Cynematik on IndieWIRE

Jodie Foster and Meg Ryan share the same birthday ... but one year apart ... want to guess who is older? Meg Ryan was born in 1961, Jodie Foster was born in 1962. Why do I know this? At one time or another, I've written projects with one or the other of them in mind.

Ryan used to have PRUFROCK PRODUCTIONS. While her production company was active, I queried them about the Pauline story. They expressed an interest. It was an incredibly exciting day. I thought the role was ideal for Ryan ... the story of an actress who was a spy and ended up being honored by the President for her service. It was a cool story.

Foster used to have EGG PRODUCTIONS. I always hoped to develop a project she liked and wanted to do. The truth is that they both have a million people coming at them with projects. Getting through to either of them and having them take on a project would be a miracle and a half. They have both dissolved their production companies since then. Like production companies, birthdays come and go. And, as actresses over 40 (46 and 45, respectively), the roles get scarcer and scarcer.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on November 19, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, MANHATTAN — Last night, Alec and I went to TODAI for sushi (his birthday dinner request). We walked from his apartment on 82nd Street to the restaurant on 32nd Street. So, we walked 50 blocks south and four (4) blocks east. It ended up being a lot of fun. Alec and I blabbered all the way. He talked about the work he's been doing. I talked about what I'd been going through. We both talked about the future.

Today, we ate lunch at Anna Maria's, a sidewalk cafe near hear. Then, we wandered over to Central Park. There were a gaggle of folks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I've never seen so many busses at the Met. Alec, jacob and I were hanging out watching all of the sights in the Park. There were cyclists, jugglers, dog-walkers, kids with radio-controlled toys and joggers. It was late afternoon. The sun was low and bright against the blue of the October sky. The saturated hues of changing leaves were everywhere.

When we got back to the fifth-floor walk-up, all three of us popped open our laptops to check email, surf, play video games and blog. It's funny to see all of us drop into our own little computer worlds. Jacob is looking at Widgets for his iPhone. Alec was playing World of Warcraft and I was blogging. We put THE KING OF SCOTLAND on in the background. It's the story of Uganda's despotic dictator Ida Amin. Forrest Whitaker won the academy award for his performance. Both Alec and Jacob agreed that they didn't like the camera work but loved Whitaker's performance as well. I also didn't like the fellow they cast as the young doctor.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on October 21, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Growing up in rural Wisconsin, I have a particular fondness for cheese. Any cheese. In fact, I love dairy in general. Ice cream is wonderful. Butter is terrific. I even like cottage cheese and yogurt. Of course, I'm supposed to be eating more fruits and ... shudder ... vegetables for my general good health but it's just never as satisfying. You take the girl off the farm but it her heart ... and tastebuds ... still long for the taste of dairy. It is because of this odd sort of sensory obsession that I love all things that remind of "America's Dairyland." Crazy bumper stickers. Odd salt and pepper shakers. Today, I am amused with an animated GIF that I found. It reminds me of a holstein cow. Ironically, it was on a Zambian site.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on September 21, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, the hearing is going to go at least ONE more day and this Friday will be my cross-examination. I'm expecting a brutal day. Earlier in the month, I got an email from a friend to remind me just how insignificant my problems really are ...

Planet Earth is the fifth smallest planet in our solar system.

Jupiter is the "big dog" of the planets and completely dwarfs Planet Earth.

Of course, the Sun is ginormous in comparison to all of the planets.

But, compared to other stars, the Sun is really quite a puny little light in the sky.

Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky and it is more than 1000 light-years away. It is the "heart of the scorpion in the constellation Scorpio.

This is a infrared view of countless "entire" galaxies billions of light years away. How small and insignificant am I??

Posted by Cyndi Greening on August 28, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I got a wonderful email from a former student today! She was a terrific digital illustrator and pre-press wizard. I asked if it would be okay to post her letter. She said she was shocked and that I could definitely post her note. The greatest compliment of all? She asked that I tell her where I end up teaching (if Mesa didn't retain me) so she would know where she could go to keep learning.

Hi Cyndi, I was going to sign up for another class and looked to see what you were teaching. When I did not find anything, I asked my friend Ron (he works in receiving at the school) what was up as I had understood that you were on sabbatical and would be back this fall. He told me that something was up, as your stuff was all moved out of the office and he did not think you were coming back.

So, I went to your blog to see if I could find out what was going on. I am very disappointed to hear you are having legal problems and are not coming back to the school. You are the best instructor I have had for the digital art computer programs and am disappointed that I may have to take classes
from someone else in the future.

I hope you win the Woman of the Year Award as I think you deserve it! I hope everything works out in your favor as you are one of the best and most dedicated teachers I have ever had. Once all of this is over, if you start teaching again in the East Valley, please let me know where. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Take Care,
Sue Kopca

I have been exceedingly blessed in this lifetime. I have been teaching media arts classes since the summer of 1989 at Gateway Community College. In 1998, I made the transition to Mesa Community College and had the incredible joy of teaching thousands of dedicated, inspiring, creative students in filmmaking, design, illustration, animation, web design and digital arts. They're wonderful about keeping in touch and letting me know how they're doing. I love hearing from them and it's fun to share their successes!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on August 22, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Well, my hearing started on Wednesday, August 8. It was the one-year anniversary of our departure for Zambia. I remembered the same sort of butterfly-in-the-stomach, oh-dear-I-think-I'm-going-to-vomit feeling on morning the year before. I hadn't been able to sleep last year, either. This time, I kept going over the exhibits, making sure everything was in order. I forced myself to lay down about 2:30am. But by 4:30, I was back up again, pacing. Everything -- my livelihood, the films, my career, my reputation -- everything was on the line. How could I lay down?

