Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

Media coverage is certainly one of the MOST important elements in the success (or failure) of a film. In late May, we made the push to finish the film. There was a reunion coming up in the current Colonies in Mexico (which was ultimately postponed) and Pam had been carrying the film around on her back for more than a decade. On top of that, it is a really good story. A really GREAT story. Alec came in from New York to help us finish the edit. He watched the rough cut and, like Mikey, he really liked it. He said he could feel how hard it was for all of those people to leave everything and go to Mexico. He understood how much they suffered and endured. Let’s be honest, a 21-year-old New Yorker was not our target market. So, if it is appealing to him, we know the story touches universal themes. It is very cool. We hope the national press will be as excited as the regional press have been thus far.

You can watch THE LAND OF REFUGE promo clip (because of copyright, we cannot post the actual broadcast interview). You can listen to a fun radio interview. Or, for you folks who just can’t get enough words, you can read the feature articles that have been written so far. At the bottom, you’ll find a link to an entry on Wikipedia about the colonies AND a link to the Mormon Colonies Wiki.

• Good Morning Arizona with 75-Second Promo Clip posted on PJB Blog
• KAZG Radio Interview
• Mesa Tribune East Valley Women Make Film About Mormon Colonies, a feature article by Religion Columnist Lawn Griffiths
• Arizona Republic Women Make Film About LDS Colonies in Mexico by Gilbert Reporter Emily Gersema
• Also in Pinal County Arizona Republic
• Mormon Times (Arts / Entertainment section)
• Deseret News & Deseret News Comment
• Wikipedia (bottom of page)
• Mormon Colonies Wiki (bottom of page)

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It seems like forever since I last blogged. I guess that’s because it HAS BEEN forever. We are in the final throes of finishing the documentary on the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. The documentary, THE LAND OF REFUGE has been generating a lot of enthusiasm and interest in the U.S. and Mexico. People have been purchasing the DVD at a special reduced-rate pre-release price. Lots of people. We’re going to be sending the documentary to the replicators next week. Two weeks later, it’s in the hands of all of those “early adopters.” I’ve been so grateful for those folks. Every time someone calls or writes to order a copy of the film (from three to eleven people per day), one feels this excitement and responsibility to deliver a really outstanding documentary.

Often times, in front of the classroom, I would talk about filmmaking and animation. I’d talk about how many people think they have a good idea but then they never actually do anything. Or, if they do begin, they never finish. I would always say, “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. People like the IDEA of filmmaking a lot more than the actual process.” When I first started in this arena, I was told to make sure that I loved whatever project I decided to do because I would spend the next three years working on it. It’s true, you know. Projects consume your life and suck up all of your available time.

It has been incredibly difficult to write about independent filmmaking, animation, and media while making a film. There just isn’t enough time in the day. I’ve got a pile of unanswered emails, can’t remember the last time I made a social telephone call, and I fall into bed every night feeling just a half-step short of half-dead. I have been beat, beat, beat. I’m feeling quite proud of the documentary. We’ve had a few people screen the documentary and, thus far, they have been deeply moved and quite enthusiastic.

We’re now making arrangements for the PREMIERE in Arizona. It looks like the public screening will be the weekend of November 21st, 2008. We’ll be at the Harkins Theatre in Mesa, Arizona. They have digital projectors so it’s going to be quite easy to accomplish. So, mark your calendars!!! The debut is almost here!

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Registration for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival passes and packages CLOSES TOMORROW, October 9, 2008. So, if you’re hoping to get a pass or package, you need to GET ONLINE NOW & REGISTER for the opportunity to buy a ticket. If you’ve been to Sundance before, you know that there is a lottery system for package/pass ordering. You register for the right to get a time (this year, there is NO FEE for registering) and, if you’re lucky, on October 17, you find out you got the chance to buy a package AND you got a good time. If you want more guidance, go to the website or download this PDF of instructions: buysundancetix.pdf.

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