‘I’m an electric Lampshade’ is a documentary narrative that tells the story of a 60-year-old corporate accountant Doug McCorkle, who puts his marriage and life savings on the line to chase his wildest dreams. WhatsOn catches up with Doug McCorkle and the executive director/writer of the documentary film, John Clayton Doyle in an exclusive interview:
Meet Doug McCorkle, a 60-year-old ex-corporate accountant who left his job to pursue his lifelong dream to become a singer and performer. Doug was a DJ of a weekly radio show in New York’s Hudson Valley region for several years. But he never performed in front of an audience. At least not until he met John.
It all started when Doug agreed to collaborate with writer/director John Clayton Doyle for a short music video which over the years evolved into a feature-length movie, ‘I’m an Electric Lampshade’.
In the candid interview Dough talks in-depth about the film. He said, “part of it is the true documentary about Dough’s story and part of it is narrative that’s based on very creative storytelling of John. It follows Dough’s quest into becoming a performer. At least from my perspective it is inspirational and gives the message that you really should not give up on your dreams. Pursue your dreams. Go for it. At least in the end you can say you tried.”
The film has a very strong social message. Doug said,
“It is about finding that inner voice within you and creating something which is probably beyond your wildest dreams.”
When asked how he garnered the courage to become a performer after retiring, Doug said, “Did I know that I could really do this, no I didn’t? I wasn’t really sure. It was a kind of leap of faith. It was a scary adventure along the way. But thanks to all our creative collaborators, John and his great storytelling, and directing leading us to where we are.”
John Clayton is a multidisciplinary artist who wrote and directed this feature-length docu-fiction. John and his crew followed Doug as he retired from a successful career as a corporate accountant to being one of the most daring performers of the 21st century.
John shared his insights on the risks and obstacles involved in filming a docu-fiction. He said, “when working in a documentary you do not know what the end is gonna be and you do not have a script that your entire team can follow along with, including our editors. We knew that there is a story of transformation here.”
John talked about his chemistry with Doug throughout this entire process. He said, “We are taking Doug, who is a numbers guy, and when you work with numbers everything kind of has to fit into the equation. Doug had to unlearn that background because when it comes to the creative process there isn’t a path to follow in order to discover your own unique voice. You need to explore where your mind and heart can take you in order to get in touch with the creative side of yourself.”
John also shared a few obstacles that he faced during his journey. He said, “I think working with a large team is a big part of the director’s job and understanding everyone on the team and where they are…. I felt like I had Doug’s trust from the beginning to end and that always prompt be up.”
Mind-bending musical odyssey ‘I’m An Electric Lampshade’ has been confirmed for three UK film festivals this Summer. Doug said, “We are very excited for the film to be screening in three major UK film festivals. It’s all very exciting for us.” The film has also been nominated for Best Post-Production and Best Feature at Ignite Film Festival.
The film is an inspiring underdog story about finding your unique voice and shows the world that it is never too late to pursue one’s dreams.
Watch the full interview below and catch the film at your nearest Screenings:
