Originally printed in the Mt Shasta Herald 10/19/11
By Steve Gerace
Circumstances, including the bottom falling out of the economy, conspired against filmmaker Jerry Deal when he was trying to make a deal with a distributor for the movie he made in the Mt. Shasta area in 2007.
Deal, who lives part time near the Hammond Ranch area, said he refused to accept offers that would have tied up his film without any guarantee of payment.
So he and his team decided to eliminate the middle man and distribute it themselves. It’s available now on DVD, and Deal hopes to get it on cable TV and/or Video on Demand.
Shot in high definition digital format, Dreams Awake stars Erin Gray, well-known from shows such as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and Silver Spoons.
Mt. Shasta itself has a role in the film, as do some Mt. Shasta area residents.
Deal, who wrote, directed and produced Dreams for less than $1 million, calls the story a “mystical family drama” that revolves around a mother of two teenage children (Gray) who has an awakening experience. As described on the website: http://store.dreamsawakemovie. com, the story “delves into that magical lore between reality and illusion, dreams and awake, and life and immortality.”
Viewers have praised the film for its beautiful scenic photography and the message it delivers.
Deal, who has written numerous other screenplays, said the initial idea for the film came to him while he was sitting on the deck of his home near Hammond Ranch and looking at Mt. Shasta.
For more about the film, including a trailer, visit: http://dreamsawakemovie.com An advertisement in this week’s paper includes a coupon code local residents can use for an online discount on the DVD purchase price.
[To view the original copy of this article click here (PDF)]
