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To my dear friends, old and new!
This latest edition of the She Shoots to Conquer News comes to you after
a very
long absence. Not because there has been a lack of activity… if fact, it’s
been just the opposite!
 When last you heard from me in the spring, MENAGE
A TROIS was embarking on an ambitious three-festival week: Palm Beach, Tribeca Underground
and SunScreen,
(in our hometown of Clearwater/St. Petersburg). The film was extremely
well received in all three venues, and it was then that I officially began “development” on
the new feature film,
A PRETTY GIRL.
 During
a busy summer of heinous temping at investment banks, I managed to clean up
the script, develop the business plan (a self-taught course entitled: “How
to Earn Your MBA at Home in 672 Complicated Steps!”) and found not one,
but TWO amazing producers anxious to help me produce this film (after the perfunctory
bevy of rejections, mind you!)
We’ve finessed the budget, put the development wheels
in motion and even went so far as to organize a partial script reading (with
an incredible cast of actors and singers) two weeks ago
for prospective investors. So we’re officially on the radar in the
indie film world and I couldn’t be more excited and blown away by the
team we’ve assembled so far! This is going to be one heck of an adventure!
 And
speaking of adventure, the very day following the reading, I hopped a plane
for MENAGE A TROIS’ final film festival, in Gympie, Queensland,
Australia at the Heart of Gold International
Film Festival. I think the only
way to fully express the joy I had there is to say that I have now made it
my personal
mission
to return every year, not only to support such a fantastic festival with a
beautiful mission (to screen enlightening and inspiring films from around the
world) but to visit all the phenomenal friends I made in such a short time!
 I
managed to stay a few days after the festival to tour a bit of the Queensland
coast. I went to Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo and petted kangaroos, I
made it a few hours’ drive north (yes, I learned to drive on the left-hand
side of the road…) to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef (off of Lady
Musgrave Island) and I swam alongside a turtle that was probably around 100
years old! It was one of the great moments of my life!
 I
then returned to Gympie and was treated like royalty while being driven around
the Mary Valley to
explore the beauty of the Australian countryside, wined and dined like never
before
and was able to end the trip in the gorgeous comfort of good food, good wine
and great friends!
I honestly still can’t quite believe I’m sitting back at home;
my quiet little haven in the middle of the clamor of New York City. In one
short week, Australia has changed me. It slowed me down a little. Taught
me to take a little extra time and enjoy the simple things: dance with a
child,
squeal with delight when a kangaroo hops past your window, be amazed by the
power of nature and our small place in it. For more pix of Oz, click here:
Australia Photos
 So
I’ll try to remember the calm I found in Australia as we start production
on A PRETTY GIRL in just one month!!! Believe it or not, we begin a preliminary
shoot
on December
8th
to capture
some 2nd Unit footage of Clearwater in all of its glitzy, Christmasy, decorated
splendor! We'll be down there for four days - so if you're in the 'hood,
be sure to decorate YOUR house early, and we'll make sure we put it on film!
And then God-(and the rest of the financing)-willing, we’ll
begin pre-production in March and start shooting in May!
So… that’s the news from this end of the world… what’s
happening in yours?
All my very best,
Writer
/ Director / Producer - "A Pretty Girl" |
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