About

Hi there!

My name is Ernest Goodman. I am a film director and screenwriter, based in Los Angeles. I am author of a book The Art of Directing Actors. This book is for directors, actors, screenwriters – as well as others who loves directing actors so much.

My philosophy of directing and first priority is directing actors (According Stanislavsky, Michael Chekhov, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner and other methods). I understand how truthful performance of actors makes movie memorable.

Additionally, I serve as an instructor at UCLA Extension.

This is a website of my feature length romantic comedy film “The man in a case” to be shot in a near future.

The story takes place at the modern time in the beautiful town of Santa Barbara county, surrounded by gorgeous mountains, vineyards and ocean beaches.

Logline:

A strict and disciplined middle school principal, known for his penchant for keeping everything in cases and for terrorizing the school’s students, teachers, and residents of a small town with his rigid adherence to rules, falls in love with a female colleague who is his complete opposite. As a result of this relationship, he undergoes a change for the better.

Synopsis:

The film ‘The Man in a Case’ tells the story of John White, a middle school principal who prefers to keep all his belongings in separate cases. He even carries an umbrella on sunny days, just in case it rains. John believes that living a life filled with rules and strictness will protect him from uncertainty, adhering to the principle ‘What if something happens?’ Consistently following the right path, he never deviates from his life’s program for anyone.

With this principle, he becomes a terror to the hapless middle school students and town residents. However, he is unaware that Valeria, the new enchanting and freedom-loving music teacher, started dating him not out of affection but because the school owners offered her a promotion to change him. Initially, she doesn’t take John seriously, but her feelings evolve after he defends her from some hooligans.

In turn, John undergoes a transformation; he starts dressing fashionably, changes his hairstyle, and alters his outlook on life. Many students and townspeople sigh in relief when they see the kind-hearted person he has become, as opposed to the previous John. Upon discovering why Valeria initially dated him, John breaks up with her, resigns from the school, and attempts to move to another city.

After some time, realizing her mistake, Valeria catches up with him and confesses her love. The story concludes with a grand wedding on the ocean shore.

The Man in a Case explores the life of John White, a high school principal, who likes to keep all his belongings in separate cases. He even carries an umbrella on a sunny day, not for shade, but for a rainstorm.  John believes living a very rigid and structured life filled with rules will protect him from the unknown and lives under the principle: “What if something would happen?”
John White fanatically loves laws and directions. As a strict disciplinarian, he always follows the proper way and never breaks away from the syllabus of his life for anyone. By this very principle he terrorizes his hopeless high school students and residents of the town. Hope for John comes when he falls in love with the new gorgeous and free spirited music teacher (Valery).
However, unbeknownst to John, Valery has her own goal to get a promotion if she dates and changes John. She was promised to get a promotion. This is why she decides to date John.
Of course John’s new-found love’s lifestyle is of polar opposites to his strict formulaic life.  He is puzzled by both her and her brother.  Valery has a brother, who are free spirited too. Their way of living is strange to John. The love of his life, the woman he hopes to marry and her brother are freedom-loving, rebellious, and go with the flow.
Local society secretly laughs at principal but because of the fear of unnecessary problems with state and town officials, they are afraid of him. Eventually he will be changed going through many obstacles in order to be in love with freedom-loving Valery and they will get married.

Very best,

Ernest Goodman

director and screenwriter.

www.ernestgoodmanstudio.com