Let's Smash The Champagne!

            The IndieGoGo campaign has been launched!... And I’m a little scared. It’s this weird combination of scared and excited and if I had more time, I’d think about it. But in all reality, it’s just what happens when you finally take a leap. It’s just been so long since I have.

            Even when I was filming the video for it, I wanted to vomit. I hadn’t been on camera since… ever.  Even then I was playing a character, not being all me the whole time. Fumbling and screwing up lines – as me! Basically, what I’m trying to say is it’s scary.

            Putting yourself out there for acceptance. Asking people to help on your own dream. Desperately needing to cast off those thoughts of ‘why would they’, ‘why would anyone care?’ That’s the past there, that’s the negative crap saying you aren’t good enough. Nah, those voices were always there, I just was too bull headed to listen. I need to remind myself of that.

            Why wouldn’t they? Why wouldn’t you? Why wouldn’t I help out? I would, I have, why wouldn’t someone else help out me? Why wouldn’t a bunch of someone else’s? That’s what I’m hoping for. Wait, no, I take that back – I don’t like ‘hope’, ‘hope’ pisses me off. That’s what I’m counting on. Yes, that’s better.

            So that’s it, for now. If you read this and you ask yourself ‘why would I?’, besides the response of ‘why not?’ let me add,  because this is going to be awesome, because then you’ll be a part of something awesome, and because you’d be helping me out and I’m not all that bad. Join me in something scary!

Link to the IndieGoGo page

She Was Named After A Bat And Looked Like A Dragon

            I haven’t been the best of updaters this week, I know. I don’t want to say I have a great excuse, mainly because I don’t like ‘excuses’. But there is a reason.

Last Friday, I had to say goodbye to my furry four legged girl.

            Her name is Stella and she was named after the children’s book Stella Luna. And she looked like Toothless from ‘How To Train Your Dragon’. She was born on St. Patrick’s day in 2000, so I would never forget her birthday or her age. I won’t go into detail about adopting her, moving to Los Angeles from Seattle, divorcing and all that. I’ll tell you she was the smartest cat I’ve ever known. She figured out how to pull things across a counter with string, she could open doors, she knew when to wait and when to be calm if she heard me tell her ‘it’s okay’. She met me at the front door when I came home from work, every night, right up to the last night I had with her.

            We discovered she had an inoperable carcinoma tumor in her lower bowel, back in January. When she was initially diagnosed, the vet said, if she was a betting person, she wouldn’t give her a month. Not only did she last the month, she was doing better than before she started showing signs of a problem. I was secretly hoping some crazy miracle happened and suddenly the cancer was gone. But that wasn’t the case. The vet put her on prednisone, and the steroid caused all the swelling to go down, so she was doing really good for a long time.  And then, she wasn’t.

            I had decided at the very beginning that whatever happens, I would only think of Stella first, and try my hardest to not be selfish. Everyone said I would know, ‘You’ll know. You’ll just know’ When things started to go downhill I wasn’t sure I would know.  I don’t want her to go too soon, but I don’t want her to suffer, she’s still doing things she loves, she still wants to be brushed, she still meets me at the door every night.

            I was sure that I wouldn’t know, that upset me so much. I just wanted to be there for her and strong for my BF and an adult about the whole thing.  Suddenly, I did know. It’s a real fine line – and it was quick.

            After everything was over, I was surprised by the one thing I wasn’t expecting to feel – anger. Yes I was sad, I didn’t feel guilty, I knew I did the right thing. I was pissed off as all hell. After it happened, I sobbed into my hands, in the passenger seat of my boyfriend’s car, yelling how badly I didn’t want this to happen. It still gets me – I didn’t want this, I wanted her to get better, I don’t want her to be gone. It makes me so angry.

            It’s a week later and I still find myself bursting into tears when my mind starts to wander. This morning it was because I couldn’t remember if she woke me up by kissing my forehead Friday morning or Thursday morning. Sometimes it’s because I think Cleo (the younger furry girl) misses her too.  But usually my heart sinks every time I open my front door, coming home from work, and there’s no one there to meet me.

 

More Art!

     Some of my artist friends have been making concept art for the fairies, and it's been so freakin' awesome (I over use that word, don't I?). You can see it on The Collector FB page, but I had to share it here too.


     First, my oldest friend Deb Currier (Dr. Diva Designs). Deb and I first met when we were freshmen in high school, and immediately became best friends, or 'est ends', as we called it. She was always more artistically inclined than I, she drew, played guitar, and sang so beautifully. Even though we have lived in different states for years now, I still consider her my est end.






