Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Hello, all -

Wishing everyone a blessed holiday season and a happy, healthy and safe new year!

Ran in to an old friend at the bookstore the other day and had a quick chat with him. We will be talking over the next couple of weeks to see if he can help me with the editing situation. Don't know much more than that right now, but we'll see how it goes.

Hopefully we'll have a finished film to start the new year!

Keep your fingers crossed, kids.

With much love and appreciation...

Erin

Interest shown

Hi, all -

So the voiceover artist options are expanding and I just spoke with another person who may be able to help with some post production stuff. The sun seems to be appearing over the horizon again!

Keep your fingers crossed. I will not be able to make announcements until final decisions have been made, but rest assured that it is being worked on.

Thanks again to all who have offered their assistance!

Be well & stay safe out there.

Okay... so...

I've been given some contacts and am in the process of checking them out. I'm trying to keep our options open. Contrary to popular belief - we are not superheroes! We need to thoroughly check out our avenues of progression before committing to anything or anyone.

So...

I have another prospective option for a voiceover artist and I am really, really praying that it pans out. If so, it would help to bring the whole project back toward my original plans, which would make me feel infinitely better about the situation. I am not going to set my heart on it, but I do have hope.

As you may be able to tell, it's been a bit disappointing lately with all of the insanity going on surrounding the project. We're working on it, though... so have faith, folks. We'll get there.

Thanks, as always for all of the support. I know I've been rather vague in this post, but that is out of necessity at present. Can't get specific about things that are up in the air, right? :-)

Stay tuned, kids.

Just Want to Take a Moment...

to say thanks to those folks who have approached me in the last two weeks with ideas and assistance. Dorinne Albright, Cindy Day, Dennis Vecchiarino, Kevin Young, John Farrell and to all of the firefighters who have inquired about the status of the project, I greatly appreciate your concern and assistance.

I have yet to meet with anyone about the current situation. Hopefully we'll be able to get that done fairly soon. Ideas are forming, contacts being made and we'll get it all worked out.

Although I am heartily disappointed with the turn of events of late, I have been shown that this work has not been done in vain and in fact, is intriguing people before it is even compiled and edited.

I wish that I had been able to get this done in the manner in which I had planned and with the people that I originally had on board for post production, but for some reason, that is simply not to be. So... as my Grammy always said... "well, Baby, it's time to hitch up yer bootstraps and head on down the road".

Thanks again all and please stay tuned.

Be well & stay safe, everyone.

Quotes Are In...

Hey, Folks...

Met with the producer last night and got the quotes for getting this thing into post-production. Looks like I'm going to need to do some fundraising, brainstorming and figuring out how to put more hours in the day.

I have to work out the details with Jay and probably others, but there will be more news to come, I'm sure.

I've also been in contact with an old school friend of mine who works in the industry. Hopefully I'll be able to get some ideas from him, too. (Thanks, Jon!)

On the voiceover front... I have a couple of people so far who I think would be great. Probably going to have demos done and see where to go from there.

That's all the news for now, kids. Got lots to do. Will try to keep you all updated along the way.

Thanks again, everyone. You guys rock!

Be well & stay safe.

Erin

I've been in contact with my good friend, Michael Shipp - better known to his fans as "Big Daddy". I discovered Mike quite by accident several years ago when searching out the music of Billy Bob Thornton. Mike grew up with Billy Bob and they have played music together over the years. In the process, I discovered some incredible music and a phenomenal guy!

Mike has agreed to work with me on the music for the film - as I've mentioned in the past in the newspaper articles about the project. It dawned on me that I had never posted a link to his site. Please do check him out! I'm fond of referring to his music style as "Road House Rock". If you're into The Allman Brothers, Lynrd Skynrd, the Georgia Sattellites -stuff like that, then you'll really enjoy Big Daddy's tunes.

My thanks to Mike and to Fran Paliotta, as well - who will also be allowing me to use one of her music pieces. If you want to hear some samples, check out:

http://www.michaelrshipp.com/

and

http://www.franpaliotta.com/

On Fran's site, click on Galleries, then Project Art and watch the slideshow titled "Mom".

Thanks again for your support, everyone. It's been awesome to discover that I haven't alienated everyone with all of these delays. I greatly appreciate it!

Be well & stay safe.

Erin

Update

Hey, All -

Met with the editor last night. Actually, he's more along the lines of a producer, but he will do some fact finding and numbers crunching and let us know how he can help. It will probably be a couple of weeks before there's a solid update, but at least there's some hope. At least I got as far as a meeting! Oy... what a haul.

Anyhow, the meeting was promising. Ideas were shared and plans discussed. It was nice to have someone with industry experience tell me that the plans are good and that the footage is awesome. Some of it will need to be cleaned up a little bit, but he was impressed with the use of light and the quality of the footage.

