I learned so much today. I went to a workshop on collaborative investigative reporting and learned lots of networking stuff. I also got a "quicky" course on satellite and internet sites.
I heard FABULOUS productions from thirdcoast. They had a listening room, played bits of documentaries that won awards, and had discussions.
I have a good ear for audio, but this was inspiring!
I went to a wonderful workshop on developing documentaries. I met an editor from NPR. She worked her way up from temp office work to receptionist to documentaries editor! And is she sharp!
Also, she remembered my name, which really scared me. I told her, ut oh, I'm in trouble now; the principal remembers my name! She just wanted to make sure I got a copy of NPR's documentary guidelines.
I learned SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was like a year of college in two days! I swear it was!!!
I ate over a DOZEN sausage links and six slices of the ripest pineapple for breakfast, drizzled with pancake syrup! LOL
I never buy sausage; it's too expensive for pig anus and lips. But I really like it! And pineapple is WAY too expensive here...weird, since we're so close to Mexico, huh?
We had a fabulous "taco salad" for lunch: deep fried, flour tortilla "bowl." Black beans, fresh salsa, corn relish, guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, lettuce and turkey breast. We had gespacho, nice rolls and.....CHOCOLATE MOUSSE for dessert!!! Lots of ppl had gone home already, so I had three desserts!
I'm so hyped. I know how to begin to educate myself about independent production now. I know how to interview. I know how documentaries are pitched now and where to pitch them. I know how to network with other investigative journalists now. I know who to email.
I know how to start the last part of my life. I know how to succeed as a journalist, a documentarian, an editor, a sound mixer, a producer.
It'll take time. It'll take practice and commitment and looong frustrating hours.
But, compared to the death of my daughter, serial homelessness, beatings, rape, stalking, rejection from the love of my life, eating out of dumpsters, assaults by total strangers, terrorism from cops.....
....this will be CAKE!
It's the love of my life. It's what I was born to do. It's my passion.
In one of the pieces in the Listening Room today, called "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off," a story about NAFTA, using tomatoes as the example, I heard Fred Estaire, singing that song.
And I quietly wept.
My father was the sound engineer on that movie.
And here I am, seventy years later.
Doing what I was born to do.
I'm scared senseless.
But I'm no longer afraid I can't do this. I know I can. And I know how to proceed. And I WILL do this.
...or die, trying.
what a blessing this conference was! What a joy! What a priviledge.
And the sausages were very nice, too!
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