Three-Minute Video is Live!

The three-minute video about the Durham Habitat for Humanity build is now live!  Take a look and tell us what you think!


Abandoned Allies Presents: A New Home for a Montagnard Family from Camden Watts on Vimeo.

SPECIAL THANKS:
Peter Bell
Michael Benge
Rev. Ray Cobb
Annie Beth Brown Donahue
Skip Elsheimer
Roxanne Hall
Will Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Del Rahlan-Ksor
Surry Roberts
Miguel Rubiera
John Plaster
Sally Smith
Chuck Swoboda

Erik Shepard

Jamie Tkoch

Mitzi Viola

Habitat for Humanity Build

Last weekend Abandoned Allies crew filmed the kick-off event for a new Habitat for Humanity house in Durham, N.C., that will be home to a Jarai family.  The Jarai is one of the largest tribes of Montagnards, who come from the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

This family has been in the States for only a few years, and have been adjusting to life here with help from Lutheran Family Services, Triangle Presbyterian Church, and Habitat for Humanity of Durham.  The house is being built by the family, Habitat for Humanity, and Cree, Inc., and will be the first all LED-lit home.  LED stands for light-emitting diode, and is an energy efficient and long lasting way to light a home that will save the homeowners lots of money.  (I'm incredibly jealous, by the way.  This home is going to be super energy efficient!)

We were on the site of the new home for the kick-off event, which started at 8:30am, with words from Miguel Rubiera, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Durham, Charles Swoboda, chairman and CEO of Cree, Inc., and Ray Cobb, pastor at Triangle Presbyterian Church.  We had a chance to interview each of them on camera, and are most appreciative of their time and generosity in helping with our independent film.

Chuck Swoboda, chairman and CEO of Cree, Inc., works on the new Habitat for Humanity house that will soon be home to a Montagnard family in Durham, N.C.  The house is expected to be completed this fall.

Thank Yous
What a great series of events.  Not only was the kick-off event full of good feelings, but the response from the film community in the Triangle was wonderful.  I posted a call for crew last Friday, and within an hour I had the help I needed.  Plus, lots of offers to help from other kind folks.  I'm so grateful to all of you because it made things infinitely better and easier.

A huge thank you goes to Erik Shepard for taking still photos at the event, Peter Bell (@petebelltv) for filming, and his friend Will Jones for supporting.  These guys got there early, worked hard, and were so professional the entire time they were on site.  They did great work, and I'm so grateful to have had their help with the film.

Pete shoots and edits for the PBS station in North Carolina.  He is also working on a film titled High Sierra HD, which he just submitted to the Sundance Film Festival.  He says that he's living the dream.  Take a look at the trailer for his film: http://www.vimeo.com/13953818.  Tell him congrats on submitting to the festival because that takes a lot of effort!  I wish him the best with the festival entry.

I'd also like to thank Eric Calhoun and Paul Brown for their kind offers to help, as well as Todd Tinkham, Jim McQuaid (@TurnipVideo), Christopher G. Moore (@ilikefilms), Alena Koch Moore (@AlenaKoch) for showing their support.  Sally Smith and Roxanne Hall deserve a big thank you.  Sally tipped me off to the event, and Roxanne provided all of the critical information and approval to be on site for filming.  Thank you all for your kindness and help.

Short Video On the Way
I've created a three-minute video about the kick-off, which is uploading as I type.  I'm so excited to share it with you.

The video will give you a bit of insight about the Montagnards, who served as American allies during the Vietnam War, and a glimpse of what you might expect from Abandoned Allies.  We will be cutting a trailer for the film eventually, but for now I share something online without giving away too much content that'll be used in the film.

I also needed to feel like I have finished something because this film has been in production for more than two years.  That's a long time to work on something, without having a tiny piece of it to share publicly.  I can write and talk about it all day, but providing a short video like this will hopefully do infinitely more for those of you who are following along.

When the video is ready, I'll be sure to post the link!

Prepping for Social Fresh

Today I registered for the Social Fresh Charlotte, a social media conference "targeted for marketers, focused on case studies."  I'm thrilled!  Last year's event was great, and I'm really looking forward to returning this year.  It'll be a long, exciting day full of great conversations and lessons learned.
How does this relate to Abandoned Allies?  I have big hopes for our indie film, and a gazillion ideas on social media activities to accompany the film's release--many of which would help people understand more about the Montagnards, the U.S. Special Forces, and the relative things happening today.

Finding a means to bring those ideas to life is a challenge, though, so I am looking forward to this social media conference in hopes that I might get some ideas or inspiration.  We have a zero-dollar budget for our film, a number of talented volunteers, and a world of possibilities.  I feel like this conference will help out immensely, not just for Abandoned Allies but for other future films, too.  So I have a lot on my list of goals for the conference.

Goals for Social Fresh Charlotte
My goals for this event include:

• Spending quality time with my social media friends, as well as making new ones
• Focusing my social media thoughts on efforts to improve Abandoned Allies (and future films)
• Distilling this ever-growing list of social media ideas down to something more manageable / realistic
• Finding a means to execute and implement these strategies given our current restraints: budget, man power, etc.
• And learning about the latest things happening in social media today, including case studies from larger companies that prove successes and failures

Social Media Conference Preparation
In preparation for the event, I hope to update a lot of things: business cards, profile pictures, websites, blogs, etc.  There's quite a bit of work that goes into it, but when introducing yourself in person for the first time at a conference these things can help a great deal.  They help you make a connection with someone who's in the same room, which can be tons of fun.  Plus, there's no better motivation than a deadline attached to a conference to motivate you to make it a priority. 

During the Conference
If you're curious about the conference, follow the hashtag #sofresh online or personal Twitter stream, @cammicam.  I'll likely post something on this blog either the day of the conference, or a wrap up during the following days.  Anything in particular you want to hear about from the conference?  Let me know.

Join the Party
I'm very excited about attending Social Fresh Charlotte, and am looking forward to seeing so many familiar faces!  It'll be great to meet so many new folks, too.  These conferences are SO much fun, and I am thrilled that I will be there.

If you're thinking about social media for your business, film, or personal brand then this is a great conference to attend.  Register quickly, though, there were fewer than 100 tickets left when I last looked today!

Saturday Filming

We had such a great shoot in Durham on Saturday.  Since leaving the Durham Habitat for Humanity's kick-off event, I have not stopped moving!  I have a lot of content ready to share in future blog posts, which I hope to share with you very soon.

The Rahlan-Ksor family on the site of their future home.

For now let me thank the kind fellas who helped on location: Peter Bell (@petebelltv), Will Jones and Erik Shepard.  They were so kind to come out so early in the morning to shoot, and I am so grateful for their help.  What wonderful support!

I owe a big thanks to the people who offered to serve as crew, the people on location who permitted me to interview them on camera, all of the construction crew members who let us film them working, and employees of Durham Habitat for Humanity and Cree.

There is so much more information to share, which I promise will be posted soon.  I also have a number of additional people to thank.  There are so many great people willing to lend a hand in this community.