It was a hard day. In these sorts of things, the prosecution goes first. So they called their witnesses and I listened to (in my opinion and the opinion of student witnesses in the room) falsehoods and misrepresentations. It's a hard thing to do, sit quietly when things are being said that you know to be false. But, I didn't think coming unglued and shrieking would serve me in the long run, so I held myself in check. By early afternoon, it was apparent we would not finish. We hadn't even started the defense!

So, the continuation will be on August 23 and 24. I am frustrated with the long delay. First, the hearing committee has only heard the prosecution side so they are left with that impression of me. Second, it gives the prosecution a lot more time to try to find ways of plugging the holes punched in their arguments. I will NOT have that same opportunity because it will finish on the 24th. I won't get two weeks to recover and come back. Sometimes, life just isn't fair. (I can hear myself in my head, "Who ever said life was fair?")

I am ready and eager to get on the stand. I believe with all my heart and soul that I have done nothing wrong. I have always done my very best to serve the students and the school. I care passionately that my students learn the skills they need and go on to good jobs or higher education. Their success is my reward.

I think the thing that is most shocking to me is that the District is trying to claim the copyright to the films. After I have spent over $88,000 on the films, after I sold my house to pay the expenses, after the students gave a month of their lives to go to Zambia to make the films, after spending a year editing the films and working to get distribution, NOW the district comes forward demanding the films. We've been blogging about the films and posting images for over 15 months. The District benefitted from the publicity and exposure. Why make a grab for them now? I am still puzzled by that. Well, it will all get sorted out on the 23rd and 24th. Stay tuned.

Note / Backstory:
For those of you who may have just stumbled onto this blog, I have been the Media Arts Program Director at Mesa Community College since 1998. Students pursue degrees in digital animation, illustration, graphic arts, web design and imaging in the five (5) Certificate and/or five (5) Associate Degree programs in my area. About 104 individuals have earned around 141 degrees or certificates in addition to the thousands of others who have attended courses to advance their technical skills.

I love teaching. I love my students. I love my programs. I have been one of the luckiest people on Earth because, for the last nine years, I have been able to do something I love every day. Something that makes a difference. Something that contributes to people's lives and livelihoods. I have so many students who have taken what they've learned and gone on to careers the love. (They write some of the best emails!) On May 11, I received Notice of Intent to Terminate from the Maricopa Community College District. In my opinion, every allegation in their Notice is false and I intend to prove it.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on August 12, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, ARIZONA, USA — Last night, I watched ELIZABETH on cable. the film stars Cate Blanchett as the Virgin Queen. The film emphasizes the years when she first came to power, when she was vulnerable and England was weak. The film was on my mind and I started chatting about it while running errands. There was a discussion about how Elizabeth never married because she didn't want to be dominated by and have the King of England to be a man from another country.

Eleven-year-old Ciera commented that there were a lot of places in the world where it wasn't very good to be a girl. She went on to say that countries that could have Queens seemed to be better. I suggested that there were a lot of "Queens" in San Francisco but I don't think she got it. In spite of that, I said that there weren't all that many women with political power in the U.S. And, while we have had an Equal Pay Act in the U.S. since 1963, I told her that the wage gap for men and women still hovers around 69¢ to the dollar.

In spite of all that, the U.S. remains one of the better countries to have been born female. And I do love being a girl.

Speaking of extraordinary females, Beverly Sills passed away today at the age of 78. I was never wild about opera but I sure loved Sills. She was the Director of the New York City Opera for a decade and later served as the Chair of the Metropolitan Opera. Sills was an avid supporter of the Arts. She died from inoperable lung cancer. A sad passing of an American icon.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on July 02, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, ARIZONA, USA — I love Diet Pepsi. When we were going to Zambia, last summer, my biggest fear was going an entire month without Diet Pepsi. We have so much video of me whining (oh yes, I can really whine) about how hard it's going to be to go without diet soda. Imagine my delight to discover they have Diet Pepsi in Zambia. Now, even better news. Just before I blew out of town on Wednesday, I stopped by to see Kayla, my favorite niece in Wisconsin. She told me she had to go to work within the hour. She works for Klingers Farms. She picks peas. She makes a whopping $6.75 per hour to pick peas. She says she likes the work. I say, no wonder there is such an influx of migrant workers. I wouldn't pick peas for $60.75 per hour. But, she was happy to go to work.

