It's a win, it's a win! Chuck Negron - Biography of an Entertainer won The Prism Award in the straight to DVD category!
What an exciting, inspiring day the day of the filming was. The day began with breakfast at the Waffle House in Irving, Texas. Chuck, Princess Laran, a friend of her's and me ready to take on the day. Months before, a live concert had been filmed at SMU which we intended to release on DVD. Unfortunately, technical problems and an inept film crew did such a poor job that the footage was almost a total waste. The good news, the audio was fabulous and it became Chuck Negron Live In Concert the two CD set. In an attempt to regain my footing after the terrible filming at SMU (and, after the book was released), the concept changed. It was decided that a documentary of the book would be made. After months of planning, the day finally arrived. On a sound stage in Irving, Texas, we began. The footage of Chuck in the chair talking and the music video of The Robin was filmed by Brad Murano of Film Xero. Frederick Wolcott (a screenwriter), Steve Miller (Film Xero), Chuck and I spent months planning how we wanted it to look, feel and the message we wanted to send. (None of the aforementioned people (except Chuck) were given credit on the final project, but we are the ones responsible for the documentary, which became the "Bio", coming into existence and for the way it looks and feels). I don't believe in taking credit for work I didn't do, but I do believe strongly in giving credit to those that did do the work! Onward! For eight hour, we all sat in our chairs, Frederick Wolcott and Steve Miller asking questions, me coaching them from behind on where to go next, I knew the story better then they. Chuck doing one of the things he does best, being interviewed. After the 8 hour interview was completed and we felt like we had enough to make a full-length documentary, we were all so excited about what we knew we had in the can, we continued on. Next, we filmed a music video of The Robin (Film Xero has filmed a lot of music videos for a variety of artists and almost all of The Eagles music videos). As exhaustion set in, the silliness appeared. The last effort of the day, a music video of The Gift. That music video didn't come out so well, Chuck has way too much going on in his face for the stark staging we used.
Within the next couple of months, the editing began. I spent days sitting in the middle of my bed, phone to my ear, talking, watching and editing the footage over and over again with Frederick Wolcott. After months of editing, my lack of sanity (which had been gone for a while) got worse, I ran out of money and steam. The project languished until 2004 when Chuck acquired the footage and completed the project with other film makers. Chuck did an amazing job finishing that project. When I saw it for the first time, I had to laugh, Chuck even managed to use a piece of the footage from the horrible SMU shoot on the DVD.
And, now to win The Prism Award! What a marvel. I felt a bit cheated when Chuck Negron Live In Concert was nominated but didn't win. Ozzie Osborne won that year, of course, that was the year he was everywhere. Hurrah for Hollywood!
I'm very proud of the final DVD, I'm proud of Chuck for completing the project and, The Prism Awards have always been special to me, I'm very proud of my contribution to that project.
The best or worst part of all, depending on how you look at it, while planning the filming at SMU, the release of the "Live In Concert" CDs, the planning and filming of the documentary and all the other projects Chuck and I did together, I was completely unsane, certifiable, totally out of my head and totally out of touch with my own reality! Can you even imagine what I could do with my now (after a whole lot of work), sane brain? Drugs and drinks aren't the only things that can cause aberrant behavior, sometimes life changes and unavoidable accidents can do it also. I thank God everyday that addiction wasn't something I had to deal with. I choose to look at those years as years of learning, growing and changing. I'll always regret the bad life chooses I made, the pain I caused others and myself during my madness, but I also rejoice in the really good stuff that came out of that very same madness, like the Live CD and the award winning DVD! I celebrate Chuck and some others (you know who you are) that stepped in and cleaned up alot of the wreakage my unsane actions created. I hope you too will forgive and forget the bad and celebrate the good.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Another month gone by. . .
Here it is, the 27th of April another month almost gone. What a month it's been, changes in attitude, changes in latitude as Buffett would say.
April showers brings May flowers or so they said. I planted some flowers in front of my house a few weeks ago, first time ever! I have stalks, but no flowers yet. More showers needed!
The month of April began with a weekend in Dallas to celebrate the Birthday of My Precious Princess. Friday night, dinner at the O'Neills for out of towners and family, Saturday, "Tea at the Adolphus" with my friends, Princess Laran's friends, family members and a variety of tea-hats, hats, hats! The day was a hat trick success for sure, so much so that Laran and I have decided to make it an annual event. Start looking for your hat now girls! Saturday night, dinner at the Stoneleigh P, boys and girls both attended this evening. Sunday morning, another fond farewell to one of my favorite hotels, The Stoneleigh. Going back to Houston, Houston, Houston. For the first time in my adultlife, I actually slept in the car on the way home, I've never trusted anyone enough to do that since the years that I spent making the roundtrip from Houston to Dallas, with my head resting in my Daddy's lap, safe for any harm. Thank you my lovely, always trustable CoCo.
Monday morning, relaxed, renewed and ready for the day, evidently a little to relaxed and renewed. At approximately 9:30 am, purse in hand I made an exit from that office I hated so much, never to return! A giant step for Me and my renewed vigor for me and my "I'd rather eat dirt then spend one more minute of my life with you" attitude. It felt really good to show up for me and all that I know to be right and good.
April 12 - The Birthday of my Beloved Deceased Daddy. A difficult day to breathe my way through, just looking at that date on a calendar sends grief coursing through my body. "They" say it gets easier as time goes by, but I've never paid much attention to what "they" say. As a matter of fact if I could have figured out who "they" are, I would have killed them years ago. All "they" have ever done is cause trouble by trying to tell others how to think, feel and dress. I guess in "the natural" as Joel would say, it does get easier, I haven't cried in my sleep in a long time, I now think about all the good times we shared more than I think about how much I miss him. All the lessons he taught me that I didn't pay much attention to in my younger years seem vital to my existence these day, so, I constantly hear him talking to me in my thoughts, he seems to be very near.
