Get Fired Up

Illustration by Camden Watts

With the news that I won the shovemedia contest, I have been so thrilled about the reality of finishing Abandoned Allies.  This office space, deadline and encouragement is exactly what I needed--without even knowing it.  I'm so fired up about wrapping up the film and showing it to people that I can hardly sleep at night.  There's so much work to do, and very little time to finish it.

We have only about five weeks before Thanksgiving, which is when I hope to have the film completed. 

The Full Frame film fest submission deadline is November 30th, and I want Abandoned Allies to be entered.  That means we could, hopefully, show the film at the festival in April 2011.  (Hopefully!)  This would then, in turn, give us enough time to prepare for our own premiere event to take place weeks after the festival (more on that in future posts).

While April 2011 feels very far away, Thanksgiving feels like it's just around the corner.  This is both thrilling and terrifying for me, because I so desperately want to finish the film before the holidays. 

It's my belief that our volunteers shouldn't feel stress about working on Abanadoned Allies during the holidays.  It's time they might otherwise be spending with family, resting from being so busy, or working on their own projects.  So I hope we can hustle and have the film in tip top shape and submitted to the festival before Thanksgiving gets here.

That said, it's time to get fired up!  There's not much time, and we have lots of work left to do on the:

• Opening segment
• Narration
• Motion graphics
• End credits
• Music selection / composition
• Branding
• Marketing and communications

Over the course of these next few weeks, with the help of my very talented crew, this little film will start to feel much more like a Film (with a capital F).  We'll be adding the final finesse, finally!  I'm beyond thrilled.

Giving Credit

Yesterday I worked on the Abandoned Allies closing credits, among other things.  It felt good to check that task off of my list, but the sheer terror of having left someone out is enough to keep me up at nights.  So many talented and kind people have helped us make this film since March 2008 that the closing credits list was four pages long (single spaced).

Today I relayed that information to a friend.  She responded, "Wow. That's almost like a real film!"

Indeed.  Just imagine how long our next production's closing credits will be, if such dreams become reality.  I look forward to having many more people on the team.  There's room for them, for sure.  I want people in charge of photography, audio and editing.  Perhaps a personal assistant or an assistant director.  There's definitely room for many more people to help on the next production, and I'm thrilled about building that team when the time is right.

For now, though, we have a mad dash to the finish line ahead of us.

With the news that I won shovemedia's 30 days of free coworking contest, and will soon start working from Designbox, I feel a renewed sense of energy.  I can't wait to start working there!  

Our team is already gearing up to have the film finished before Thanksgiving so that we can relax and enjoy the holidays.  Not to mention submit Abandoned Allies into the Full Frame film fest.  

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I'm looking forward to having the film finished.  Once we meet that Nov. 30th deadline, we can move our focus to branding, marketing, communications and event planning.  

I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that Abandoned Allies will play at the Full Frame film fest in April 2011.  Wouldn't that be wonderful!  It's a North Carolina production about North Carolinians, produced and directed by a North Carolina native.  I'm such a geek, I know.

Great News: Shovemedia Coworking Contest Results

Friends, I have some delightful news to share. Recently I entered the shovemedia contest to win 30 days of free coworking at Designbox, and today I received confirmation that I won! This is great news, as it means we can finish Abandoned Allies much faster.

Shovemedia, a boutique interactive development studio, is sponsoring the 30 days of free coworking.  I sat down with Jon Williams of shovemedia to tell him about our project, where it currently stands, and how we plan on finishing it within those 30 days.

It's an ambitious goal to finish the film within the next month, but it's definitely possible.  We are so close to finishing it, and having the use of this space will make a huge difference.  I am positively ecstatic about working on the film at Designbox.

