submerged

I love this shot of Angela Powers as Jenny in my most recent short film, "submerged." She was wonderful to work with and I love how beautifully she portrayed the innocence and apprehension, that was required of the role.

More pictures to come! :)

Off the Grid Film Club: After months of hesitation, I am finally launchin...

Doing a live radio interview tomorrow from 12:30 to 1:pm MST!! If you're in Colorado, tune in to KAFM 88.1 or you can stream the station live athttp://kafmradio.org/ (so excited!)

Doing a live radio interview Tuesday Oct 11th from 12:30 to 1pm MST. If your in Colorado tune into KAFM 88.1 or you can stream it live at http://kafmradio.org/

Gretchen who is interviewing me, also will be reviewing the Eulogy Maker on Off the Grid Film Club. You can check out her blog at http://offthegridfilms.blogspot.com/

I'm so excited!

Directing again :)

I'm happy to tell you that my short film Eulogy Maker is still going strong. And because of that, I'm now getting more requests to direct other people's material. A long time ago, a friend asked me to direct her short and I totally botched it. We never got to finalizing the script, but I ruined a lovely friendship and I've been hesitant to take on anyone else's material since. Living life means taking chances though, and so recently, when another friend of mine asked me to direct her short, I was ready to do it. And I'm really glad I did! I had a wonderful time, the cast and crew were super and I would gladly work with all of them again. They were such hard workers and the actors were delightfully talented!! It's a wonderful feeling when everything comes together on set.

Another thing that's really different with this project, is that I'm not involved with the editing or anything relating to post production. I know this is very different from how it's normally done, but can I tell you how fun it is to only work with actors and the Dp and not have any post production butterflies or stress? To let go is a very free feeling! I could get used to this :)

!!!!

the new normal

It's September and I'm getting used to the new normal.

My oldest kid is away at college (and loving it) and my youngest is actually enjoying middle school. I know - wow! (there's no middle child, just oldest and youngest ;)

I've always held that a "parent is only as happy as their least happy kid." so when they're doing good, so am I.

As for films, the summer put a huge crimp in my acting and filmmaking. I'm not complaining, these past few months were super fun - Mountain biking, catching up with friends, some beach time, more fun with family and friends and of course lots of lazy summer days.

But as usual, school started up, I started showing back up at the office, and life got very busy!!

Busy in a very good way. I'll tell you more really soon...

(Note, the obvious cliffhanger!)

Life is flying By

Life seems to be coming at me fast and faster. Last week I realized several pretty big things were happening at the same time. One is that my short film, Jenny Sweet needed pick up shots. So this past week, I basically, produced and directed a mini short film. There were quite a few shots to get and even a short scene to shoot. So I cranked out the shot list and call sheet (Note: ALWAYS have a call list. Without one, you're screwed!!) and I organized the locations, got the talent on board, the DP, the Art Director and burned through those shots yesterday. It was an awesomely fun, relaxed, great time on set. Reminded me as to why I love directing!

Also this past week, I had to finally admit to myself, that my oldest kid is graduating high school, and I'm not ready for it. He may be, but I'm not. It would help if he was a pain in the ass, selfish, spoiled brat, but he's really a great kid and I'm going to miss having him around. Of course we have the coming Summer to get sick of each other, but still, those 17 years went by fast. wow.

Now though, I have to get the house ready for company, finalize festivities, finish editing and take the footage over to color correction, music, sound editor, and get the transmission fixed in the car.

Oh crap, I forgot! I need to get my kid a graduation gift. ~sigh~ I think I feel a migraine coming on. No really.

Love you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Editor Mike Rocks!!

I am so happy to be working with an awesomely talented, uber fast, incredibly sweet editor!! Sometimes making a film, even a short depends so much on other people and if you don't have a bunch of film student friends to draft, these things can take a long time. But to get someone so nice and easy going, with mad editing skills, has put a smile on my face all week!!

When things go well, I really feel I can do anything. Thanks Mike!!

(now about those pick up shots...)

Blogging = House Plants

Someone once told me that having a blog is like having a house plant - something you need to give attention to every now and then or it'll die. Sure, a blog doesn't whither and die, but if you don't post the latest news, the amount of people coming by will dry up. But let's face it, I'm not really posting anything hot off the presses anymore. Facebook took that role and then came Twitter.

