Do you believe? Do you feel it in your spirit? How about in your bones? Filmaking is a craft, an art, but it is also a matter of faith.

Forget it, you might say. Those of you who are of science and reason and "just the facts, ma'am."  But I say to you, you gotta have it or forgettaboutit. You will never get a film made.

This project took on a life when I believed. I believed that 15 years after Thomas Chapin died was enough time for him to be forgotten or immortalized. With the making of this film, he will be remembered and celebrated. The moment I made the decision to proceed, the winds began to blow my way. Very importantly, his widow and his family gave the green light. They knew I was right; we have to do this now or the memories, the stories of him will fade. A reason to move forward, yes; but it took believing to begin.

My bones, my body must be aligned with my belief, or I ain't going nowhere. Here's the physical part, the part that moves into action. With the doing, proof is provided that it's not just a pipe dream. And the doing never ends, if you are to make a dream come true.

My first "to do" was the film's website. It went live on the internet in March of 2012 and helped me get the word out, as well as to raise the first monies that year to move forward. Then, a ten-day trip to New York City to research, to gage whether making a film about Thomas Chapin was a worthy one. ("Absolutely!" was the answer I got over and over as I talked with those who knew Thomas well.) A three-month trip back to New York to begin recording interviews. Hours on my computer, building up a social network to help spread the word. By the end of 2012, signing up to launch an online fundraising campaign at Kickstarter.com to raise a chunk of money to start shooting my film by the summer of 2013. As the song goes, Let's get physical. Let's get into physical." (Success! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/290658030/night-bird-song-the-thomas-chapin-story)

Now to the faith part.

Feeling it in my spirit, in my heart I called upon all the forces -- natural, spiritual and physical -- that could help me. God, Jesus, Thomas in the beyond, all the saints of jazz past, all the souls up there in the clouds that could help me, and anyone on Earth that would stand with me. Before launching the Kickstarter campaign, I woke up one morning with a dream. A very important dream that framed my efforts to make this film. I had been researching crowdfunding, so this was on my waking mind. (The dream in a minute.)

By now, most internet-savvy people know what crowdfunding is. For those of you not in the know, here is Wikipedia's definition of it: Crowdfunding (alternately crowd financing, equity crowdfunding, crowd equity, crowd-sourced fundraising) is the collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually via the internet  to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. Kickstarter.com is the premier of all the various kinds of crowdfunding sites.

Back to the dream. I awoke to a voice that said, "It's not crowdfunding, it's cloud funding." Huh??? As I do whenever I remember a dream, I roll it around in my head and ask, what does it mean. Cloud Funding. Hmmm. And my thoughts began to take shape to give meaning to this new phrase.

Here's kind of how my mind fashioned its definition (a definition you won't find in Wikipedia or Webster's). Crowdfunding happens on Earth as you gather your friends, family and all supporting entities to back your campaign. It is an Earth thing. As for, Cloud Funding, it happens "in the clouds" where the Heavens and all that is unknown and mysterious in the Beyond come together to move the Earth and any circumstances, synergies, coincidences, and energetic forces, be they human or otherwise, to assist you. Makes sense to me. I'm one of those "there are no accidents" believers.

I know, some of you think this is all WOO WOO. That's ok, that's why I say this filmaking stuff is a matter of faith. Ya need a little woo woo ta make it happen. I'm not the only creative soul to believe this. Read Sir Edmund Hillary's description below of woo woo. A mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist, in 1953 he conquered the world's highest peak, Mt. Everest.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative [and creation]. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. --Sir Edmund Hillary

Filmmaking can be like that, if you believe and begin -- All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

I am still climbing my mountain. Having finished spending that Kickstarter money with which I accomplished my first HD film shoot and a new fundraising trailer, I continue my journey and still look to the Clouds for supernatural, mystical, magical assistance from beyond. On Earth, I tend to my physical work and welcome all the material assistance of well-wishers who WILL that this film be made. The WILL is growing stronger all the time, and with it comes much Earthly good for my project.

As all sorts of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance that I could have never dreamed of still happen to me, filmmaking and the making of this film remains an a wondrous act full of mystery and excitement. It is still requiring faith and help that is beyond this Earth.

