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Guys and Gals I could really use your help. I'm starting my next documentary in March. It's a biopic, and I've spent the last three years corresponding with the subject, and I've finally gotten him to sign on to participate in the film. That and in March there is an event being held in his honor (he's a former Olympic athlete with a tremendous story of success and failure). I could wait forever for the ideal conditions, for money and gear which may never come. Instead, I've resolved to shoot something...anything. To get the key interview, and shoot enough of...something, anything to sculpt a short proof of concept film to help raise money for the whole show. The rub is he's in Hawaii, so the travel costs are a pretty huge chunk of the money I have to spend. I've had to beg and borrow a camera (an EX1-R) and I'm sleeping on the floor at a friend's place, who lives on the island as well. This is about as humble a production as one can be. I've got to do it. I know I must, because if I don't do it now, I don't think I ever will. And yet, I'm terrified that it'll all be a waste of time, because what I shoot will betray those humble origins. I see all these terrific documentaries, and I see how long the credits are of all the crew involved. I can't afford even that on this trip. I feel terribly self conscious, like, how can I possible expect to make a good film without lots of money to throw at crew and post production and all that. I know that's a silly thought. I try to tell myself it's about the story, and telling it well. I just still feel like I'm going to go into this thing, and waste everyone's time. That I'm just not good enough, and I'm going to fail to do this story justice. I need inspiration. I need stories of success from such humble beginnings. I need to believe that what I'm trying to do could turn into something worthwhile, that I might actually be making a good film here.