PRCC documentary highlights unique locals
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, April 16, 2014
POPLARVILLE — After two years of production, the Pearl River Community College film production class will unveil their two-hour documentary, “The Road Less Traveled,” on May 3 at the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for Preforming Arts.
Ronn Hague, the film’s director and film production class instructor, said the documentary is about six south Mississippians with unique occupations and hobbies.
The six documentary subjects Frank Ladner of Poplarville, Kenny Russell of Hillsdale, Vaugh Wilson of Petal, Dr. Benny Hornsby of Hattiesburg, Dr. Rosemary Woullard also of Hattiesburg and Scott Wilson of Laurel.
Ladner is a Poplarville business owner who uses a unique process to laminate small strips of exotic woods into durable rings, like wedding rings, Hague said. He said Ladner’s small business has grown and now takes orders for rings from all parts of the world.
Russell, who was Hague’s original inspiration for the documentary, began the “first farming with draft animals school in the Western Hemisphere,” Hague said. Russell has educated various types of people in “the art of hooking a horse to a piece of farm machinery and farm with it,” Hague said.
Wilson is a photographer, composer, horse breeder, portrait painter and award-winning author, Hague said, who uses his music and storytelling abilities to teach elementary school students about cowboy ethics.
Hornsby is a Lumberton native, who has written five books and is the youngest chaplain to serve at the U.S. Naval Academy, Hague said. Hornsby enjoys repairing antique clocks and collecting and restoring small European cars, Hague said.
Woullard used to sing with the Motown music group, the Poppies, when she was in college. The Poppies was comprised of Woullard and her two friends who were discovered by Epic Records in the 60s, Hague said. Woullard later earned her Ph.D and became an educator.
Wilson is the owner of Darkwood Armory, which builds medieval armor and weapons. Hague said Wilson is an expert on medieval armament and fighting techniques and in the past few years has taken up jousting. Wilson competes in tournaments in the U.S. and Europe, Hague said.
Hague said the film is different from other documentaries because of the inclusion of scenes of a fictional traveler and skits involving three young boys.
Clayton Pennylegion, a south Mississippi actor, plays the part of the traveler who introduces the audience to each of the documentary subjects, Hague said. He said three boys, Rob Lewis, Caleb Meadows and Clay Thompson, assist Pennylegion in his role.
“He does such an amazing job. You’re completely taken in by him,” Hague said about Pennylegion.
PRCC alumnus Shane Wesley composed the music used in the documentary.
Wesley said he graduated from PRCC with an Associate’s Degree in Music in 2008 and later graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.
When Wesley was a student, he said he would talk to Hague about music and at one time Hague even tried to get him involved in another PRCC produced film.
Wesley said Hague approached him about writing the music for the documentary, which Wesley said was a fun and interesting experience for him.
“I always wanted to do music for some type of film and he gave me the opportunity to do so,” Wesley said.
He said composing music for a documentary is different than other films because the music has to support what the interviewees are talking about and can be spoken over.
Wesley said at the same time he also got to compose different styles of music for the parts of the filming involving the four actors.
Hague and Wesley worked closely on the music to make sure the music fit Hague’s vision for the film, Wesley said. He said it’s “easy to ruin a movie if the director and composer don’t see eye to eye.”
“Fortunately, he was easy to work with,” Wesley said about Hague.
Hague said 15 students were involved in making the film, which started production in the Spring of 2012.
More information on purchasing tickets will be available through Pearl River Community College at a later date.