Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Journal: How I keep going?

My edit suite when I first see it in the morning.
Visible in this photo: last night's bowl of chili, Emmies and a cat.

"Funds are running low". "Time is running out".

These phrases cross the brain of just about every independent filmmaker. It's like that news ticker in Times Square.
For me, I must have a constant source of something that gets me up at 4am (yes 4am) when the fear can be at its worst.

Kingpin still uses Firewire 400 cables

It is an unwavering belief in how important this film is. A gratification about how much it is going to help people. If I held any other main motive in my heart for doing this then I would succumb to doubts ad infinitum.

Ahhh, that's feels much better now that I've written that out.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Journal: Editing Gen Silent

Stu Maddux editing a scene from Gen Silent with Lawrence Johnson

From here in Novato, California, I am spending most of most of my waking hours in Boston, Massachusetts as seen sitting two feet from a large HDTV editing monitor.

The months between now and the May premiere of our documentary, Gen Silent, will be a non-stop race to finish the film with the dwindling funds that we have.
We are about 40% finished with the rough cut and it looks phenomenal.

Alexandre Rheaume cared for by his partner Lawrence Johnson

The access that these LGBT seniors have bravely given us into their lives simply takes my breath away at times. There is nothing like it out there that explains so clearly their fears of discrimination and isolation as they grow old.

If we can get it out there, this film will be a life-changer for people.

Ordering individual scenes before editing