Freedom Fighters of Nili Documentary

Shoot Day 9: London Day 2

2010-04-04T07:35:00.001-07:00

Miles walked: 20 Miles
Tube Trains: 10-15
Experience for next time: Priceless

We all had an amazing breakfast at the hotel, which by the way should be copied by every hotel in existence. A great choice of fruits, eggs, cheeses, vegetables etc.. We also were celebrating Doron's Birthday! The staff sang happy birthday and gave him a scrumptious dessert.

So after we ate too much, we walked it off by lugging the equipment to the tube station. First location: Kew Gardens. We arrived and filmed the entrance - a huge block wall surrounds the park. We could have gone in but not to film. The place charges 240 pounds for one hour of filming! This is the "discount rate." So we decided to scratch that one and just filmed the gate.

From there, we all went to the tube again to The London Eye (a giant wheel that takes people up in closed capsules to see city views). Their web site had a huge list of rules and film regulations etc.. application needed, the works.... Anyway, nothing was said about filming views only from the London Eye.

I say, lets take a risk... if it's meant to be - It will happen. After being passed around to several "people in charge" - I got to speak to the head manager. The head manager said to me to not count on it. You have to follow rules etc... Despite this, he still called the PR office (by the way was closed - due to a holiday and he called their cell phone). I spoke to the PR rep for 15 minutes trying to convince her we wouldn't bother anyone, no tripod, etc.. etc.. she said no to me 2 times. I thought to my self, What do I have to lose.... so I went about it in a different way. The phone was handed back to the manager. They spoke for two minutes and then he said "YES" - we can go up.

WOW! I was on a natural high! I think the Israeli government should hire me. LOL. I am in the wrong business.
The London Eye, escorted us to the capsule - hardly waiting in line. It was the star treatment for "Media" as they called us.

I owe them a huge thank you! THANK YOU LONDON EYE STAFF! YOUR AWESOME.

Anyway, the day didn't end there.... we went to Hyde Park and our final stop was Buckingham Palace. The day ended well when we were able to download all of our footage - without too many problems.

This goes without saying, the experience was amazing. We had so much luck on our side, we felt some powers that be were with us all the way! Cheering us on. Its nice to think that.

Tomorrow: I part from my crew and I head back to Israel. Yoni and Doron are staying for a few extra days in London.

Leora

Shoot Day 8: London UK

2010-04-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Miles walked: Infinite
Tube Trains/ rides: 10-15
Singing in the rain: Priceless

After a nice little break, we resume our filming to include the UK. Doron and Yoni met me at the airport in Tel Aviv at 5 am'ish? for a 7am departure to London (Luton Airport). The flight was 5.5 hours and despite some heavy turbulence, all was good..... well except for an interesting side note. Doron and Yoni and I didn't get to sit together. Doron was in the back of the plane and Yoni was next to me.

So I see my row and a Chasidic gentleman was sitting next to the window. I saw him and immediatly hinted to Yoni to sit in the middle because the Chasidic man wasn't going to sit next to a woman who isn't their wife. Anyway, before I even tried to put my bag down, he asks nicely to not sit next to me. See what did I tell ya! I have a contagious illness? Yoni didn't like it. He said it wasn't my problem (me) - and that it was his - he didn't want to sit next to me. He's right, but what can you do.

Anway, Yoni and I ended up sharing an empty three seater on the other side.

We arrive in London around 11am. After a train ride and several tube stations later, we arrive at the equipment rental house. Doron split to go to the hotel to put our luggage in the room. Yoni and I checked equipment and started to shoot immediately. Doron met up with us later and got more filming done between frequent light showers, which later turned clear with clouds.

We were very lucky. Despite word that many camera crews get asked by police to stop filming if they don't have permits etc... or just plain....stop filming. We saw many cops and they never asked us anything or even approached us. Our camera rental company was actually surprised. It's as if we could have done whatever we wanted.

We ended the day with more amazing shots. We ate dinner at a Persian restaurant not far from the hotel and afterwards had a little struggle with PC versus MAC hard drives (in the end, we sorted it out on Friday). A kind man let us use his PC laptop. This meant the director and producer can sleep easily.

Tomorrow:(Friday) - Kew Gardens, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and an attempt at the London Eye.

Leora

Shoot Day 7: Atlit & Moshav Bat Shlomo

2010-03-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

Our last day of shooting in Israel and I can't believe it. It feels like I have been here longer and yet the time has gone by so fast... it is unbelievable.

Today, we shot a very important interview in Moshav Bat Shlomo ( a stone's throw away from Zichron), at the house of my father's cousin. The view, of course was amazing, with Zichron in the background. I got there at 9:15 am and waited for Doron to bring his father from Jerusalem and for Amnon and Yonni to come back from the Afula area - at a second attempt to go up in a hot air balloon. Another miss due to wind. Twice now, Yonni had to leave Tel Aviv at 4 am in the morning for a 2 hour drive, only to be disappointed.... oh well, what can ya do.

After we finished a wonderful interview with Dr. Aaronsohn (Doron's father), we drove to Atlit for lunch and then filmed him at Dostri Valley talking about why this place is very important `(We also filmed the re-enactments there too).

By 4 pm we finished, another 12 hour day for my camera crew and producer! They have been an amazing crew and I would certainly hire them again, if needed. Not only did we have a few good laughs, they were equally as passionate and talented in their field and when it came down to getting a shot, they did (*** cough*** cough***) listen to the director and producer.

Tomorrow: We pack up and head for the north to spend time with family, not yet visited, and to spend Passover with a few uncles and an aunt. I am a little relieved and yet a little sad filming in Israel is over.

Next week: Yonni, Doron and I are leaving for London for 2 days. We have tons of places to film and then head back to Israel.

Have a great one,

Leora

Shoot Day 6: Tavor Mountain & Caesarea

2010-03-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

My crew woke up extra early (4:00 a.m.) to be exact to drive an hour and a half to meet the hot air balloon people. After all the production and waiting, the balloon didn't take off due to lots of wind. They offered us another day (Thursday), so we will see if we can make it.

I didn't go with my crew to the balloon site and on the way back they took some wonderful scenery shots that are absolutely amazing! The crew picked me up in Zichron and drove down the street to Caesarea. We walked around and took some scenery shots of the place and we also saw a ship off the coast etc.. This place is important in the story, is because a homing pigeon with a scroll was discovered in Caesarea and this prompted swift action by the Turks - alerting them of spy activities.

The day was clear and the water was blue, and the sky was clear without a trace of a cloud. It was one of the most amazing days for shooting so far. The colors were just simply amazing with all different shades of blue. The water looked like the beaches in the Bahamas.

Anyway, we ended the day by eating lunch on the beach and headed back. It was a very long day for my crew by 3:00 p.m.

Thursday: Another attempt at the balloon ride and then a very important interview in Zichron!

Leora

Shoot Day 5: Dead Sea & Jerusalem

2010-03-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, we got an early start and drove through Jerusalem in order to get to the Dead Sea. Beautiful views surrounded us the entire way and for a second there we thought we were filming a National Geographic film.

We drove up a winding road leading to a viewing spot high above. Once we finished taking various shots of the view, we headed down to En Gedi - it was sad to see what became of the area - the water level had drop and it seemed much more touristy and not as natural as it once was. Despite this, we got some good shots, enjoyed the fresh salty air and the many beautiful Dead Sea landscapes.

Next stop was Jerusalem and boy I thought Tel- Aviv traffic was bad...... up until that point, I didn't see anything. LOL. A lot of construction is going on all around Jerusalem, which makes it pretty congested - every road is under construction.

