Under Pressure... Tick Tick Tick

As the day begins our students return to the lab, amny rather tired from their longg days of class. I can see the students are worried, Clayton and Mel seem concerned, and I too am anxious as we all recognize that this is IT, the final day. CRUNCH TIME BABY. These ladies have worked long and hard, learning the camera, formulating an interview process, and finally learning some new editing software, all while realizing that there IS a deadline, a final punctuation. Suck it up and finish that edit.



Today is not only the last day of the Workshop, but also the first day of our Festival. Though I know how frantic my schedule will more than likely be today, I still find time for a little necessary vanity, a well-deserved haircut (summer buzz). Our out of town guests arrive today and the humm on the streets gets louder. Is that the Cello (and violin) theme from "Jaws" playing in the distance? My colleagues and I have worked over the past 11 months in preparation for this day, but couldn''t we have just a few more hours , even days, to prepare... please. The answer: time waits for NOBODY, and it certainly ain''t waiting for US!!!



I play my recently established routine, getting things accomplished at the Workshop lab, checking Festival e-mails, and running errands, checking in at our Fest office, and continually putting out those fires. Hate to say it, but I am feeding off of ALL of this. Apparently in some sick, perverse way, my body likes, no CRAVES!!!, the pressures. As the tension builds, so seemingly does my stamina. My mind won''t let me relax, nor will it alfford me the sleep I should be getting. SLEEPLESS on the SouthSide. I feel a film idea here... BRILLIANT!!!!! Somebody did this? Tom Hanks? REALLY????



The Workshop students continue their crunch, and I continue my job, making final preparations for tomorrow''s NYC limo shuttle. With a strong will and a desire to not fail, my Workshop students make those final decisions and move toward the finshed product, a 5-6 minute documentary. I am all over the place today, picking up this, delivering THAT, calling X, returning calls to Y and Z, but all the while I''m in LOVE with this whole process. I feel like a marathoner early in the morning before the "BIG" race, CHARGED. NO John I have NOT had too much coffee (twitch, twitch). I continue to mention John (Saraceno), as he has been one of the rocks in my life as of late, reminding me of our human limitations, nursing me on a good dose of reality and a need to PACE myself (and I don''t mean wearing the floor out in a back and forth motion). Missing films MAGICALLY appear today in the mail, we continue to get some GREAT media coverage from TV, radio, and the local newspapers. Today our Fest garners the front page of the Morning Call "Go Guide", complete with color photos and a great story.



Before any of us realize what has happened, it''s mid afternoon, and the Workshop projects MUST soon be done, in time for a disc burn. I continue playing the role of "Festival fireman", dousing flames and smoldering brush on all sides. It''s all good, and my mind and body continue to devour the energy. I may soon NEED that phone booth in my backyard, complete with a red cape... tick tick tick the Workshop projects all near completion,with the gracious help and support of Mel and Clayton. Until.... it''s 5pm and everything is ready for a class screening and discussion. And even though I should be heading off to the next "fire", I remain to watch the (nearly) completed docs. As I watch I experience excitement and pride, and dammit if these ladies don''t bring a tear to my eye. As the last doc finishes, I commend the teams on their efforts and progress, and express my pride in their accomplishments. I am in AWE!!! I have to do something about this...



I leave the Workshop lab to make the final rounds before this evening''s opening "Shorts" program. I discuss with our Fest President, Graham Stanford, the possibility of screening the Workshop pieces at this evening''s screening, as I describe the impressive products the ladies have completed. The deal''s made, signed in blood... the documentaries will screen tonight. Now I must give the news to the ladies.. they are beyond THRILLED, and yet each is nervous about their FIRST public screening. Now I must prepare for tonight''s festivities.



My wife Wendy and I head over to the theater, but apparently my hoseman''s job is NOT yet done. Can''t I just relax for a FEW hours guys??? So while Wendy heads into the theater and grabs a seat I do my thing, making calls, calling on favors, and expecting everybody around me to stop everything to make things happen. Somewhat to my surprise... things begin to happen and I finally get sometime to watch the program, 3 one hour blocks of short films, to be punctuated by the Workshop pieces. My nerves begin to stir, but just like a proud father, I am also PROUD. Tick tick tick...



Program one begins and ends, then program 2 begins. In the midst of this I begin the pacing (this time wearing out the carpet folks) as Clayton and Mel have not yet arrived with the Workshop disc. What''s keeping them? Will we be able to pull this off? I''ve done last minute planning before, but even I begin a panic. Finally they arrive with laptop in hand. Where''s the DVD? Would you believe we stand in the lobby minutes before showtime, watching the laptop crunch its memory and nibble away at the disc burn. Will it happen? Should I have arranged this? What, am I an idiot? Now wait.... it''s done. We rush the disc backstage to the projectionist and wait.



Finally the time has arrived and it''s "showtime". With their hearts in their throats and the nervousness of a deer in the headllights, the students sit, wait, and wonder. Will they be accepted? Will they be appreciated? Can they take the criticism? The answer to all is a resounding YES. In normal fashion, as to always keep one trick up my sleeve, I make our evening''s "SURPRISE" announcement, we will now screen the Workshop Documentaries. The lights dim, some tired audience members depart, but the faithful remain.



Lights please, how about a drum roll? And the disc begins to play. One after another the projects screen, welcomed with audience applause. And finally the last doc plays to completion. Lights come up and the audience waits. I express my joy and pride, and summon the ladies, as well as Mel and Clayton, to the front of the auditorium for Q&A. It was a success. The ladies beam ear to ear, and I strut around like a proud parent. We have truly embarked on a wonderful journey, starting the Educational Programming for the SSFI.



The night winds down, but not the body. I decide to join most of the Workshop class for a beer or two at Bethlehem BrewWorks. Man does that taste good. This would be my first indulgent act all week. I''ve had little time to vegetate, no time time for a workout, and certainly have not even had the time to THINK about opening a beer. Maybe I''ll sleep a bit tonight. NOT!!!



Tomorrow I take the stretch limo to NYC to pick up some of our guests. How can I sleep with that thought in the head??? And I begin my withdrawals, as with any project I dig in on, whether it be a film job, set build, an acting gig, or ending summer camp. I''m going to miss each of the ladies from our Documentary Filmmaking Workshop, and especially my friends Mel and Clayton. I can sleep though, knowing that I WILL see them all over the weekend and beyond. Thanks to you all fror keeping me energized. With some guilt I'm beginning to feel like a vampirous energy fiend, draining each person around me of their strength, only making myself stronger, faster... no, wait, that''s the Six Million Dollar man, and I"m no Steve Austin folks. Goodnight!!!