Santa Fe Film Festival Recap

I'm happy to report that the 10th Annual Santa Fe Film Festival was a blast!

I arrived Wednesday night and met the people from Dream that were able to come... the director, Rick, and the cord blood ladies, Anne and Charis. Half-hearted schmoozing in the VIP lounge and then off for enchiladas covered in green chiles!

Our film screened at the New Mexico History Museum on Thursday morning. It was well received by the people who saw it and there is potential that it will be brought back in February 2010 for it's own screening!!

Thursday afternoon was spent deciding we couldn't wait in

line for our interview and running off to eat chicken mole, marvel at the fact that it was snowing and make plans for where to eat for dinner!

The party that evening was at a venue where the upstairs was the 45 and over crowd dancing to badly sung cover songs and the downstairs was the 30 and under crowd too cool for school rocking out to traditional Balkan music. Seriously. I had a hard time getting into the groove in either section.

Friday I saw a ton of movies (My Tale of Two Cities, Girls on the Wall, Becoming Eduardo) and Charis and I finally waited to have our 15 minutes of live, streaming web fame with our official SFFF interview!

Another party, another movie and as many sopaipillas as I could eat and soon it was time to catch the shuttle back to Albuquerque. (sigh) All in all it was fabulous and I'm very glad I went!

Countdown to Santa Fe: 2 days

48 hours from now I will be arriving in Santa Fe for the 2009 Film Festival!

Our movie, Dream, plays on Thursday morning at 10:00 am. Will anyone besides the 4 of us involved in the film be there? I certainly hope so. But at least I know we've got 4.

Planes, hotels and shuttles are all booked. Now my time has come down to a mix of mundane tasks like laundry and finding a plastic bag for my liquids and overwhelming tasks like trying to reconnect with what this dream of mine is anyway, how it's changed since the filming in 2007 and what my vision is for 2010.

Hmm. Sounds like a perfect time to go looking at other people's Thanksgiving pictures on Facebook. But no. I will press on with all tasks and get myself psyched to visualize the possibilities.

Countdown to Santa Fe: 1 week

Only one week left before I board a plane to Albuquerque and take a shuttle to Santa Fe! Which reminds me, I need to book the shuttle...

I've been getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and haven't been doing the greatest job of prepping for Santa Fe. For one thing, I still need to dig out of my closet, or buy, some clothes I can wear in the freezing weather.

More than that, I need to give some thought to my story. What exactly do I say to people who ask me how my dream is going? Where am I? What's my plan? If someone wants to help me, how can I help them help me? I've still got time, and knowing me I'll be waiting for an epiphany on the plane - or perhaps even the shuttle. But fear not. Once I have a better handle on my plan... you will know it too.

For a sneak peak at the first section of the film, click here. If you can't be with me in Santa Fe next week... please be there in spirit. Dream plays on Thursday, December 3rd at 10:00 am. Oh yeah.

Countdown to Santa Fe: 3 weeks

The countdown begins... three weeks from today, at 10:00am, Dream will be playing at the Santa Fe Film Festival! If you can't be there in person... be there in spirit!

Don't be alarmed by the time, I hear 10am is the new 8pm. Plus, everyone there will have nothing to do but run back and forth from one movie to another soaking it all in. At least that's my plan.

Flight and hotel are secured. Festival pass is on hand. All that's left to do is get myself from the airport in Albuquerque to Santa Fe. That and connect with the other Dream cast for happy hours in the filmmakers' lounge!

If you haven't had a chance to watch, rate and comment on the trailer - click me - and see what all the hype is about.

Now to check my closet for clothes that can stand up to highs in the mid 4o's and lows in the teens! The teens!

"Dream" Goes to the Santa Fe Film Festival!

As many of you know... in the summer of 2007 I quit my perfectly good job, packed up a video camera and went to Africa in search of people making a difference in their communities. All the while, I was recording video diaries of my exploits and sending them to a filmmaker in Boston who was putting together a documentary film called "Dream" which documents the journeys of six people who are attempting to achieve our various dreams.

I'm happy to report... the film is finished and will be shown Thursday, December 3rd at the Santa Fe Film Festival!

Check out the trailer below and please... share comments, rate the video, make it a favorite, pass it on... all these things help create buzz and buzz is what our film needs!

And if anyone wants to join me in Santa Fe... call me up and let's make it happen!

