hellyfish swims to my house!

It's been a long trek around the world, but "Hellyfish" has at long last returned to its spawning grounds.
That would be Tybee Island, Georgia.
Bwah ha ha!!!
I've been awaiting its arrival for better'n three years.
But the time has come to dive in and see what lies beneath the waves..
as soon as I can catch my breath from these first few weeks of the new semester...
just how far away is the shore, anyway?
(smile)
I'll just keep dog paddling and treading water...
but soon, I tell you!
Soon!

pardon my swoon - GHT Girl has arrived!!!

Is it Christmas? My birthday? Some other special occasion?
You betcha!!!
It's "G H T G Day" at my house!
i thank You, God!

No more
traveling to other towns
for the movie!

No more
paper copy
of the "Cast & Crew" pin!

She arrived early, too! I was not expecting her until this summer, honestly. Stuart had sent a message about the distribution date being April 14th, so I figured that meant just a few months longer. I was still hoping for her to arrive before my birthday at the end of May, but if a tad later, that would be fine.
How lovely it is to be wrong!

hellyfish approaching shore!

"I'll wait.... I want it ALL!!!
Wishing y'all continued success!"

That's the message I left for Pat Longstreth and Rob Maclean, the makers of the award-winning, terror-of-the-ocean, short film, "Hellyfish". The kickstarter project stalled for a while, as the creators had moved and life had intruded, as it will.
Then a flurry of action ensued!
The film was accepted into several festivals and proceeded to win awards like crazy!
That led to distribution deals and subsequent delays in fulfilling rewards to their backers.
Like me.

But on the 11th of this month, the newest updates were quite hopeful!
"Awards and Festival Roundup
With the fall film festival circuit officially over and a new year beginning, this seems like a good time to reflect on the adventure of our film so far. “Hellyfish” has been an official selection at 25 film festivals spanning the globe including America, Canada, France, England, Belgium and Australia. Unfortunately we could not make it to every one of them, but the ones we did attend included sold out screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and world-class hospitality. It was everything we hoped it would be and we met amazing filmmakers along the way.
Every festival was truly a magical experience, but my favorite was the Crystal Palace Film Festival near London. The “Sci-Fi and Horror Night” was a week after Halloween and patrons were asked to arrive in costume. So, dressed as swashbuckling pirates, my cousin and I took shelter from the driving rain at St. John’s Cathedral. Festival director Neill Roy, dressed as Beetlejuice, offered us a glass of champagne. The church was awe inspiring and the acoustics were out of this world. “Hellyfish” played to an enthusiastic audience and I had a Q&A with Neill afterward. Also I was able meet up with our main animator, Pryce Duncalf, who lives near London. We have been working together for two years, but this was the first time we met in person!
And we won a few awards:

Best Comedy Short
Buffalo Dreams Film Festival 2014
Buffalo, NY

Best Short Film
Scare-a-Con 2014
Verona, NY

Best Local Film (Golden Shovel)
Buried Alive Film Festival
Atlanta, GA

The festival circuit was a big success by our standards and we’re excited to see the online presence continue to grow. The entire 12 minute film was posted on Youtube just before Halloween and the response has been encouraging and entertaining. We’ve enjoyed fun comments, emails, reviews and we especially love this video from Tony of the Dead.
HUGE thanks again to everyone who helped pull this film together and make it a success!"

Then, a little later that day, came Update 17:
"You may be wondering about your DVD with special features. Unfortunately the festivals have pushed back production by a few months. I can't give you an exact date, but they are coming and they're gonna be really awesome! In the meantime you can watch the film on Youtube..."

The video is also posted on their website. So, if you're curious about the effect of radiation from an unexploded WWII nuclear bomb, buried in the waters off Tybee Beach, on the invertebrate sea life, go ahead and take a look at the movie.
I've done so several times.
Can't wait to get it in my hot little hands!!!

kickstarter abusers, beware!

He left me no recourse.

After hearing naught from "Nick" for two years concerning his "adventure documentary" in the wilds of Georgia, I decided I would do for his project as I had done for the musical by Accio Actors. Namely, I would snap photos from the video trailer and write my follow-up post using those shots. This is one of those photos I took.

Today, I discovered that "Nick" is actually
Nick McGregor,
an actor
who pulled a fast one
on the good folks at kickstarter.com,
as well as on all who supported his projects.
How do I know his identity?
This photo (on the right) is on his biography page at imdb.com.
It would be impossible for him to claim "mistaken identity" clad in that cap and those shorts.