We ate a late lunch at a burger place and I opted to get a NY style pizza across the street and bring it back to where the rest of my crew were eating. We sat at a table outside. I am with my pizza and the men with their burgers. As I am enjoying my lunch, an observant Jew walks by and says to me, not in a mean tone, "You are eating milk" - meaning I am eating Pizza in a "Meat" restaurant. I didn't say anything, I looked at him and politely said, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.

He went to get a worker in the restaurant and came to my table and looked at my pizza - in its own box, napkin etc... and told the observant Jew, It was OK, I wasn't using their plates, utensils, etc... so what if I decided to sit there while I ate pizza and the rest ate meat. No Big deal. I wasn't offended. I follow the no mixing meat and milk...

Anyway, after a long day, we left Jerusalem and got back to Tel- Aviv around 8 p.m.

Tomorrow: Early rise 4:15 am - Filming in a hot air balloon & Cesarea

Leora

Shoot Day 4: Sun, Rain and a beautiful Sunset

2010-03-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

It is hard to describe in a few words the amazing day of shooting we all experienced - We wouldn't be able to do it justice, simply, the day was incredible. We filmed in all the locations that the following events happened! We made history. Again, my crew was amazing and I wouldn't pick anyone else to do the job.

The entire crew was at the location at 8:30 a.m. and ready to go. We blocked the shots outside the Atlit house and started shooting. The shots looked great and even looked like a large hollywood budget film. :-) By 1:00 p.m. we were finished and we graciously thanked Gideon for allowing us to invade his house for 5 hours.

From there we moved to the second location which was 1 mile down the road. We ate lunch and started getting the camera ready to make the trek up to the lookout spot, which sees everything and sees down below to the beach. As I was up there with the Dp and assistant, I see dark clouds and heard some thunder ( out at sea). We rushed to get the shots and we made our way down the lookout......it poured. With all the equipment, we hid under some trees, but we still got wet.

The actors, crew and myself were wet. The DP and I went with the actors and started to shoot some close ups - Actors running between some brush, mud and trees in a place called Dostri Valley. This happened and the rain just got stronger, so we stopped. 20 minutes later, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I thought I was back in FL, with the 4pm shower.

We got great shots, and the crew thought we were filming the Israeli version of lost. Ha ha. After the "woodsy area," we moved company to our last location - Atlit beach (down the street).

We took stunning shots of "Sarah" walking on the beach, while the sun was falling through the beautiful patches of clouds. Stunning is understatement - the shots looked like a multi- million dollar production was in town on Atlit beach.
We shot a few scenes with the actors and even lit a torch for one of the actors to wave in the dark. I was afraid he would get burned, because the torch was dipped in gasoline and it lit up fast and strong.

At the end of the day, as I am watching the beautiful sunset from Atlit Beach, I think of a wonderful woman who recently left this world, whose presence enriched my life in the short time I was able spend with her. We will miss you Judith Sobel (Zichrona Le'vracha).

Tomorrow: Another Shabbat weekend in Israel, time for some rest. Shabbat Shalom

Leora

Shoot Day 3: Zichron Ya'Akov

2010-03-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that day 3 is over and done. We all have been working really hard. Today, we stayed in Zichron Ya'akov to shoot the torture house, a vinyard, Zichron street, a cemetery, a synagogue, and the Nili museum.

First, we filmed the kids visiting the museum and then got exteriors of the house. (Of course we were not allowed to film inside the "houses," but we were allowed to film in the museum part, which is separate than the "houses.")

The filming went smoothly and the weather was perfect. After getting a few shots of Zichron, we headed back to the main thoroughfare to get the keys for the synagogue from an older gentleman who owns a cafe - just across the street from the synagogue. We opened the synagogue and got the shots we needed. I must say, it was one of the highlights of the day. I have enclosed a picture, which I think speaks for itself. I took it from the women's section. The place was beautiful and I would love to go to Shabbat services, while I am here. The gentleman was very kind enough to give us permission to go in.
When people trust you here, they give you the world!

Tomorrow: We are filming the biggest day of the whole entire shoot because we will have 9 people including crew and cast on location for an all day shoot. (9am -6pm).

Take care,

Leora

Shoot day 2: Rough Seas

2010-03-16T22:02:00.001-07:00

Today, we planned to film off the coast of Israel (specifically Atlit). After getting lost in the most complicated city in Israel called Haifa, we arrived late and our skipper was pretty pissed.

Well, needles to say we went out on a Yacht despite warnings of high waves. This skipper should be reported. We set out from the port of Haifa and as we were about to turn southward, we were saying our prayers and decided to turn around. It was very hard to film in high waves (of course) and it was the luck of the draw to pick a day when the waves were high. One thing we can't do is change the weather and sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't.

We arrived back safely to shore and we kissed the ground so to speak, happy to be back on dry land - the ride made a few of us a little sea sick.

On the bright side, we got footage we can use. I was trying to get great footage and make history and so it didn't happen.... what can you do? after all we are thankful for the Israeli Army (We will film on land around the base on Thursday - hopefully the weather will be good).

Tomorrow: We stay in Zichron and get a lot of shots around the town and in the Museum.

Leora

Day 9: Giving the director an almost heart attack (J/K)

2010-03-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

The first day of shooting has arrived in Israel with the director present. Now, I am present and not dreaming. :-) My crew picked me up at 8:00 a.m. from Zichron and started to make our way to affula. In each location we are filming something related to the spy group or to the Aaronsohn family.

On the way, we spotted a wheat field and so we stopped and took some footage and from there we headed to Affula for some shots of an old train station and then on to my former home, Beit Shean for another train station. I am pleased with my crew and I must admit my Director of Photography has gone out on a limb (lol) or should I say, gone on a car and bus stop! Just so you all believe me.... I have provided photographic proof.

I almost swallowed my heart watching Yonni climb up on a bus stop to get a shot. We distracted dozens of passing cars. I was praying that a cop car wouldn't come by, because we were causing a scene. Filmmakers for ya... :-) The shot above the bus stop was in Rosh Pina, which is way up high - on the way to Tsfat. I assure you, I have given them the safety speech! It didn't seem to work.

From there, we drove back to Tel - Aviv (a long way) to interview an Aaronsohn family member. The interview was great! She talked about things I wanted to talk about and even continued talking as she took me home. I parted with my crew back in Tel aviv and I wish I had the camera with me in the car to continue the interview.

Tomorrow: We will go aboard a Yacht to film the coast of Israel and Atlit Beach, of course armed with an army permission slip!

I am tired and a little under the weather - need to hit the pillow. I hope this nasty case of " POLLEN OVERLOAD" will go away, but what can you do - everything here is blooming.

until tomorrow - take care,

Leora

Day 8: Day before Shoot

2010-03-14T09:12:00.001-07:00

Today, I felt like I moved an army to Zichron Ya'akov due to what was involved. All of our luggage was crammed into a mid size car and this was no easy feat. My parents have been with me on this journey, well, not exactly....I go off and do my thing and they go off and do theirs... Oh, and did I forget to mention we had an additional guest, my sister with us too. Four adults and tons of luggage.

Anyway, my mother performed a miracle and she could have won a contest for "how much luggage can one fit in a mid-size car" along with 4 adults! Truly amazing.

So once we got to Zichron and found our home for the next two weeks, we established the production office, my cockpit for coordinating the shoot (see picture). The small lodge is a converted section of a house that is rented out by an American family living here (designed for guests).

