Creating 2015—Day 88: Family Matters
Posted by Kelli Joan Bennett
The name of my first “production company” was called Crazy 8 Productions. It was the banner under which I produced my first film, Wait A Minute—a 10-minute short about a twenty something’s struggle with the passage of time and aging. I was 28 at the time and my family was everything to me. Eight was a magical number to me because there were eight members of my immediate family—my two parents, five siblings and me. It was that tight knit, incredibly close and supportive “crazy 8” plus many of my extended family members that made that film happen.
My Complete Crazy 8 – December 2013
The year was 1996. Back then we didn’t have Kickstarter or Indiegogo and neither myself nor my family had signed up for the new fangled “email” service yet. So, I personally wrote and snail mailed letters to every aunt, uncle, and cousin I could think of and asked for help making the film. And help me they did! It wasn’t a quick process but the donations did eventually come in. My sweet Uncle Ed sent me a hundred dollars! Which by any year’s standards is a huge donation. My parents gave me a big chunk of the budget and each sibling helped out as much as they could. Long story short, I raised ten grand and shot my film—on super 16mm film no less.
Times have changed and so has the name of my production company. Film has been replaced with the digital revolution. Our core eight is arranged a little differently these days too. Now we are seven physical beings and one spiritual being—my Dad passed away February 28, 2014. What hasn’t changed is my deep gratitude and love for all of my family. That connection is at the heart of everything I do. It drives me, it makes me brave, and it is what matters above all else in my life.
Until tomorrow, create from what you have…a family that matters to you.
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