Three of the five projects he posted on kickstarter are duplicates, even using the exact same dialogue for the introductory videos and the exact same "Update" messages! Twice, he claimed that a backer had ripped him off by pledging a large sum and then reneging.
When I made a cursory investigation of his pledges today, I realized the scam. No such backers had ever pledged those sums to his projects. He had fabricated the existence of those people so he could keep our pledged funds. I guess he simply wanted the money. Nick McGregor is the one who most disappointed me. I had trusted him, giving financial support for his documentary twice, after he had failed in his first attempt.
I've reported the abuse to kickstarter and will be curious to see what happens now. "Nick" has not returned to that website since fall of 2012, so I doubt they will be able to pursue him. Unless, like me, they track him down to his home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Perhaps he could be forced to repay his backers.
Perhaps.
What is that saying? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Well, then I admit to being ashamed that I did not notice the pattern of his projects before now.
Moral of the story?
Don't support projects for people who don't even use their full names.
I know, in hindsight, that course of action is clearly the only sensible one...
...but, maybe, it's not so clear in these many years after Cher, Madonna, and other one-name stars in the entertainment world.
Crowd-sourcing sites should insist that creators who are not yet brand names use their real names and have some source to vouch for their credentials, such as they may be.
New creators can "thank" scammers like Nick McGregor for making their search for funds even more difficult.

GH the girl travels to Tallahassee

At long last! "God Help The Girl" is in the United States and will holiday this very weekend in Tallahassee, Florida!
Of course I will be there.
I'll even be sporting that snazzy badge I made. Cool, right?
Oh, come on, I won't be getting my real enameled "CREW" pin until the DVD has been made and released. That's when I, and one hundred two other collaborators at this reward level - will receive our special packages with the DVD, the T-shirt, the enamel pin badge, and "the exclusively designed poster from the film". The actual date is rather up in the air, as it is dependent upon the date of the DVD's release in my area of the world.
So, until then, I shall make do.
That is, I shall make my own badge, based on the photo of the enamel pin badge created for the musical.
I am traveling with my bfe (that's best friend extraordinaire) and will be staying with my blue-sky cousin and her family. It is my ardent hope that we shall all go to the Saturday screening at the All Saints Cinema. With good fortune on my side, I hope we can view it one more time, early Sunday afternoon, at that same location, before the bfe and I head back to Savannah.
The Tallahassee Film Society is hosting the screenings. I have no idea how they came to do so. Perhaps the proximity of Florida State University, with its College of Motion Picture Arts held some sway over the booking? Perhaps Stuart Murdoch's collaborator Barry Mendel has ties to the area?
I honestly do not know.
I'm just elated that the musical will soon be close enough to set my toes tappin', while also allowing me time to visit with family I see too seldom.
I'm going to enjoy seeing my name in the credits, too.
I hope to get a screen shot of that.
If naught else, it will be quite wonderful to have my cousin, her family, my Aunt Linda, and my bfe sitting right there with me on a fine Saturday evening in the South, witnessing the work done with some of Mama's money.
I know she will be there, too.

speculative relationships at the broken hearts table

I really needed this today.
The finished products are not yet on their way, but I received two emails from kickstarter projects I've backed.
The second arrived this afternoon, from Scott Kroll, of "Speculative Relationships: A SciFi Romance Comics Anthology". As part of the rewards for my support, I have been granted early access to the finished product, via weblink. I was also sent the weblink for the backstory on the making of the anthology.
(If you want them, just click here for the anthology and here for the "Making Love" ezine. Well worth the sawbuck for the pair!)
Beautiful! Just the thing I needed to help clear my mind from the great loss I have felt for the past two days.
The story I chose to read first was Rinko Endo's, "The Same Moon". Anyone who knows me will affirm that I have an attraction to the moon, whether beneficial or maddening depends on the day.
(smile)
Her tale was just the therapy I needed. Such a sweet story about a thug and her healer! I don't know why, but I could totally relate to the thug. Perhaps it's from my recently dregged memories of my days as a sailor in Panama, when I had weapons practice every month for proficiency with 45's and M-16's. That was necessary in case the secured facility where I worked was ever overrun by terrorists.
I was very skilled with those weapons.
I really loved her story.
I'm going to ration out the stories, maybe read just one a day for the next week or so, make them last a bit longer. That will allow me to get the full benefit of each, to better appreciate both the artistry of the work and the tale itself.
I've skimmed through the "Making Love" 'zine. Nice little tidbits in there for each artist - very nicely arranged! I look forward to taking my time and perusing every page, at a leisurely pace, perhaps while sipping a cup of hot tea and periodically glancing out at a weeping sky...
The other reward actually arrived by email on Wednesday, but I was a bit swamped at the time. You see, I teach and I had scheduled a test for my students that day. Then, last Friday, I had diddybopped off to Atlanta for Dragon*Con, test unwritten. I ended up spending most of Tuesday and Wednesday making up for my fun weekend.
(Still worth it!)
This afternoon, while awaiting the last inning and a half of a championship playoff game, i was taking care of a backlog of emails. Fortunately, a soundtrack was awaiting me, buried in the forwarded jokes and transferred photos and fb messages.
Those hard-working Titshaw brothers, whilst making their next film, "The Broken Hearts Table", had taken a time-out to compile a songlist.
No, the movie is not a musical.
These "Monthly Music Mixes (lasting one-year) that inspired The Broken Hearts Table" began this month. Woohoo! Fourteen songs, all by different artists, some remakes of old favorites, some new tunes, most absolutely without equal. "Sad, Sad City", by Ghostland Observatory, and Mayer Hawthorne's "A Long Time" were especially welcomed by my exhausted brain.
Actually, their September Music Mix is quite good for reading about Speculative Relationships. Seriously. That Ghostland Observatory tune is especially, and incredibly, appropriate.
I'll have to check and see if the brothers will allow me to release their playlist, so you can judge the truth of my words.

