The Way We Get By

The Way We Get By (2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD)

2010-02-24T11:24:00.003-05:00

VISIT THE KICKSTARTER PROJECT NOW

The filmmakers behind the award-winning documentary "The Way We Get By" need your help to make the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD of the film a reality. Now that the film has had a successful film festival life, theatrical run, national television broadcast, and basic DVD release, we are bringing our self distribution model to the friends and fans of "The Way We Get By".

Our goal is to produce and release a 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD of "The Way We Get By" loaded with never-before-seen special features. But producing this double DVD set is costly. Our idea is to bring it to you, the audience, and ask for help covering the cost of production.

The reward for helping us? Give to the project and receive one of the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVDs when they are released-- pre-paying for your DVD in a way. We have also included several other great reward options for different levels of contributions.

Here is a list of some of the special features we hope to include in the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD:

› Commentary track with the filmmakers and all three troop greeters-- Bill, Joan, and Jerry-- from "The Way We Get By"

› "The Way Maine Gets By" - A short film behind-the-scenes of the Maine red carpet premiere of "The Way We Get By" featuring all three troop greeters

› "Making the Music" - A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the music for the film featuring composer Zack Martin

› Filmmaker interviews with director Aron Gaudet and producer Gita Pullapilly from the PBS Veterans Day premiere on POV

› "The Way We Get By: On The Festival Circuit" - A featurette with footage of the troop greeters at several film festivals including Q&As

› Paley Center for Media Event - A special New York City Q&A with the filmmakers and Bill and Jerry from "The Way We Get By"

› AARP Awards Hollywood Gala - See all three troop greeters accept the Best Documentary award at the star-studded event in Los Angeles

› "The Way We Get Married" - A look at the wedding of "The Way We Get By" filmmakers and the team behind the event-- Real Weddings Maine

› Bonus footage of Joan's granddaughter Amy returning home from Iraq and being greeted by the Maine Troop Greeters

› Several deleted scenes from "The Way We Get By"

If you would be interested in seeing these special features, please help make the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD of "The Way We Get By" a reality.

The Way We Get By Crew at the White House

2009-11-18T21:11:00.002-05:00

Our blogs are coming slow but they are coming.

In October, we were fortunate to get a special tour of the White House and a 30 minute meet and greet with Vice President Biden. It was a wonderful opportunity for Bill, Joan, and Jerry to talk with the Vice President about their love of troop greeting. And the Vice President talked with all of us about his son's journey of service in the military. It was a very emotional meeting for us all and one we will never forget.

We would like to thank the White House team for giving us this wonderful, lifetime opportunity!

Gita and Aron's Wedding - Behind The Scenes...

2009-11-14T00:12:00.004-05:00

For those of you who are interested in the amazing FREE wedding Gita and I were given in Maine a few weeks ago-- courtesy of Real Weddings Maine and the 60+ wedding vendors who joined forces to form RWM-- I thought I would offer to you these links as a full tour of the wedding... a six-part blog posting on 'Style Me Pretty' wedding blog which takes you through the entire 3-day event...

Style Me Pretty – 6 Part Wedding Blog...

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding-part-ii/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding-part-iii/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding-iv/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding-v/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/11/veterans-day-wedding-vi/

It pretty much sums up the gift of a lifetime Gita and I received. Hope you enjoy it. We sure did!

CNN and New York Times stories on THE WAY WE GET BY

2009-11-01T11:56:00.004-05:00

This is an exciting weekend for us! CNN has done a story on THE WAY WE GET BY. Check out the video and be sure to share it with your friends and family!

CNN VIDEO on THE WAY WE GET BY

Also, the New York Times has an article on us-- Aron and I getting married thanks to REAL WEDDINGS MAINE! Check out the article!

Help us continue to spread the word about THE WAY WE GET BY! And don't forget our Veterans Day (November 11) national television broadcast on PBS' POV at 9pm!! We're bringing THE WAY WE GET BY home!

Show Support For "The Way We Get By"...

2009-10-29T16:10:00.004-04:00

The Way We Get By already has the support of a number of organizations, including the USO, the American Legion and Serve.gov, which is part of President Obama's United We Serve initiative. We hope that you will help us spread word about the broadcast, as the film highlights the impact of individual action and how a small act of kindness can change lives.

Here are a variety of ways that you can support and promote the November 11 broadcast of The Way We Get By airing at 9 PM on most PBS stations. (Check local listings.) Tell your friends about these ways to participate in promoting the film by emailing them this page.

Thank you for your support!

HELP PROMOTE THE PBS BROADCAST!!

Post this 300 x 250 pixel ad on your site and link to the trailer of the film.

All you have to do is copy the HTML code from the text window below and paste it into the HTML of your website or blog where you want the image to appear. If you need any help, or would like to request a different sized logo, please email events [at] pov.org.

And...we're back!! Southern Circuit cont...

2009-10-28T01:38:00.002-04:00

Note to self: Never follow months and months of working 7 days a week with a 3-day wedding extravaganza, and a 2-week trip traveling state-to-state all through the south again...because you WILL get a horrible, debilitating cold. Got it. Never again.

Yes, Gita and I enjoyed our first two screenings on the Southern Circuit Film Tour. We enjoyed our two free days in Nashville. We flew to Alexandria, Louisiana on day 5, and promptly got sick. Me first and then Gita-- both with bad colds that we are just now beginning to recover from. Let me tell you, nothing cures a cold faster than constant travel...lots of airplanes and driving.

It started with a sore throat in Alexandria. But with our biggest crowd on the tour-- a really great, engaged audience-- it was easy to look past it. We were told before the screening that a soldier had called the venue, saying he had been through Bangor and been greeted by the Maine Troop Greeters, and was planning to attend the show. During our Q&A, he stood up and recounted his experience traveling through Bangor, saying he remembered how nice my Mom had been to him. After the Q&A, he introduced himself as Bobby Strother and said he had a gift he wanted to send back to the troop greeters with us. We agreed to meet him the next morning so he could bring us the gift before we hit the road to New Orleans. The next morning we met Bobby in front of the local drug store after stocking up on cold medicine and tissues. Bobby handed me a large triangular wooden box with a glass front. A perfectly folded American flag rested behind the glass, and an engraved plaque read...

This was no normal gift...a unit coin, a thank you card, no-- this was something Bobby had laid his life on the line for. Something that represented everything Bobby loved about America, and he talked to us for a long time about just that, and about how tough it is to come back after serving and having to re-adjust, and about friends getting divorced, and about friends dying, and about how if he had to go back again he'd pack his bag and leave tomorrow because serving his country was worth it. He said, "when we're over there we're wearing our vests which are about 75 lbs. and all our gear and we carried two weapons, so you're talking about 100 lbs of gear...we had a lot of weight we were carrying with us over there."...And it just made me think about watching the troops walk down the ramp over and over again at the Bangor International Airport and seeing them breathe a big sigh of relief at the sight of the troop greeters, and the flags waving, and the smiles welcoming them home, and how it really is "that moment" when the weight of it all is finally lifted off their shoulders. I can't wait to get back to Bangor to pass along Bobby's gift.

Tomorrow, I'll spare you the most boring trip to New Orleans ever, as we spent the entire time in our hotel room coughing and sneezing, and I'll skip ahead to our screenings in Alabama and Mississippi and the story of "Big Joe" Evans going for the oyster eating record. How can you not be excited?!

Southern Circuit Film Tour - Day 1 & 2...

2009-10-21T08:55:00.003-04:00

"This is not our honeymoon..."
Aron Gaudet

This was Gita and I on Friday...

That's right, we got married on the coast of Maine (notice the paparazzi chasing us?), and two days later we were in Nashville, TN. The Southern Circuit Film Tour happened to fall directly after our wedding, and so although we made it very clear to each other that "THIS IS NOT OUR HONEYMOON!", the trip definitely has a weird honeymoon vibe to it all.

Day one took us from the Bangor International Airport (where much of The Way We Get By takes place) to Nashville and Vanderbilt University. This is the first year the folks at Vanderbilt have taken part in the Southern Circuit Film Tour-- so that means we're even. It meant maybe a slightly smaller crowd than normal, but definitely a group of people that would probably otherwise never have the opportunity to see our film in a semi-theatrical setting. And even though we were screening at a university, the crowd was littered with people of all ages, so the word apparently had spread beyond the campus. All in all a successful screening.

