In January of 2010 I started working part-time for Imbibe magazine as the Marketing Manager. For those that don't know, I have been earning a living as a marketing professional for roughly 15 years - a skill that I honestly believe all filmmakers should learn! I work on a great product that I am proud to support with some great co-workers. I have a good-paying part-time job that allows me the freedom and flexibility to pursue filmmaking. And now that we are making cocktail how-to videos, it is even more enjoyable!
Also back in January I had the opportunity to work on a short film called "Sandwich Days" that subsequently went on to win a best short film award at the Eugene Film Festival. Sure, it's no Sundance, but an award is an award and it is a project I am proud of!
In March I signed with Arthouse and enjoyed a nice round of auditions for Leverage (among others). I had a call back with Jonathon Frakes who laughed heartily and applauded my performance. I didn't get the role, but that's fine by me. My goal as an actress has always been to make people laugh – and my more recent writing projects have been along that vein as well. So the fact that I made an actor/director that I admire and respect laugh genuinely was just as good as booking the role. Well, the money would have been nice, but ah well… I started the year awkwardly fumbling my way through auditions, and ended the year walking in the audition room with confidence.
What else happened in March… Hmmm… Oh yes! We shot the teaser trailer for "Meet Jane Doe." While I had hoped to start filming "Meet Jane Doe" in February of 2010 (that obviously didn't happen) I did get the opportunity to put a portion of it on film! We shot a proof of concept teaser trailer in hopes of securing financing to begin filming in July of 2010. We had a very successful teaser release party in early May which was able to generate a little bit of funding and a ton of interest. I was suddenly propelled to the status of someone who is actually working hard to make film happen here in town. My status from "wanna-be" to "go-getter" changed that night. None of that would have been possible without the amazing support I received from Jay Cornelius, Christopher Alley, Andrea Speedie, Brian Mazzola, Jeff Hammond, Peggy Knoebel, Michelle Williams, Aaron Wong, Sadie Medley, Audrey Walker, Craig Johnson, Jon Ashley Hall, Kit Koenig, Bob McKeehen, Andrew Young and all the kids and their parents who showed up at Green Frog at 5 am – Diego, Brenton, Liam, Lily, Bella, Brooke, Beth and Emma – and Emma's Dad Ken Chitwood who was a big trooper and got thrown in as a featured extra when we were in need of one. 
We secured some funding, and started dance rehearsals confident that we would be in full production in July 2010. While we didn't make our funding goals for that date, we did secure enough funding to shoot additional promotional material that generated interest by some heavy guns here in town. And for that I have to thank some additional folks – Kameron Johnson, Jen Filson, Levy Moroshan, Kim Donohue, Nichole Stewart, David Mendez Cantu, Jason Ptaszek, Ederlinda Ortiz-Clawson, Anthony Forsythe, Chris Benham, Luke Clements and my fabulous dancers who endured grueling dance rehearsals: Meredith Adelaide, Michelle Damis and Rachel Klein. And thank you to all of the extras that came out to be audience members at all sorts of ungodly hours! We had the pleasure to play the music video at a party at Dante's and perform one of the dance numbers live on stage – it was a great way to show of all of their hard work. Stay tuned for more news on that front in 2011. Additional thank you's go out to everyone who pledged their hard earned dollars toward the production of MJD. I won't list you by name for privacy reasons, but you know who you are and I am eternally grateful to you all. Believe me when I tell you that I am working my tushie off to make sure that you all reap the rewards and benefits that you so dearly deserve!
In addition to those I had the pleasure of working with on the teaser and video, I'm looking forward to working with Hannah and Paige Wilson, Tara Dublin, Harold Phillips and the rest of the MJD cast and crew!
The sad news of 2010 was the dissolution of JackSpeed Productions, the company formed by myself and producer Andrea Speedie. We had a great run, that included a TV interview to promote the MJD video release party and I am eternally grateful to her for her support and contribution to MJD. I wish her the very best of luck in her new adventures in Florida!
