But now, one of the things I was previously skeptical about, we are going to test out.  By ‘we’ I mean those of us working hard to get our next film project, “One Hand Clapping,” off the ground. I’m talking about creating, nurturing, and mobilizing a community around our film.

Naturally, like anyone else on the planet, before the Internet I had considered a community as an actual group of people you had some type of physical contact, approximation to, and shared interest in.  Some of that of course did change with the advent of the telegraph and telephone.  But once that world wide web fired up, online communities just had to follow eventually. And nowadays that feature of the Internet has exponentially exploded and morphed into all types of ways to create, interact, and influence virtual communities.

And now with “One Hand Clapping” we are going to see how we can accomplish that around the film. When we shot our previous film “Dreams Awake” we did not have any type of social media presence. It wasn’t until just before we released the film that we even had a Facebook page or Twitter feed, and eventually a YouTube Channel. But here we are about a year from the actual production of “One Hand Clapping”, and at least 6 months later for a release, and we have almost 15,000 fans on our Facebook page. Our plan is to have at least 100,000 by the time we go into production.

Of course, we realize it takes much more than just throwing up pages on all the social media platforms to create an actual community. And that is why I am writing today, to initially lay out what we are trying to do here. Yet, actually more importantly, to ask you for your help and your ideas in putting this together. After all, it can hardly be a community if it is one-sided, unbalanced, or too didactic, or too dialectic.

First, I want to give you a short synopsis of the project:  “Set in a small Texas town, this story is a multi-generational family drama that explores how the possibility of reincarnation can help three brothers make peace with their dying father, with the help of his 8-year-old grandson.”

Second, I want to lay out the themes of the story, which has one main underlying theme and several sub-themes. At this point I don’t want to spoil it and tell you what the main theme is, but I will tell you what the themes are. These themes involve: problematic familial relationships, mostly between brothers and between father and son; inner child trauma and healing; meditation as a mechanism for realization and healing; reincarnation as a device and vehicle for both trauma and healing; and multi-generational familial love.

Third, if you are interested and/or intrigued by any of the above I suggest you go here and get more information about how you can be involved with what we are doing. Maybe you could be involved at some stage of the actual production, or our social media world, or more directly in the metaphysical nature of the film, or possibly in the film’s release and marketing, or even as an investor or the crowdfunding program. We would love to have you join our growing community!

JAD

In my early formative, aspiring writer/filmmaker years, there were some moments that seemed to define what direction I would eventually take in my life. Moments I will probably not forget.

Moment #1: In the early & mid-70′s, while in college in Austin TX, I worked at a resort out on Lake Travis as a waiter and bartender. Usually I worked conventions or private parties.

On one particular weekend during some type of journalist convention, I worked one of their big parties. A number of famous journalists were there, but I didn’t pay it too much attention, as my bar station was outside on the veranda where most of them weren’t. As the evening wore only a few of them periodically stepped out to my bar. Late that night just as I started to shut my area down, a guy stumbled out and lit up. He looked out over the lake across the veranda, glared up at the starry night, and silently smoked, paying me no heed.

After several silent moments, he finally slid over to the bar and ordered a drink. We had a few moments of small talk, of which he mostly complained about the sorry state of the world, and then he got silent and reflective again. I went back to packing up my bar, and just as I was about finished he asked me about my aspirations. When I informed him that I was working on being a writer, he blurted out in what I perceived as a cynical laugh. I was not amused.

Then an odd thing happened. He went soft on me. Maybe I didn’t hide my hurt feelings well enough, or he suddenly dusted off his hardened heart. Just as I was about to leave, he clumsily grabbed my arm, and said very softly and poignantly, “Write as if you’re building a stairway to the stars.” I found that very odd coming from someone like him. Once I was almost out of earshot range, he went back to his other self and yelled back to finish his remark, “Because you’re going to need a way off this lousy planet some day!” I really didn’t know what to think.  Reflecting on it, I figure in his own odd way he was actually trying to give me some inspiration.  Several years later, and  …

Moment #2a & 2b: In the early 80′s I went to a 3-day writer conference/workshop in Austin, still not sure if I was serious about going in this direction. Of course, I had written lots of poetry, a few short stories, some essays, and even some newspaper articles, but actually working as a writer for a living? Hhmm…I didn’t know.