I can't believe we are on the 'eve of shooting.' Tomorrow my crew is picking me up early and off we go - heading north to Rosh Pina, Affula, and my old stomping grounds Beit Shean. After that we will make an unexpected trip into Tel-aviv for a big interview. So lots of driving, lots of filming and lots of stops in general. My producer is just as excited as I am. So whatever we forget for tomorrow - we can dream about it. LOL

Have a great one, Leora

DAY 5: Cast & Crew Meeting

2010-03-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

For most of the day, I prepared for the cast and crew meeting. I left an hour before my 5:00 p.m. meeting time at Doron's to avoid rush hour traffic, but I was lucky and got there in enough time and even found a parking space (parking is like gold in Tel-aviv).

The crew is amazing. I am working with 3 intelligent, creative and capable men on this film and so I can relax, knowing I have a good crew. The cast seems to be great too and I can't wait to work with them. The actress which we hired happen to fit most of the clothes I brought without knowing her sizes before hand. For months, I have gathered 1917 period clothing - skirts, shirts, men's vests etc... from ebay and various sources. I was again, very happy, because I have two outfits for the actress to wear! We just hired her last week.

I will also be working with an actor who is extremely talented, who has appeared in several big Israeli TV commercials (he also studied acting in NY).

So far so good, things have been going well as far as logistics, but we did hit our first knot, so to speak. It was a mix-up on the company's fault for changing the date to film aerial shots on a hot air balloon. So, needless to say we are little annoyed. They either give us a huge discount or add more people for free for the ride. This story has yet to be continued....

Anyway, the meeting ended at 9:00 p.m. - just in time to see a MACCABI TEL-AVIV BASKETBALL GAME...Whoooo hoooo.
Boy do I miss this place. :-)

Tomorrow, is Friday, which means everybody is preparing for Shabbat and they don't work - at least 75% of the country is off. Many people are gathering at my aunts house for kiddush (Shabbat Dinner Blessing) and then on Saturday --- we rest rest rest -- we will need it. BIG week ahead.

Take care & have a great weekend - Shabbat Shalom,
Leora

Day 4 - Zichron Ya'akov

2010-03-10T11:12:00.001-08:00

Woke up early to catch the bus in order to get to the train station. From there, I got the train heading to Zichron Ya'akov. I arrived at the museum at 9:30 a.m. to find I wasn't the only one trying to get to the museum. A zoo appeared, or so it seemed :-) in the courtyard as many school children were waiting to start the tour. This was great to see!

I met Ester (Museum Manager) and was waiting till she took care of the school kids. I was introduced to a local school teacher and she immediately asked if I would like to film the kids coming to the museum and learning about the Aaronsohns and their spy group. It took me half a second to say yes. I asked my producer to try and fit it in our schedule. This means another day of shooting -- on many levels this isn't so good. Every production day has its cost, but this opportunity to take the camera into the museum (period) and film kids learning about it etc... is worth it! It seemed like the museum had a change of heart? By all means this was great news.

After that I spent two hours choosing photographs for the film. I must have chosen at least 100 pictures..... I can't remember. I was also given documents I needed from their archive, plus approval to film at the agricultural station and by 12:00 p.m. I left only to be greeted head on by two bus loads of Israeli soldiers also making their way to the museum. In my opinion I think it is a cool things for soldiers to come and see what other before them did for their country (and still do) -- The fight for freedom. I hope their visit gives them a little pride as they serve in the army today and fight to keep Israel safe.

After the museum, I went searching for a cafe that looked appealing. So many to choose from on this street and so I just went with my instinct and sat down at a cafe with a yellow motif (bright and sunny), only to discover a "Nili cafe" across the way! Ha Ha. I will have to come back and eat there next time.

Took a few minutes to browse a few used book stores (my favorite in Zichron) and
I returned to the train station - Tel Aviv bound.

Today was a great day - this day was a yes day!

Next on the agenda: Cast & Crew Meeting tomorrow.
Have a great day everyone.
Signing off, Leora

Day 3: Post Jet Lag

2010-03-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

My planned trip to Zichron was postponed last minute and will just have to wait till tomorrow. However, plenty got done from my aunt and uncle's house. So I am happy to check off a few big things for the shoot, for example: Production Insurance is done, reservation for a balloon ride for Yonni, my director of photography, to film aerial shots:(small part of northern Israel) checked off.

Many more things need to be checked off my list, so my notepad and pen have been my best friends these past few days.

So far, my crew has been amazing with suggestions, tips etc...- after all, I am in a "semi-foreign land" when it comes to filming in Israel. Filming here is just a little different. My first meeting with the cast and crew of 9 will be on Thursday night.

Take care everyone,

Post jet lag signing off,

Leora

Day 2 in Israel - Pre-Production Prep

2010-03-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

(3rd picture - Producer looking out from balcony)

Monday morning got off to a good start, despite Tel-aviv rush hour traffic and avoiding the millions of motorcycle (Toos-toos) drivers. Its smart to drive a small moped in this city to fight traffic BUT it is dangerous.

I have to say though, I am proud of myself, because I drove around Tel-aviv and the coast by myself and didn't get lost! :-)

On the way, I picked up Doron, my producer, and off we drove northward to scout a few locations for the shoot. On the way, Doron received some news that we "could possibly" run across a problem and get denied permission to film at the Atlit Ag. station, the HQ of Nili. (See picture of building above - still standing with few renovations). We are thinking positive for a final confirmation to be OK'ed.

The man in charge of the place allowed us to come inside the gated property to take pictures and see the place.

We were greeted by 8, and I say 8 German shepherd dogs guarding the place. I think it is a sign, because we were well liked by the dogs and they didn't bark at us (Several guys that came in after us, didn't receive the same reception and the dogs barked up a storm). In fact two dogs got on their backs so we could scratch their belly. LOL (You can see one of the dogs behind Doron). Guard dogs? :-)

Anyway, tomorrow I leave for Zichron on a early morning commuter train to plead my case and search for more archive material.

Word of the Day: IRONY: The Israeli Navy said yes to me! The Israeli Navy for crying out loud. :-) Let me film around a "navy base" that is supposed to be "secret."

Until next time.

Leora

Travel Day

2010-03-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

The day has finally arrived to embark on "the freedom Fighters of Nili shoot."
The plane ride was of course long, but otherwise pleasant and we arrived Sunday morning on a beautiful sunny day in Tel- Aviv.

To this day, it still amazes me, that no matter how many times I land in this country of Israel - as soon as the plane tires hit the tar mack, I feel I have connected with half my heart and soul that has stayed here since birth. I feel at home. I feel very lucky and extremely thankful and grateful to be able to film here.

Funny note: On the flight over, I wish I had a video camera to capture my little bag of Sun Chips expanding to the point that it looked like it was going to burst mid- flight. That kept us laughing for a bit. The sun chips bag did deflate once we landed... just observing this "basic scientific fact" and getting a little entertainment out of it.

Sometimes we get entertained by the simplest things. OK. I am trying to keep my eyes open since I have been up for over 30 hours. I think I will take a walk to the local store to get some air and will try to get a good nights sleep tonight.

P.S. Oh, I spoke to Doron (my awesome producer) and he had some wonderful news to tell the half sleeping director. The army fully agreed for us to film around a very restricted area near Atlit beach! Earlier, they didn't officially OK it and we were waiting for the YES. We got it. Thank you Israeli NAVY... we love you.

The "Blair Witch Syndrome" AKA Genius Marketing Via WWW

2010-02-21T17:48:00.000-08:00

As I sit here contemplating, on a Sunday night no less - on the past year, I am amazed. I am thankful for everything that has happened in the past year, or should I say 3 years.