Designbox is a really cool space in downtown Raleigh where creative people can come to work. They have fun First Friday events, like the PBaRt show and concert.  Designbox members feature, encourage and nurture creative people so they can do impressive things; but they also make it easy for the public to learn about the creative work and its results.  Check out some of their photos.  Here's what the website states about Designbox:

Designbox is North Carolina’s influential spot where unique creative professionals share space and work together. Located in downtown Raleigh, N.C., the members of Designbox have been nominated and won many national honors in their respective fields. Designbox is responsible in part for nationally recognized events such as SPARKcon, Kirby Derby Day, Xtreme Suburban Endurance Events and helping the City of Raleigh redevelop City Plaza.

Working on the film from Designbox will help me stay focused, motivated, and encouraged.  I'll be able to lead my team much more efficiently and effectively, meaning we can finish the film much faster.  Entering the film into the Full Frame film festival before November 30th is my new goal, and I'm counting on it happening thanks to shovemedia and Designbox.

Scope out this stop-motion promotional video Jon did for the contest.  I loved hearing him talk about the production of the promotional video.  Very cool stuff, indeed.

Designbox Promotion from Jon Williams on Vimeo.

Tonight on PBS

Photo from PBS.org

Another one of my Full Frame Film Fest favorites will be broadcast on PBS tonight.  The film is titled The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers.  Check here for your local listings: http://www.pbs.org/pov/tvschedule/.

The film was a delight to watch at the festival this past April, and I hope you'll watch it tonight.  Here's the synopsis listed on the PBS website:

Synopsis

In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a leading Vietnam War strategist, concludes that America’s role in the war is based on decades of lies. He leaks 7,000 pages of top-secret documents to The New York Times, a daring act of conscience that leads directly to Watergate, President Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War. Ellsberg and a who’s-who of Vietnam-era movers and shakers give a riveting account of those world-changing events in POV’s The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by award-winning filmmakers Judith Ehrlich (The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It) and Rick Goldsmith (Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press). A co-production of ITVS in association with American Documentary/POV. (90 minutes)

There are many aspects to the Vietnam War.  Too many, in fact, for us to delve too deeply into much outside of the narrow scope of our film.  We explore the relationship between the U.S. Special Forces and loyal American allies known as the Montagnards.  Watching The Most Dangerous Man is a great way to learn a bit more about the era and history of the war.  But don't stop learning, there.

I encourage everyone to seek the truth, not just digest what is presented by one entity.  Learn to seek the truth independently.  Knowledge is appreciated more when earned in such a way, and helps you draw your own conclusions and make more informed decisions.

After you watch the film tonight, be sure to tell us what you think of it!

The Roller Coaster of Filmmaking

This is going to be a good week.  I know it.

Last week was a tough one.  I struggled a lot, which is not something I usually admit publicly.  We're human, though, and the struggle is part of the story.  I feel like these struggles I have are so minor, and that it's poor form to admit that you're struggling instead of just shutting up and carrying on.  Keep a stiff upper lip, you know?  Whining about stuff rarely changes your situation.

While last week was a tough one in some regards, it was also really fun.  I got to see friends, enjoyed some delightful improv, watched Restrepo, and even spent the day at Kings Dominion with people I adore.  Saturday was especially therapeutic.

At Kings Dominion, we rode roller coasters all day.

At Kings Dominion, we rode roller coasters all day!  I love roller coasters!  The thrill, nervousness, and terror that comes with riding a roller coaster is relatively insane when you think about it.  Why are we intoxicated by such safe and scary adventures?  I'm probably addicted to the adrenaline rush. 

It's one of the things mentioned in Restrepo, actually.  One of the guys says something like, "Once you've been shot at, there's no high like it."  Now, I've never had anyone shoot at me (thankfully), but this year has taught me a bit about the psyche of a soldier returning from combat.  I can't fully understand it, but I can empathize with it. 

Our cast members talked about it a lot, both on camera and in the books they published.  A soldier's priorities--during combat--is the mission at hand, protecting your fellow soldiers, and keeping yourself alive so you can come home safely. 