There comes a time when you've just have to have a new trailer. The old ones have served you well and have successfully helped you raise some much needed money to keep your film project going. But, in my case, my trailers -- the one on my website for raising awareness, the youtube trailer for promotions, and my kickstarter video/trailer that helped me raise $51,552 -- were all too long in length for my next step --  which is to give potential funders something short and something that WOWs them!

When the editor who was going to cut my film THOMAS CHAPIN, NIGHT BIRD SONG and its next trailer dropped out of the project, I knew it would probably fall on me to cut the new trailer myself.

Cutting it myself was not a problem; I had cut many trailers. The problem was I had never succeeded in creating a trailer for this film under 13 minutes. There seemed to me to be so much story to tell. But I was going to have to try!

I remember pondering for weeks how I was going to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. One night, I decided to Google "how to make a great film trailer."
Up popped a blog by a marketing woman who was writing about exactly that! Inside her blog was the name of a "trailer specialist" who taught workshops on this very thing to documentary filmmakers. CLICK and I was at his website www.billwoolery.com.

I felt excitement as I read through his website, because here was someone who had been doing this for years in Hollywood for feature film trailers. Only now, he focused on helping documentary filmmaker with their trailers. As Bill's website explained, he gotten tired of the Hollywood personalities and found himself drawn to the passions of poor and nearly penniless dreamers who make documentaries because they have a story to tell that pulls their heartstrings and touches their souls. People like me :-).

As I read through his website, not only was I impressed by his credenitials -- trailer creator for some of my favorite Hollywood films, such as E.T., Usual Suspects and Unbearable Lightness of Beings -- but his prices were documentary-friendly. I could actually afford his help!

So I sent off to Bill my existing materials --  my sample of archival footage, a sample of my newly shot Hi-Def footage, my three existing trailers, and some notes about the film and its themes and ideas.

When I heard back from him, he had looked it all over and decided he wanted to help me. He loved my idea, he liked Thomas Chapin a lot, he thought my HD footage was GORGEOUS, and though he was not a jazz fan, he wanted to cut a trailer with music at its center. So we agreed on a price and were off and running.

ABOUT THE PROCESS
I sent Bill an external hard drive with the following:
    -- the three trailers, minus their music beds and on-screen titles. He only wanted the visuals and audio so he could use them to craft the new trailer.
    -- the photo stills, the video materials, and the music used in these three trailers.
    -- a list of key Ideas for my film
    -- new HD footage of interviewees that were important to the film, but also important to show what our new footage looked like.  I had selected for Bill  the new "bites" that I felt were critical to include in this new trailer.

PARAMETERS
It would have to be 6 mins in length. It was to have energy and excitement. It had to WOW. He would delivery up to four versions, tweaking and finessing as we went along.

TIMELINE
We started on September 12. He in Los Angeles, me in New York City, working together via Vimeo.com, an online site for video producers where he could post versions for me to view. The deadline was Oct. 25.

BACK AND FORTH
For Version 1, I let Bill absorb all that I sent him. I wanted to see his take on my story. We talked a lot in this phase, making sure he got my thoughts and I heard his. We both knew the first version would be almost like a shot in the dark, trying to guess what I would like and what might work. I felt I wanted to see what he would do with my material, not tell him what to do as if he were only a pair of hands. No, this was a man who had done this for a very long time and was coming to this with skill and excellence. I had to let him show his stuff. Result? He nailed it on some things and fell short on other things. But I was confident after seeing that cut that we were off to a great start!

And so we kept tweaking and finessing. I was sure that with each version we were getting close to a WOW trailer. And as he continued, there were many exchanges of this visual for that, many additions of this instead of that bite, and making sure the music was working right.

By Version 3, I was feeling we were close to getting it right. For him what was missing was an emotional high point; for me what was missing was a powerfully convincing ending clearly stating the reason to fund me.  These two fixes would set the trailer on solid ground.

To create an emotional high point, I suggested we insert footage of Thomas's last performance where he gets up and plays just days before he passed away. Exchanging B & W photos of the event for video footage was the right call. The power of moving images! It's interesting how the emotional energy of the footage just zaps you and moves you to feelings those still photos just couldn't do as well.

The fix for the ending took a couple of tries. I provided him with more interview quotes to use as summary statements strung together about why Thomas was should be remembered and why the film was important. Latching on to the idea that this was an unfinished story, according to writer Larry Blumenthal whose statement ends the trailer, we felt we had hit the nail on the head. We finally had a strong ending.