Crew Needed Tomorrow AM

North Carolina filmmakers, you're help is needed as Abandoned Allies crew tomorrow morning.  I need three or four people to help as crew at a ground-breaking ceremony in Durham, N.C., starting at 8:00am.  (Yeah, that's early if you've stayed up late but it'll be worthwhile, I promise.)

You don't have to be a pro, but experienced people are preferred.  Here's what I need:

• Audio guy / gal
  Someone to wear ear phones to make sure the audio I'm getting is great.  Knowledge of lavalier mics, wireless receivers, etc. is helpful but not absolutely necessary.
• Camera operator
  Someone to make sure the camera is pointing at the right thing at the right time.  Knowledge of an HD camera, tripod, mini-DV tapes, focusing, and composition is best.  I'll bring a light kit, so knowledge about how to set up / break down lights is great, too.
• Still photographer
  We need lots of stills.  If you have your own DSLR or point-and-shoot, please bring it.  I will bring my own DSLR, but will likely be talking to people which makes it tough to shoot.  Everything should be shot in crazy-high resolution so we can use it in all sorts of places: video, print, etc.
• Carrying person
  There's a lot of equipment to carry, and it's tough to pack/carry it while talking with people.  Someone that knows how to pack/carry camera equipment safely would be a great help so I can focus on very important conversations.  There's probably a better, more official term than Carrying Person so if you think of one we can use that. :)

The film is a zero-dollar budget one, so we can't pay you for your time; however, from me you will get a big bear hug, eternal gratitude, public thanks, and of course credit in the film.  I wish I could offer you more, my friends!

The event is taking place in Durham, N.C., tomorrrow at 8:30am.  I want to get there early so I can size up the location and think about what to capture.  The event is a ground-breaking ceremony on a Habitat for Humanity home for a Montagnard family, sponsored by Cree.  I'm such a geek about residential construction and energy efficiency, so I'm doubly excited about the event tomorrow. 

If you're able to support as crew, please let me know as soon as possible via email.  Thank you!

Social Media Conferences & Abandoned Allies

Note: This blog post is an attempt to win a free ticket to Social Fresh Charlotte in response to their call for blog posts.  As a first-time, independent filmmaker, attending would be incredibly helpful, fruitful and fun; however, justifying the expense is tough.  Have no doubt, though, attending would help us make this film even better.

There's a lot to learn about social media and how it's impacting your daily life.  It changes constantly because that's the nature of it.  People are constantly moving and changing, and social media is all about people.  It'll become increasingly important in your life, too--no matter whether you love it, hate it, or simply have to use it at work.  It's been an integral part of making Abandoned Allies in the past two years.  With that, here are some of the things I love, hate and hope to learn at a social media conference.

Social Media Conferences
If you're interested in learning about social media then attending a social media event or conference focused on it is one of the best places to start.  You'll find yourself surrounded by really smart and dedicated people, if you attend one of the great social media conferences like Social Fresh (@SoFresh).

Learn more about Social Fresh Charlotte at http://socialfresh.com/charlotte.

Some attendees are in the same place you are: still learning, exploring and seeking an understanding of social media.  Talking with them will help you feel more at ease because, let's face it, this is still new territory for most of the world.  It's constantly evolving, so keeping up is challenging.  Are you doing what you should be doing, or wasting time on something that's unimportant?  How do you know where to start?  Whom should you trust for guidance?  Conferences can help you sift through it all, and make better decisions for you and your business.

The presenters at conferences are the people shaping the industry right now and you can be there while they share their experiments, success, failures and new rules they've learned.  You can ask them questions after they present, and find someone that might be a good fit for you and your business. 

Hey, you might even find yourself having lunch with one of the social media celebrities.  And because many of them are so down to earth, you might not know you're sitting with one until they take the stage to make the keynote presentation.  They are just that cool and curious.

Social media conferences are so much fun.  Everyone hustles and bustles to get to presentations, then they slow down to converge and converse. The atmosphere is addictive at the really great events like the Social Media Business Forum and Social Fresh.

While there are so many great things that happen, there are things that can make it rough on attendees.  Here are a few suggestions to social media conference organizers.  Keep in mind, I understand how much work goes into organizing a conference.  I have nothing but respect for how successful the ones I've attended were, and hope only that these small suggestions might make them even better.

My Social Media Conference Pet Peeves

• Internet Connections
  Social media conferences are based on being online.  It can be frustrating when the internet is either (a) not free or (b) not capable of keeping up with demand.  Include the cost of internet with registration, and make sure it's powerful enough to let all of us tweet, blog and post pictures about your conference. 
• Real Life Connections & Ergonomics
  If social media is all about people and conversations then allow time for that to happen in real life.  Give us a chance to meet new people, put a face with an avatar, laugh and learn from one another.  Allow this to happen naturally and comfortably.  Don't use venues with spaces that are too small, because people stop to talk without getting in each other's way (like in hallways).  Leave a big open room for the talkers to linger.  Always, always, always have water and coffee available throughout the day so the audience is a captive one.
• Electricity
  We have a lot of gadgets.  We need our laptops, cell phones, and cameras to take notes, check email tweet, blog, and post pics.  That takes up a lot of battery life so we need outlets, equipped with power strips and chairs close by them so we can power up when needed.  Some of us will forget a charger, so a place to buy, rent or borrow what we need to keep up at the conference is helpful.
• Provide Different Tracks
  Some of us are ahead of others in our education.  Label presentations as introductory or more advanced. 

What I Hope to Learn
Social media conferences are absolutely wonderful, in my opinion.  I have such fun at them because I'm a social person who loves to learn.  Social media has helped create our documentary film titled Abandoned Allies, and I hope to continue making improvements to what we provide to our audience by attending Social Fresh Charlotte.

If I were able to attend with one of those six free remaining tickets, I would learn so many lessons to apply to Abandoned Allies.  The past few months have had me focused on many things offline, and I rather miss it my social media events.  It would be great to see old friends and make new friends.  Learn from the pros about what's been happening in the industry.  Find ways to apply those lessons to filmmaking, to keep improving what we're doing.  And, perhaps, make the world a little better in the process. 

The film is wrapping up well, and we will start sharing it with audiences soon.  That means I need to be prepared for continued conversations online, so that people can keep learning more about the Montagnards, Special Forces, and the Vietnam War.  I have a lot of ideas, hopes and dreams, but I need a lot of help.  Attending Social Fresh would, I believe, help make so much of that come to life.

Here's hoping that this little blog post might make that happen.  :)

Local Film Community Happenings

Hello, friends!  Some of you fellow filmmakers might like to know about upcoming events.  Be sure to click on the links for more information, and share with your fellow filmmakers who might be interested!