Gita and I love a good breakfast place, so day two started with us trying to choose between the Loveless Cafe and The Pancake Pantry-- 2 local favorites that everyone seemed to recommend. The choice was made easier when we discovered The Pancake Pantry was less than a mile away. We drove up to find a long line waiting outside on a Tuesday morning!! This place had to be good right? The line moved quickly and Gita and I were soon experiencing the best pancakes either one of us has ever had... we're still talking about them. Let's hope the pancakes on day two are not the highlight of the trip, but you've got to start somewhere.

After the best pancakes on earth, we set out for Bowling Green, Kentucky for our screening at Western Kentucky University. It's a little over an hour north of Nashville and the scenery is exactly what I would expect driving from Tennessee into Kentucky-- rolling fields and farms, old weathered boards holding up barns that looked like they should collapse, but somehow were still standing. Just beautiful countryside for a drive.

We made it to Bowling Green and to our screening to find a bigger audience made up primarily of students. We always like showing the film to a younger audience because everyone assumes that The Way We Get By will appeal more to senior citizens and baby boomers, but what many people forget is it's young men and women on the other side of the handshake, heading to war or returning home, so a university campus is filled with people that have brothers or sisters or friends that have been through Bangor and met the troop greeters. Last night was no exception, as a student approached us after the film to tell us he had been deployed through Bangor and remembered meeting all three of the subjects from the film-- especially Bill who is always the first in line to greet the troops. Everywhere we go it seems the Maine Troop Greeters have made their mark in some way. It was reassuring to know Bowling Green was no different.

Coming up... Day 3 & 4 are rest/travel days so we're working on something fun to do before heading to Alexandria, LA for our next screening on Friday. Keep reading.

Red Sox Foundation Provides Free Screening & Care Pkgs

2009-10-10T09:01:00.003-04:00

THE RED SOX FOUNDATION INVITES YOU TO A PRIVATE FREE SCREENING OF THE AWARD-WINNING FILM HONORING MILITARY FAMILIES AND VOLUNTEERS

The Red Sox Foundation is proud to present this highly-acclaimed documentary, The Way We Get By, will screen on Monday, October 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Regal 13 Cinemas, 401 Park Drive, Boston (Theatre down the street from Fenway Park).

Screening at 1 PM with Volunteer Service to follow, in which those attending the film will quickly assemble care packages for US troops serving overseas (RSF will provide supplies and mail all packages).

Fresh off its recent successful New York City, Washington DC and Los Angeles theatrical premieres, The Way We Get By continues its campaign to rally support for volunteer activities for military families.

The Way We Get By is a deeply moving film about life and how to live it. Beginning as a seemingly idiosyncratic story about a group of senior citizens who gather daily at a small New England airport to greet American soldiers departing and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the film quickly turns into a moving story about aging, loneliness, war and mortality. The story of these exemplary Mainers has been praised by The Boston Globe, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times as a film that is “filled with a rare honesty and intimacy that makes for a rewarding film experience,” and proof that volunteerism can significantly impact an entire community.

Since its completion, The Way We Get By has inspired audiences across the country. From war veterans to elderly volunteers, the film has provided hope to everyday citizens during this time of economic turmoil. The Way We Get By has been honored with the Special Jury Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival, the Golden Rock award for Best Documentary at the 3rd Little Rock Film Festival and the Audience Award at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. At the Cleveland Film Festival, it beat out 28 films to win the Greg Gund Memorial Film Competition, which recognizes films for their social conscience.
The Way We Get By

Monday, October 12- COLUMBUS DAY
Regal 13 Cinema Theatres
401 Park Drive ( Brookline Ave/Landmark Center entrance within walking distance from Fenway Park), Boston, MA 02215

Note: Seating is limited to the first 200 guests. Please RSVP including your full name and number in your party by Sunday, October 11 by noon to gborson@redsox.com. Entrance is first-come, first served so we encourage folks to arrive by 12:30 p.m if possible.

To view the trailer and to obtain more information, visit thewaywegetbymovie.com.

The Way We Get By is a co-production of The Way We Get By Productions, Inc., the Independent Television Service (ITVS) and American Documentary, Inc. | POV, WGBH, MPBN with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

It will air on the POV program on PBS stations on Veterans Day Nov 11, 2009.

"The Way We Get By" on Capitol Hill

2009-10-04T10:24:00.001-04:00

Dr. Jill Biden and Senator Susan Collins welcome the three troop
greeters and subjects from THE WAY WE GET BY to Capitol Hill for a special screening.

The Way We Get By heads to Washington DC

2009-09-30T09:43:00.007-04:00

Today is a big day for THE WAY WE GET BY! The team is heading to the Hill for a special screening. The keynote speaker is Dr. Jill Biden and the Maine Delegation is sponsoring the event. The USO has a special reception beforehand with some big names in attendance.

POV has been spearheading this event with us and we'd like to personally thank the POV team for all of their help!

Click here for additional information on the event

We've got some national press coverage of this so stay tuned for those updates. This is what was posted on Time Magazine's THE PAGE.

And at 10am today, Rep. Michaud from Maine will be making a statement about THE WAY WE GET BY on the House floor--so watch this morning and as soon as we get it, we'll be posting the video!

Up next...Walter Reed screening tomorrow so look out for details!!

It's great to get an unexpected phone call...

2009-08-14T10:59:00.007-04:00

Throughout my grassroots marketing adventure, I've had the unique opportunity to interact with people from all backgrounds. From retired professionals, to active service members, to Vietnam veterans, every person I speak to has their own way of relating to The Way We Get By. As someone who's father and brother are both military veterans, I find the people I personally connect to the most are other family members of veterans and active service members.

These folks, often belonging to groups called Blue Star Moms, know how important the Maine Troop Greeters are, as they're the ones who receive the phone calls from Bangor when their loved-ones depart and return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. It's especially moving for them to know that strangers are opening their arms up to their sons and daughters and welcoming them back the first time the set foot on American soil.

One day last week as I was working on our Los Angeles outreach, I emailed an L.A.-area Blue Star Mom group to notify them of our screening times at the Laemmle Music Hall 3. About 30-minutes later, my phone rang and I didn't recognize the number. I picked up and on the other end of the line was Maria Riley, a Blue Star Mom from L.A.. The leader of her Blue Star Mom organization had forwarded their group members the movie info and she wanted to personally thank me for The Way We Get By. All three of her children served in the military and had gone through Bangor, Maine. Just watching the trailer had brought her to tears. According to Maria, whenever her children called from Bangor, that was when she knew they were finally home safe. Needless to say, speaking with her was incredibly moving. This post is dedicated to all military and veterans family members. The production team here at The Way We Get By sincerely hope your loved ones return home safely with a hero's welcome-- even if they don't get the pleasure of passing through Bangor!

Don't forget to buy your tickets to see The Way We Get By in Los Angeles now playing August 14-20!!! Click HERE for tickets!

Jessica Barnthouse
Associate Producer

"The Way We Get By" Goes Hollywood...

2009-08-05T13:12:00.013-04:00

Associate Producer Jessica Barnthouse delves into the L.A. Grassroots Marketing Outreach for "The Way We Get By"...

As you know, The Way We Get By will be having its Los Angeles premiere from August 14-20 at Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills. As with New York City, I've been busy with grassroots outreach to make sure that the people who would love The Way We Get By are aware of the venue and screening times. With all of the press we've been getting, from The New York Times, to national NPR, and countless television interviews, one would think that word about The Way We Get By would have already spread like wildfire all the way to the West Coast. This is not necessarily the case, however. And trust me when I say that if you ever make your own amazing film, you can never do too much grassroots outreach.

So how do you get an audience to come see your film when you're 3,000 miles away from them? It's not like New York City where I can just show up and hand out fliers (yes, I did this for four days all across NYC). The key is to be meticulous, creative, and persistent. First, I compiled a 12-page list of every veterans group, military recruiting station, aging association, and volunteer organization within a 30-mile radius of the movie theatre (I was like Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive-- our audience would not escape!). Next, myself and our new intern, CJ, began calling and emailing each place on our list.