laundry piling up at my house

The making of a DVD can take quite a bit of time. As I have found, that process can easily add months, even years, to the reward finding its way to waiting hands, eyes, and ears.
Such has certainly been the case here.
But, at last, "The Laundromat" has opened for me!
When I last wrote, it was to share the update from Vanessa Yee. Her kickstarter project, a documentary with many interviews, was in the process of being completed and was gathering good reviews along the way.
Now, the T-shirt is on me, the bumper sticker is going on my Kickstarter Wall in my Ocean Room, and the button will soon be in the hands of my favorite laundry owner, Nami.
I have not yet had time to review the DVD, but I hope to do so very soon.
You'll be the first to know!
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the trailer for it here.
You can also visit her fabulous site... where you can air your laundry in a safe space.

the broken hearts table

Truth be told, this is what started my recent bout of activity in the kickstarter universe. You know, the one in which I backed six book projects in less than an hour on a Tuesday morning last week.
Whew. I was a busy Fliss!
But this was the project I had first checked out that day.
You see, on June 1st, the brothers Titshaw (Brian and Matthew) screened their previous film at Muse Arts Warehouse to grab some attention for this new venture.
Good move.
The screening was free, which certainly appealed to many at the early afternoon show. Also, as "The Space Jockey Pursuit" is offered as a reward for several of the funding levels in this new kickstarter project, the free screening generated financial interest. (All puns intended!)
My forty-three remaining birthday bucks is helping to make that last push for the goal of $11500, which must be met in the next two days.
Honestly, I think they'll succeed. I'm almost their 200th backer, so that tells you they must be doing something right.
So, no worries.
I'm very much looking forward to owning my own DVD copy of that quirky movie of a brother helping another to attain his dream of being in a film about a space jockey. Quite funny and touching!
I'll also receive a plethora of other goodies! Digital Wallpaper, a signed postcard from the filmmakers (you know how much I love those!), a video thank-you, a digital download of the aforementioned space jockey film, and a subscription to the Making of the Broken Hearts Table (filled with juicy bits like behind the scenes footage!).
As the icing on the wedding cake, I also get a sneak preview of the first ten minutes of "The Broken Hearts Table"!!!
Won't it be super-special if that viewing is held at Muse Arts???

the bridge partner and peter s. beagle

When an esteemed author and screenwriter of fantasy was asked by a master storyteller to write a mystery and agrees to do so, that's pretty interesting.
When that short story then becomes one of those in the "Best American Mystery Stories 2012" later that year, well, that's pretty noteworthy.
Especially to a fan of both fantasy and mystery.
Like myself.
Especially when the mystery focuses on two strong female characters.
And is not centered around a man.
That's very interesting.
Now, the short story is to be a short film.
Thanks go to Gabriel Olson, who not only wrote the screenplay and will direct, but had the good sense to involve Peter S. Beagle, author of the story, in his endeavors. What kind of work does he do? Can he weave a tale that keeps the interest?
Well, venture down to his brag-reel on the kickstarter page and judge for yourself. (I especially like the Coca-Cola commercial that features the two roommates with a couch problem. Very funny!)
Now, then, I don't want you to think that I joined this parade at the start.
Oh, no. I've tagged on to the tail end, along with 274 other latecomers. You see, they met goal on March 24, after only 14 days, with the first 212 backers on kickstarter.
Very impressive!
That goal was $21,000.
So they added a stretch goal... and another... and another....
Now, their original deadline is later tonight. Their last stretch goal of $45,000 is within grasp.
My little $36 will still help!
And I'll be treated to the downloads of the film and the score... and I will receive the script!
And... ta da!!! A copy of some new poems and song lyrics by the fantasy writer! Sah-weet!
You bet I'm in!