The intensity of being in combat becomes standard.  The heightened awareness, intense danger, and consistent adrenaline rush becomes the way of life.  The peace of being at home presents few things close to the intensity of combat (even though they're grateful to have arrived home safely).  I think that's a bit of what Hurt Locker explored, too.  Soldiers start to feel like they're better at being in combat than being home.

There are so many tangential things like this that I feel compelled to explore, but our film isn't about that specifically.  It's about the U.S. Special Forces soldiers and their relationship to the Montagnard people, and how all of that relates to today. 

There are so many extras that we could include on a DVD.  I look forward to finishing the film and, hopefully, still sharing those extras because they are important parts of diving deeper into this story.  First things first, though.  Finishing the film.  Speaking of which...I've got work to do.  Talk atcha later, friends.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

As some of you know, I've been in a fairly rotten mood lately.  Ohhh, my poor friends and family.  They are taking the brunt of my Storm of Crankiness.  I promise I'm usually a really cheerful person, but these past few days have been tough. Everything that's been frustrating me lately seems to be coming to a head all at the same time.  It's madness.

Anyway, last night I attended an improv show with my friend.  It was exactly what I needed, and really helped me forget about some of the madness for a while.  I came home so happy.

This is the poster for the improv show I attended last night.

Improv and I have had an on-again / off-again affair since I was in high school.  It's been almost a year since my last improv performances with a team, and even longer than that since I did a short form show.  We have a grand time together, and I miss being a part of that. I'm terribly addicted to improv.

Right now a lot of my energy is going towards finishing this film, trying to keep my home (and office) in order, and various means to pay the bills.  But I do hope to return to improv very soon.  It's the perfect mix of terrifying fun.

When I got home from the show, I started watching the first episode of the latest season of SNL, and guess who's face should be the first that I see?  Vanessa Bayer's smile came up on screen immediately.  I've become a big fan, after seeing her perform in Chicago at a number of places, including Second City.

Uhm, I also recognize that she probably has absolutely no clue who I am, but I'm still a big fan.  We met, very briefly, a number of years ago in Chicago.  She was performing with Dan Sipp, who has since become a very encouraging improv teacher / coach for me here in Raleigh.  I was in Chicago scoping out the city, visiting old friends, and watching entirely too much improv, and stayed a few extra days to watch Dan's team perform together one last time before he moved to North Carolina.  They all went out for drinks afterwords, and she was very kind in making sure I felt included.  I was a total tag-along because my travel partners (Chris Moore and Carol Machuca) had already flown back to North Carolina.  Oh, what a fun trip we had together.

See why I love improv so much?  The people are such fun.  They are some of the people I hold very dearest to my heart, no matter how eclectic and dramatic the bunch may be at times. 

Each time I walk into the club, I feel like I've returned home.  That's a very rare feeling in this world--to feel like you can walk into a building and be home.  It's not the building that matters, it's the people inside it that welcome you with a warm embrace each time--no matter how long you've been away.  I genuinely adore my ComedyWorx improvisers, and the ones I have met through that extended family.  They are a rare, delightful bunch.

Thank you for the medicine last night.  It was exactly what I needed.

A Case of the Mondays

Today is Monday.  And it feels like it.

I woke up in a great mood, so what happened?  

I feel like I should say something positive, but the words aren't coming.  I feel like I am making progress on the narrative script, but then I reread what I've written.  I'm left with disgust at my own words on the page.  I'm my worst critic, and my friends constantly remind me of that.  I want this to be right, excellent, accurate and ... great.

It's raining and dark outside.

I feel like the weather matches my mood.  

It's a scene where a character faces a challenge (or is sad or whatever) so it's raining outside.  That rarely happens in real life, right?  It feels scripted, but it's actually real life...

Summer is starting to fade now that it's the end of September.  That makes me sad for a number of reasons.  I feel alive during summer and am not ready for winter's harsh, dead and cold days.  I'm not ready for it, and I'm having a little temper tantrum about something that's totally out of my control.  But it's not just the weather.  

