Movie dreams do come true

About a year and a half ago, I first started exploring the Seattle film world.

Doing informational interviews, joining organizations like Women in Film, taking fun classes like Let's Make a Movie! with local teacher Nils Osmar.

One of my goals at the time was to work as a production assistant on someone else's film. And then, maybe, one day as a producer. But I saw this producer goal as a very unrealistic one. I already had one unstable, low-paying, creative career as a writer that I had to fit in around my better-paying day job as a technical writer. How would I ever earn the experience to be a producer?

Besides, I discovered, many people in the Seattle film world are also working day jobs. In film. For corporate clients like my very own Geeksoft. Then doing their creative projects on the sides for little or no money, or at their own expense.

Still, I perservered in my attempts to get a low-paying or volunteer gig as a production assistant. I just wanted to be on a film set. I never dreamed that I would leap right over the job of PA into producer. For my own short film, Planet of the Ex Boyfriends (which I wrote in the "Let's Make a Movie! class).

From one low-paying dream career to another
The first shoot is in two days. We'll be making a promotional video to use on Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

And, whoa, what an education it's been just getting ready two make a TWO MINUTE movie. The paperwork. The phone calls. The emails. The decisions. The desperate help I've solicited from other local producers. How do I do this? What form do I use for that? What kind of insurance do I need? Wait, I need insurance?!

Earlier on in this process, a generous person who offered advice warned me, "It's just as much work to make a short movie as a long one."

And I can see how that's true. As I go along in this process, I'll share the things I'm learning in more detail. But here's the most important thing I've learned so far. (Or rather, learned again, because it's the kind of lesson you have to learn over and over in your life).

I dreamed of being a screenwriter and producer. Now I am a screenwriter and  producer. No matter what happens with this project, I made my own dream come true (with much help and encouragement from others).

And that feels good.

Collaboration in the film world

I've learned a lot about the film world in the few days since I wrote my last post.

For example: it's absolutely great to have creative collaborators. But if you're relying on them, and they flake on you, you're screwed.

Best Boys, Gaffers, and Key Grips
Let me back up. One thing that really appeals to me about filmmaking is the collaborative aspect of it. I've always been fascinated by movie credits, and the strange terms that roll before me after a movie ends. Best boy, gaffer, key grip.

But mostly what makes me sit through the film credits every time is imagining how fun it would be to work with so many people. It would be so different as my life as a novelist, where I am mostly working in isolation, with no one to be accountable to except myself (except for that one glorious period in my life when I had a book contract).

In one of the special features on the Finding Nemo DVD, the Pixar screenwriters talked about how long it took to perfect their story.  But what struck me most - and made me the most jealous (besides the fact that they work for Pixar!) - was that they all had other people to bounce their ideas off. Partners. Collaborators.

And so far, in my short tenure as a writer/producer, collaborating with others has been the best part of it! It's been fun, educational, and most of all, incredibly motivational.

But now for the cautionary tale.

The ugly side of collaboration  
For a while now, I've been trying to get work as a production assistant on local films. I finally had a three-day, unpaid gig lined up for next week, and I was very excited. It seemed very organized and relatively "big-time," at least by my standards: there was a lot of crew and they were planning to shoot in both Seattle and Washington D.C.

Then it got cancelled. Because, from what I heard, some key collaborators -- all of whom were volunteers -- flaked on the producer to the point where she just couldn't move forward. Which, I'm sure, was heartbreaking for her.

This brings us to one of the conundrums of indie filmmaking. You need all the volunteers you can get, because who has any money to make films except Steven Spielberg? But if your volunteers flake on you, you'll never get your movie made.

Luckily my current collaborators are all reliable and very enthusiastic. I will be paying them eventually, although not much.

But what happened with this movie I was supposed to work on has driven home two very important points to me.

1) It's good to pay people if you at all can. (Thank you Geeksoft day job for bankrolling my project!)
2) Collaborating with others on a creative project can be exhilarating but also dangerous.*

*Of course I already knew #2, having had my fair share of bad experiences with, for example, rock bands with egos run amok. But those were never projects that I was sinking my own money or tons of creative energy into, the way I am with Planet of the Ex-Boyfriends.

The good news and the bad news

Fun stuff
Greetings and happy 2013!

My new year started off with some good news when I found out that Seattle Theater Readers will be doing a dramatic reading of my short screenplay "Planet of the Ex-Boyfriends" later this year.

Equally exciting, I'm gearing up to produce the film in tandem with award-winning Seattle director Oliver Tuthill of Blue Wood Films and Portland actress Tara Walker, among other talented cast and crew.