New intern CJ charming L.A. by phone.

The film, because it's such a great story (shameless plug), turned out to be an easy sell over the phone. Calling the military recruiting stations was especially rewarding as time and time again, the soldier on the other side had either heard of the Maine Troop Greeters, or had experienced them himself. I suppose that's the benefit of making a movie about three people who've already been met by almost one million American troops from across the country. And that's what's so great about this human story: that coming to a movie theatre can reconnect you with the strangers who cared enough to give you a hero's send off to war and welcome you back home as a respected veteran when you returned.

And in case you haven't heard, we've even had a few celebs talking about the film, with Alyssa Milano and Milo Ventimiglia from the TV show Heroes supporting the film on Twitter! I definitely believe that with the combined grassroots efforts of myself, CJ, and our new celebrity friends, Los Angeles is going to be a major sucess! Buy your tickets now while they're still hot: Laemmle Music Hall ticket info

Jessica Barnthouse
Associate Producer

Creating The Perfect Logline - Part 2

2009-07-28T22:37:00.009-04:00

Last week marked the start of my personal quest to supply the new, breakout documentary The Way We Get By with the perfect log line. With this single sentence pitch, The Way We Get By will be sure to appeal to anyone, which will undoubtedly set it up to take the entire documentary film world by storm. As an outreach coordinator for the film, I know that whatever I do, it is imperative that it generates at least some, preferably good, publicity for The Way We Get By. That is why, in the latest edition of my log line quest, I’ve decided to make an appeal to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (The people who run the Oscars). Now, I know it’s a long way away but after seeing The Way We Get By, I’ve realized that the subjects presented in it, who happen to be real people, are even more brilliant than their Oscar-nominated acting counterparts, and today I get to show you exactly what I mean. Also, with all this shameless internet name dropping, The Way We Get By, can claim to be doing the film community a service by connecting loyal fans of highly acclaimed feature films to a documentary that might be right up their alley.

Take Joan Gaudet for example. As a troop greeter and one of The Way We Get By’s main subjects, she confesses that she can only welcome soldiers on their return home because greeting those who are departing would be too heartbreaking. She cares deeply for her eight children, but now with all of them grown up and with families of their own, her rural Maine home reflects a life that has seen busier days. Gaudet’s story is one that resonates with a myriad of Hollywood portrayals. However the comparison I find most accurate is that of Sara Goldfarb, played by Ellen Burstyn, in Requiem For A Dream.

Burstyn earned multiple award nominations for her stunning performance as Sara Goldfarb, an aging mother whose unconditional love for her son blinds her from seeing his all but obvious addiction to heroin. In Joan Gaudet’s case, her unconditional love similarly extends to those of a younger generation, be it her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and of course troops returning home. Sara Goldfarb tragically attempts to become famous and more attractive, as a means to escape the loneliness that consumes her in her vacant apartment. The Way We Get By’s Gaudet finds purpose in something even more all-American than trashy daytime television – troop greeting. It is her addiction, just as Sara Goldfarb’s prescribed dieting pills become an addiction in Requiem For A Dream. Director Darren Aronofsky paints a grim world where shallow aspirations of fame and fortune corrupt any perception of the American Dream. In The Way We Get By, Director Aron Gaudet finds a similar character in his very own mother, who provides an inspirational counterexample to our greatest fears, demonstrating how citizenship and patriotism can motivate an ailing woman to brave frigid temperatures in the middle of the night, all to fulfill the call of duty that binds her not only to the troops she greets and the nation she inhabits, but also to the future.

If I’m going to compare amazing cinematic performances to those featured in The Way We Get By, then I must mention Bill Knight, an 87 year old WWII veteran and troop greeter who unflinchingly bears his life story for all to see; exposing us to a harsh reality characterized by a battle with cancer, financial troubles, and unwavering dedication to his country. Bill Knight is a personification of the characters played by Clint Eastwood. Just think of his recent highly acclaimed performance in Gran Torino. As a hardened Korean War veteran, we see Eastwood at his best—playing a mean, stiff-jawed Walt Kowalski, a man with an allegiance to duty and order that forces him to do what should be done, even if it is not in his best interest. Where Eastwood’s Kowalski falters as a character, Bill Knight shines; Walt harbors a desire for peace and solitude, while for protagonist Bill Knight, isolation is never an option. He has taken it upon himself to serve his country once more the only way he knows how. Still, if you take one of the great Bill Knight monologues featured in The Way We Get By and transfer them to a Clint Eastwood movie script, few would imagine anything out of place. Bill Knight is simply a man with a story to tell, but the man is so humble that’d he never bother you with it. For him, it’s just business as usual. “Leave a car outside and it’ll rust out faster than you can wear it out…just like people” Knight explains. Or was that a line from Walt Kowalski?

Finally, to seal the deal in proving why every film buff with a taste for Oscar nominated performances (and lengthy blog posts) needs to see The Way We Get By, I turn to a final comparison – that of Jerry Mundy (The Way We Get By) to Mickey Rourke’s character, Randy “The Ram” Robinson (The Wrestler). Now before people start jumping to conclusions (and filing slander lawsuits) I issue the disclaimer that there’s a lot that separates Jerry and Randy. However, if you see The Way We Get By, you’ll instantly be reminded of the way Mickey Rourke was able to convey the absence of a life that once was, mainly because like Randy, Mickey was trying to make his own personal comeback. While Randy may have awesome hair, a larger fan base, and tighter pants, I think Jerry Mundy parallels Randy “The Ram” Robinson in one main way: they both are trying to find their place in a world that is changing every day; the only constant for Randy being the wrestling ring, while for Jerry the same comforting yet temporary solace is found in the airport while troop greeting. With a heart that is as loving as it is weakening, Jerry’s humorous quips break any silences just long enough to let him second-guess himself. Beyond his charm though, we see a man who refuses to live in his past. Instead, like Randy Robinson, Jerry has the courage to live for the future, despite the hardships that it may hold in store.

The subjects featured in The Way We Get By provide real world examples of the type of people our movie-going audiences loves to romanticize. Their personalities, their hopes, their dreams, their idiosyncrasies, their struggles are all there for you to experience when viewing The Way We Get By. Now with all that potential, it should go without saying that my log line needs to be centered on these three fascinating subjects, who undoubtedly drive The Way We Get By forward.

CJ Saraceno
Intern

A Win in INDY!

2009-07-25T00:24:00.002-04:00

THE WAY WE GET BY wins the Eric Parker Social Justice Award at the Indianapolis International Film Festival. The Eric Parker Social Justice Award goes to the film that best addresses a social justice issue. Thank you IIFF!

Creating The Perfect Logline - Part 1

2009-07-24T12:42:00.010-04:00

If you talk to anyone in the business of marketing films, I guarantee that you'll be lectured on the importance of the log line - a single sentence that captures the essence of the film while sparking the audience's curiosity without giving too much away. When I found out that I was getting the opportunity to assist a burgeoning filmmaker in promoting her recently released indie documentary, The Way We Get By, I decided that the log line should be the foundation of any of my future marketing efforts. Whether I would be creating Facebook groups, posting Twitter updates, or blogging about the movie, I planned on referring back to my own original log line to help sculpt both the content and style of any self produced marketing material.

When I first saw the trailer for The Way We Get By, I immediatley assumed that I could come up with some line about how the documentary is a heartwarming tale of how three members of America's "greatest generation" find purpose in life by greeting troops as they return home from war. Not bad, right?

I tried out some of these initial log lines on some of my über hip friends and their responses were all pretty much the same. There'd be a slightly awkward pause and then a comment like, "Um, so it's like some movie about old people in Maine who shake troops' hands?" Some would follow that up with a smirk while the nicer ones would hesitantly offer some half-hearted complement like "Oh, well, that sounds kind of inspiring…" or "That sounds like it could be good." My test subjects' lack of instant enthusiasm motivated me to refine my approach, so I began toiling away for what seemed like days, on trying to come up with the perfect logline.

Then came my big Aha! moment. I had my epiphany. And no, it wasn't the perfect logline for the film. It was the realization that it wasn't my logline crafting ability that was preventing me from getting people excited about The Way We Get By. It was the fact that I had yet to actually see the movie, and that was when I learned that you can't market a film until you actually see it (Exception: Transformers).

