Why I love birthdays, by Jacqueline Gault

Every year around mid-May I start to plan my own birthday party. Why do I plan my own party, you ask? Because on my birthday I only want to do what I want to do. In past years when I have left it up to someone else to plan, I always end the day feeling like it was someone else's interpretation of what I would like most to do on my birthday, not mine. Sound selfish? So what. It's my birthday. It's the one day of the year that I allow myself to be totally selfish. It's the one day of the year that I don't want anyone else telling me what to do. It is the one day of the year that I feel this enormous sense of entitlement and I don't feel bad about it. Not one little bit.

I grew up in a household where we always made a big deal about birthdays and they often stretched out to include events and activities that spanned the entire birthday week. As an adult, that has gotten even worst - there is often a celebration with my parents/siblings/nieces/nephews, and then another similar celebration with my in-laws, and then one more with my husband and our son, and then the big party - the one that I plan and invite anyone and everyone who wants to come play. One year I made all of my friends dress up in '80's attire and go to Lola's room for '80's night. It was one of my very favorite parties because everyone really got in to the spirit of things. David's "Prince" costume was the best - purple velvet jacket and all!

So this year I started planning my birthday at the usual time. Coincidentally, Toys Story 3 in 3D opens on Friday - so Jacob (my 7-year-old son) is going to take me to a matinee. I invited my mom, Kimmie (my niece) and David (my nephew) to come along as well. Then my fabulous husband and I are going to have a quiet, relaxing dinner somewhere cozy and romantic. AND THEN it will be time to bring on the karaoke! Sent out a Facebook invite to all of my friends with plenty of time for them to block the date out on their calendars (or come up with a good excuse as to why they can't make it) - to those that have been with me for many, many years and celebrated many, many birthdays and to the dear friends I've made in the past year. It will be one of those rare moments that my two worlds will come together.  With roughly 40 people expected to show up, looks like we will pretty much be taking over the bar! The only thing that would make my birthday even better is if the weather would warm up enough to take the boat out on the river on Saturday.

The other big event that is happening on my birthday is the end of our Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for Meet Jane Doe. We still have $19,975 to go to meet our goal. Or as I like to think of it, we only need to find 133 people with $150 to support our project. Is it doable with less than 3 days to go? I'm an eternal optimist, so I think anything is possible. The moment I think it is impossible is the moment I seal it's fate as being impossible. We shall see what we shall see. Until then, I plan on having one hell of a *gulp* 38th birthday!

The Fantastic World of Film Finance!

At this moment in time, as I write this, as these words are hitting the paper, we are roughly 6 weeks from day one of principal photography for Meet Jane Doe. And do you want to know the number one question I hear on a daily basis? The one point that people are dying to know the answer to? "Do you have all your financing in place?" I hear it from crew members wondering what kind of paycheck will be attached to all their hard work. I hear it from other filmmakers that are just plain curious. And I hear it from every single new person I meet and tell them I am making a movie.

What a loaded question. The short answer is not yet. The long answer is much more complicated. Well, not so much complicated as it is uncertain. Call me a fruity nut cake (everyone does anyway), but I honestly believe that I would not have been given this opportunity that is in front of me if it were not meant to be made. I wouldn't have written an amazing script. I wouldn't have attracted a cast and crew that is of the caliber I have on board. What a cruel beast fate would be if it were to dump all this good fortune in my lap and then just rip it away from me. No, the funding is there. And in the last three days I have been given every reason to believe that funding will be completed in the coming weeks. It seems everywhere I go these days there is a new lead on a new funding source - our bank has a client who is a filmmaker and he thinks he would be interested in backing our project, a business acquaintance has a co-worker who is a producer with money and is looking for a film project, our attorney has interested clients, a crew member talked us up on set and discovered that the man she was talking to is Mr. Moneybags and he wants more info, and those are just a few examples! No, fate would not dare dangle these juicy carrots in front of my face if it were not meant to be. While most people are lucky to get one lead, we have several.

So where does that put me now? Investor wooing. Speedie and I are providing our very lovely investor packet to qualified sources and being gently aggressive in our tactics to gain their confidence. And in the meantime we are plowing forward fully expecting that our financial partner is out there - right now - just waiting in the wings. Because if there is one thing the last 12 months have taught me, it is that anything is possible if you want it and are willing to work your ass off for it. Done and done.