I have now become a contributor and moderator at the website MacMovieMaker.com. I've written a nice description of who I am there. The text of that intro follows:
_______________________________
Ok, I've already posted two items to the boards for review and forced my opinions onto a few other posts. So how about letting you know just who I am?
My name is David Sean Dawson (remember it... you'll see it on a marquee near you someday!) I am 29 and I currently reside in the North County region of San Diego.
When I first left high school I went to Baylor University as a Technical Theatre Major with an Acting Minor. I spent two years studying at Baylor before leaving for Dallas where I'd landed a job at Vari*Lite. Vari*Lite is one of the leading companies in automated lighting systems for concerts, theatre and film production in the world. Dallas is their worldwide headquarters.
After a year in Dallas I decided it was time to return to the Sunny Shores™ of Southern California. So I packed my bags and returned home. I spent the next seven years working as a freelance lighting/sound/sets technician in the theatrical and corporate events markets.
About five years ago my father had open heart surgery and required me to return to the "full-time" grind to help him cover his life expenses while he recovered. So I took up a full-time position as a road-technician for an Audio Visual Production company and I spent a year to a year and a half working on the road as a tech. This job was great since it covered so many aspects of production from sound to video to graphics to project managing.
While on the road I bought a Sony Digital-8 Camcorder and an iMac (I'd been using Macs since Baylor). I chronicled everything we did on the road and started editing neat "vacation" videos with iMovie. I loved how simple video editing had now become and I learned through the biz that Hi-Def was on it's way and that motion pictures were soon going to open up as a possibility for the low budget filmmaker who doesn't want to shoot film! So once Dad no longer needed me to work I went back to school!
I attended the local community college Palomar College where they have a well respected Radio and Television certification program. I began making movies my first year there. Shortly before attending classes I landed my first contract as a video producer with the Surf Cup Soccer Tournaments. They hired me to shoot and edit together a 7 minute promotional video for them. I used the money made (most paid in advance) to purchase a Canon XL-1 and some support equipment and Final Cut Pro 1.0. Yeah, I've been an FCP user since six months after it's release!
So with XL-1 in hand and a wealth of production knowledge already gained through my years in production environments I set out to get straight A's at school. And I did. The greatest achievement I have there, however, was that my goal was to get nominated for a student EMMY prior to leaving the program there and I achieved that goal with my very first short film.
One project, one year, one regional EMMY nomination! I was stoked. I followed that nomination the second year there with another nomination for a 1-hour live-to-tape in-studio talk show I produced about Terrorism. (This was the semester of 9-11). And again, in my third year I was nominated again for a short film I produced/wrote/directed/edited called "Spoof Wars: Episode MICK: Generation Jedi". A fan film that was created for the first Atom Films Star Wars Fan Film Contest. Atom Films didn't pick it up, but to the best of my knowledge, it's the only Fan Film to earn a nomination in the EMMY's.
So that was three years in a row that I was awarded nominations from the Pacific Southwest Regional Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Not bad for a beginner!
I've since created a production company with my family (Everyone is into production now!) and we have been hard at work on short films and paid corporate gigs.
We are currently seeking financing for our first feature-film, a movie written by my Father. Currently the script is in the hands of Ivan Schwarz, one of the co-producers of the wildly successful and brilliant "Band of Brothers" from HBO. He has read the script and thinks it's a good project, he's currently showing it to some of his friends. So keep those fingers crossed for us!
We are also in pre-planning stages with two other companies regarding "reality-TV" based programming documenting youth players in International Soccer Tournaments. With any luck these two documentary projects will be getting off the ground next year with possible broadcast on Fox Sports or FOX in late 2005 early 2006.
So anyway, lots going on. I hope to contribute more to this forum in the months ahead. I enjoy helping people learn when I can.
Our company website can be visited by clicking here www.d2pinc.com. And don't forget to view and review my latest short film by clicking here!
Until next time!
David
5/31/2004
5/28/2004
Bob Dawson
I got the news this morning. My Uncle Bob has died. Apparently from some respiratory disease he picked up in Egypt on his most recent business trip.
My Uncle Bob is the oldest of four sons. He was a large man with an equally large wit and sense of humor. Of my three Uncles on my Father's side, he was the one I've seen the least over the years. But when we have been together he was always kind and loving, and unquestionably a member of our family. He was full of our unmistakable sense of humor.
His daughter Jessica, who currently resides with her husband here in San Diego, had her second child two days before his passing. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her young family as they morn this terrible and surprising loss.
Uncle Bob, God Speed.
