We’ve all had to stare pain, fear, and the unknown directly in the eye whether it was first-hand or through that of a loved-one. Those emotions alone are a universal experience and therefore allow us the opportunity to connect and bond over those familiar feelings. Written and directed by Caroline Heinle, the short film White Noise was created around those same emotions and put on the forefront for viewers to appreciate and relate to. Caroline did what most wouldn’t dare to do — she has welcomed everyone with open arms for an intimate and vulnerable look into her world as a woman struggling with a disorder that changed her life forever.
“White noise is a cinematic, dramatic short film about a female protagonist named Dana who is struggling with chronic pain. Because she is experiencing various symptoms, and doctors take less time to communicate with their patients today, she begins to question her symptoms and whether or not they are psychosomatic… until one doctor finally takes the time to explain her symptoms to her and their connection to her scoliosis disorder. This gives Dana confidence in herself and the healthcare system again, the will to tackle spinal fusion surgery, and the ability to find her inner strength again.” Keep reading to learn more about Caroline and her new film.
About White Noise
White Noise was written and will be produced and performed by Caroline, a filmmaker and Jersey City resident, this spring. Originally from NJ, Caroline studied in Rhode Island then went on to study abroad in London and finally settled down in Los Angeles before moving to Jersey City over a year ago. With an easy commute into the city for auditions, film festivals, and workshops, it was a no-brainer to make Jersey City her permanent home. Outside of her acting and filmmaking career, Caroline works for a local real estate development company called the Weingarten Group, LLC as their office manager.
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About Caroline
When Caroline isn’t writing, acting or directing, she also works with local businesses to build their brand through social media marketing. She sits down with clients, listens to their story, understands their goals, and advises on what steps they need to take in order to achieve those goals.
A Q +A
{Photo credit: @carolineheinle}
Luckily, we got the chance to sit down with Caroline and pick her brain about how she brought her film to fruition while still balancing her everyday life in Jersey City.
Hoboken Girl: What inspires you as a writer, specifically for the White Noise Short Film?
Caroline Heinle: Feelings, life experiences, and the human psyche. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, which is why we are able to watch something on TV or in film today, and get hooked. It’s because we see ourselves, and the writing today is so raw, honest, and real. That’s what inspires me. I love the saying that art is meant to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. We are meant to make mistakes along the way and learn from them.
With White Noise I was inspired to write this short film after undergoing a pretty extensive spinal fusion surgery. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 15 and had to wear a back brace at night, growing up. I was experiencing pretty gruesome headaches so bad that if you placed your hand on the back of my skull, you could feel the throbbing. They were stemming from newly herniated discs in my c-spine, which were derivative of the 45-degree curve in my thoracic spine. I was running around from doctor to doctor, by myself in Los Angeles, and my family finally said it was time to come home and take care of it.
A friend of mine had her spine fused at NYU Langone Spine Center in New York City with Dr. Thomas Errico. He made a lot of sense of everything that I was experiencing and made me feel safe about undergoing spinal fusion surgery. Prior to my surgery, I was writing a lot of sketch comedy, so I had already started to fall back in love with writing and was beginning to find my voice as a creative, and I decided to move further with it and began blogging about my experiences. My mother encouraged me to do it. She always says that she feels deeply but never was able to put feelings into words. So the fact that I can, is a gift that I need to share because there is always someone out there who would benefit from [it] or feel less alone, through reading about your experiences.
When I told Dr. Errico, he shared it with the rest of the spine center and had me speak with their PR director about it and my story was shared in the NY Post and Daily Mail. I kept blogging for a while, and people from all over the world would message me and ask for advice about what they should do with their scoliosis. It was nice to be able to at least lend an ear to comfort them. Eventually, my artistic desire shifted and I felt like telling the story in a different way. I wanted to create a character that I could easily tap into and write a nonfiction story.
HG: What has been the highlight of your career as an artist?
CH: I don’t know. Honestly, I always feel like it’s the project of the moment. Right now, I’m just excited to have found my voice as a filmmaker and [am] excited to make films about the complications with being human and inner evolution. But, I guess some fun career moments have also been meetings I’ve had with producers, signing with the Bohemia Group Management this past May and shooting a commercial in the past with Peter Farrelly. That was a really cool day! Acting and writing can be an inconsistent field of work, and if you love it enough, you stick with it and find other jobs and fields along the way that enable you to stretch your creativity in different ways and on other platforms.
HG: Beyond your acting + writing career, how did you get into the social media marketing industry?
CH: I began marketing my own acting work on social media and sort of picked up a knack for it. I started reading more about the business ideas behind it and combined it with the writer in me. I then took a job as a Social Media Coordinator at Weichert Realtors Downtown Jersey City office, where I ran their Facebook page, would promote their listings and would sit down with the agents in the office and coach them on the best ways to promote their businesses. Right now, I offer one on one coaching sessions to walk people through building accounts that are brand and market-specific, how to optimize their profiles and how to remain consistent with marketing and branding.
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HG: What is your favorite part about Jersey City?
CH: The community support for small businesses. My father is an entrepreneur and small business owner, so I will always have a place in my heart for the small business hustle. I love seeing the support of the community and how excited we all get when a new restaurant, café, bar, boutique, etc. comes to the neighborhood. Especially, when it’s a restaurant or small business expanding to a second or third location. I’ve always loved promoting and supporting others, so it just makes the inner cheerleader inside of me yell, “Yes! Go!” And it inspires me. Actors are entrepreneurs too, after all. Plus, I have a thing for exploring coffee shops and trying new restaurants. My one friend jokes with me about my adventurous taste buds. One time I almost ate a balut, but just couldn’t do it. Typically, I’ll try anything, at least once.
Telling your story is never an easy task, but if you make the decision to do so, something beautiful could happen. Caroline bravely made the decision to turn her experience into an educational tool and created a platform to bring awareness and understanding to the reality of living with scoliosis.
While Caroline understands the impact of a film is different for everyone as perceptions differ, she hopes that it will bring awareness to scoliosis and for people that are going through something to see this and feel seen.
Keep up with Caroline via her website, CarolineHeinle.com.
