OPINION: Fox Valley native aims camera on mental illness and homelessness in new movie

Feb. 2--Like most of America, Los Angeles film producer and Geneva native Doug Shaffer was not all that tuned in to the issue of homelessness in the United States, until he was introduced to the faces and the stories behind the statistics of this growing humanitarian problem in our country.

That recognition began 10 years ago when he first heard about a Dallas/Fort Worth woman who, while searching the streets for her husband who suffered from schizophrenia in the early 2000s, began a crusade to deliver warm covers to every homeless person in their area.

"5,000 Blankets" was released by Shaffer's company Caspian Productions and distributed by Sony Pictures for a short run in 750 theaters in December. It is now available exclusively on Sony's streaming service Pure Flix and in March will be released to other platforms, he said.

This film has already received a nomination from the Movieguide Awards, which for the past 30 years has honored the best of family-friendly and/or spiritually uplifting entertainment. It is the true story of Cyndi Bunch and her young son Phillip, whose eyes and hearts were quickly opened to the plight of the homeless while searching for their mentally ill husband/father after he abandoned them.

Working on this film with Affirm, Sony's family-focused company, was also an eye opener for Shaffer. He too not only was made aware of how the homeless crisis has gotten "exponentially worse," he told me, but also how few good movies have been made that deal directly with this vulnerable population in our country.

The goal, he said, was to make a realistic movie that did not stray away from the issues of mental illness and homelessness, and at the same time paints an accurate depiction of those who are struggling.

That mission reminded me of the 2019 motion picture "The Public," which was produced and starred Emilio Estevez and who developed a strong friendship with then Hesed House Director Ryan Dowd after he had written a successful training book about the critical role libraries play in dealing with those on the streets.

As I've mentioned in the past, that includes my brilliant but mentally ill brother, who was a veterinarian but eventually ended up, first under a trove of trees during a winter blizzard, and then, thank God, in a warm shelter, where we eventually found him and were able to intervene.

On a scale of one to 10, Shaffer placed himself "at about a three on the homeless issue when this project began.

"Going through the entire process I've just become a lot more aware of what happens when a person first becomes homeless and the day-to-day struggles they have to endure. It takes such a toll on them both mentally and physically. I've learned to really empathize with them. I've come to the understanding that this could really happen to anyone and instead of society shunning them, we should embrace them."

I had a chance to watch "5,000 Blankets," which was shot in Arkansas using many homeless people as paid extras, according to its producer, and was impressed not only with its high quality but the compelling storyline that emphasized how just acknowledging the existence of the homeless can make such a difference to them.

Shaffer, a 1991 graduate of Geneva High School, told me he began his career in marketing but switched gears to "follow my dream" and was accepted into the American Film Institute. He quickly realized that producing, rather than directing, "fit my skill set," and helped build a company from the ground up that worked on quite a few Lifetime movies with such heavyweights as Rob Reiner, he added.

When Shaffer decided to launch his own company in 2019, the rights to "5,000 Blankets" became available.

Even though Christian audiences are driving its success, the movie's message, he said, is not only about faith but also about our humanity.

Each homeless person "has a story, a family," Shaffer said. "And like all of us, they need human interaction. If we don't see their faces or know their stories, it is so easy to judge them."

It's a lesson that not only opened his eyes but he's taken to heart. When I had to call Shaffer on Wednesday for a few more quick questions, he was making sandwiches for residents at Lazarus House in St. Charles, where he had also just purchased and delivered items this family shelter was low on, including diapers, milk, juice, rubber gloves and trash bags.

Shaffer told me unless he's shooting a movie, time is split between his home in Orange County, California, where he's the primary caregiver for his autistic son, and Geneva, where he helps take care of his elderly mother but can also find quality time to work.

His next project will again focus on faith and family, a genre that audiences are demanding more of and that streaming platforms are beginning "to show a lot more interest" in, he said.

"I like inspirational," Shaffer said. "If a move makes me cry, then I feel it will touch the audience."

dcrosby@tribpub.com

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