Back in the Fall of 2007, a friend of mine was studying web design and needed some ideas to practice on, so she kindly offered to help build a web site (Thank you Jaclyn) for the documentary (now keep in mind this was 2.5 years ago). I wrote the content and searched for pictures off the web and off she went. Before I knew it, the official web site for Freedom Fighters of Nili was up for the world to see.

After a few months, I started receiving emails from people who knew some relatives/friends etc... who were part of Nili, or people who wanted to know more, because they have visited the Nili Musuem/ Aaronsohn house in Zichron Ya'akov, Israel.

This past week, I received one email from a descendent of someone that was involved with the Aaronsohn family. They found me through a simple search on the web! I had the chance to chat with this man and learned so much from him. He added a different perspective that I didn't focus on before. I thank him for that.

The best part too is that I have received emails from people in Newton, PA to Los Angeles, CA ( Historical speakers, Jewish organizational leaders, religious school directors etc...) all wanting to know when and where they can see this film. Pretty exciting stuff. I haven't even finished filming yet!

My point - if you have a film, then by creating web site presence early on generates lots of buzz. Buzz is good. A filmmakers' goal first, is to make a film and second, to GET IT SEEN by as many as people possible.

A great example, the Blair Witch Project - These "UCF film school graduates" look like they got a doctorate in Film Marketing, but they didn't. They used the web early on to generate the biggest buzz ever for an independent film - It worked folks.

TIP: WEB SITE.

So, the filmmakers out there - sharpen your "creativity" and drive that promotional bandwagon to the World Wide Web.... and this will help create a higher level of interest, early on.

Count Down: 14 Days

Take care,

Leora

3 Weeks till the Production of FFON

2010-02-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

Being that we are three weeks away, I have been taking extra measures to try and stay focused. I have been packing and re-packing to make sure I bring everything I need. Going over questions (working out), shot lists(playing music), schedules, etc.. oh, and paying thanks and hoping for some good things to come out of this month long trip -- Professional and Personal.

I leave you with this: One of my favorite Yiddish proverbs is - "A man makes plans, and G-d laughs." Also, a Beatles song says it similarly to the proverb in "Life happens when your busy making other plans."

I want to go back for a second and talk about "A man makes plans, and G-d laughs" - For Nili, I have been making plans for the past 2-3 years.... G-d IS NOT laughing. So far, I think he is giving me the thumbs up! So what would you call this? Fate? The more and more I get closer to filming, the more I feel it.

P.S. I hope to have that kind thinking in my personal life. I will leave it up to fate and secretly hope it leads me to * the mother land. :-)

Thanks for listening to my 2 cents. Production Drama is just weeks away.

Take care,

L

Some PR for Nili Documentary

2010-02-01T06:15:00.001-08:00

Here is a link to short article about the film!

FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF NILI - Tampa Tribune

6 Weeks and Counting

2010-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, six weeks and counting and with that being said - a lot still needs to get done, which includes a plan for packing.

Anyway, I was going through some paper clutter I had collected since I moved back to Tampa (which is 10 months ago...). So, 10 months of paper, books and more paper... OK you get the picture, I came across a magazine with an article written by the one of the great directors of American film, Elia Kazan.

Due to politics, many of his friends and colleagues turned against him during the 50s, when they were blacklisting anyone who whispered the word communism. No one had a right to judge... but those were the times.

OK, so I re-read the article again like I have so many times before and he states a very good point. He says, if you want to be a director? Then don't go to film school ( Personally, I agree and disagree - technical training is very important, but then you can learn by doing too- whatever suits you). He brings up a point, which I have lived by - in terms of filmmaking (setting aside "documentary filmmaking").

You want to become a director? then study everything. Study art, music, history, people, religions, media, politics,fashion, psychology, photography..... whatever subject interests you - learn about it. Sometimes, you might find a new passion or just learn something new for the day. Why does Kazan say this? Because directors are, or I should say "Should be" the expert on the story they are telling, because they will convey the vision of the story to a huge crew and cast. You draw from everything in order to tell a story, fiction or non-fiction to the best of your ability according to the author's intent? No? You try to convince an audience that this film is worth grabbing their attention for 120 min and make it "movie believable."

For Freedom Fighter of Nili, it has taken more than 3 years of research. Some of it can be listed as "life experience." Example: I lived in Israel. I was born and raised there. The documentary is about people who lived in Palestine (Now Israel).

Still, I had to gather up information and direct it in a path, that is not taking sides or stating an opinion. I have and still have to draw from my life experience and also from other sources to try and form a cohesive story. I want to tell a story without speculating, only tell what is documented and let the audience speculate till the cows come home, if they want.

Finally, aspiring directors - study life, because teaching you the technical aspects can take months in a film production course., but perspective, opinions,wisdom, experience, study - can take a life time...... or less.

Until next time....

-- Look out for a nice surprise soon - Clue: News flash.

January - 2010

2010-01-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great New Years.

The time is dwindling down and March is getting closer - to embark on the big trip to Israel. The tickets have been purchased so there is no turning back now. The schedule is being shifted like a game of musical chairs, but this is to be expected. It is all very exciting and I am ready to roll up my sleeves and dive in.

My producer in Israel is amazing and I apologize if you keep hearing me say this over and over from me, but it's true. I am speechless and I think anyone would be if someone out there was helping you accomplish a dream.

The Nili project (s) are in a sense the reason I have a passion for filmmaking/story telling. I have known about this story for at least 23 years.... and feel that a wrong is being made a right to finally put this story out there for the world to know about. It will not bring back the lives that were sacrificed, but it will sure keep their memory alive. A dear friend, "Rabbi O" said to me that "what I was doing was a Mitzvah" - (A good Deed). No one ever told me that before, especially about a film I was doing. To me it is an honor to have a rabbi say this to me.

I have always felt that I wasn't doing anything meaningful with my passion for storytelling and for many years asking the question "Why?" Why me? Why film? It was as if I was roaming the desert for a long time - simply wandering around. Not all wanderers are aimless and when I finally realized my purpose - I felt FREE.

My advice - If you have a passion, follow your heart and NEVER EVER give up, unless a huge red bold stop sign is firmly placed in front of you. If something tells you, deep inside you to continue -- then KEEP GOING. Believe in yourself and that is strong enough.

Pursue what makes you happy. I would rather be poor and happy then depressed and rich. I feel like I am rich already, rich with ideas, love, curiosity, friends, faith, culture and life!

See, we are all rich. It's just the way you look at it.

Take care - until next time, when I travel to Israel. Planning details can be **YAWNNN** a little dry... admit it.. So, I will start blogging again when some action starts taking place. I will also post pictures, so STAY TUNED - and embrace your passion!

December 2009 - 3 month countdown

2009-12-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

The Planes , trains and automobiles shoot is just around the corner, which means the filmmakers will be utilizing the above to make the documentary - Freedom Fighters of Nili!!!

I am pleased to announce that Freedom Fighters of Nili is in the "Pre Production" stage or should I say - 3 month count down. This is an exciting time, because all the little details are being planned for shooting, so the filmmakers can focus on content without any problems. However, this goes without saying ----Hurdles are bound to happen - left, right, upwards and downwards..... so we filmmakers love to jump over them. Ahhhhhh, the joys of filmmaking :-) You could say we fit a square peg in a round hole. ha ha

I also want to share with you the book that started it all for me (See picture). The Hebrew reads "Sarah, the Heroine of Nili." I read this book in the 4th grade and read it again and again. You could say it is my favorite children's novel..... a true and very sad story but one with such bravery - it lives on... My Israeli counterpart interviewed Devorah Omer (on camera) the famous children's author who wrote this book. I hope to meet her when I go to Israel.

