1

a film by ANDY MOTZ

ROGER STEWART
DEBBY GERBER
WhiterShadeFilm.com

Writer & Director

Producers
Co-Producer
Editor
Production Designer
Sound Mixer
Composer
Costume Designer
Casting by

ANDY MOTZ
REBECKAH BELL
ALYSSA THOMAS
TIM RICHARDSON
MICHAEL ASMUS
JULIA ROTHENBUHLER
DON CORRIERI
MATTHEW HAGGERTY
MELISSA HASHIMOTO
RACHEL ROBINSON

welcome to

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

We do this because the world we live in is a house on fire and the people we love
are burning? -Sandra Cinsceros on art.
John and Ann are a seemingly happy, middle-aged, evangelical couple.
They appear to lead a seemingly normal life. However, in the course of a single
morning, these illusions are shattered when Ann receives the news that she is HIV
positive. This shocking news leads to an even more shocking reality: that John is
the one who gave it to her. John reveals that he is gay, and has been living a
closeted life apart from his wife. They are left to grapple with a collision of these
two worlds that John had hoped would always remain separate. Freedom, religion,
God, and the complexities of human sexuality are all questioned and explored in
this story of pain, despair, and ultimately, grace. A WHITER SHADE OF PALE was
directed and written by Andy Motz. He has been passionate about telling the story
of his grandparents through the characters of John and Ann.

about

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

A camera in some hands can preserve an alternative history. -David Wojnararwiz
Traditional, American, husband, and father of two children. All of which
describe Andy Motzs Grandfather. However, there was one description that varied
from the rest: he was secretly gay, living a double life for decades. A WHITER
SHADE OF PALE is a very personal project for myself because it is based on the
tragic lives of my Grandparents, says Andy Motz, the writer and director of the
film.
The double life unraveled in 1993 when Motzs grandmother discovered she
was HIV Positive, having contracted it from her husband. Yet, they remained
married. Motzs grandmother decided to deny the truth and blame a blood
transfusion for her disease. My Grandfather continued to struggle alone. He died a
painful death from AIDS in 2003. Even at the funeral, most attendants did not know
his cause of death.
Motzs passion for his grandparents story has allowed him to reflect on his
ability to give a voice to not only their struggle, but also the struggles so prominent
in todays culture. Their lives were tragedies full of thrashed dreams, unrealized
truths, and layers of hidden pain. It haunts my family and it certainly haunts me for
my physical existence depends on their unhappiness. Because of them, Motz
acknowledges that LGBT issues have always had a face, something he can
personally recognize.
Growing up in a Christian home, Motz saw many LGBT youth shamed in
Christian environments, or demonized by Christian media. Arriving at Biola
University as a freshman, Motz found himself horrified to find rampant homophobia
across the campus. I felt compelled to tell the story of my Grandparents, but I
struggled for three years in the actual forming of a short script. It was a
culmination of factors that urged Motz to embark on making his Grandparents story
a reality. Upon receiving encouragement from a professor, interacting and learning
from those whom had faced similar experiences, and hearing first hand accounts
from members of the LGBT community, Motz explored a way to place this

struggling, married couple into a current time period, in the midst of an Evangelical
culture.
Since my initial desire to tell my Grandparents story, to redeem it in a way,
three years ago I have changed a lot as an artist, as a Christian, and as a person.
Motz has witnessed a Queer Underground rising on Biolas campus as well as other
conservative campus around the country. While these groups call attention to
marginalized individuals in the Christian culture, there is also resistance. I decided
I wanted to make this movie, not to shove a message down anyones throat, but to
humanize people who are often dehumanized. When the pain of others is told,
accepted, and experienced it is harder to write it off as an unimportant.
I began and ended WHITER SHADE OF PALE with the intention of creating
a visceral film experience, redeeming the tragedy of my Grandparents, and giving
the demonized or marginalized a face. A WHITER SHADE OF PALE is a finely
tuned combination of personification and representation of passion and creativity
that Motz holds for his grandparents and other stories that relate closely to it.

the residents of

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

!

