Film
Donald Griswold writes, directs and produces independent film and television productions. Currently, he is producing and directing Abundant, a documentary feature film which explores the human experience of giving through the experiences of our society’s most exteme altruists and a fascinating group of abundance experts.
Fiction
In Donald Griswold’s first novel, Dying Light, documentary filmmaker Benjamin Beal finds himself carried along into enlightement by a river current of events at the most inopportune time of his life. In the middle of shooting the most high-profile film of his career, Benjamin is called out of production by his dying mentor for one last conversation.
Stage
As a storyteller, Donald Griswold draws in audiences with both riveting and touching moments. Nothing is out of bounds and little can be anticipated in his work. In September 2023, Donald directed CrowdSource for Life, a unique live storytelling show which features the first person stories of everyday people who gave away a kidney to a complete stranger.
Quick Note from Donald
For me, it all comes down to pairing feelings with words. That’s how I work in so many mediums. Writing fiction, working in film, telling a story, even a music performance... it all works the same creative muscle in me. I look for that one feeling... the one I know the audience also knows, too,... and I do my best to connect ideas to that feeling. I love when words do that.
My Creative Motivation
I had a creative breakthrough when I saw my muse singer/songwriter Aimee Mann and Billy Collins, the U.S. Poet Laureate, on stage together. In their show, they explained storytelling in song and poetry agreeing that, through stories, we know we are not alone. I suddenly knew my purpose as an artist: to let the audience know that are not alone. Incidentally, I entered that show on crutches barely able to stand due to back pain and I walked out pain free, carrying the crutches in one hand after Aimee’s encore. True story. Faith-healed by music and realization of purpose!