Awareness Film Festival - Quiet Please...
An emotional documentary exploring misophonia, a disorder related to the processing of specific sounds in the brain – resulting in a life of anxiety, rage and isolation.
Interview with Director Jeffrey Scott Gould
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I set out to produce Quiet Please... because I wanted the countless number of people who also suffer from misophonia, but just think it’s a personality quirk, to have the same catharsis that I did, the moment I learned it was an actual neurological disorder. Knowing you’re not alone is an important aspect of any adversity or affliction; you need to become a self-advocate...that’s what knowing this was real, did for me and it changed my life.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I’m actually going to answer this question with an email that I received last night from a viewer of the film, who doesn’t have misophonia: “I guess one important take home which I wish everyone would learn is that really most people deal with some kinds of challenges – or at least a lot of us do. Some are clearly visible, some are hidden but if we all approached people with more acceptance and understanding, these struggles would be easier.” For me, that is the core message of the film and it made me very happy that she and many others have sifted through the stories and lives only to realize the true meaning of the Quiet Please...
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
When I first started reaching out to the various misophonia communities, I couldn’t believe that there were groups from around the world; someone from the United States was feeling and experiencing the same things that someone in New Zealand was feeling...we couldn’t all be making up these reactions to sounds. When the film first screened, people posted, “the person in the film was speaking, but it was my words coming out of her mouth”...that is really powerful and inspiring, especially for younger people. The bottom line is that none of us are exempt from adversity, it’s what we do with that situation or affliction, that makes the difference.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
With a documentary, you choose your subjects and you go out on the road to capture as much footage as you can, in the hopes that it meets or exceeds what you have in your head. I’m pretty sure every filmmaker has a finished version of the film playing in their head on a loop, before they even pick up a camera... In this case, the film evolved and almost made itself; when I started logging the footage, I realized I had compelling content that didn’t need: reenactments, entertaining montages or metaphors, the subjects told the story the best way possible. Your footage dictates the outcome of your film, but you also have the power to find additional subjects/content that could flesh out the themes that have been established. I would say the biggest change the film went through, was when I decided to pursue an artistic segment that featured an artist who has misophonia.
In my original notes from day one, I had a self-expression segment earmarked for the film, but it didn’t come to fruition the way I had hoped, so in the first release of the film there were no artists. About 6 months after the release, I met an artist with misophonia on Facebook and I was very impressed with her images and her commentary...six weeks later, I was at Converse College in South Carolina interviewing and capturing her creating her art. The resulting 11-minute segment changed the film, and most people who have seen the original and “The Expanded Edition” say “I can’t imagine the film without the artist and her images”. It’s such a great feeling to have that sense of completion as a filmmaker.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I have received hundreds of emails from people in 22 countries, and many of them say that the film has changed their life and/or their relationships with their parents, children, spouses and significant others. The positive reaction to the film has been the single most rewarding thing that I have ever done, but the real payoff is when non-sufferers write, and engage during Q&A’s at screenings. Here’s a quote: “I wanted to say thank you for this film. Yesterday after my parent saw the film, for the first time in my life I felt there is hope. I've been facing this loneliness since I know myself and for the first time in my life I didn’t feel alone. My mother said sorry, you are not alone and we now understand what you have been facing your entire life. I can't say how much joy this simple sentence gave to me.” -NS
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
When you produce a film, you put yourself out there, and people can be hurtful and critical, and of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. Since the release of the “Expanded Edition”, I have only had positive reviews. When you’re dealing with a topic that is life-altering, things can get emotional; there will always be people who want more content, and those who feet it’s too intense, but for the most part the community has been very supportive of my efforts and the resulting film and awareness it has raised, without even being fully released yet.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Awareness films are a “tough sell”; there are thousands of movies that are more readily available than ever before, but I don’t know that people will take the time out of their busy lives to watch a film on a subject that doesn’t affect them in some way. Sure, there are people who like to learn and who are open to possibilities beyond the realm of what is considered “normal”, but I don’t think that applies to the masses. People need a reason to watch, they have to care about the subjects in the film and I think I’ve assembled a likable, credible, intelligent, artistic group of people who will resonate with an audience if they are open to it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Quiet Please... needs not only misophonia sufferers and their loved ones to embrace the film, but also people who are not directly affected by the disorder; I think there are lessons in the film for everyone. As with any medical condition, there needs to be research, doctors need to be educated so that they could better diagnose their patients, teachers should be aware of misophonia and what to look for in their students. I believe that misophonia is much more prevalent than most realize; part of that issue is that people don’t realize they have an actual disorder and the other part is that they are afraid to talk about it for fear of rejection or ridicule.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Just because I produced an awareness film, it doesn’t mean I expect the world to change their ways to help us, but I do think the change could start with the sufferer feeling more confident in discussing misophonia with friends, teachers, family members, etc... and I also think the change has to start in the home, and based on the feedback I’ve received, it’s already doing that on a relatively small scale. I’m hoping that if someone sees the film and they come across a person who exhibits reactions to sounds or decides to “come out” about their sound issues, that they could say “I know what you have, it’s called misophonia and it means hatred of sound”. Those are the words my best friend said to me after she saw a segment on 20/20 about misophonia, and featuring Kelly Ripa. If she hadn’t seen the show and connected what I told her for years, I would still think that I was just intolerant of sounds, and there would be no Quiet Please... that’s what raising awareness is...