-Dave
My Uncle Bob is the oldest of four sons. He was a large man with an equally large wit and sense of humor. Of my three Uncles on my Father's side, he was the one I've seen the least over the years. But when we have been together he was always kind and loving, and unquestionably a member of our family. He was full of our unmistakable sense of humor.
His daughter Jessica, who currently resides with her husband here in San Diego, had her second child two days before his passing. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her young family as they morn this terrible and surprising loss.
Uncle Bob, God Speed.
-Dave
5/21/2004
A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.
At last! Some good news coming in on the "Behind The Window" front!
Here's the deal... a couple of weeks ago Luca finally hooked us up in a meeting with Kevin Mabbutt. Kevin is a former soccer star from England. A very successful one at that. He now lives in Rancho Santa Fe and owns one of the very successful restaurants there. He is also an aspiring film producer and is currently hard at work trying to get a very popular soccer book turned into a film. That's been a long expensive road for him so far, but it's a journey that, like any real filmmaker, he's willing to take.
So anyway, we meet with Kevin and Luca and we pitch the script, the production and everything else about us to Kevin. It went really well. We instantly liked Kevin. He's a straight up kind of guy and we felt like he really listened to us when we were talking about our project. He took the script from us and asked if he could show it to Ivan Schwarz who is helping him get his soccer movie off the ground. Ivan is also Kevin's brother-in-law (I believe) and to top it all off he is also one of the co-producers of "Band Of Brothers". Mick was more than happy to let him show the script to someone we instantly had great respect for. (We loved "Band of Brothers" and we still recommend viewing it to people today!) So Kevin said he'd deliver the script to Ivan that weekend. Cool.
After we were done pitching it seemed that Kevin was ready to pitch some ideas of his own. The man really wants to make soccer films, T.V. Shows and documentaries. He's so passionate about getting soccer on the screen. It's really very cool. So he discussed with us a few of his documentary ideas and some of his film ideas. He was very interested in discussing the soccer productions with us some more in the near future, but we had to bring that meeting to a close because of everyone's schedules.
So Mick and I left that day feeling like it was the best meeting we'd had for Dawson Digital Productions so far...
And it's getting better.
On my birthday, Tuesday May 18, Kevin tells Dad that he's having lunch with Ivan and that Ivan has told him he's looked over "Behind The Window" and that they'll talk about it at lunch. Exciting stuff. Mick could barely contain his excitement and nervousness. Kevin also told him that he wants to discuss shooting a series of documentaries around the Surf Cup and some of the players/teams competing there. Good stuff.
So Kevin goes into his lunch with Ivan, one of a few meetings he had scheduled for the afternoon, and we are told to call him the next day for news.
The wait was unbearable. It's a good thing it was my birthday, 'cause it kept us distracted. Sort of.
So on Wednesday, Kevin talks to Dad and says that Ivan has read half of the screenplay. ***dramatic pause*** He likes what he's read so far. Says it's well written, a good story, very well crafted and timely. He promises to finish the script by his meeting with Kevin next week and would like to show it to a few of his other producer friends as a potential project to think about.
WOOHOO!!!!
Awesome stuff. If he likes it after the first half, he's gonna like it after the second too. Personally I feel the second half is the strongest. Maybe not a strong enough ending, but that's workable! The main thing is he likes it!
We are so excited around here it's amazing.
So we are waiting until next week to hear more. But the possibilities of this project going forward are increasing exponentially with the fact that a "Band Of Brothers" producer likes the script. THAT'S HUGE!!!!
And we still are going to pursue soccer films with Kevin. So lots going on here now!
Until next time!
-Dave
Here's the deal... a couple of weeks ago Luca finally hooked us up in a meeting with Kevin Mabbutt. Kevin is a former soccer star from England. A very successful one at that. He now lives in Rancho Santa Fe and owns one of the very successful restaurants there. He is also an aspiring film producer and is currently hard at work trying to get a very popular soccer book turned into a film. That's been a long expensive road for him so far, but it's a journey that, like any real filmmaker, he's willing to take.
So anyway, we meet with Kevin and Luca and we pitch the script, the production and everything else about us to Kevin. It went really well. We instantly liked Kevin. He's a straight up kind of guy and we felt like he really listened to us when we were talking about our project. He took the script from us and asked if he could show it to Ivan Schwarz who is helping him get his soccer movie off the ground. Ivan is also Kevin's brother-in-law (I believe) and to top it all off he is also one of the co-producers of "Band Of Brothers". Mick was more than happy to let him show the script to someone we instantly had great respect for. (We loved "Band of Brothers" and we still recommend viewing it to people today!) So Kevin said he'd deliver the script to Ivan that weekend. Cool.