Things have been a struggle lately, and I find myself growing very weary because of it.  I've been facing one challenge after another with enthusiasm and excitement because I'm doing what I love--filmmaking.  I'm so humbled and grateful to be working on it--genuinely so.  But lately things have been a struggle, and I would be lying if I didn't document that here.  This blog was supposed to be the "diary of a documentary," right?  It's not all glory and good things.  It's a real struggle sometimes.  I have a solid believe that those struggles make you stronger and smarter--no matter how much I am pouting right now.

My outlook is bleak today.  But I get to do what I love, and for that I am very grateful.  That makes it feel a lot less like a Monday.  So...enough complaining.  Back to work on something very near and dear to my heart: Abandoned Allies.

RESTREPO is playing at the Galaxy Cinema in Cary, NC

Image from Galaxy Cinema's website.

Earlier this year, I wrote about attending the Full Frame Film Festival in Durham, N.C.  I will always be grateful to those of you who funded my attendance at the festival.  It really taught me a lot, and showed me ways to become a better filmmaker.  One of my festival favorites is now showing in Cary, N.C., and I encourage anyone interested in docs (especially those about war) to attend.

The film is superb.  The Galaxy Cinema lists this synopsis on its website:

Winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for a Documentary, RESTREPO chronicles the deployment of a U.S. platoon of courageous American soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, considered to be one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. From May 2007 to July 2008, Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger dug in with the men of the Second Platoon, Battle Company of the 503rd Infantry Regiment (airborne), stationed at Restrepo, sharing duties and shooting more than 150 hours of combat, frustration, routine, jokes, terror and bravery during daily life at the outpost. Hetherington and Junger, have made a film unlike any other about men in harm's way. We see their courage. We experience their frustrations. We share their bonding. We hear the music they listen to, and we see the snapshots of their kids that they pass around. It is something that audiences have never before experienced. As they fight the Taliban, these 15 men win our hearts and minds in a way no fictional film can.

The film is playing at the Galaxy Cinema in Cary, N.C., through the end of September.  View times online here.  Tell me what you think when you see it; I'm always curious about your reactions.  Oh, and here's the trailer if you want to see that.

David Crabtree's Interview with Ret. Gen. Hugh Shelton

On Sunday morning, I awoke to the sound of David Crabtree's voice.  My alarm clock is set to turn on the radio, and this particular morning Crabtree's interview with Retired Gen. Hugh Shelton came on.  Shelton has just been named chairman of Red Hat, Inc., an international company headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., on N.C. State University's Centennial Campus.

The interview woke me up immediately, as Crabtree ran down Gen. Shelton's qualifications: nearly four decades serving in the military, two tours in Vietnam, leader of the 82nd Airborne, commander of Special Ops, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff serving Presidents Clinton and Bush.  Perhaps it was the local flavor that was the icing on the cake: a small-town eastern North Carolina native and an N.C. State University student. 

Take a few minutes to listen to the interview, as it's quite interesting.  They talk about the things that make great leaders, both in the military and the corporate world. 

"Great leaders are the same in the military as they are in the corporate world. They have the same values: integrity, ... great character, ethics... They use those same attributes to lead their corporation," he states. 

This is a similar concept shared in the first chapter of Made to Stick, by Chip and Dan Heath, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in corporate leadership and what makes ideas stick.  The role of leadership in the military and corporate world is something that endlessly fascinates me, and the interview with Gen. Shelton touches on it briefly.

Gen. Shelton also comments on the things happening today in Iraq and Afghanistan, which directly relates to our film.  Abandoned Allies explores the Vietnam War era, but through the lens of what's happening today. 

Our economy is still weak, making it tough for many Americans to focus some attention on the war overseas, but it's something I feel that we can't afford to ignore.  Gen. Shelton's thoughts on the differences between winning and succeeding during war are great, and I appreciated his thoughts on nation-building as well.

Have you listened to the interview?  What were your reactions?