Cult Fiction wins at Scary Cow

Earlier this year, I signed up on a Scary Cow team to make another film. Knowing I had no more interest in holding the boom pole and doing location sound, I said I was interested in helping the producer. What a good way to learn, I thought.

Well, the producer backed out before the project got started and I ended up as the executive producer on the film, learning as I went along. Luckily for me there were fabulous people on our team and we worked together really well.

Yes, yes, how wonderful you think. But what was the outcome of all those lost weekends and filming at Green Apple Books at 5:00am on Easter Sunday? Given that you've read the title of this post, you will not be surprised to learn that the movie Cult Fiction took the top award at the Scary Cow screening last Sunday! Fantastic!

The movie is embedded below. Look for me in 2 small cameos as the reporter and one of the cult women. Congratulations to the team and stay tuned for the next film!

Cult Fiction from Dead Set Films on Vimeo.

Latest Video: Africa Takes Action!

I've been invited to speak to the Alameda Rotary Club on Tuesday, September 8th.

As part of my presentation tomorrow, I'll show two videos. The first documenting my Habitat trip to Madagascar:

The second, a new compilation titled "Africa Takes Action" highlights the work being done by a variety of small groups throughout Africa. Some of you will recognize the abbreviated stories of the Boomu Women's Group in Uganda, the flip flop group in Kenya and the Mazingira Monkey Man.

A new piece in the mix is the Bulugha Farm School in Cintsa, South Africa, which is supported in part by donations from visitors to Buccaneers Backpackers. The school has 193 students but only 3 classrooms and 3 toilets. Every week, the students present a concert and in return visitors are asked to provide a donation which supports a feeding scheme that enables the students to have two meals a day.

So check the videos out and wish me luck!

Habitat for Humanity Madagascar - Go Mad!!

Well, it's been a long time coming, but I finally have a version of the Habitat Madagascar Video I made that's short enough to be posted online. Hooray!

In order to accomplish this, I had to cut out many fabulous words of wisdom spoken by people on the team, get rid of the goose shopping excursion and other such upsetting edits that turned 18 minutes into something closer to 8.

The beauty of it is... this gives you an idea of why people on our "Go Mad" team chose to volunteer with Habitat and why we'll do it again.

Enjoy the video and let it be an inspiration for your own trip with Habitat

A Socially Responsible Social Network

Say what?

If you've got time in your day to take quizzes to find out what city, 80's rock star or sea animal you are, you've got time to check out ivili.

Ivili is a new website where people can share their experiences of environmental technologies and sustainable solutions with one another. The aim is to bring these solutions to a wider audience so people can learn from one another and improve their own businesses and livelihoods.

The plan is for an evergrowing and easily searchable database of these video clips (like on youtube) profiling success stories from all over the world. To that end, I'm posting my videos from Africa and plan to get even more of them edited and posted.

I'm meeting with the founder, Jeremy Smith, next week and expect to have more information and inspiration for you then. In the meantime, please explore the site, start asking and answering people's questions, and join in creating the site along with Jeremy and all the other members!

BTW - You are Dallas, Simon LeBon and a manatee. Now that you know that time saving information, you can spend the next 10 minutes on ivili!

We're Number One!

Wahoo, we're number one!! But who exactly is "we", you're wondering?

City Segway Tours of San Francisco, of course.

We've been listed as the #1 attraction in San Francisco on Trip Advisor! That's #1 out of 622, thank you very much. Take THAT Alcatraz!! (You too, Golden Gate Bridge.)

You can read the reviews, or if you'd rather just read what they're saying about yours truly... let me help you out:

"My husband and I took the City Segway Tour with Kristian (Miss K) the first morning we were in the city. Not only was she energetic, super fun and very knowledgeable about the city, but she also took amazing pictures!"

"Kristian, was extremely knowledgeable and fun to listen to as she told us stories about everything we were looking at."

"Kristian, our guide, was exceptional!"

"Kristian was a fun and informative tour guide who made us feel safe rolling around the roads of SF (and she knows how to take great pictures!)"

"Miss K, our tourguide, was great fun. She knew lots about the city, made sure everyone was having a good time and catered to all our needs. She also let us play about on the Segways in a safe area which was interesting to say the least!"

Oh, stop.

No, don't!! I do admit, I tell people if they had a good time on the tour and found us on Trip Advisor, they should take a moment to pay it forward. The fact that they also want to rave about their guide... well, it's enough to make a guide blush and then post a self-congratulatory blog about it!