"Pioneers in Skirts" Production Assistance

There is an opportunity to help a friend of mine, Ashley Maria, with a documentary she is filming in Raleigh this August.  She's a graduate student at the University of Southern California studying Film and Television at the School of Cinematic Arts.  The documentary is titled "Pioneers in Skirts" about an organization called Business and Professional Women.  If you're interested in helping as a member of her crew, you can find more information here.  Some of the pertinent info is listed below, and pulled straight from her site:

CALL OUT TO CREW

Shooting Dates:  

Thursday August 12th OR 13th (TBD) for a shoot at Meredith College

Saturday, August 14th in Carrboro, NC 

Crew Needed:

Camera operators, grip & electric, boom operators, production assistants, hair & make-up

Compensation: 

Credit & DVD once film is finalized

Contact: 

Email Ashley Maria; please include resume with experience, your interest in the documentary, and any equipment you can provide for shooting day

We are low budget and are using available resources to make this documentary happen, so I thank you in advance for being a part of a very special documentary to me and the ladies from the BPW organization. 

Triangle Film Society: Networking Event on Sept. 2nd

A networking event for filmmakers will take place next month.  You have to register and arrive early, because the event will be held in the RBC building in downtown Raleigh.  Read the invitation from Nene (@QueenTiger) to register and get more information, but mark you calendars now because there are going to be free drinks and appetizers. :)

Triangle Film Society: Networking Event
Thursday, September 2, 2010
5:30 to 7:30PM

Location: Poyner Spruill (@poynerspruill)
RBC Building, 19th Floor
301 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh, NC 27601

SPARKcon Call for Talent

Part of a local creative festival called SPARKcon will include a 48-hour film challenge starting on Friday, September 10th.  They're also calling for film submissions, the deadline for which has been extended to August 27th according to their twitter page (@filmSPARK2010).

New Developments

This week has been such a great one for Abandoned Allies.  So many of the challenges I was facing have found solutions, thanks to the talented and kind people lending a hand with the film.  We had two private screenings, the first of which was with Surry, Joe and Adam.  The second of which was with Chris, Alena, Kyle and EJ.  Yesterday, two more new developments took shape.

It's too early to talk openly about the developments, but I will tell you this: I am thrilled!  I had a long, fun meeting with a new contact yesterday who watched the film and gave me some great suggestions.  He might be able to help us with a few things that have been giving me trouble, and it seems we have great potential to work on some other projects.  I'm really excited to tell you about these things once they become more formal.  He suggested that I work on the narration for the film immediately, because it would change the shape of the film so drastically.

The narration in the film has been a big challenge for me, simmering on the back burner for a long time.  Talking this week about the narration has helped me figure out a lot of things about it.  What needs to be said?  When does it need to be said?  How is it going to be said?  Who is going to say it?  How are we going to record it?  The questions go on...

I'm going to take the advice I got yesterday and immediately start working on the narration.  I now feel really comfortable with it, which is a change.  For so long I was trying to avoid using too much narration in the film, but our story is a complex one and the narration is key to understanding it.  I feel like I have some new knowledge that will help greatly improve the film, and that's really exciting.  I learned a lot in yesterday's meeting, and will tell you all about it when the time is right.

The same is true for another new development, but it's entirely too early to tell you those details.  I am super excited about the possibilities, though!  When the time is right on this matter, I'll be sure to let you in on the secret.

My friends, the project keeps getting bigger and better with every day that passes.  It feels like it's so much bigger than I ever thought it would be, and that's a really cool feeling.  I believe this is the result of a very powerful story that has been waiting to be shared for a long time, and I am so honored to be a part of that. I hope beyond all hope that this little project might have the power to make positive change happen.  Thanks for all your encouragement, folks!

Screening with Abandoned Allies Crew

Four of our team members crammed into a small room to watch the latest cut of Abandoned Allies last night.  How happy I am to be showing the film to people!

Members of the Abandoned Allies crew sit in a tiny room to watch the latest cut and provide feedback.  From left to right: Chris Moore, Alena Koch, Kyle Owen and Elizabeth Jackson.

The group provided wonderful feedback and asked some great questions.  The conversation helped me think more about the narration, and what information needs to be disclosed.  They also confirmed some concerns I'd been having about certain clips.  There are two things, in particular, that were giving me some trouble.

Part of the history of the Montagnard (pronounced MONT-en-yard) people is their relation to the Vietnamese.  Montagnards, historically speaking, haven't been treated well by the Vietnamese.*  The Vietnamese called them moi, which is a very derogatory word that basically means "savage."  All of this is relevant because it meant that South Vietnam was not recruiting or drafting Montagnards during the war, ergo they were available to work with American troops.  In order to explain this concept, I used a clip wherein one of our experts makes a comparison to something in American culture to help us understand how bad moi makes a person feel.  The group discussion last night helped me draw conclusions about the clip, and I'm truly grateful for that.  There are social stigmas in the comparison, and it might derail the audience from the point we're trying to make.

The second troublesome part relates to the use of visuals.  There are several great stories about certain individuals, but I don't have pictures of them.  Showing a picture of a person while someone else tells a story visually implies that this is the guy from the story.  That leads to confusion for the audience, and honestly it feels unethical.  So I have been debating about this and tweaking things to get around it.  There was one remaining picture on the time line that lead to confusion last night, and the conversation about it helped me put this issue to rest as well.

Waking up happy this morning because of the screenings this week, I think I'll really enjoy the focus groups when we do them.  When I watch the film with other people, it's as if I'm seeing it for the first time.  Having spent so many hours editing the same footage, that is a very refreshing feeling!  It helps me understand what parts of the story are key, and what can be left for the DVD extras.  We have 40+ hours of footage, and there are some really great stories being left out.  I suppose that's just one of the filmmaker's biggest dilemmas--leaving out really great material because it doesn't add to the story the right way.

The group will help us with so many important things over the next few months. 

Chris said he knows how to edit out things on the background (behind our cast when they're talking) which are particularly distracting without degrading the quality of the footage.  I'm so excited about that!  It's been driving me absolutely crazy.

There are some audio quality issues, which I hope to have resolved with the help from a friend of a friend.  I just need to figure out how to get the audio to him to work on it.

Kyle, who is helping us by composing original music, also knows how to resolve some of my troubles with finding an external DVD burner.  My G5 is older, so it doesn't have the Pentium processor inside, which is apparently important for an external DVD burner.  I bought one earlier this week and returned it the next day because it wasn't compatible.  I've called several places, but no one seems to have a DVD burner that'll work with my (growing old) Mac.  While focusing on the editing, this little frustrating gets magnified.  I'm excited that Kyle might be able to find a solution to this problem.

Alena has been helping me manage the Facebook and Twitter accounts, among other social media-related efforts.  These tasks are really important, but very tough for me to focus on while we're in post-production.  My mind is too full of other things like video editing, shaping the story, and all of the marketing / distribution things that will come once the film is finished.  Having her on the team provides so much relief, it's unreal.  I look forward to these efforts heating up when the film is available for the public.  There are a lot of fun social media things we can do.

Elizabeth will help us with event planning when the film is finished.  I've been reading a book about distribution for indie films, and in one of the chapters I read recently there was a bit of info about live events.  I have one in mind that would be really fun, but would require an enormous effort.  In fact, there are a number of events floating around in my mind and knowing that she's there to lead those efforts is really wonderful.  I am anxious to put them on paper once we get the motion graphics and music team members going.  There aren't words for how happy I am to have EJ's help.