Defining Home

For the Montagnard people, home will always be in the central highlands of Vietnam.*  It is their ancestral land. That's just a simple way of saying that many, many generations of Montagnard tribes have lived there.  It means they have a connection to that land in mind, body and spirit.  Being from the South, this isn't too difficult a concept for me to grasp.

There is an unwritten rule in the South: you aren't Southern unless you can trace your roots (How many of your relatives are from the South?) or you can provide a birth certificate to prove you were born here.  Even then you may not qualify.  Living here for about 30 years won't earn you the title of being a Southerner.  This isn't to be insulting, mind you, it's just the way of things.

Southerners take pride in being Southern.  We like knowing the names of our ancestors, how they got to the U.S., when/where they fought in what war, and who farmed what plot of land over the centuries.  We like our big, wrap-around porches and the rocking chairs lined up on them waiting for guests to visit.  We like our traditions, unwritten rules, and even spotting outsiders.

Have you ever seen a Northerner try to adjust to Southern life?  Seriously, we don't mean to be rude.  It's just amusing to us because life is so dramatically different here, and outsiders remind us of the differences.  And because we're Southerners, we'll welcome most outsiders with home-baked treats and a sweet smile.

You see, every group of people has their own traditions.  There are professionals who study that kind of stuff, and I think a part of me always wanted to be an anthropologist.  I'm rather fascinated with human interactions.  And I think that groups of people have their own languages, cultures and what-not because that's the way it's worked for thousands of years.

There are things that interrupt that way of life, though.  The Vietnam War caused one of these shifts for the Montagnard people.  They loved the central highlands, and had lived there for thousands of years.  Then they fought with U.S. forces during the Vietnam War in hopes of retaining their rights to their ancestral land--no matter how war ravaged it may have become.  Now the Montagnards in Vietnam are still facing persecution for being American allies.

See the shift?  They can stay there, try to live peacefully and still be persecuted, try to change policies there and still be persecuted, or try to escape to seek refuge.  They were our loyal allies, and we aren't doing much to help them--at least not that I have discovered.

So some of these Montagnards flee to the jungles, escape from Vietnam, and seek refuge in the United States if they can get here.  It's a very long, difficult journey just to get to the U.S.--sometimes taking many years and lots of terrible challenges that I can hardly grasp.  One fellow told me about sleeping on corpses in a graveyard to escape the Vietnamese.

When these Montagnards finally arrive in the U.S., they find a whole new set of challenges awaiting them: a new way of life, new land, new people, new customs.  Yet they keep pushing forward, towards a better life for themselves and their loved ones--most often smiling the entire time.

Each Montagnard that has been kind enough to chat with me talks about their home land.  They may have arrived two years ago.  They may have arrived 15+ years ago.  One thing remains consistent: they love and miss their home land.  Each one is grateful to be here, living in the land of their allies, yet each one longs to bring peace and prosperity to their people that still live in their homeland.

My Google Alert sent me a link to this article today: Home Is Where the Communication Is by Etsuko Kinefuchi.  The author writes about these things in a much more scientific way, which I enjoyed reading.  The article touches on a lot of truth, at least as I have seen it in the years I've spent working on this film.  Find 5-10 minutes and read it, then tell me what you think.

Have you ever left your home land?  Was it scary or adventurous?  What did you learn?  Have you ever welcomed an outsider to your homeland?  How?

*I recognize that not all Montagnards feel their home is the central highlands.  That statement is a generalization, and there are those that have adjusted to life in new countries--this is the nature of things.  Humans adjust.  But, for the most part, among the people with whom I've spoken--home will always be the central highlands for the Montagnard people.  That land is a part of their life, culture, and way of being.

Droid X Review

Some people have been asking for my opinions of the Droid X since I've been using it since mid-July.  This post is for anyone interested in my opinions of the phone since you've asked.  You won't find a lot of scientific facts or detailed technical info here.  There are a lot of reviews online with more info if you want that type of thing.  Oh, this is also a follow up to my previous entry about the phone adventures and trying to find the right service, plan and phone: The Droid X Arrives, Phone Adventure Concludes.