After we were done pitching it seemed that Kevin was ready to pitch some ideas of his own. The man really wants to make soccer films, T.V. Shows and documentaries. He's so passionate about getting soccer on the screen. It's really very cool. So he discussed with us a few of his documentary ideas and some of his film ideas. He was very interested in discussing the soccer productions with us some more in the near future, but we had to bring that meeting to a close because of everyone's schedules.
So Mick and I left that day feeling like it was the best meeting we'd had for Dawson Digital Productions so far...
And it's getting better.
On my birthday, Tuesday May 18, Kevin tells Dad that he's having lunch with Ivan and that Ivan has told him he's looked over "Behind The Window" and that they'll talk about it at lunch. Exciting stuff. Mick could barely contain his excitement and nervousness. Kevin also told him that he wants to discuss shooting a series of documentaries around the Surf Cup and some of the players/teams competing there. Good stuff.
So Kevin goes into his lunch with Ivan, one of a few meetings he had scheduled for the afternoon, and we are told to call him the next day for news.
The wait was unbearable. It's a good thing it was my birthday, 'cause it kept us distracted. Sort of.
So on Wednesday, Kevin talks to Dad and says that Ivan has read half of the screenplay. ***dramatic pause*** He likes what he's read so far. Says it's well written, a good story, very well crafted and timely. He promises to finish the script by his meeting with Kevin next week and would like to show it to a few of his other producer friends as a potential project to think about.
WOOHOO!!!!
Awesome stuff. If he likes it after the first half, he's gonna like it after the second too. Personally I feel the second half is the strongest. Maybe not a strong enough ending, but that's workable! The main thing is he likes it!
We are so excited around here it's amazing.
So we are waiting until next week to hear more. But the possibilities of this project going forward are increasing exponentially with the fact that a "Band Of Brothers" producer likes the script. THAT'S HUGE!!!!
And we still are going to pursue soccer films with Kevin. So lots going on here now!
Until next time!
-Dave
5/20/2004
And you run and you rush to catch up with the Sun but it's sinking...
My birthday was two days ago. It was nice. I woke up and got an IM from Amy wishing me a happy birthday. (Actually she called me first, but I didn't wake up fast enough to talk to her, so I was hearing her message on my voicemail when she IM'ed me.)
Then, the second person to wish me a happy birthday was Kurt, also on IM. He "sang" the Red Robin birthday song for me on IM. It was funny. Then he says, "Well I'll see you later tonight." Which he never says. So naturally my interest was piqued. So I ask him, "You know something I don't?" Hehehehe. Brief moment of nothing and then he says, "Well, I just figured I'd see my friend on his birthday! I want to take you to Fry's or something and buy you a gift. I'm terrible at that." Uh huh. Neither of my parents at that point had wished me a happy birthday and my Mother was sitting no more than ten feet away from me the whole time I was chatting on the computer. I KNEW something was up.
Then, after hanging around Mom for an hour, she finally says Happy Birthday. Like she'd forgotten. Except we'd talked about it just the night before. RRRRRRiiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhtttt.
Dad then calls. He talks to me for about 5 minutes and then says goodbye. No mention of my birthday. Now let's be perfectly clear. Dad never forgets his kid's birthday. NEVER. So now, I know something's up.
So I spend the rest of the day playing the game. Trying to see if anyone will slip. Everyone, at some point in the day makes an "ALMOST" slip. It's quite amusing. Vanessa gave me some great Taz gifts at the Polo Fields before we started working.
Finally... I'm heading home to Dad's house, where I've been told Mom is making a meal for me and Dad and Teesa to have. I "ask" Vanessa to join us and tell Teesa to call Kurt. (I had my suspicions that Kurt was already involved, but I wasn't so sure about Vanessa.) So anyway, as I pull up to the apartment complex that Dad lives in I see a car that looks like my friend Sheryl's. I think, "Hmmmm... peculiar". And then I notice the final give away. A couple of cars ahead of Sheryl's on the street is the unmistakable maroon colored Toyota POS that can only belong to my good friend Daniel. There's no mistaking this car, especially after you see "THE CLUB" firmly in place on his beat-up old stearing wheel.
So naturally I wander into the rest of the parking lot looking around. There's Kurts car, Sarah's here too... Wow. They managed to get all of my friends here. Nice.