Finally seeing The Way We Get By changed everything for me. I walked in expecting to see a typical real life narrative; a plot driven documentary that would leave me brimming with patriotism and a more congenial attitude towards both Maine and the elderly. I predicted a simple yet dainty, easily-packaged film that could do well with the right audiences: Republicans, ex-soldiers, and old people. But the Greenwich village audience, which The Way We Get By premiered to this past Friday night at the IFC Center, consisted of many who fell outside such demographics. And yet, somehow amidst this diversity, the film flourished. From the Marine in camo to the NYU cinephile, from the WWII vet to the smelly kid with dreadlocks, the audience was moved. The evidence was right there in front of me. I watched as individuals eagerly awaited their turn to meet the filmmakers, Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly afterwards, their faces all sharing the same expression, characterized by a grin stretching from cheek to cheek and glassy eyes where tears had once occupied. Maybe that's how I came to realize the true potential of this film. As cheesy as it sounds, I instantly adopted the mindset that everyone and anyone must see this film, and since coming to this realization, I've radically altered my strategy for composing that perfect logline.

As I promote The Way We Get By, I find myself moving away from trying to critique it. Sure, I could provide you with evidence of its stunning cinematography, comment on some of my favorite scenes, and make allusions to Godard while discussing director Aron Gaudet's ability to find beauty in the film's harsh yet ordinary setting of rural Maine, but there are professionals for that sort of thing (Rotten Tomatoes). Instead I wanted to share some of my priceless wisdom with the masses, and what better way to do it then through a series of blog posts that track my progress in attempting to provide The Way We Get By with that perfect log line. Stay tuned...

CJ Saraceno

Intern

Moviemaker Article -The Way We Get By

2009-07-21T10:46:00.006-04:00

The MOVIEMAKER magazine article on THE WAY WE GET BY is out in stores now! Get a copy and share with your friends. Learn what we did to make our film and get it out into the world.

Click here to read the article

And then buy a copy of the magazine and support outlets helping independent filmmakers!

Associate Producer Jessica Barnthouse Conquers NYC!

2009-07-16T21:37:00.033-04:00

Let me tell you-- excitement is definitely brewing in New York City for The Way We Get By. I know this, because I spent the last four days on foot all over Manhattan and Brooklyn handing out and putting up fliers for the theatrical run starting Friday at the IFC Center. All in all, it was definitely an amazing experience. Here's the rundown of what I did:

Saturday I started in Union Square taping fliers to anywhere there was room. I was nervous about doing this at first-- I mean, I'm an outsider to NYC so I wasn't even sure if what I was doing was legal. However, after taping up fliers in front of numerous police officers without so much as a quizzical look, I realized they probably had bigger fish to fry on the streets of Manhattan. Armed with my cell phone GPS, I put fliers up from Union Square Park down the streets to Washington Square Park, then all over Washington Square Park, all the way to the IFC Center, and then to Tribeca, and back up to the IFC Center. I used up a brand-new roll of Scotch tape that day.

Here are some photos from Saturday:

1. The Way We Get By at the Union Square subway stop!

2. The Way We Get By at Washington Square-- it definitely adds to the scenery.

3. I gave some fliers to police officers I met while postering Washington Square. One of them said his dad is a veteran and plans to take him.

4. As you can see here, Hermoinee Granger is fully endorsing our Battle Buddy promotion for The Way We Get By.

5. Check out that guy's awesome trumpet!

6. I took this at the IFC Center. Notice how The Way We Get By flier is in the center, like the sun. Now, notice the other, smaller, postcards circling it.

Sunday I woke up early to do something I haven't done in about six years: I went to church. Actually, I went to five churches. I'd never been to a mega church, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect and I was kind of afraid everyone inside would somehow "know" I hadn't been in a while. Fortunately, everyone was incredibly welcoming and had an earnest interest in The Way We Get By. That day I focused mostly on youth groups and volunteer organizations. Hopefully we can get a ton of volunteers of all ages out to the screenings this weekend.

Sunday photos:

7. One of the directors for the St. Paul Community Baptist Church was excited to hand out fliers and show the youth group the film trailer.

8. This is the Christian Cultural Center. It looked like the Pentagon from the outside and had a rock band playing all throughout the sermons. I'd never been in a church this large before-- they probably had about 100 different flat panel TVs inside! Perfect, I might add, for watching The Way We Get By trailer on.....

Monday and Tuesday I spent both days going to as many veterans and military recruiting organizations as possible. This was by far my favorite part of the whole trip. Every person I met was so helpful and excited about the film coming to NYC, it made my whole trip worth it 10 times over. I had the pleasure of meeting Iraq veterans, Afghanistan veterans, Gulf War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Korean War veterans, and WWII veterans. I've never gotten to go to Bangor and experience the "real deal" of troop greeting, but I shook a lot of hands and thanked every soldier I met while in New York. It was fantastic!

Monday and Tuesday photos:

9. This is one of the recruiting officers from an Army National Guard recruiting station in Manhattan. Hopefully he can recruit people to The Way We Get By!

10. The Marine Corps Band had an amazing outdoor concert in Manhattan. I tried to pitch the film to one of the officers present, but she told me she'd heard about it already and sent the information to everyone she knew. It was great to know that the word was really getting out.

11. This was at a VFW post in lower Manhattan. When I asked if I could take a picture, the veteran on the left replied, "Sure you can, but don't get my cards in the picture!" I'd say I did a pretty good job of that.

12. This is Richard Dugal from the Catholic War Veterans. He was a huge help and took me around to all of the other veterans offices in his building to hand out fliers to.

13. This is Lieutenant Commander Suzanna Brugler from the Navy Office of Information. She was super excited about the film and was nice enough to email our fliers to a lot of other Navy offices around NYC.

As you can note from the pictures, my grassroots marketing experience in NYC was great. My feet are sore and I'm about three shades darker from walking around in the sun, but it was all worth it. I don't want to speak too soon on this, but I predict the film will be a major hit at the IFC center this weekend. If you live nearby, it's definitely going to be a film you'll want to see, but get your tickets online early-- it's going to be a sell out!

Opening in NYC on Friday

2009-07-13T23:23:00.005-04:00

This is coming way too late but I finally came up for air and am excited to tell you about our life or in other words our NYC theatrical opening.

If you can believe it, we are opening in NYC this FRIDAY at the IFC Center! Sure, I’m a little panicked but I’m also very excited. We’ve been pounding the pavement in hopes that our groups will come out in full support of the film.

A lot of people don’t realize why opening weekend is so important—but it really is. So save Harry Potter for later and make The Way We Get By your weekend movie if you’re in New York City!

So, here’s the deal….the box office numbers from NYC get reported across the country. If we do well, more theaters will want to pick up THE WAY WE GET BY. So if you’re in NYC and debating on Harry Potter or us—Harry’s going to do just fine. We could really use your ticket—yes, it comes down to tickets.

It looks like our promotions for BATTLE BUDDY and BRING A VET are moving forward. We’re getting rsvps and groups contacting us so that is reassuring. We have two stars from the film flying into NYC to surprise the audiences so it will be a very exciting weekend!

This is a big week for us---wish us luck and we’ll keep you updated on what happens.

Thanks for all of your support!

More to come soon….

Maine Philanthropy Center- Annual Meeting

2009-06-18T12:40:00.003-04:00

Today I will be presenting at the Maine Philanthropy Center's Annual Meeting about THE WAY WE GET BY! Carol Colson from the Bangor Savings Bank and of course a huge supporter of the film will be co-presenting with me and our Executive Producer, Warren Cook. Together, we'll talk about the importance of foundations and funders supporting films and the impact these films can have on social issues and the communities that utilize them.

Bangor Savings Bank has been so helpful to us-- and so supportive of the film. The bank has made the largest commitment in its bank history to the film to make sure THE WAY WE GET BY gets seen in communities all across the state of Maine.

After the presentation, I'm off to SILVERDOCS with Bill, Joan, and Jerry but we're also continuing our screenings in Maine ---kicking off in Portland at the SPACE Gallery Friday and Saturday!

