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.

        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,...

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! 

On June 14 in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a sacred space called The Boulder House, an event hosted by Diamond Visions Events allowed me for the first time to expose an audience to Thomas Chapin's music.

There were some jazz lovers among the 50-plus who attended, but my guess is that most were among the "uninitiated". That is they were far from being jazz fans or afficiandos. 

They had been sitting for a while as I shared stories and clips of my 25 years of filmmaking; some got restless, I must confess, as I was going on a bit too long.

But when it was finally time to share about my new film project, the room stopped moving, and all ears and eyes were on the clip I played for them as an introduction to Thomas Chapin.

I had a feeling they would enjoy this clip, a 6-minute video of the Thomas Chapin Trio playing on the big stage before 10,000 people at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1995. 

What I didn't anticipate was the silence and stillness in the room as the music romped and the Chapin riffs and chops filled the space.  This powerful performance seemed to drench the air with energy and excitement.  It's that "Thomas Chapin thing" I thought. Folks who had seen him play live would talk about this phenomena. Captivating energy, mesmerizing, stimulating jazz.

That night, I became very sure that the film I was making would prove to be one that could hold any audience. Because Thomas could, his music could, did and still does. 

Can't wait to mesmerize and Thomasize everyone with this film!!

When you start a film project, there are so many things to "launch".  A website. A social media plan. A way to formally announce the project. The fundraising.  I'll come back to these to explain my strategies and thinking on their launching.

Let's talk Research. 

Research is what you do day and night while you do everything else.  On an average day since I created this project, I have been researching the subjects of Thomas Chapin and his life, the world of jazz, the people I should talk to, and the business side of launching this film. I probably have spent almost 8  hours a day!  Some in the morning, some in the afternoon, and a lot of it at night. Some of it in "dream" time.

Research, ie education, is a steep, vertical learning curve these days.

On Tuesday, May 15, I begin my first Research Trip.  First?  Yes, this is only one of many times I will have to leave my quiet, country-living in a cottage on the island of Kauai and head into the Big Cities where this story takes place.  Mainly New York City. Where I will be meeting with some of the primary storytellers for the Thomas Chapin film.  His brother Ted.  His trio members, Mike and Mario. A high school class mate of Thomas, Arthur. John, a jazz festival promoter who brought Thomas to the big performing stages of jazz at Newport, RI and in Europe.  Jerry, who played with Thomas in Lionel Hampton's band in the 1980's. Terri, Thomas' wife and partner for 10 years before he passed; she's my sister, a central storyteller for my film, and my host in NYC. And there are a few others important storytellers who I am still setting up appointments with. 

This trip will also take me to Tuscon, Arizona, where I will meet and interview two other storytellers. Marty, who met Thomas toward the end, but saw enough to know how special a musician and person Thomas was. He advised Thomas in jazz business matters and holds, I think, a very important perspective on the timing of Thomas' passing.  Interesting!! I will also meet up with young, next generation player, Nadar Nihal, who is an American studying spirituality and music in India. He knew Thomas only by listening to his music but was inspired to play his horn at Thomas' memorial on the 10th anniversary of Thomas' passing.

Also while in AZ, my dear friend Carmella will be hosting a fundraiser in hopes of adding to my Early Birds list of donors.  (Have you thought about becoming an Early Bird?  click here.)

Won't you follow my blog, and take this trip with me.  I will be posting as I go.  I will let you in on some of my Research findings and will be posting photos.

How will the story be told? or approached.

This is a huge question that needs to be contemplated strongly when you start to make a film.  For me, it really is one of those questions that hovers over me and sometimes can't be answered until my research is done.  If then. 

Because in the creative process, the approach can change. And change again.  But in the end, there is only one approach that is the final approach to the film.

Research helps build your context, your understanding of the story.  Especially if you are new to the world of the story, as I am to the world of jazz.  Until I started my research, I didn't grasp how BIG this world of jazz is, how varied and how many jazz lovers, players, promoters, clubs, festivals, radio stations, bloggers, books, CDs, writers exist on this planet! 

With NIGHT BIRD SONG: THE THOMAS CHAPIN STORY, the world of the story is indeed jazz, the world that Thomas left when he passed in 1998 at age 40. Specifically avant jazz -- jazz that is experimental, that is "out", that is free, that is characterized by improvisation.  Jazz that sounds like noise to the uninitiated. For those who love or listen to avant jazz, it is the "noise of joy."  Someone else coined that term. But that's what I am learning as I begin to listen, really listen to the jazz of Thomas Chapin,  and read the writings and write ups on his extensive website:  www.thomaschapin.com

He was a rare player for his time, as he played both free and traditional jazz, both with proficiency.

Thomas was a multi-instrumentalist -- mainly sax and flute.  But he to him anything that made sound was an "instrument"--be it a rock, a rustling of the wind, a rap on a wooden table. He was a composer, and he found his voice in the alto sax and his creative ground with his Thomas Chapin Trio. As I listen to his CD's, I am researching, building my context for understanding the music he made. I am hearing the "noise of joy" the more I listen--for Thomas was full of joy and had an incredible exuberance for life and in his playing.

His world of jazz, I am learning, was both "in" a.k.a. mainstream or uptown jazz, and "out" a.k.a. the downtown scene of NYC where his stages were small clubs, such as the famous Knitting Factory where he recorded most of his 12 CDs.  He and his trio also played the big jazz stages in Europe, Canada, Japan, and the BIG one - the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island in 1994. Thomas called this breakthrough big stage performance, a milestone in his career. It was the first rung in what was going to be all uphill and into greater, wider performing stratospheres from there. Of course, it was not to be. And so his Newport performance is all the more poignant in what would have been Thomas' journey upward in the jazz world.

Back to the question of the film's approach. 

Will it be a traditional biography, straight storytelling with talking heads, sometimes with music playing in the background, with a few longer clips of Thomas and the trio playing?

Will it be a new documentary form (new for me), with no or few talking heads, with the journey of the film twisting and turning through musical landscapes that Thomas and his fellow musicians lived?

Could it be a love story?  The greatest story is love, right?  Love?  Love of a man for his music. Love of playing and performing. Love of creating. Love of fellowship among fellow players.  Love of a good woman. Love of life that ended too soon.

One day, not too long from today I hope, the approach to the film's story will be clear to me.  Stay tuned.

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.