I hadn't had time for breakfast before I arrived so my sister, Kim, offered to make eggs or something healthy. Kayla and I opted for a bowl of Coco Pebbles instead. Afterwards, we noticed the Fruity Pebbles, so we indulged in a bowl of them, too. Then, to wash it all down, a can of Diet Pepsi. Mmmmm, was I satisfied. Then, to make an already perfect morning even better, Kayla and Kim told me they had tried my Diet Pepsi and they liked it BETTER. (Normally drinkers of Coke products, they had purchased a case of Diet Pepsi just for me. In fact, when I come to town, several homes suddenly have cases of Diet Pepsi in the fridge.) It made my day!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 29, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN — To be totally honest, I am back in Phoenix now but I am wishing I were back in Wisconsin. It's so much cooler up there. I could be on the lake, fishing, with the family instead of hanging out in my little sweat lodge. On Monday, Dad, Sandy, Alec and I went fishing on Big Chetac Lake in northern Wisconsin. Sandy is so competitive, she wouldn't put sunscreen on because she didn't want the smell to rub off on her line and ruin her chances with getting the biggest fish. Good thing she reminded me. I didn't put any on either. She still got the first fish. And then Dad pulled in the second. They were throwing little ones back while Alec and I sat there, drowning bait and feeding the nibblers. They kept trying to make us feel better. "It's awfully windy today," Dad says, "They just aren't too active down there." Plop. He tosses another one in the live cooler. Sandy has a gleeful laugh as she pulls in a big bluegill. She gives Alec jigging lessons. Sandy reminds us that we are due in at 1pm for lunch.

In we go for steaks on the grill, Texas toast and Snickers Salad. That's right. In Wisconsin, they make a "salad' out of Snickers candy bars, apples and a creamy substance (vanilla pudding, maybe, but don't quote me on that). I score politically-incorrect Salt and Pepper Shakers to add to my collection of all things bad. I had a wonderful strawberry shortcake for desert (the Snickers salad was the salad course). After lunch, Alec and I wanted to go back out fishing. It was easy to see that Sandy and Dad were not hopeful. It turns out their hopelessness was well-founded. Dad caught four more. I caught nothing. Alec had a Northern on the line but didn't have his net handy, so the big beast bit through the line and swam away. He had one but couldn't land it. Oh well, we all got lovely sunburns.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 29, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, ARIZONA, USA – I have a Samsung A900 cellular phone. It's sort of the Sprint Razr. Small, sleek, visually appealing. It does, however, have its challenges. My first one had a bad microphone so they had to swap it out. I lost all of my messages, images and stored content. Ringtones that I'd paid for didn't transfer and wouldn't re-download.

The greatest irritation of all has been how difficult it was to make and use my own ringtones. I'm media saavy so you'd think it would be a walk in Central Park but, NO!, it's been just one problem after another. Although there is a USB cable connection for additional content, it won't put data in the ringers folder, just storage. At Sprint, they gave me the additional advice that the memory card is NOT expandable in the A900 so I should be very careful about the size of the ringtones I put into the phone. After three weeks of dogging down all of the problems, I am finally able upload my own ringtones.

Here's the process:

1. Use PEAK or audio editing software to create your clip.

2. Use SORENSON SQUEEZE or other compression / conversion software to change file type to MP3. Make sure the file size is smaller than 2MB.

3. Upload file using PHONE UPLOADER TOOLS

4. When the text message comes in, choose GO. The file will be put in your Ringtone Folder.

5. Access phone book to ASSIGN tones.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 16, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, ARIZONA, USA – I think this is the funniest thing. There was a lot of press coverage about how beloved George W. Bush is in Albania and how the crowds flocked to welcome him. So, imagine how amusing it is to watch one of the adoring crowd members steal the watch right off W's wrist while the Secret Service agents surround him. You can watch the video of George Bush's watch-snatching.

After my senior year of high school, I spent a summer studying in Guadalajara, Mexico. We also went to Mexico City (D.F.) for a week. On the subway, five of my classmates and I were surround by a group of young men. Jostling us about, they slit Cathy's fabric handbag and stole her wallet. They disappeared in only a few moments, two hundred dollars richer. It wasn't until we were racing across the Zocalo, when her mascara and lipstick went tumbling to the ground through the gaping hole that we realized what had happened. I guess I can be consoled by the fact that we were only 18 at the time.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 12, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, SAN FRANCISCO, USA — The long weekend and a friend with computer issues prompted an unexpected journey to the Bay Area. There was heavy fog and rain when we arrived. The Golden Gate was shrouded in fog, barely revealing the lowest section. We crossed over to Marin; the fog rolled over the hills, chasing us up the peninsula. At 6:00 a.m., it was only 54°F. It was around 100° when I left Phoenix, so the crisp air was a welcome relief. The winds were gusty. Refreshing. Cruising up and down the hills made me ever so happy.

Since it is Memorial Day weekend, a trip to The Presidio was in order. The gravestones had all been thoroughly cleaned and gleamed a brighter white than I had ever seen. The wind snapped the flags (and made the Eucalyptus creak). One could feel the historical devotion to freedom and the sacrifice made by so many to protect our independence. Click the image above to see The Presdio on Memorial Day.   Photos by Jeniece Toranzo

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 27, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Peter Jackson's adaptation of the Alice Sebold novel THE LOVELY BONES has found a home at DreamWorks. DreamWorks acquired the package late Friday, beating out Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures and Universal Pictures. DreamWorks acquired the package with Film 4, which originally acquired the project, then developed it with Jackson.