Hopefully you will come out and see the film in Washington, DC or Portland, Maine this weekend!

BAVC Producers Institute...Day #2...Part Two!

2009-05-31T13:52:00.010-04:00

Continuing with yesterday's panel and presentations at the BAVC Producers Institute. In part two I will cover the three presentations that followed the opening panel discussion. Click here to read part one.

The first presentation was by Jacob Colker and titled Mobile Web For Good. This was a very interesting look at how mobile devices are already being used to help promote social change and activism and how mobile technology will change the way organizations will reach large groups in the future. Jacob gave us several interesting examples of websites where mobile is being used for good. Here are some sites that are worth checking out...

www.mobileactive.com
www.ushahidi.com
www.ireport.com
www.txteagle.com
www.frontlinesms.com
www.theextraordinaries.org

The last website is Colker's own project where anyone with a mobile device can take part in completing microtasks and microvolunteering in their spare time. A boiled down description from The Extraordinaries website-- Our Theory of Change: Americans have spare time – billions of hours – but in small windows of idle moments: sitting in an airport, waiting in a doctor’s office, riding the bus to work, and more. If we can reach people during these spare moments we harness a huge pool of untapped human energy.-- so by reaching these people on their mobile device they can do a simple task during one of these idle moments like transcribe a few words of a subtitle for a human rights video. Add all the idle moments together and the whole film gets subtitled in no time. The idea of harnessing large groups of people to take action using a mobile device certainly had us all thinking of how this can translate to documentary marketing and distribution.

The second presentation was from Ken Eklund and Tony Walsh and was titled Changing The Game about how gaming projects are being built and utilized to help promote social issue documentaries. I'll admit, this is the one presentation that didn't hold a ton of interest for me...I'm not much of a gamer, but it still got me thinking-- a few interesting aspects...1.) Every social tool (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) has a gaming aspect to it and attracts certain people to this leadership board aspect (# of friends, # of followers, # of views). And in the end people participate in many of these social networks for the same reason they play games...the reward. Action = Reward is usually the engine that drives participation in many social circles.

The third and final presentation was titled The Future Of Social Networks and was a two-parter-- first Patrice O'Neill showed how she built a national movement-- www.niot.org -- to help communities fight against hate crimes, around her film Not In Our Town. This was a very impressive example of not just having a website to promote your film, but to really create a stand alone site and movement that takes off and becomes its own successful entity. This is really what the BAVC Producers Institute is all about, and what we hope to do ourselves this week. Patrice did just that two years ago, when she developed the prototype for www.niot.org at the very first BAVC Producers Institute.

And finally, Evan Goldin from Ning.com gave is a look at the website that allows you to build your own social network to find/reach audiences with similar interests. Having already explored Ning and developed a Ning site for "The Way We Get By" a few months ago, I was familiar with the basics of the website. What I found most interetsing was how much your Ning page could be customized. It seems Ning may be a great alternative to filmmakers hoping to create a clean, easy to use, classy looking website for their film, with just a small amount of money needed to pay a web designer to customize your Ning page. We'll certainly be thinking about that in the early stages of our next film.

Next up...we finally get to work on our projects!! Updates and blogging to follow...

BAVC Producers Institute...Day #2...Part One!

2009-05-31T10:46:00.009-04:00

Day two of the BAVC Producers Institute was filled with information...a panel and three presentations by the some of the top people in the new media technologies industry speaking about what they are doing, what gets them excited, and what they see for the future of storytelling-- with all of these new media technologies at our disposal as storytellers.

It was enough to make your head hurt/spin/burst with exciting ideas. I think my head was doing all three at once. I think someone summed it up best at the end of the first panel-- We are in an awkward fragmented period right now. It is a hard and scary time for distribution, filled with a lot of trial and error on what works and what doesn't-- but it is also such an exciting time. When I think about ways to incorporate, from the start, some of the new media technologies into my next documentary, it truly does redefine what the documentary will even be. And while some of these technologies still need to grow into their own, I think if we ignore where we seem to be heading-- at a break neck speed-- then by the time you finish your documentary four years down the road, you'll be playing catch up in trying to connect to your audience instead of having your audience already built in and helping you distribute your film.

The opening panel discussion was called The Future of Visual Storytelling: Content-Driven Technologies and the New Documentary Movement ...just the title of the panel is a lot to chew on, and I could probably blog for a week about what was discussed over the 90-minute panel. The panel was moderated by Scott Kirsner, editor of the great CinemaTech blog and author of the new book Fans, Friends & Followers and made up of B. Ruby Rich, Lance Weiler, Tina Singleton, Mark Gibson, and everyone in the audience-- right from the start it was a pretty open Q&A complete with people tweeting their thoughts on the panel with a #pint09 tag and having them pop up on a big screen at the front of the room. The future of panel discussions?

I'm not going to give a blow-by-blow recap of the day since BAVC had two cameras recording the whole time and I'm sure you'll be able to watch the entire thing yourself in the next few days, if you choose. What I will do is highlight some of the discussion that tweaked my brain the most. In this opening panel, the three main topics they tackled were 1.) What do they envision the storytelling landscape looking like 5 years from now? 2.) What existing technology has the greatest potential for changing storytelling in the future? 3.) What will be the biggest behavioral changes to society as a whole? So what tweaked me the most?...

1.) What do they envision the storytelling landscape looking like 5 years from now?

Multiple platforms and layers of distribution all mashed together, and in real-time. They talked about the future of storytelling being more and more in real-time...everything seems to be heading that way, and if it continues towards real-time then cell phones will need to play a major role in all of this. What role will cell phones play in distribution? What this should mean is documentary filmmakers should have the opportunity to break out from the distributor enforced time limits-- the 52-minute, 82-minute, feature-length, film festival friendly etc. lengths that everyone decides their film needs to be whether it should be or not. This seems exciting but scary. Exciting to think you can make your film the exact length it should be, and you won't need to trim or fill to reach some magical number. Scary to think everyone may only want to watch bite-sized 3-minute YouTube friendly content on their cell phone. And if everything is moving to these new technologies, then who becomes the new "Gatekeepers"? In a perfect world there would be none, but obviously companies like Google will play a major role in future distribution. And how will this affect the storytelling? Will the quality of the content be the first thing left behind? But the big question looming over it all is "how will money be made?"...how will this all be monetized because so far nobody has figured out how to make significant money through online distribution.

2.) What existing technology has the greatest potential for changing storytelling in the future?

Many were already dropping Google Wave as the next big thing to watch. The other existing technology that had a lot of people in agreement was Second Life (never been interested in it myself) and how it has the ability to give users a personal connection to a situation they may never actaully be in themselves, and how this can be an invaluable learning tool. There was also talk of bit torrents and how they are currently used for pirating etc. but could they by used for proper distribution methods in the future. This also led to a discussion on pirating and how there are many examples of pirating not hurting and even helping a film/music/TV show take off and succeed, and that pirating should not be feared and maybe even embraced.

3.) What will be the biggest behavioral changes to society as a whole?

Think of how much more time people spend looking at their cell phones in any given day compared to 5 years ago? They will certainly be a significant part of future distribution. It will still be about figuring out how to get people to take action. People will already spread content digitally (I'm sure someone tweeted and re-tweeted this as it was said), but can these technologies be used to get large masses of people to do something physically like come out to a movie theatre? And can we drive meaningful social change? What technologies will stand the test of time? Is Facebook already heading on the same trajectory as MySpace? And if so, do you constantly have to re-build these audiences if the platform fizzles? One thing that I'm already facing is how do you keep up with updating all of these platforms and social networks? At times you need a team of people to keep up with all of the various technologies you are juggling to try to get the word out about your project. Will any of this become more streamlined and effective? And if the trailer for your film is on your website as a Quicktime movie or flash movie change it today. Embed and spread...make your trailer easy to share and spread. I use Vimeo and couldn't be happier. Our trailer is easy to embed, email and share and has at times spread like wildfire when it's been embedded on other people's blogs/social networks/websites.

Overall, it was one of the most interesting, and thought provoking panels I'd been a part of in quite some time, and I think Australian video artist Lynette Wallworth made a great observation while bringing it all back around to storytelling...We are uncomfortable when we think about all of this because the story isn't over. The action is leading the story, and we want to know the ending, but it hasn't been written. It is still playing out.

