In the Spotlight

ITS tells the story of a young woman who is fed up with her life and decides that suicide is the only way out. She finds an old abandoned bridge and is trying to build up the courage to jump when a guy appears out of nowhere and ruins everything for her.

Shooting started in April of 1997 and wrapped up in October of that year. The film was shot on location in North Texas, including Plano, Richardson, Caddo Mills and Dallas. That particular summer was excruciating. "The summer months in Texas average out at about 100 degrees every day and most of the film took place on an old bridge we found in Richardson. We would shoot a few shots and then retreat underneath the bridge. It was the only form of protection from the sun that we had" recalls James.

"ITS was a story I wrote back in Ireland", says James, "and I actually shot the first 15 minutes in Howth (in County Dublin in Ireland) with three actor friends of mine, Patrick Collins (UNSEEN RIVAL), Nicola O'Sullivan (SISTERS) and Alan Cahill (BETWEEN FRIENDS) but because of conflicting schedules, we had to put it on hold for a few months but by then I had moved on to BETWEEN FRIENDS and SHADOW SILENCE and so we never got to finish the film. I promised myself that I would make the film down the road so when I got to America, it only made sense that it be the first film I make here."

James realized that because the subject matter, suicide, was no laughing matter, he would have to thread carefully. "Because the set-up was this woman wanting to end her life, I made it perfectly clear early on, that I wasn't making fun of that particular situation, instead, once the audience knew what she was wanting to do, I found humour in the fact that she is on this bridge in the middle of nowhere and then this guy turns up and starts asking her all sorts of questions, that's where I set the humour up. And also, there's a big twist at the end."

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C A S T

Sara Wilson ... Sadie Prater
Peter King/Begger ... Jeb Sherrill
Disgruntled Driver ... Tommy Green
Driver #1 ... Charlie Ricketts
Driver #2 ... James McDonald

C R E W

Written, Produced & Directed by
James McDonald

Co-Producers
Fatima Biriski
Jeb Sherrill
Erin Teeple

Edited & Photographed by
James McDonald

Music by
Eamon Murray