Felicia Day

We wrapped our shoot yesterday and I woke up today feeling like I’d been run over by a car and drank 3 bottles of rum. Unfortunately, neither of these things happened. What happened is GREAT FRIKKING FILMMAKING!

It’s amazing how much support you can get from your friends if you just ask. I think most of us are afraid to start things that are daunting because we don’t have people behind us encouraging us, cheerleading us, deadlining us. But this experience has taught me that deciding to make something happen on your own, THEN reaching out for that support and encouragement is the way to go. It’s fulfilling because it’s truly YOU making things happen. Asking permission for things doesn’t help in life. And in the end, nothing is as hard as it seems in your head before you start. You are your best cheerleader. Be your own parent. The universe is your oyster bed. Should I add one more cliched motivational line or are you vomiting already?

So, these are some lessons I learned:

Babies are funny. Dogs are funny. Starbucks runs, even though they send you over budget, make people happy. Jimmy Dean frozen sandwiches from Costco are gross, and no one will eat them. Don’t serve Shwarma sandwiches the day you’re acting or the other actor will burp in your face really stinky and make you laugh and gag at the same time while the camera is recording. Inevitably, on day 3, the conversation WILL degrade into talking about poo, so just embrace it.

So, phase 3 of filmmaking begins. Editing, finishing, distributing. Thankfully, I have little to do until the editor does a rough cut, except getting someone to help with credits, animator and title person, and getting music, and sound effects and then a strategy for posting it so the most people will see it, and then being objective when I look at my face on camera and not thinking that I have the nose of a Pillsbury dough boy. That last part has nothing to do with producing.