This ends part one of my mega two-part blog post. Later today, I'll post part two covering the three presentations that followed the panel.

BAVC Producers Institute...Day #1

2009-05-30T10:00:00.005-04:00

WOW...a day filled with creativity and collaboration. It's tough to get too specific as to what exactly we are doing at the 10 day BAVC Producers Institute because our project is still evolving with all the creative input, but basically we are here to develop a stand alone website partnered with "The Way We Get By" film website that will be an amazing social community to bring together troops, friends and family of troops, and troop supporters in exciting new relationships.

In this photo Wendy Levy, Director of Creative Programming at BAVC lays out the entire 10 days to us and kick starts our creativity. The thing you should know about Wendy is her energy is infectious. She could be explaining to us how we were all going to be digging ditches all week, and we would have been clamoring for shovels. If this next 10 days is a fraction of what she has planned for us all... it will be amazing!

The most exciting part is, as I said, yesterday our project idea was still evolving...by this coming Friday we will be pitching a prototype of this website to potential funders. Knowing that in the next six days we will be designing and building a working prototype of yesterday's idea and building a presentation to pitch this website to funders is pretty crazy. Yes, I will be drinking a lot of Starbucks coffee conventiently located on the first floor of the BAVC building.

Today (Day #2) is all about getting our minds thinking of the future. Where are documentaries heading? What will a documentary look like in 10 years? And how will it be distributed with all the new media technology changing at such an incredible pace? We have the opportunity to sit in on some incredible panels today with some of the most cutting edge people in the new media technology field trying to answer those exact questions. If they come up with anything solid, I'll pass it along tomorrow. And then Sunday the real fun begins.

More blogging, photos, and video to come...

Blogging BAVC...

2009-05-27T08:38:00.003-04:00

"The Way We Get By" team of director Aron Gaudet, producer Gita Pullapilly and Bluehouse Group Senior Art Designer Josh Turner depart tomorrow for 10 days in San Francisco at the BAVC Producers Institute for New Media Technologies.

The intensive 10 days will be spent building a prototype web component for "The Way We Get By" that the team has already been brainstorming and developing for months. Make sure to check in every day as we will be blogging about our adventures at BAVC.

Win #8 for THE WAY WE GET BY

2009-05-16T08:05:00.003-04:00

Just a quick update -- Friday night, THE WAY WE GET BY won Best Documentary at the Little Rock Film Festival! Another screening today in Little Rock at 2:30pm!

http://www.thewaywegetbymovie.com/little-rock-film-festival-2/

THE WAY STF GETS BY

2009-05-10T19:14:00.004-04:00

Read Raphaela Neihausen's blog about THE WAY WE GET BY!

THE WAY STF GETS BY

by Raphaela Neihausen, April 29, 2009

Winner of the audience award at Full Frame and a special jury prize at SXSW, THE WAY WE GET BY had its first New York sneak preview at Stranger Than Fiction last night and won over yet another sold out crowd. This moving film tells the story of an airport in Bangor, Maine where senior citizens volunteer and greet soldiers that are flying to or returning from war. A strength of the documentary is that it steers clear of political trappings and instead focuses on the importance of supporting soldiers as fellow Americans who are serving their country. The film also succeeds in shedding light on the many obstacles facing the elderly, demonstrating how volunteering at an airport provides them with a vital sense of purpose and community. Director Aron Gaudet and producer Gita Pullapilly (photo) joined us for a Q&A in which they shared many entertaining anecdotes about the film’s protagonists. My favorite is that at the Cleveland Film Festival, audiences were so moved by the film that they showed up at the airport to send off film subject Jerry. Now that’s the power of a documentary!

The evening was copresented by the Camden International Film Festival (a wonderful Maine event now in its fifth year) and the highly esteemed PBS strand POV (that will broadcast THE WAY WE GET BY this coming fall).

Here are also some additional links about the Stranger Than Fiction screening:

http://stillinmotion.typepad.com/still_in_motion/2009/04/stf-and-camden-film-fest-host-the-way-we-get-bys-new-york-debut.html

http://agnesvarnum.com/2009/04/27/the-way-we-get-by/

http://flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2009/4/28/the-way-we-get-by

"The Way We Get By" Hijacks The P.O.V. Blog...

2009-05-01T19:43:00.003-04:00

Why write a new blog entry when there is a perfectly good one for the taking over at P.O.V.? ...P.O.V.s own Andrew Catauro blogs about the day we spent with him in NYC beginning with an afternoon of filmmaker interviews and ending with a DANCE PARTY!! With a screening of "The Way We Get By" sandwiched in between. Here you go...

P.O.V. HIJACKED BLOG ENTRY

Enjoy!

Another SOLD OUT SCREENING!! 3 for 3!

2009-04-23T09:14:00.004-04:00

For three nights in a row now, the NarrowGauge Theater in Farmington, Maine has had sold out screenings of THE WAY WE GET BY. People are recommending the film to their families members and telling them to come out this week to see the film. Go MAINERS!! We're off to a great start with our theater run and I am so proud of everyone helping make this film a success!!

Thoughts on THE WAY WE GET BY @ Atlanta Film Festival

2009-04-22T21:53:00.005-04:00

A Handshake and Three Simple Words
By Guest Blogger: Johann Lohrmann

It starts with a handshake and the words ‘welcome home heroes’. Yesterday I had the privilege of sitting in a theatre in Atlanta, Georgia to watch the film, The Way We Get By. The best films tell a story that not only holds the audience’s attention but inspires reflection and action. The Way We Get By does exactly that.

William Knight, Joan Gaudet and Jerry Mundy make daily treks to the airport to greet the troops who are leaving or returning for duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The servicemen, servicewomen and the troop greeters share the uncertainty that is life. Both are fighting an external and internal war. The external war is the elements. The internal war is loneliness.

You can see in their eyes that loneliness is never far away. Here are three souls in the latter part of their lives. They could either sit at home feeling sorry for themselves or they could make a difference in the life of a stranger. How many of us in times of loneliness have thought to reach out to those who are in need? Interestingly enough, reaching out to others helps not only the other person in need but it diminishes the loneliness. It turns out we need each other.

William, Joan and Jerry have different obstacles to overcome. Some are health related. Some are financially related. Some are dealing with seeing their loved ones leaving to fight overseas. No matter what the obstacle the troop greeters have resolved to be a part of the solution. All of us are faced with one problem or another. But it is how we move through the barrier that makes all the difference. We can be sad, feel sorry for ourselves or we can decide to act and make the situation better. These three senior citizens make a difference in the soldier’s lives.

This film offers so many lessons. It reminds me of the power of the simple act of kindness. It teaches the importance of having a purpose. It reinforces the lesson that all are worthy of love and respect no matter what their age or ability.

It made me think about what is truly important. There is a purpose that is beyond one’s identity. In this case there are three senior citizens who are smashing the notions of what it means to be a senior. Just because you retire does not mean you stop living. If anything, that is the time of life when you can share your knowledge and experience with the younger generations.

The title of the film The Way We Get By is appropriately named. Yes, these three seniors may not move very fast and they may require the aid of a walker. It may take them longer to get to where they are going but in so many ways they are considerably light years ahead of where the rest of us need to be.

If you have a chance to see The Way We Get By, do it. I enjoyed it and it made me think of what I can do to make this world a better place for those who may not be so fortunate. It will do the same for you.

Merci,

Johann Lohrmann
www.johannlohrmann.com

Atlanta based Johann Lohrmann was recently nominated for an Emmy for his documentary, How I Survived World War II. It explored how soldiers, children and those who lived and served during World War II survived. His work has appeared on PBS, BET, TimeWarner and online. He recently finished production on the award-winning documentary, Where Wealth Lives: An Exploration of the African-American Economic Experience. It is slated for national release on PBS in 2010. He has two documentaries in production.

Boston screening-COME ON OUT!

2009-04-21T16:51:00.002-04:00

I wanted to let you know that we are having a very special screening in Boston on April 26 at 12pm at the Brattle Theater. We're hoping that you could let your friends in Boston know about the screening....also our three subjects..Bill, Joan and Jerry will be there to surprise the audience.

