This LOUIE project has provided a very interesting ride. When I first started this thing, I really knew absolutely nothing about LOUIE LOUIE, the career of Richard Berry, the Pacific Northwest rock scene, or this mysterious band known as the “Kingsmen.” Since I’ve been involved with this thing, I’ve dug up a lot of material that was unknown by all the parties involved. Like a grand jigsaw puzzle, I’ve been gathering little bits of the pieces, and assembling a massive mosaic that has grown substantially larger that I could have ever imagined. I have a lot of people to thank for providing me with a wealth of material, from the original musicians that shaped the LOUIE LOUIE prototypes, the music archivists that shared their resources, my fellow media professionals that allowed an open exchange of ideas, the eBay dealers that profited by selling stuff from their garage that became excellent reference materials, to the family and friends that gave me encouragement, I am extremely grateful for all the support I have received.
Most of the feedback I receive is extremely positive, or simply confused how someone like myself could actually find so much material on what they see as a “non-issue.” Every now, I get some really mean-spirited messages from some arrogant imbecille that takes pleasure in either trying to prove my statements wrong, or in the case of the idiot yesterday, really sick insults devoid of any type of human intelligence. I try to deflect such attacks with appropriate responses, but sometimes I wonder whether any response should even be necessary at all. Perhaps, the less said, the better.
Earlier this week, I attended the INPUT 2005 conference. Each year, the INPUT conference gathers producers, editors, buyers, and decision-makers in the international Public Television business to showcase films, conduct panels, and talk about the state of the industry in 2005. This year, the INPUT took place in San Francisco. Next year, it takes place in Taiwan.
I attended this event with a stack of DVDs I created, featuring my new preview trailer, actively seeking out any company that might be able to provide me with some completion funds. There were approximately 60 different countries represented at this event, and I had a chance to chat with many different people. I met a lot of people that were in a similar situation as myself- they created a project, and now they wanted the money to finish these visions. There were a handful of people that had the power to finance the big projects, but unfortunately, many of these people didn’t mingle as much as I would have liked.
Often when one attends such events, it’s healthy to take the approach that one should expect absolutely nothing, and therefore one would not be disapointed when such things actually occur. You do your best, put on a good front, and have a great time, regardless of a lack of immediate gratification. Building for the future does not happen overnight, so one must be prepared to hurry up and wait. As a wise man once told me, “you have to pet the pony before you can ride it”…. and so I shall.
One film that really impressed at this INPUT conference was a documentary entitled “Calling Hedy Lamarr,” which was directed by Georg Misch of Austria. In her heyday, Ms. Lamarr was considered the “most beautiful actress in the world.” What most folks didn’t realize was that this talented woman was also an inventor that devised some revolutionary high-tech prototypes that assisted the United States military. This documentary explored the dysfuntional relationship with her children, and her downfall from riches to poverty with some unique cinematic storytelling. This film has already been seen in much of Europe, and I hope that it finds a proper showcase in America. I was very impressed with this film.
Immediately after attending the conference, I was bombarded by the news of Michigan school marching band contoversy, which occupied more of my time than I expected. I’ve also been working around the clock to help my friend Myke Destiny in his big move back to Pittsburgh. I must have moved about 300 pounds of paper from his garage, which included a lot of archival music magazines. I’ve found some gems amongst the pile that I can use for the documentary, but mostly I’ve been trying to find homes for these old publications that I know will be appreciated once they find their rightful adopters. In some cases, I’ll be selling a lot of the ultra-rare magazines on eBay, which I’ll be able to use to help finance the big documentary.
Then, there’s the big lawnscaping project that’s occuring at my homebase this week as well, providing the unintentional obstacle course. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.
Yesterday, I received news from my friend Michelle that her mother, Barbara Costa, died after a long illness. Barbara’s brother was Mike Burk, the original drummer for the Wailers. I remember Barbara telling me a few stories about the band, which were quite enlightening to hear. My heart goes out to her family and friends on this sad day we celebrate around the United States as “Mother’s Day.” She will be missed.