Well anyway, I went to this seminar to see what I could learn, and maybe figure out. On the very first day at one of the sessions I sat by this older, very friendly woman. As the day progressed I kept winding up near her at other sessions, and by the second day we were having lunch together, and becoming writing buddies.

On the last day there was session about screenwriting, which was something I was becoming more interested in but still too wishy washy to attempt. That type of writing seemed intimidating and foreign to me. Anyway, a fairly well known, local screenwriter was conducting it, and afterwards my new friend, who knew this screenwriter personally, introduced me to him. He was typical Texas-friendly, had a sparkle in his eye, and was very gracious to me. I really don’t remember the exact words he said to me. But in essence he told me that even if I never became a selling writer, going through the grueling process of writing, that I would at the very least learn a lot about myself. And that writing for film was a a rare type of mental gymnastics that few can master. And he challenged me to give ‘er a damn try.

I left that conference on a high note, with my heads in the cloud. Until a couple years later …

Moment #3: Again in Austin, I now found myself on my first feature film set.

I heard about this little indie film shooting locally from an old college film professor of mine. He knew the filmmakers because they had gone to UT (University of Texas). So anyway, I got on as an extra in a couple bar scenes, and then they asked me to be a PA (production assistant) for a few days.

We were shooting a night scene over in the downtown warehouse district, when I finally had a few moments to read the script. I had wrangled one from one of the other crew people. Appropriately at the same time, I just happened to be in the middle of writing my own screenplay for the very first time. And it was tough going, so seeing a script actually getting shot was a big deal to me then. I devoured it quickly that night, as we went far into the night’s shoot.

Wow, I was mesmerized. As I compared this script to my own, I realized for the first time how far I had to go. This was so much better than mine. I could have gotten all down, and given up at that time. And initially I did have a quesy feeling, like ‘What the hell am I doing? I can’t do this!’ But I shrugged it aside, and decided at that moment I would plunge forward, until there were no brick walls I couldn’t punch through. Well, through the years I hit a lot of brick walls, and grew quite a few callouses on my fists, but I am still kicking and fighting.

So now, once again, what do Hunter S. Thompson, Liz Carpenter, Bill Wittliff, and the Coen brothers have in common? Well, you probably have guessed it by now, but yours truly is the connection …

The person I met in Moment #1 happened to be Hunter S. Thompson, the whacked-out gonzo journalist himself. And you probably know he went the way of Hemingway (with a gun to his head) a few years back. Too bad. I just hope he found his stairway to the stars. I think he really needed it.

As for the two people I met in Moments #2a & 2b, the very nice lady was Liz Carpenter, an aide and speech writer to president LBJ and press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson, and the legendary Austin screenwriter was Bill Witliff, screenwriter to such films as ‘Legends of the Fall,’ ‘The Perfect Storm,’ ‘The Black Stallion,’ and ‘Lonesome Dove,’ to name just a few (He is also a book author, photographer, and publisher). Ms Carpenter has passed also, but he is still cranking them out. Maybe someday I’ll get to thank him for inspiring me.

Well, it’s easy now to see who was in Moment #3. The Coen Brothers, of course. They were shooting their debut film, ‘Blood Simple.’ And at that time, no one knew where they were headed. I just remember on set crew people thinking how eccentric they were. Yes, but brilliant and original. Who knew? I thought it was a pretty good script, yet you can never know if it would have been realized in production. But a good script can give you a leg up, and that film catapulted their careers. I now wished I would have paid more attention to what they were doing. Because you never know …

JAD

And next year I’ll be headed back to Austin to shoot my next project, a script I wrote my first draft of over 20 years ago. So, how about liking that project on Facebook for me? – https://www.facebook.com/OneHandClappingMovie

