giving thanks

Realize I didn't say here how grateful I am to all the folks who contributed in myriad ways to the Kickstarter campaign for "Crossing the River". We raised over $15,000!!! Amazing to me. Friends from my childhood, from high school, college, Los Angeles, NYC, acting class, mama friends, family, friends of family.. the list truly goes on. Also my incredible producers brought on friends and family to donate as well. A few people who were new to us also donated. Perhaps they read about the campaign through all the amazingly supportive people who were posting about it non-stop on Facebook and Twitter, emailing about it, articles and interviews about us in Her Film and Queens Mamas, posts on blogs such as loveisntenough and beehivehairdresser.. friends were literally checking the stats on the site as much as I was, and doing the countdown with me. I don't know if I've ever experienced such a phenomenon before. People donated generously (and believe me, I know, for some $10 is a very generous donation), increased their donations, supported me and the project in more ways than I can say. We reached our goal. *Wow* Thank you.

It is January now. 2 months away from the shoot. Trying to determine (this week) whether we will shoot in SC (need another $15K) or NY (more likely), reaching out to DP's, refining the script, and millions of other details I need not bore you with.

Miranda started school today. Only for 2 hours, and it will only be twice a week. When I picked her up, she had a big smile in her face as she showed me her project (coloring mittens). When I asked her if she had a good time, her huge grin said it all.

It is not a huge amount of free time to work, but it is a start. And as I've explained before, I make it work in other ways.

She told me she wanted to be in my next movie, and say "aaaaaaah"! Sweet. Gotta write that into something soon.

Oh, and by the way, she turned 4 last week!!!!!!! I truly cannot believe it.

Love, thanks, blessings.

Emilie

(photo above by Hunter Desportes)