reminder from billy to laugh

Before this day of celebration of practical jokes comes to an end, I want to say this: remember to laugh.
Tonight, I watched "Billy Brown" for the third time.
I had remembered watching it before, and I had remembered the general gist of it, but not the details. Looking back at my blog entries, I saw that I had written of my support of the kickstarter project and I had written of my receipt of the golden T-shirt reward, but I did not see an entry for the film itself. Instead, there was an allusion to me needing to find a time to watch it.
I did not see in the comments that I had done so in May of 2012. I did not see that I had watched it not once, but twice, and cried both times. I had even written to Andrew Morgan, the writer, to tell him how moved I had been and he had responded with his thanks for my letting him know of its impact.
Here's the funny part: I had added those comments to the blog entry in January of this year. THIS year, 2014, when I was updating these blog entries after almost two years of complete neglect.
So, not recalling having made those comments a scant two months ago, I was resolved to "make it right". I again cried.
I don't want you to misunderstand me. This is not a sad film; instead, it is a film about celebrating life when death has made off with a loved one. It is about choosing to recall the funny moments when you feel utterly consumed by the deep, dark, sadness of the world.
Today truly was the right time to see this man help people with humor.
To remember the fun, funny times shared.
My many thanks.

chalk talk, ditdahing in the house

(poster by Wyatt Ramsey)

It's almost musical, isn't it? All percussive, but that's what draws you in.
dit dah dit dah, ditditdit, dit dah, dit dah ditdit, dah dit dah,
dah, dit dah, dit dah ditdit, dah dit dah
Chalk Talk.
As a professor, I am quite familiar with the sounds of chalk striking a slate.
As a former member of the US Navy, I am also familiar with the sounds of Morse code. I used to even play around with it a bit, and one of my favorite expressions whilst stationed in Okinawa was "4 dits, 3 dits, 2 dits, a dah"!
I'll leave you to decipher that one.
When I first found this kickstarter project, I had thought support of it would be a fitting memorial for my recently deceased stepdad, who served this country during World War II. After all, the film was to feature a man from that long-past era, at an elementary school in the company of his young grandson for show-and-tell.
In late May of 2012, I saw the film at the Trustees Theatre, part of those screened for the "16 x 9 Revealed" showcase of senior films. What a treat to see it on the big screen! Even better, the film won two awards: Best Narrative Undergraduate Film, and Best Short Film Screenplay for an Undergraduate Film. Good work, Chris Durenberger!
I was able to see the film larger-than-life one more time, on October 29th, during the 2012 Savannah Film Festival, as one of the student films entered into the competition. How very sweet to see this tale of love lost and found gracing the silver screen once more! And to have that viewing in one of my favorite venues, the beautiful Lucas Theatre!
Soon, I thought, I shall have my reward and have the dvd in my very own home!
Time passed, people graduated and moved on, other film festivals (with other wins!) intervened. You know how life is, right?
In truth, I forgot to keep looking in the mail for it. I would let it be a pleasant surprise one fine day, I must have thought.
Recently, I have been reminded that the responsibility of making sure rewards are sent is partly mine.
When I contacted Chris, he responded right away. Yeah! He assured me he would locate the disks and speed one on its way from his left coast city by the sea to my right coast city by the sea.
Cool beans!
And today I arrived home to find it already in my mailbox!!! Not even a week has elapsed!
What a special pick-me-upper on this rainy, drear day, the second such in a row this week. How wonderful to watch, again, as the old man takes pause when he stumbles upon the faded photo in his box of medals, the photo of his love long lost. The film was as bright and fresh as my memory of the story still was.
Thanks, Chris, for brightening my day yet again!
I wish you much future success!

ght girl gets engaged after whirlwind romance

Wow... it's enough to make my head spin!
When I first backed "God Help The Girl" in 2012, I had high hopes for this musical to one day grace the silver screen.
Yes, indeed.
Now, she is doing just that on the festival circuit. And, after a marvelous reception at her very first outing, she is waltzing away a grand prize winner.
And I'm not just talking about the award created just for her.
"A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance, and How the Director Brought His Own Unique Universe into Cinema"
Impressive, isn't it?
That Sundance award certainly attracted the attention of an ardent suitor, one well familiar with the works of Stuart Murdoch and his band, Belle & Sebastian. This suitor has wasted no time in idle chatter: he has put his money - and that of his partners - where his mouth is. Yes, he is taking her to see the world!!!
Wow... seriously, I feel a swoon coming on...
Here's the update.

