If you had told me at the beginning of last year I would have been drawn into the world of documentary filmmaking as a director and producer I would have told you that you were out of your ever-loving mind.
You see, I'm a purveyor of words and when you work on a documentary you're often working somewhat without a net. I didn't get my start in documentary filmmaking. I always wanted to do one about my journey with bipolar disorder but I hadn't figured out the format until recently. Which was a scripted slide show of my life through series of letters to my favorite actor Daniel Craig, crazy, right?
Well, I don't know about crazy but it definitely lends itself to misinterpretation quite easily. I was attacked in some cases. Laughed at in others. Misunderstood by some. But when the conversation with Stephen Zimmer happened last January was there awards to be given to documentaries in the screenplay awards he said yes. Honestly I didn't know how, but on show of faith I hadn't been given ever he offered to make my documentary the premiere event in the film festival portion of Imaginarium. The pressure was on, I didn't just need to make a film. I needed to make a good one. And when it screened it had the kind of response every filmmaker dreams of. It won awards its played multiple festivals and it's struck a distribution deal. When life is good, right?
But now me and the team behind Letters to Daniel, Missy Goodman and Pamela Turner are returning with more films in development. That's right films as in plural and both of them are documentaries. Only this time I'm stretching my muscles as a director. Previously shot material. Interviews. Commentary.
The two documentaries in development now are Imaginarium 2014 and #LAMEisALLweKNOW.
Imaginarium 2014 tells the story of how a conversation and outside events led Stephen Zimmer a creative force in his own right and small press owner and publisher with Seventh Star Press came to create and pull off the first year of a creative writing convention with the fun of a scifi con and film festival crammed in together for one hell of an experience.
#LAMEisALLweKNOW is a moving account of how a local band with a small, yet rabid following all but come to a halt when the drummer is critically injured and not expected to make it through the night after a terrible car accident that leaves him clinging to life.
We here at Healing Hands feel fortunate to have what we have and are excited about the coming year and working on these projects. No time frame as of yet as we will be following these stories as they develop. Until next time...
Amy, Missy, and Pam
