In 1995, Pastor Richard Gazowsky of the Pentecostal Church in San Francisco received a calling; to set up a Christian film company and deliver the Lord’s message to the people through the power of film. Inspired, he founded WYSIWYG—WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET FILMWORKS.
Michael Jacobs verité style documentary, AUDIENCE OF ONE, enters the world of Pastor Gazowsky; Jacobs accompanies the pastor on his quest to produce GRAVITY: THE SHADOW OF JOSEPH, a multi-million dollar biblical science-fiction-epic shot in 70mm.
With an incomplete script, half baked ideas about film making, an amateur cast and crew, and a shortfall of money, the Pastor and his congregation set off on a 5 day trip to Italy to shoot the first scenes of the epic.
Documentarian Jacobs, equipped with a camera and a microphone, joins the odyssey and captures the production spinning out of control. It seemed that everything that could go wrong, did. Starting with the 70mm high tech camera breaking down, the costumes not being ready in time, and an amateur actor breaking his foot on the first take, the documentary provides an emotional rollercoaster with unforeseeable obstacles.
But despite all of this chaos and confusion, Pastor Gazowsky keeps on going, fueled by boundless energy and enthusiasm.
Back home in San Francisco with nothing but a few feet of undeveloped film, the Pastor continues to promote the project, though it never really takes off. However, rather than taking stock, closing down his film business and ensuring that his congregation remains afloat and healthy, Pastor Gazowsky stoically marches on. Jacobs closes the film with Gazowsky introducing his latest vision: a power point presentation proposing to create a media empire that reaches beyond the earth, into the universe.
Jacob’s AUDIENCE OF ONE is a daring documentary about unwavering faith, unquestionable determination, and unequivocal persuasion against all odds. Gazowsky is a perfect protagonist: charismatic and complex, powerful and pitiful, all at the same time.
A festival favorite, AUDIENCE OF ONE played around the world and won a number of awards including the audience award at the San Francisco Documentary Festival and Jury Prizes at Silverdocs and South by Southwest. Earlier this year, the documentary had a theatrical run and is now available on DVD through INDIEPIX.
For more information on the film, please visit: www.indiepixfilms.com/film/3649