P.S. Freedom Fighters of Nili is my contribution to education.

Until next time -- have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Leora

November - 2009

2009-11-11T05:14:00.000-08:00

It sure has been a long time since I posted and if I am correct this blog is way over due. What can I say, the life of a filmmaker, its more than just one job. Hmmm that should be posted on a bumper sticker somewhere! LOL

In addition to my day job, I tutor, take lessons, exercise, do more research.... However with that said, I am enjoying every minute of it - you could say I am enjoying life. I am also counting down to March 2010 --- THE PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT!

I recently took a trip to Los Angeles for a two day documentary workshop. Met some very interesting people and got some much needed information for my film. I don't want to give anything away just yet and jinx anything. Everything will reveal itself in due course. :-) Hey, you got to keep some secrets to yourself, right?

Hope for the best, but be prepared for anything!

I do have a treat for those LA folks or for those who have visited, lived etc... in LA. You will get the humor or should I say...not so funny take on it.

TIPS FOR SURVIVING LA
1. Be a parallel Parking expert.
2. Validate everything (Parking, yourself..)
3. Practice saying "I am _______" (Insert director, producer, writer etc...)
4. Set a budget for giving out change to the homeless (This could get out of hand)
5. Say thank you. (no one ever does)
6. Learn to spot a fake drug bust (AKA movie set) from a real one.
7. Be thankful that you don't have any body parts made from any kind of synthetic material.
8. Practice: Gunning it from 0-60mph in 2 seconds, then reverse - Drive 90 mph to a screeching halt.
9. Give right-of-way to Helicopters, because a car chase pursuit isn't far behind.
10. Wear sunglasses at all times.

May 2009

2009-05-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Since I last posted, we have updated our official web site a little, so please don't be shocked and expect more than a little update :-) This is a period of wait and see and keep looking. The life of a documentarian is not easy work and one must constantly keep the momentum going.

I am consistently working on finding grants through foundations for the documentary and since returning from Israel, I have been working on organizing my research so I can form good questions for my interviews. I have to say, that reading the letters and diaries gave me a different perspective about the people involved, because up until now, I have read historical non-fiction, where mere glimpses were documented.

I have also found two new people for interviews: Dr. Kenneth Stein and Roni Eshel (Israeli Journalist) both at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. That makes it a total of 5 interviews from academia ( which includes one descendant of the Aaronsohn family).

I am deeply indebeted to the Aaronsohn Museum, Aaronsohn family and Jabotinsky Museum for their continued assistance.
I am also fortunate to have a talented Israeli counter-part working on the film with us!

I will post again soon and hopefully will have more news to report.

Take care
Leora

Post Trip

2009-03-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

It has been about a week since I returned from Israel and it still seems like I was there yesterday. In addition to doing some research for the film The Freedom Fighters of Nili, I had the opportunity to see family and that in itself was a treat. I miss everyone there.

At the museum:
Some museum archivist mentioned to me that several writers spent months at the museum, if not years doing research on books about NILI. However, my case is a little different, because the film is the research itself and so the questions I will ask will come from all the research I have done up until now.
With that said, I wish I had more time at the archives and at the Jabotinsky museum. I am anxiously waiting for the mail for the packages of copied letters and info. to arrive. I have a lot of reading ahead.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me until now (In Israel and in the US).

Up ahead: I am putting my degree to good use and continuing to look for funding.

Wishing everyone a great day.

Leora

Day 9: Jabotinsky Musuem, Tel - Aviv

2009-03-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday March 17, 2009

This morning, I made my way to the Jabotinsky Musuem located in the heart of Tel-Aviv on King George Street and near Dizengoff Center mall.

I found the archive and library on the second floor and as soon as I entered, the staff showed me to the room and computer where to search for information. After entering " Nili" I found that there were several folders in the archives. Ten minutes later, I had half a dozen folders with letters, newspaper articles etc... relating to Nili. There were many pictures in their archives of the Aaronsohn family, which were not at the Nili Museum. The pictures gave me a good sense of what things looked like during the early nineteen hundreds in Palestine.
I asked them if they would not mind copying a lot of the documents that I wanted to read, because of my time contraint. They offered to send the copies back to the US. I was very thankful, because I was leaving that night! I jumped on the opportunity.

After spending 3 hours, which seemed like 20 minutes...I met my aunt and uncle for some good old Israeli Felafel. I must say the food in Israel is far better than in the US. The food in Israel tastes better (Vegetables, fruits, breads, etc..).

I visited the Carmel Market (Shouk Ha'Carmel) and ended the day early to go back and pack.

My flight is at 1 am on Wednesday morning.

Day 8: Jerusalem ---Hebrew University

2009-03-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

March 16, 2009

On Monday morning, my uncle and I left for Jerusalem. I was armed with my still camera, video camera, a pen, notebook and laptop ready to take a picture and ask questions in my pre-interview meeting.

We got there 40 minutes early. So, I parted with my uncle (who by the way has been amazing...I will say this again), while I went to find Dr. Aaronsohn's office and my uncle went to the cafeteria.

I waited near his office for about 15 minutes and Dr. Aaronsohn arrived a few minutes early. I was a little nervous, but in the end, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be. The resemblance to his great uncles (involved in Nili) is uncanny.

The pre-interview went well and I learned a lot as well as getting some questions answered. He gave me his blessing so to speak in doing the film, interviewing him etc... He even gave information to contact his son who also works in the film/TV industry.

I am honored and pleased. I was so focused on the interview that I failed to stop and get out my camera and take a picture, let alone film him answer a question or two for a promo. Go figure.

The pre-interview went great and I am excited and overwhelmed at the same time about all the information I gathered......and there is more.

OK, tomorrow will be my last day in Israel and I plan on visiting the jabotinsky museum in Tel- Aviv.

Goodbye for now...

DAY 7: Zichron Ya'akov

2009-03-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I woke up pretty early to catch the train from Tel-Aviv heading north to Zichron. The early morning traffic was stopped up as usual. You tend to get used to it. Sunday there is our Monday. I got on the train with the groups of soldiers returning to their bases after the weekend. It was pretty crowded, but I managed to grab a seat. (Also on Friday afternoon, all the soldiers are headed home and so the train and bus stations are packed). Hey, at least they get to go home on the weekend.

About 9a.m. I arrived once again at the museum and my day began looking through albums and albums of pictures and writing down which pictures I would or could use for the film. I looked at some letters and copied more letters. This took about 4-5 hours. I returned back at about 2p.m.

When I got off the train station in Tel Aviv, I found my way to the Azreal Mall across the street. I ate lunch and window shopped. I am relieved that most of the prices for things in US are cheaper.

My Uncle came and picked me up and returned back to his house.

Tomorrow is the moment I have been waiting for, to meet Dr. Aaronsohn.

Until then...

Day 6: Bet Shean

2009-03-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday is a day of rest in Israel and when they mean day of rest, everything is closed in Israel ( at least 98% of stores).

I visited my old home town in Bet Shean and met family at my uncle's house. By evening, we headed back to Tel-Aviv and encountered a long line of traffic through Wadi Ara (Ara Valley). I thought New York traffic was bad, you haven't seen nothing yet.

Tomorrow, I will travel back to Zichron for the second time to do some more research.

Until then.... good night.

Day 5: Atlit

2009-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Friday, my plans changed at the last minute and instead of going back to the museum, I went to the immigrants camp in Atlit. Atlit is also the home of Aaron Aaronsohn's Agricultural station and the headquarters of NILI (the spy group).