Ugh! Guess I'm having a little self imposed blogger guilt. (A waste of perfectly good guilt!).

O.K. O.K., I'll start posting more!

More still from the set courtesy of Sam Butler.

my cast :)

Here's my awesome cast. It's been a few days since we shot and I have to admit, I miss having them around. (L to R, Alex Benson, Victoria Arredondo, Angela Powers, Paul Pluyman.)

Last Day Filming

This evening was a piece of cake compared to the rest of the weekend. Just a few simple shots here and there and voila it's a wrap.

Thanks to everyone who put in so much to help make this film.

Now on to post - I can't wait to get it done!!

the 4 in 1 day

So I came home at 2:30 this morning again. A really long day on set.

In a nut shell - Again, the set looked fantastic and my actors looked super awesome! The kind folks at South Austin Brewery let us film in their brewery!!! and I loved that Schmillion could be the band for the party/concert scene. (Those girls really rock!!)

There were a lot of complicated shots, scenes set ups and tear downs, and I crammed in way too much for one day, but when you have very little budget to make a film, that's what you do.

Fortunately, everyone on set kicks ass and I wish we were filming for weeks instead of days!!

First Day of Filming Jenny Sweet

First day of filming!!

My actors kicked ass, my DP shot amazing footage, the set design looked fantastic, the lighting was super and I love my AD!

As I drove home at 2:30 this morning, I felt good about how it came together and I'm excited to shoot again tomorrow.

I really hope I can sleep...

I am now officially in hyper drive. I'm sorry if I run you over - it's not intentional.

Could use another one of me :)

Busy day full of rehearsals, going over the new location with Richard my DP (director of photography), getting the cast changed on my kids' broken arm, and crossing things off my to do list like a mad woman. If I wasn't adding like crazy to the list, I'd feel a lot better.

I really love my story, but I wish I was enjoying preproduction more instead of fretting about every detail. I think it's because everything is so rushed. Only a few more days until I starting shooting and I still don't have anyone in charge of craft services. Don't have anyone to be a Data Wrangler (the person who downloads the video footage and synchs it with the audio, and then catalogs it. If they are super awesome, they will also mark the best cuts and pull together a rough cut of the footage:) I'm not sure if I can schedule around the band, Schmillion and I really really want them to be in the film. I have to redo how I'm going to set up my shots in the new locations.

The list goes on and on. Perhaps if I had just a few more of me, it will all get done and be awesome!!

No Go on the Power Plant

Had to made the difficult decision to change the main shooting location. Argh! I had really wanted to film at the power plant. I mean I love this structure! But the City of Austin is supposed to waive fees for film makers when they shoot on city property, and they couldn't guarantee they would do that. Then they couldn't be sure they would waive some of the insurance requirements, that didn't pertain to my production. So basically, the city kept putting me of until it was too late. (I am definitely having very bad juju towards the City!).

But I'm still moving forward. It's going to take more than a major location change to derail me.

Now if only people would return my emails and phone calls, my life would be much less frantic...maybe.

We

Very excited to be in pre production on my next short film, Jenny Sweet. I start shooting March 3rd and already I'm having problems sleeping - there is so much to do. Still need to find a location for one of the scenes, audition the talent, work on shot list, meet with crew, etc. etc...

But don't forget I'm also "Mom." Which means the bills still need to get paid, the groceries bought (and meals made), homework checked, laundry, and the house is a disaster zone. Oh and did I mention one of my kids broke his arm last week? Whew.

Fortunately, Mr. Spouse is cool with the house being messy and doesn't object to ordering an emergency take out order every now and then, the kids are really supportive of me being a film maker, and the Austin film community is awesomely helpful!

I guess this is why I named my film company We're Here Productions. Because to participate in this life, it takes more than just my own solo act. It's about the "we."

festival circuit

Eulogy Maker has been doing super with the film festival circuit! After it screened at Austin Film Fest, it went to Anchorage International Film Fest, WorldKids Film Fest (which screens in INDIA!), Orlando IFF, and Los Angeles International Children's FF. And it has been accepted to screen at Boulder IFF, Omaha IFF, Fort Myers IFF, San Antonio FF and Cleveland IFF.

I should be hearing from a few more - keeping my fingers crossed. :)