Harmony

In film school we were taught to write what you know. This story has its inspiration from circumstances in my life. I am a U. S. Marine veteran and when I returned from my first combat tour I had adjustment problems and sought “normal” relationships with my friends and family – just like the main character of the film. I needed to find balance in my life in order to connect with others. Like the character, I was able to find balance through creative arts and my faith. I just hope this film inspires others to find some type of positive outlet that leads to balance or “Harmony” in their lives.

The idea for the film started with a conversation about music. The composer/star of the movie explained the concept of dissonance and consonance to me. This concept could be a parable for someone’s life.

After some research, the we discovered that one of the greatest composers of all time, Beethoven, actually suffered from a mental disorder. Today many people suffer from mental disorders and seek relief of their symptoms. The main character “wants to be normal”. There are many opinions as to how someone can be “normal”. Some consider medication to treat mental illness, others use therapy, and some consider religion as opportunity to cure a patient.

In this film the main character desires to use music to feel “normal”, while her parents are divided on the solution. Her father wants her to seek religion, while her mother believes medication will solve her ills.

We wanted to make a film that explores these issues associated with mental illness and depict the different viewpoints of what can be used to find a cure. Additionally, we wanted to pull together people of different ethnicities to show “Harmony” between different cultures.