First things first.  Opinions are opinions and not facts, right?  You should do your own research when buying a new phone.  What works for me may not work for you.  I probably have very little influence over your purchasing decisions, but feel compelled to spell it out since this post is public: these are just my own personal opinions.  Right-o, moving on.

Conclusions
For the A.D.D. crowd, I'll jump quickly to conclusions.  The Droid X is awesome. 

This phone has room for improvements, but who/what doesn't?  This phone is pretty amazing.  It helps me do what I need to do throughout the day, remember what I need to remember, and gets met where I need to be pretty consistently.  It was also a rock star during my visit to Charlotte for the social media conference I attended earlier this month.

The Droid X is pretty great.  If I had to give it a rating of one to 10 (with one being the worst), I'd probably give the phone an 8.5.  Here's more about why.

Reception
The reception on the phone has been great, with two tiny exceptions.  There's a spot in my home that never gets good reception, and a call made with Google Voice had a ton of interference on it.  These two exceptions are so tiny (and hardly related to the actual phone) that I'll forgive both of them. I haven't had any dropped calls in the six weeks that I've been using the Droid X. 

While on AT&T, I had countless dropped calls.  Dropped calls on the iPhone were probably 65% of the reason I returned it in less than 30 days.  This little baby, the Droid X, has had no trouble with that in my six weeks or more of using it.  It works like a phone is supposed to work, thank goodness.

Use with Google Voice

I started giving out my Google Voice number a lot last year after a very tech-savy friend of mine told me how to use it.  It was glorious.  I fell in love with Google Voice immediately.  Then I switched to the iPhone.  On the iPhone, I found the process of using Google Voice to be cumbersome and obnoxious; the iPhone and Google Voice hardly play well together. 

The Droid X is a Google phone, though, so it is easy to utilize Google Voice to its fullest potential.  I love how the two integrate so beautifully.  I prompt the phone to make a call, and each time it asks me if I want to make the call with Google Voice.  Texts from Google Voice show up in my little update bar thingy at the top of the phone, almost just like my regular texts show up.  This prevents me from missing incoming messages, which is great. 

My contacts sync automatically, too.  It's a convenient way to keep track of so much information; I don't want to lose people's contact info.  If I lose the Droid X or the battery dies, I still have access to my contacts via Google Voice. Win.

Public Reactions
I'm not what you'd call an early adopter, despite my fascination/obsession with new technology.  That's one reason it's been a lot of fun to have the Droid X.  It's a conversation starter.  And you know me, I love a good conversation.  People will stare for a few minutes until they work up the courage to ask about the phone, and then I'll show them all the fun things about it.  People have commented most on the Droid X's size, software, weight and lack of keyboard.

Size
From so many people, I have heard comments about the size of the phone.  This was one of the things I mentioned in my initial reactions post.  This bad boy is huge.

I have heard--from lots of folks--that the phone is entirely too big.  It's too big to put in your pocket.  It's too big to hold with one hand.  It's too big to use with ease while walking, driving, etc.  One dude even asked if I felt like I was putting a piece of toast against my ear when having a phone conversation.  (Sometimes I do.)

While the Droid X is huge, it has proven that it's not entirely too big.  It's not too big to fit into my cute little clutch when going downtown.  It's not too big to hold in one hand when not in use.  It's actually not too big for a lot of the things I do, so this over sized screen is actually quite nice to have around.

Software
So far my reactions to the phone have been pretty positive, but when it comes to the software I have a few complaints.

The software works well enough, but there are entirely too many home screens.  The iPhone adds screens as you add apps, which I think is smart design.  This phone comes with, what, seven home screens?  Each one is customizable, but I think it's silly to have them in the first place.  I only use three of the seven they offer, and I find the other ones to be excessive and unnecessary.  If you want to see how that looks, just search for "Droid X home screen" on YouTube and you'll find some helpful videos and reviews.