It was a little scary at some points - it is very difficult to be so deeply involved in a project and be willing to trust a total stranger with it's post-production, but I know it must be done. It was also interesting seeing the result of presenting the film and dispelling the idea that it is politically driven. It is understandable that an "outsider" might immediately assume that, given the circumstances of late, but it is nice to know that the piece stands on its own merit.

I will update when I know more. I am a little disappointed over the thought that I may actually need to bite the bullet and spend more to make this film, but if it means that it gets made within the next six months instead of six years, then we'll do what we have to do. I sold Girl Scout Cookies to go to camp... maybe I'll have to sell my Mom's brownies to make this movie! Hey Mom, fire up the oven. Looks like we might have to have a FOBs sale. (Don't ask, folks... just suffice it to say that the firefighters have given the name to the brownies, not me.)


Wow - this is the longest post I've written in a long time.

Okay, Kids - thanks, as always and I'll update as needed.

Be well & stay safe, all. Keep the faith - it'll get done.

With much love and gratitude,

Erin

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Sorry it's been so long, folks. Things have been stagnant - very difficult finding an editor. However, my project partner and knight-in-shining-armour, Jay Fabrizio, has come to my rescue yet again. He has set up a meeting with an editor! We're meeting tonight. Will update when I know more.

Thanks to all who have been asking, keeping up with me and not losing faith. Your encouragement has been invaluable. I am eternally grateful!

Be well & stay safe, everyone.

Delays... Editors... so on...

Hey, All -

It dawned on me that I haven't posted anything lately. Not that I have anything to tell, really, but I figured people might want to know that I haven't fallen off the edge of the world.

I have the word out on finding an editor and recently met someone who has more leads that might be able to assist. That's really all I can tell you at this point. I am actively seeking an editor. If anyone has any leads, please feel free to e-mail me or to refer the person to this blog site.

It will happen - and I believe that it will come at the right time. That's what has happened so far. Frustrating? Yes. But I'm trusting in the thought that everything happens for a reason.

Be well & stay safe, all.

It's Okay... Honest

Yes, I'm still trying to find an editor. I've also found a neglected aspect of the job and have made contact with the appropriate people to rectify that awful oversight. The weather has not cooperated on days that I've been able to shoot outside sequences. I will be tied up on Fridays through the summer (not literally, figuratively). Got two more leads on editors, too... shoulda said that earlier.

Seriously, I'll get this done. I have no idea how... but I'll get it done.

Frazzled? Yes.

Update...

I've gotten a couple of leads for editors. I'll keep you posted on the progress with that.

I'm working on other aspects of the film in the meantime.

Keep your fingers crossed, kids.

Thank you!

Erin

Editor Needed

Hello, All -

Okay, I have been unable to contact my editor. I've followed up on a couple of leads thus far and have some feelers out, but I would appreciate any leads that anyone may have for an editor that has editing equipment readily available. I have a hard drive for storage of the footage.

If anyone has any suggestions, please click on my e-mail link at the top left corner of the main blog page and drop me a line. I'll be happy to follow up!

Thank you!

Be well & stay safe, everyone.

Erin

Providence Firefighter Helping Special Olympics

Hello, All! I received a note from a good friend of mine from the Providence Fire Department, Carl Richards, today. He is trying to raise money to help sponsor Special Olympics. His goal is $500.00. If you'd like to help, you can go to his fundraising website at:

http://www.firstgiving.com/carlrichards

Carl is a 20-year veteran of the PFD and this is just one of the ways that he tries to help others in the community. Your help is greatly appreciated and if you think you may know others who would be willing to help, please pass this e-mail along to them!

Thank you again!

Best,

Erin Blackman

Issues... issues... issues

It's been a tough start to this year, guys. Between weather causing delays, problems trying to contact my editor and just life issues in general, things have been crazy.

However...

I am working on writing the voiceover script and trying to get footage reviewed so I can mark it for editing. I may need to find another editor - we'll see.

Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement - you have no idea how much it means when there is so much frustration happening!

Be well & stay safe, everyone.

Oy, With the Snow Already!

Okay, irritated might begin to cover it. I'd really like to see the ground again! Quite obviously, the snow has hampered my ability to be able to finish outside filming. When it isn't snowing on the days where I have available time, it's been 10 degrees outside - which is fine for me, but not for my camera.

I'm going to try to get a hold of my editor and see if we can at least start dumping footage to the hard drive and get some editing done while the weather keeps being uncooperative. I have no idea how that will pan out.

So, Happy New Year, everyone. Please do stay tuned. I know, I keep saying that. Believe me, no one is more anxious about getting this done than I am.

Be well & stay safe, all.