RAM — February 28, 2007

A bull in a china shop, an image problem, or a reality check? …

Rebel. Anarchist. Maverick. Compliment or disparaging remark? Over the years I’ve had these words thrown at me by various people because of certain acts or attitudes that seemed to have reflected what I was about, or what I was doing. True or false? Most of the time I considered them a compliment of sorts. But other times, well…after some reflection, they were probably not really meant that way. I’m not here today to set any record straight, but I thought it would be a good time to expound on my philosophy of what I’m trying to do. As a filmmaker, as a human person…as a higher being in training? …

Following is just a snippet of what I believe, feel and think about what I’m trying to accomplish. After that, well, you can judge for yourself. Or not. Judgment seems a bit harsh, but then the world can certainly be that way. I usually prefer to reserve judgments as they are oftentimes incorrect. I decided a while back to get out of that business. Anyway, I’m getting off the track. Do what you will with what you got …

I’d like to think that the world should (and could) be a better place when we leave it than when we came into it. A lofty goal, maybe. But, why not try? Now however, it seems to be a bit more difficult (or more challenging) premise to adhere to. I guess in lots of small ways over a lifetime we probably contribute to both good and bad, but if the scales were weighed at the end of my life I’d like to think they came out on the positive side. For karma’s sake? Hhhmmm, not sure, but I’m reminded of the quote; ‘Do no harm.’ Or how about, ‘do good for good is good to do for good’s sake’? A bit corny and idealistic? Sure, but there’s no harm in at least trying …

I wish I’d had bosses more like me. Not that I particularly relish being the boss or the guy in charge, but I feel I’m a very fair person. I believe in the team concept where the team is greater than the sum of its parts. If I am in charge I feel I’m more of a guiding hand or principle, moving the whole unit in the direction it needs to go to accomplish what its purpose for being is. I try never to rule with an iron hand or use fear as a tool. In fact, I think of people involved with me as someone I work ‘with’ not that they work ‘for’ me. Are there times when I will have to pull rank? Unfortunately, yes. But I hate doing it. And yes, there have been times when I was in management when I had to do exactly that. Two extreme cases come to mind. Both times involved a revolt of sorts when most of my staff wanted something from me and forced me into a corner at a most inopportune time. And both times I fired them on the spot. Were they ever shocked. And I hated doing it, but they forced my hand. Actually, they took advantage of my loose management style, because I refuse to micromanage and they mistook that for weakness. Which was a big mistake and miscalculation of their part. ‘Walk softly and carry a big stick’, as TR said. But I try to do it without showing the big stick. When I put someone in a position, I expect them to do their job, but I don’t look over their shoulders to see if they are. I try to give people plenty of room and the benefit of the doubt, but if they take advantage of that, well then, it might be time to show the big stick. And hopefully I don’t have to use it. Some might say that’s ruling by fear, but that is absolutely the last resorted tactic. I always much prefer positive, hardworking, visionary teamwork …

Back to being the R.A.M. and my philosophy of that. Systems, operations and structures (S-O-S) versus the individual. We now live in a highly organized society, which oftentimes grates upon the individual’s way of going about his business. Gatekeepers, insiders and brown-nosers enclose these SOS’s to attempt to insure efficiency is the norm, no matter that the cost to the individual. Individuals are now subservient to the SOS, and have to struggle to maintain their own unique identity. None of this is really new, as people have been discussing this for decades if not centuries at some level. For me, independent film is an area where it is still possible as a RAM to buck the SOS. Don’t you just love these nutty acronyms? Using them probably reveals that I have been brainwashed by the system, but at least I’m aware of it and can react accordingly. Anyway, like I was saying indie film ‘may be’ an area of our society where the individual still has a voice. But guess what? That’s a paradox. Because it takes a group of individuals to make a film, and thus it becomes a group experience trying to create a singular individual vision. Therein lies the crux of the problem, or more correctly, the fun of the challenge. I’m searching for people who are up to that. Are you out there? …

