This was my third ‘short’ movie while attending
The Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking in Sedona, Arizona.

It is important to read the background to the making of it in order to understand it.

I had left my home in England in August of 2005.

Had no idea what I was going to do upon landing in Sedona

But synchronistically stumbled across this school and signed up.

I had finally found my canvas to create using the medium of film.

Each week we had a ‘topic’ to work with.

This was the week we were to do it on ‘family’.

The class was divided into groups.

My group decided to do it on my ‘family’ for it had some content
And something we could all work with because I am related to Bette Davis
And my father was a fighter pilot in the Air Force.

The method of learning was like going to “boot camp” and loved every minute of it.

In seven days we went from conception, filming, interviewing subjects,
Location travel, capturing footage, logging footage, writing the story, editing,
Music and at the same time learning it all along the way. Whew!

Fast paced, I must say, but all in all, extraordinarily wonderful.

Some points to know in order to understand the film:

1. There was a running joke in class because I was always saying I am very visual!

2. There were NO EXCUSES 🙂

3. I had no clue about editing upon entering the school, which I found was something I love to do!

4. Every time I had to change any edit it took forever to ‘render’ so I could view it,
Therefore, I left many things I wanted to do
in order to present “something” to the class when it was due,
which, is what you see here.

5. I was leaving my classmates in the middle of sessions for two weeks to California.
This explains the “missing you all” bit, and the “I am leaving on a jet plane” bit.

So, before watching please try and imagine yourself sitting in a dark classroom
At a film school … watching one of their mates’ films.

This film was personal between them and I.

It had no real rhyme or reason to it.
But did the best I could
As I tried to use as many ‘effects’ as possible on my learning curve 🙂

The computer and my skills at the time,
Could not begin to elicit the visions I had in my mind
But all is perfect and ok
For this experience was beautiful along the way.

It was a nine month course.

I left after three months to go back home to England.

I loved my time there, very memorable and will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I could have made many changes before putting it up on the internet
but felt to leave it “Raw”, as it is, and as it was originally done in 2005.

One mistake in it that I later confirmed
is My Aunt Marion was working at “Mariners Book Store” in Laguna Beach,
not a candy shop when she was discovered by Bette and Grant.

All in great fun! 🙂

Thank you for watching and hope you enjoyed it.
www.flywithmeproductions.com