Filmmaker returns to Salisbury with ‘Mistakes’

SALISBURY —Litchfield resident Paul Brighton has been in and around motion pictures since he was a student. After several decades working in production, acting and teaching, Brighton says he knew the time was right to produce and direct a motion picture based on a series of real-life events and inspirations. That was the genesis of the independent film “Brilliant Mistakes,” currently in postproduction by Brighton’s company, Salisbury Films. He held a discussion about the film last weekend at the Salisbury School, where part of the film takes place.The screenplay was written by Doug Klozzner. Shooting of the film was completed on Oct. 17 last year.The Salisbury Films website says that “Brilliant Mistakes” is about Marcus Wright, a 24-year-old English teacher at a school in Connecticut. His girlfriend, Gabby, is driving to her job but ends up swerving off the road and getting into a violent car accident. She is left in a vegetative state and can no longer walk or speak.Marcus had previously promised to marry Gabby, and while the values instilled by his parents are ingrained in him, this causes him to question whether he should fulfill that promise.In the end, the audience sees a young man who finally comes full circle while embracing life’s surprises.Brighton originally raised money for the shooting of the film. Now he is on a campaign to raise $130,000 to complete the postproduction work, which includes editing and sound design.Part of the film was shot on the campus of the Salisbury School for two days last fall. In return for the generosity of the school in letting Salisbury Films shoot on campus and use school facilities for offices during the shoot, Brighton hopes to be able to donate $20,000 of the money he raises to the school.In a question and answer session, Brighton said his original plan was to use the event at the Salisbury School to raise the funds needed to complete the project. However, only about 30 people attended the program, including about 10 who worked on the production, including four of the actors.Being an optimist, Brighton told the audience his fundraising hopes would not be fulfilled that evening, but he was delighted nevertheless to have an opportunity to talk to Northwest Corner residents about his film.After showing a short trailer, Brighton answered some questions and then showed a 10-minute behind-the-scenes video on the making of the film. Brighton then talked about the film and introduced the actors who were there.Brighton said he hopes to have the postproduction work completed by this summer, in time to take it to film festivals and perhaps get it into theaters by this fall.To learn more about the film, contact Brighton at paul@salisburyfilms.com.