The Handbook
Two Latter-day Saint missionaries deliver a Book of Mormon to the home of a wicked lady.
Interview with Writer/Director Brandon Carraway
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I was a missionary for my church a few years ago, knocking on doors, teaching people about Jesus Christ, and passing out the Book of Mormon. And as a missionary, I was obsessed with the mission handbook, to the point where I would piss off some of my mission companions. I often prioritized the rules over loving the people, so my wife (who also went on a mission) and I wanted to make a movie poking fun at my mission experience.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think missionaries are at the periphery of many people’s lives. We knock on your door and bug you, or you’ve seen the Book of Mormon play on Broadway, but obviously, there is a lot more going on in these 20-year-olds' lives who are 24/7 missionaries for two years. In a way, I hope we normalized missionaries a little bit by making them the protagonists of a short horror film.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As I mentioned earlier, I was very strict about the rules on my mission. I think the idea of rules and what it means to be obedient drives a lot of the core of this film.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The original script was not very personal to my experiences. Missionaries simply filled the roles of the protagonists. However, when I started drawing more on what kind of Missionary I was, I think the characters were much more flushed out. And then, the actors (Josh Fish and Caleb Hafen) brought the characters to life wonderfully.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I’ve loved every opportunity we’ve had to screen and be present at a film festival. The audiences generally find it funny. Regarding direct feedback, we’ve had both people who love the church and people who hate it find something they like about our short, which has been nice.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
People almost always assume that we “used” to be Latter-day Saints and are usually surprised when we say we still are. We’ve had several Q&As where they asked us about this, and it’s always surprising that people get the impression we’re not in the church anymore from our short film.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope to get more exposure for the film. We will be putting the final product on YouTube at the end of October, and I’d love more people to watch and give feedback on our project. Here is the impending link: https://youtu.be/kclDQxg9BJY
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Journalists would be great—the more people who watch this short, the better. I think there is a significant gap in the industry for Latter-day Saint media made by Latter-day Saints.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I mostly hope that The Handbook entertains audiences and they have an enjoyable time watching it!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Would you like to receive a visit from the missionaries?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thanks for reaching out to do this. It’s been fun answering these questions.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My wife and I are gearing up to make an extended feature film and the cinematographer/producer is always working on music videos. You can find his website here: https://www.blackrabbitmonolith.com/
Interview: October 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
The Handbook
Two Latter-day Saint missionaries deliver a Book of Mormon to the home of a wicked lady.
Length: 7:30
Director: Brandon Carraway
Producer: Trevor Free
Writer: Hannah Grace and Brandon Carraway
About the writer, director and producer:
BRANDON CARRAWAY is an award-winning filmmaker living and working in Utah. Drawing inspiration from his devout upbringing, Carraway's unique artistic vision challenges conventional perspectives by exploring the interplay between light and darkness, good and evil.
HANNAH GRACE and BRANDON CARRAWAY are a husband and wife filmmaking duo who live and work in Provo, Utah. Their thought-provoking films blend their religious background seamlessly with an unconventional love for the unholy.
TREVOR FREE is an award-winning commercial, long-form, and short-form cinematographer, director, and producer. His current project, Black Rabbit Monolith, is a production company based in Provo, Utah that specializes in music videos and other narrative pieces.
Key cast: Caleb Hafen (Elder Hafen), Josh Fish (Elder Weber), Barta Heiner (Griselda Falls)
Looking for: film festival directors
Instagram: @trickedout7
Other: YouTube
Made in association with: Waterslide Films and Black Rabbit Monolith
Funders: Self-funde
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Next: FilmQuest / Provo, Utah, on October 30th. Afterward, it will end its festival run and be public on YouTube.