Looking at the interaction between Roger Stewart and Debby Gerber on

screen make it hard to believe that the process of getting there was not as fluid as
they make it look. When it came to casting the film, Motz claims it was difficult to
say the least. Motz and casting director Rachel Robinson did three full days of
auditions, and there was no one the first two days. No one. And then there was
Roger Stewart. He had the look of John. Not too young, but not too old. When he
read, what stood out to me was the pain he was able to communicate through his
facial expression and how well he took direction. Debby Gerber demonstrated the
same emotional capability.
However they did not become John and Ann for me until they were in
callbacks together. Stewart and Gerber read the first and last scenes, and in
those intense and touching moments I knew these were the actors for the roles.
Their chemistry was heartbreaking.
I fell in love with my character, Ann, claims Debby Gerber. Ann is
introverted character, but something happens within her that will not be hushed as
she faces the truth that her husband is homosexual and has infected her with HIV.
When Gerber read the sides for her first audition for A WHITER SHADE OF PLALE,
she felt for Ann. What was Anns story? Where did she come from? Who is she?
What is her relationship to John? How did she refrain from walking out on her
marriage? Why did she ignore the truth rather than accept or support the
situation? Gerber was full of questions as she entered the audition process for
WHITER SHADE, and her passion and curiosity for her role only increased when
she didnt have the whole script when the process first began. Anns strength and
unwillingness to give up aided in the scripts compelling and meaningful story,
attracting Gerber to the challenge of tackling this role.
Roger and Debbie are incredibly talented actors who challenged and
helped me grow as a director. Their commitment to roles that demanded a lot both
physically and emotionally is honorable. Every scene of this film is filled with

such subtext and emotional fragility, I was beginning to question if we could

pull it off. In my opinion they did.

The role of Chris, or Johns lover, was proving more difficult to find. Most of
the men were not comfortable with the physical nature of the part required. Motz
and Robinson were turned down by nearly everyone they contacted. When I was
at the end of my rope, when I thought of Bradley. Motz and Bradley Estrin
volunteered together at the AIDS Health Care Foundation where Bradley was
providing free HIV testing. Conveniently, Bradley was also an actor. And then
suddenly, Motz realized that he looked the part too. I realized he was going to
bring this minor, but important part to life in a way that none of the other actors
would have been able to.
Chris is lonely, but caring. Hes desperate and broken and manipulative,
stated Estrin. Chris experience, trials, successes, and failures are all displayed in
his relationship with John. Chris lures with cunning experience, while Johns naivety
reflects the person Chris once was. Estrins immediate draw to play Chris was
merely because of his faith in Andy. And beyond their friendship, Estrin also
recognizes the piece of work as heartbreaking. To play a character who is just as
lost and scared in his own was, as the character he tries to seduce, let alone do it
without any dialogue, well it was appealing to me. While the role was wrought with
difficulty from the casting call, Estrins determination, investment in his character,
and creativity through backstory generated a role that is larger than the camera
may even lead on. This character, although unknowingly, is the catalyst for altering
the lives of both John and Anns lives permanently - thats heavy stuff.
Motzs vision and intentionality to deliver Chris without any dialogue in turn
depended heavily on a mere look, a subtle touch, how close to sit from someone,
how long to hold eye contact. This physical language
Roger, Debbie, and Bradley all helped develop the essence of A WHITER
SHADE OF PLALE. Scenes would begin to come along that hadnt previously
worked, lines would fall flat, and the blocking would seem too melodramatic. Yet
together we molded and changed the scenes during production to achieve a look
of authenticity, explains Motz. The actors, the characters, the story, and the
authenticity is what made A WHITER SHADE OF PLALE a more honest film.

discovering

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

!

