Being in the fast-paced “news” environment reminded me how much I love journalism and the art of storytelling with a deadline! I remembered how tasty (and necessary) a midday cup of coffee can be and enjoyed the fast pace, the spontaneous action, and eating on the run. I’ve been away from this type of storytelling, having been immersed in longer form production for many years. But working with students, catching events as they unfold, and working with urgency was a real treat. It reminded me of the KUSA days and the excitement of breaking news – my roots in a long career in video storytelling.

You can check out my BIFF uploads (and all my other videos) at my youtube channel (birdonthewing)!

For the last five years, I feel like I’ve been “parked” at my job as a photographer/editor at InJoy Productions near Boulder, safe and secure in that nice little space within the white lines. But in April of this year, I quit that job. I started the engine, put my hands on the wheel, and began to move the vehicle. I wasn’t sure if I was backing up or moving forward, but the motion was exhilarating all the same. I rolled down the window for some fresh air and enjoyed the scenery! Now, nine months later, I’m rumbling down the road, giddy even over the bumps, and scanning the horizon to see where I want to go next.

Now that I’m on my way and a new year has begun, I have an urge to take a brief look in that handy rearview mirror. The little movie begins to play and I see both the obstacles and the opportunities of the past year:

• I resumed my freelance video business full time and moved into a shiny new office at Boulder Digital Arts. New friends and a comfortable working environment make it a great place to be, and the scheduling is all up to me!

• I’ve worked on a variety of projects this year, from military education to community film screenings (Old Town Cinema) to theatrical artistic projection (I Knew That Once). Keeping a hand in the birth videos as a contractor with InJoy is fun, too.

• In April, I became part of a four-member team creating a new, unique film festival in Boulder, the Life and Death Matters Festival (LADmatters). This consumed me for six months and the result was fabulous! We put on a successful four-day festival that inspired, motivated, and enriched hundreds of people.

• I discovered that even when people have the best intentions, things can go awry. Ego can be a strong and destructive force. People can have different sensibilities about what ‘service’ means. The dissolution of the LADmatters Festival team after our successful event was heartbreaking. The festival that we had hoped would be an annual one instead had a short, one-season life. (Perhaps the name of the festival was spot on!) That was a hard and painful obstacle, but the rearview mirror reminds me – it’s in the past!

• While some alliances fell by the wayside, others have been sparked and now flourish. I’ve found new professional partnerships and projects that keep me on the path of quality work. I’m again immersed in filming for a new documentary, which finds me spending a few hours a week in a local nursing home for mentally and physically disabled people. The experience is beyond description. (you’ll have to wait for the film!)

• A seventh year with fellow band mates in Pick Up Sticks Marimba has seen us playing better than ever and learning exciting new material. The music always relieves life’s tensions and makes me smile.

• I’m looking forward to the possibility of presenting my documentary Tumbuka Bloom at the AIDS2012 Conference in Washington, D.C. this July. It could be a reunion with my fellow filmmakers from Zimbabwe after five years!

• I see my two sons growing into fine young adults and realize that ‘parking’ myself in a comfortable spot for five years helped to give them the security and stability they needed. Now, the road stretches ahead for all of us. What a wonderful expansiveness!

It can help to look behind you before moving forward on the longer road. The little back-up camera is useful for a moment, and then it’s time to pull forward into the bigger highway of life! On to 2012!

Learning about these women, working intimately with their video footage and interviews, and finally meeting them after they were released from prison in 2006 was a life changing experience for me. The Sisters and our production team have spent many hours, days, and nights laughing, enjoying vibrant discussions, and becoming good friends. We’ve traveled together to film festivals and gathered in Denver for yearly reunions.

On August 3, 2011, Sister Jackie passed away in her home state of Washington. She was 76 years old. The deep sadness of her passing is comforted by the memory of her great smile and warm, loving spirit. Jackie Hudson gave all of herself to her cause, and I’m so grateful to have gotten to know her and learn important lessons from her.

More about Sister Jackie

“You’ve timed this perfectly,” I told Karen, and accepted the role of board member that very day. While friends and colleagues were questioning my sanity at leaving a ‘safe’ and comfortable full time job, I had the feeling that if I opened the door to new and engaging opportunities, one would surely present itself. And indeed it did.

