Beaten, But Not Broken

The last few weeks of non-stop festival duties, the build-up as we approach the kick-off of this year's SouthSide Film Festival, and today's news that my Grandmother is on her death bed, have ALL contributed to my somewhat less than enthusiastic tone. I will try to live it up as we go, but I am feeling a bit tired and somewhat blue. Let me get you caught up on the past two days...

SATURDAY
Saturday was day #3 of the Documentary Filmmaking Workshop, and this is always the day when tensions increase, nerves shatter, and friendships struggle. This is not a day for the weak. It's the first day of editing and the last day to capture any necessary footage to complete the intended storyline. The students all showed some sign of frayed edges, but they were troupers. They got back out in the field, returned to class, and dug right in. It made me proud. This was also a day when we brought in some former students to lend an extra assist to Mel and Clayton. All was good and soon the day came to an end.

However, I actually managed 2 hours for myself midday, for the first time in 3 weeks, and I selfishly took a ride on the bike. They say you always pay for selfish acts, and this was no exception. While returning home, I was being chased by circling storm fronts, and finally they were upon me. I raced home on rain-slicked roads, pedaling as fast as I could to try to out pace the storm or at least suffer the least "soaking" possible. That was all well and good except it turns out that rain, steel cross plates in concrete bridges, and wet bicycle tires don't mix. I hit the unseen metal plate and soon I was looking at the World sideways, upside down, and then again sideways. I felt (and watched) myself skidding for about a foot on my left shoulder, with my left cheek and eye nearly in contact with the concrete deck. It was an incredible view, and I had wished my eye were a camera capturing this "awesome" slide footage. To a passerby I probably looked like some cartoon bird shot mid-flight and coming to skidding halt as the pavement gathers underneath.

Hell yeah, it was bad, it was painful, but it was still 2 cherished hours for "me" which I have not afforded myself in weeks. Tomorrow's another day.

SUNDAY
We waited 3 days for today, the final day of the Documentary Filmmaking Workshop. With little fanfare the day began and I loaded my bike and tool stand in the car to help one of our filmmaking teams finish their film's details. Mel and I got to play a bit with camera, subject, bikes, and sound. But alas that was the extent of the "fun" time today, as the rest of the day was about schedules, deadlines, and crunch time. The Workshop students continued to "build" their films, clip by clip, sound byte by sound byte. I remember the final day well, it is a time of anxiety, jubilation, reality, jubilation again, a little more progress, another slap of reality, and then in the end... you've created a "film".

I am impressed with these students, and it just continues to amaze me when I screen the finished films. I am incredibly proud of these students, as they never gave up, never said "I can't" (okay I may lying about the lack of "I can't"), but you get the point... they all finished their films, and I can honestly say that you'd LOVE the films, the subjects, and the energy put into these projects. I will again be a proud father as I introduce these films to the Festival audience at Tuesday night's Opening Festivities. Bravo, one and all.

We also had to quickly scramble to finish up the final details of tomorrow's start of two more workshops at SouthSide: "Experiment's With Reality" and "Kids' Animation Workshop". More double (or is that triple duty?) for me, as I monitor both workshops, while continuing to help organize things for Tuesday's start of our Festival. Guess I may need some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow or the next day, but you can be sure I'll be back, a little beaten, but not broken.

in the meantime... butter up that popcorn, turn down those lights, and crank up that projector, it's MOVIE TIME!


jeff