FEATURELOOK
Thank You, Amelia Earhart, an All-Okie Film
Mertens began writing after a close friend died in a small plane crash. Friends asked him to write her eulogy, which released a torrent of emotions in him. He then began writing blogs that he describes as “dark emotional purges.” After taking a By Amy Dee Stephens five-day screenwriting workshop, Mertens realized that film writing was the creative passion missing Award-winning filmmaker, Al from his life. Mertens, has just wrapped up postWorking around his career as production on Thank You, Amelia an investment advisor, Mertens Earhart, a feature-length film made penned a “so-so” short screenplay, entirely by Oklahomans––perhaps in which a fan of his blogs, the the state’s first. “From cast to crew, it filmmaker Patrick George, saw was nothing but us Okies,” Mertens potential and said, “Let’s make said. “Our state had every ounce of this.” Mertens expected to sit on talent we needed. Mary Buss is our the sidelines and watch the shoot, incredible lead actress, our crew but instead, George invited him to included members who’ve worked direct. The essentially no-budget on a movie nominated for Best film, Sacrificios, did well at film Picture Oscar, and the score is by festivals, screened in Hollywood virtuoso Kyle Dillingham, in his first and was awarded at a Berlin film foray into composing for feature festival. film.” Mertens has since written The main setting was filmed in a numerous screenplays, three of historic house in Jones, Oklahoma. which achieved #1 bestseller status “It’s a gorgeous two-story house with on Amazon, and has written and a white picket fence. Inside is the directed other short films. He formerly smoke-filled room where expects his first full-length feature, political powers decided to move the the internationally award-winning state seal from Guthrie to Oklahoma Native Hearts, to be available by the City,” Mertens said. end of this year. Local audiences The film is about Myrtle, a may be able to catch Thank You, woman in her nineties who grew Amelia Earhart on the big screen in up when Amelia Earhart was the 2023 or 2024. He’s proud to have “girl power” role model. Because written, directed and produced the of health problems and a difficult film, along with tremendous help personality, Myrtle goes through a from his wife, Brandi. succession of caregivers, including “We’re the bottom-line production the latest, an equally headstrong staff, so I get exactly the piece of art young woman. What they learn from that I want,” Mertens said. “We’ve each other leaves them both forever got one life, and we can’t allow fear changed. Earhart’s legacy is present to keep us from pursuing creativity. throughout the film. Being an introvert hasn’t stopped The idea for the film occurred me from saying crazy things like, ‘I to Mertens after the passing of a need your pool for a movie scene.’ 107-year-old relative. “The year When people say, ‘I wish I could do she was born, the North Pole was what you do,’ I ask, ‘Why don’t you?’ discovered!” said Mertens. “I wish Filmmaker Al Mertens and his wife, Brandi We each decide what to fit into our I had talked to her more. She was Mertens, Production and Wardrobe Designer. lives. One of those things for me is a child during WWI and a mother the creative process of filmmaking.” during WWII. How did that shape her ideals? Do we demand tolerance, but not try to understand the To learn more, follow “Thank You, Amelia Earhart, feature perspective of people from a different time?” film” on Facebook.
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NOVEMBER 2022