Update #43
Feb 6 2014
US Distribution with Amplify!

Hello there,

We are just getting into the swing of Berlin ahead of the Generation opening screening tomorrow evening. We have some excellent news for you all tonight though. Off the back of our screenings at Sundance we've secured US Distribution with a great company: Amplify. This is such a brilliant opportunity for the film and means we can now confidently say you Americans will get to see the movie 'this fall' (if not before at SXSW or the Kickstarter screenings - dates for these tbc soon). News for release in other territories to follow - hopefully more deals will come out of Berlin...

You can read about the Amplify deal in this Hollywood Reporter article.

Or if you're really interested - read on for the full press release (you guys get a mention!).

Once again, thanks for believing in the movie before anyone else did. Feels like we've come a long way together.

xxx GHTG HQ

AMPLIFY PICKS UP GOD HELP THE GIRL FOR THE U.S. Fresh from Sundance, pop musical from Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch to hit theaters this autumn New York, NY February 5, 2014 – Amplify, the new all-rights distribution company formed in a merger between Variance Films and GoDigital, has acquired U.S. rights to Stuart Murdoch’s musical, God Help The Girl. Amplify will release the film in theaters across the US and digitally early this fall, with a home video release to follow. Written, directed, and featuring all original songs by Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch, and produced by Barry Mendel (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums), God Help The Girl stars Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, and Hannah Murray as three friends joined together by music and its possibilities over a summer in Glasgow. Premiering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it received a “World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance, and How the Director Brought His Own Unique Universe into Cinema,” the film has received several additional (and shorter) accolades in numerous “best of the fest” round-ups, including Rolling Stone, Esquire, The Dissolve, Paste, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times. The film will open the Generations section of the 64th Berlinale this weekend and will continue its festival run at the South by Southwest Film Festival this March. “As someone who honestly believes that a single great pop song can save the world, imagine my delight that a perfectly-crafted musical filled with them will be one of our first releases,” said Amplify’s Dylan Marchetti. “Stuart and his team have crafted something truly magical here, and it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been hoarding Belle & Sebastian EPs since 1998 (I have) or not: if you like music, musicals, or films, God Help The Girl is going to make you very happy- it’s as simple as that.” “INSERT QUOTE,” said writer/director Murdoch. “INSERT QUOTE.” Added producer Barry Mendel, “we asked around about the people at Amplify and got all thumbs up, including from one of my heroes, Spike Lee. We’re honored to be one of the first films out from them, it feels somehow momentous.” God Help The Girl was co-produced by Carole Singer of Singer Films, executive produced by Chris Curling and Phil Robertson of Zephyr Films, and backed by Creative Scotland and 1,334 incredibly lovely Kickstarter backers (godhelpthegirl.com/mentions). The deal was orchestrated by Thorsten Schumacher of HanWay Films on behalf of the filmmakers and Marchetti, Kent Sanderson, and Logan Mulvey on behalf of Amplify. OFFICIAL SITE: godhelpthegirl.com ABOUT AMPLIFY Amplify is a bi-coastal all-rights distribution company that aims to bring the best in global independent film to theaters and beyond. Formed in 2014 from a merger of innovative theatrical distributor Variance Films (Sound City, Red Hook Summer, Go For Sisters) and leading digital distributor GoDigital, Amplify uses cutting edge marketing and distribution techniques with a focus on working directly with filmmakers to craft hand-tailored release campaigns for each film. Led by an executive team comprised of GoDigital’s Logan Mulvey, Variance Films’ Dylan Marchetti, and former Focus Features executive Kent Sanderson, Amplify is financed by Preferred Ventures, the digital media VC fund launched by FreeCreditReport.com founder and former Experian Interactive CEO Ed Ojdana with former Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Chris Kelly. Internet entrepreneur Charles Chase sits on the Amplify board alongside Ojdana and Kelly, with Ojdana serving as its Chairman.

How about that shout-out for those of us in it at the begining? Nice, right?
I've added the bold to make the shout out really POP!
I believe Mr. Murdoch would whole-heartedly agree with my doing so.
I sure have enjoyed being one of his collaborators!
Thank YOU, sir, for granting me the opportunity.

ght girl charms with sundance

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at the Egyptian! I do so enjoy the Question & Answer sessions at film festivals here in Savannah - the one in Park City must have been fabulous!
I'm sure the cast of "God Help The Girl" was brilliant as they responded to the viewers in the Sundance Film Festival audience. What an incredible venue for their debut!
Here, Stuart shares the news of the world's response to our darling GTH Girl.