BONES, which went out to the town on Monday, generated a lot of heat because of Jackson's name but came under intense scrutiny for the way it was being sent to market. Jackson and his team shopped the script with a budget in the $80 million range, complete with a start of production date and, uniquely, a focus on marketing. Integral to the deal were conversations about release dates and what other films the winning company will have in the same quarter, because Jackson wanted to know how time and attention will be divided between his movie and others.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 07, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Emmy-winning adventure series, LOST, will run for 48 more episodes over three seasons. Each season will consist of 16 episodes, which will air uninterrupted. LOST executive producers/showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who have been vocal about setting up an endgame for the show, have signed on to stay for the remainder of the series' run. Their separate new eight-figure deals with LOST producer ABC TV Studio include their services on the show as well as multiyear development pacts set to kick in when LOST bows out during the 2009-10 season.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 07, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, MANHATTAN, USA – When I lived in Wisconsin, it wasn't essential to own a car. There was NO mass transit system so it wasn't that it was so convenient or easy to get around. The truth was that there wasn't that much to do so it didn't really matter if you couldn't get around. When I moved to Phoenix, there was no way to live without an automobile. It was over 75 miles from one side of the Valley to the other. Again, mass transit was non-existent but now it became vital to be able to get to and from work, to and from interesting things to see and do. Now, I'm in NYC and vehicle-less again. I'm in the city that is the zenith of things to do and see AND the pinnacle of mass transit.

It is odd but in some ways, NYC reminds me of Zambia. Everyone walks every where. There is a feeling of everything being in perpetual motion. As in Zambia, we eat while we're in motion. Now, to be fair, the food in NYC is quite a bit more American, so much more familiar to us. I've found the best bagel sandwich at a deli near Broadway. It's a bit of heaven on a bun. After my first visit to NYC, the thing I missed the most when I returned to PHX was the deli meal on the run. It's so New York.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 03, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, THE HAMPTONS, USA – What an exciting day we had today. No, we didn't go to the film festival. We caught the Long Island Railroad to The Hamptons. In the movies, the two places the wealthy always visit are The Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard. So, when Pamela said she needed to go to The Hamptons to do some research on a story she's been working on (based on her family), I was only too happy to comply. We caught the train at Penn Station. It took about two and one-half hours to get to West Hampton. We drove through terrain was wooded, peaceful, placid. I saw deer and wild fowl. No wonder The Hamptons are the escape of choice for New Yorkers. It reminded me a lot of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

One of the things we hear a lot is, "Since 9/11 ..." The Tribeca Film Festival was borne of that moment in time. Our cabbie was telling us that The Hamptons had changed a lot since 9/11. They were no longer the vacation spot they used to be. New Yorkers snapped up all the property in the area for residential development. They didn't want their families in the city any longer. Our cabbie thought that it had been advantageous for The Hamptons because it brought stability. I wondered if there'd been a loss of tourist income to the area. He drove us down Dune Road, the most expensive strip of land in South Hampton because it bordered the Atlantic and was dotted with secluded beaches. The ocean breeze was invigorating and the gulls beseeching. We asked the cabbie to take us to the town of Riverhead, about eleven miles to the north.

Our goal was to find where Pamela's great-grandfather's house had been in Riverhead. We didn't arrive until mid-afternoon. The historical society was closed on Mondays so our only research resource was the Riverhead Public Library. We had the names of her relatives and a reference birthdate or birth year. The library was located within a few blocks of the LIRR station. The library had a Long Island Collection and the librarians were absolutely wonderful about helping us locate reference books that might have information about residents in the mid-1880's. We could find tantalizing mentions of the Terrys, the Strongs and the Tuttles but nothing definitive. Suddenly, there on the wall, we noticed a Riverhead map from 1870. And, there it was, on a lot just a few blocks from the train station and the library, the home of Jasper G. Terry, the great-grandfather. It had been in front of us the entire time.

We walked over to the mid-block of Griffing, just south of Lincoln. A big ole house was there. It was now a law office. In back, an old carriage house style garage, to the east, the remnants of a hearth. We'd have to do some more research to make sure it is the Terry house. What an exciting and fun adventure we had on the end of Long Island!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 03, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY PAMELA BOWMAN, MESA, ARIZONA — I love this time of year! I can eat my breakfast on my porch …for two days … and then the nasal drip begins. My eyes get puffy and the allergy breath nauseates even me. I would love to be able to scratch my brain! Anyone have a brain scratcher? Knitting needles? Really long q-tips? So the allergy medicines are purchased and I am back on my bike riding to work. Today I made Cyndi take a break and go outside just to sit in the sunshine. We can only stare at those monitors for so long. I keep going over to the Lakes' pool before work, during work, after work. It’s not like watching exercise gurus on T.V. I actually swim while I am there! The exercise is invigorating and motivates me to get my work done so I can go play some more. The truth is that I feel like I am playing when I work, but looking out of the office window at the beckoning sunshine is … just … well … more than this girl can take!

I am convinced that finding time to play outside helps the work progress. We are getting things done. We are almost meeting our deadlines. Believe me, this is an improvement! Last week, Cyndi’s family was here. There was a phone conversation she was having with her sister because, apparently, she was supposed to have met them at a restaurant. “I am almost there. I will be right there. Really! I am just exiting the freeway.” I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was still sitting at her editing desk! Even if we aren't actually making a deadline, Cyndi thinks she is! She always thinks she's going to make it.

With all of the pollen in the air, my head is so stuffy, I can barely remember what day it is. So spring has sprung. Ain’t it great? Hope you indie filmmakers are making your deadlines. If you're struggling with allergies, let me recommend Benedryl. As a child of the 70's, I've always been told drugs can be a wonderful thing! They make it so much easier to love this time of year … and meet your deadlines … for real!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on March 13, 2007 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, USA -- I'm in Los Angeles for the weekend, talking with editor Jason Behnke about the documentary he is working on and the FilmZambia projects. An editor for eight years, Jason offered some very encouraging words about the projects and made suggestions on getting them out there.