FINAL VERSION
By Version 7, we had everything fixed, adjusted, and as Bill said, the trailer now  contained all the needed content for a funder to grasp what I wanted to do in my documentary. The trailer came in just under 6 mins. And we were both very happy with our collaboration. Bill paid me the nicest compliment: "You are my most organized client." And I said, "For your more than fair price, I wanted to make sure you didn't have to work at getting everything ready for you to do your part."

We finished before our deadline, and  had a very pleasing collaboration, and created a WOW!

The new trailer will be posted on this website's home page in the very near future. Come back to view it.

        It's July, almost the 4th, a time of celebration.
Ok, that's not a bad opening line.
        I haven't blogged in a while, ever since Kickstarter ended and the prep for filming my film began shortly after a mental break and after transplanting myself again to NYC from the island of Kauai where I had sequestered myself for the 45-day online fundraising campaign. I love that word sequestered, it has many uses these days.

Can you tell I am making this up as I go?  Why? Time is precious now as I begin to shoot my film this month with a to-do list is endless. So I'm writing off the top of my head, it's an improv, something I am learning about working on this film of mine.

In journalism, back in the days of my J-School years, we called it "free writing." Wikipedia defines it as: Free writing is a prewriting technique in which a person writes continuously for a set period of time without regard to spelling, grammar, or topic. It produces raw, often unusable material, but helps writers overcome blocks of apathy and self-criticism. It is used mainly by prose writers and writing teachers. Some writers use the technique to collect initial thoughts and ideas on a topic, often as a preliminary to formal writing.

In jazz, a band free writes with instruments, notes and chords. It's called improvisation. Some improv in jazz is so free, i.e. they go wayyyyyy out with their feelings, thoughts and emotions as they composeon the spot to express something new and fresh. That's what I am learning as I research the Thomas Chapin story. He was a free man, and he loved taking the journey to wherever it led him and his band, and he loved drawing the audience into that journey to give them one helluva ride! 

Well, I hope my improv here is going to draw you in, but I promise it won't be so wild.

The last few months, though, have been a wild ride for me. Packed up again and left Kauai for Jackson Hts, NYC where I am living and working on my film. I'm in the space where Thomas used to live with his wife, my sister Terri. She's a gracious host and good company, especially when I need to take a break and we go out for dinner or to a movie. She understands that I have to be glued to my computer and chair to get all this shoot planning done, so we're even skipping going out on the July 4th so I can keep working. My back hurts, my neck too, not to mention my body aches caused from sitting too long. This, my friends, is the life of a filmmaker on deadline. Nose to the grind, hands on the wheel.  Focus, focus, focus.

Yikes, I have 25 on-camera interviews to do this month, plus attend a big, grand wedding at the Plaza, a black-tie affair that will be a wonderful diversion in between my two shoot periods. The first shoot will be in Hartford, CT where Thomas grew up and later went to jazz school and played the clubs with friends, and where his long-time fans followed his every recording, radio interview, concerts, club gigs, and news articles from the time of his public launch into the Lionel Hampton Band and through the seven years of his own Thomas Chapin Trio. These fans are die-hards, and I loved meeting so many of them when we launched my film's fundraising trailer. 60 of them came out! And they glowed when I asked about their connection to Thomas.

I'll be seeing some of them again on July 8th on our first day of filmming, at the Monday Night Jazz Series at Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford featuring musicians/longtime friends who played with Thomas. They'll be a septet for this concert under band leader Mario Pavone, who was Thomas's bassist and fellow composer for the Trio and for all of those seven years. The band will be playing Thomas' SKY PIECE, on his last recorded CD before he passed. Thomas did it with a flute and his Trio; this will be a Septet version with horns instead. Can't wait to film this and capture it for my documentary.

The days to follow will be on-camera interviews with the Connecticut musicians who played with Thomas, including Mario. These were Thomas' homeboys. I'm sure the stories will be intimate and funny and sad. It was here Thomas played his last concert, a 10-minute flute solo at Cheney Hall when some 60 musicians played for him and a turn-away audience of some 500 fans and curious folks. Thomas died 12 days later; what's not to cry about. He was so beloved in Hartford.

