Meet the Filmmakers: Lee Storey--'Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story'
By Tom White
Over the next month, we at IDA will be introducing our community to the filmmakers whose work will be represented in the DocuWeeksTM Theatrical Documentary Showcase, July 31-August 20 in New York City and Los Angeles. We asked the filmmakers to share the stories behind their films--the inspirations, the challenges and obstacles, the goals and objectives, the reactions to their films so far.
So, to continue this series of conversations, here is Lee Storey, director/producer/writer of Smile ‘Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story.
Synopsis: Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story explores the clean-cut, smile-drenched singing phenomenon Up With People. The group was born in response to the counter-culture of the '60s, spun from the controversial maneuverings of a religious sect called Moral Re-Armament, backed by millions of corporate dollars, and launched around the globe to exemplify conservative American values. Told by former Uppies whose compelling stories take us on an intimate journey, the film reveals what happens when ideology, money and groupthink converge to co-opt youthful idealism.
IDA: How did you get started in documentary filmmaking? What inspired you to make Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story?
Lee Storey: I never intended to be a filmmaker. I'm a full-time water rights attorney in Phoenix, Arizona; making a documentary was never on my mind. But I learned after 15 years of marriage that my husband was keeping a secret: He was a former member of the pop culture singing group Up With People and its founder, Moral Re-Armament. He would talk about traveling around the world and meeting the Pope and heads of state, but I found it difficult to believe that a black man in the 1960s could have done all the things he said he did. After all, I never saw any photos or news clips from his travels, and there were never any phone calls from the alleged life-long friends of his past. So I set out on a mission to uncover his story. I've been shocked and amazed ever since in learning about the cheery propaganda, corporate funding, political agenda, stringent standards, arranged marriages, sexual politics, and broken families of these singing "true believers" who set out to change the world. Smile ‘Til It Hurts simply became a story that had to be told.
Even though he had nothing to do with the making of Smile 'Til It Hurts, finding out about my husband's past was certainly an eye-opening part of the adventure, especially uncovering his taped speeches on race and character. But what kept me digging was the odd juxtaposition of the seemingly cheesy archival footage with the surprising authentic stories of idealistic youth and the organization's unique mission to counter the counter-culture of the 1960s. Every discovery added another layer I couldn't ignore.
IDA: What were some of the challenges and obstacles in making this film, and how did you overcome them?
LS: For a first-time filmmaker, there was nothing but challenges!!! It was a completely new language for me, and I ran a technical marathon in combing through 40 years of never-before-seen archival footage in all formats. Getting inside the tightly knit inner- circle of Up With People was another challenge. We attended annual reunions held in Tucson, Arizona. The energy at an Uppie reunion is like an Amway convention on steroids. It was also the Borg: Resistance was futile and our crew had to assimilate or die. But because I was an outsider who never traveled in Up With People or Moral Re-Armament, members were willing to share their stories with me, and many were relieved to discuss their experiences after decades of silence. I also had to learn to hunt to get an open interview with J. Blanton Belk, the founder of Up With People. It was a "mano y mano" experience--although he was definitely the sharpshooter, not I.
IDA: How did your vision for the film change over the course of the pre-production, production and post-production processes?
LS: I started out just videotaping personal stories, not knowing the "story" of Smile 'Til It Hurts. While one would anticipate that cast members' experiences would be different over the decades, recurring themes continued to surface. The challenge was choosing from so many unique characters and weaving their personal stories with the corporate agenda and archival footage over decades. I think you have to go with your gut and hope that the feelings and expressions of life's adventures resonate with your audiences.
IDA: As you've screened Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up with People Story-whether on the festival circuit, or in screening rooms, or in living rooms-how have audiences reacted to the film? What has been most surprising or unexpected about their reactions?
LS: For me, the surprise is witnessing the range of emotions from unabashed laughter, to singing, to tearing up at poignant moments, or as a welcome relief from political ideologies and the dynamics of a "groupthink" mentality. What's unexpected is the conversation that Smile ‘Til It Hurts elicits even days after a screening--the sobering reflection of who we are as Americans and what message we sell to the world, our choices as idealistic youth, a sense of compassion and healing, and the comments on the corporate and political agendas being repeated in the world today.
IDA: What docs or docmakers have served as inspirations for you?
LS: While learning to make a doc, I watched tons of them and was overwhelmed at the range of stories and artistic choices made by so many wonderful directors. I think for me, the better answer to this question is the appreciation I now have for the industry as a whole, the emotional highs and lows in making a film, and the application of sheer will and persistence it takes for directors to tell a good story and tell it well. Above all, I have met new and interesting people who are incredible artists in their own right or have a keen eye for it, and who have genuinely supported me in this project. I literally showed up at the playground with a paper cup and plastic spoon, wide-eyed at the people playing in the sandbox with a myriad of complicated and mysterious tools. Perhaps because I had a fresh story to tell, people allowed me to play in the sandbox with them and were willing to share their knowledge of how to make a good film. So I am humbled to be in DocuWeeks with so many amazing documentarians! As a first-time filmmaker, I feel like the kid that gets the opportunity to run the bases on the field at a major league baseball game. And you can't miss me: I'm the awkward one running full speed ahead with a silly grin on my face and loving every minute of it!!
Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story will be screening at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinema in Los Angeles and the IFC Center in New York City.
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