Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Writer/Director James D. Schumacher III Turns Personal Tragedies Into Powerful Films

It didn’t come easy for award-winning filmmaker, James D. Schumacher III, to get to where he is today writing novels and directing movies. Tragedy struck Schumacher at an early age, which ultimately became the building block for his short film, The Astronaut, which premieres on March 6 at the North Hollywood Laemmle Theater and will run through March 12.

Schumacher lost his mother to cancer at an early age, but promised her before she died that he would never stop making films. A few years later, Schumacher suffered a second blow when his father was suddenly struck with a near fatal condition. His vision for The Astronaut came to him while sitting in the ICU with his dad. The Astronautis about a man whose pain is so great that he’s been running from it for so long and he’s lost his connection with his family and even himself. Then he’s faced with an even worse tragedy that forces him to finally confront his pain and makes the best of the little time he has left.

“The two most painful experiences of my life were saying good-bye to my mother and then nearly losing my father a few years later. But they were also the two pivotal moments that put me on the path to where I am today as a filmmaker and novelist,” says Schumacher.

Later this year, the three-part graphic novel written by Schumacher, Inheritance, will be released. The novel, which won an award for the cover work by artist, James Burton, started as a statement from Schumacher, wishing there were more paranormal themed graphic novels. Schumacher will also be going into production later this year with a horror/western feature, Of Devils and Men, which won best horror screenplay at the Action on Film Festival in Los Angeles.

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