Aside from the excessive home screens, there's also a lot of crap already loaded on the phone--most of which is obnoxious and in the way.  Again, this is personal opinion.  You might be watching movies on your Blockbuster app on your Droid X and loving it but I haven't tried that yet.

The big negative when it comes to the software is that my Droid X also freezes regularly.  When I try to text someone, the phone takes a lifetime to open text messaging.  In fact, I can open Google Voice and send a text faster there than I can on the phone.  The entire phone goes black for a few minutes until it can open text messaging.  Every time I try to show someone this problem, it works without any trouble--making a total liar of me each time.  It freezes in other applications, but most often when I'm trying to text someone.

Oh, right.  I should also add that the phone supposedly self-destructs if you try to change its software or something.  I read about this before I got the phone, but don't really care that much about it because I'm not going to try it any time soon.  But read up on it if you know you want to hijack the OS or something.

Weight
The Droid X may be a big phone, but it's surprisingly lightweight.  It's really skinny, too.  This is a big plus because a heavy phone makes for a heavy purse, which no woman could want.

Keyboard
One of the things people comment on most is the lack of the keyboard.  I thought I'd have to have a keyboard, but have fallen in love with the on-screen keyboard because of Swype technology.  Ooooooh how it has spoiled me.  I almost expect my laptop's keyboard to anticipate my every word now.  Also, each person who told me that they, too, had to have an external keyboard when they bought their phone has since stopped relying on it.  So they're carrying around extra weight for no good reason.  Just something to keep in mind if you're in the market for a new phone.

The Bottom Line
The Droid X works well, but still has areas for improvement.  My complaints about the phone are pretty minor.  For me, the bottom line is having a phone that works as a phone (no dropped calls, good reception), but is smart enough to keep up with all of the other things I need it to do: calendar, email, social media stuff, camera, etc.  I think I have found a phone I can live with for a while...at least until my "new every two" discount comes around again.

Are you considering a new phone?  Do you have the Droid X?  How do you feel about it?

Title Sequence

One of the things we've been working on lately is the opening / title sequence for Abandoned Allies.  I have a lot of ideas about what is needed, and thankfully I have a few creative people helping make it.  There have been several different versions already, and we're working on some new options now.

In my humble opinion, the opening sequence needs to serve these purposes:

• Help audience members open their minds
• Forget, momentarily, the worries of the day
  (ie: Did I turn off the iron?  Will my boss give me a raise?  I hope the credit card payment arrived in time.)
• Open the mind of the audience member to receiving new information
  (ie: I'm about to watch a documentary. This means it's most likely a true story.  I hope it's a good film.)
• Allow the late-comers to settle in
• In the theater, it will provide a few moments for the late comers to find seats and settle in.
• At home, it will provide a few moments for the room to quiet down, people to get comfortable, and take care of basic needs.
  (Haven't you started a DVD, then realize you wanted popcorn?  Or needed a blanket to keep warm?  Or wanted to cuddle with the person next to you?  This will hopefully help with that so no important info gets missed.)
• Share gratitude for the people that have made the film
• Credits for some of the people who have made the film possible
• Cast information so you see the names before the people start talking
• Provide a preview of what's about to come
• The opening will provide the information of what the rest of the film will be about.  It's a preview that will put your mind at ease so that you feel comfortable knowing what might come next.  This is something like the sales pitch method of "tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them."
• Visually show the things that will be explored in the film, in a very succinct way, that gets the interest of the audience member.

I recognize that the opening sequence has a lot more power than these four things listed.  I've been studying them lately, fascinated with how filmmakers approach them creatively.  There's a lot that goes into an opening sequence, and I'm learning more about them every day.  There are certain rules about the order in which people's names are presented (and how), so I'm doing my best to prepare for doing that according to industry standards.

