Oscar Bound

"Wit's End" Is On a Roll....

I'm really psyched that our sitcom, Wit's End, is starting to gain some attention.  We have now been recognized by three festivals -- Honolulu, Las Vegas & as of today, a TV festival in Muskogee, OK (anyone want to meet me there?!! This is pretty exciting because the festival world has become very competitive and we didn't really know what to expect.

More importantly, having the festival recognition may help us get some meetings in Tinseltown should we decide to head out there and try to pitch the show. Of course...our preference is that our NYC HBO connection pays off and that the person who has it on his/her desk as I am typing this will now have incentive to actually watch it.  And in my fantasies, they will be so impressed with the concept and our ability to pull off a very entertaining low budget project that they will demand to sign us to a multi-year contract immediately :)

Ok...so that's probably not gonna happen...but right now, I'll settle for a meeting in someone's boardroom or maybe a cocktail at a funky bar in the Village or even a latte at the corner Starbucks. 

Here's to Wit's End....the little show that "could"....may the awards keep rolling on...

TO HBO:  I'm waiting patiently...really, I am!

Check this out

We continue to make progress in editing our sitcom, "Wit's End". Here is our most current version of the opening credits if you want to take peek at it:

Wit's End Opening Theme song and credits

The goal is to have it completed and entered in the NYTV Festival by June 1st. Still holding out for a brief cameo by Elaine Stritch, which would be AMAZING. Fingers (and toes) crossed :)

Also busy editing The BlueBelles in hopes of an early fall premiere. And, we have set time aside in June to write our next screenplay, Old Bags, a comedy which is inspired by our time with the Belles.

Making Magic

          I can't believe we're actually pulling this off, but the filming of our sitcom pilot, Wit's End, is off to an amazing start (despite needing to stop production mid-way through Sunday when one of our cast members became ill and had to go to the hospital). So, we have re-scheduled for this Saturday to finish prinicipal photography.

       I'm secretly glad, as it gives us an excuse to be together again. Both the cast AND crew are incredible and after viewing some of the footage Monday night, we're very psyched because it's honestly really funny stuff. Fingers crossed that the NYTV Festival folks (and others) AGREE!

For more info. and links to the cast, check out the latest postings at our LME site.

 

Countdown to....

I'm living in countdown mode right now...

60 Minutes until my kids are tucked into bed (after a long day with both of them home sick with fevers).

90 Minutes until Oprah's live tele-class for the new Eckhart Tolle book, "A New Earth"...my hubby and I are actually going to take the class together and see if we have any life-changing revelations.

36 hours until my friends and I head to the famous Philadelphia Flower Show for a girl's day out (assuming the kids have recovered and are back in school)

6 days to our blocking rehearsal for "Wit's End"....our first rehearsal with the crew and the first time the actors/comics will be "off-book" (meaning they are supposed to know their lines).

11 days until our first day of filming! Very exciting...and nerve-wracking :)

36 Days until my daughter and I head to Paris for what is shaping up to be an amazing trip (more to follow)!

45 Days until my first podcast radio interview (fingers crossed...still investigating equipment,etc).

57 Days until my dad and his wife visit and we work on finishing his memoir.

90 Days to meet my personal deadline for editing the BlueBelles and scheduling a premiere...I can't wait to see these ladies walk down the red carpet :)

So...I'm just trying to stay in the moment and "enjoy the journey" as they say.   

Where does the time go?

I just realized that I haven't posted anything for two weeks! I'm honestly scratching my head and wondering where that time went...

Upon reflection, I guess I've been more immersed in our new sitcom than I realized. This is my first narrative project, so it's been very interesting to see how many levels of things need to happen at the same time. For instance, in the last week we've re-vamped parts of the script for the umpteenth time, hired several crew members (our camera/sound crew, an assistant director, script supervisor and make-up person), went shopping for props and wardrobe items, completed our SAG paperwork, dealt with the resignation of our production manager, researched catering options, finished lyrics for our theme song AND filmed our first scenes!!