Motzs desire in making A WHITER SHADE OF PLALE was to let go of any

fears or hesitancy in order to tell an honest story. Both are terrifying for writers,
says Motz. However in order to tell such a personal, potentially over-dramatic, and
intense story, both are also very mandatory. I then learned if there is anything more
terrifying than writing about something I am passionate about, it is actually going
into production. Motz acknowledged that in production, the variables were
endless, and from there, they could go endlessly wrong.
However, all the fear and stress were totally worth the collaborative effort
with my loving friends, crew, and cast. These are the true variables that allow
WHITER SHADE to transcend the confinements of script and intricately produce a
film that connects to an audience.
Working with Andy Motz and Nathan Ingalls was an amazing experience,
says Roger Stewart (John). The raw investment and collaboration of these two
filmmakers and storytellers allowed the cast and crew to feel both comfortable and
brave throughout production. When Stewart and Gerber described Motz as a
director, they both focussed on his passion. The clarity in which Motz and Ingalls
both aimed to achieve throughout this film was driven by their passion and vision.
While Motz is so passionate about A WHITER SHADE OF PLALEs story, he
also concludes, I am proud of the film. Is it good? I dont know yet. With the real
life experiences and emotional connection to the film has made Motz realize that he
hasnt had had that appropriate distance from it to be able to take an objective
look at the finished product. Regardless of his passion for WHITER SHADE, the
film has still evoked strong reactions, both good and bad, from viewers. The mere
spark of discussion has been an artists dream, claims Motz.
Stewart observed that the two filmmakers guidance, leadership, and
technical ability was both mature and sophisticated beyond their years. The MotzIngalls team was mirrored in the cast as Stewart and Gerber played roles that
largely depended on how comfortable they needed to be with each other. The
amount of trust that went into the intensity of their individual characters only
strengthened the connection on screen. Motz stresses that it is Trust, love, truth,
and humility that make the creation of a film something beautiful.

the vision behind

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

In conceiving the look for A WHITER SHADE OF PALE, Motz had one image
in mind: to make the secret struggles of John and Ann look entirely exposed. When
Motz and Director of Photography Nathan Ingalls went into the production, they
both came to the understanding that the project generated a great deal of
sensitivity. The film is loosely based off of real events, so both Motz and Ingalls felt
a huge responsibility as artists, and really, as human beings to represent the story
well. I think we approached the film first and foremost, from that perspective: How
can we tell this story in the most earnest way possible? says Ingalls.
Visually, WHITER SHADE was the duos attempt at an incredibly naked
film. The situation that characters John and Anne find themselves in is incredibly
personal. We wanted the look of the film to emulate the perceived feelings of
vulnerability and nakedness in relation to the rest of the world that the characters
felt and also feared, explains Ingalls. Motz and Ingalls decided to approach John
and Annes house as if it were a fishbowl.
Ingalls team diffused all of the windows in the house locations and
overexposed each scene in that took place in the house in hopes of creating a
bright environment that both characters were forced to exist in. There was
nowhere for them to hide, essentially. By creating such a visually extreme
environment at home, where the characters are supposed to feel the most safe, the
other environments in the film appeared at an even greater contrast than just the
bright whiteness.
Motz and Ingalls drew upon Steve McQueens SHAME and HUNGER and
Derek Cianfrances BLUE VALENTINE as they launched into WHITER SHADEs
visual components. McQueens approach throughout his films avoid the restrictions
of just one style for the whole film. Instead, he takes each scene as an individual
story. Motz and Ingalls realized the importance of approaching WHITER SHADE on
a scene by scene basis. As the two shot listed and discussed their camera
movement and interaction with the characters, taking the film scene by scene
became a strategic way to capture the amount of contrast the film aimed to reveal.
One scene between Anne and John would be nearly completely static, with just
slight nods of the camera to acknowledge their movement. Then, the next scene

might be chaotic, with the the camera rushing this way and that, a wild dance of
sorts. Ingalls approach reinforced his desire to emphasize the importance of the
cameras interaction with the characters as a focal element. We really worked hard
at allowing this relationship to feel natural based on the emotion states of the
characters, at least to the best of our abilities. They let the camera merely
reenforce that relationship. When they laughed, I attempted to make the camera
laugh with them. That was the connection that needed to happen between lens
and character, and became Ingalls mantra throughout the course of WHITER
SHADE.
In Amos Volgers book, Film as Subversive Art, he describes cinema as
moving away from horizontal storytelling and toward a vertical line where both
visuals and emotions drive the story. Terrence Malick, Andrea Arnold, and Ingmar
Bergman constantly strive toward this goal. So did we, resulting in the numerous
montage sequences throughout the film, says Motz. Both Motz and Ingalls are
huge Harmony Korine, Lars Von Trier, and Ingmar Bergman fans, adding a great
deal of influence in some aspects of the film as well.
When it came to resources, WHITER SHADE had enough money to do what
they needed, laughs Ingalls, and it still required compromises along the way. Both
Motz and Ingalls reinforce that shooting the film was no easy process. The film
was shot over the course of roughly five and a half days. Finding crew members
that were comfortable with the subject matter and content was a very prominent
struggle throughout the film. Biola attempted to shut production down while Motz
was shooting in a gay bar. The morning before the second weekend shoot, we lost
an actor and two locations only to regain them late that night. And somehow, the
fair share of setbacks that WHITER SHADE ushered only made the success on set
that much more appreciated. Motz celebrates that during the making of these
painful, intense, despairing, beautiful, and complex moments I witnessed love,
commitment, and artistic talent in all the cast and crew. Everyone, from actors to
set design to grips, put their all into it and it is for that reason the film finished.
Ingalls recognized they really lucked out in regards to locations and
equipment. Light. Light was a huge component of the film that generated the tone
of each location, each scene, and each character. And the team was able to make
that component possible and use their resources to achieve the look they desired.

