David Rennke, producer, "Pearl"

The independent film “Pearl” tells the true story of Pearl Carter, an aviation pioneer who, under the tutelage of famed aviator Wiley Post, was flying solo at age 13 in the 1920s and wowed audiences at air shows throughout Oklahoma.

Pearl was also a Native American, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, who today has produced the film, playing free screenings throughout the country and including cast members and filmmakers for post-screening Q&As. Rennke, along with actor Angela Gair and screenwriter Donna Carlton will be in Indianapolis July 8 at Landmark's Keystone Art Cinema for a 7:00 pm screening and post-film Q&A.

The Yap spoke to Rennke (pictured above left with "Pearl" director King Hollis), a longtime editor, about the making of the film, Pearl Carter as a historical figure, and how the film emphasized her heritage without playing the race card.

The Yap: First off, I'm interested to know about the origins of the film, why you decided to make a film about this subject.

DR: Governor Bill Anoatubby, the chief of the Chickasaw Nation, has always been interested in preserving our history and culture. I'm Chickasaw myself, and we had spoken about making films of some of our stories several years ago. I just thought Pearl Carter Scott's life would make a great film. It's a story the tribe is proud of, but also one that anyone could relate to. Believing in your dreams and having the courage to pursue them are universal themes, and the field of aviation during that time period is fascinating as well. Pearl's youth, the involvement of her mentor, the famous aviator Wiley Post, and the challenges of the dust bowl and the depression are all elements in a memorable story.

The Yap: Why do you think Pearl isn't as famous a historical figure as people like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earheart?

DR: While Pearl was a celebrity in and around Oklahoma, she didn't set any world records or gain international publicity at that time. She also chose to stop flying at a point in her life when she wisely decided her priorities belonged to her family. Wiley Post and his friend Will Rogers were killed in a plane crash a few short years after she quit flying.

The Yap: Can you guide me through the process where you decided to produce the film, and the various steps leading up to it being greenlit? DR: We first assembled a small team and did a little research on the feasibility of recreating the story's time period along with the correct airplanes. Oklahoma provides a good range of locations, props, and costumes for filming a period piece and we felt confident to proceed on that front. We looked at Pearl's life story and outlined the story arc along with the major elements for each act. At that point we were able to create a schedule, budget, and proposal to present to Governor Anoatubby and the Chickasaw Nation for greenlighting. We also discovered that Pearl's airplane (a Curtiss Robin) was pretty rare, with only a few were still in existence.

The Yap: Really? How did you manage to get one?

DR: We had the good fortune to find a barnstorming tour featuring vintage aircraft flying through Kansas in summer of 2008. We drove there to film some second unit footage and met the pilots. They refered us to David Mars, a pilot in Mississippi who had a fully restored Curtiss Robin. He was kind enough to fly his plane in our movie and has also flown the plane to several promotional appearances. He will be at the Oshkosh airshow July 28-31 with the Curtis Robin as well.

The Yap: And the Chickasaw Nation actually funded the film?

DR: The film was funded by the Chickasaw Nation as an investment in creating a film company. Plans are to make other films soon after we wrap this one up.

The Yap: Tell me about the marketing strategy. Doing a "barnstorming" type of tour with screenings with cast Q&A. With an independent film like this how much of a risk is it to commit financial resources to jetting the cast and crew around the country rather than going for a more traditional type of screening run?

DR: Our goal with these screenings is to raise awareness of the film and generate favorable publicity in a cost effective way. It is a small tour with only 2 or 3 cast or crew attending the screenings and doing interviews in a few selected markets. For an independent film without "name" actors, it is difficult to secure theatrical distribution unless you can generate a little "buzz" in the film world. Pearl's cinematography and performances come across extremely well on a big screen and we want as many people as possible to to see it in this format. Later this month we will be at the largest airshow in the world, Oshkosh Air Show in Wisconsin, where thousands of aircraft buffs will have the opportunity to see it on a big screen.

The Yap: How involved were you in the creative decisions behind the film-casting, scripting, and filming?

DR: We had a great team of people who all contributed significantly to the project. I was involved with creative decisions at every step of the process from concept to finish but the production team made it a very enjoyable job, providing fantastic writing, filming, logistical support, and post production.

The Yap: I'm interested in knowing about the historical accuracy of the film. A lot of "based on a true story" films are heavily fictionalized for various purposes. How true to life is "Pearl"? How did you handle having to conjecture about events?

DR: The writers—Donna Carlton, Thomas Bailey, and Margeret Reynolds, along with help from Lance McDaniels—each wrote sections and we would combine and polish them with input from our director, King Hollis. The casting director, Chris Freihofer, King and I reviewed close to 700 auditions, and King made the final calls in most cases. We feel extremely fortunate to have found the tremendous cast we did for Pearl. Elijah DeJesus, Andrew Sensinig, Angela Gair, and Tom Huston Orr all gave great performances and had tremendous chemistry almost immediately with the entire cast and crew. Amy Briede was our line producer, and Lance, our1st AD, were also a big help throughout pre-production and filming, finding locations and assembling crews.

The Yap: What were your primary sources for obtaining her life story? Did she write a book, or did you use news stories or speak with relatives?

DR: We conducted interviews with Pearl while she was alive and much of the script was based on her actual verbage. We also did extensive historical research and additional family interviews to verify data, and also referenced her published bigraphy in some instances. So we tried to keep the story as accurate as possible, historically speaking. There are some events which were "condensed" in the film due to time constraints but we always tried to stay true to the facts. Many people who knew Pearl in real life, along with family members have come forward to tell us how well we captured her spirit and life and we are truly gratified by their response.

The Yap: It's pretty heavily discussed that Pearl is a Chickasaw Indian. Can you talk about the importance of keeping her heritage at the film's forefront?

DR: Pearl was extensively involved in the Chickasaw Nation as a Community Health Representative, legislator, and inspiration throughout her life. It was a big part of who she was and we feel it is important to let people know that part of her heritage. It's also part of what makes this story exceptional. Taking place in what was Indian territory just a few years before, a young indian girl is mentored by one of the most famous aviators of the day and goes on to pursue her dream regardless of anyone's perceptions of what is possible. Pearl's spirit is representative of the tribe and its people.

The Yap: Even though you discuss her heritage as a Chickasaw, there is very little racial tension in the film. We never see Pearl having to overcome any racial barriers to her success. It seems like being a young female Native American that she would have some racial barriers.

DR: There were some racial obstacles, as highlighted in the downtown store scene, but it was probably less pronounced in Oklahoma than in other regions of the country. Oklahoma was only recently a state at that time, before that it was Indian Territory, with over 20 different tribes residing in the territory after being forced to relocate there in the early 1800s from their original homelands.Many, many people in the state were Native American or had Native American blood. They owned farms, ranches, and businesses and some were quite successful. Chickasaws who travelled outside the region usually encountered more overt discrimination outside the state.

The Yap: So you didn’t feel the need to emphasize the racial element?

DR: The film is about celebrating Pearl's spirit. She was not someone to focus on obstacles. She looked at the possibilities and moving forward. In her interviews she was always positive and excited about life. She would never see herself as a victim. Chickasaws revere their history and culture and certainly acknowledge the injustices they and other tribes have suffered, but generally prefer to emphasize achievements and opportunities. Our motto is "unconquered and unconquerable."