park city - day 4

Today was an extremely stressful day. I camped out alone at the condo where emails and phone calls dominated the morning. As it turns out, last night our music clearance process hit a bump in the road. I had always known the music licensing process would be a long one. I also knew a film like SSB only had a chance of getting the proper clearances if the folks at the top viewed the entire film and were moved by it. So in September, after 8 years in the making, I locked the picture, submitted my music license requests, and shipped SSB to the SLAMDANCE Film Festival (on the last possible day for submissions).

That day back in September was the most surprising day of my 8 year journey to making this film. I had not anticipated the wave of emotion I would be hit with when the Fedx truck pulled away with my SLAMDANCE submission. I can only imagine what it will be like when my kids go off to college to fend for themselves.

Over the years, many asked me why I continued to make the film despite not having the music cleared ahead of time. My reasoning was simple; if this project was about a monetary return, I would have pursued the music clearances years ago, and they would have certainly been denied. However, the priority of this project, from day one, has been about creative, not commerce. Of course I would like to recoup my costs and compensate my talented and dedicated crew for their contributions, however, SSB has been almost like “creative therapy” for me. It has allowed me to balance the compromise of everyday commerce with a meaningful creative endeavor. My only hope of getting the music cleared was to finish the film.

So now after 8 years, the film is complete and the premiere is tomorrow. However, I need more time for my clearance requests to get to the top. Thats the bad news. The good news is that over the last several weeks SSB has made its way to the individual that administers Neil’s publishing. This person screened the film and carefully considered it. I can not tell you how appreciative I am when someone watches my film. Anyway, he told us he would send our requests “up the flagpole”. As you might imagine, going up the “flagpole” does not happen in 24 hours and definitely does not happen over a long holiday weekend. However, getting to the “flagpole” is huge! For this opportunity I am so grateful, but today I have a decision to make - premiere the film tomorrow night without formal permission to use the music and risk ticking someone off, or postpone the screening until later in the week, and hope my film makes it to the top before then.

Last night when it became very evident the clearances were not going to happen before the premiere, I looked up a phone number I have had for nearly three years, but never called. Last night, I called Eddie Vedder to ask for his assistance in getting my film up the flagpole. Eddie plays an important roll in Lightning & Thunder’s story and has been a supporter of my film since he learned of it three years ago when I sent his management team a rough cut of a scene he is in. (you will have to see the film to fully understand). Several hours after leaving Eddie a message, he called back and told me that he and his manager would do what they could to assist me in getting my film up the flagpole as quickly as possible. We spoke about the humanity and soul Lightning & Thunder’s story, and agreed to speak again the next day (today).

Around noon I got the heck out of my condo and met for a coffee at the Cow with my good friend Robby. Robby used to be my Executive Producer for commercials and has been a close friend and sounding board during the making of Song Sung Blue. He has spent countless hours reviewing rough cuts, discussing creative decisions, and just plain old being a good friend. Today he blew off a couple screenings to sit with me for several hours to discuss SSB again. I am so grateful for Robby’s support. He agreed that if Eddie’s efforts were not successful, I was correct to delay the screening.

After coffee (and an almond croissent), I headed up the hill to SLAMDANCE. During my walk I called Vince, my re-recording mixer back in Philadelphia. I explained the situation to him and asked if he could please mix out all the tracks in question, replacing several of them with instrumental tracks that Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers) had uploaded from his most recent album. Tony wrote and performed the score for SSB. He is incredibly talented and was so gracious to make his entire recording library available to me during this difficult time. Vince said he would make whatever needed to happen, happen. Vince is amazing.

I arrived at the SLAMDANCE office to arrange for the postponement of my premiere. Sarah and Peter were extremely supportive and prepared a new screening time of Wednesday @ 10:45pm. They would await my call once I had heard back from Eddie.
So now the plan was in place, regardless of the outcome in the next several days, I will screen SSB on its rescheduled premiere date. If my music license request does not get up the pole in time, or is denied, I will screen a version with a new mix that will be a bit awkward in places, but the story of Lightning & Thunder will still be told.

Around 4pm Eddie called. He was sorry to inform me he had no news to report. He wished he had a business day to get to the appropriate people, but he said his manager and several other important friends would do their best to make Neil aware of the importance of my film. I expressed my appreciation for his continued efforts and briefly told him my plan to screen the film with the music removed until I could get the proper clearances. He encouraged me to keep the faith.I immediately called Vince and put the alterante mix in motion. I also retrieved the backup projection master and made arrangements to get it to Philadelphia counter-to-counter first thing Sunday morning. And then I called the SLAMDANCE office and pulled the trigger. My premiere was officially moved to Wednesday night.

Thunder, Rachel and Dana (the talent in my film) all arrived in town and checked into the condo I was staying at for the first three nights. Early in the evening I moved out of the condo to a house I will be staying at with all my family and friends for the remainder of the week. Andrea, the kids, my parents, in-laws, sisters, and several friends all arrived tonight. The stress of the day was muted by their arrival and the priorities of life fell into place.

Tomorrow will be the first big day of publicity for the film. Smile!