Near by there is a navy base and people are not allowed to take pictures. I sneaked in a few shots. I am so bad. After the visit to the museum, I hoped on a 40 min train ride to Tel AViV and I was picked up by my uncle (who has been amazing in keeping up with my crazy schedule!)

The train ride was great and the trip seemed short. After all Israel isn't that big.

Tomorrow is Saturday and I will be taking a trip to my old home town to visit family in Bet Shean.

Until then...have a great weekend. I will report back on Sunday.

Day 4 - Zichron Ya'akov

2009-03-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up early to try and beat rush hour traffic. My uncle was very kind to drive me through a "very congested roadway system," so in the end we still got stuck in traffic. The cars keep growing and the roads stay the same.

We got to the museum at 9:30am and I was immediately taken to the library where the archives are held. I met two national service women (instead of going to the army due to religious reasons, they do service as a volunteer). There were two archivist there to answer any questions and to look up anything I wanted to see.

There is so much information that it can be overwhelming, so I asked to see diaries/notes kept by the founder of Nili, Aaron Aaronsohn. The archiver brought several folders from a box and in the folders were a few dozen small and medium sized notebooks that were so old, I wasn't allowed to touch them because they were falling apart. After all, these are over 100 years old. It was amazing to see the personal belongings of this man, who accomplished so many things.

I saw an album of photographs of his sister Sarah (today she is referred to as Sarah the Heroine of Nili). Some of the pictures, if not all, were originals. I also had the chance to read and see letters and original postcards exchanged by Aaron to his family while traveling.

It gave a greater sense of who they were in terms of personality and their thought process. There is so much there, I made the mistake of not staying longer and just going every day.

I plan on returning there on Sunday. In Israel, Sunday is our Monday so everything is open.

Until then...take care.

DAY 3: Welcome to Israel

2009-03-11T11:37:00.001-07:00

I landed at 6:30am Israel time and I haven't slept in 48 hours. So as I get my stuff together, I will have something to report tomorrow. I will be waking up early to go to the NILI/ Aaronsohn House - Museum.

Until then, have a great evening across the other half of the world.

Day 2- Planes, Trains and NO Automobiles

2009-03-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was a complete blur. I got up early and caught the subway and then transfered to a train station that would take me to Newark Liberty Airport. Needless to say...I don't advise carrying any luggage on any subway train!

The flight was long, but I survived.

Leora

Day 1 continued - Times Square

2009-03-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

I finally arrived in NY! However, tomorrow I still have a 10 hour flight to catch. I was fortunate to meet a Palestinian who left Israel in 1995 in search of US freedom, and two men part of a 10-day study mission to Israel on my flight from Charlotte, NC. For some reason, Israel was in the air. They get to leave tonight! FROM JFK.

Oh, let me not forget, I met a nice young Israeli woman on vacation asking me how to get to Long Island. I couldn't help her with that one, but it was nice brushing up on my Hebrew.

Of-course can't miss a trip to times square..pictured here at 7pm on a Monday night.

Tomorrow should be short blurb: Leora travels to NJ.

Signing off NY style...I'm sleep'in here...I'm sleep'in here.

Day 1: Charlotte, NC Layover

2009-03-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Wait a minute, Charlotte layover? wasn't I just there...living. lol. As you know, I have moved back to FL to be with my family and to gain employment since the job market isn't that great in Charlotte.

In the meantime, I talked with a very good friend from Charlotte and decided to update the blog. Hint: The Internet service at Charlotte Douglas International is FREE. Yes, folks, FREE. Some airports believe it or not sell Internet passes....hummm hummmm... HOUSTON.

Anyway, things are good. I will be leaving for NY- JFK at 1pm and the meantime I will be waiting. :-) Signing off for now..

Thank you for those who read this blog! I hope you enjoy it and I appreciate your support.

Leora

Trip Update

2009-02-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

With just a few weeks away before I depart for Israel, I crossed every t and dotting every i for travel arrangements. Yet, I still managed to hit a few snags along the way (not my fault), because my airline decided to change times, air-ports and states for the departure to Israel. Go figure. This hiccup will only have me leave a day early and stay overnight in the big-apple. So, I guess in the end there is a plus for leaving a little earlier (unfortunately, at my expense).

Nili:

I have contacted the Nili House/ Museum and they are anxiously waiting for me to make an appearance and gather all the archive information I can get my hands on. I might need to bring an additional suitcase. :-)

I have also confirmed my pre-interview with Dr. Ran Aaronsohn, a Hebrew University professor and descendant of the Aaronsohn family (Sarah and Aaron Aaronsohn would have been his great aunt and uncle).

Pre-interviews are important and in this case more so, because I will be making a film about his family. I would like to establish a rapport with Dr. Aaronsohn and his family. So far, they have been wonderful getting back with me and I look forward in meeting them and talking to them about the film.

This week I have also been adding to the list of grant proposals to several funding organizations. This task never ends, but in the end it will hopefully bring results.

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.

--Sir Winston Churchill

My variation would be:

History will be kind to me for I intend to film and re-tell it.

-- Leora Chai

Congrats to "MAN ON WIRE" for winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and to "SMILE PINKI" for winning an Oscar for Best Documentary Short.

Interview with filmmaker Noemi Figueroa on THE BORINQUENEERS

2009-02-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

We have a guest filmmaker, Noemi Figueroa, the producer/writer/director of the feature documentary "THE BORINQUENEERS." The film took 9 years to make and it was no easy task for the production team.

However, with a lot of determination, passion, patience and hard work... nothing is impossible. Their documentary has won many awards and seen on PBS! I briefly interviewed Noemi through the wonderful technology of e-mail. So, please

enjoy... She is an amazing filmmaker and I am certain we will be seeing her again!

Http://www.borinqueneers.com

1. Noemi Figueroa's background?

Noemi was a freelance advertising consultant and producer to major advertising agencies for the Hispanic commercial market. Also she was a professional actress and had extensive experience in theater, television, industrial films and commercials for both the English and Spanish markets. You can read more at ... THE TEAM

2. The experience of making "THE BORINQUENEERS" documentary and using Hector Elizando as narrator.

I first contacted Hector Elizando many years ago after I had been working on the documentary for 3-4 years. I was struggling with fundraising and thought that if I could get a commitment from a celebrity narrator that it would help us raise money. I sent a 1-2 page letter of explanation to Hector at his talent agent's address and outright asked if he would be narrator. A few weeks later, Hector himself called me. He immediately said yes. I asked for a "Letter of Commitment" which he was very nice to provide. The letter came with his agent's stationary simply stating that he would be agreeable (depending on his availability) to serve as narrator and encouraging "for whom it may concern" to fund this worthwhile project. Years later, I again contacted him when we were finishing an 87-minute "rough-cut" which at the time I thought was going to be the "final cut." We contacted him one month before we were going to need his services. We offered him AFTRA union scale rates.

My co-producer and I flew to CA and used a recording studio that Hector had recommended (and prefers).We spent about 4 hours (recording).

3. Tips for documentary filmmakers out there seeking funding?

A: I jump started my project by organizing my own fundraiser. I convinced some people to help me and we were able to get a restaurant (at no cost) to lend us their space for an afternoon with a cash bar. We also had food donated, raffle prizes donated, even live entertainment, all for free. An influential friend also organized a fundraiser in his own home inviting many of his friends.

Once you start to receive donations from individuals, I would send them thank you letters. People feel good donating to a worthy cause when they feel that their donation is appreciated and makes a difference. I would also send them occasional newsletters to keep them informaed about the progress of the film. Once our film was finished, I had a ready-made database of donors and a target audience.