One of the interviews will be with someone who only played with Thomas once, and that was in Hartford. But while Jaimoe of the Allman Brothers' fame, lives in this area, he is a world stage player who began as a drummer with blues man Otis Redding. Jaimoe remembers seeing Thomas for the first time and being wowed by his alto sax playing. He ended up having his gig with Thomas recorded on video, footage that we are now trying to locate. I just love gathering stories like this!

The other shoot will begin in mid-July and go for six days in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Interviewees will be NYC musicians who played with Thomas and jazz writers/critics who followed him. My sister Terri, Thomas brother Ted, educator Larry Ridley, and long-time friend Arthur Kell will share their stories too. 

Yes, it's a vigorous schedule, but I want to keep the momentum up and do as much as I can with the money I raised at Kickstarter back in March. I'm working fast, I'm working hard, to keep my promise to backers to film this summer!! 

One last word. If you ever make a film, don't film in July, the middle of summer in NYC! My big concerns are the heat, air conditioners that work, and city traffic that could tie up my film crew. Other than that, I'm just so happy to get this going. I'll get that massage later when I am done, because I'm going to need it, and I will deserve it!!!

Stephanie, without regard to spelling, grammar,...

I came here to NYC to cut a trailer. My film's trailer. Cut. Edit. Create. That's what filmmakers do when they are ....well, either ready to make a film, ready to promote their finished film, or ready to to put it up on the big screen to attract audiences to opening weekend. How many trailers does a filmmaker need? As many as it takes as your film project evolves to keep the money and the market flowing.

When you're just beginning your film project, as I am, what's in order is the creation of a trailer that will help you raise funds, help you communicate the idea of your film before there is anything yet to see. We call this version a "fundraising trailer".  They are tricky to make, and if done right, it will make people who see it say, "I really want to see this film." And it will make potential donors, you hope, open their check books  to begin the flow of cash, to build the momentum of the project.

You should know at this point how much money you need to raise.  I break it down into stages or phases.  Right now, I am in the Development/Research phase, and I've calculated $40,000 is needed to get me through this phase.  $40,000???? For what!!! Yeah, you can expect that reaction when you throw that kind of number out. The reality of filmmaking and fundraising is that you self-fund what you can until the money flows, and that is built into my $40,000 R&D expenses. You find pro-bono help, you find deferred payment help, you put it on a credit card. You still want to quantify it, because you may be able to later when there is money raised to pay yourself back and to pay the others who have been helping you as favors for now.  (In case you are wondering, the $40,000 includes the need for research trips, a grant writer, an editor, a camera person, and paying myself.)

People, in general, have absolutely no idea what it costs to make a film, and that's a conundrum for all filmmakers. It's part of the education that you have to do to remove the shock and open their hearts to a worthy cause. This right here will kill a lot of projects, scare a lot of filmmakers -- especially the first time ones. They will either be stopped because they don't know how to "sell" their idea, or won't have the passion or the "insanity" to go forward "whatever it takes". Yes, I say insanity, because you really have to be a little insane to do these "high wire acts".  You have to be a risk-taker, you must through caution to the wind, have an iron will, and the kind of strong faith that believes it can move mountains.  As I tell my film students when I have the occasion to teach, filmmaking is about obstacles, one after another, and getting past them no matter what so you can finish.

Back to making a trailer.  So I have now spent 6 weeks creating my trailer. It started off needed to be a 7 minute one, and has now ended up 15 minutes long! It's been an exercise in the economy of storytelling.  After the 15 min. version was almost done, I decided to craft a teaser, a 90 second version of the trailer. It was something to put up on Facebook, to send out on Twitter and LinkedIn, to hopefully gain some attention from people who have been seeing and reading my updates but perhaps haven't got a clue what I am trying to do. 

The challenge was to find the premise, or the nugget -- the logline, some call it in Hollywood, or the elevator pitch -- i.e., if you had the good fortune to catch a movie mogul in an elevator and had only 30 secs. to tell him your film's story or premise, could you do it. And so, in Hollywood, these loglines are carried around in the minds of screenwriters ready for that elevator door to open to a mogul. 