Help us spread the word!

Here is a link for additional info:

http://www.thewaywegetbymovie.com/independent-film-festival-boston/2009-04-26

SEE YOU THIS SUNDAY!!

THE WAY WE GET BY wins in Atlanta

2009-04-20T17:43:00.003-04:00

We won BEST DOCUMENTARY at the Atlanta Film Festival!

http://atlantafilmfestival.com/component/option,com_myblog/show,09-ATLFF-Jury-Award-Winners.html/Itemid,48/

Crowds Come Out in Maine

2009-04-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

So just a quick update here....we got the final totals for our four screenings at the Collins Center for the Arts in Orono, Maine. According to the venue, 2, 248 people came out to our screenings! That's huge!!

We're kicking off our 12 theater run in Maine so please check out our screenings page for additional information. Tell your friends and family to come on out and see the film. We'll also be announcing theater showings in other states shortly so stay tuned!!

Maine Premiere-- Collins Center for the Arts- Orono, ME

2009-04-11T16:27:00.010-04:00

The Way We Get By had its Maine premiere on Thursday night. Bangor Savings Bank sponsored the screening for us and treated us all like stars for the night.

It was an unforgettable evening. Bill, Joan and Jerry were picked up in a white Cadillac Escalade limo. They were surpised as it pulled up to the Collins Center for the Arts with a line of military members greeting them as they walked on the red carpet into the building. They were taken to a VIP reception where they as well as the rest of the troop greeters were honored for their service. Aron and I also received a Proclamation from the State Legislators.

People were escorted into the theater--there were about 1300 people in attendance. The Color Guard posted the flags and the Governor and a number of other key people recognized the greeters and our film. The Governor then presented us with a special award for the film and community service. It was all surreal since we hadn't even screened the film yet. Then, finally the lights were dimmed and the film began.

The audience was really into the film--the crowd laughed and cried through all the right spots and afterwards Bill, Joan, Jerry and our film team received a standing ovation. I could see Bill, Jerry and Joan beaming throughout the night. I know they never expected all of this but it was so amazing to see them recognized in this way.

The next day, there was a great film review by the Bangor Daily News in the paper and a front page article about the Maine premiere. We're told this is the largest Maine movie premiere in the state so for us--we're just blown away.

It was a night to remember and I don't think I'll ever forget it.

TWWGB WINS AUDIENCE AWARD AT FULL FRAME FILM FESTIVAL

2009-04-05T15:20:00.004-04:00

THE WAY WE GET BY wins the AUDIENCE AWARD at the Full Frame Film Festival!! THANK YOU to those who came out to watch our film in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. We are thrilled to win this prestigious award and are so excited to continue to screen the film to audiences across the country!

TWWGB at Full Frame Film Festival

2009-04-04T16:57:00.003-04:00

This is a really great festival. On Thursday, Aron and I did a radio interview with WUNC's North Carolina's Public Radio. Click here to check out the audio clip. Frank Stasio was the host and he did a great job with our segment.

We screened at the largest venue with our 35mm film print at the Full Frame Film Festival. The venue, Carolina Theater-- Fletcher Hall, was absolutely beautiful and the film looked great on the big screen. For a 10:30am Friday screening we had a great crowd and the audience was really into the film. After our screening, we spoke to a group of volunteers for the festival who came in to see the film and they were very emotional afterwards. I told them--hey, you guys don't know what it means to see people connecting in such intimate ways with our film. This is such an amazing feeling for us as filmmakers!

We're exciting to check out more movies this weekend and I'll be back in touch with more updates shortly. Thanks for reading....

TWWGB WINS AWARD IN CLEVELAND

2009-03-29T19:02:00.010-04:00

CLEVELAND ROCKS!!
That pretty much sums up Cleveland. We had the best time in Cleveland and the film festival staff were just unbelievable. They really supported the film and helped us with travel for our team. We knew something was special about Cleveland when we first started corresponding with Bill Guentzler--he was just so nice. And then we started corresponding with Beth Radisek, who decided her family was going to sponsor our film. Aron and I couldn't believe the support. We had two screenings scheduled and then our film was also going to play as part of the FILMSLAM program for high school students. Words can't describe how incredible the experience was for us. We were treated so well --and they just truly loved the film. We were blown away by the experience. Aron did three videos on our Cleveland experience....check them out here. This is the only way to really explain it.

Here is Jerry after a screening and with high school students for FILMSLAM.

Last night, we got a call from Beth and she informed us we had won the Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition at the 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival. What an amazing end to an incredible festival. Here is a little description on the award category:

Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition
The selections included in Standing Up are "films with a conscience." Standing Up celebrates social justice and activism by presenting films with messages that cannot and should not be ignored. The winner is determined by audience vote. Standing Up honors those with a different view of the world we live in and the continual fight to make it a better world. Standing Up honors the memory of Greg Gund.

TWWGB Hits the Road!!

2009-03-29T18:18:00.018-04:00

Ok, so this blog post has been a long time coming. But once you read about our whirlwind experience, hopefully you'll forgive us. This has been an exciting few weeks for us. Actually, it’s been pretty unreal. Where to begin….

NORTH FORT HOOD
We had been waiting for SXSW for some time. We wanted to get the world premiere done so we could just play the film at festivals and start getting it out there. Aron and I arrived in Austin in the morning and had to race to North Fort Hood. We had promised a Maine National Guard unit that we would do a special screening for them before they headed out to Afghanistan. They were finishing up their training in Texas and were going to have a surprise landing in Bangor, Maine before they headed over. We knew we had to make this trip—and so we raced to get their in time—knowing we were going to have to drive back right after and start preparing for SXSW.

The trip to North Fort Hood was well-worth the chaos beforehand. We got to the Chapel where the film was to screen and the unit had popcorn and drinks ready and they were waiting to screen off of a laptop hooked to a projector. Not the preference for us but they said they were used to watching movies this way. So we went with it.

They totally got the film—and laughed at parts that only people in the military could appreciate. Aron and I received a standing ovation and on the dark road heading home, we couldn’t stop talking about how great an event it was.

But before we could take a break, we had to register at SXSW. So we registered and then spent the rest of the evening putting up posters wherever we could. We were hoping this was going to be sufficient to get word out about the movie.

SXSW SCREENINGS (click here to see the video at SXSW)

On the day of our 1st screening, Aron and I got to the theater about 90 minutes early. Aron did a technical check and it all looked great. The screen at the Austin Convention Center was HUGE. The film looked great on screen. As we sat down and waited for our screening, we started seeing people lining up for a film. We still had about 80 minutes before the screening so I went over to the group in line and asked them what they were waiting to see. They said, "THE WAY WE GET BY." I couldn't believe it....there were people not only showing up for the film but coming over an hour early! It was awesome and it made us feel really great. We had great crowds and a surprise guest for our first two screenings (I can't give it away because they'll be coming to more screenings!). We had a blast.

SXSW SPECIAL JURY AWARD
Our film was one of eight in the documentary feature competition. Aron and I figured we'd go to the Awards show but weren't really counting on anything. So, you can imagine what a shock it was as we started listening to the judges begin to read a description of our film...Aron and I looked at each other and I thought..."wait a minute--that's us!"... It was pretty awesome having our film recognized in this way and it made us feel so special!

World Premiere...Film Fests...New Website...Oh My!!

2009-02-02T11:00:00.011-05:00

Wow! This has been a crazy few days. First we found out "The Way We Get By" was accepted into the South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival-- this is where we will be doing our World Premiere as part of the Documentary Feature Competition. I read they received 737 doc features and 8 make the competition, so we were pretty proud to hear the news! Plus, it's always cool when the news comes in the form of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Little Bangor, Maine has hit the big time.

I would love, LOVE to find a way to get our three characters from "The Way We Get By" to Austin for the big premiere, but I'm not sure any of them are prepared or able to make a long trip like that. I know my mom would love it--- but I'm not sure her legs and back would like it so much. Either way the three of them will be there in spirit.

On to other news...We've also received word on many other festivals we have been accepted into. In no particular order-- Cleveland International Film Festival, IFF Boston, Florida Film Festival, Philadelphia Film Festival, GI Film Festival (this is one of the most important festivals to us because of the large military audience that will get to see the film) and a couple others that will have to remain secret for a little while longer. Just remember the color GREY and I'll fill you in on the rest later in February.