4. What did you love most about filming "THE BORINQUENEERS"?

A:I must admit fundraising was NOT my favorite part of producing the documentary. Meeting and talking to 65th Infantry veterans about their experiences was my favorite part. They had amazing, emotional stories about their war experience and I felt very privileged that they would share such sometimes painful memories with me. I also enjoyed finding such rare archival footage of the 65th Infantry Regiment when these veterans were in their youthful glory. It brought pleasure to bring to light footage that had never been seen by the public on a national level.

5. Are you working on any new projects?

A: People ask me if I am working on another project now. It took my nine years to produce THE BORINQUENEERS. That's long time. You wouldn't ask a woman who has just given birth to a baby if she is going to have another baby right away! I am enjoying the success of our film and have been very busy traveling to local screening across the country and continuing to promote the film where possible.

Thank you Noemi for taking the time to participate in this interview. Best of luck on your future projects!

Article: in the Statesville Record and Landmark

2009-02-06T04:18:00.000-08:00

Just this week an article was written about the documentary thanks to Megan Sprague (Lake Norman Navigator!) Thanks Megan!

Leora Chai Working on New Film

Leora Chai's name might sound familiar to Mooresville residents who enjoyed her locally filmed NASCAR movie. Now, the local director and producer said she's taking it to the next level with an investigation into the World War I "Freedom Fighters of Nili."

"Coming from a bi-continental family and having lived in Israel, I wanted to look deeper into that history and the stories I've been told since age nine," Chai explained. "It just feels like the right time to delve into that.".......TO READ MORE...

FULL LAKE NORMAN NAVIGATOR ARTICLE - READ HERE

Shaking the Grant Tree

2009-02-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

Filmmakers are always looking for ways to raise money for their documentary. Here are a few tips to think about when applying for that grant.
When you write a grant, you need to differentiate your film from other films that are similar to yours (state this in your proposal)
-Yours could be current. Last film made about this subject was a long time ago or is non-existent
-Yours could be more in depth
-Yours could be intended for a different audience

-Yours could have a whole different angle on the subject

Audience - What audience do you want to reach?

Distribution - what are your plans for the film. Having a support letter to accompany a grant application is a big plus.

CLARITY – SIMPLICITY- LESS IS ALWAYS MORE

BE VERY CONSISE WITH WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY
It must have INTELLECT and PASSION, Write from a PERSONAL experience, What makes it close to your heart? What is your search? What is you mission? What do you want to tell?

It needs to show that the filmmaker is totally committed to the project and passionate about the subject matter

Budget - When writing a grant the budget needs to be detailed but LESS is always MORE

There are several books you can purchase from AMAZON that are very useful.

The Documentary Film Makers Handbook: A Guerilla Guide by Genevieve Jolliffe and Andrew Zinnes .

Guide to Getting Arts Grants, by Ellen Liberatori

Making Documentary Film and Videos: A Practical Guide to Planning, FIlming and Editing by Barry Hampe

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grant Writing by Waddy Thompson,

Happy Granting!

2009-01-27T05:58:00.000-08:00

The Oscar goes to...Congrats to all Docu's being nominated!

2009-01-26T06:10:00.000-08:00

Just last week, the nominations for the 81st Oscars were announced and I have provided for you a list of the Oscar nominated film's websites. Please check out these wonderful films! Note: Some of the short nominated films do not have a website, this is such a shame. We need to tell them, but I think we'll just have to congratulate them for now!

(Courtesy of www.oscars.org)

Best documentary feature

“The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
Http://nerakhoon.com/
“Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
http://encountersfilm.com/
“The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
http://www.blackvalleyfilms.com/The_Garden_Production_Notes.pdf
“Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
http://www.manonwire.com/
“Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal
http://elsewherefilms.org

Best documentary short subject

“The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
http://www.farfilm.com/web/title_cne.htm
“The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
“Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
“The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret
http://www.rockpaperscissors.com/

Blogging From Another World

2009-01-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Blogging from another world, sounds like a title of a soap opera. And you could say I am headed to a location that is a REAL soap opera (that for another post).

OK. Here is the latest scoop on "Freedom Fighters.." - In March, I (Leora) will be traveling to Israel to finish researching my film. Research is very important for documentaries in order to obtain facts about a subject and to learn how to be an expert on the subject your filming.

Besides, Israel is the location for 90% of the film.

I have decided to blog my day-to-day events and I will also be providing "photographic evidence" or pictures of various trip events.

People often ask me if I am afraid to go Israel, in light of recent events. My answer is no, because back in the day I used to live there and the same things used to go on there but on a smaller scale. Nothing has changed. It is sad, yes. OK. I do not want to make this blog political, but I am making a film involving politics for crying out loud.

My 2 cents: I have nothing against Arabs, Arab culture or Palestinians, but what I do stand up for is that if someone wants and asks to be treated like an adult, shouldn't they act like one first. Actions speak louder than words. That my friends, is all that I am going to say.

SO STAY TUNED LATER ON TO THE "FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF NILI BLOG - LIVE FROM ISRAEL."

The Anatomy of a Press Release

2009-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE BASICS

There's no right or wrong way to write a press release. In fact, there are several ways to write one and grab the attention of the news media. The key thing to remember is the audience you are writing the press release for. Will this release go to the local press? Will you send it to a specifically targeted audience? Will this be something you put online?

If you are sending this to a reporter through email you don't want to send the press release as an e-mail attachment. Many reporters do not open unsolicited e-mails with attachments due to viruses and spam.

You want an attention grabbing title. Something that makes them think you may have a legitimate news idea for them that is newsworthy. This is because that title will be the first thing they see. However, if you put this online it's important to have your contact information on the top. Your audience will be able to easily identify where to get a hold of you if they want to write a story about you or ask you questions.

On a slow news day, your press release/story might have an easier chance to get picked up by a reporter. So be prepared, because you might get some publicity!

MUST HAVE...

1. It must be newsworthy. No reporter wants yet another advertisement about how great your company is. It may be great, but that's not news. Tell them something NEW about you. Do you have a new product? Are you about to host an event? Did you have record sales this year? Tell them something they'll want to talk about.

2. Try to keep short and sweet (preferably on 1 page). Reporters are consistently bombarded with press releases and most of them end up in the trash. A rule of thumb is to grab the reader in a 10-second look at your press release. Reporters are busy writing stories that they can’t read through a pile of papers.

3. Say it all up front. Grab the reader at the first paragraph. The press release follows the inverted pyramid format. Important key facts at the top, more detailed information in the middle and less important facts at the bottom. You can also include a brief background of the company, person or subject. Include contact information at the top and bottom of the Release.

4. Make the title snappy, eye-catching. Something like "Four legged friend saves baby". Don't mislead the reader. It's got to be a title that actually matches the story. Complement it, but don’t over-exaggerate. The release needs to stick out from the rest.

5. Include facts and figures. Reporters (and people in general) love to get their hands on the latest poll or a study with a surprising outcome. If you can link this with your story it will make it easier.

6. Quote the experts. Nothing says legitimate news source like an expert who agrees with your story. See if you can get permission to include that expert's contact info while you're at it. This will make the reporter's job a lot easier if they do decide to cover the story.

7. End with sources where the audience can get more information. This would include a company/filmmaker bio and website, or your direct phone number. If someone wants to cover your story, or blog about it, they'll want to know where to direct their audience as well.

Want to distribute your press release? Some are free and some are not free.

