Dear Cast and Crew

From August 12-19th our hearts and souls were committed fully to the production of our second feature film Welcome to Gentle Waters. If there were words to describe shooting Welcome to Gentle Waters in Lake Webster for one full week I'd have to say "magical madness". Each day contained its own memories and had its fair share of tears and joy. Asking people to stretch themselves physically, artistically, and emotionally for six days under one roof is grueling and yet still rewarding. When the sound was catching too much wind, or the camera crew juggled between improv acting and working as a team to get the best shots, or when the actors had to share two bathrooms and sweat unbelievably under hot lights while maintaining clarity its just crazy that we even finished this project. Waking up to the water and finishing the day with a brew in one hand while the moonlight glimmered over our soaken worn faces made each day worth it. There were actors that approached me on our last night and cried because they couldn't believe the week had come to an end. One actor in particular told me that he wished he could just go back and do it all over again, in spite of the frantic costume changes that had often drove us crazy. Local volunteers became close friends to many of us and stuck around for the very end as we watched the main character peform one of the most fun scenes of the shoot. Collaborating with each other, learning how to make the best of a moment, and reaching hard decisions and some exciting decisions only made the process deeper and enriching for every single person. There are times in my life when I know I'm experiencing something that can be classified as one of the best times of my life. And this was one of them. The morning after the final day of shooting I went for a drive while everyone was sleeping. I thought about all the people I'd gotten to know, all the local help that made our shoot so much more valuable, and my closest friends and family who made themselves available and did things that only those who love you will do. I truly feel blessed and validated and accomplished and so should everyone who was with us on this ride. And most of all I thank Brent for always pushing me and yet allowing me to grow in my own artistic sense. 10 years ago Brent brought me to the lake house that is now known to many as Gentle Waters. It was our first date and we talked that night about writing and our dreams. Creating in that house was magical to say the least and we will never forget the loveliness and the craziness that took place in Terry's retreat center, especially his infamous snap pants.

Love,
Jessica