It has been a lot of fun, but as you can see, pretty time-consuming...and the  real work hasn't even started. Today we are heading back into the city for our first full cast rehearsal and I'm very curious to see how it goes. This will tell us if we need any further work on the script AND how many more rehearsals we are going to need to schedule before our shoot days of March 14-16th. I'm excited but a bit overwhelmed. This is definitely a completely different animal (and pace) then making a documentary, which is my usual gig.  But, it's going to feel great to have it completely done within six months vs. the three years it seems to take for a feature doc.

Speaking of which, I'm making steady progress on editing the BlueBelles and still hope to have it completed  by June.  More to follow on that process....

Meanwhile, time to shower, load up the car and put my car on auto-pilot back into Manhattan and the rehearsal room at Shetler Studios. I wonder how many famous projects have gotten their starts in that space??? Hmmm...maybe that's a good documentary idea...

Wit's End

We held our first table read of the script for Wit's End (our new TV pilot) in the city on Tuesday night and it was GREAT! From the time we got there until we left, I laughed...how awesome is it to be able to laugh while you work? Our cast is amazing and I feel VERY good about this.

For a more detailed look at how this all came together, check out my co-creator, Liz' recent blog entry...
At My Wit's End

And I also think I have been remiss in mentioning that our company website has recently been re-vamped...check it out and let me know what you think by visiting Like-Minded Entertainment

Immersed in Sitcom Land

Sorry for not writing recently...shortly after my last post I fell while chasing my dog (a well-known escape artist) down the street and severely sprained my right arm/elbow/wrist. As a result, I wasn't able to type for awhile.  In case you're wondering, we did get the dog back, but I'm still not speaking to her!!

Anyway, despite this little trauma, the last couple of weeks have been very productive on the career side. Last weekend, we held a writing retreat to complete the first draft of the sitcom pilot we are producing for the NY TV Festival. I'm happy to say we finished the draft and are pretty happy with it. Our cast consists of five NYC based comedians, and, after conducting extensive interviews with each, we feel we were able to capture their personalities and quirks pretty well.  I won't reveal the plot just yet, but think Arrested Development meets Seinfeld meets Friends....only on Showtime (hopefully!)

We are now in full-blown pre-production mode...only eight weeks until we film this baby and there is a LOT to get done.  However, for some reason I'm in a very zen-mode about this project. It's really flowing well and I just feel like it's all going to continue to come together easily.  In fact, I was telling my partners that I have this strange feeling sometimes where I feel likes it's already next fall and we've won the TV Festival and are fielding deals from multiple networks.  Creative visualization at work!

There has also been nice progress in other areas:

-I'm getting closer to lauching my on-line radio show. The goal is mid-February and I think I'm on track to pull it off. We are finalizing equipment needs, selecting our pod-casting service and lining up our first interviews.  More to follow soon!

-We've come up with the next project we want to focus on...I can't reveal any details yet, but think, "Harry Potter" meets "Dawson's Creek".  Once we finish the sitcom pilot and get it submitted to the festival, we will be diving into this project to have it ready to capitalize on any contacts made as a result of (winning) the festival :)

-BlueBelles editing is continuing....still hoping for a June premiere...can't wait to roll out the red carpet for these ladies.  And, we've come up with an idea to develop a book based on "wisdom/advice from the BlueBelles"; sort of a coffee table book to sell as a companion to the film...very cool!

-We are also delving into the music world...helping our co-producer on the sitcom, Mitchell Olson, re-vamp lyrics to a song he previously recorded to use as our theme song. So, will achieve a life-long ambition of going into the recording studio to help produce this....can't wait!

That's all for now....hope your New Year has started off well!

I want to speak!

I want to speak...but I can't, so I'll write!

Almost three weeks and I'm still struggling to regain my voice...what the hell is that about? I'm trying to put my usual philosophical, spiritual spin on it, but I'm actually getting pretty tired of straining to speak!

Ok, I'll try...maybe this is all about valuing my voice in a way I never have. I take it for granted, just like most of us do. You wake up in the morning and start speaking to your loved ones (or barking orders in my case) and then you sing in the car, talk on the phone, brainstorm ideas, negotiate business deals, chat with a friend over lunch, answer the door, supervise homework, call for the dog to come in (ten times), referee arguments, read bedtime stories and maybe even squeeze in a five-minute chat before bed with your significant other. I'm sure I've probably forgotten something, but just typing this made me feel tired. NO WONDER my voice is strained...and I don't even officially use it in my profession YET (radio here we come)!