All in all, the week has been a huge success, in my opinion.  I'm quite exhausted, but very happy.  The feedback from all of these folks proves that the film is shaping up well, and with some of the improvements suggested will be even better. Almost everyone said they loved seeing the Super 8 footage, too.  It adds so much.  Thank you, Skip Elsheimer, for the help with that!

Oh, my friends, how I look forward to sharing this film with you!!

*I say historically speaking because Montagnards were poorly treated in the past, but it honestly hasn't changed too much there today from what I'm told.  A lot of news articles hint about this, but details are tough to get in writing because the Vietnamese control the media.  The U.S. Department of State published the 2009 Human Rights Report: Vietnam, stating that the Vietnamese government "human rights record remained a problem" and goes into details about it. The Associated Press just published information stating that the Vietnamese government will start publishing a human rights magazine to "help counter what it calls 'erroneous and hostile allegations,' state media reported Thursday."

Last Night's Screening

The private screening for Surry, Joe and Adam went well last night, despite my dog's attempts to be a part of the viewing party.  He wasn't too happy about being ignored and vocalized it repeatedly, much to my chagrin.  Next time, I believe we'll find another time to show the film or find a way to wear the dog out before they get there.

This is the thrid time Surry, Joe and Adam have come over to watch the film. I'm so grateful for their kindness in offering their thoughts as we develop the story.  It is really wonderful.  They talk amongst themselves on ocassion, debating certain things that come up.  Hearing this conversation puts me to the test, too.  I have to think through the critique and search through my reasons for making a certain creative decision.  It leads me through a series of questions:

• Why did I include this clip?
• What point is it trying to make?
• Is that point going to add to the overall message, or detract from it?
• Does the clip (or series of clips) help make that point or harm it?
• Is there a better, more succinct way to address the same thing?
• How will audiences feel about this certain point?
• What conclusions will be drawn by audience members watching it?

Obviously, we have our main points we want to make but we have to be careful to let the audience draw their own conclusions.  I'm always grateful to my time learning from Susan G. Wellborn at Washington High School because she helped me understand responsible journalism (which is what I feel like I'm doing as a documentary filmmaker). 

You research, research, research.  Then you form a story based on what you believe are the proven facts, while taking into careful consideration the reactions to the things that get published.  I have SGW's voice in my head, even though I took her class more than 10 years ago.  She has had a huge, positive impact on my life and I'm so grateful for her leadership. 

While we make this film, I recognize that there's a careful balance between our investigation into the matter at hand and forming public opinion about it.  It must be done strategically and tactfully.  Where do you draw the line on how much gets shared?  How can you provide more info for people who want it?  How do you allow the conversation to continue after the credits roll?  How do you not provide answers, but lead people to think for themselves?

Our research is limited by a number of things, the most pressing of which is time and funding.  There's so much more I want to learn about the Montagnards, Special Forces, American foreign policy, and Vietnam's human rights record.  But our film has a narrow focus for a good reason, and we have to stick to that or we'll never finish.  When the conversations during the viewing parties get started, I find my mind working over time to process everything. I love the critique process.

Last night's conversation has been replaying in my head for hours.  I try to reserve filtering the feedback until I have let it all simmer for a while.  Once that happens, I start to turn those conversations and suggestions into direct actions I can take to make the film better. 

The end of the film, for example, has been pretty vague for me for a long time.  I've had an idea of what it should look like, but it's not been as strong as I want.  After the conversation with Surry, Joe and Adam, I feel like I have a better grasp on how to shape the ending.  Now I have more confidence about what needs to take shape.

We have several other team members coming over to view the film this week, for which I am very grateful.  Things are moving along really well, and I am so happy to have a team of people involved at this point.  If we can get the motion graphics, music, color corrections and audio improvements going full speed ahead, then I'll be one happy filmmaker!

The Droid X Arrives, Phone Adventure Concludes

Note: This is a long blog post.  So feel free to read / disregard.  My phone is critical to getting the film finished, but to many of you it might not seem relevant.  I have been reading a lot online about cell phones in the past few months, and so some of this info might be helpful to others like me facing a similar decision.

My Droid X arrived yesterday.  I'm excited and nervous, hoping that I will have a phone I can live with for a while. 

I have started to rely heavily on my phone to keep me organized.  I was previously using my Blackberry Pearl, but switched to an iPhone in May to test it out.  Then I switched back to the Pearl, and now to the Droid X.  (Read the bullet points below for the details or lessons learned if you're interested.)  Here's hoping this is the last switch for a while!

Initial Reactions

My first reactions to the Droid X are positive, although I only got it last night.  It's sleek and shiny, although it's fairly larger than my Blackberry Pearl (which was small enough to fit nicely in my hand, purse, and pockets).  It's only a little bit larger, but when you've been carrying something smaller for two years, the difference seems like a big one.  Still, I am pretty stoked about it.

The screen is divine.  I will really enjoy the bigger screen while working on and sharing Abandoned Allies.  It will help me a lot by playing clips, music and the movie trailer (when it's ready).  I've also wanted to use my phone as a handy photography portfolio, so I can show clients and friends what I've been doing lately.  That will be great once I get it set up.

Also, because it's a Droid / Google phone, so it's already syncing with all of my Google stuff: Voice, Gmail, etc.  I rely heavily on them for keeping me organized because I can update it online or on my phone.  It's all connected, so there are no duplicate calendars (which gets too confusing).  This will also help me be much more responsive.  The past few months have been tough because I rely heavily on my phone to keep me on track, and I've been switching phones to find the right one for my needs.  All of that switching has made me frustrated because on several occasions, I've double-booked social events and missed some Google Voice calls and messages.  Truly annoying.

So, all in all, I think the Droid X will be a good fit for me.  I hear things about the phone self-destructing when you try to change some of the software, which is definitely a scary thought.  I've got more reading to do in order to fully understand that.  The battery also seems to get really hot, but perhaps I need the task manager, app-killer thing to prevent that.  The number of screens seems excessive, but I also haven't given it enough time to have a stronger opinion about that.  The only other complaint I have is a minor one regarding the pull tab when you first get the phone.

The Pull Tab

When you first get the phone, there's a bit of confusion about this tab in the back.  Here's a picture.  It says PULL but then underneath it says DO NOT CUT.  I'm not the only one that was confused by the label, thankfully, because it seems like it should be pretty simple/straightforward.

When you first get something that requires batteries, it usually has a pull tab that comes out (like in a watch or laser pointer, for example).  But when you get the Droid X, the battery is not shipped with the battery in the phone so you don't quite know what the pull tab does, especially since it also has a "do not cut" warning next to it. 

I looked through all of the materials that came with the phone, but couldn't find anything that mentioned initial set up for the Droid X.  In fact, I was a little surprised at how much was lacking on initial set up.  Finding nothing in the Getting Started handout that came with the phone, I looked online before I messed something up and found some forums discussing the pull tab. 

Other people were confused, too.  Some people had pulled the entire thing off, only to discover that's how you get the battery back out later.  One person had pulled the tab off completely, put in the battery, and then spent a long time trying to figure out how to get the battery back out.  I was so grateful for the forum discussion because I was sitting at home feeling like an idiot, so confused over the bad label design.  It was good to know other people were sitting at home with the same questions.