For excitement, he took me to a health food restaurant, LEAF CUISINE. On the way over, he told me that everything they made was raw. Nothing cooked. And, it was vegan and organic. Very healthy, he tells me. Good for my body. So, off we go for dinner. When we get there, I am a little chilly so I order the bowl of Apple Spice Oatmeal and a side of Hummus with Flax Seed Crackers. Imagine my shock after my first bite of oatmeal ... it was cold. Uncooked. Raw. The flavor was good but I couldn't get over the temperature. We won't even talk about the hummus and crackers. He ate the curried wrap. The "wrap" is a big lettuce leaf. I told Jason that I had been planning on ordering the Miso Soup because I was chilly . I asked him if the soups were cold, too. Yep, he says.

So, we went back to his condo to work a while longer. (On the way home, I was able to stop for Diet Pepsi, so I was at least moderately appeased. I tried to buy ice cream but he wouldn't let me. He agreed to take me for frozen yogurt later.) So, later, we went to PINKBERRY for a frozen treat. It's real unsweeted frozen yogurt with fruit. Tangy. So, I'm freezing my fanny off and eating totally healthy in L.A. The sacrifices we make for our films!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on December 03, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, USA & ALEC HART, NEW YORK CITY, USA – On October 16, 2006, two of the FilmZambia crew took off for "The Big Apple." While Alec spent the spring in NYC attending classes, doing an internship and, in general, having a big adventure, Jacob was at Mesa Community College taking media arts classes. After working together to make the documentary and feature films in Zambia, the guys decided the could live and work together in NYC. So, they finished editing the rough cut of the feature and boarded (a much delayed) plane headed eastward.

It's been a little over a week that they've been gone. They report that they're putting the finishing touches on their demo reels and started to contact production companies and entities via CraigsList Manhattan. They've been spending time building their skills with AfterEffects 7. After editing the film on Final Cut Pro, their skills are well-honed in that program. As you can see by the photos, the guys were well-loved and appreciated by the gals on the crew. Jacob is surrounded by Jeniece, M.K. and Pamela. Alas, the best photo I could find of Alec was one with me. I'm sure they'll hope to be similarly surrounded in NY. We shall have to see how they do with that.

Alec reports that the weather is cool and crisp. They're doing a lot of walking and exploring. Jacob is liking the New York deli food and the architecture of the city. I'm wondering if Jacob is homesick. Based on Alec's vocal quality when he calls, I'd say he's pretty dang happy where he is ... it might even be "home" to him now. I'll keep you'all updated on their progress.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on October 27, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, USA – Holy cow!! I look at this blog and I can't believe how long it has been since I have written regularly in this space. I don't think I had any idea how time consuming making an independent film on another continent would be. And, finishing the filming didn't mean we'd be anywhere near "finished" with the film. After spending four weeks in Zambia, we've now spent seven weeks in the U.S. editing those two films into a rough sort of shape. There's still so much work to do on them. I'm pleased with what we've done so far and look forward to getting them to that final stage.

I'm thinking about new projects now. The Zambia films have opened the floodgates for me. I keep thinking about all of the things I'd like to do, projects I'd like to produce, films and things I'd like to make. I'm just anxious to get things concretely created in reality. So many people (myself included) have ideas for films but they never get developed into anything concrete. Having made two films now, I am pleased to have the process under my belt. There are MANY things I'd do differently the next time. The hardest part about doing one's first film is that it is the FIRST. As I'm fond of saying, the first is often the worst because you don't know what you don't know.

The crew and I often discuss what we would have done differently in Zambia had we known then what we know now. We all certainly agree there are things we'd have approached differently, done differently or not done at all. Of course, hindsight is always 20-20. I find myself thinking about how the next film would go in Zambia. There are several things I'd still like to accomplish there.

But, that's not the point of this post. Ultimately, I think every project will have major unknowns that must be discovered, confronted and resolved to bring the project to fruition. They key is, having done one film, it's so much easier to believe those solutions can be found and the project completed. With ever improving chances of success.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on October 23, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

When I was in Manhattan a few weeks okay, there was a fire in a building at the end of the block. I blogged about it last week and posted the snaps I had taken on the street. Alec had captured better photos of the building but had forgotten his "My Picture" password. So, it took a little while to get them uploaded and transferred. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was amazed at how quickly they arrived, how many came and how quickly they got it under control.

The most shocking thing was watching the firefighters race into the building and, a few short minutes later, heard their axes crashing through the apartment glass to give the fire and smoke an escape route. Several crashes later, an opening allowed the ladder truck to pump water into the burning building. You can easily see that in these photos. As quickly as it began, it was contained and under control.

So, earlier in the week, when I heard about the doctor who blew up his building on the Upper East Side (rather than lose it in his divorce), I was not at all surprised when I saw the footage. The chaos looked under control.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on July 15, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I've been back home for a little more than a week now and I find that I really miss New York! Now, you might be thinking that the horrific bout of projectile vomiting that attacked me when I returned to Phoenix is what is making me miss The Big Apple but that's not the (main) root cause.

While I was in NYC, there was so much more to do and so much that was more readily accessible. I was able to contact director Maria Maggenti and invite her for coffee and conversation. Filmmaker Matt Mahurin was in town editing his new film at Rabid Avid. We were able to drop-in and see the first 30 minutes of his film and chat about the upcoming release of his Sundance debut I LIKE KILLING FLIES.

