Shining Through a mental health epidemic

This compelling and uplifting series reveals the complexities of Mental Illness facing many people.  Inspired by the late Barry Royal Foster who left us way too early on November 25, 2018.  Help us make this Film!

Shining Through Feature Documentary Series - a mental health epidemic will take a serious look into what is currently happening in the US.  Focusing primarily on Mental illness and its effect on society.  We will explore areas such as Suicide, Alcoholism, homelessness, depression, anxiety, and others. 

Going deeper into what is causing the ramp up in mental illness, we will interview several people that have lived it.  We plan to give viewers hope, guidance and make a difference.  Offering direction for those struggling with Mental health, as well as catching the problem early on.


Tonea Stewart introduces us to the first title in the series Deaths of Despair.



Tonea Stewart introduces us the Shining Through Documentary series.



In production now, we are capturing Barry’s amazing story for a Legacy Film called Broken Halo.  Our hope is that the Broken Halo Project can have an impact and change these situations for the better. 

We are asking for donations through Go Fund Me so we can have a production budget to travel and film interviews related to the story as well as cover other production related costs.







Barry’s story Broken Halo Legacy Film:

This is the story of a man from a broken upbringing, with seemingly little opportunity or connections, who had many of the same questions and doubts we each face; however, in pursuing a better life, courage would not allow his dreams to remain uncharted. He accomplished and live more life in a span of 15 years than most could do in a lifetime, if ever.  Barry always said, “you can sleep when your dead”.

Barry was born on January 2, 1974 and passed away on Sunday, November 25, 2018. Barry was a resident of Wilkesboro, North Carolina at the time of passing. He served in the United States Army.



Kim Foster said:

“In today’s society, there are so many broken. Making people aware, because I was “unaware” that PTSD doesn’t just stem from war, but harsh traumatic experiences. Barry’s started in childhood and the loss of his mentor; good friend triggered a chain of events that only got worse as time went on. Depression, alcoholism, nightmares, and some prescription drug use. I think those may have triggered other physiological things leading to something we hoped would never happen. Yet he could hide it on the surface from most people, but his family dealt with the sides others never saw. Through his pain though, he always wanted to be everyone’s hero still.”


Kris is a serious filmmaker since 1986 and is very excited about making this film.  Currently in production on Broken Halo with his Panasonic Vericam rig that is Netflix approved.  Kris owns Everything that is needed to capture the footage, edit and deliver. 

The money we raise together here will go towards helping educate friends, family and those who may need help. Donations of any size are welcomed and sincerely appreciated. 

We have all been touched by mental illness and the tragedy of suicide at some point in our lives. 

We would also appreciate if you share this page with friends and family to draw light to the issue of suicide and what it leaves in its wake. Everyone's life has value and purpose, even if it may not feel that way. Speak up, speak out, and raise up those that are in need. There is always hope. 

Production team:



Tonea Stewart - Producer

A professional actress, play director, national museum exhibit director, tenured Professor and the Dean of the College of Visual & Performing Arts at Alabama State University.  Youth and adults from the Montgomery area and across the nation have been touched by Tonea's artistry through T.A.P.S. (Theater Artists Performance School), Camp 3T (Teaching Through Theatre), TTI (Technical Theatre Initiative), ARPAC (Adult Repertory Performing Arts Camp) and Camp Gifted for persons with disabilities; all are summer performance and enrichment programs. After receiving a B.S. degree in Speech and Theater from Jackson State University and an M.A. in Theater Arts from the University of California at Santa Barbara, Tonea completed her Ph.D. in Theatre Arts at Florida State University (FSU), in 1989.  She earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for her role in the film adaptation of John Grisham's A Time to Kill and a New York World Festival Gold Medal Award for the narration of Public Radio International's series "Remembering Slavery."

Kris and Tonea have worked together creating compelling films.


Palmer Williams Jr, Actor, Producer (IMBD)

Palmer Williams Jr. is a Professional Actor and Producer, known for Out of Anger (2020), Soul Damage (2017) and Fractures (2020).



Kris Harrison - Director, Cinematographer

Producing, Directing high-end film and video since 1986. Thousands of successful projects from concept to completion. Currently Producing and Directing Films. Also, producing many records in my recording studio.

Work:

https://vimeo.com/channels/krisharrison

Samples: http://www.finaldimensionfilms.com/

Specialties: Film, Video, TV, audio production.



Sherry Pettis – Licensed Ordained Minister, Production Manager, Producer, Funding

Recently a Producer on Strange Red Water Short Film. Personal Assistant for Kris Harrison on various film projects.

