End of the Beginning

I've been going flat out around the clock since the moment I stepped off the red-eye from L.A. Friday morning. It's hard to believe that today - Sunday, March 27, 2011 - is the last day of post-production on Beautiful Noise. Yesterday I approved the final pass of color correction and special effects and last night Marc and I edited in the revised End Credits. I can't say enough good things about the incredible job Courtney Penna & Brett Jones did on the cc & vfx...as now, coupled with the work I did all week with Dolby sound supervisor and master-mixer Dino Herrmann, the film looks and sounds like a completely different movie. For weeks now we've had a tremendous response from all those who were invited to critique various rough cuts of BN, but I can already tell from the quick review I had with Marc during the credits session that something amazing has taken place. Not only do all the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly, but the effect of fitting them all together has created something new and fresh. It's now...finally...the movie I set out to make.

Later today I will sit alone with Marc and watch Beautiful Noise from start to finish from a moviegoers' point of view. Wendy's orders. I could tweak this forever, but now it's time to watch it without interruption and see and hear how it all washes over me. If something really jumps out and takes me out of the moment I know Marc can still go in and adjust...but otherwise, today is the last time I'll see this movie before we share it with the masses. I'm already starting to get the same feeling I had the day after we completed principal photography when I was overwhelmed with a cascade of relief, joy and depression all at the same time. The only saving grace is I have no time to dwell on any of those feelings because my full attention will turn tomorrow to prepping for the Beautiful Noise Live! Sarasota Concert next Friday at Riverviews' Performing Arts Center; leading my BN Team in an all-out effort to promote our World Premiere at the Sarasota Film Festival starting April 9th; booking our US & European Movie & Concert promotional tour and - best of all - setting up our pre-production dates for the back-to-back filming of the Beautiful Noise prequel - Serenade and the sequel - Heartlight...both of which I'm filming back-to-back this summer and fall right here on Florida's Suncoast.

Tony Bennett is famous for stating that he's never worked a day in his life 'cause singing to him is his Bliss...it's not work. I can identify. I've been very fortunate in my life to have been able to pursue many different opportunities...some that were given to me...some that I created. But nothing remotely compares to my journey to become a Filmmaker and the creation of this movie out of thin air . I feel like an athlete who has given everything he has to help his Team win the Game and who left every ounce of effort he had out on the playing field...or artists like Neil Diamond or Bruce Springsteen, who just absolutely give it up and who pour their heart and soul into every single concert performance, leaving the stage only after they've given their all. I've been in the front row to see those guys empty their vessel in front of thousands to deliver the most memorable performance they possibly can. When they walk off that stage wringing wet you know they had nothing left to give...and win or lose...they shared a piece of their soul with you.

That's exactly how I feel. I can't do any more. I'm all in...and either way it goes, my BN Band of Filmmakers and I have emptied the tank. The result of our collective effort will be on display come April 9th at the Sarasota Film Festival and then at film festivals and showcases around the world. I can't wait to sit in the audience on Opening Night with my Cast & Crew and experience everything that has become Beautiful Noise...The Movie.

ST