One of my graphics guys is working on the opening sequence for our film, using pictures from the cast members I've collected.  I can't wait to see what he puts together.  When it's finalized, we can likely have our composer score the opening sequence.  There's more work to be done, but I love the feeling that the forward momentum is staying strong.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself.  This work is entirely too much fun.

Conversations About the Film

Conversations about the Vietnam War and our film happen often for me these days.  I believe in the power of conversations. They can be positive or exploratory, the first step in taking action, and they can often bring resolution.  Conversations, I believe, are incredibly important because they shape our opinions, beliefs, and even our society.  The very simple act of conversation has led to so many great things for this film, so I have seen its power firsthand.

When I get the chance to engage in conversation about Abandoned Allies, I do my best to respect such an incredible opportunity.  I'm not always on target, though; sometimes I am really tired, or frustrated with how long it's taking to finish the film.  But for the most part, I feel that each time someone opens the door to talk about the film, it's an opportunity to watch something magical unfold.

Conversations about the film have led to new discoveries such as materials to include in the film, people that have answers to technical questions I need, talented volunteers to join our crew, or a connection to someone that can help us share the film with broader audiences.  I believe in the power of a few passionate, united people to make positive change happen.  And I believe that starts with conversations like the ones I'm having these days.

It gives me goosebumps.  Why should I doubt the power of our little indie film?  Isn't the Margaret Meade quote one of my favorites?  "A small group of thoughtful people could change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  Our bootstrapped indie film can do great things, and I genuinely believe that.

We have a message to share with my fellow American citizens.  A positive one.  One that is open-ended, with an opportunity to make change happen.  There's this group of people--our loyal allies--and they did great things for our people in their country.  They deserve recognition, gratitude, and more than just the lip service.  The country they live in today is mistreating them because they served with us, are trying to speak up, or because they subscribe to a certain religion.  It is possible that change can happen, and it is possible that our government officials might hear this call.

It's possible.  It starts with conversations that lead to action.

Catching Up

I should blog more often.  Every time I sit down to catch you up, I feel there's just too much to share.  These past few weeks have been incredibly busy, with some good and some sad things. 

We finished the video about the Habitat for Humanity house being built for a Montagnard family in Durham, N.C., which is sponsored by Cree.  The two organizations are doing some incredibly positive things, and I'm so happy to hear about them.  I love that the family will have with this new, more affordable home to provide them with more stability. And being an energy efficiency geek, I am drooling over the house they're building.  It is the first all-LED home. (So jealous! I want one.) Cree was kind enough to share our video with their blog readers (read the post here), too; I am so grateful!

The feedback from the video has been wonderful, and I am so appreciative of the folks who helped make it and those who have enjoyed watching it.  It feels great to have something online to share with people, especially something has positive and heartwarming as that story.  We hear so much negative stuff these days that I feel honored and priveledged to share some good news. 

The best review of the short film?  It made my mom tear up.  She's one of my toughest critics, too, I'll tell ya! A positive review from her means a lot.  I come from a family of artists--people who are rarely afraid to give you blatent, often harsh, constructive criticism.  Can't wait to show her the final feature-length film.

We're hustling as fast as possible towards finishing, too.  We're working hard on a few things: finalizing the narrative script, securing voice-over talent, finding a recording studio, film logo design, title / opening sequence creation, original film score / composition, and (of course) finalizing the rough cut.  Needless to say, we've been very busy! 

In the midst of all of that work, I've been lucky enough to do some traveling as well.  I didn't realize how desperately I needed to step away from FCP for a while. Some of these travels, unfortunately, took me to a memorial service for a family member in South Carolina.  Others, thankfully, took me to visit with the other side of my family at Topsail Beach.  I needed it terribly! Most recently, I was lucky enough to attend Social Fresh Charlotte.  I owe a few posts on some of these happenings.

You see what I mean by having a lot to catch up on?!  Whew, so much is happening so quickly.  I'll try to do better, my friends.  Hope you're having a great Thursday. :)

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!