Silence, Bloodhound!

Hi –
Just thought I’d post a word about my son’s single “Silence, Bloodhound!” for which we shot a music video last July 15th, under the shadow of a full moon. We were blessed, because that was the only weekend Christopher had free – he was playing side drum for the College of Piping Pipe Band, and was competing pretty much every weekend for most of the summer. But – we wanted a full moon for our beach scene (shot at Cabot Beach on the north shore of PEI), and boy did we get lucky – we were granted a lovely fiery red Harvest Moon on a clear night, and the footage was lovely and haunting, along with the song.

http://vimeo.com/31198827

Today Christopher will have a chance to hear his song played on radio for the first time, as Karen Mair is featuring him (and it!) on CBC’s Mainstreet PEI around 5:30. The tune is also available on itunes so go download it, everybody! Put it on your Christmas list – it’s only 99 cents. And it sounds amazing in the car at night – as Scott Gallant of the Charlottetown band Raccoon Bandit says, ‘Music sounds the best at night in the car in the dark.” And that’s especially true for this song, a haunting ballad about life after death.

So on that topic, I have an interesting idea for a Feature Doc, and think I will explore it and pitch it to some networks. Not going to say anymore about that just yet as it’s very early in the concept stage, but I do believe it’s something I’d be interested in exploring.

In other bluemountain news, well, I just sent an edit off to some friends at Justice Options for Women – the second film I’ve made for them – and probably one of the most meaningful, as it presents the concept of Circles of Safety for Women who have experienced violence in their lives. I was wrapping up the first cut while our community was reeling from the devastating murder / suicide of a young mother and her friend on a highway a few miles from here…so the video was especially poignant. Even more so when I found out that Christopher teaches her nine year old drumming at the College of Piping. I am glad to be able to make videos that are meaningful and hopefully helpful to women at risk.

Well, in other news I have been sending my novel out to publishers (cause did I tell you that it was selected as a finalist in the 2011 Atlantic Writing Awards?) and, as well, I’ve been sending out some one sheets for screenplays in the hopes of attracting an agent. One thing for certain – I realized that my attendance at the PEI SCreenwriters’ Bootcamp was tres important as, when I went through my screenplays looking for synopsis and one sheets I quickly realized that the best ones I had were the ones I’d developed at the Bootcamp – the stories were intriguing and clear, and my writing precise and evocative. So thank you to my good friend Louise Lalonde for running that camp each year – Louise, you make such a difference in writers’ lives! And thanks to Tom Shoebridge and Jennifer Podemski for working tirelessly with writers, and for giving me (and others) confidence and hope in our talent. Y’all rock!

Lastly, a shout out to the IMAC Board of 2011…Scott, Adam, Eliza, and Jonathon – and to Lennie (ED) – great AGM last night, you folks are amazing and I wish you all the best with your amazing new Board. It was an Honour and a Pleasure to have worked with y’all and to have gotten to know y’all. IMAC is a special organization that is close to my heart, and it’s weird to recall that first time I walked through the IMAC doors years ago before I made Bobby’s Peace – shaking and terrified, I sat there telling strangers I wanted to make a film and they must have thought I was nuts (pretty sure I was, in fact), yet that organization welcomed me with open arms and I will never forget the support of IMAC in the years that followed as well. So if you are a nervous wannabe filmmaker or writer out there, get thyself to a local organization or film club, get to know people like you (cause there ARE people like you out there) and make some friends and follow your dreams.

See ya for now, I remain, yours truly,

Susan

PS Did I tell you I signed up for drumming lessons at the College of PIping? Yup. With my new friend Peggy. Christopher is our teacher. It is a time for fun and to forget about the stresses of trying to be an entrepreneur in the film biz. I LOVE it! We laugh and have fun, and most importantly – I am learning 13 stroke rolls. Drum roll puh-leeze!!! Hee hee!