Last thought about 2016

OK, so 2016 is finally almost over. This was a long year (and not just because it was a leap year). It's well documented how it claimed an eye-popping number of some of the most talented artists to ever walk the earth. I think we can also agree most of us survived the nastiest presidential election in history.
Closer to home, Kansas remains stuck in a recession, and it doesn't look like things are going to improve any time soon.
Still, I'm grateful for what 2016 meant for our documentary "Out Here In Kansas."
First of all, we finished the thing, which was no small task.
Second, we've had people support it. Sure, there have been great friends (that's me in the top photo at our world premiere a couple of months ago, posing with some of my beloved cast members of Wichita Gridiron). But strangers have reached out and embraced it, too. We've had so much help from so many people, including some who have disappeared from my life.
Third, I know we've got bigger things coming in 2017. Thanks for keeping up with the project on this blog, and I'll see you on the other side.

What do you mean you're leaving?

In our effort to find B roll for the interview we did with Kansas filmmaker Steve Balderson, I watched all three movies of his Wamego trilogy.
In the opening minutes of the second movie, Wamego Strikes Back, Balderson and his crew are at the Raindance Film Festival in London, which was showing their critically acclaimed "Firecracker."
After Balderson addressed the audience, he did something I found strange. He walked out of the theater and kept himself busy for a couple of hours. He explains in the movie that audience members have different reactions to the film, and he wanted to hear all of them - but not until after it was finished.
"I don't need to see them experiencing the journey," he said. "But as soon as they have finished the journey, then I'm very curious."
Just tonight I asked Balderson, who now lives in Los Angeles, about that. He replied he's never stuck around to watch his movies with an audience - not once for the 17 movies he's done.
Personally, I don't know how he does it. For every screening we've had for "Out Here In Kansas," I felt I had to experience it with the audience. How can I miss out on the reactions? How will I know what parts that audience liked best?
Balderson told me after making five or six films, I'll be leaving, too. I suppose he's probably right.

Song in the opening credits

Since I described the opening credits in my last post, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the song that plays with them.
It's called "Debutante's Ball." It was performed by a group called Je Suis France out of Athens, Ga., a city that also produced REM and the B-52s.
I discovered the song on the sports website Deadspin, of all places. Members of the now-defunct band, once I tracked them down, told me they have no idea how it ended up there.

They don't make 'em like that anymore

After watching the slow-motion, Wes Anderson-inspired opening credit scene of "Out Here In Kansas," I've had a couple of keen-eyed Augusta natives ask me if the set was the very movie theater we grew up with.
Indeed, that is the Augusta Historic Theatre, my favorite movie house in the world.  Built in 1935, the theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
I've often said if I could live in that theater, I would. That's how much I adore it. I'm delighted it's in a movie I made, and I'm thankful the folks there came through for me.

Hot stove heating up

We've got some exciting things brewing for "Out Here In Kansas" once the holidays are over, including a handful of upcoming screenings in Kansas. Watch for announcements coming soon on this blog.
In the meantime, you might want to check out this speech that popped up on YouTube earlier this year. Someone recently passed it along to our friend Burt Humburg. Burt passed it along to me, and now I'm passing it along to you.

Prayers for the Equality House

If you've seen "Out Here In Kansas," you'll remember we introduce you to The Equality House, the rainbow-colored cottage directly across the street from Westboro Baptist Church.

I don't mind telling you how sad I am this morning to learn that our friends at Equality House have been the victims of several recent hate crimes. I have heavily cropped the top right photo here, but I think you get the idea.

The president of PlantingPeace.org responded with this message on Facebook ...

Before painting the Equality House, Davis and I thought it would only be three weeks before the house was burnt down.
We even set forth escape plans. But something beautiful happened over the course of the last three years.... Nothing.
With roughly 150 visitors a day, the Equality House had never been attacked.
Then, in late 2016:
- Our Little Free Library was covered in feces.
- The KKK knocked on our door and told Davis and me that we would be killed if Trump were elected.
- Then, a few weeks ago, I was awakened by the sounds of 5 white guys spray painting "f__ fags" along the exterior of my house. They also left 7 bullet holes in my window.
I spoke with the Southern Poverty Law Center after the Equality House was shot, and they confirmed hate crimes are on the rise.
I've seen more swastikas in the last couple of days than I have seen in my lifetime outside of historical references.
But what scares me more than the bullets nailing my window and swastikas popping up on street corners around America is the absolute silence from far too many. This is no time to be complacent my friends. We must act.
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
- Aaron Jackson
President
www.plantingpeace.org

Silent partner

I've used a fair of space on this blog talking about Kenny Linn, our editor and cinematographer, Mostly I've sung his praises, but every once in a while I'll post something about him that I find funny. Like this. Or this. Or this. Or especially this.
But this picture, taken by Melissa Fink at the Kansas International Film Festival a few days ago, makes me smile the biggest.
That's Kenny on the left and producer Savannah Rodgers in the middle. Of the four of us on the team (Jon Pic is not pictured), Savannah probably loves talking the most. Kenny's more of an introvert.
Kenny, bless his heart, has willingly taken part in most of our Q&A sessions. But as you see here, he's never too crazy about being handed the microphone.