Once you put the battery in the phone, the pull tab seems to make more sense.  I've had a number of phones, none of which ever required a pull tab like this one so it still seems pretty dumb to me.  (Sorry to the guy who designed that feature, but it's pretty silly to have such a high tech phone that requires this little plastic pull tab just to get the battery out of the back.  You probably had a good reason for it, but I don't see it.  It just causes confusion for us.)

Regardless, I'm happy to have my Droid X in my hands and operating!

Sir Switch-A-Lot

There are a lot more details about this phone adventure. Obviously, you can skip this next section if you're not interested.  It was a serious waste of time on my end so I can't say that I blame you for skipping it; however, because every minute I spent on this cell phone ordeal could have been spent on video editing, I feel obliged to document the madness.  Anyway, here's what has happened since May 2010:

• My two year contract with Verizon ended, which meant I could finally try out the iPhone.
• Verizon didn't offer me much to stay with them (just a "new every two" $50 discount on a new phone), so I switched to AT&T in May.
• For the next 20 days, I tried the iPhone and AT&T's service.  In that short span of time I had more dropped calls than I have had with Verizon in nearly two years.  Seriously.  It was beyond annoying.  As glorious as the iPhone is--and it's a thing of beauty--I'm still using the phone as a phone and absolutely hate having my calls dropped.  They also released the iPhone 4 just after I'd purchased the 3GS, which is particularly annoying.  Why didn't they tell me to wait for the new one?  Also, the iPhone doesn't play well with Google Voice, which I've been relying on for a while.  Finally, the coverage plan meant that I was paying more per month than I would at Verizon.  That's more strikes than you get in baseball.  I was done with it.
• Before the 30-day cancellation period ended, I called Verizon to ask about coming back to them.  Through a series of several conversations with several reps, I was finally put in touch with someone in their Win Back Department, and offered a deal too good to turn down.  The rep I talked to there was very kind and helpful.  Three cheers for great customer service!
• AT&T reps, on the other hand, were beyond frustrating throughout the whole process.  I ended up with a bill that was three times higher than it should have been.  It took nearly four and a half hours, five or more reps, and several days to resolve the problem.  One fellow, in particular, was so rude that I was nearly in tears by the time the problem was finally resolved.  Really, AT&T, you should be ashamed.  I think big companies like that end up with a lot of inefficiencies and the customer ends up paying for the resulting overhead.  There were a lot of steps that could have been taken to prevent these problems.  Now I have had such a bad experience with AT&T that I was almost hostile to the door-to-door AT&T salesman who tried to convince me to give the company another chance.  No thanks.  That definitely won't happen any time soon.  Every time I see their commercials and logo, I cringe because of the frustrations I went through recently.
• After the switch back to Verizon, I thought everything was finally in order.  Then I got mail from Verizon about my contract and plan that was contrary to what the rep on the phone told me.  I called Verizon again, and the problem was solved in half an hour by one very kind person.  Dear Verizon, keep up that great customer service and you'll continue to have my loyalty.
• The latest chapter involves a battle between Droids.  I came back to Verizon knowing I would get a good deal towards a phone that is Verizon's closest comparison to the iPhone.  They recommended the Droid Incredible, but it was on back order.  Then the Droid X came out before my Incredible arrived.  So, in another series of phone calls to Verizon, this issue was also resolved. 
• FedEx delivered the Incredible and the X at the same time, but thanks to help from my roommate I was able to catch her before she got back in her truck.  I signed for the X and sent the Incredible back to Verizon.  And now I finally have a new phone!

Lessons Learned
Here are some things I wish I had known months ago.  Enjoy.

• Putting a note on your account.
  Phone reps won't believe most of what you say, even if you're being honest.  If a store rep makes a promise, be sure they put a note on your account about it.  That way, when the company messes it up later, and you have to call their phone center to have it corrected, there's a note telling the phone center representative about that promise.  (Making a film about broken promises, I find this lesson in dealing with AT&T's madness hugely ironic.)
• Buy what you need. And have confidence in that.
  When I bought my car, the salesman kept trying to "put me in" a sedan or an SUV.  All I wanted was a cute little thing to get me from Point A to Point B, with the utmost fuel economy in a certain price range.  Similarly, cell phones and usage plans can easily be much more than I need (and even more than what I want).  This implies that you have to figure out what you need/want before you start shopping, which is obviously a good step.  I'm now confident that I have a cell phone and plan that is exactly what I need and want.  Win!
• The latest and greatest will be outdated in five minutes.
  Minutes (ok, it's probably more like days) after I bought my new iPhone, a newer version went on the market.  Days after I ordered my new Droid, a new one went out on the market.  I can handle not having the latest and greatest, but only when it doesn't come out immediately after I've made an investment.  It's kind of insulting, really, when it comes out so immediately.  Perhaps I'm just stuck somewhere in between being an average consumer and a tech girl.  While shopping, it's better to lean towards the tech geek side so you don't get jerked around.  Or just get what you get, and be happy with that.
• Read forums and reviews.
  During the past few months I have read countless reviews, comparisons and forums about cell phones.  They really gave me great information about what to expect, and explained a lot of things I didn't understand.  Read as many trust-worthy product reviews as you can, then go into a store to test it for yourself.  Keep in mind, though, some of the reviews will be incredibly helpful, but they are opinion-heavy and you have to filter out what's right for you.  After getting my phone, I was so grateful to read the forum conversation about that dumb pull tab!  Of all the things I learned about the X before it arrived, this wasn't even on my radar.  None of the tech geeks covered this in their reviews and videos, but all of them took the time to show the box it came in.  I knew about what to expect thanks to these reviewers, but this silly little pull tab left me confused.
• Talk to the Win Back Department.
  If you leave a company and want to come back, be sure you're talking to the right person in the right department.  No one was really willing to help me until I got to the right department.  Finally someone in Verizon's Win Back Department was a wonderful help.  She was very kind and helped me make sure I have what I need to be happy with the company's service. 

There are a lot of other lessons, but this post will be entirely too long if I include them all.  I'm super happy that this adventure is coming to an end.  I can now use my phone on a daily basis and get on with getting on, as they say.  Happy to be back with Verizon, on a plan and phone that meets my needs, I can finally get back to wrapping up Abandoned Allies!

Private Screening Tonight

Tonight's the night!  We're having another private screening to get feedback on the film.  This is the first of about three that we'll have this week.  Tonight's audience will be seeing the film for the third time.  The most significant differences between the previous versions are:

• The addition of Super 8 footage
• The addition of more still photos
• Better-flowing, more organized content

The group that is viewing the film tonight is a really interesting one, and I look forward to hearing their thoughts about the film.  They tend to stir up great conversation, which helps me see the film in a whole new light.  They bring up things that I had not thought about, and help me adjust things other people might struggle with, too.  I'm really grateful for their help, and can't wait to hear their thoughts.

When a group comes over, I find myself insanely anxious to have the film finished before their arrival.  I want it to be as perfect as possible--and completed!  It's a work in progress, though, so I constantly remind myself to be patient.  Patient.  Patient.