Update #42
Jan 20 2014
Sundance

Hello Supporters!

We've been having a great time at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, where, after what seems like a very long wait, 'God Help The Girl' finally had its Premiere at the Egyptian Theatre on Saturday night. Emily, Olly, Hannah and Pierre were in town for the screening and the reception so far has been really good. We have one more screening to go tomorrow then our sights turn to the Berlinale where we open the Generation section on 7th February, our European Premiere! We really couldn't have hoped for two more perfect festivals to launch the film at and, at this point, really want to reiterate our appreciation for your support which was key in getting us this far and your patience waiting to see the movie you believed in enough to throw your money at!

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter then we've been posting some initial press and social media responses so far. We won't bombard you but here are some links if you are interested:

Pre Sundance 'Le Monde' wrote a (hopefully) nice article we can't quite understand! The journalist spent some time with Stuart and Barry after our final test screening, and we're told he must have enjoyed it!

A nice piece in the LA Times after the premiere.

And the Guardian wrote about the film too. Only 3 stars but we did make him CRY!!!

Tonight Belle and Sebastian are playing an exclusive gig in Park City which should be lots of fun. Olly is opening for them playing some songs from his band Years and Years. We'll post some video and pictures from that tomorrow.

Kickstarter and Crowd Funded films are really visible at Sundance this year, it's very interesting to see how much that has had an effect on Independent Filmmaking.

Here are some pictures from Sundance...

The beautiful Egyptian Theatre where the film played on Saturday:

Here's the cast before the premiere, it's very casual here, which is nice, because it's also freezing cold!:

And one from the Q&A:
(shown above)

Thanks all, we will be in touch soon!

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall...

make mine a robbery, straight up, with a twist

Two days before Christmas, the postman delivered a surprise gift to me: the finished product from the hands of the Reichard brothers. Hallelujah!!!
Totally unexpected.
After all, the last message they had written to their kickstarter backers (including me in those ranks) was in March of this year, alluding to the shipment soon of the rewards of our investments.
Originally, the forecast had called for rewards to be mailed in December 2012.
However, this isn't my first rodeo.
I know things take longer than one thinks they will, so I bided my time.
Then the thought of waiting for the postman slipped to the back of my mind and got lost in the shuffle.
And now? Now the time - and the film! - is here!!!
A Christmas gift to brighten my holidays!
I couldn't be any prouder of these fine young men and their crew.

This evening, I was finally able to carve out a hunk of time to again watch the film.
Again? I had already had the privilege of seeing it?
Yes, I had. On a much larger screen than the 15" of my television screen, too.
It had been shown at "16 x 9 Revealed", a competitive student showcase of films, at the Trustees Theatre. That was in late spring of 2012, May 30 and 31; right in time for my 54th birthday.
This film was not the only one of the kickstarter projects that I've backed which screened on that occasion. The other contenders with my support: "Chalk Talk", "12:15 Sunday", "Crucifaxe 2", "The Flight", and "Gypped".
This film, "The Restaurant Job", walked away with the 2012 Best Editing for an Undergraduate Film Award.
Nicely done!
The film is so tightly constructed, with miles of high energy, no wasted moments - and an ending that will leave you both thrilled and completely satisfied.
Tommy Pietch, Louis Vanaria, and John McGlothlin masterfully draw us into their heist, from the initial planning to the actual performance of the robbery. Nothing is given away about the ending. No foreshadowing, no knowing glances.
Perfect surprise.
I do so enjoy a good surprise, too.
I see many films, as well as many movies, and, yes, there is definitely a difference. It isn't that often anymore that a plot manages to pull a fast one on me.
This one did.
My kudos, and thanks, to all.

I do hope you will some day be able to enjoy these twelve minutes of footage.
And I do hope I will soon see more works from these two brothers.

Hint, hint, Nicholas and Brandon.
And many thanks for making my Christmas brighter.

god help the girl in her sundance

The last update from Stuart Murdoch to his kickstarter collaborators was on October 18 of this year. I had referenced that update in one of the comments of my earlier post about "God Help The Girl".
As of October, the filming was completed, the musical had been scored, the film had been edited. Our GTH Girl was ready to sing and strut!
Whew!
At last, she was ready to fill her dance card on the festival circuit.
Who would be the first to twirl her in front of the world???
No less than Sundance... wow!
I am so excited for her!!!
Here's the update!

