Henderson motivational speaker makes self-help film called “The Keeper of the Keys”

While watching the rough cut of her upcoming motivational documentary "The Keeper of the Keys," Robin Jay still fights back tears.

"I've seen this scene a hundred times," Jay said as she watched a self-help speaker share her story about finally accepting and loving herself. "It is just one of those scenes every woman can relate to."

Jay, a Henderson resident, has been an author and motivational speaker for years. She has written "The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 and 2" and "The Power of the Platform." She also has contributed to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series.

Keeping up with the times, Jay decided that instead of writing another book, she would make a film that would give people tools for overcoming obstacles, similar to traditional self-help literature .

Other motivational films have popped up over the years, but Jay dared to be different.

"This is my industry, yet I found (the other films) boring," Jay said. "I didn't want to have another documentary with a bunch of talking heads."

On a whim, Jay emailed film producer Stephen Simon, who was known for producing movies such as "What Dreams May Come," and co-founding Spiritual Cinema Circle.

"I had nothing to lose," Jay said.

Her email outlined what she was hoping to do and her quest to make a comical self-help movie.

"Every time my email chimed, I looked to see if it was Stephen (replying)," Jay said.

Simon didn't email. He called.

"We talked for an hour," Jay said .

At the end of the call, they set up a time to talk the following week. Simon remained a mentor throughout the production.

The movie centers around a down-on-his-luck character who drowns his sorrows in a night of debauchery after being fired and dumped on the same day he that he learned that his house was being foreclosed .

Playing homage to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," the character named Michael is visited by a spiritual guide in a dream-like state.

"I was trying to figure out how the character would get the message he needed to receive," Jay said .

She began to email Simon to seek his advice when the answer hit her.

"A dream sequence," Jay said. "You ask the universe for an answer and it gives it to you."

In the dream, the character is not visited by three spirits -- past, present and future. Instead, motivational speakers share their personal stories of struggle and triumph.

The speakers present seven keys -- appreciation, harmony, faith, courage, passion, empathy and vibration -- then show Michael how to use each key.

Jay said 15 motivational speakers were in the film, including self-care coach Hueina Su and Jack Canfield, creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series.

Su's story of not being able to find worth, which stemmed from her parents telling her she was a substitute son, makes Jay emotional while rewatching the film .

"Su was told she could only find love if she were either pretty, wealthy or smart," Jay said

Jay said Su was told that because she wasn't pretty or wealthy, she should study hard, causing her to excel at academics.

"Then one day she woke up, like really woke up," Jay said. "She said, 'If no one else will love me, I'll love me. If no one else will be strong for me, I will be strong for me.' "

Other stories ranged from losing everything in the aftermath of 9/11 to losing a child. Speakers dived into their personal lives and revealed the pain of not finding worth in success to exhaustion from working 12-hour days at an unenjoyable job.

"I worked with all the speakers to make sure their stories were very personal," Jay said.

The goal of the film is to teach people not to be a victim of circumstance.

"You can't control some circumstances that happen to you," Jay said. "You can control how you react to them."

The movie was directed and edited by Scott Cervine.

"He wanted a little more (money) than I was planning," Jay said. "But I wanted the best product."

"The Keeper of the Keys" was filmed mostly in Las Vegas . Jay's home was used as one set.

A premiere party for "The Keeper of the Keys" is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Plaza, 1 S. Main St., in downtown Las Vegas. The cost is $75. To get tickets, visit robinjay.com.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.