We still have a lot of work to do.  My production "to do" list is a long one that includes:

• Adding more footage from our second interview with George Shepard (beautifully-shot HD)
• Adding footage from our interviews with Charlie and EG Long (standard def)
• Working with  motion graphics team to create and finalize visuals
• Tweaking the flow of content with Todd Tinkham to make it look & sound better
• Get the content finalized so we have a lock on it and can start working on what I call the "final finesse" that makes it look and sound like a real movie

We're going to have the film finished before the end of the year, showing it to small focus groups over the next few months.  It's an exciting time, for sure!

Local Documentary Screening Tomorrow

A locally-produced documentary film, The Last One, will be shown in Smithfield, N.C., tomorrow at 7 p.m.  My friend Sally sent me an email with all of the details posted on WTSB Radio's website here (scroll down to the second item on the page).  Here are the important details about the event:

The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation and Orchard House Booksellers will present The Last One, a locally produced documentary film featuring moonshiner Popcorn Sutton, on Saturday, July 17 as a part of the monthly showings of independent films and documentaries in Downtown Smithfield. The film will be shown at Orchard House Booksellers, located at 117 North Third Street in Downtown Smithfield. The documentary starts at 7:00pm and is free to the public. Raleigh filmmaker Neal Hutcheson will be on hand to discuss the film and answer questions.

The Independent Weekly posted a write up about Neal Hutcheson in 2003 with some additional information about The Last One.  I liked reading this article because it provides some information about Hutcheson, his background, and how he works on the films he produces.  What stuck with me most is Hutcheson's comments on editing, something that pains me daily right now:

Many filmmakers enjoy the editing process, but Hutcheson won't go that far. "I'll go in at 8 p.m. and come out at 4 or 5 in the morning. Every other day I do enjoy it, when things start to click," he says in a recent telephone interview. "But the majority is incredible tedium, punctuated by moments of elation—the ecstatic moments that make it all worthwhile."

Couldn't agree with you more, Mr. Hutcheson.  I wish I could make it to the screening tomorrow to see it and congratulate you in person. 

Y'all go out and support a local filmmaker tomorrow since I can't be there, mk?

Private Screening Parties Scheduled for Next Week

There's so much to share, folks.  How can I find the time to tell you all of the good things?! 

First let me say that next week is going to be a good one for Abandoned Allies.  We've scheduled several private viewing parties for the film.  (Party equals 2-6 people in my living room watching the film.)  My friend / mentor / man with the idea for the film's subject matter, Surry Roberts, will come over early in the week to watch it with several other folks.  Perhaps I'll take a picture while they're there to share with you all.  Later in the week we'll have some of the team members come take a peek. I'm hoping that Kyle, EJ, Alena, Chris, Zach and Patrick will all have a chance to see the latest cut of the film.  (Any other team members that want to join are welcome to come; just send me an email.)

Eventually, we'll open the screening parties to more people.  I want to have a few private screenings among my fellow filmmakers to get their feedback.  They see things that I don't, and I adore hearing their thoughts. 

Small focus group screenings would also be ideal.  And there are some thank you parties I want to throw.  There will be many fun things in the works after the film is finished, and I'll be sure to keep you all posted when they take shape.  Thank goodness for having EJ, our event planner, on board!  I am so grateful to have her help!  My excitement just keeps growing when I think of showing the film to audiences, but it's still a wee bit too early for that now because we have to  finish it first.

The next few days will be a thrilling rush to get the film in great shape before these screening parties.  I like the pressure of deadlines for motivation.  The film won't be as great as I want it to be because I do fall into that artistic perfectionism trap frequently, but the film just continues to improve every day. 

I keep reminding myself to be patient.  An oak tree doesn't grow over night, and the film won't be finished tomorrow.  With every day that passes, though, I get more and more anxious about finishing it!  I'm so ready to share this with you all.

More updates to come...

Our Next Project

Some days my mind is filled with ideas for our next project.  Too many ideas, in fact.  They cease to keep coming while I'm trying to focus on the project at hand.  It gets annoying because I want to focus on finishing this project, but new ideas keep coming out of nowhere until the day comes when I want to sift through those ideas to find the good ones.  Then they have all mysteriously evaporated.  It's beyond frustrating.

Thankfully, a certain tip from one of our friends, Doc, whom you might remember from the digitizing of mini-DV tapes at the beginning of this adventure, has stuck with me.  He's been doing this a lot longer than I have, and always seems to give great advice when I need it most. 

When we first got started, Doc told me that the project would send me on an emotional roller coaster ride.  There would be highs, lows and some points at which you might want to vomit.  (True, true, and true.)  He also told me that ideas will come while you're in the middle of working on the project.  He recommended that I not indulge them, but write them all down as fast as possible, and then get back to the task at hand.  It is this advice that replays in my mind each time a new idea comes while I'm working on Abandoned Allies.  I have a list of very unorganized ideas, but they are at least captured on paper.

Recently, Surry and I had some time to sit and talk about this project and what might happen next.  (He, too, always provides sage advice when I need it most.  I'm a lucky woman to be surrounded by such smart people.)  We talked at great length about the work left on Abandoned Allies, the process for completion, and what will happen after post-production wraps.  We also talked about the next film(s), and developed a list of criteria for selecting an idea.  He helped me feel that it's not too soon to start going down the list of ideas to find one that I could live with for a long time, something that would be a great second film.  I've started thinking about it in greater detail, but will have nothing to report for quite some time.

In other conversations, a few people have been curious to know if I would tackle another film.  A family member asked if this project had scared me away from filmmaking.  Ha!  Hardly.  These are thoughts that never crossed my mind. I believe filmmaking is something I am meant to do and I hope there are many more films for me after this one is completed. 

There are at least two or three documentary ideas I'd like to tackle immediately, and I keep finding old screenplay ideas I'd like to further develop and produce.  That might seem a bit lofty, knowing how long I've spent on this one project; however, with some creative financing and having a team in place from the get-go, I think I could move much faster on the next one.  I think with some of those things in place, the experience would be a much more balanced, healthier one.  That could mean I would improve my skills as a leader, therefore enabling my team to be happier, more fruitful and possibly even paid.

Interesting, too, are the ideas that others are pitching to me.  I'm always grateful when someone takes the time to share an idea with me, because it's obviously something they found interesting.  It's typically an idea they've carried with them for a while, and they want to see it come to life on screen.  They are usually knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter, too, so I end up learning something new.  Having ideas pitched to me is such a delight!  It further develops my love for the business/production end of filmmaking.

In the meantime, I keep reading about filmmaking, festivals, and distribution so we can figure out our next steps.  Blogger Eric Sherman posted a two-part article about "The Sophomore Jinx" on filmmakers.  I'm so grateful to have read his thoughts on the matter because it gave me things to think about before we finish Abandoned Allies.  You can read Part I and Part II online if you want to read them, too.  I'm finding a balance between reading about filmmaking, business and the subject matter of our film.

While we've not found the one idea for our next project just yet, I know it must be right around the corner.  I now recognize how lucky I was to have the idea for Abandoned Allies take shape so easily. 

