When I opened my Gmail for my newly named film ‘company’ Intrinsic Lifestyle Productions, I read an email from @FilmFreeway.  In reaction, I banged my fist on my 1940 Hamilton drafting desk where I was standing, editing as usual.

After fifteen months of tedious, albeit interesting, work to teach myself digital filmmaking, my first film in a Manhattan Film festival!  (As I write this, I can hear my sister, Jennifer, yelling “Hoot!” for me, while pretending to pull a cord and make a semi-truck driver on an I-10 freeway honk.)

Only the week before, I had admired the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival’s website.  Last year Dr. Sylvia Earle, a Oceanographer (who I gush and share posts about on Facebook), was a guest speaker at their festival.  I noted that the week-long programs they offered for filmmakers were very interesting.  What a trip that would be I thought.

And here’s what the email stated:

Flowing arms (for dramatic effect) provided by our daughter to announce that:

“Steve Shirley Shark Tagger” is an official selection of the:

That was my first notification from Film Freeway, and then I got another out of the blue–pun intended.

Steve Shirley and I really wanted my film to get into the San Francisco International Ocean festival, and neither of us were sure if I would.  I called him immediately and told him the good news.

“Steve Shirley Shark Tagger,” accepted into two festivals so far.  I’m waiting to hear from five others.

P.S.  Watch a movie about Sylvia Earle, “Mission Blue” on Netflix.  It’s a great movie for kids too;)