1888PressRelease.com 24-7 Press Release AddPR.com

BizEurope.com eCommWire.com

Express-Press-Release.com Free-News-Release.com

Free-Press-Release.com Free-Press-Release-Center.info

FreePressIndex.com FreePressRelease.co.cc

FreePressReleases.co.uk i-Newswire.com

IndiaPRWire.com MediaSyndicate.com MyFreePR.com

NewswireToday.com PageRelease.com PR.com

PR9.net PR-Inside.com PRCompass.com

PRlog.com PRurgent.com PRzoom.com

PressAbout.com PressBox.co.uk PressFlow.co.uk

PressMethod.com PressRelease.com PressReleasePoint.com

TechPRSpider.com TheOpenPress.com

Some More News Release Distribution Services:

PRWEB – inexpensive and very effective news release distribution (Recommended)

MyPRGenie – easy-to-use, PR management platform (media databases, release distribution); track, measure and respond to all results (Recommended)

24-7 Press Release – an inexpensive news release distribution

eReleases– an inexpensive news release distribution

Send2Press - an inexpensive service that distributes news releases

How to Publicize Your Film (Narrative or Documentary)

2009-01-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

Having worked in the past for a film festival, I have seen an area where many filmmakers tend to let slide and that is in the area of publicity. Now I know that the filmmaker's job is to create a completed film and not deal with film publicity, this is where many filmmakers are wrong. Everything you do is related to publicity and taking the time to promote your film equals more exposure.

After all, you want your film to get seen, screened and sold.

Every film should have a great press kit, especially if you are sending it to festivals, or having a local premiere and you want to garner some local exposure. For whatever reason, it is essential to create a PRESS KIT and you can create this cost effective project through the use of a computer and a digital still camera.

A Press Kit consists of the following

1. Front Cover

2. Title of the film with a Synopsis( 50 Word,100 word and 250 word)

3. Pictures and Bios of the Cast

4. Pictures and Bios of Crew

5. Credits

6. Behind-the-Scene stills

7. Production notes

8. Any reviews from the press

9. All the above should be on a CD

In addition to your press kit, the following items are also essential to promote your film:

Flyers - This should include an image with information such as a premiere date and location, short synopsis, website, contact information etc...

Posters - This is important because this is the "Eye Catcher" that gets the public interested. Design a poster through Photoshop or other design programs.

Website - VERY VERY IMPORTANT in today's market. You can design one yourself with several companies offering low cost alternatives or hire a friend or web designer to design a fancy site for your film. Think "Blair Witch," because they made tons of money off "ANTICIPATION" of publicity! Flat out genius. They had a website up and running before they even started filming. They created such a "BUZZ" that you could hear it across the United States.

Press Kit - Mentioned above.

DVD or VHS copies of the film or trailer for the Press.

Regular press releases ( more on that at my blog)

Most importantly YOU! You are a walking and talking advertisement with an important connection to any work that you produce.

BE CREATIVE, after all that is what we do.

Stay tuned to a special blogging project that entails a trip to the Middle East and doing research for my next documentary!

How I got to stand 3 feet away from Tom Hanks (non-docu related)

2009-01-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

Back in 1998, I drove 4 days to CA or to the end of the earth (or so it seemed). Arriving with a ____ car with everything I own, I entered the gates of La-La land.

Anyway, I found an apartment right behind the famous "Hollywood Blvd." and was excited about finally getting an apartment so close to Tinseltown.

However, after a few weeks with no official parking space (resorted to street parking at your own risk) and loud noise at night from helicopters hovering above, I decided this place wasn't for me (More on that later).

On my first week in Los Angeles, I started doing what any inspiring filmmaker would do...look for work. This task wasn't easy and it equals a day of paid work, except this isn't paid. My fax machine almost caught on fire from all the faxing of resumes to many many production offices.

I opened the Hollywood Reporter and faxed every number listed for TV show production offices and films. They say in Hollywood in order to get work, you have to know someone. This is true, but not always. 80% of the work I got was faxing my resume at the right time and lots of luck. Calling the production offices to find out who to send the resume to is very important. Any PA would tell you that, because we all do it.

My first job was working on The Academy of Country Music Awards, and then I worked with Dick Clark Inc. again on a short lived children's Disney game show called MAD LIBS.

While the show was winding down, everyone rushed to add their finishing touches to their resumes. I started to send out my resume again and got a response from a production office at the EMMYS. The next day I got hired as a PA (Production Assistant) in the office and after two weeks we moved company to the glorious SHRINE Auditorium. That week, I worked 60-70 hours and enjoyed every minute of it, despite sore bones. The perks were getting to run amongst famous talent, but GREAT TALENT and for an aspiring director, this was heaven.

On the day of the show, I asked my production manager for a backstage pass, trying to create a job for me while the show was going on. I offered to assist the producers table with whatever they needed. My wish was granted and so during the live shoot, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson came back stage to look at the monitors (They were there to be presenting and nominated), so there, I stood 3 feet from Mr. Hanks. I didn't flinch. nothing. I stayed calm as a rock. All I could think about was paying respect to him for the amazing work he has done! He has worked for many many years in this industry for that kind of respect.

This business is tough. It seems that you have to consistently prove yourself over and over again before you get any kind of respect. So, with that said, DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

I believe being successful is 1/3 Luck, 1/3 Persistence, 1/3 Passion.

Some of my favorite web sites to help in your job search:

http://www.variety.com - Up to date news in Hollywood and International

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com - The leading Hollywood news source!

http://www.thefutoncritic.com - Lots of information about films, production listings, news.

http://www.entertainmentcareers.net - Job bank.

Important Info for Docu-Makers & Lovers

2009-01-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

An important aspect for any filmmaker are resources. Monetary resources, organizational resources and filmmaking resources. I have provided a few links to get started and get acquainted with the following non-profit organizations.

For one, IDA, the International Documentary Association (www.documentary.org). This organization can be considered the best one for any documentary filmmaker. This organization has west and east coast offices and continue to assist many great films. Grants, jobs, classifieds, filmmaker resources are at your disposal.

If you are not a filmmaker, but love documentaries, then this site is for you.

Top Documentary Films http://topdocumentaryfilms.com

This site features free-streaming, full length documentaries. Don't have a DVD, or should I say a fancy playing DVD player. No problem.

Documentary Films

http://www.Documentaryfilms.net

Festival information, films schools, production companies, grants are all at your finger tips.

The Center for Independent Documentaries

http://www.documentaries.org

Gain fiscal sponsorship through them. Join CID and they help you through the process.

OK, these are just a few favorite sites.

In the future, I will write about:

* No money? no problem. Several cost saving substitutions to get the shot you want for less money.

* Publicizing Reality - How to promote documentary films!

* Actors Needed - Just because it is a documentary doesn't mean that there isn't a need for actors ( Voice Overs, Reenactments)

"Freedom Fighters" receive Fiscal Sponsorship with IDA

2008-10-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

The documentary film "The Freedom Fighters of Nili" have received the honor of being under the International Documentary Association's Fiscal Sponsorship Program. This means, any money raised for the film will get a tax deduction through IDA. www.documentary.org

This is great news!

Introducing "Freedom Fighters..."

2008-08-17T07:04:00.001-07:00

You have reached the blog site for the documentary "The Freedom Fighters of Nili." This link will be posted on the main site, which is currently under construction.

The film is about a group of Ottoman Jews living in Palestine who spy against the Turks in order to aid the British during World War I. In return, this helped General Allenby conquer Jerusalem and end the 400 plus year rule of the Ottoman Empire.

The documentary tells the extraordinary tale of the spy group, know as "Nili."

Please stay tuned to the latest information regarding "Freedom Fighters of Nili," because you will not believe your eyes.

You won't want to miss it.

Status of film: Pre-Production.

Sincerely,

Leora C.

Director & Producer