Other MJD thank you's go out to those that supported me during the development and production who, for no other reason than supporting a fellow filmmaker, offered their advice and encouragement. The first and very biggest virtual hug goes out to Todd (and Jason) Freeman. I think it was the first night that I met Todd that he and Robert Blanche (big virtual hug to you too, Robert!) sat me down in front of Morrison Hotel Bar and grilled me. Todd grilled me about money and the storyline and my 10 second pitch. He made me pitch the story to a complete stranger at the bar, even. I know, what an asshole. And he continued to support and encourage me at my teaser release party and the video release party. He read the script and told me it didn't suck. That was nice.
And speaking of fellow filmmakers who I adore that for some reason adore me back, big thanks to Phil Bransom. Your kind words and encouragement have meant the world to me.
In April I started taking stick fighting classes with Keith Cox who nicknamed me "The Natural." I'd still be kicking ass now if it weren't for my stupid knee… Tore my left ACL during a camping/people hunting trip in late July which resulted in surgery in late August. Thus ending my stunt career (ok, maybe some minor stunt work in my future, but not the awesome aerial work I hoped for…).
I also had the opportunity to work on an amazing film in April, Population: 2, a feature film directed by Gil Luna and the fabulous DP Kenneth Luba. I sincerely hope I get a chance to work with these two in 2011… And I can’t wait to see Pop2 – it's going to be beautiful. In a very depressing sort of way.
In between hurting my knee and the resulting surgery, I participated in the 48 Hour Film Festival with an amazing team, Pixel Prose, headed up by Aaron Cohen. I hope this team will be a regular participant, as we worked amazingly well together and had a blast. And our film didn't suck, either. In the middle of the 48 Hour Film Weekend I had my (gulp) 20 year high school reunion. Showed up 4 hours late and totally sleep deprived (I think I was on hour 36 when I got there, hour 40 by the time I finally got to go to bed…), but managed to have an amazing time.
In mid-August I had a concept meeting with Kc Guyer and Deneb Catalon that launched what was to become known as "The Super Secret Project" – a concept that is going to blow all other concepts out of the water. If you doubt it is that good, then you don't know me very well. Not only is it "that good" it is one step beyond. We will be working non-stop in early 2011 to launch the transmedia component of this really big, super awesome project.
In September I got to meet one of my favorite funny men of all time, Dan Aykroyd. Not much of a story there except that he came to my office and we drank cocktails and chatted about vodka. We didn't talk film or Yogi Bear or anything. We just hung out and it was lovely. This is the part of my blog post where I just drop names needlessly without any real content to go along with it. At least I have photographic evidence.
It was also about this time in the time-line that I got word back from Mr. Moneybags about "Meet Jane Doe" – the gist of it was "we like the script, we just have reservations about investing in a first-time director." Hmm. Ok. We can fix that. I started writing a series of short films to build up my writing and directing credits and get the experience that the money-holders say I need. Shot the first short in early December, called "Sack Lunch" and am in the process of polishing it up and preparing it for distribution. I'll be submitting to the Seattle International Film Festival and the LA Shorts Fest in early January, but will also be going straight to my target audience, as this is a film that all recent or soon-to-be divorcees will truly appreciate! Super big thanks to Christopher Alley, Peggy Knoebel, Brian Mazzola, Michelle Williams, Ian Fowler, Rob Harris, Susan Funk, Terri Lodge - and major love to the talents of Brynn Baron and Shelly Lipkin and to Muffin for being such an easy cat to work with.
Top it all off with monthly and weekly sprinklings of networking events, a couple spec commercials with Gay Nolton, coffee dates and lunches galore, many many film screenings, and a little bit of karaoke, and you have yourself on hell of a good year. I met a heaping pile of amazing new people simply by attending networking events and social gatherings. People that a year ago I put up on pedestals I am now honored to call friends, and that, above all else, is what I am most proud of this year. The fact that in one year's time I have gone from a nobody to part of an amazing, supportive community tells me that this is where I am meant to be. And if 2011 is anything like 2010, then you can call me Jacqueline Gault Super Star this time next year.
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