In conclusion (although there is no real conclusion, as this is an ongoing debate), when someone tells me that ‘no, you can’t do it that way’, that just motivates me further. If that makes me a RAM, then so be it. You probably don’t want me knocking on your door, because I might just be there to ram it down. Although I’d probably just prefer to build you a newer, better one, if you’ll help me do it. Are you ready to play? Are you game? Are you out there? …

 Jerry

For more archives of this blog – indiefilmblog.com

Like our new film’s FB Page, ‘One Hand Clapping’ – https://www.facebook.com/OneHandClappingMovie

First, as much as I like living in California I still do have a soft spot for Texas, where I grew up. Texas is a special place, and that is where ‘One hand Clapping’ is set. We will be attempting something with this film that may not exactly be that easy. Mixing a small town Texas feel with the concept of reincarnation. When I recently told that to a friend of mine, she looked at me sideways and said, “Really? C’mon, that feels like a bad mix.”

I thought about that moment and replied, “As opposed to what?”  Knowing that she also believed in reincarnation, I added, “Do people only reincarnate in California or big cities?” She laughed, and marked one up for me. She then added, “No, but how are you going to sell that to all the rednecks in Texas?”

That irked me a bit, but then I relaxed and thought some more. Loving challenges, I replied, “I guess we will have a challenge there, but that just motivates me more to do it.” And finally, I finished, “You know there aren’t just rednecks in Texas, and also there are rednecks in California and actually all over. Plus, they aren’t our demographic, but if they want to be I would welcome them to check out what we are doing. We don’t like limiting our audience to preconceived notions.” I might add here that my friend had never lived in or ever been to Texas. So, all her ideas were tied to all the commonly promoted stereotypes of Texas.  Anyway, second reason, we are doing this for the challenge.

If you have been reading this blog and seen “Dreams Awake” then you are quite aware of my interest in the worlds of metaphysics, mysticism and spirituality. While “One Hand Clapping” won’t have as much overt ‘out-there-ness’ (as some would call it) as “Dreams Awake, it will have its share of it. It will just be more covert than overt. And I am personally intrigued by reincarnation, how it could work, and where we can take the idea. And also, would probably question the why of it (if I could). So, that is reason number three.

As much as we can talk about reincarnation, the heart of the story is really about the Texas family we explore. The three grown brothers, the father and the grandson. Yes, a bit male-centric, but we have a couple nice supporting women’s roles. I grew up in a large family, the oldest of seven, which included six boys. So yes, as has been asked by several people, I am drawing a few things from my own personal experiences. Of course, the story is fiction, but the characters are partial composites of family members. However, there is no one character who is any particular character in my family. That might be a bit close to home, plus I needed to add (and subtract) certain character traits to make the story and the drama work out how I envisioned it. Fourth reason, it’s personal.

And finally, the last reason. Going from the personal view to the universal view. Telling larger conceptual stories on a smaller personal canvass. Taking a big (maybe even controversial?) idea and narrowing it down to real life characters. And having those real life characters presented with and grappling with those larger ideas, and seeing how that plays out for them. Will they take it on and grow from it, or reject it and stunt their growth? And just maybe, you can personally take something away from this for yourself. That is what we will be taking on with “One Hand Clapping.” We hope you hang out with us, and see how this journey progresses.

JAD

(Note: the term ‘one hand clapping’ comes from the old (and popular) zen koan – “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” It basically is a mental exercise used to quiet the mind and make it easier to meditate, as actually the mind eventually figures out there is no real quantifiable or qualifiable answer. However, we explore the actual possibility of a type of answer in our film ‘One Hand Clapping.’ )

For more info:

waytogomedia.com

onehandclappingmovie.com

As a storyteller myself, I sometimes reflect on this great historical canvass of story, and wonder … why? Why do we need story so much, and why do we continually create so much of it? As a course for survival from the very beginning, we have always needed food, water, and shelter. But right up there with needing other humans, whether it be by clan, tribe, village, or society, story has always been with us. It seems to be a very primal need that has evolved in sophistication as we have. And I would imagine it has been paramount in the survival of our species, because of the lessons we can learn from stories.

