I’ve been so busy with holiday stuff that I haven’t had a chance to write.  So here goes!

On Christmas Eve the mail person came by and dropped off some mail.  I got an envelope from Sask Arts Board, which made me instantly anxious because it seemed so small, and I was anticipating a rejection.  And it was almost Christmas, and I didn’t want bad news on Christmas, but I opened it and read “We are pleased . . . ” and I was like “Woooo!”  They didn’t give me the full amount I requested, but it’s still 13,000 towards my Mars webseries.  So I’m sure I can do something with that.  I’m basically not able to pay myself much.  I’ve been thinking about how I can make up the full amount and I am considering turning to crowdfunding.  I’ve got a lot of research I have to do in the next month, like researching the best way of presenting a webseries, and how to run a good crowdfunding campaign.  Basically I have to go to the library.  I also have to research Soviet cosmonauts and space technology, space travel, Mars, and various other things.  I’m gonna download some transmissions from space and listen to the lingo and stuff.  Each webisode is presented as a transmission from this ship.  It’s pretty exciting!

So Christmas Eve I was trying to sleep but my head was buzzing with all the things I am gonna have to do in the coming months, and also things I can finally pay off now that I am getting some cash.  SOME of it I can just use as living, so I’m gonna get Little Mister’s teeth done and finish paying off the car accident I was in, and I owe Mum 202.00 so I have to pay her that. AND I am gonna get an artist website, so I have to do that.  February I will get some artist fee money too, I am hoping I get a decent cheque.  I might get my tattoo, I’ve been wanting it for a long time.

What else?  I haven’t gotten my unofficial transcript from ECUAD yet, I think the university is closed for the holidays anyway, so I am going to get in touch with them in January.  That’s the last thing on my end that I need for my application to Ryerson. 

No ladies on the horizon.  I’m going out to Divas on New Years Eve I think, maybe.  There could be cuties there.  I’m dressing up a bit more when I go out, so I hope I look more presentable.

Little Mister needs a shave!  And I need to be sheared too, I’m looking mighty shaggy! 

I’m mostly relieved that I have finally been able to fund my project.  It’s been bouncing around for years, trying to get the damn thing funded.  It has also changed over time, from a longish short video to now a webseries.  There was a time I was thinking of making it a tv show, but no one is gonna take me seriously for that yet.  I think it becoming a webseries is a good move, it’s a longer story but spread out over a series of shorts.  I tried to get it funded through the Canada Council, but got rejected twice.  So oh well.  Thank god my provincial funding body came through!  This was the first time I applied to SAB with this project. 

I’ve got a lot of work to do!  2014 is going to be exciting!  And in the fall, the series will start going online.  And I will finally be able to see this thing to fruition!  I first performed my Mars story around 2001, so it has been a LONG time coming!  I’m gonna be able to work with actors, so this will be fun.  I have to look at my budget and see what I can do. 

This is my work schedule for the next year:

I think I’m gonna start research and scriptwriting in January though, I feel like it could benefit from another month of work, especially since I have already found out I have the grant.  I have the outline for ten episodes.  It’s just a matter of jumping off from there.

I’ve decided to make beaded jumpsuits too.  Which will also take a lot of work.  I might pay for that with crowdfunded money, if this thing works.

I’m really buzzing but I know I should go to sleep and it’s late and aaaaaahhhhhhh!  I have over ten thousand dollars to make videos!  In the Industry that’s not a lot, but to me it is pretty mega.  I have made short videos super cheaply before.  Like, with a hundred bucks.  Which is a SUPER micro budget.

I have other projects brewing in my brain, but I hope this opens some more doors for me and gets me noticed.  And it’s also a really good experience to learn how to direct actors.

So in short, it has been a good Christmas, even though today was mostly being busy with my family obligations.  I am hoping to have some relaxing times with my friends in the next while, until after New Years.  Maybe some sledding, some drives, coffee, shirley temples in the bar.  I think my Nortryptiline is kicking in so maybe I can get some sleep now.  I’m excited about the future, it’s a good feeling~!