Our team of four board members launched into weekly conference calls (not all of us are in Colorado) and held a host of brainstorming sessions. Dozens of ‘brilliant ideas’ got whittled down to a feasible festival structure, and amazingly, four months later we are just about ready to host an event that will knock your socks off!

What began as a ‘film festival’ has evolved into simply a ‘festival’ with the addition of ten original plays, nine educational seminars, and yes, even morning yoga sessions. The range of topics runs the gamut – from aging, autism, and AIDS to veterans, vaccinations, organ donation, technology and communication, LGBT issues, and more.

Having a guest speaker like Temple Grandin might not happen in an ordinary film festival, but for LADmatters, it seemed like the perfect fit. Ms. Grandin, a world famous animal scientist and autism self-advocate, will add depth and insight to some of our films that deal with autism and Aspergers Syndrome.

Will Arntz (“What the Bleep”) will be on hand for a panel discussion, and will also present his new film Ghetto Physics, which is winning acclaim in screenings nationwide. (“Will the real pimps and hos please stand up!”)

The filmmaker and subjects of the moving documentary The Power of Two are also attending, and I think this might be one of the most inspirational screenings of the festival. The film tells the remarkable story of twin sisters with the fatal genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis who survive miraculous double lung transplants. A fun and special tribute by audience members is planned. (it’s a secret, but trust me, it will be sweet!)

All of this “work” has felt like anything but. Writing (and receiving!) grants and sponsorships, communicating with other filmmakers, and creating promotional videos has been extremely rewarding. And I’m anticipating a real feeling of accomplishment and pride when the LADmatters doors open September 1st and the audience takes part in this transforming event. Along with fellow board members and directors, Karen van Vuuren, Erin Kelly, and Diane Welpe, I invite you to participate and enjoy the festival. And if you feel inclined to volunteer, please get in touch with me. We still have lots of jobs to fill, including video production and editing.

Hope to see you September 1-4 at the Nomad Theater! VIP tickets are now available, as are tickets for Temple Grandin at our website, www.ladmatters.com.

Gratitude and thanks to the Boulder Arts Commission, who has awarded LADmatters with our first grant! The Commission is generously sponsoring Temple Grandin’s presentation, as well as screening fees for two of our high profile films. The momentum continues to grow as we near our event dates with more exciting films and nine original plays!

William Arntz, director of What The Bleep Do We Know, will take part in a panel discussion on Saturday, September 3, and his new film, Ghetto Physics, has been added to our line-up. The full schedule will be announced August 1st.

Take a look at our third LADmatters promo and tell me it doesn’t make you smile! Life is full of happy moments… come to our festival next month and experience moments of laughter and happiness.

Just a few weeks away, our festival is taking shape with special guests William Arntz and Temple Grandin, plus lots of award-winning films, exciting new stage performances and incredible educational opportunities. For instance:
Passageworks promotes healthy rites of passage for teens. They will lead an interactive session that will get you thinking about consciously walking the path of transition from youth to adulthood – how you did it – or not – and how to support our youth. Passageworks website

VIP tickets for LADmatters are available for purchase NOW on our website!

Here’s another short promo for our upcoming festival:
** LADmatters Festival Promo #2 **
Working on Promo #3 now!

Where does the time go? July is here and my days are very busy. The film festival preparations are moving right along as we gear up for our first annual event in just eight weeks! I’ve loved having the chance to see some excellent films and am very excited about our soon-to-be-announced line-up! Check out our website, LADmatters.com, and look for us on Facebook!

Here’s a short promo I put together yesterday for the festival.
This is the first in a series of promos to be posted in the coming weeks. Do you recognize anyone?

In other news: The military project I’ve been working on since last fall is now wrapping up, freeing me up to do more freelance work for other clients. I’m also beginning a new documentary project with a colleague, and we’ll begin shooting in just a few weeks. I’ll post more as we get further into the project. For now, I’ll just say that it is health related and fascinating, and I’m really psyched to begin gathering stories and footage and see where this next adventure leads us!