April 16 - A date of new beginnings - My Precious Princess Daughter was born at exactly 10:42 am 27 years ago on this day. My child is now the age I was when I had her. When I think about that, I can't help but reflect on how different my life was then from how her's is now. I'm so very grateful she has created the life she's created for herself! Recently I've heard a song on the radio a lot that, as luck would have it, is sung by Martina McBride, the song is "In My Daughter's Eyes." The words of that song truly reflect how I feel about my daughter. I don't know what I ever did to deserve the Grace God showed me when he blessed me with my Precious Princess Daughter, but at some time in my life, I must have done something really, really good! Since the moment of her birth she has, in so many ways, always reminded me to Dance!
April 24 - Good reading material in the mail today! Laran's latest issue of Prism! Good job Sweetie, the cover is marvelous, the writing interesting, the layout fabulous! It's truly amazing how much the publication has changed since you took over as the Editor and writer. You have certainly made a difference.
Speaking of Prism. April 27 - The Prism Awards are being given out in Los Angeles tonight. "Chuck Negron - Biography of an Entertainer" is one of the nominees in the "straight to DVD category". It's the second Prism nomination for Chuck, "Chuck Negron -Live in Concert" was nominated in the Music Category a few years ago. I hope Chuck wins a Prism Award tonight, I'm very proud of that DVD even though, understandably so, I didn't receive any credit for all my hard work on that product. The credit thing doesn't really matter, I know what my contribution to that product was and I'm proud of it, and I'm proud of Chuck for doing all that he had to do to give it life in the world. Thank you Chuck. If you are wondering what the Prism Awards are go to www.prismawards.com and read away.
The rest of April will be spent enjoying the wonderful weather we are having here in Houston, being grateful for my new home, My Precious Princess Daughter, and all the good times still to be had.
Me Soon Come Back!
April showers brings May flowers or so they said. I planted some flowers in front of my house a few weeks ago, first time ever! I have stalks, but no flowers yet. More showers needed!
The month of April began with a weekend in Dallas to celebrate the Birthday of My Precious Princess. Friday night, dinner at the O'Neills for out of towners and family, Saturday, "Tea at the Adolphus" with my friends, Princess Laran's friends, family members and a variety of tea-hats, hats, hats! The day was a hat trick success for sure, so much so that Laran and I have decided to make it an annual event. Start looking for your hat now girls! Saturday night, dinner at the Stoneleigh P, boys and girls both attended this evening. Sunday morning, another fond farewell to one of my favorite hotels, The Stoneleigh. Going back to Houston, Houston, Houston. For the first time in my adultlife, I actually slept in the car on the way home, I've never trusted anyone enough to do that since the years that I spent making the roundtrip from Houston to Dallas, with my head resting in my Daddy's lap, safe for any harm. Thank you my lovely, always trustable CoCo.
Monday morning, relaxed, renewed and ready for the day, evidently a little to relaxed and renewed. At approximately 9:30 am, purse in hand I made an exit from that office I hated so much, never to return! A giant step for Me and my renewed vigor for me and my "I'd rather eat dirt then spend one more minute of my life with you" attitude. It felt really good to show up for me and all that I know to be right and good.
April 12 - The Birthday of my Beloved Deceased Daddy. A difficult day to breathe my way through, just looking at that date on a calendar sends grief coursing through my body. "They" say it gets easier as time goes by, but I've never paid much attention to what "they" say. As a matter of fact if I could have figured out who "they" are, I would have killed them years ago. All "they" have ever done is cause trouble by trying to tell others how to think, feel and dress. I guess in "the natural" as Joel would say, it does get easier, I haven't cried in my sleep in a long time, I now think about all the good times we shared more than I think about how much I miss him. All the lessons he taught me that I didn't pay much attention to in my younger years seem vital to my existence these day, so, I constantly hear him talking to me in my thoughts, he seems to be very near.
April 16 - A date of new beginnings - My Precious Princess Daughter was born at exactly 10:42 am 27 years ago on this day. My child is now the age I was when I had her. When I think about that, I can't help but reflect on how different my life was then from how her's is now. I'm so very grateful she has created the life she's created for herself! Recently I've heard a song on the radio a lot that, as luck would have it, is sung by Martina McBride, the song is "In My Daughter's Eyes." The words of that song truly reflect how I feel about my daughter. I don't know what I ever did to deserve the Grace God showed me when he blessed me with my Precious Princess Daughter, but at some time in my life, I must have done something really, really good! Since the moment of her birth she has, in so many ways, always reminded me to Dance!
April 24 - Good reading material in the mail today! Laran's latest issue of Prism! Good job Sweetie, the cover is marvelous, the writing interesting, the layout fabulous! It's truly amazing how much the publication has changed since you took over as the Editor and writer. You have certainly made a difference.
Speaking of Prism. April 27 - The Prism Awards are being given out in Los Angeles tonight. "Chuck Negron - Biography of an Entertainer" is one of the nominees in the "straight to DVD category". It's the second Prism nomination for Chuck, "Chuck Negron -Live in Concert" was nominated in the Music Category a few years ago. I hope Chuck wins a Prism Award tonight, I'm very proud of that DVD even though, understandably so, I didn't receive any credit for all my hard work on that product. The credit thing doesn't really matter, I know what my contribution to that product was and I'm proud of it, and I'm proud of Chuck for doing all that he had to do to give it life in the world. Thank you Chuck. If you are wondering what the Prism Awards are go to www.prismawards.com and read away.
The rest of April will be spent enjoying the wonderful weather we are having here in Houston, being grateful for my new home, My Precious Princess Daughter, and all the good times still to be had.
Me Soon Come Back!
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