Update #41
Dec 4 2013
World Premiere at Sundance!

Hello Backers!

We are delighted to announce that 'God Help The Girl' will have its World Premiere at The Sundance Film Festival in January 2014. It's a perfect start to what will be a packed year of festival screenings, previews and a commercial release.

We know you have all been waiting a LONG time to see this film you so generously supported and are excited that will be a reality in 2014.

In other news - we have t-shirts and posters at the printers, guitars in the post and lots of other rewards in progress. It's all happening, SLOWLY but SURELY.

Once again, many thanks for your support which has taken us to this very exciting place that I'm not sure we ever imagined possible. Premiering at one of our favourite international film festivals.

We'll be in touch soon with more details for the festival and some reward updates.

Once again, so many thanks for your support from the very beginning.

GHTG HQ

How very exciting!
Her debut will be at Mr. Robert Redford's esteemed event!

lady in Red, once more for the last time

I have received the final dvd of the film,
my kickstarter reward for "Red Thread"!
Poetry, operatic music, and a tale of a strong woman and the choices she made, good, bad, and ugly.
I may not watch it often, but it is a stirring video.
It is also an award-winning film, having earned the New York State Council on the Arts Film and Media Grant. That enabled the team (Duston Spear, producer; Michael Minard, music composer; Ann Casapini, singer) to truly fine-tune the piece. That fine-tuning included a slight name change: "Red Thread: The Prisoner and The Painter".
I am so proud of them.

Thank You, also,
for a birthday gift
from beyond all time.

hello, hellyfish?

Well, one thing I am learning with these kickstarter projects: when the people in charge of making them move away from each other or graduate from SCAD, the project goes into slow-motion status.
Pat Longsteth moved to California in late May of 2012, after filming was totally complete, as he states in the "comments" portion of my posting.
Since then, it's all but stopped, at least as far as I can tell.
The Savannah Magazine's July 2012 issue, titled "Life on the Water", sported a very nice interview with Pat and Rob McLean. The story was titled, aptly enough, "Creature Feature" and is quite entertaining.
Also in July of 2012, their blog was updated to let all know that the trailer for the film was complete and available on youTube. I have it posted above, for your one-stop viewing pleasure! Pretty exciting!
It also tends to whet one's movie-viewing appetite.
So far, that is still unsated.
Near the end of February, their blog reassured all that they had been "chiseling away all winter on the post-production of Hellyfish, and I must admit that this monster is a tough one to REEL in. When tackling any large problem, it’s important to take a break, have a little fun, and learn about what else is happening in the world. So here goes."
The rest of that post, while interesting, was not helpful.
When would the film be completed?
As it has not been completed, that must mean they were unable to enter it in the 2012 SXSW Film Festival.
Will they try again this year? If so, the deadline for submissions is in October.
Stay tuned...
I will!

at the laundromat

Here's the update from Vanessa Yee on her kickstarter project:
Update #9 - For backers only
Apr 20, 2013
Picture Locked! The Beginning of the End
Hi Kickstarter family! It's been a while and I apologize, but I finally had a moment to sit down and write out all the exciting things that have been happening in the life of The Laundromat. Here's the link to my reflection on these past couple of months.
And here's a quick breakdown of all the big and small details:
- Had a peer/film community screening to keep refining TLD and it met with success and mainly loving support. Here's the Daily Bruin article that came from that.
- PICTURE LOCKED!!! This means I can no longer keep editing the film (which believe me is a bit of a relief). I'm going to start passing along the film to different vendors to take it all the way to the finish. So...
- Already scoring with a composer! The talented and equally earnest Deborah Lee
- Working with a ridiculously knowledgeable fellow director to coordinate the "Online" process, which includes streamlining all my footage to be the same format, applying color correction, and making sure all the sound sounds AMAZING
- Still working on branding and Kickstarter gifts. Below is an example of a text test.
- Will be speaking at a UCLA-run Asian American mental health panel in May with an organization called Active Minds
So here I am with about a month left in the Post-Production life of this film. Thank you for all your continued support! I'll try to keep these updates coming your way, and feel free to ask me questions about this sprint towards the finish.