So I go walking up the lot towards the apartment. I see Mom come out on the patio as Dad moves in the front door. Mom finally spots me as I come underneath the porch. She turns into the room and very discreetly (insert sarcastic/humorous tone here) yells to the crowd in the room, "He's here! He's here! Shhhhh!"
It was so sweet and so cute and so not a surprise. But it was a valiant and welcome effort that I greatly appreciate and admire. My family and friends are the greatest in the world. And I am the luckiest Birthday Boy in the world because of them.
**I also got some cool clothes and some Mini-DV tapes! Gifts are Rad!
-Dave
Then, the second person to wish me a happy birthday was Kurt, also on IM. He "sang" the Red Robin birthday song for me on IM. It was funny. Then he says, "Well I'll see you later tonight." Which he never says. So naturally my interest was piqued. So I ask him, "You know something I don't?" Hehehehe. Brief moment of nothing and then he says, "Well, I just figured I'd see my friend on his birthday! I want to take you to Fry's or something and buy you a gift. I'm terrible at that." Uh huh. Neither of my parents at that point had wished me a happy birthday and my Mother was sitting no more than ten feet away from me the whole time I was chatting on the computer. I KNEW something was up.
Then, after hanging around Mom for an hour, she finally says Happy Birthday. Like she'd forgotten. Except we'd talked about it just the night before. RRRRRRiiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhtttt.
Dad then calls. He talks to me for about 5 minutes and then says goodbye. No mention of my birthday. Now let's be perfectly clear. Dad never forgets his kid's birthday. NEVER. So now, I know something's up.
So I spend the rest of the day playing the game. Trying to see if anyone will slip. Everyone, at some point in the day makes an "ALMOST" slip. It's quite amusing. Vanessa gave me some great Taz gifts at the Polo Fields before we started working.
Finally... I'm heading home to Dad's house, where I've been told Mom is making a meal for me and Dad and Teesa to have. I "ask" Vanessa to join us and tell Teesa to call Kurt. (I had my suspicions that Kurt was already involved, but I wasn't so sure about Vanessa.) So anyway, as I pull up to the apartment complex that Dad lives in I see a car that looks like my friend Sheryl's. I think, "Hmmmm... peculiar". And then I notice the final give away. A couple of cars ahead of Sheryl's on the street is the unmistakable maroon colored Toyota POS that can only belong to my good friend Daniel. There's no mistaking this car, especially after you see "THE CLUB" firmly in place on his beat-up old stearing wheel.
So naturally I wander into the rest of the parking lot looking around. There's Kurts car, Sarah's here too... Wow. They managed to get all of my friends here. Nice.
So I go walking up the lot towards the apartment. I see Mom come out on the patio as Dad moves in the front door. Mom finally spots me as I come underneath the porch. She turns into the room and very discreetly (insert sarcastic/humorous tone here) yells to the crowd in the room, "He's here! He's here! Shhhhh!"
It was so sweet and so cute and so not a surprise. But it was a valiant and welcome effort that I greatly appreciate and admire. My family and friends are the greatest in the world. And I am the luckiest Birthday Boy in the world because of them.
**I also got some cool clothes and some Mini-DV tapes! Gifts are Rad!
-Dave
5/18/2004
Oh what a wonderful Tea Party...
Well, it's finally over. Adam Davis has finally become my *choke* brother-in-law.
The wedding was absolutely magical. Laura and Adam had what is undoubtedly the best wedding I have ever been to in my life. EVER!
From the perfect weather, to the beautiful horse drawn carriage that brought Laura to the altar, to the Reverend Kurt T. Jordan officiating... it was a day of beauty, family, friends and most importantly, LOVE. Their love and the love of their family and friends enveloped all of us like a warm blanket. You could feel it in the air. It was a very special time and one none of us will ever forget.
I'll be posting the photos to the web soon. For now I'll put one photo here. Isn't Laura just the picture of beauty? She was positively radiant all day!
-Dave
****Oh yeah, today's my 29th birthday. Go me!
The wedding was absolutely magical. Laura and Adam had what is undoubtedly the best wedding I have ever been to in my life. EVER!
From the perfect weather, to the beautiful horse drawn carriage that brought Laura to the altar, to the Reverend Kurt T. Jordan officiating... it was a day of beauty, family, friends and most importantly, LOVE. Their love and the love of their family and friends enveloped all of us like a warm blanket. You could feel it in the air. It was a very special time and one none of us will ever forget.
I'll be posting the photos to the web soon. For now I'll put one photo here. Isn't Laura just the picture of beauty? She was positively radiant all day!
-Dave
****Oh yeah, today's my 29th birthday. Go me!
5/02/2004
Two years...
