ROBERT ALANIZ (Producer, Writer, Director)
I am an independent filmmaker from Frankfort, IL (just south of Chicago). I have been making films for the past 20 years and have three films in distribution "Angels In Our Midst", "Heavens to Betsy" and "Heavens to Betsy 2". All three films are avaialable to watch on Amazon Prime, Pure Flix and other streaming services.
"Honest to God" will be my tenth feature film. The story came to me after doctors found a lump in my throat that could have been cancer. Fortunately, it turned out to be a benign cyst and was removed. But during the time that I didn't know for sure what it was, I was pretty scared and ended up doing a lot of crazy things, things that in hindsight were actually funny. And as much as I didn't see the humor in things at the time, I ended up renewing my faith in God and becoming a stronger Christian as a result.
This experience was one that I felt would make a great story with a message and humor, so I began writing the script, taking my time off from the completion of my last film "Heavens to Betsy 2" to complete and fine-tune the story and characters. Daniel Adams is a family man with wife, Becca and his two children, Chloe and Dylan. He is a successful insurance agent in the small town of Bethany, IL. His world is suddenly turned upside down when he is diagnosed with one of three diseases that give him only a few weeks to live. Out of desperation Daniel promises God that if he is healed, Daniel will become a better Christian and overall person. When it is discovered that he was misdiagnosed, Daniel is now confronted with keeping the promises he made to God without slipping back into his old ways.
Making a film takes money and the overall quality of the film will depend on the budget. So the greater the amount, the better the end product.
Whose in it?
GARY GOW (Heavens to Betsy 2, You Don't Say!, Leverage)
With a background in theatre, veteran actor, Gary Gow has now appeared in many feature films and on various television programs. Most recently, he played the role of Tandum Dackery in Sole Productions’ "Heavens to Betsy 2". Behind the scenes, he has served as Production Coordinator and Assistant Director on other Sole Productions’ projects. Gary feels fortunate to have worked with so many talented and wonderful people over the years, including Emmy award winner, Jim O'Heir ("Parks and Recreation", "Heavens to Betsy 2").
Gary has a Master’s degree in Animal Science (Equine specialization) and, after managing horse farms for a time, has now been teaching middle school science for more than 20 years at a school where he also serves as team leader, coach and technical director of the school’s theatrical productions. Gary lives in a suburb of Chicago with his lovely wife, Sue, whom he met at church 20 years ago. They still happily attend that same church.
STEVE PARKS (Heavens to Betsy 1 & 2, MInd Over Mindy)
A character actor who has been plugged into many different types of roles over the years, Steve has worked in films and commercials (these days mostly having to do with either Hospitals, Senior Medications or Gambling) even popping up in a segment on CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING with Charles Osgood. He has been involved in the last five SOLE Productions films including both "Heavens to Betsy" and "HTB2" as well as "Mind Over Mindy" with Jim O'Heir and Larry Thomas. With 35 years of theater credits, which include productions of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" "Requiem for a Heavy Weight" "Charley's Aunt" and "Mister Roberts", Steve is now working on his own one man show.
Embracing a lifelong love for the muses, he enjoys playing several musical instruments including mandolin, drums and hammer dulcimer, and learning new instruments every couple of years with a musical talent he inherited from his dad, who was a band director and music teacher for many years in his native state of West Virginia. He also spends some of his time exploring his artistic talents, which he gets from his mom, mostly working in pastels and acrylics, and graduating from art school, even after failing art in the first grade because, as the teacher said, "He won't color inside the lines". Other artistic endeavors over the years include cake decorating, model railroading and making and editing his own videos from old Super 8 home movies.
LARRY THOMAS (Seinfeld, Scrubs, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery)
We are so pleased to announce that Larry Thomas has joined the cast of "Honest to God". Larry is known for his many TV roles and apprearances like "Scrubs", "The Geena Davis Show", "General Hospital" to name a few. But he is probably best known for his Emmy nominated role as "The Soup Nazi" on TV's "Seinfeld". He has also appeared in films such as "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" with Mike Meyers. Larry is no stranger to Sole Productions as he has also appeared in "You Don't Say!" (2013) and "Mind Over Mindy" (2016) ~ for which he won "Best Supporting Actor" at the Blow-up Chicago Arthouse International Film Festival.
POLLY CASSIDAY DOYLE (Five Year Plan, Utopia, Proven Innocent)
Polly has worked as a nurse in pediatrics, psychiatric, and geriatrics and enjoyed caring for and connecting with her patients and their families. On a whim, she auditioned for a role on "Chicago Med". Polly was thrilled when she was cast as a nurse for the popular crossover series. Since then, she has appeared on "Chicago PD", "Proven Innocent", "Shameless" and the popular show "Empire" on FOX, where she plays a core role as a board room member.
In addition, Polly has appeared in several independent films, including a speaking role as an on-camera reporter in the new Amazon Series "Utopia" starring John Cusack and Rainn Wilson. She is excited to be playing the role of Becca Adams. She has watched and enjoyed many of Robert Alaniz's films and is honored to be cast as Becca in "Honest to God".
Polly enjoys playing tennis, bike riding, and taking spin classes. She also enjoys spending time with her daughter and helping her mother. Polly lives with her husband Dave on their farm in LaSalle, Illinois.
What We Need & What You Get
Faith based films have become very popular of late. Audiences are wanting more out of their motion picture experience and for their money. Hollywood Movies have become more and more about special effects, CGI, explosions, sex and violence and quite frankly, audiences are getting tired of it. They want stories that say something more about life and the human condition. Faith based films offer that, but some times they are sugar-coated stories with characters portrayed as pawns to get the film's some time overbearing theme or life lesson.
"Honest to God" is a faith-based film with the same basic elements as most Christian films with one big difference, the characters are more like real people, with real problems. But most important, "Honest to God" is a comedy. A comedy that dares to take a very serious subject that we all will have to one day face and explores what knowing you're going to die can do to a rational mind. Faith based comedies are few and far inbetween. Especially one that speaks not just to Christains, but to everyone who watches it.
Heavens to Betsy (Theatrical Trailer)
Heavens to Betsy 2 (Theatrical Trailer)
Following the sucess of my previous films, "Heavens to Betsy" and "Heavens to Betsy 2", this film will continue down that same path. We already have a distribution deal in place for the film once it is completed.
Risks & Challenges