At the end of the month we'll go into production for a short promo video to anchor our online fundraising campaign.  Which brings me to my next topic. Over the next several months I plan to blog about the process of bringing this film to life. I'll discuss things like:

• How terrifying/exciting it is to call yourself a "movie producer" for the first time
• How terrifying/exciting it is to contemplate asking everyone you know for money
• What works in online fundraising and what doesn't (as I teach myself)
• What it's like from a first-timer's perspective to be part of a film production
• What it's like to work as a  production assistant on other local films

 Soon I'll be launching a Facebook page for the movie (naturally) and be asking you all to like it (naturally) before I ask you all to donate to my fundraising campaign (naturally).

 Not so fun stuff

Mom had a dazzling smile (not fully shown in this picture)

As you may or may not know, my mom, Eve Agiewich, died on October 13, 2012 from lung cancer.

Anything I try to write about it right now just sounds saccharine. (One of her favorite words, by the way).

I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with her near the end and to be there when she died. Though traumatic to be present at her death, it was also one of the most profound experiences I've ever had.

Maybe I'll blog about that in the near future, maybe not. One day I'll be writing about her more for sure. A fictional version of her already featured prominently in BreakupBabe: A Novel, wherein she always gave our heroine Rachel good advice, which was always ignored.

Mom being her adventurous self in Alaska, Sept 2011

She was the best mom anyone could ever ask for and I miss her desperately.

Whose good advice will I ignore now?

Weddings, kitchen appliances, and ex-boyfriends

Breakup Babe ties the knot

Whoa! A lot has happened in the last few months.

I got married.
I went on a honeymoon.*
I became the proud owner of many shiny new stainless steel kitchen appliances and intimidatingly spotless pots and pans.**

*As an idealistic college intern at the Peninsula Times Tribune, I wrote wedding announcements and snobbily thought it was sooo unoriginal when people went on their honeymoons to Hawaii or Mexico because EVERYONE went on their honeymoons to Hawaii or Mexico. Flash forward two decades later and where do I go on my honeymoon? Kauai! (And it rocked!)

Snorkeling in my own private tidepool

**Kitchen appliances are fantastic presents of course, but read here about how one of my most creative friends made our truly original engagement gift by hand!

Planet of the Ex Boyfriends coming soon to a theater near you
In other news, I found an excellent director to work with me on my short film, Planet of the Ex Boyfriends (PTEXB). Now I'm gearing up to raise money so we can produce it. You'll be hearing more about this soon!

Finally, I'm also getting ready to teach one of my favorite classes at one of my favorite places. Roughing It: Write a Draft of Your Book in Just Six Weeks starts next week at Richard Hugo House. Shit*y rough drafts, here we come!

Aurevoir for now,
Rebecca

Winter and spring adventures around the northwest

Besides getting a new day job, taking (and teaching) writing classes, walking Snuffy the spirited senior pug, and planning a wedding that is happening in only 86 DAYS FROM NOW, I have been bopping about the northwest on a series of mini-adventures and writing about them. Here are a few highlights.

Badger Mt trail in Richland

Tri-Cities, Washington
I was a Tri Cities virgin until a couple weeks ago and now I know all about the glories of this desert area with a river running through it. Hiking, biking, kayaking - it's all there. Plus sun. Oh, the sun.

Scooting about Seattle (not)
Despite my brave smile, I was too scared to ride this sporty scooter out of the parking lot! However I did write an article about renting scooters from Scoot  About Scooters and how much fun that can be. Article to be out in the summer issue of Harbors Magazine .

On the Catherine Creek trail

Columbia River Gorge
Whoa! This area is beautiful. Like seriously beautiful. We did some amazing hiking and biking here. Plus we got one of the best photos of us ever taken (that's the Columbia River behind us). Article to be out in July in Outdoors NW Magazine.

iFLY 
 For the sake of journalism, I donned a red jumpsuit and goggles and flew in a wind tunnel at iFLY Seattle.  I didn't even take any Xanax! (thereby making up for my wimpiness on the scooter). The article will be out this summer in Harbors Magazine.


Tokeland
I had never heard of Tokeland before I got assigned this story. But I had a grand time staying in the (supposedly haunted) Tokeland Hotel and exploring the many peaceful beaches nearby. Even if I did have a nasty cold at the time.

Wenatchee and Chelan
We dubbed this trip to Wenatchee and then Chelan the Cholesterol Tour for all the globules of fat we consumed. But boy was it all delicious! Especially the apple butter milkshake at the Cashmere Cider Mill. Mmm. We also skied the lovely (and nearly empty) trails at the Echo Ridge Nordic area in Chelan and saw some beautiful parks along the Columbia.

Skiing near Paradise Meadows

Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is one of my favorite places. The view at left speaks for itself. Staying at the comfy, quiet National Park Inn is a great way to explore "The Mountain."

Eugene, Oregon
On this fab trip we biked the newly designated Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway for an article about Oregon's designated scenic bikeways. Luckily we got a perfect autumn day for our ride rather than a downpour.