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
There are two key points that a person with misophonia has to contend with everyday: “oh yeah, that bothers me too”, or “I think you’re just an intolerant control freak who is making this up”. The difference between a sound bothering you and me having a physiological reaction that is beyond my control, are two completely different things. Most misophonia sufferers are not controlling at all and don’t assert themselves, they keep their reactions in, to not start a fight or have a negative situation...but holding it in year after year has psychological affects as well. A year ago, I was filming a client video and they were incessantly clicking their pens, so I mentioned that I have this sound condition and that I’m doing a film about it, and he turned to me and said “well I guess you have a problem”. He was not willing to even try to curb his pen clicking...even if he said to me “I’m sorry, when I get anxious I have to release it”, I could accept that.
Would you like to add anything else?
Over 1,000 DVDs were shipped domestically and internationally to contributors of IndieGoGo over the past year, with the last DVD going out last week. The film is on track to be available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play around Thanksgiving.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I own a video production company, Action Media Productions, so I’m always working on client projects, but at the moment, I’m also working on another awareness film, for a different sound condition. I am planning on directing and co-producing a documentary short next Summer, but we haven’t narrowed down the topic that we’re going to pursue.
Interview: November 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Quiet Please... The Expanded Edition (it will be released under “Quiet Please...”)
An emotional documentary exploring misophonia, a disorder related to the processing of specific sounds in the brain – resulting in a life of anxiety, rage and isolation.
Length: 93 minutes
Director: Jeffrey Scott Gould
Executive Producers: Jeffrey Scott Gould, Paul Normand Dion, Tricia Conover, Wayne Jackson, Steven N. Miller
Producers: Laura Kent, Abby Dees, Japhet Zayas
About the director and producer:
Jeffrey Scott Gould, Director, Cinematographer and Editor of "Quiet Please...". Jeffrey has lived with sound sensitivity for 50 years, but It’s only been a few years since he learned that such a condition exists; it’s called misophonia. Jeffrey says, “it was cathartic to know I wasn't alone, and I didn’t want other sufferers to have wait as long as I did for validation. I decided to use my skills as a filmmaker, to explore the emotional and psychological impact on not only the sufferer’s lives, but on their loved ones as well.”
Key cast: We interviewed over 40 people, but the key players were: Paul Tabachneck, Ren Kretzmer, Madeline Corrigan, Raymel Speed, Jessica Gilbert, Michael Mannino
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): I would love to be interviewed, or appear on TV or radio to discuss the film, here is a list of the existing media coverage: http://www.quietpleasefilm.com/media/
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuietPleaseDocumentary
Twitter: https://twitter.com/QuietPleaseFilm
Instagram: @quietpleasefilm
Website: www.QuietPleaseFilm.com
Funders: IndieGoGo was the main source of revenue, the film met its goal in two weeks and went on to raise $40,000 more beyond the goal, in InDemand mode.
Made in association with: Action Media Productions www.actionmedia.tv
Where will the film screen in the next month? The film is going to go live on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play in about a month and feature Spanish and French subtitles as well.