Looking for help with budgeting, scheduling or breakdowns for film?

I am seeking budgeting/scheduling or breakdown work for December/January. My fee is based on what the filmmaker can afford and I work with anything from student shorts & music videos to indie features. I understand low budgets and would love to help folks out.

So what does this entail?

-Fixing budgets or creating budgets

-(if you’re Austin based) - providing crew & resources

-Performing a script breakdown

-Making a production schedule, or fixing issues within the schedule

I realize this is all small work and most of you are low budget filmmakers, but anything helps during this time period and I love doing this work. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE IN TEXAS, as I realize a lot of you are not. This is all stuff I do with my computer in coffee shops.

So, uh, can you help a gal out? Email me - goingforpicture@gmail.com

Thanks!

Michelle

Seeing the bright side of things.

Today I felt overwhelmed with love in my heart. I'd like to say I feel that way every moment of everyday, but what can I say (not trying to rhyme here!) it doesn't always happen. I feel every other emotion that all other humans feel and try to embrace it. I don't think feelings should be bottled up. In fact, a period of my life I've struggled with passive aggressiveness, and just being in the moment is the best way to overcome that. Don't try to HIDE it. You can always say how you feel with tact and kindness. But that's another subject!

It could have been the Chinese meds I'm taking for this cold, (sure... NEW, organic alcohol...) but I don't think so. I think it's because I have so damn much to be grateful for. Sometime it's overshadowed by work, or being busied with laundry or taking care of my puggies. Sometimes it's busied with cleaning my floors or cooking for my hubby. But, when I had a chance to just breathe - there it was - staring me in the face - gratitude.

For the most part, all of our family members are in good shape, which I'm extremely appreciative of. However, Shad's Granny has been diagnosed with a disease, which will rob her of her eyesight within the next year. She's in her late 70's, and I assume this is most devastating to endure, having been a healthy, mostly independent, attractive woman all her life.

It got me to thinking the other day while I was driving - I hope she saw everything she wanted to see. As silly as it sounds, I then thought of Marley and Me, when he lets Marley run freely into the ocean waters, and asks if he's done everything he's wanted to do...

I feel like crying for her. But I know it won't help. I feel like crying for myself because I just feel bad for her, but that's stupid. She's the one that has to accept this state and move on with her life. But I know that's easier said than done. I know, because that's been a fear of mine since I was little. I used to ask my eye doctor if I'd go blind, and he reassured me that I had to have a disease... that didn't just 'happen.' Apparently this disease doesn't prey on poor sight victims, to be exact. It hits up the most healthy of human beings, mostly coming into old age.

Life isn't about just looking though, it's about seeing what's in front of you. It's not about just listening, it's about gaining knowledge by hearing. And it's not about just talking, it's about communicating. Life is complex. It's bittersweet. Lessons are often embedded in pain. But mostly it's just wonderful, precious, and beautiful. I don't want to waste a single second of it, and I hope you don't either. It may seem really long sometimes, especially with the decisions we make. But it's pretty damn short too.

When we were little, the world seemed so big that our homes were continuously exploratory. When we became teenagers, so much as a blemish or bad boyfriend experience made us want to dye our hair black, pierce something, & die. And now that we're in our 30's, we know that there's so much more to do.... we just hope we have time to do it all. If we're smart, we'll spend a little less time on looking for wrinkles, and a little more time earning them.

I AM an ANIMAL changed my life

Without the risk of sounding preachy or cult-like, let me preface this by saying a few things. I grew up in a town of about 300 people. Vegetarianism was not in our dictionary. In fact, I'm not sure I ever heard the word - ever. I lived less than a mile away from a slaughter house. And it was natural - cows were food & equalled a paycheck to my family - no more, no less. My dad was (and still kinda is) a cattle salesman. It wasn't unusual for me to go to a sale with him, play in the pens with the loving sweet calves and then go inside and eat a delicious hamburger.

It wasn't until my 30's that I began a close friendship with someone who enlightened me on the subject of what takes place with animals 'behind the scenes'. But my evolution wasn't that immediate. Everytime I was around them, my "v" friends, ;) I felt a little awkward eating meat, because I knew they were so passionate about NOT eating it. But that didn't stop me either, of course. This was ingrained into my inner being, my cultural existence on earth. Just because a couple of people didn't eat it, wasn't going to influence me TOO MUCH, so I thought.

In fact, I remember when my husband asked me about being a vegetarian about 10 years ago, when we were still getting acquainted. :) Apparently, his last girlfriend was a vegetarian, and he was a little weary of it. He said he tried it once with her but only ended up eating cheese. Needless to say, he gained weight!!

And MY response to his, "Are you a vegetarian?" was, "Hell, no!"

But after all those years of ignoring what I knew was possibly out there, I began asking questions. It's in my scorpion nature, I suppose. I remember asking my v- friend, "well, what's so wrong with eating a chicken, for instance, if you buy 'free roaming'? Wouldn't they have a good life?" Her response to that was, "they're still going to die... they're still going to fear the death... and you're consuming that negative energy..." My brain was going, "humph". She had a point. But still not enough to turn me, YET!

Somehow I stumbled upon a documentary, I AM an ANIMAL, and watched it with my meat loving husband. That night I was in shock. The next day, we both were like - we're going to try this - together.

He stuck to vegetarianism for a year and 1/2 and I know it was a lot more unsatisfying for him than me. But I'm proud of him for really giving it a go. When it comes down to it, it's such a personal choice, like religion. But religion is based on faith. And animal cruelty is based on facts. I think it's irresponsible to turn way from the TRUTH, too.

When I first really started my journey, I was like so many other 'new vegetarians' who are just angry all the time - angry that others don't 'get it' - angry that they won't try. My heart was angry that this animal cruelty was going on, and I couldn't do A LOT about it.

I soon learned, and especially through the fabulously gracious approach of Kathy Freston, who wrote QUANTUM WELLNESS that it's not about trying to convince people. It's about getting the info out there so that people can make their personal choices. And it's not about judging others. That's not our job on earth, but it is our job to do our personal best. If that means you go for a week without eating meat, good for you! If that means cutting down on your consumption altogether, wonderful! Or simply just be aware of what you're putting into your body, and you'll be doing BETTER than you were before!

I found a great article today that demonstrates the difficulties we, vegetarians, often experience from others (holiday guide link below). I really work on living a spiritual life, and being kind, so when people are prejudiced against this decision I've made, it's a challenge for me to not feel isolated and upset. If anything, I think I should be the one mad at them for choosing something that's inhumane! But that's not right either.

And guess what friends? We're in charge of how we feel - not anyone else. No one can make you do or feel anything. What's inside is what comes out. So, keep being aware, keep being a compassionate earthling, keep asking questions, and don't apologise for it. You can live in peace knowing that you're making the best decision for YOU and living your personal best life no matter what else is out there.

HOLIDAY SURVIVAL TIPS FOR VEGGIES.

peace and love. Jentri