THE MEMOIRS OF SUMMER RAY

I have been reading a lot about the remakes in Hollywood, and how many are disappointed in the lack of new material coming out of Hollywood. But there are incredible stories out there, just waiting to come to life on film. But the process to get there, is excruciating. Here are a some definitions, “intense, with extreme effort or attention; agonizing, causing great physical or mental pain; very difficult, demanding, strict or harsh, demanding great ability, skill, or resilience; the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness; the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.” One thing our Fiscal Sponsor Carole Dean of From the Heart Productions (www.fromtheheartproductions.com) once stated that will stick with me forever. She said, “Tenacity is the backbone of a filmmaker.” Tenacity is defined as, “persistent determination, the quality displayed by someone who just won’t quit — who keeps trying until they reach their goal; the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip; the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence.” You are either in it for the long haul or you are not. Here are the cold hard facts #1: If you quit, you were not all that committed to your work. #2: You also didn’t believe enough in your story to stay committed when times got tough. #3: Times will get tough. It is a guarantee. #4. When you are left with no one; when people have walked away and abandoned your project; that is that place that will be the defining moment. Because if your story means that much to you, you will rise from the ashes of defeat and try again until you get the right people on board, until your script is polished to perfection and the real you shows up. I used to hate calling myself a “filmmaker.” But over the years it is getting easier and easier because that is what I am turning out to be. If I have a film company. I am a filmmaker. But there are years of steps that have to be taken before the actual film making starts.

Although I am going to change the logo of my film company soon, this phoenix rising from the ashes has always been a symbol of hope but one of also fact. We are rising from the ashes! There is no way that I am quitting. Why? It’s because I believe in the story of Summer Ray and all it stands for. But the process of getting it to the big screen is agonizing. A lot of people simply quit in the middle because it gets too hard. But it does get too hard. There are days when I just cry because of how hard it is. But if the doors haven’t swung wide open yet in my favor, then there is indeed a reason and I must trust God in the process. I am not only the scriptwriter, I am the author of the books the scripts are written on. But to connect all the dots and have it all make sense, is a wild ride for sure. But it also comes with a lot of mental anguish. Does it seem impossible that this project will ever get to distribution? Yep! From looking at the business itself and the competition involved, it does look like a fruitless endeavor because of the impossibility of it all. There are millions of scripts just waiting to be picked up. But I am not selling my scripts. But I do need millions of dollars to produce the pilot. So, if I am struggling just with daily living expenses, how am I supposed to get millions of dollars to produce a film? First of all, “With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (NIV) And, “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 (NKJV) I believe that with God’s help, the FULL SERIES will be made. But right now, honestly, I just do not know how long the first film (pilot) will be. I originally thought two hours. But there is so much material in the script. I don’t want to make it hard for viewers to grasp the storylines. We may need to slow down the narrative and just take our time. It may end up, just being hour episodes for years to come. That is entirely possible. It is just figuring out those details, before I can even think of pitching this series to any investor or network. I believe we walk right into God’s chosen path for this project. But it won’t happen until the necessary pieces are in place. One of those major pieces is, do we forgo the two hour film and make the pilot just one hour and stick with one hour episodes? I never thought the story of Summer Ray would expand the way it has, especially with a new spin off series. I never expected other story lines to happen that are not in the books either. In all honestly again, I am seeing this as a made for TV series and not a film series. I think trying to cram so much just to make it happen faster, may do an injustice to the story and those who paid good money to view it. But the bottom line is simply this. I am in it for the long haul. I have to be! This is what God has called me to do. But it doesn’t come without a cost! Are you committed to your project? If you need help, I highly suggest you reach out to Carol Dean. www.fromtheheartproductions.com! Her knowledge of the film industry is extraordinary. Her kindness is like Mother Teresa’s. She truly is an angel on earth. Thank you again and again Carole

for all you do for us Indie Filmmakers. Thank you especially for your belief in me and in my project. You are for sure, an Indie lifeline. But on that note, we must be willing to grab the line and hold on for dear life! You cannot do our work for us. But you have created countless guidelines for us to follow and for that, I am indeed incredibly grateful!

References: Google; www.dictionary.com; www.biblegateway.com