Only The Beginning

"Roger That" - Directed by Bright

Man, it feels like it's taken an eternity to just get to this point.  Ideas have been floating around, pushed back and scrapped all together.  Yesterday, my sister, her best friend (my other sister, Sakinah) & I got it together, finally, to do a quick shoot.  Sakinah and I have been trying to hash out ideas and get the timing right for what feels like forever.  Something always happens but not this time.  Sakinah and I went to scout a location for another idea that we'd come up with about a month ago.  We were able to find the spot immediately.  Fantastic, right?  Right.  Then we set up a schedule for when she'd rehearse and when we'd shoot.  Then, life happens.  We aren't able to stick to the plan because scheduling conflicts arose.  Momentum was lost and the plan was scrapped.  Sadness.  Somehow it just felt like I would never get off the ground...

About 3 months ago, Sakinah and I had a wonderfully insightful and honest conversation.  I was trying to understand "why"....why wasn't I actualizing my dreams yet.  Then she brought up "reasons".  She said we all have these reasons for why things aren't where or how we want them that all pertain to some "external force".  Ok, so I wasn't shooting all the time because I didn't have a camera to shoot with and I needed an editor and a new computer at the very least to be able to try to edit something myself.  She said ok let's start to knock out your "reasons".  That day we went to Best Buy and I bought a lil camera that only cost like $300.  We went to the dance studio and I shot her developing choreography.  I felt like a million dollars...for real.  It felt so good to have something.  It still wasn't enough, though.  I couldn't upload any of the footage onto my computer because it was about 5 years old and wouldn't recognize the video files.  Shit.  You gotta be kidding me.  Sadness, again.  Cut to me finally buying a new MacBook Pro a month ago.  That was a determination that I made at the top of the year and despite delay I did it.  Feeling better still.  This all brings me to yesterday.  Because Sakinah and I had a location we'd already scouted and she and Maya knew the choreography and only had to practice it a few times over the last couple of days it was going to be a totally winning move.  Then we get to the location and no one has the song on cd.  This is hilarious.  We didn't freak out.  I tried walking around with my computer to try to get a signal off of someone's wifi to download it from iTunes.  I said, "I wish there was someone around who would just let us borrow their internet for like 5 minutes."  A couple of minutes later as I'm walking around, Maya and Sakinah come across this guy who is parked at the building adjacent to where we're shooting and he "just happens" to have mobile wifi.  F'ing awesome.  Now, we're winning some more.  I start downloading the song and they go over choreography.  We're under a time crunch because Sakinah has to teach and my camera starts to lose battery.  We made it through, though and felt good about what we'd done.  It was fun the whole time...little pitfalls and all.  Maya dropped me off at home and I started to edit immediately.

Because I have been working on another kind of documentary project I was only a little refreshed on my editing.  I just kept digging to find the answers to things I didn't know...It's been like 6 yrs since I've edited for real.  But I figured it all out and completed it in like 4 hours.  Sakinah and I talked it over and only made minor adjustments.  I couldn't wait to post it last night...seriously.  Shak had to talk me down from posting it without getting an agreement on the edit first.  lol  

What's crazy is that when we first started this site Blogger didn't have the capability to embed video into the actual post.  I dug some more today to try and figure out how to add into our side panel.  They just added the capability to embed recently.  Talk about t-t-totally winning.


This I know for sure...things changed because I've changed...Because I'm continuing to challenge myself in personal growth.  I've been making more determinations and etching away my "reasons".  Having a never give up spirit always, and I do mean always, gets you to where you need to be.  That is why you actualize your dreams.  I'm making little jumps to create bigger leaps.  In a minute, I'm going to be flying...Just watch me. ;)

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Bright