Good things can come from humble beginnings. Rodney Henson, screenwriter, director and producer of the new movie Suits on the Loose, grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, and went to Ricks College.

During his visit to BYU-Idaho last week promoting this new release from HaleStorm Entertainment and New Harmony Pictures, Henson talked to a few communication classes and gave them advice about being an influence for good as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the media industry.

Henson specifically stressed the importance of making and supporting high-quality films as members of the Church.

“The bar is constantly being raised for good movies,” Henson said. “There is no LDS genre. We need to do much more than make fun of each other or shock each other.”

Henson said he doesn’t want people judging his movie on ones that were made in the past.

“We need to judge things on their own merits,” Henson said.

Suits on the Loose is a coming-of-age comedy about two delinquents who break out of a juvenile detention camp in the Mojave Desert and steal two LDS missionaries’ car, clothes and name tags to avoid recognition.

The cast of Suits on the Loose comes completely from the Screen Actors Guild. David Boberg, the co-editor of Titanic, edited the film, and Alan Williams wrote the musical score.

Henson said they made the best possible movie they could for the least possible amount of money.

“The quality is fantastic. It cost us less than $1 million to make, but it looks like a $10 million movie,” Henson said.

Henson believes it’s the story that makes or breaks a film and everything else builds upon that.

“You have to get the story right before you roll one foot of film,” Henson said.

After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles Masters Screen Writing Program, Henson worked for Walt Disney Feature and Television Production, Dream Works SKG and 20th Century Fox Features.