Many times I've tried out "loglines" for this film. Many versions came. Understanding your film's story comes in waves, or is like trying on hats to see which on fits. As I worked on the 15 minute trailer, the ideas behind the film began to crystallize. And one morning, the log "rolled" out as I rolled out of bed. And I got up and went to my computer, still in my PJ's, and began to craft the 90 sec tease. It took me the whole day, but by late evening, I had it. And it's proven to be quite effective in capturing some promising reactions to those who have previewed it: "Wow!" "I want to see more!" "I'm intrigued!" and even  "...an hors d'oeurve....yes making people want to stay for dinner". 

Still tweaking the 90 sec, and will post it when I am done for your feedback. The 15 min. version will be posted here soon.

New York, New York -- I'm comin' back with a to-do list for my Thomas Chapin film project and with the courage that a few weeks ago was at a low ebb.

Why the change in my momentum?  That's what MIRACLES do!!  They propel you, they move the mountain that seemed insurmountable, they are a gift, and a blessing indeed! They are an answer to prayers, that I trust, moved the Hand of God. 

I have my plane ticket, and will leave on Oct. 20 to join editor Laura Corwin who is going to cut my fundraising trailer for the film. Fundraising trailers are a necessity if one is to communicate an idea before there is a film to see. It's how we raise money for our films, it's the preview, it's the showcase to raise support and cash and grant funds.

Laura came referred to me by Thomas' business manager who said I should talk with her after I told him my sense of how to do this film project was to work with an editor as my collaborator, someone who could conceive and help me see the story before I went out with a camera crew and shot all the necessary parts, before I took my footage into the editing room. I've never done a film this way before, and I don't believe it's the traditional way; but for this film it really make sense, or so I was thinking.  

My wish was an editor, who could cut a music documentary and make sense of a very colorful and complex story, who worked and lived in New York City, who would be excited about telling a New York story, whose mind and heart could dance with mine. 

Laura seems the perfect answer.  She's a New Yorker, has cut music videos for years, and has done weighty documentaries as well as a music documentary (on the Rolling Stones). We had arranged to talk once we both got off of production deadlines. The day finally arrived, after 3 months of emails and clearing away our schedules.

We finally met, on Skype. I had sent her this website and my own personal website so she could get up to speed on me and on Thomas. I watched clips of her work that she sent beforehand. Her clips told me I was definitely on the right track. I felt very excited about the possibility!

I had thought about trying her out, about gaging her as a collaborator by letting her cut the fundraising trailer, but I didn't know what she might charge for this. I know what I would charge if a stranger approached me to do this kind of work, and so I was ready to find and pay the $7,000+plus that I figured it would take to hire someone to do a 7-minute trailer.

Our introductions went quickly. And when I posed the possibility that she could cut the fundraising trailer, and before I could say, how much would you charge, she says , "I'll just do it."  Imagine my head spinning, my eyes brightening and large with smile, and my heart jumping with joyful and excited "thank you God"s. 

She explained that she, like other New York editors and filmmakers, take commercial jobs that pay them well, that pay their bills; then they can help other filmmakers who are doing "passion" projects and help them pro bono, or recoup payment later when distribution and sales deals come in.  She and her partner Hugh, a cinematographer, have worked with several filmmakers this way -- A Tibetan filmmaker who is doing a film about Tibetan folk music that young Tibetans are in danger of losing.  A Boston filmmaker whose brother was abused by a priest, who wanted to make a film that boldly told the family's story way before anyone would speak up in the then-surfacing Catholic Church scandal.

Then she offered to start right away, before her next commercial job -- shooting and editing a cooking TV show -- begins in November.  So I am off to New York soon. She has already begun reviewing my interviews shot in New York in May. See my blog http://www.thomaschapinfilm.com/2/post/2012/06/yes-ive-been-interviewing-who.html

So do you believe in Miracles? As a filmmaker, I have received many. We are not usually flush with money, but if we are good, that is good at what we do, and good to others in mercy and helpfulness, miracles come big and small that allow us to make our films. It's part of the collateral we operate with to do our Good work. It's nothing to take for granted, but there is Goodness and God and Great Work.  That, we as artists, blessed with gifts and talents as storytellers, must trust will happen for us as we follow our dreams, passions and hearts. Without money, you can do little except by the Grace of God and the Goodwill of Good people like Laura Corwin. 

This red shower tree is partly the answer. I am showering my film project with a lot of thought, love and activity short of making the actual film.