And, I sure miss the food! The deli experience has changed my life! Especially, the fresh egg salad sandwiches. That's right, I love egg salad sandwiches. (Oddly, Alec is madly in love with chicken salad sandwiches.) It's great to pop into a corner deli and get a sandwich for $3.50. There's just nothing like that in Phoenix. And, I miss walking to get it. You just don't walk anywhere in Phoenix in the summer. Not willingly anyway. The thing I miss the most is probably not distinctly NY, yet -- it's the young man -- Alec Edwardo. We had fun wandering the city. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on July 07, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I have to apologize for my minimal blogging the last few days. On Saturday evening, I went to a party and ate native Zambian food. During the night, I came down with what I thought was severe food poisoning. I got in touch with the rest of the folks at the party and found out I was the only one having trouble. Two days later, I find that I have passed my wretched flu on to others. I spent Sunday, Monday and most of Tuesday sleeping. Tonight, I was finally able to keep solid food down. The only problem now is that I associate vomiting with that kind of food. This could be problematic in a few weeks.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on July 04, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Alec and I were on our way to Starbucks when we heard the sound of sirens and smelled acrid smoke. An apartment building at the end of the block was on fire. We watched as firetrucks seemed to materialize around the building in a matter of seconds. The elderly couple in the apartment of origin (see frame 4) were whisked out of the building and into a waiting ambulance.

Meanwhile, the sound of shattering glass as the firefighters in the apartment on the 6th or 7th floor gave the fire an escape route. The water cannon pummeled the fire through the opening. The ladder was lowered into place should other victims be found.

I've written about Alec's fifth-floor walk-up. The street you're looking at is his street. Had the fire gotten out of control and started consuming buildings, his home might have been one of the homes consumed. Having spent time in a New York apartment, I have a whole new respect for NYC firefighters. The compression of humanity into endless rows of towers makes every second count. I was amazed at how quickly and efficiently the contained the fire. It was awe-inspiring.

I thought of the firefighters in the twin towers and realize what they were trying to do and what they were trying to prevent. They're amazing fellows.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 30, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's so humid, it feels like I'm walking in a sauna. Again today, it's been sprinkling periodically. I can't tell if it's raining or it's just so humid that the sky is dripping. At least it's overcast so we can walk around and enjoy the sites without roasting. While it may sound like I'm complaining (to be certain, I do that with some regularity), in this case I'm just observing the amazing difference between New York and Phoenix. There isn't one minute of the day that I don't feel like a STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. Some of the more remarkable differences ...

"DOMESTICS" ... there are so many people who seem to be looking after other people. Often, they're women from Asian, Indian or African nations. They push the dozens of strollers (giant strollers, I might add ... in Phoenix people have big cars, in New York, the size of your stroller shows your economic status) moving on each block of the city, they follow motorized wheelchairs and other vehicles for the elderly, and they bring tastefully dressed Caucasian children to the deli for lunch. There were two particularly odd moments I witnessed with "domestics." A woman with three boys in very large strollers (in fact, the boys looked too large for the strollers) came into Starbucks with her teen domestic. She patronizingly asked the girl if she wanted something since the boys were having a treat. It was very odd. Another domestic tried to order lunch for the children in her charge. Her English was so poor, she had to get the child (about age 6) to order for them. It's such a different world.

"DELI" ... there's a deli on every corner and the food is so fresh and delicious. In Phoenix, it's hard to find something quick, cheap and good (what's the saying ... pick any two because you can't have all three at once). Well, in NYC you can get all three in most shops! Yesterday, Alec and I ate lunch for $9.56. Both of us. Fresh sandwiches and beverages for less than $10. I don't think we can eat at Burger King for that. There was so much, Alec had to bring half his sandwich home. And, the joy for me ... no dishes to do afterwards. Simply amazing.

"SO MUCH TO DO" ... ironically, everyone keeps asking me what I'm doing, like I should be hitting all the tourist spots. I guess it's the same way people always ask if we go to the Grand Canyon. It's there so it must be THE thing to do. NYC has so many things to do and see. I could spend a fortune visiting all of those things but, to be honest, I'm enjoying wandering around, getting the feel of the city. I'm liking the experience of being relocated in space. I feel like someone snatched me out of MY space/time continuum and thrust me into a different one. Very Star Trek ... or SYBIL ... regardless, I'm enjoying the discombobulation. I'm trying to use it as training for going to Zambia. The challenge of finding a comfort zone in the face of total change and chaos.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 25, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It's been raining off and on all day. In NYC, everyone walks everywhere. Cabs are too expensive (and slow) to take all the time. The subway is a bit steamy and, besides, nearly everything you need is within a few blocks anyway. I thnk I've walked more in the last five days than I've walked in the last five years. I love being on the streets and getting the rhythm of the city. It's so different from Phoenix. It's still hot. It's more humid. But there's a breeze most days and there's just so dang much stuff to look at.

NYC is an architecture-lover's dream. There are so many amazing buildings, both old and new. The churches are inspiring and often imposing. Every block is a different visual treat. There are world-famous buildings (Empire State, Chrysler, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and so on) to gaze at ... I found Grand Central Station (pictured here) to be breath-taking. The city seems so familiar (due in part, I am certain, to the prolific number of episodes of the LAW AND ORDER series that are filmed here). Yet I have discoverd and enjoy the little-seen and unknown wonders just as much.

