a film by robert manciero

The filmmakers

Robert Manciero

Robert Manciero is a producer, director, and writer with over ten years in the television/film industry. After spending three years at The Disney Studios, he formed his own production company Full Vision Productions. Robert has been honored with a commendation from the City of Los Angeles. In 2005 he received two Emmys; one for a PSA and another for "Best Director." He also received an Emmy in 2002 for his PSA campaign, and is a two time Emmy winner in 1995 and 1996 for "Best Director" for a sports documentary series. Robert received a World medal at the New York Film Festival, a National Telly, and an International Aurora Award for his music videos and commercials. He made his theatrical debut with a short film" Code Blue" which was screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. He is actively involved in directing documentaries, PSA campaigns, and national commercials, and is a member of the International Documentary Association and affiliated with the Academy of Television Arts and Science. Full Vision Productions' website is at www.FullVisionProductions.com.

Rich Samuels

Rich Samuels is a producer, writer and editor with extensive experience in documentary production. His work has garnered three Emmy Awards and recognition at film festivals and competitions worldwide. Rich specializes in youth-interest and youth-issue programs. In addition to an Emmy Award for Children / Youth programming, Samuels has garnered several screenwriting awards in the genre, most recently "Best Comedy Screenplay" at the International Family Film Festival.

Rich also enjoys teaching his craft to young people. He created a filmmaking workshop at Pacific Lodge Boys' Home in Woodland Hills, and currently serves as "artist in residence" at San Pedro High School, teaching documentary video production and editing. He is affiliated with the Producers Guild of America and the International Documentary Association. Rich's website is at www.RLSVentures.com.

David Garland

David Garland has been a Vice-President for Marketing at Paramount, Disney, Fox, E!Entertainment and has over 20 years of production experience in motion pictures, television and cable (live & daily) including the production of network TV commercials.

He has two teenage daughters and when a close friend of his brought the subject matter of the documentary to his attention, he remembered that he knew organizations involved with summer camps that had told him that over a third of the children attending camp were taking Ritalin, and several kinds of anti-depressants.

As David states, "doctors everywhere are over-prescribing adults, but to have children taking medicines that were meant for adults, and have only been tested on adults is an injustice. Their young and still developing minds should not be subjected to medicines that were meant for adults and a lot more mature brains. When they actually take their own lives, what do we have to do to get the word out?!"

[Click here for an interview with the filmmakers about the film.]

Jace Vek

Composer, arranger, recording artist, performer, producer, Jace Vek has thrilled audiences in over 50 countries. Jace has composed and produced two albums and is currently working on a third. His albums "Vision", a collection of original piano solos, and "Jace Vek, live with the Royal Sylvan Philharmonic", with compositions for full orchestra, composed, arranged, produced, and performed by Jace Vek sell throughout the world. "...live with the Royal Sylvan..." has been played on over 200 radio stations worldwide and has recently been ranked as the 5th most popular new age/neoclassical album in the world by the newagereporter.com. In Japan and the Netherlands his music soared to #1 on the charts.

Jace's love of the piano started at the young age of five where he quickly demonstrated an extraordinary gift for learning complex classical compositions by Chopin, Beethoven, and Bach by ear. Jace later received a full scholarship to West Virginia University School of Music where he studied Composition and Theory. Jace has performed in some of the worlds most prestigious resorts and concert halls like Heinz Hall, The Cloister at Sea Island, and Nemacolin Woodlands. Jace has also toured in Czech Republic and Finland performing original works.

Most recently, Jace was commissioned to compose an original ballet by world famous philanthropist, Joseph Hardy. Jace has also composed for numerous projects for Emmy award winning director Robert Manciero. His website is at www.jacevek.com.

Kara Vander Pyl

  Singer/songwriter Kara Vander Pyl is from Providence, Rhode Island. She began singing and playing the piano by the tender age of four. She was greatly influenced by her concert pianist mother, and started writing in earnest at the age of fifteen after her mother's death. After studying classical voice and piano, Kara's secret desire was to start a band and attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. While pursuing these dreams and attending Berklee, Kara was hit with yet another defining moment in her life, which was a cancer diagnosis. With her incredible inner strength, she not only survived, but the depth of her desire and her writing grew enormously. She packed her bags and left tragedy and an abusive past behind.

She now resides in Los Angeles where everyone assumes she is destined. Her music is described as passionate and intense. Her lyrics are honest and always based on her life experiences. Kara composed and dedicated the song "Just a girl" for the documentary Prescription:suicide?. Her website is at www.myspace.com/lovechoosesyou.

Marc Haley

Marc has been singing in the band "like David" since the summer of 1999. His hope is that through his music he is able to shed light in the dark world of antidepressants. He credits his still being here and alive to his parents and to his personal saviour, Jesus Christ: "The Truth shall set us Free". Marc composed and dedicated the song "Pink Pills" for the documentary Prescription:suicide?. Their website is at My space.

Lyrics for the song Pink Pills:
Inject me, I'll be a real good patient,
you've got the time I've got the mind, to waste
I'll be your worst chemical mistake,
I'll be the one to raise the hate,
with a crack and a smile I'll watch you drown,
and say I did it
Pink Pills and a loaded gun, c'mon, pink pills and we're loaded,
pink pills and a loaded gun, c'mon c'mon
Inject me, arrest me, take me away from here,
Inject me, arrest me, take me away from here
So this is what it's like, to fall on your own knife,
and this is what it's gonna be, I choose Hope as my remedy,
So this is what its like, to fall on your own knife,
and this is what it's gonna be, I choose Hope as my remedy
Hope is my remedy, you're my remedy, you're my remedy, you’re my remedy.
Copyright © 2005 Marc Haley - All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.

Copyright © 2005 Full Vision Productions. All Rights Reserved.