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But making this vision come even more to life was made possible by Julia
Rothenbuhler, set designer. I am such a visual person, so whenever I read a story,
I see it in plain color. When I read A WHITER SHADE OF PALE, the colors popped
out. Rothenbuhler recognized how vulnerable and raw WHITER SHADE needed to
be, so she drew upon her specialty: colors, cool colors. Not only does Ingalls use
of light enhance the essence of the film, but it also works with Rothenbuhlers use of
pale greens and blues and whites, making the film appear revealing, just as Motz
has envisioned.
Rothenbuhlers color methods created a unique way of character association
as well. Ann was a dirty pink, while John was various shades of blue. These
provided a visual way of telling their stories. The sets further enhanced WHITER
SHADEs tone as they were laced with subtle props and forms of symbolism. For
example, I used a few floating candles or flowers in a bowl of water to symbolize
how Ann and Johns world was like a fish bow. Everyone could see into their world,
but they couldnt see out.

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the sound of

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE

The score was tricky to say the least, confessed Motz.While Motz and
Ingalls desired the sound parallel the dramatic themes and underlying tones of
each scene, shot, and character, they also battled with balancing the sound so that
it refrained from overpowering the film as a whole. Plot wise, the film itself seemed
as if it could delve into a melodrama, but Motz steered clear of that mold as he set
out to enhance the story of WHITER SHADE rather than follow a trend.
However, aside from the journey to finding the perfect sounds of A WHITER
SHADE OF PALE, Motz encountered a different set of challenges when looking for
the person join the WHITER SHADE team to make that happen. It was surprisingly
difficult just finding a composer. Many were interested, until they saw a rough cut or
read the script, stated Motz. Whether it was the actual sexual content, the subject
matter, or suspicion of my own personal beliefs towards the LGBT community,
these became a trending factor of composer refusals.
The once fantasized score was slowly waining, until I found Matthew
Haggerty, who accepted the project and created a subtle, but stirring score.
Haggertys choice of interments were presented through an octave mandolin, and
while the unique choice did worry Motzs vision for his film at first, Motz soon saw
the beauty that Haggertys work was evoking as it accompanied the emotion and
themes throughout WHITER SHADE. It is beautiful, but raw; soft, but striking,
relayed Motz. His hope is that audiences receive it well, and ultimately, find it
moving.