At a very basic level stories tell our history, our conscience, and can be lessons, parables, journeys, hopes or explanations from many different perspectives. But is it also not a way for us to communicate with each other, to keep our connections to each other, to remind us how human we are, and how difficult being here can be, with all our comedies, tragedies and dramas that make us who we are, and remind us we are not alone in this journey?

Maybe all those things, but I think there may be even more to it than that. Especially in looking at how our modern world works, and to see how any more stories we consume, compared to say, a hundred years ago. Or even a thousand years ago, when there were so few written stories and most of us were not literate anyway. Why have we all increased our appetites so much over this long span of history? Do we need it more now than we ever have, and if so, why? Or have we just become so very gluttonous with our story ingestion? And the need seems to be not just in the consumption, but in the creation of story.  For are we not all storytellers too? And maybe we all just need more escapes than ever before?

I have actually been thinking about this in one way or another for a while. Even since I was a child and used to hoard comic books, never getting enough to read. I remember wondering then why I would hunger for another story almost as much as I would for dinner, or if I was really thirsty. I certainly can’t say that I have a definitive answer, but I think I have one possible scenario that may be worth something. At least to me.

I think it’s obvious to say we need meaning to our lives, to our own personal existence. We want to understand ourselves and our lives. We want clarity. We want a beginning, middle and ending to things, to understand, to comprehend, for our lives to have this meaning. Or else, what is the point to being here? A sense of story helps provide that for us. And we seek it and search it out. In a way that seems almost a spiritual mission. Although some of us would not think about it as such.

One of the devices a writer uses when writing a story, is asking, ‘What happens next?’ Meaning when creating a story, there is always a carrot the writer sticks out to readers to entice them to continue to read. To keep them engaged to continue the story, on and on.  As if there can be no ending. As our lives here eventually do …

Here is another perspective of looking at this same point. Some believe that our life here is an illusion, and that we pass over to reality on its conclusion. So here we are creating more illusion (stories) within this very illusion. Maybe, as if an illusion within an illusion will help us find some reality? At some level, is that what we are actually doing? Trying to discover (or write) the story of own existence? Each unique with our own unique stories, are we trying to become real in an illusionary world? Are we trying to find ourselves, create ourselves, or extend ourselves?

I have heard it said that imagination is the bridge between this world and the next. By engaging our imagination with storytelling and story consuming, are we strengthening that bridge, and attempting to breathe life into our own immortality?

Or in a much darker version, is this modern day story consumption burying us, and actually making it harder for us to do that, and that is why we may be having more difficulty than ever to find ourselves, because the din is so loud we only hear it, and not our own inner selves anymore?

So like a drunk who drinks himself to a stupor and then passes out, are we convoluting ourselves with story the same way, so that we can never really know who we truly are? Only what self-serving, addicting, profiteering, made up fictions tell us we are?

Is it possible that all this story freedom actually enslaves us? An ongoing fabrication that actually takes us farther from who we really are? Has all this story consumption increased our sense of purpose, our wisdom, or our happiness? Have we deluded ourselves?

I think each of us must consider the dark as well as the light, in objectively considering the personal effects all this story consumption does to us all.

As a filmmaker (and storyteller) myself, I know what I am trying to accomplish; enlightenment, education, entertainment; in that order. And to open up the imagination … to many possibilities.

We attempted to do that with our last film “Dreams Awake” and continue to do that. We have a new film, “One Hand Clapping,” which we are currently developing and hope to put into production next year.

In the end I feel story becomes real through you, the reader, the listener, the viewer, because it becomes something new, unique, and original in your own mind. How you perceive it, process it, reflect upon it, use it, and even communicate it to others is only how you can do it. No one else. Ever. That is how the best stories really live on and on and on …

As a storyteller I get to create a story for you. You, who is the only one who can truly breathe life into it. You, who can get something out of it for you, in a way only you can do. For you are the true story creators. And that is very cool. And I am happy to be at your disposal, and your co-creator.