Sherry has worked in marketing and promotion in the entertainment industry. She is a high energy, creative producer who enjoys taking on new challenges, producing Christian short films and documentaries. No production too ambitious, she is inspired by films that tell great stories which engage and entertain an audience.



Clara Wilkerson – Producer

Clara Wilkerson is a U.S. Treasury Small Business Woman of the Year Award winner, Emmy and international FREDDIE award-winning film producer. Ms. Wilkerson has written and produced 25 films held in over 300 libraries worldwide. Some of the networks and television groups broadcasting her documentaries and productions included; PBS, Discovery Channel, Harpo Productions, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates. She has over 25 years of experience in broadcasting and digital media.

Major national publications such as Prevention Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, the Saturday Evening Post, AARP Magazine and more have also promoted and distributed her work. In 2016, Ms. Wilkerson began production on a documentary about the history of the Freedman’s Bank in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Treasury, where she received a national award. Ms. Wilkerson recently completed work on a one-hour PBS documentary about the life of legendary businessman John W. Barfield entitled “Starting From Scratch.” Award-winning actor Jeff Daniels narrates the documentary. She also produced a series of one-hour medical films on cancer that aired on PBS including “Breath of Hope” hosted by Emmy Award winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson, “Surviving Eye to Eye” produced in collaboration with the famed Doheny Eye Institute and “Breast Cancer Surviving and Winning Parts I & II”, hosted by Dr. Bernadine Healy, former director of the American Red Cross and National Institutes of Health.

Ms. Wilkerson has been a speechwriter for former President Bill Clinton and produced videos and live events featuring numerous celebrities such as billionaire TV mogul Oprah Winfrey, nationally syndicated talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, DNC Chair Governor Howard Dean, Grammy Award winning singer Patty Austin and the geneticist who was the first to sequence the human genome, biochemist Dr. Craig Venter. Global public relations firms and Fortune 500 companies consistently utilize Ms. Wilkerson’s PR and marketing skills. Some of her clients include American Cancer Society, Astra Zeneca, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Edelman PR, Eastman Chemical Company, Eli Lilly, GSK, Kodak, Mayo Clinic, NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, Procter and Gamble, Novartis, Siemens, Thompson Reuters, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the YWCA USA.



Brian Hetzman - Producer

My expertise in marketing, video and the Internet has been forged over years, beginning with my work in broadcast television when I served as electronics art director at WPBF-TV, the ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida. I created the station's on-air look and produced graphics and animation design, including the station's virtual news sets. My efforts led to ADDY and national TELLY awards for commercial production at the station.



Trudee Lee – Producer

Trudee is one of the charter members for the Feds Employee Resource Network (ERN) for Mental Health Alliance (MHA). 

Trudee has also been on-air talent and host of classic rock and classic country shows, entertainment and feature writer for Record and Freelance. She also has extensive experience as a talent agent with East West Theatrical Company, TLC Productions, MPLS, Artist Manager Development and many more.



Martha Hawkins – Producer

An Accomplished Best Selling Author, “Finding Martha’s Place” She Has Been The Guest On The CBN/700 Club Network With Pat Robinson, Recipient Of The 2004 Ruth Fertel Keeper of the Flame Award, Also the Eli Lilly Award (Welcome Back From Clinical Depression) Her cooking, restaurant, life story, and inspirational words have been featured in many national publications including The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Southern Living,

She’s the Owner The Largest Soul Food Southern Cooking Restaurant In Montgomery Alabama, That Caters To Everyday People, To High-profile politicians, professional athletes, artists, musicians, and actors. She still volunteers to reach out to people in prison, holds Bible studies for low income children. Today her restaurant “Martha’s Place” is a Nationally-known stop for anyone who visits the Deep South and is a culinary fixture of life for Montgomery residents.



Mollie E Isaacson, CSW, MSW – Producer, Project Psychiatric Counselor

Mollie E. Isaacson, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker, Reiki Master, certified hypnotherapist, and yoga instructor. She is currently completing Chapter 5 of her PhD dissertation in psychology and art therapy on the measurable effectiveness of art therapy in substance abuse treatment. After she defends her dissertation in February-March 2020, she hopes to publish the study, because there is a lack of quantitative research in art therapy and substance abuse that has an adequate sample size for test significance. She conducted her research study at Aleithia House Men’s Residential Program in Birmingham, Alabama.


Web: http://shiningthrough.tv/