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about the

CAST
ROGER STEWART | John
Roger Stewart received his MFA in acting from Harvard Universitys ART/MXAT
joint program and has a bachelor of arts degree in theater from the University of
California, San Diego. He can be seen in the upcoming movie The Perfect
Wedding, with James Rebhorn and Kristine Sutherland. Stewart also has
experience featured in commercials for Bavaria Beer, with Charlie Sheen, and
Spinmasters Board Game: Battle of the Sexes. Stewarts recent theatre credits
include American Repertory Theatre: David Mamets Romance, Endgame, The
Seagull; New York: The Water Dream; Moscow Art Theater: Charm; and Art
Institute: Largo Desolato.
DEBBY GERBER | Ann
Deborah Figlio goes by her acting name: Debby Gerber. Originally from
Switzerland, Gerber came to Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue her love of film.
Planning to return to Switzerland after seven months, Gerber enrolled in a two
month course at Stella Adler Academy of Acting. Instead of sticking to her original
plan, Gerber continued learning at the Academy and graduated in 2011. She
equates a large amount of her experience to her lead role in Angels in America, by
Tony Kushner. Gerber played a complex, moody character that she claims to have
shaped her into the actress she is today.
Gerber has been successful as a lead and supporting actress in both short and
feature films. She has worked with producer Jack Black in a webisode called Ghost
Ghirls which will air on SYFY. Gerber was also featured in the blockbusters J. Edgar
with Leonardo DiCaprio, and Gangster Squad with Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn.
She has most recently worked as a spokesperson and testimonial for Proactiv, as
well as appeared on the sets of Glee, the Glee Project, Teen Wolf, and Dog With a
Blog. Gerber is now a member of the acting union SAG - AFTRA and continues to
find success in her acting career through films like A WHITER SHADE OF PALE.
BRADLEY ESTRIN | Chris
Bradley Estrin was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. Estrin knew he wanted
to be a professional actor at a very young age and began training with Judy Berlins
Kids on Camera in high school. He began performing in local theatre productions
through college. Bradley graduated from San Francisco State University with a
B.A. in Film/TV Production; and a minor in Theatre. Soon after relocating to Los
Angeles to start his acting career, Bradley took a slight detour into the music world
when he auditioned for Season 1 of American Idol; making it into the Top 30 semi-

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finalists group with the likes of Kelly Clarkson.

Since returning to his acting roots, Estrin has held leading roles in the short films
Aspire and In Transit, has been a recurring character on the long running web
series In The Moment, has performed on stage in the world premier run of the new
musical The Next Fairytale, and has landed a role in the sketch comedy 24 Hours
BC. Bradley has also produced an acclaimed PSA series for AIDS Healthcare
Foundation called This Is Me, Raw; as well as a staged performance of the sitcom
pilot Selling Out, written by Futurama scribe Eric Rogers. Bradley currently studies
with Don Williams at The Art of Acting Studio.Estrin lives by the phrase: Follow
your bliss. He claims it is best, and most consistent, advice hes been given from
his mom, coaches, and big time successful actors he admires.

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about the

FILMMAKERS
ANDY MOTZ | Writer & Director
Andy Motz grew up in the small of town of Atwater, CA. Since watching Vertigo in
the second grade, he has found a passion and love for film as more than that of
mere entertainment value. His love for film and its power has grown as Andy has
explored such artists as David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock, Lars Von Trier, and Ingmar
Bergman.He currently resides in Los Angeles County and is a senior at Biola
University. During his college career Andy has made three short films, culminating
with A WHITER SHADE OF PALE. While film is his major and focus, he has also
grown more passionate about issues of gender both in the church and in society
over the past four years. In the future he hopes to incorporate this newfound
passion with his love of film as he begins his first semester in Chapmans Film
Studies Graduate Program in the fall of 2013.
REBEKAH BELL | Producer
Rebekah graduated in 2012 from Biola University with a degree in cinema and
Media Arts. In the Camera Department at Biola, she worked on Dreams and Kids
on the Run. Bell has interned with Warner Brothers and NBCUniversal. This gave
her the opportunity to produce her senior thesis film, The Flight of Man, that shot on
a back lot at Universal Studios. Bell has also gained a lot of experience through her
work with a filmmaker in the Middle East. This provided an in depth opportunity for
Bell to work hands on with hiring the crew, working with insurance, overseeing
logistics, and scheduling meetings. She credits her time with him to have really
prepared her for what she wants to pursue now. After finishing A WHITER SHADE
OF PALE Bell has begun working with a country music video company and hopes
to ultimately produce music videos in the future.
ALYSSA THOMAS | Producer
Alyssa Thomas attended Biola University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Media Arts with an emphasis in Production. Prior to WHITER SHADE, Thomas
gained her producing experience through a several Biola productions. She was the
Unit Production Manager on Cardboard Dreams, The Unraveling, and Mansfield
Memoirs. Thomas has gained experience as a producer while working on The 5
and Kids on the Run. Kids on the Run was screened at Birmingham Film Festival
and Flatland Film Festival and received Best Drama for the Biola Cinema Media
Arts Festival. Her experience on WHITER SHADE has given her a chance to
oversee the film from development, pre-production, production, and post. She
states that its been a long journey in the making and is very thankful to be a part of
Andys vision. Thomas is currently pursuing a career in production and is interning
at CollegeHumor Media.

