SDCT Productions

December 25^th 2012

Regal Cinema Vienna West Virginia

As “I Dreamed a Dream” bellows through a dark theater, I turn to my right and something hits me for the first time in months. The light from the movie theater screen casts a soft glow on my wife's face. I lean into her as tears, caused by the performance on screen, stream down her cheek. Suddenly as I get settled in under her arm I smell popcorn radiating from her. At this moment I realize, even smelling like a 1915 Nickelodeon theater, this woman is incredibly sexy.

I always knew in front of the lens of a camera that Jenny (Sherman at the time) would own any film she was in. I placed her, almost completely by accident, in Christ Complex. The girl who was supposed to be in the film's epilogue didn't show. I was afraid we might run into this, so I asked Jenny to learn the lines. The end result was a performance that dominated the film. In less than 5 minutes of screen time Jenny proved she could hold her own. I knew when I watched the final few minutes of Christ Complex that I had to write something for this girl. Something she could make her own.

I claim that “Clean Before Loading” is cathartic for personal reasons. The truth is I knew that Jessica, the film's main female character, is a role only Jenny could play. This was an attempt to let Jenny face some past demons. This film allowed her to put certain aspects of her past to bed. I knew this when writing it.

She claims, and will probably continue to do so after reading this, that this was an attempt to come to terms with my own fears. She might be right. The thing is I am able to go to dark places in my mind because I always think the worst. Through pain, or fear of facing possible heartbreak, I am able to write. I am able to take the viewer to places that they can hopefully relate to. Please know though, I am completely happy in my marriage. I know that realistically nothing, as long as I behave myself, will interfere with me having a long and happy life with my soulmate.

Yes, I am able to go to some dark places and people will assume that this is a reflection of my own demons. At the end of the day that's not completely accurate. This was a journey that only Jenny could bring full circle. She had the raw energy to make the character of Jessica three-dimensional.

Looking at my beautiful wife, as mascara runs down her face in this theater, she radiates sexiness. That's really something I shouldn't be selfish with. I want others to see her this way. So having her in this, and future films, seems like a no-brainier. So now you will be able to see her the way I see her and you will be totally amazed. There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't still stir that up in me. And the popcorn smell? It just enhances the experience.