Sprinting Through Peanut Butter

During the past few weeks I have found myself willing to share much less of my life online, for one reason or another.  This means you've heard less from me about the progress of the film, and for that I am sorry.  These past few weeks have come with some adjustments and delightful adventures in my personal life.  They make for some great stories, many of which I will refrain from sharing here because a lady needs a certain level of privacy in her life, don'tcha think?

Once upon a time, I might have considered myself a social media evangelist.  That hasn't changed too much, but I have retreated from so much of my social media activities.  I rather miss it, but also feel quite lucky to have people like Alena Koch to manage the Abandoned Allies Twitter and Facebook accounts.  It is a great help in keeping me focused on finishing the film.

Progress with the film continues to move forward, if ever so slowly.  It is a test of patience, for sure.  I find myself ready to sprint, when a slow and steady pace is required.  A zero-dollar budget will make you a creative producer-director, but it doesn't allow you to move too quickly.  As they say, "Money talks."

Nevertheless, we are moving forward and that's a great feeling.  I've been putting the Super 8 film in place, and can hardly begin to describe how enamored I am with the footage because (a) it is free, (b) it was shot in Vietnam during the war, and (c) the subject matter is almost directly on target with what we need.  More footage would be truly helpful, and I'll work in that direction once some other matters are put to rest.

Surry shot the Super 8 film in Vietnam while he served as a Green Beret.  He handed it over to me in our first year of production, which started a grand (two-year long) adventure in getting it digitized.  I'll forever be grateful to Skip Elsheimer of A/V Tech Geeks for helping us convert the film. It is one huge task to check off of the to do list.

Always seeking help with video editing, I am also grateful to Todd Tinkham for showing me a few tricks in FCP recently.  I am getting the film in as good a shape as possible before Todd takes another look at it in the coming weeks.  Having meetings like this one scheduled helps keep me motivated and moving forward.  I'm a girl who likes deadlines.  There are a few other private screening events to schedule with the team, and that will also keep me motivated while editing.

Some of my self-imposed deadlines have been missed, though, and this is incredibly painful for me.  Some of these missed deadlines have been out of my own control.  Some of them were fairly unreasonable, too.  Don't read anything into these statements, though.  This is all a learning process for me, and I simply want to document it so that the next attempt will be much better.

One of the things that attracts me to filmmaking is the team effort that's involved.  You and your teammates learn to dance with one another over time.  This is why, I think, filmmakers work on so many projects together.  They've learned to communicate efficiently.  They know and understand each other's personality quirks, unspoken expectations, and creative minds.  They learn to work well together, and so they keep working together.  In the end, they can say a lot with very little which helps them move faster or even take bigger risks because they trust each other.  This is true in improvisation.  This is likely to be true in the military.  The experiences lead to trust, which leads to acts of collaboration, which can likely lead to big and fascinating results.

Filmmaking is a collaborative art form unlike any other, in my own opinion.  I'm working with some of the most talented, passionate people I've ever met and that's absolutely wonderful; simultaneously, I recognize that people are motivated by financial rewards.  I do hope that we can raise money for the next film in order to help it move along a bit faster. 

I find myself very anxious at this point, ready to sprint toward the finish line so I can share the film with you.  Patience.  Patience.  Sprinting through peanut butter will get you nowhere.  It's better to take your time, do it right, and end up with a piece of work you're proud to share.  Of course, the end is in sight.  And I look forward to crossing the finish line.

More to come...

Meeting with Todd Tinkham

As post-production progress continues, I keep learning more and more about film making.  Last night I met with fellow filmmaker Todd Tinkham, who is in post on Southland of the Heart, an "independent feature film about life, loss and the many lessons love has to offer."

Before I met Todd, I had heard so many great things about him. My fellow improviser and filmmaker Christopher G. Moore raved about Todd.  Lisa Sullivan, a fellow social media and communications professional, also spoke so highly of him and provided an introduction so that I could play an itsy bitsy role in the film.  When I finally got to meet Todd on the set of Southland of the Heart, I felt like I was meeting a celebrity. 

Todd is a gracious, generous and kind man.  He's passionate about filmmaking and telling great stories.  It was such a thrill to watch him work with Chris on the set of Bursters.  My friend invited me to take production stills while they shot Bursters, and it was immediately evident how dedicated and professional everyone is in this area.  Fiction filmmaking is a whole 'nother bit of filmmaking that I've not yet explored, and is quite different than making a documentary.  And while I have no comparison to other film industries, I rather love the community we have in North Carolina.  Everyone I meet is so fascinating and talented, and Todd is no exception.

Last night I had the privilege of taking a sneak peek at Southland of the Heart, and I am so anxious to see the final cut!  The film is beautifully shot here in North Carolina and stars a number of talented people I adore (both in front of and behind the camera).  You can watch a teaser of Southland of the Heart here, or like the film on Facebook here.

After Todd showed me the first half of Southland, he let me introduce Abandoned Allies.  He seemed to respond to it well, although it paled in comparison to the beautiful photography of Todd's film.  My heart delighted with seeing some of the Super 8 footage in place, the first time I've shown it to anyone other than Skip of A/V Geeks (who helped us with the transfer).

As I mentioned yesterday, I feel like the first few minutes of the film are much more solid than the rest of it right now.  There are more graphics and the transitions between content / clips are healthier, in my opinion.  There's still a lot of work to do, and my main focus is making sure the content is as strong as it can be: the right people say the right thing in the right order.  Once I have that locked down, I can keep making improvements from there. 

We watched a bit of Abandoned Allies and then Todd started tweaking pieces of the film to make improvements.  He showed me easy ways to improve upon some of the mistakes that have been nagging at me endlessly.  He also shared a few filmmaking terms I didn't know, which is fun.  I am ravenous for this information, and find myself envious of anyone studying filmmaking in school.  There are industry terms, film histories, and rules that I would absolutely devour.  Right now, though, my focus is on finishing!  In the meantime, I'll keep learning as I go.

Todd has offered to continue providing input, for which I am most grateful.  His input, as well as other filmmakers who have made the same kind offer, will help make the film so much better.  I can't wait for that part of the post-production process.

The filmmaking process is a collaborative one, which is one of the things I find most attractive about it.  You can't make a film in a vacuum, as you might when painting a still life.  It is truly a living, breathing, ever-changing form of art that is simultaneously a business.  The marriage of art and business, and their offspring known as entertainment, is what I find absolutely addicting about filmmaking.

Links:

• Watch a teaser for Southland of the Heart
• Friend Todd Tinkham on Facebook
• Like Southland of the Heart on Facebook

Getting Super 8 In Place

Things are still coming together for Abandoned Allies, which is always exciting.  Last week we finally transferred the Super 8 footage with the gracious help of Skip Elsheimer of A/V Tech Geeks.  Walking into the studio with that digitized footage was a feeling of complete excitement.  Skip has been so patient and helpful throughout the process, and I am so grateful to him for his help with our film.  If you have films to transfer, please send your business his way and tell him I sent you.

