An email from an actress - Donna Williams

Being a director, sometimes it is hard to know if the actors enjoyed their experience with me, so when I received this email, I felt the warmth inside me and tears filled my eyes. I thank her for reminding me how fun it was during the shoot and thank her for being there through the shoot. Here, with her permission, I've posted the entire email for your reading.

Hi Johnny, I hope all is well. I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how wonderful of an experience I had while being a part of The Rapture. Even from the first moment when you had asked me if i would be interested in doing this project with you I was absolutely tickled. As time went on and the moment of our table read and rehearsals were upon us I was wondering if I would be able to deliver the type of performance that you wanted for your movie. There were some pretty heavy scenes in there and I did not want to cheat the movie of their powerfulness.

On the first day of shooting there was an electrical problem that left the actors waiting. This was a blessing in disguise! I can not speak highly enough of Annie for getting us together to run lines, practice scenes, work on background stories for our characters. She helped so much in the ways to remember lines, actions with purpose, living in truth of the character. She was and is amazing! So very generous with her time and talents. She was truly a gift to this project. Just a real and sincere and wonderful caring human being who is also extremely talented! Holy cow she's good! Just a delight to be around and watch her play. Incredible!

All of the actors were very generous and open in their scenes. I did not get to do much with George and Kyle and Mary and Tom, but I really enjoyed being able to watch them do their scenes and talk with them when I could, if only for a moment, they are really nice people.

I was very nervous about the whole "death and dying" scene with Brian. We really had not spent a lot of time together. And we were going to shoot that within the first two days! I had asked Peter for a closed set and that request was honored. Everyone, and I mean everyone, on that set was so professional. They knew that this was going to be a very emotionally charged and difficult scene and they respected every aspect about it. Even when Joseph had to re-aply my make-up he handled himself in the most respectful and professional manner possible. I must mention how giving and supportive Brian was throughout that scene. He really made it safe and possible for us to "go where we needed to go" to make the moment happen. The thing I was scared the most of has become my finest and proudest moment. I will cherish that always! This project enabled me the oppurtunity to see where I am in my craft and where I can go and where it is I need to go yet. I learned so very, very much being with all of the wonderful people that you had involved in this project. This will stay with me always.

Brandy is truly a great person. She is and was so much fun to be with. I feel as if we truly bonded as "sisters". We talked about missing each ohter on the days that we did not shoot together! I just got so used to having her right by my side that it has been a strange adjustment not to see her. She is a very talented and giving person as well. We ran scene after scene after scene together working on what our relationship was like as "sisters". We really delved pretty deep into things and I fell that all of that payed off. She is very talented and committed to her craft and generous with her knowledge. She was just so great to work with and I miss my seeester!

Thanks for making her my sister!

I feel that Ray also did a wonderful job as well. Man that guy can be intense! Wow! Talented! Also very giving in his knowledge as well. I know he took his time to share with the guys on sparing and characters. I know that they really appreciated him for that. From the first time that I met Ray at the martial art class we hit it off and seemed to have this bond which worked out great for the film because that enabled both of us to trust one another with where we felt we needed to go with the scenes. The scene after the "cat fight" was another intense and emotonally charged scene. All three of us knew that we could trust one another and take that scene to as high as we could with it because it was such a pivotal point in the film where Mia knows that she has to betray her true love. She knows that she has to lose everything with Job in order to save him. None of us had worries. We knew that we could rely on and trust one another to do what we needed to do and go where we needed to go. That is another of my favorite scenes.
The crew was great! I made so many friends through this experience. My life truly is richer for it. What a wonderful job you did in picking the people you did to work with. I have too many fond and awesome memories to mention! This would turn into a novel if I did! I simply could not have asked for a better experience, better people, better memories. All others will pale in comparison to this one. This was my first great film that I did. Great in meaning how much I loved what I was doing! Loved it! Loved the people and could not wait to get up the next day so that I could come and play again!

This has really been a life changing experience. I now know that when called upon I can perform. I know that I have much to learn yet and always will, but I 'm so excited about finding out more and trying more and doing more!!!!!

For the first time my father is actually supporting me in my decision that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life!...Tremendous, emotional, amazing...I didn't know if he ever would. Thank you. I think that he could see the excitement in my eyes and felt the energy from this and believed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Loved it, love you, simply lovely! You and Peter and Cynthia and Sarah and Andy and Joseph and Jason and Mandy and Marc and J.P. and, and , and everyone...all just wonderful and talented people. And I mean everyone...too many to list, but all equally important never the less. I will cherish this always. So again I thank you my friend, I thank you! What an amazing journey and I am so glad that I got to share it with you, and the entire crew! Can't say enough about the awesome and committed group of people.

Thanks for letting me play!

XOXO, Donna (Mia)