
Finding Tony is an independent movie where Raven Magwood Goodson has directed for the first time in her career with the star Anthony Davis who also happens to be the executive producer of the movie. The film follows the story of a widowed basketball player Tony who after undergoing several rough patches in life goes on a journey to discover a better purpose in life. The film shows how Tony deals with losing a loved one, dependency on alcohol, and the process of healing while coming out stronger at the end. This is an inspiring journey of a man who is at war with a lot of inner issues, and how he desires to start afresh.
Tony had a fair amount of animosity towards quite a few aspects of life. And Art also walks on that same level sometimes as well,” says Actor Stephen Bishop, who happens to be cast as Tony in the movie. ” Then, this specific time, I was within a very short window in my life where I could connect some of my feelings with Tony. I think that it was the real opportunity to that kind of be a little bit of a purge for me.”
With the devastating loss of his wife, Tony gradually falls into a darker phase of life and develops a compulsive drinking habit. He begins to accept that and takes a reluctant job, as a coach of a junior college women’s basketball team, only after he gets arrested for driving under the influence. That’s a tough initiation, to say the least, especially when Destiny (Raquel Justice) shows up. The fostered heroine is a good basketball player but way too tough for her own good temperament. Yet, despite the harsh differences, she finds a way to help him and vice versa to make their way to their respective destinies.
“I believe coaching a women’s basketball team helped Tony develop his character in a way. I believe it softened him up a little and perhaps in the process suppressed his tendency to avoid confrontation as David would say. He had gone to that dark place by himself and attempted to deal with everything alone.” They permitted him, and they enabled him and motivated him to do so,” remarks Bishop.
The public display of emotion, particularly the exhibition of vulnerability is one of the greatest weaknesses that Bishop men in leadership positions have. He went on to say that the women were able to subtly discipline him and help him understand that there is nothing wrong in showing vulnerability. As a result of this he was able to get better and become stronger. Vulnerability is not a weakness; being able to be so vulnerable and openly display feelings is difficult and requires guts.
For all the stakeholders unleashed in film and art, it was never a loss-making endeavor. In fact, it is reported that the independent movie was shot in less than 17 days which is surprising given all that has been achieved at the end. These were hours worked by the cast members and crew. However, this is what most of them did, bartering their skills and resources to see the task through.
“ I just want to see if an individual such as Raven and somebody such as SB [Stephen Bishop] and myself join forces with the money of other people and let’s see what happens. Many times we tried to explain that Yes we are making a film with a hammer and shoestring but there exists the viewers, and when there is such a film, they wish it to be like Star Wars. This is the day when you can be let loose and all that is required of you is to be inventive. It is Dr. Daniel speaking when he says this when he’s David Banner.”
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