Walking around, I've found this whole different underground world. I remember when the Coen Brothers came to Phoenix to shoot RAISING ARIZONA. Marsha McCreadie, the film critic for the Arizona Republic went to interview them about the film. They talked about how shocked they were that there were no basements in Phoenix. They had to re-write the script because the final chase sequence went through a bunch of basements. There just isn't much subterranean life in the Valley of the Sun.

New York, by comparison, has an underground life that I never knew about. Virtually every deli, store, cafe and shop has a set of metal doors in front of it. Those doors open up every day to receive new merchandise, retrieve additional supplies and make the lives of the workers generally more challenging. Up and down the stairs go employees. New Yorkers make use of every tiny bit of usable space.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 24, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I'm in New York City today so I had to go to Times Square to visit the new Apple Store. The giant crystal cube was quite inspiring and crazy mad full of people. Earlier in the day, I went online and made an appoiintment at the Genius Bar for 7pm. We arrived at 7:01 and by 7:08 we were sitting with Genius Emily to discuss my problem Mac. She solved the issues in a very short time and we were back on our way. My favorite thing was riding in the glass elevator. I felt like the WIZARD OF OZ rising out of the ground.

There are many days I think that I want to work for Apple or teach for Apple or something. I just love their stuff so much. I've been using Macintoshes from day one and they just keep getting better and better. I sometimes get a missionary zeal about them ... fortunately, my saner self takes over and I return to normal functioning, again.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 21, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Today, I was on the quest for more support and more funding for the Zambian Films. I called up some friends I hadn't spoken with for quite some time to ask for advice and guidance. It was really fun to talk with them about the films. We had all volunteered together on a large fund-raising event for Phoenix Children's Hospital. A group of like-minded folks, we were all committed to doing good in the world and willing to commit our time, money and energy to making a difference for children in the Valley.

One of the things that really drew me into the Zambian film project was Jabbes' tragic loss of his son, Jabbes Jr. His desire to establish the film industry in his country and create the first dramatic feature film to honor the memory of his son was very compelling. I've been so humbled to support these honorable goals.

The really exciting part was being able to talk to these friends about what I was working on now. Of course, most of them continue to volunteer and commit themselves to making a difference for children and for the Valley. I had the chance to talk about the good my MCC students are hoping to do for the world.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 13, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Twenty-nine years ago today, June 6, 1977, we all had to heed the day of Jason's birth. He arrived in mid-afternoon on a sunny day. He's now all grown up and living in L.A. Happy Birthday, Jason!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 06, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

We've been hanging out at Edwards Air Force Base with Andra and her twin boys, Reilly and Jordan. They're pretty active youngsters. We went to Chuck E. Cheese to chew up a few hours of daylight hours. Then we went back to the base. They rode their bikes. They rode their scooters. If one gets tired, not to worry, the other will pick up the pace. I marvel at how Andra does it all. Justin is in Iraq (he's due to return in a few weeks) and has been there since last November. She works in Base Security so she's always helping to manage the safety of the equipment, people and physical space of the largest base in the U.S. On top of that, she's going to college online. I feel like a real slacker next to her.

Driving around the high California desert (they call the region Antelope Valley), I'm amazed at how visually bleak and windswept the area appears. I read a short story by Joan Didion that so captured the feel of the area. Almost every time we go through the area, Alec says he'd shoot himself if he had to live out there. The hot, dusty wind chafes the air and leaves you feeling gritty after only a few moments. To borrow from Steinbeck, unending seasons of discontent.

Andra's military service is complete in June of 2007. She's planning on moving to the lush hills of Maryland. I'm sure her boys will love the woods, the hills and the lakes. They'll grow up in a region more similar to the Wisconsin environs Andra and I grew up in. It's certainly more visually arresting.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on June 04, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Joan went to Chicago for a conference and found the perfect gift. The small, handmade book is filled with African Wisdom. The covers have a geometric yarn pattern. They're very tactile.

There are a number of African sayings (I was hoping for one or two Zambian quotes but, alas, there were none) on natural brown pages. The artwork is also very geometric and native. Two of my favorite bits of wisdom:

Until the snake is dead, do not drop the stick. — Ivorian proverb

Do not throw away the oars before the boat reaches the shore — Mpongue proverb

Jabbes says that in Zambia they often use proverbs and tales to teach children and make points in discussions. He has said that he would love to do 3D animations of some of the Zambian folk tales. I'm looking forward to hearing those stories to see if the student animators at MCC could produce such a film. I have a gifted student, Luis Alvarez, who wants to make an animated film. I'm waiting until we get back from Zambia to get that project started. It's all so exciting.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 27, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Thus far, my sister and a dear friend (I was going to say "old friend" but thought that might be misconstrued) have both suggested that I'm being tooooo sensitive about the Tribune article (now isn't that a surprise ... not). So, I'm going to publicly retract my quills and say they may be right.

It's always tough at the end of semester because I'm so exhausted getting everything done. Last night was graduation at MCC. It was my 9th one (I can't even believe it) and, as usual, I enjoyed it tremendously. As our students cross the platform, I'm reminded of why I do this work. I hope they have found something they love to do and spend their lives contributing their skills, talents and creativity to the world. I find myself hoping and praying that we've done well by them; that they've acquired the technical and critical reasoning skills to be successful. On these evenings, I am sensitive to the pressure ... and pleasure ... of a life in education.

The weariness and awareness wear a bit on me at the end of term. As Spike Lee would say, I just want to be sure that I'm doing the right thing.

