One Step Closer to my YES

Last month Dressed Like Kings was hit with a slew, okay two letters that began:

Dear Ms. Holman,

Thank you very much…

Pause. The infamous words of ‘thank you’ that in everyday activity is said after one has received a generous gift, displayed an act of kindness, or a surprise… not a rejection letter. At this point I debated whether or not to continue reading to see how gently the blow would be or place it in the folder marked ‘Misc.’ aka ‘Round File.’ Instead I chose to skim through the letter looking for those key words followed by ‘thank you’: understand, tough, overwhelming, urge, next, wish, regards.

Next. When one receives such a letter at least in the case of the first one I felt invigorated and driven. The letter was nothing but a springboard to launch my next plan of attack to secure funds for my film. After my phone consultation (you get a chance to speak with the funder who will tell you why you got the ‘Thank you’ letter) I was even more convinced that my revived approach and plan of attack to raise the funds was seamless.

The grant approach has been daunting and at times I really think that they will give the money to the person who applies the most. Side bar, they now know my name (i.e. my film) at one of the grant places, which is a good thing, I think. This time around (I won’t reveal how many) I truly felt confident about the arc, the character development and the drama. Dressed Like Kings was finally working on paper and from the scenes the editor was cutting it was working visually as well.

Breath. One thing about grants is that it is truly a waiting process and this most recent ‘thank you’ letter was a test of my patience and lack of. When the date of notifying applications approached I didn’t hear a thing. ‘No news is good news’ I consoled myself, but after a week no news wasn’t such good news.

I felt like I was walking a plank as I dug for the number to the funder and after a minute of connecting to the right person I didn’t get a ‘thank you’ instead I got, “We’ve sent out all the letters last week. You haven’t gotten anything? Oh, I’ll resend it, what’s the name of your project?” From her casual tone I knew the fate, and the email that funny enough came straight through, confirmed my prediction, another ‘thank you.’

In a matter of seconds, my confidence dwindled and a shadow of doubt and fear towered over my faith in my story and my filmmaking. “How many ‘thank you’s’ can someone take?” I cried! My answer came from my dad who said, “Just think, you’re one step closer to your yes.”

" Look. How lovely it is, this thing we have done - together."

" Look. How lovely it is, this thing we have done - together."
Toni Morrison’s, Nobel Lecture 1993

Friday, March 14th, 2008 was the date of new beginnings! As the lights dimmed at The Gate House in Harlem, little did The Leagues know what to expect from our first “paying audience.”

The darkness was filled with an array of laughs, gasps and sighs of relief. Once the lights came up and the applause began to settle, six talented and amazing filmmakers took their rightful position in front of the screen. 6 Things I Never Told You has been a long time coming, two years to be exact. To see the anthology again provided us with encouragement as well as a reminder that what we created is essential and needed.

The experience of creating 6 Things I Never Told You, even with all the bumps and bruises, was well worth it. It is an accomplishment when as Ed said, “six ego maniacs,” can actually complete something and “still talk with each other.” Miracles never cease.

To my comrades: Ed Durante, Rod Gailes OBC, Caran Hartsfield, Cinque Northern, and James Richards, I’ve enjoyed the ride. What I have learned from each of you is priceless and I would do it again at a drop of a hat.

To the audience in waiting, I feel we still have some cleaning up to do with color correction and sound design to make the film perfect. When these corrections have been completed and financing is secured, 6 Things I Never Told You will be reaching a screen (big or small) near you.

Looking forward.

Save the date...

2008 is marked to be an AMAZING year! Not only will the nation decide the next President of the United States, Dressed Like Kings and 6 Things I Never Told You will be reaching a screen near you!

March will mark the premier of 6 Things I Never Told You the first feature film by The Leagues. For those who are unfamiliar with The Leagues, just think Negro Leagues Film instead of Baseball. In short, I had the privilege to collaborate five extremely talented NYU Alums AKA League members to create an anthology of six shorts on romantic relationships at different stages marked on the time line of commitment. 6 Things I Never Told You will screen:

Friday, March 14th at Harlem Stage
Harlem Stage on Screen
150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street
http://harlemstage.org/SEASON/index.php?id=1

Next up, Dressed Like Kings continues to press on to the goal of completion. Currently the editor is cutting away to finish a fifty-minute rough-cut just in time for Creatively Speaking’s Festival, Sunday, April 27th at 9PM at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).

In addition the grass-root campaign lives on as my producers and I continue to secure finishing funds for the fashionable five oswankas. If you want to be part of the grass-roots for DLK campaign, donations are tax deductible and should be made out to:

Women Make Movies
66 St. Nicholas Place #21A
New York, NY 10032-8043
**ON THE MEMO LINE WRITE:DRESSED LIKE KING*

Lastly, I’ve partnered with the talented and AMAZING Tracee Loran to create and develop several hair-brained schemes. Two of those schemes can be seen in the TV section (The Hot Sport Show and Dating Miss Dillard) for your viewing pleasure.

Continue to check in for monthly updates and screenings and renovations to Black Butterfly Productions website.

Keep on keeping on.