And finally, our new kick-ass website will (hopefully) be launching tomorrow. This sucker has all the bells and whistles and should really become a one-stop destination for all things "The Way We Get By"-- it's loaded with content, links, screenings & events and much much more!!

So far, 2009 is shaping up to be an amazing year for the film and a crazy, busy, rewarding time for us. I don't think we are really sure what to expect but I am hoping to squeeze in a little fun along the way. The one thing I do hope is that audiences across the country will get the opportunity to connect with the three people in "The Way We Get By", because that is the goal at the end of the day. And so far, we're off to a good start.

Make sure to check out the new website, keep up on all the screenings and help support the film.

--Aron

New Website, Publicity Shoot, Post

2009-01-07T08:29:00.000-05:00

Sorry for not writing sooner....we're working on a new and improved website so stay tuned for that. Bluehouse Group in Vermont is making something really special for us. It will have all of these great features that will make The Way We Get By Movie site very cool!

In November, we wrapped up a photo shoot with our three characters in the film. We didn't have the money or crew to get a lot of still photos during production and as a result we were in a bind when it came to all of the marketing material. Luckily, Sean Carnell, a great photographer in Maine, helped us out and worked with us on a two day publicity shoot. This photo is of me and Aron on the Bangor International Airport runway.

The photos came out great and we're so excited to showcase them. Sean is extremely talented and has a great eye. Make sure you check out his website to see the incredible work he has done to date. And now, we've got plenty of photos to choose from when we roll out the film and make our marketing kits.

And now, that brings up the most important point of the blog today.....WE'RE DONE!! We worked through the holiday and finished the film on Dec. 27!! It was such a great feeling knowing that we reached our goal of finishing the film in 2008!! Aron and I watched the most recent cut (80 minutes) and are so proud of it. It took everything out of us but we did it!

Right now, Aron is working with top notch teams-- the post-house, Alpha Cine, and sound company, Bad Animals, to get it all just right before upgrading to HD and getting the masters. Both companies are great to work with and come highly recommended.

Did I mention how EXCITED we are to have our first feature doc done!!

We've got more exciting news to come....stay tuned....we can't announce yet but will shortly.

Thanks everyone for your support. We hope to see you on the film tour this year!

Notre Dame Rough Cut Screening

2008-11-16T14:42:00.001-05:00

Sorry the delay in writing. It's been a crazy time since we returned back from Notre Dame. We're working on cutting our film to 80 minutes. It's pretty hard to do knowing that what we have now is working well. More updates on that coming soon....

The Notre Dame rough cut screening was great. We were worried about the turnout since it was on Halloween but it turned out to be a strong showing. We weren't sure how a Midwest audience was going to react to the film but they were laughing and emotional throughout the film and we could tell they were really getting into the film. When I get the pictures from the ND event, I will upload them here.

Given the response to the film so far, we are really excited to see how it will play in festivals. We have submitted to the major fests and are waiting to hear back. Keep your fingers crossed!

In the meantime, we need your help spreading the word about the film. We've got a Facebook group set up and we've been corresponding with a lot of our supporters through that. Help us spread the word!!

Stay tuned for more updates soon...

South Bend Tribune Article

2008-10-29T19:09:00.000-04:00

We will have another rough cut screening of our film on Halloween. Here is an article in the South Bend Tribune that describes the event. This will likely be the last work in progress screening as we continue editing the film to a fine cut. Poor Aron will be locked in the edit room again!

The Way We Get By Photos!!!

2008-10-28T14:37:00.000-04:00

Check out our production photos for THE WAY WE GET BY on Flickr!! We will have many more photos coming soon but this will get us started. Share and send the photos on to your friends and family.

The Way We Get By- FACEBOOK GROUP

2008-10-22T17:09:00.000-04:00

We are excited to announce that we have just set up THE WAY WE GET BY Facebook Group.

Please join us and help us spread the word to your friends and family about our film. We need your support as we launch this film nationally early next year.

Stay tuned for exciting updates.....

2nd Rough Cut Screening

2008-10-06T19:34:00.001-04:00

The second rough cut screening was a huge success for us! We want to thank New England Institute of Art and Women in Film & Video for sponsoring this event at the Coolidge Corner Theater. A number of filmmakers and other friends and advisers came out to watch this cut and provide feedback to us on the film. The comments to our website and e-mail addresses have been extremely helpful and we are taking these comments into account as we we cut down the film to right length. What we know now is that the story is really connecting with people, the pacing is right, and the characters are captivating.

We are getting e-mails from across the country from people who want to see this film. Thank you for signing up to help bring the film to your city and for signing up for our newsletter updates. We are doing our best to respond to all e-mails. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

1st Rough Cut Screening-Camden, Maine

2008-10-01T17:29:00.000-04:00

Aron Gaudet, Bill Knight, Joan Gaudet, Jerry Mundy, and Gita Pullapilly
at the 1st Rough Cut Screening of The Way We Get By.

We are getting close!!! We had our first rough cut screening at Camden, Maine to see what a general audience would think of our film and where we needed to cut the film to make it as strong as possible. The Camden International Film Festival sponsored this rough cut screening for us. 350 people were in attendance as well as our three characters from the film---Bill, Joan, and Jerry. We showed a cut that was 93 minutes--knowing that in order to get it to our target time, we would have to cut roughly 10 minutes from the film.

The showing was so emotional! We were really nervous since we were showing this rough cut for the first time. We really didn't know what people would think. But when the lights came up and we went to greet our characters, we were shocked to see that people were cheering and clapping. We received two standing ovations and the crowd cheered our characters! Everyone we spoke with really connected with the film and said that this film was speaking to them. We stayed in Camden over the weekend and were stopped by a number of people on the street who came up to us, hugged us, and thanked us for making this film.

Aron and I are still overwhelmed by the response we received in Camden as well as the e-mails since then from those that have seen this first cut. We can't wait to see what happens at our upcoming rough cut screenings before we begin submitting to film festivals! Keep your fingers crossed and please continue to help spread the word about the film!

Independent Film Week- NYC September 2008

2008-09-22T18:19:00.000-04:00

Aron and I just returned from Independent Film Week (IFP Market) in New York City. For the filmmakers out there, you NEED to attend this week when your film is close to ready. There were 75 documentary films chosen for this week. We had the opportunity to meet with key film festival programmers and distributors. One on one meetings are arranged with industry professionals who are interested in your film. We came to NYC with a number of meetings and then had just as many side meetings while we were there.

One of the highlights of the week was meeting other filmmakers who were accomplished in their own right and were working hard on some amazing projects as well.

For a few years now, other filmmakers told us we should apply to IFW. I now know why so many people talk about IFW. This week will not only benefit The Way We Get By but also our future projects!

17th Annual NetIP Conference in Boston

2008-09-01T09:16:00.000-04:00

Aron and I had a chance to speak at the 17th Annual NetIP Conference in Boston on Sunday about The Way We Get By. It was amazing to see how people responded to the trailer and wanted to get involved in supporting social issue films. Young professionals around the country are helping us promote The Way We Get By and it was great to receive such support from this well-established group.

Rough Cut is MOVING FORWARD

2008-08-27T18:06:00.000-04:00

We are working hard on refining the rough cut for the film and making it stronger (and shorter). We will be showing our advisers another cut of the film at the end of the week. The meetings so far have been incredibly inspiring and we are looking forward to showing you it soon! Make sure to check back for updates on rough cut screenings near you!

1st Cut Done!

2008-08-24T13:20:00.001-04:00

Aron and I are excited to report that we have finished the first cut of The Way We Get By. We've been pulling crazy hours to get it done in time....working morning to night developing the story and finding the right pacing for the film. We are excited to show it select groups to get their thoughts and input. We're moving full speed ahead!

The Way We Get By

2008-08-20T16:58:00.000-04:00

This is an exciting time for The Way We Get By. We are working hard on our rough cut and it is really coming together. Our music composer is working with select scenes from the film and Aron is editing and refining the film. It is so exciting to see it all come together after all of these years.

Thank you for your support!