So, I'll clean up the dart I tossed about the Tribune article. Jabbes has been my student for over a year now and when he came to ask for help in producing his film, it brought a lot tasks to my life. It was a worthwhile endeavor so I took it on but it nearly burst my already over-committed schedule. Jabbes will always say, "I have so much respect for you, Mum. I could not have done this without you." Somehow, I was hoping that collaboration and commitment on BOTH of our sides were more apparent.

When he and I get together now, we both talk about how inspired and excited we are ... AND how tired we are. He says he never sleeps before 4am. I tell him I've even missed a couple of nights of sleep all together. We both feel very committed to the projects and work hard to make them exciting and successful. I think we both see what a beneficial thing this collaboration on art, education and industry can be for Zambia. At the end of the day (and, at the end of my time), that will be what was important.

And, one final note, by Monday, Jabbes will be blogging about the Zambian film projects at a new site I'm establishing, filmZambia.com. He's hoping to share his process and struggles about the making of the films.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 13, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Art students are wonderful because they're always discussing larger social issues ... war, politics, religion and all that sort of controversial stuff. The more advanced the classes, the more advanced the conversations. Tonight, there was a big debate about what the administration knew and when. What the administration may or may not have done; may or may not have stopped. Sometimes it gets very heated. Tonight, everyone was most distressed about where the U.S. was at in the global view.

Ted Organ provided a link to an interesting conspiracy documentary 911 Loose Change. I promised I'd post the link for the folks who missed it.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on May 01, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I am in complete agreement with Anthony Kaufman blogpost about how guilty he felt when he didn't blog but, as a non-income generating activity, how he feels guilty when he does blog because he should be working on something that makes money (or has the potential to make money). I've got three blogs I maintain. I try to vary the entries on them so that one reflects my film interests, another my film & animation teaching and the other my personal commentaries. Trying to vary the content creates a wicked time commitment. Thus far, I haven't been able to make myself stop. In fact, it's the one thing I will do with some diligence. (I can only hope it pays off -- in dollars -- someday.)

The other problem I have with blogging is that the film-related things I'm doing right now are very, very exciting BUT I'm afraid of writing too much about it for fear of losing it or having it fall apart. In years past, I've had things "permanently borrowed," so I'm cautious about putting too much out there. It turns out that I'm even more open than Jason. When I wrote about his documentary, he too got worried about it inspiring someone else to do the same.

His Panasonic DVX200A finally came in and he's having a great time with it! He's been out shooting on his documentary every day this week. I'm looking forward to seeing the footage and hearing about the capture method he's using. I'm a tad envious.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on April 21, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Thank Gawd, Almighty, I am free at last!! Perhaps you've noticed that my blog has a new look (a new "skin" in the vernacular of the day). I have been complaining, whining and kvetching for over two years about how much I dislike using RADIO USERLAND as a blogging tool. When I started blogging in 2003, RADIO was inexpensive and seemed easy to use. It had an automatic picture uploading tool. It had RSS features I liked.

BUT THEN ... I started traveling more and wanted to blog from film festivals like Sundance and SXSW and Tribeca but it was nearly impossible and totally frustrating. I had to move everything to a laptop (which I always had to check out from school, borrow from a friend or use my antiquated "luggable" laptop) because RADIO requires the application and root folders to function. Then, when I got home, I need to reverse the process. It was so dang irritating not to be able to just log-in through a browser and blog remotely.

I looked into converting to another software package but found it would insanely tedious and time consuming to transfer a Radio Blog. Every site I found online that had hints and help for exporting Radio entries was either very old or not very encouraging. I started leaving messages on bulletin boards in the hope of finding an easy way to fix my problem. One Board Moderator directed me to the Workbench of Rogers Cadenhead.

You see, I'd started blogging on IndieWIRE and had come to love Movable Type. I had the option of post-dating entries (if I wanted to work ahead) and of categorizing easily. MOST important, I could blog remotely ... from any computer in the world. I wanted the features of Movable Type AND, at the same time, I didn't want to surrender three years of content!!!

Imagine my joy when Cadenhead (an author, consultant, teacher and total tech-head (I mean that in the nicest way possible) quickly and efficiently converted my 991 ENTRIES for transfer into IndieWIRE for a very reasonable fee. (My friends were so happy to hear I wouldn't be complaining about that anymore.) He even found a way to preserve the image links (refer to the screen snap for the nasty snarl of the deeply nested and separate folders that Radio creates). I wanted to get it done BEFORE Tribeca (which starts in six days) and he accomplished in record time.

Then, Jonathan at PC Optimized was able to set Movable Type up on MY server and import that data so I can now post to any of my blogs, from anywhere in the world, at any time, without losing my years of research. Now, I can get back to WORK and get some entries up!!!

Posted by Cyndi Greening on April 18, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I really enjoyed the film CONSPIRACY THEORY starring Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts. There is a theory (not a conspiracy theory, just a theory) that belief in conpiracy theories is inversely proportionally to the public's belief in their government. In other words, the more cynical and distrusting the public is of government, the more they believe in clandestine conspiracies.

So, if you ever read this blog and have any idea of how much I trust the current administration, it will come as no surprise that I enjoy reading conspiracy theories and watching conspiracy films. MCC graphic design student Ted Organ sent me a link to a clever 9/11 Conspiracy Documentary that you may enjoy.

Posted by Cyndi Greening on April 17, 2006 | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)