This week we've been adding the new footage to the timeline in FCP, ever so slowly.  The process is something like this: You watch the rough cut of the film, looking for places where B Roll would improve the story visually.  Then you skip over to the folder where the Super 8 footage is stored and try to find a clip to go in that spot.  Or vice verse: you find a great clip, and then look for a spot to place it.  It's relatively tedious, but I'll not complain about it!  I'm so excited to finally have that footage digitized.

My opinion of the state of the film is daily improving.  We want to make the best film we can make, given our current constraints (budget, time, quality, etc.).  When I watch the film, all I can see are my own failings: audio, color quality, visuals.  Those mistakes I've made during the past two years feel like they stick out so much, but I know talented people that have promised to help make improvements.  This may be entirely too honest to state such things, but I desperately want it to be a great film to watch.  The story is such a great one, that I hope I may remotely do it justice.

The first few minutes of the film seem to be really solid, to me, at this point.  Footage looks good, the content flows well, and the visuals are getting better and better.  I think the content is in an order that will make it easy for an audience member to process, and it's supported by visuals that are appealing and entertaining.  The transitions at this point are still in need of improvement, but I think the first few minutes of the film are pretty solid right now.

The overall story has shaped up quite well, too, but there's always more work to be done.  I have finally come to terms with a finalized outline, something that has changed over and over and over again.  And over and over and over again.  Our three main points have always remained the same, but the order in which we support the points kept changing based on my interpretation of how an audience member needs to receive the information.  Each time I show the film to someone new, I get better insight into how to support these points.  What information can be left out?  What information should be added back in?  What's confusing and needs to be clarified?

We want the film to be something that honors and respects the people we depict: both American and Montagnard soldiers.  We want it to be relevant / appealing / entertaining to several different generations, too, which can be tough.  Something that the Vietnam War generation understands is something that my generation might need explained in detail, for example.  So how much information is too much, and how much information is too little? 

The balance between these two extremes is what I battle regularly.  Ultimately, you can only include so much information, and people interested in more can watch the DVD extras or go online to learn more.  That thought gives me great comfort when I start to stress about leaving out pertinent details that have helped me form my own opinions.  But, I have digressed...

We're putting the Super 8 footage in place now, and hopefully will have more footage to add soon.  If you know of someone who has Vietnam War footage we can use, please let me know.  Or, if you're interested in researching archives to find what we need, that's helpful as well.  We have a zero-dollar budget, so finding clips we can legally use for very little or for free is a challenge.  I saw one clip of an explosion that was particularly helpful, but it was a few grand to purchase.  I'll keep trying other routes before making such an investment.

The journey continues, my friends!  Thanks for all of your support, encouragement and interest in our film.  We look forward to sharing it with you in 2010!

Transfers Complete!

Today is one of sheer joy, my friends!  This week marks a HUGE milestone in the production of Abandoned Allies.  We have just completed the transfer of the Super 8 footage!  We started the quest to do this transfer more than two years ago, and it has been one wild ride. 

This week, thanks to the help of Skip Elsheimer of A/V Geeks, we now have the Super 8 footage digitized and ready to be added to the film.  This is no small accomplishment, and I'm quickly learning the true depth of Skip's expertise in film and film transfers.  The photo above shows my hand holding the film as it transfers, a trick Skip used to keep it from jumping.

More information on this update will come soon.  I just couldn't contain my excitement and gratitude.  There are soooo many people who have helped make this possible.  If you want to read up on the past adventures, here are some previous blog posts:

• Super 8 Adventures Continue, Part 2 (17 March 2010)
http://montagnardfilm.blogspot.com/2010/03/super-8-adventures-continue-part-2.html
• The 8mm Projector (3 Feb. 2009)
  http://montagnardfilm.blogspot.com/2009/02/8mm-projector.html
• Super 8 Kodachrome Film (13 Dec. 2009)
  http://montagnardfilm.blogspot.com/2009/12/super-8-kodachrome-film.html
• Super 8 Adventures Continue (19 Dec. 2009)
  http://montagnardfilm.blogspot.com/2009/12/super-8-adventures-continue.html

Memorial Day Introductions

Memorial Day weekend was a delightful one for me.  I spent time lounging in the sun, reading, swimming, doing laundry, running with my dog, and spending time with loved ones.  I did some thrill-seeking as well, but it's likely best to leave those details off record.  Those whom don't know me well might find such thrill-seeking beyond unladylike (just ask in person, and we'll chat about it).  All in all, though, it was exactly the relaxing weekend I so desperately needed.

On one of my adventures in running with my dog, I stopped to talk to a neighbor named Dennis.  We've waved / chatted previously but I had the chance to actually introduce myself this weekend.  Inevitably, our conversation turned into one about Abandoned Allies when he asked me what I do.  (That's always a tough question for me these days; which of the many businesses/projects/jobs should I disclose?)  You should have seen his eyes lit up when I told him about the film.  Dennis said that he had served in the United States Army for many years.  He had just missed serving in Vietnam, too.

A subtle joy came to his face when he started talking about his time in the Army, as he took a break from planting grass.  It was as if times of joy and youth flooded his memory, because the hard work of gardening and stagnant heat seemed to disappear from his face.  He smiled while he talked.  I returned his smile and after he paused I said, "Thank you for your service."  The gratitude seemed to surprise him.

This happens frequently these days.

The film has introduced me to so many fine men of all walks of life and ages.  We talk at great length about their tough training, time in the service, and how it changed their lives.  We talk about politics and what's happening today.  We talk about the film, too, since they seem to have a lot of questions about it. 

Mostly I do a lot of listening and observing.  These strong, reserved men have me absolutely mesmerized when they talk--no matter whether they're retired or still serving.  I want to spend hours talking to them, hearing their personal stories.  I share with them my gratitude for serving so that I can enjoy living in a free country.  It's as if they're being appreciated for the first time when I tell them thank you.

Our world today is very different than it was many years ago.  My grandparents were of a generation that served because it was one's duty.  My parents were of a generation that saw the true ugliness of war broad casted in the media, as so many of their young friends came home in coffins and public opinion of the war turned into violent opposition.  Where does my generation stand?  What will the historians write about us, and our war?

So many of my hours are spent editing this film.  Piecing the clips together to make some semblance of an interesting, entertaining story.  And at certain moments, the story gets to me.  Really gets to me.  All of the chaos that is this lifetime--the events, tragedies, beauties, people, moments in time--they all stop floating at random and line up to make absolute and perfect sense to me.

In those moments, when I let it all sink in, I find myself weeping.  There is so much beauty in this story, and in our lifetime.  There's so much pain and suffering, too.  It all becomes a bit too much for me on occasion, and I stop and weep.  All of that chaos lines up to make perfect sense, and I see and feel the bigger picture almost as if it were tangible.

Every day I ache to show you this film.  I ache to finish it, to make it the best it can be within our limits, and to open your eyes to what I have seen and understood.  I only hope that you forgive my developing skills as a storyteller and filmmaker, and appreciate the truths as I have discovered them or seek out these truths on your own.

If nothing else, I hope that you'll thank the service men and women you meet.  Give them a hug.  Buy them a drink.  Tell them thank you.  This includes our Montagnard allies.  My heart is filled with gratitude.