Well, it's been two years or so since I started writing my thoughts online. (It's only been archived since January 2003)
I initially started the journal to let the world in on how I was dealing with my Mother being ill, and to help explain to everyone just what was (and still is) wrong with her.
Well, she's made some progress, and she's also not. She's moved on and she's not. Mom's illness, like so many things in her life is complicated beyond belief. Some days she's highly optimistic, other days she acts as though she'd prefer it to all end.
It's a very difficult rollercoaster of emotions and psychological turmoil that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
Of late, I have to admit I've started feeling burdened by it all. Now I know that's a kind of selfish indulgence I'm allowing myself to feel, but I have to allow myself to feel it. To admit to it. Mom lives with me. She has primarily lived with me now for nearly two years. God bless Steve, my roommate, for allowing this to happen and not making a big deal of it. His understanding and care for my Mother has been a real blessing.
But I can't help but feel that Mom's presence is a real added burden to an already small apartment living situation. On top of the fact that she is living there, she has also not assisted in the rent and has only occasionally stepped up and paid any of our bills. Not that I am wanting her to pay for anything in its entirety, but some assistance on a regular basis would be both helpful and appreciated.
I've also felt that through a big portion of her time with me she has really taken what I've offered for her and tried to give to her for granted. I don't feel like she really appreciates what I do for her. And she very often says things to me that are hurtful and mean.
Granted, she has become better at recognizing when she's hurt me, and she has started apologizing on occasion. But the fact that she would allow herself to hurt me to begin with has me wondering just how much effort I really should be devoting to trying to help her out.
It's exhausting, it's often annoying and I am always terrified of her next outburst. So I often find myself depressed and trying to just exist in my own house in a manner that won't get me on her bad side. As though I am living with my Mom rather than her living with me. Does that make sense? It's a subtle distinction but a very important one I think.
I don't know... I feel like I'm rambling. And maybe I am. Here it is, Sunday, and I am "hanging out" in Lancaster. LANCASTER! It's hotter than hell up here and there is nowhere to go and nothing to do except sit in the sun and watch soccer games being played by kids I don't even know. But I had to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. I couldn't stand to be at MY house for the weekend. I couldn't spend another minute there.
And so here I sit. Wondering what I can do to fix the situation I'm in while I cook in the High Desert Sun.
Hmmmph.
-Dave
I initially started the journal to let the world in on how I was dealing with my Mother being ill, and to help explain to everyone just what was (and still is) wrong with her.
Well, she's made some progress, and she's also not. She's moved on and she's not. Mom's illness, like so many things in her life is complicated beyond belief. Some days she's highly optimistic, other days she acts as though she'd prefer it to all end.
It's a very difficult rollercoaster of emotions and psychological turmoil that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
Of late, I have to admit I've started feeling burdened by it all. Now I know that's a kind of selfish indulgence I'm allowing myself to feel, but I have to allow myself to feel it. To admit to it. Mom lives with me. She has primarily lived with me now for nearly two years. God bless Steve, my roommate, for allowing this to happen and not making a big deal of it. His understanding and care for my Mother has been a real blessing.
But I can't help but feel that Mom's presence is a real added burden to an already small apartment living situation. On top of the fact that she is living there, she has also not assisted in the rent and has only occasionally stepped up and paid any of our bills. Not that I am wanting her to pay for anything in its entirety, but some assistance on a regular basis would be both helpful and appreciated.
I've also felt that through a big portion of her time with me she has really taken what I've offered for her and tried to give to her for granted. I don't feel like she really appreciates what I do for her. And she very often says things to me that are hurtful and mean.
Granted, she has become better at recognizing when she's hurt me, and she has started apologizing on occasion. But the fact that she would allow herself to hurt me to begin with has me wondering just how much effort I really should be devoting to trying to help her out.
It's exhausting, it's often annoying and I am always terrified of her next outburst. So I often find myself depressed and trying to just exist in my own house in a manner that won't get me on her bad side. As though I am living with my Mom rather than her living with me. Does that make sense? It's a subtle distinction but a very important one I think.
I don't know... I feel like I'm rambling. And maybe I am. Here it is, Sunday, and I am "hanging out" in Lancaster. LANCASTER! It's hotter than hell up here and there is nowhere to go and nothing to do except sit in the sun and watch soccer games being played by kids I don't even know. But I had to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. I couldn't stand to be at MY house for the weekend. I couldn't spend another minute there.
And so here I sit. Wondering what I can do to fix the situation I'm in while I cook in the High Desert Sun.
Hmmmph.
-Dave
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