 JAD

(You can continue this blog entry on my other blog – http://themysticcowboy.com/2013/01/19/double-edged-storytelling)

“One Hand Clapping” Website -http://www.onehandclappingmovie.com

“One Hand Clapping” on Facebook (like us) - https://www.facebook.com/OneHandClappingMovie

The infamous 2012 is about to reach it much anticipated end. But no, the world, the universe, all of creation … did not end … as greatly and widely publicized in all the highest and lowest of places. Which makes me think of that often-used quote, “Don’t always believe what …” (just insert whatever overused ending you’d like here – for I never really believe in endings, only ever more continuings).

And in case you haven’t been keeping up with all the “Dreams Awake” film festival news, we finished out our 9-month 2012 festival run in the high class spotlights of Monte Carlo. Our team was well-represented there; Star Erin Gray, Producers Berry Deal and Jay Deal, and of course yours truly. Our ladies looked absolutely stunning, and much fun was had for all.

Monaco Photo Album

On the very first day of the festival, “Dreams Awake” was the opening night, showcased film. Black tie, tux, and evening gowns were the proper attire, because after all, we were in Monte Carlo. There was networking, interviews and photo sessions before, and a Q & A with Erin and myself after the screening, conducted by the very beautiful and ever professional BBC World News reporter Babita Sharma.

Afterwards, we all went over to the luxury Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, which of course is a world famous hotel where the likes of Grace Kelley, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas hung out. Our company, Way To Go Media, hosted an opening night gala party for everyone. Much partying ensued and new friends were made. It actually was a pretty amazing place.

There were a number of good films that screened those three days, and on the last night was an awards gala. And once again, formal attire was the norm. I had no feeling or idea what awards, if any, we might receive. In fact, I usually don’t even try to think about that at all. Just taking in my environment and all the people kept me well occupied at the time. I can be quite a people watcher anyway, and there were certainly an intriguing set of characters there. Must be the writer in me, as it gives me all kinds ideas for new characters to create.

But things went very well for us, as we received two awards that night. Erin Gray won as best actress (her third now) and the film won the Independent Spirit Award. Erin was stunning, and from what I heard from the jury her award was the only one that was unanimous. It was also my understanding that there might have a bit of a controversy about us either winning the award we did, or the possibility of us winning another. I don’t have the whole scoop on that, as it was second and third hand, so nothing more concrete on what that was all about. Other than to state, that controversy surrounding our film has not been a stranger. In fact, we welcome it, and are proud of it.

Besides the festival the four of us also got to see a lot of Monaco, and we even visited Nice, France for one day. Most of what we did and saw was a new experience for us, and I certainly do wish there was more time … but 2012 was winding down into the Holiday season back home. And before we knew it we were headed back to the U S of A … and wondering what lay in store for us and “Dreams Awake” next year.

Stay tuned for 2013! And all of you have a wonderful New Year!!

JAD

]]> http://dreamsawakemovie.com/2012/12/2012-ends-on-high-note-in-monaco/feed/ 1 http://dreamsawakemovie.com/2012/11/final-festival-run/ http://dreamsawakemovie.com/2012/11/final-festival-run/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:51:51 +0000 Jerry http://dreamsawakemovie.com/?p=3777 Read the Rest...

Since we were at Cinesol in Texas last month, we have had someone attending five different festivals. Three of which I have personally attended. I wish I could have gone to all five of them, but that would have been physically impossible, unless there are portals invented I’m unaware of, or cloning humans is now possible.

The first two we went to were in Europe, one in Marbella, Spain and the other in Westgate on Sea, UK. What was fun is that they were both on the ocean, one in the warm Mediterranean and the other on the cold North Sea/English Channel.

In between we spent a little time in Paris, and after both we were in London for a bit. So not bad at all; Mediterranean Spain, Paris and London all in a two-week span. I think the best part of it all was meeting people from all over the world, and to get some feeling for what they were about. And I don’t just mean the filmmakers, but we made several new friends and fans over there. A few we even hung out with, had lunch and dinner with, and they even invited us into their homes. Plus, we even got some invitations to stay with them whenever we were in that part of the world again. Very cool.