And, at a time when I know instinctively that I need to be quiet and rest, the universe has chosen to deliver some great opportunities to me.  We are moving full speed ahead on our sitcom idea, and the more I work on it, the more sure I am that it has amazing potential. Also, things are coming together with our idea for an internet "network" as well as the radio concept. All VERY exciting stuff and meeting and working with some wonderful people. So....in between all of this, I'm trying my best to schedule some down time.  I guess it's all about BALANCE and going forward that is truly going to be my focus.

I guess it's no wonder that after my third trip to the doctor (finally got in to see my own guy this time in lieu of urgent care folks) yesterday, I was diagnosed with a severe middle ear blockage....and what does the ear represent? BALANCE.....ok, I got it! I hear you....(no pun intended...well, maybe a little one).

P.S. Snake Hill was accepted into the Cape May, NJ Film Festival coming up on November 17th...they tell us there is "big buzz" around it! Very cool....

An interesting dream

I woke up Saturday morning after having a strange but VERY realistic dream that I was chatting with Barbara Walters (one of my favorite people).  During this conversation, she asked me to join her as one of the co-hosts on THE VIEW for a week.  There was something so real about this that I immediately woke up at 6 AM and felt inspired to run to the computer and check their website and see if they were looking for people.  (I'm a fan of the show, but have never even looked at their site before).

Turns out that they did have a little blurb about writing in and letting them know what you are passionate about, with the chance to potentially appear as a guest.  I never do this, but decided to go ahead and write to them. The only challenge was that I had no idea what I was going to say in terms of what I'm passionate about.  Not that I'm NOT passionate about lots of topics....I definitely AM (and am a fair debator if I may say so myself); but to pick just one is an interesting thing to ponder.

I decided to focus on my main belief in life....that following your heart/gut is always the right way to go, despite what others may think, tell you, try to dissuade you from.  This philosophy, more than any other I've applied in my life has always worked for me.  When I listen to my gut and do what's in my heart, it always turns out for the best.  When I don't, regret it and I usually suffer as a result...and probably those around me do as well since I don't know anyone who is pleasant to be around when they're suffering! :)  When I'm happy and things are flowing, this is when I feel inspired to help others and when inspiration speaks to me in an even louder voice.

So when it speaks to me loudly, as it did in the dream I had, I've learned to listen and then ACT quickly.
I don't know if this means I will end up on THE VIEW (although it would be a fun experience) or if it means I will have a chance to meet Barbara Walters (a long-standing goal) or if I'm supposed to host something else (I have a secret yearning to do a radio show).  I DO know that I am steadily moving down a path that I'm really enjoying and can't way to see what is around the next bend!

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Myrtle Beach...

Last Wednesday we drove down to Myrtle Beach, SC to visit my dad and have a little getaway.  On the way there, I checked my e-mail and was amazed to find out that my partner, Liz, had forwarded me an e-mail from one of the designers on a popular home makeover show.  She had somehow discovered Liz' fabulous essays and blogs on motherhood (which she has been writing for various sites the last several years) and wanted to talk about the possibility of putting together a reality show about moms. 

Liz and I met today and came up with about six concepts  for various  shows that  might work,  so feel pretty positive that  at least one of them will be well-received when we get the opportunity to pitch them (which may happen very soon...more to follow :))

It's ironic that just as we ended our contract with a producing partner whom we had been relying on to promote our fictional  series about motherhood, Breeding Ground, we may now have the opportunity to
turn it into a reality show.  The universe continues to work in mysterious ways, but that's ok with me.

On another fantastic note, Snake Hill has been selected to screen as part of the Red Bank Film Festival in October as well as in their monthly Screening Series, which will be the 2nd Wednesday in June. We are thrilled about both of these opportunities to showcase the film locally and network in our own back yard. 

I think I need to go away more often!!