The laundry is almost done.
It's been a long journey, but sometime this year, I hope to have the DVD in my hands.
I'll keep you posted...

sunset viewing of the sunset starlet

Tonight
- or should I say last night? -
I was finally able to take a little time to watch
"The Curse of the Sunset Starlet", my latest kickstarter reward.
I received it a few weeks ago, but school was in full-tilt boogie, pre-midterm, mode, so my head needed time to get past that rush.
The delay was a good move on my part.
I really did need a little time to reacquaint myself with Lori Precious and her lovely butterfly-wing portraits and the backstory to this film.
After all, it's been more than a year since the project began.
The listing of my name on the page of thanks has been about that long, too.
Filming was completed during a one-week rush last June, then began the arduous task of editing, with a change of personnel along the way.
Time just went rolling along while the magic happened.
It has all been worth the wait, because magic has been imbued into this finished product. Sally Kirkland and Kathleen Wilhoite were fabulous as the footloose mother-starlet, Gigi, and her grown daughter, Zarianne. Zarianne is a divorced mother of two teens, trying to bring in some extra money through her art. She is to have a show in two weeks, but only if she has at least eight butterfly-wing portraits for the gallery. She is trying to finish just one more when who should appear to her wondering eyes?
No, not Santa Claus. Her dying mother, out of money and out of places to go. The last time her mom appeared, the children had not yet been born.
Estranged is definitely an apt description of their relationship.
The daughter, giving in to her children's wishes, allows Gigi to stay.
Along the way, the daughter learns that maybe she can have a relationship, as an adult, with her mom. Even though there is no substance to their bond, perhaps it can be something they both agree upon.
As Zarianne says of the sunset moth, its brilliant wings have no pigment, but the broad range of hues are the result of optical interference, a matter in which "the light and the eye agree on a color."
Definitely a different perspective on love, but appropriate for two people bound together by genetics alone.
The "COTSS", as Ms. Precious abbreviates it, is now going the rounds of the film festival circuit. It has already screened at the Charlie Chaplin Theatre in Hollywood! Here's that news:

Update #41
Jan 29 2013
Screening
1 comment

Hi All

I screened Curse of the Sunset Starlet at the Charlie Chaplin Theater in Hollywood across the street from Paramount Studios. It was a full house of about 175 cast, crew and contributors. I'm happy to report that it was a huge success! Cloris Leachman was at the screening and she stood up after it was over and said "it was perfect from beginning to end" and joked that the only way it would have been better would be if she had been in it. WOW coming from an actress who has won more (9!!) Emmy's than any other actor (plus an Oscar) I was thrilled.

Sally loved it---it was her first time seeing it. She said the fake murder scene was one of her favorite scenes from her 53 years of acting.

Some of the other comments:

"a real movie with lyrical power. "Poetic" seldom defines a film, but it's the perfect description for yours"

"you've produced something very compelling and distinctive"

"it's a really special little film with a strong point of view"

On to submitting to festivals! Im hoping to send out DVDs next week.

Thanks for all your help getting us to the finish line!

Lori Precious

My response had been:
fliss on February 13, 2013
Lori, what fabulous responses to your work! I know that must be so very gratifying after such a struggle to get the film completed, with you having to learn so much along the way.
Very good! I am so proud of you!!

I do wish it much success - break a leg, y'all!
See you at the Academy Awards!

adventure in physics

In September of 2011, I first became aware of this short film, The Flight. The goal was ambitious: a film with a lead character who was not only curious, desirous of change, smart, and capable, and... lesbian. That's right. Her sexual orientation was simply another of her attributes, like her curiosity.
How refreshing: a film about a smart young woman, not a film about a young woman questioning her sexuality.
It was also about a young woman on a quest to find what more there was to life than the small island on which she lived. According to the elders, that bit of land was the only land still on the planet, all the rest had been destroyed by the sins of humanity.
Ah! That last bit caught your attention, didn't it? The world had been drowned because people were bad - yet, on this sole remaining landmass, homosexuality still existed. No, that's not quite right. It's not that homosexuality still existed that is the important point here. Homosexuality is simply not distinguished as a sin; it is an accepted way of being, just like heterosexuality.
Like I said, pretty ambitious for a student short film.
I backed it heavily on its kickstarter campaign, but to no avail. The project did not meet its funding goal of $4000.
That time.
The next September, it was back for another run at funding.
My finances had been used for other projects, making a far lesser amount available. But, I did provide funding again for the film, as I still believed it to be a remarkable piece.
After all, the young woman manages to build a set of flying wings simply by the reading of a banned book. What a marvelous combination of science literacy and spunk!
This time around, she succeeded! Moreover, I was able to view the film on the large screen at the Trustees Theatre, too, when the student showcase was opened to the public. Very nice to see "The Flight" in such a setting!
And now I have my very own copy, to view whenever I like.
I should consider having a screening at my house sometime in the future, to share these works with a larger audience. After all, my goal is to broaden the horizons of those I know, not to let them stay on their own isolated islands.