….Alex Jennings

Key Grip…..………………..Zhibo Lai

Costume Design………….Melanie Clark

Makeup...........................Jim Choate

Assistant Makeup………..Renee Cannon

Script Supervisor…………Sara Eden Friar

Original Music......……….Kim Allen Kluge

Casting……………………..Herald Square Entertainment

Color Grading……………..Michael Skinner

Sound Design/ Audio Post……….............David Crandall

Production Equipment Furnished by…….………..Pendragwn Productions

Original Art ..…………….Yazmany Arboledo, Michael Berman, Maureen Shove-Brown, Arthur J. Stezin and Val Proudkii

External links

• Official Website: www.sleepingandwaking.com
• Official IMDB page: Sleeping and Waking
• Official Facebook page: Facebook
• Official Twitter page: x.com