Look Into My Eyes - A Documentary Film by Lana Wilson, Sundance Film Festival 2024
Some of you may be hearing some buzz about a new documentary film, Look Into My Eyes directed by Emmy award winner, Lana Wilson (Miss Americana/Taylor Swift and Pretty Baby/Brooke Shields). I have had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in the film as one of the seven psychics over past three years. We are all looking forward to the New York Premier!
VARIETY
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INDIE Wire
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VARIETY ~ INDIE Wire ~
‘Look Into My Eyes’ Review: Psychics Shed the Mystique in a Funny, Compassionate Doc Portrait
“. . . The seven psychics that Wilson has assembled to interview and observe are a diverse group — four of them women, three men; four people of color, three white — with an equally varied range of approaches to their chosen calling, from New Age-y solemnity to fairground-style showmanship and sparkle. (That would be Sherrie Lynne, who dresses for work in a surfeit of bohemian bangles and scarves, openly acknowledging the artifice and theatrics of a spiel she largely performs at parties.) ”
My Journey with Lana Wilson: Behind the Scenes of 'Look Into My Eyes' Documentary
In September 2020, I was approached by producer, Kyle Martin (Drifting Cloud Productions) to participate in a Documentary directed by Lana Wilson. I hadn’t yet seen Miss Americana and wasn’t familiar with Lana’s work. The producer explained this was going to be a documentary involving psychics giving readings here in New York City. They wanted to film me doing what I love to do!
Lana and I spoke at length about the project. She talked about the film, her ideas and vision. I appreciated how open she was to listening to my ideas and suggestions and it made for a very collaborative, inspiring and fun conversation. There was no doubt that I was up for doing this!
Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn was the setting for my first day on set. What a thrill! Three cameras, sound booms, lights, crew -- on a chilly, clear October night in 2020. Covid was still in its early stages and there were filming guidelines that had to be adhered to. The set was simple -- a card-sized table under a huge tree. There was a 24” high plexiglass divider set up in the center of the table (remember the 6’ distance we had to keep?). I didn’t take off my mask until they began filming.
That October night I did a lot of readings under the stars. Loved every minute of it. Although it took a little getting used to have cameras rolling while I worked, I was amazingly able to tune them out and tune into each client. As the months passed, Covid restrictions lifted and no more plexiglass! Filming continued off and on over the next three years where I had more opportunities to not only do lots more private readings, but a Team Bonding event, several Bachelorette parties, and a Girl’s-Night-In party on film with Lana and her crew. And what a wonderful crew they were!
The locations ranged from Carl Shurz Park (by Gracie Mansion) to brownstones in Grammercy and Prospect Park to a fabulous office in midtown, where they filmed the Team Bonding event. One of my favorite locations was an outdoor beer garden in Norwalk, CT. It was costume contest night at the beer garden and thus, lots of people were dressed in wild and elaborate costumes. To top it off, they had an enormous fire pit blazing in the center of the party. Fabulous!!
In June of 2023, (my last day on set) they filmed all seven of us inside a church on the Upper East Side. It was the first time I got to meet most of the other readers. We were all invited there to partake in a séance / messaging circle on film. It was a very interactive and revealing experience. As each of our mediumship skills were called upon, I happily rose to the occasion and participated.
CUT TO: Early December 2023. Lana called to tell me the film had been accepted into The Sundance Film Festival. Wow!!! So exciting! We were all buzzing about the film and excitedly anticipating the big premier in Park City, Utah.
The week after Sundance, I was invited to a private screening of Look Into My Eyes at A24 (film producer) here in Manhattan. What an experience! Both seeing the film and then discussing it at length with Lana and Kyle (who met with me) right after I watched it. They were eagerly anticipating my response to the film. It was so helpful to share all my feedback, ask questions and give my reactions with them both. They are incredibly supportive people.
It took a full week, including chats with friends and a few of the other psychics in the film to process it all. Seeing oneself on a big screen takes some getting used to. Yikes!
All in all, it’s a beautiful film and I’m enormously grateful to be a part of this wonderful project. I hope you will treat yourself to seeing it when it is released.