Truth be told, today is my 7th month of working on another film, one that has been paying my bills!  It's a work for hire, and something I am kinda doing for love, although I get paid to do it.  It takes up most of my days but I always spend a little time on the Thomas Chapin film project to keep the fires (ie. red blossoms) burning.  It's actually more like fanning embers as I spend most of my time working on the paying project. I have been joining jazz forums on LinkedIn, becoming a follower of jazz groups on Twittter, maintaining my film's fan page on Facebook, joining jazz groups on their websites, i.e. learning about jazz and building the fan base for my  jazz film. Some pretty special jazz connections have been made, but I will save that for another blog. Main thing these days is finishing the editing on the work for hire documentary.

But that's what filmmakers do.  They have to find ways to support themselves while they make their dream projects.  The reality of independent filmmaking, ie, where no one pays you to be a filmmaker, is you have to find ways to survive so that your dream can survive.  So I am very thankful that I have this paying work to support me and my Thomas Chapin film dream.  That work for hire project will be completed by and shown on Sept. 22, and then I move on.  To what?  Ah, that is the question.  Stay tuned for what work will show up to take me further and help pay my bills.

I have been making films since 1988.  My first film, a co-production with PBS Hawaii, took me 5 years to make at a cost of $500,000 -- all of which I had to raise.  And which I did in 4 years.  Record time, believe it or not.  That was what I was told by other filmmakers; they say documentaries normally take 8 to 10 years to fund and make.  I remember thinking naively that I could make my film in a year.  What did I know back then?  I quit my newspaper job to make my film; I had $10,000 in the bank to help support myself. PBS Hawaii was helping, giving me a part-time salary to work on the film, and I had the will, a very strong will, to get this done.  I put in full-time hours to raise the money --  writing letters and making phone calls every day for four years. In the end, the final monies came in, a large grant from the state of Hawaii, and I was on my way to making my film.  SIMPLE COURAGE, my first-ever attempted film, aired on PBS stations across the country and won a prestigious EMMY Award. 

In those four years, when my $10,000 savings was exhausted, the help of friends and other backers and grantors came in to help me survive. Without that help, it would have taken me more than five years.  I could focus, because of this help. And focus, plus perserverance, are the keys to finishing, and finishing in record time. 

So I'm giving a shout out to this paying work I have!  It's sustained me for going on 8 months now, and as I worked to launch the Thomas Chapin film project in March. And it has allowed me to create something very special in the process.  Those that gave me the work had no idea I would be doing both, not cheating either.  They will be very happy to receive and present on Sept. 22 the finished film, GRACE AND BEAUTY: 150 YEARS OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN HAWAII.  It is a beautiful history, and I am so proud to tell this story for my church.  So happy to have received this help to keep going. 

Say AMEN with me! 

In filmmaking, funding the film is the greatest conundrum.

A great idea, but will they fund it?

For all filmmakers, funding is both a matter of faith--they will come, the funders-- and art-- the art of strategy, business acumen, and effective marketing and promotions.

Funding the film is a high-risk venture for any filmmaker who commits to "putting it all in".  That's why it sometimes feels like insanity to venture in.

But having raised several million dollars to make my nine documentaries--four that made it to PBS and one that won an EMMY, I know that it still takes unreasonableness to say, "I am going to make another film, because this is my gift and calling, this is what I do and do well."

Art is never a rational process when it comes to creation; funding, on the other hand, is a rational process and can be successful with smart thinking, out of the box strategies, and luck of your own making. 

Yes there is luck in business. And good timing. And fistfuls of stories of dreamers who found a way. I am up to it all and am asking you to take the journey with me, and to be a partner in making this film a reality. 

Early Birds are needed to assist in the film's launch and survival during its R&D (development and research) phase -- when there is nothing to see.  Who are the Early Birds? They fans or friends.  They are connected, like a supportive family or circle.  Or they just love the idea of the film, or just BELIEVE.  Belief is a strong expression of confidence in the film idea and in the filmmaker. 

When I had creative doubts early on if I could make this film and I was unsure of myself, the fear was strong.  My sister Terri sent me this quote to encourage and embolden me. It's from William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996), from his 1951 book entitled The Scottish Himalayan Expedition.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

                   Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.                   
               Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.

And so I say:  I have begun. And so has Providence.

Early Bird Friends can donate now.