     Second, I met Erin Leong (You can see all her art here) just this last June. I was in an art gallery at Downtown Disney when she was having a show. Part of her collection was a series of fairies in jars. I bought two of her prints, and met Erin in the process. A few months later, when I finally committed to going totally ahead and starting the project, I asked for her permission to show her art on The Collector's FB page and she was all for it. I also keep her print of the blue fairy next to my desk for inspiration.



     Lastly, for now, my talented friend Yasmine Diaz (her website). Yaz and I met when we were both working in a coffee shop up in Seattle, like, 14 years ago? Jeez! We bonded immediately when we realized we had the same INsane sense of humor (She called me once, after we had first met, at 1am on a Saturday night because a sketch she had told me about was on SNL. When I picked up the phone all she did was yell 'OLD FRENCH WHORE! OLD FRENCH WHORE!' I knew we were going to be forever friends). She sent me a drawing last night, of her fairy.

     

     I have to mention here, too, Pat Connelly who did the avatar of the monarch winged fairy that is the profile picture for the FB page. 

     I have some crazy talented people in my life. And, I'm a way better person for it!!

     

  

Work? Let's Marathon 'Grey's Anatomy' Instead!

    What is that thing... I don't think it's procrastination, per se. This is something I'm doing for my love and passion of the project - passion project. Something I've been gearing up to do, and excited to do so. Everything I need to do to get this going, keeps me in this chair. It's all thinky and writey and creative. So, WHY am I trying to do ANYTHING else, but that?

    I'm not trying to put it off, like I have something better to do, and I'm even antsy and shaky knowing it's there and I'm avoiding it. Yet I keep avoiding it. What IS that? I mean, this isn't anything new, this is something that interferes with my life all the time - ALL the time.

    What I'm trying to say is - am I alone in this? Yes I will buck up and get what I need to get done today. I just want to know if anyone else out there feels this same way?
Is this a 'thing'?

                                   

An evil, evil thing?

It Is The Socialist Of Medias

    I've signed up The Collector for a twitter account and connected my instagram account to it. Oh social media, you are so vast and there are so many layers. Like an onion but bigger - like 'James and the Giant Onion'

    It's such a new, but logical thing. You touch so many people, on so many levels, facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr, every blogsite for that matter, to Google+ or not to Google+. Why not utilize what you have at your fingertips? But where? Which site? What flavor do you want? Should I target, or shotgun effect? I could sit and stew and wonder and think, or I could just jump.

    I think I'm just jumping.
https://www.facebook.com/Collectorshortfilm
https://twitter.com/Thecollectorsf

Updating The Update

      Rewrites done, artwork on it's way, most importantly I have another producer on board.

     The very talented and awesome guy, Nicholas Veneroso agreed to come on board and be my co-producer. We worked together at Big Frame and he was my AD on 5 Minute FX. Since then he's been working with Jash and Omaze (Let me know how very much I left out, Nick). Not only am I incredibly happy I have someone who knows what he's doing, but to have a great friend I have worked with before is GREAT!! YAY NICK!!

     I have also touched base with my awesome (yes, everyone I know is freakin' awesome) editor, DJ Sing. Both Paddy and I have worked with him and after 5 Minute FX, DJ and I have a shorthand with our communication. He makes everything look great and I like having someone I know and trust be in charge of the edit. The story is told in the edit. I just wish he lived in CA and not so far, far away.

     Lastly, the avatar for the social media was created by Pat Connelly. Yes, the uber talented and incredibly awesome Pat Connelly. Yes, THAT Pat Connelly. Pat will always, always be on my short list of people I would drop everything and help out if he needed me to. He's done so much for our short films including the memorizing 'Kicky Punchy'.

     A schedule has been made and now we're in pre campaign for the Indie Go Go campaign, just to get buzz going. The last thing I want to do is bug people I know to donate. That's a great way to lose friends. I do believe I'm going to need my friends.

     So for right now, things are going great.... and AWESOME! 

   

Facebook Has Been Tapped

Just a quick note, as I am late for work. Just started the FB fan page for The Collector. I'm excited to have this roll start. It's a slow roll, I know, but it's starting!

Pat's avatar is up and looks gorgeous. I'm really hoping to get more concept art for fairies from my other artsy friends. More pics, the better. And I would love to see other people's ideas about what 'different' fairies would look like. It all doesn't have to be the same.

O.k. Gotta go!! Hope to post more in the course of the day!