It’s down to the wire now. 10 days left to raise our film budget using Kickstarter. Help us spread the word by posting this link. Thank you to all my hometown chefs for showing your support. To learn more and watch a video about our short film visit our Kickstarter funding page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/back2oneproject/back-2-one-project

Peace.

Although I enjoyed watching all eight of the films that were screened at the AFI DWW showcase this year, I found myself much more engaged in MEGAFAUNA, the short film directed by Kaz Phillips. I thought Kaz took the biggest risks, which in my mind produced the most memorable film.

A few weeks ago I reached out to Kaz to find out if she would be willing to share some of the lessons she learned at the DWW. I was so pleased to discover a generous and kind soul on the other end of the line who not only spoke openly and honestly about her struggles but who also took the opportunity to encourage me on.

To listen to our first conversation, visit the Back 2 One Preoject podcast on iTunes.

Take a moment to watch the MEGAFAUNA film trailer.

MEGAFAUNA: Feeling set adrift in her own marriage, Anna corners her estranged husband Milo in a conversation about the nature of love and commitment, but ends up getting far more truth than she bargained for. Produced in conjunction with the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women. Shot by critically acclaimed DP, Reed Morano (Frozen River) and starring 2009 Tony-nominee and Drama Desk Winner Marin Ireland.

One of two things happen when I meet someone for the first time . . . my intensity either draws them close or scares them away. Whether I’m talking to a person or in full-on work mode, I focus 100% of my attention on that individual or project. Everything I do, I do with passion. Those close to me know that when I start something new, I live, breathe, eat, sleep, dream, talk, sing, and dance about it. This is especially true when I’m working on developing a story for the screen. I think about every detail, what I want to say and why.

When I began asking teenage filmmakers why they wanted to tell the stories they’re working to develop, crickets could be heard. This got me thinking about Carl Daikeler, CEO of Beachbody.com, a multimillion-dollar health and fitness company and a man with a clearly defined “why.”

For those of you who don’t know, Carl is the Telly award-winning producer behind P90X, the #1 selling in-home fitness program in the world. Demi Moore, Aston Kutcher, Sheryl Crow, Erin Andrews and many, many more have seen extreme results by using P90X. You don’t get to enjoy this kind of success unless you have a crystal clear “why” driving every decision you make.

Whether preparing to direct a film or start a new business (both HUGE undertakings), Carl’s insight on the importance of having a clearly defined goal can help bring us all a lot closer to making our dreams reality.

To listen to Carl’s inspiring message, visit the Back 2 One Podcast on iTunes.

Sometimes the universe works with you…like the time I met Suzanne Rodier. Our path crossing was totally random and something we laugh about today because had I left one hour earlier we probably would’ve never met.

When I discovered Suzanne was the woman responsible for the unforgettable work in the movie BOUND, starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to give Suzanne her props. How beautiful did those women look in that film? STUNNING.

I’m happy to count Suzanne as a dear friend and collaborator. The contribution made by a makeup artist can really elevate a film to iconic status. Suzanne’s work in BOUND is a perfect example of that. So you can imagine who popped into my mind when I started to think about who might be able to bring my iridescent dreams to life.

Earlier today, I met with Suzanne at LOCAL, a casual little restaurant in Silverlake, California to record a new iTunes podcast episode and discuss working together on my film project.

Attending the New York Film Academy was inspiring, challenging, thrilling, challenging, exhausting, and did I mention–challenging. At the Academy you will learn by doing on day one.

To quote NYFA’s catalogue; “Learning to be a filmmaker is not done “by the numbers.” It is done by immersion in the process and by knowing the “whys” that teach the “hows.” It is done by hands-on experience, trial and error, feedback and correction, and questions and answers. ”

I remember going in one day to check out some camera equipment for a lighting test before my scheduled final film shoot. I noticed the guy in charge had just given my friend Steve and his crew the same equipment I wanted to check out so I didn’t think there would be a problem. When I asked for the camera/lighting package I was told that students weren’t being allowed to use the equipment during the pre-production period. When I questioned why Steve’s crew was allowed to check out equipment, there was a long pause and then I was told; “If you can carry all four of these cases down those two flights of stairs without stopping, I’ll let you check them out for the day”.

I’m a pretty strong gal who’s no stranger to hard work but I’ve got a bad back and those four cases included a heavy pre-war camera, two lights, four tripods, grip equipment, etc.

After I shot him the Puerto Rican death stare, I took in a deep breath, sucked in my stomach muscles and made my way down to the ground floor. I wondered if he could see my knees trembling as I struggled to keep them from buckling. Why did I had to prove my worth by showing brute strength? Not cool and totally not fair when you consider Steve’s easy breezy equipment check out.

When I recounted this story for my sister and explained how I wanted to help other women interested in filmmaking avoid having this experience, she suggested I name my production company “X Chromosome Films.”

Having said that, I wouldn’t trade the experiences I had there for anything in the world. I learned a lot at the New York Film Academy. Instructors like Heng-Tatt Lim and Bryan Norton helped me a lot by being completely honest when it came to feedback. So you can understand why I would think it important to revisit NYFA and reconnect with my old directing instructor as I prepare for the Back 2 One Project.

Big ups to you Bryan for being so generous with your time and for contributing to the Back 2 One Project podcasts.

Visit nyfa.com to learn about their filmmaking courses.

I have had some wonderful moments in my life where I’ve found myself in the company of incredibly interesting and talented individuals. Moments that I wish I could’ve captured on film.

When we decided to move forward with the Back 2 One Project I thought it would be really important to seek out advice from friends, mentors, and industry professionals. But then I thought . . . I should take the idea one step further by recording and sharing the advice in podcast form for download on iTunes.

So, we’ll continue to reach out to industry professionals as we progress in hopes of compiling a wonderfully diverse series of interviews that up-and-coming filmmakers can refer to when preparing for their film projects.

To subscribe for FREE, visit the Back 2 One Podcast on iTunes.