As far as what attending the actual festivals was really like, that was mixed. I think most of these festivals have good intentions, but so much of the time they don’t really pull it off. I’m not going to harangue any particular festival, because actually we had some issues at all three of these recent ones I attended. But if I have legitimate complaints I will just contact them personally and leave it at that.

It seems they sometimes forget that the whole reason we are there is for the audience. It’s not about them, or the filmmakers; it’s always about the audience. So, if they diminish or mismanage that, well, that is a real lost opportunity. Now of course, they do need to treat the filmmakers right, so we will keep wanting to come back. As hard as starting, running and managing a film festival can certainly be, I really don’t think it’s rocket science.

And I have to say, sure it’s fun to win awards and all that, but that is so transitory and it obviously was never about that. Doing the work, working the craft, improving the art, and then hopefully having others get enjoyment from it. That is important. The other stuff, well, we appreciate the notice, but it will always be about the work.

Now, on the horizon over the next six weeks we have three more festivals, and I will be attending them all. Besides meeting the people at these events, I really enjoy doing the ‘Q & A’s’. Especially if we get to explore the spiritual issues in the film. I like to see and hear what people think about how the film handled the presented issues, and then where we can go beyond the film. Because the film was only meant as a starting point, a trigger to get the ball rolling farther down the road. On a journey I think we’re all on, one way or another. Maybe, whether we realize it or not?

 JAD

Anyway, to the news. We just finished up being down in South Texas. Harlingen to be exact, where it just so happens my Dad lives. And there is a story (of course) that goes along with that.

He recently had major heart surgery, and on that very same day we got notified we were in the Cinesol Film Festival. A bit serendipitous, huh? I probably would have gone down there anyway, but hey we got to do a festival too. Plus, it was good to see him, and he had recovered enough to be at our screening. How cool was that!

So now we are getting ready for six more festivals. And wow, three of them are in the same week. On Wednesday, Oct 3, we will screening in Spain at the Marbella International Film Festival. My wife and I will be there. On Friday, Oct 5, we will be screening in Las Vegas at Vegas Cine Fest. Erin Gray, Gary Graham (2 of our lead cast members) and our Production Designer Renee Prince will all be there for the screening, a Q & A afterwards, as well as a Red Carpet and Awards Gala. Sounds like fun! Wish we could be there, too! And then on Sun, Oct 7, we will be screening in Northampton, MA at the Northampton International Film Festival. My brother Jay and his wife will be attending, and he will be doing the Q & A afterwards. So, whew, somehow we got that week all covered!

Okay, now that leaves three more beyond that. Well, one of them, the Great Lakes International Film Festival (where we are nominated for Best Feature) in Erie, PA is Sept 20-30, but it is only an online festival. So there will be no actual events to attend. But beyond that on October 11, we will be screening in Margate, UK, at the International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema. So my wife and I will be traveling from Spain to the UK for that one. And then, just as I was putting this together we got word we will be at the Eugene International Film Festival, Oct 18-21, screening time yet to be determined. Beyond that I have no idea what may be going on in our future festival schedule.

But also, somewhere in there, we picked up an Award of Merit from the Lucerne International Film Festival. That was a nice surprise for us. We were however not chosen as an official selection for the festival. But I got a very nice letter from them, stating how impressed they were with our film and that they had a small festival only a few films get into. They somehow felt they had to recognize us, so we greatly appreciate that from them. But surely, going to Switzerland would have been fun!

Oops, I almost forgot – we got nominated for seven awards at the UK festival: Best Lead Actress – Erin Gray, Best Lead Actor – Gary Graham, Best Supporting Actor – Tim O’Connor, Best Supporting Actress – Najarra Townsend, Best Director – Jerry Alden Deal, Best Feature Film, and Best Film of the Festival. Very exciting! (we will have some clips available soon that will feature each of these nominations)

More news later … Onward & Upward!

Facebook Event Pages:

Marbella IFF – https://www.facebook.com/events/356483407766285/

Vegas Cine Fest – https://www.facebook.com/events/487563437930256/

Northampton IFF – https://www.facebook.com/events/520731327942102/

JAD

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