Here comes the...

Well!

Nearly 10 years from the time that Breakup Babe was born on a sad, sweaty summer day, she (I) got engaged.

Yes, moi. Engaged to be married!

I am finally wearing that diamond ring that Breakup Babe so longed for in her sexy little struggle, or at least claimed she did. Personally I think she really enjoyed her sl*tty phase, knowing (if not truly believing) that she might one day settle down.

I'm a little terrified, to tell you the truth. I know it won't be that different from the Domestic Bliss (TM) that Dave and I live in currently with Snuffy the spirited senior pug in our 650-square foot condo with only one bathroom. The Domestic Bliss (TM) that we have been enjoying for oh, almost four years now.

We pretty much are married except that I don't yet enjoy the benefits of Dave's killer health insurance and haven't yet received loads of fancy cookware or gone out on the town wearing a veil and waving a dildo. (Wait, is that what people do at bachelorette parties? I've never actually been to one.)

Still I'm too terrified to talk about actual marriage. So let's talk about WEDDINGS! Now that's a subject I can get behind!

Wedding Fever!
Our purported plan is to get married while the weather is still nice enough to tie the knot OUTDOORS and while mom is still healthy enough to enjoy it.

And an outdoor wedding in this part of the world limits you to the second half of July, August, and September.

WHICH IS NOT VERY FAR AWAY!

So far, here's what I've done in preparation:

• Read the terrifying and hilarious book, One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding
• Look at four locations:
• Cama Beach State Park/Camano Island State Park
• Camano Island Inn
• Golden Gardens Bathouse
• Skansonia Ferry 
• Made a plan to go see these places:
• Jenne Farm, Whidbey Island
• Admiralty Head Lighthouse, Whidbey Island
• Set up a cake tasting here:
• New Renaissance Cakes

I loved Cama Beach and Camano Island State Parks (both on Camano Island). Cama Beach has quaint, historic waterfront cabins on the beach and a gorgeous new hall with fantastic views that's perfect for a reception. And adjacent Camano Island State Park has some idyllic spots overlooking the water for a ceremony.

However I'm not sure Camano Island is gonna work out for boring reasons mainly having to do with stuff already being booked except for Sunday nights and how I don't want to have a wedding on Sunday, blah blah.

All right I'm talked out. I'm sure you'll hear more about this in the days to come.

You might also witness some brainstorming about how I can write a sequel to BreakupBabe that features her older, wiser, engaged self yet where she is still neurotic and impulsive enough to create *conflict* and *crazy adventures*!

Greetings, Earthlings.

Me and mom in the old days

This has been a wacky fall and winter. I've been a bit under the weather and keeping a lower profile than usual. My mom was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer a year ago and it seemed to hit me all at once this past October.

First with a cold that never went away. Then the tension headaches that ate Manhattan.  Oh and let's not forget the back injury I got working on my laptop IN BED (the most unglamorous injury ever) and also the knee injury earned backcountry skiing last April (a tad more respectable) that have kept me from hitting the snowy slopes and neon lights with as much fervor as I usually do.

Oh, poor me, right? Meanwhile my mom is going through chemo and losing her hair and having many awful symptoms, on top of worrying when this stupid cancer is going to kill her. She has always been so robust and active (like me) and now this monster has laid her low.

But not TOO low. Because since her diagnosis she quit her job, traveled to the Galapagos with my sister, and to Alaska with me (on the worst-weather-ever-but-at-least-the-boat-didn't-sink-cruise.) Soon she's headed to Hawaii and Russia.

Best news yet, her doctor told her this week she was in remission. Yes, remission! That was a word none of us expected to hear ever. Not that she's cured, her doctor sternly told her. This thing could rear its ugly head in another three months or another year. It will rear its ugly head again, says Dr. Oncologist.

But while the monster is in hibernation, she can take a break from chemo. Yay! She can get back the two weeks out of every month that she loses from being poisoned. Yay! Her eyelashes can grow back and food might taste normal again and she'll regain some of that vibrant energy that has made her such an unstoppable force for creativity and social justice and adventure all her life.

So that's what I've got for you.

Plus:

• I'm speaking at the AWP conference in February (along with some staggeringly famous authors). Who-hoo, freezing Chicago, here I come!
• I'm teaching an online blogging class for the Editorial Freelancer's Association starting Feb 15.
• I just finished my first screenplay, called "Planet of the Ex-Boyfriends."

Ok, maybe "screenplay" is a stretch. It's a  five-minute script. For my class at Experimental College called "Let's Make a Movie!"

Tonight we'll be voting on a script to make movie out of (anyone in the class can submit one) and I want mine to win! If it doesn't, it was hell of fun to write, which is more than I can say about a lot of things I've written recently.