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TIM RICHARDSON | Co - Producer

Tim Richardson has attended Biola University since 2009. He is an aspiring
cinematographer with an acute fascination with lights. Richardson hopes to start a
production company back home in Hong Kong with the knowledge he learns from
his experience at Biola and in Hollywood. He has held several positions as a
videographer and editor, however, the majority of his film experience comes from
his work on short films at Biola such as Just Fine, Helium High, Telling Claire, Fears
Project: The Architect, Zebra, Kids on the Run, Little Red Elephant, Upon My Honor,
The 5, Kings and Saints, and A WHITER SHADE OF PALE.
NATE INGALLS | Director of Photography
As the Cinematographer for A WHITER SHADE OF PALE, Nate Ingalls has a love
for images and the impact of earnest moments captured on film. In an effort to
overcome the numbness that often creeps into ones life, Nathan films things that
move him and hopefully move others as well. Ingalls has spent the least 4 years
studying Media Arts at Biola University, since graduating in winter 2013.
JON BRUNSON | Sound Mixer
Jon Brunson attends Biola University where he is majoring in Cinema and Media
Arts. Brunson has experience in production sound mixing through the films Cicada,
The Flight of Man, and A WHITER SHADE OF PALE. He has also gained
experience as co-editor in Cicada, co-producer in Youth, and writer and co-director
in Solo Dale Gloria. After graduating in December 2013, Brunson is heading to
China in pursuit of bridging the gap between American and Chinese filmmaking.
JULIA ROTHENBUHLER | Production Designer
Julia Rothenbuhler is currently a senior at Biola University, studying film with an
emphasis in Production and a minor in Art. She has worked on several film projects
that include positions as production designer, director, and writer. In her films,
Rothenbuhler aims to show the beauty of life through both colors and relationships.
Currently, she is directing an animation short that she recently wrote.
MELISSA HASHIMOTO | Costume Designer
Melissa Hashimoto is a student at California State University, Long Beach. She will
be graduating May 2013 with a bachelor of arts degree in Fashion Design. A
WHITER SHADE OF PALE is not Hashimotos first experience with Biola Film. Her
previous work in wardrobe styling includes the Biola films Summer and Kids on the
Run, both directed by Nolan Goff. Hashimoto is currently working on her first
clothing line, debuting at the CSULB Fashion Show. She possesses a love for both
wardrobe styling and designing her own line, allowing her to show off the creative
relationships between clothing and the people who wear it.

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CAST
John

ROGER STEWART

Ann

DEBBY GERBER

Chris

BRADLEY ESTRIN

Lydia

STEPHANIE GILBERT

Hank

PETER MOGLYNN

Tim

JOSH STARNELL

Young Teen

AARON SMITH

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FILMMAKERS
Writer & Director

ANDY MOTZ

Producers

REBEKAH BELL
ALYSSA THOMAS

Co - Producer

TIM RICHARDSON

Director of Photography

NATE INGALLS

Editor

MICHAEL ASMUS

Production Designer

JULIA ROTHENBULER

Costume Designer

MELISSA HASHIMOTO

Casting by

RACHEL ROBINSON

Art Director

ADDI ESSON

Set Decorators

JAIMIE JOHNSON
RACHEL ADAMS

Set Dresser

CAMERON BOYCE

Script Supervisor

CAMERON WEST

Key Make - Up & Hair

RACHEL ADAMS

Key Grip

AARON KIM

Gaffer

JACOB WATTS

Sound Designer

ADAM CZECHOWSKI

Sound Mixer

DON CORRIERI
JON BRUNSON

Composer

MATTHEW HAGGERTY

Production Manager

MITCHELL CALLISCH

Production Assistant

OLIVIA HERNANDEZ

First AD

RACHEL HARRIS

Second AD

MELISSA MCALISTER

First AC

CAMON DAVISON

Second AC

GISELLE GONZALES

DIT

ANNALESE FRANKLIN

BB Electric

Andy MCINTOSH

Electric

MAX PARADA