The relationship between a director and an editor in documentaries is so important. Roger Ross Williams More Quotes by Roger Ross Williams More Quotes From Roger Ross Williams 'Traveling While Black' is about empathy, what African Americans experience in traveling throughout America, and how it hasn't changed that much from the past. If it can be experienced in virtual reality, then perhaps some empathy can be gained. Roger Ross Williams realityamericapast I don't think we're getting the empathy, and identifying with the situations that many African Americans experience. That's the problem with how the story is being reported. Roger Ross Williams empathyafrican-americanthinking I wasn't that much of a Disney buff growing up, but I love the mystical and magical nature of Peter Pan, and I have connected with that character through Owen [Suskind] in making this film ["Life, Animated"]. Roger Ross Williams growing-upfilmcharacter Imagine that you're a gay man and you're spending all your time with people who believe you are possessed by the devil. Roger Ross Williams gaymenbelieve Owen [Suskind], in a sense, grew up on a diet of myth and fable, and has become an expert on their themes, which contain a moral guide that connects people. Roger Ross Williams fablesexpertspeople The challenge and the goal was to get inside Owen's [Suskind] world, because I really wanted to see it through his point of view. To achieve that naturalism, I used a screen in front of a camera as I interviewed him Roger Ross Williams goalchallengesviews I realized that Owen [Suskind] is completely brilliant, because he embraced and memorized all these classic Disney films - these fables that chronicle the hero's journey, and have existed for thousands of years. Owen, in a sense, grew up on a diet of myth and fable, and has become an expert on their themes, which contain a moral guide that connects people. Roger Ross Williams journeyheroyears I always compare young missioners to the kids who naively signed up to go to Iraq to fight terrorism. They are just the foot soldiers in the spiritual war that Mike Bickle and Lou Engle are waging against what they consider sin. They will say it is biblical truth, but the Bible says many things, and you don't see anyone saying that slavery is okay or that we should not eat shellfish. Why the fascination with sex? Roger Ross Williams spiritualwarsex Why so much interest in Uganda? Why are American conservatives lobbing for hate? The answer is that they feel they have lost the culture war here at home and are exporting their outdated ideas to the developing world. Roger Ross Williams hatehomewar I didn't know the extent of American obsession with Uganda until I got there and saw it. You ride in the plane and it's filled with American missionaries. Uganda is the No. 1 destination for American missionaries in the world. Roger Ross Williams ugandasawsworld I'm not an activist at all. I'm a filmmaker, and I wanted the people involved to tell their own story. Roger Ross Williams filmmakerstoriespeople Someone told me once that I'm worse than a dog, I'm the scum of the earth, so for me it was draining. Roger Ross Williams drainingscum-of-the-earthdog I grew up in a Southern Baptist-style church with a choir, a band, and music, but I've been asking myself my whole life, "Why is my own church, my own community, rejecting me because of my sexuality?". Roger Ross Williams stylesoutherncommunity After I read about Uganda's now famous "kill the gays" bill, I wanted to explore the religious forces behind it. As a gay man, I wanted to understand the folks who wanted to kill me and why. Roger Ross Williams gayreligiousmen Uganda can greatly benefit from American evangelicals if they separate the Scott Lively extremists from the Rick Warren-type of moderate evangelicals. Roger Ross Williams ugandatypebenefits As Mike Bickle said to me, there is a spiritual battle going on in the world, and he believes that in America marriage between a man and a woman will become illegal. He believes there will be a war. He believes it'll begin in schools and the Christian kids will rise up and slay the non-Christian kids. This was an on-camera interview! Roger Ross Williams spiritualchristianwar I agree that Scott Lively is marginal, and that is exactly why evangelicals must not let him speak for them. But in Uganda, Scott Lively is allowed to address the parliament for five hours, and his hate-filled message led directly to the anti-homosexuality bill. Roger Ross Williams ugandaaddresseshate I both didn't know Owen [Suskind] beforehand and didn't have any connection to the autistic community. But Owen wasn't really a problem, because he participated in the writing of the book and wanted people to see him as he truly is. As far as the cameras, Owen lives in the moment and the cameras really didn't distract him. Roger Ross Williams writingbookpeople I've known Owen's father Ron [Suskind] for years, and this was based on his best-selling book ["Life, Animated"]. We worked together as journalists at ABC-TV News, and I knew about the book since its inception. Before he finished it, he approached me and said he thought it would make a great documentary, and I agree with him, and moved forward from there. Roger Ross Williams tv-newsfatherbook That is what I was more drawn to - creating stories while changing and altering reality. Roger Ross Williams creatingstoriesreality
