DREAMS, DREAMS and MORE DREAMS!!!
How do I even begin to tell this story? Giving you the setting seems an appropriate way to begin. Today's installment of 'Dreams Really Do Come True' is set in central Ohio. We travel the roadways from my custom designed "Mother/FIL Suite" (in the lower level of the Daughter S home) to the Award Winning Horizons Production Company on the exact opposite side of Columbus, Ohio.
And how pray-tell do I have this invitation to FILM?
Go back three months in time to NAEYC in Washington DC last fall.
Here are some of the power players from Zaner-Bloser taking me out to dinner to talk DREAMS!
And why do I have this power dinner in DC?
Go back years and years: to the time of creating the CD,
Look closely at the bottom and you see the ZB logo!
Yes. They commissioned me to create this project.
We had 'always' believed that videos of the songs would be the perfect teacher support.
It just took a while for the stars to align.
And now they have!
Take a look at our day of filming at Horizons!
The end project/video is designed for four and five year olds.
Just so happens that I have 2 WonderTwinzees that are now five!
Guess who got to travel to the horse-barn studio and participate?
THESE TWO!
We got the day started by filming the footage to support one of my ALL time favorite ZB songs:
"Top to Bottom."
Mr. Eyelashes was the brave one -- and went first.
I stood off stage and acted as the 'prompt'.......
follow the marching, jumping GeeGee.
Little Red required very little coaxing to join the fun.
I have a feeling the finished product will catch her rolling her eyes.
She seemed to think that was required for film.
Here's the three of us enjoying our efforts!
Little did either little star anticipate.....
They received actual MONEY for their participation in this fun!
MORE MONEY than they had ever seen before!!!
Moral #1? Do what you LUV the reward follow.
Next is my turn!
A quick-change and I get my turn on the green screen backdrop.
We are all in agreement that the denim jumper I concocted will show up.
The film crew has never seen anything quite like it.
There are some pretty hilarious moments as we get underway.
Hopefully all of those are left to our memory.
A quick composite of the nonsense would make a fun personal blooper reel!
Here's a couple shots for my mom & dad to print off for their fridge!
And that was the conclusion to our morning 'work.'
What comes next?
PLAY TIME!
While waiting for the lunch chow to arrive, the littles got to play with the green screen.
As far as I know this was literally just for super fun.
I don't think any of this will make it into our finished project.
That's Kathleen's grand-daughter, who was a production assistant, having fun.
Mr. Eyelashes is wearing an adult green suit.
What an opportunity for each of them!
After lunch we had our next child-actor arrive to get filmed.
This is four year old Esther.
She looks slightly shy in this still, but trust me.
She was the VERY best at taking direction from me.
Once she got warmed up -- there was no stopping her!
The afternoon was spent with me filming two 'teacher talks' about the songs we filmed.
This is the last of my DIVA DEBBIE DAY Film shoot.
Me.
Checking back through the footage, for last minute corrections.
Not yet ready for prime time reality series... but such fun!
Here's our crew.
Needed each and every.single.person.
****Taking ALLLLLL of these photos is the unsung hero of the day.
My daughter Sarah.
She gets all of the credit for my hair and make up,
AND served as photographer to document the occasion.
I guess that makes these my Village.
The VILLAGE people!
How many women does it take to teach me about my iPhone?
We are attempting to send the photo above to email addresses.
Alas. Something about a password has gotten gummed up?
In any case. I LUV LUV LUV this photo!
These are the two women who have made the entire day possible.
From left. Kathleen of ZB and Cherie of Horizons.
This is the final glimpse of Ohio gray as we pulled out of the driveway.
Horizons.
What a true treasure to PLAY at your barn!
One final p.s. to the story.
You may have seen the transformation of the denim jumper a la my paint brush.
Turns out that I also needed to 'repaint' my shoes.
They couldn't have any green showing.
So here's the before and after shot of the shoes.
Everything that was originally green got painted orange.
BTW: these are my "MONA" hand painted beauties.
I only get credit for the repaint.
So here's one more Post Script.
Mom: click on this link to see the Peeps dancing.
This after they were all finished.
Scott came to get them and we were just having FUN!