So, if you've got people visiting you this summer or you're planning on a stay-cation this year... why not make a segway tour a part of it? You'll be glad you did!

Kristian's Tours: Thursdays 10am, 2pm and Fridays 10am, 2pm

Call the office (415-409-0672) and book a tour with me!

She's Off! Roz Savage Starts the 2nd Leg of Her Solo Pacific Row!

Many of you already know about Roz Savage and her quest to become the first women to row solo across the Pacific Ocean with the mission of inspiring people to live happier, more fulfilling more sustainable lives.

She completed the first leg in the fall of 2008, rowing from San Francisco to Hawaii.  On Sunday, she left Hawaii - next stop Tuvalu!   You can follow her adventures on her blog, see where she is using the Savage Tracker and support her efforts with a monetary donation.

She is an awesome inspiration, yet still very down to earth.  Check her out and follow her adventures.  I am.

For your viewing pleasure: Official Roz Savage Video AND (a must see)

Short clip from her solo Atlantic row that shows why she KICKS ASS!

Swine Inspired SARS Memories

With all the recent talk of swine flu, I can't help but remember my trip to China in the spring of 2003.  Facemasks, health questionnaires and eviction from both hotels and entire towns.  Ah yes, good times.

The downside (other than catching a fatal infection) was having thermometers stuck in my ear at the airports, getting the evil eye from the locals who thought I was spreading SARS and difficulty meeting fellow travelers - since there weren't any.

The upside was the kindness of strangers who helped me navigate through the trying times, crowd-free (and virtually people-free) visits to Xian, The Forbidden City and the Great Wall and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  All that and a t-shirt that says "Survived SARS 2003"? 

Pardon me while I check on the price of flights to Mexico.

For details and photos of my SARS adventure, check the April 2003 and May 2003 archives.

Interview Subjects Needed For Documentary Film

Hey All,

I'm working with a team of film makers from Scary Cow and we're looking for interview subjects for a documentary. Read on to see if it's a good match!

Has the economic recession changed you for the better?

Have you been laid off or lost your home to foreclosure? Are you having a hard time making your mortgage payments or paying medical bills or health insurance? Do you see the recession as an opportunity to reassess what really matters, find joy and meaning and make positive changes in how you live your life?

If you have a compelling story to tell, we want to hear from you! We are a San Francisco-based team of filmmakers producing a documentary film that focuses on personal and social transformation in the economic recession. Our goal is to document how people are being affected by the recession and how the choices they make are transforming their lives. By taking a close look at how people are using the recession as an opportunity to “be the change” we will weave a story of hope and perseverance.

Whether you are in the midst of transforming your life, or have already come through the storm and are ready to share your wisdom with others we want to hear how the recession is affecting your family, relationships and home life, your job and money and your day to day habits and choices.

If you are interested in being interviewed and featured in the film, please write to: interviewopportunity@gmail.com. Provide a short synopsis of how your life has been affected by the economy. Share your age and location as well. We will review all submissions and get back to you if your story matches well with what we are looking for. We will shoot all interviews in April on the weekends. We are willing to travel outside of the Bay Area, but not out of state. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD to your friends and communities!

Thanks!

Star of the Segway Article

Okay, not really the star but I am the "mama duck" that leads the group in a video put together by two journalism students from San Francisco State University.

How can you tell they're journalism students? Well, they spelled my name wrong -but hey, fact checking is so overrated.

You can read the Segway article and after you're done, click the link to watch the Segway video!

Until you can come down and take a tour yourself, this is an easy alternative.

Quack.

Valentine's Day Pillow Fight

That's right.  Pillow fight.

Thousands of people gathered in Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco on Valentine's Day to whack each other on the head with pillows.  Really.  How could I not go?

In preparation for the big event, my friend Danny and I went to two Targets and a Kohls looking for feather pillows but they were all sold  out!  At least the ones priced under $30. That's what we get for waiting until Saturday afternoon to go shopping.  We settled on  some crazy fiber filled pillows in the hopes they wouldn't burst open and made our way downtown.

There were a ton of people with pillows: some in pjs, some wearing bandannas like train robbers, and some with little kids on their shoulders.  

As the clock on the Ferry Building chimed 6:00 people raised their pillows over their heads and with a shout of "They can take our pillows but they can never take our freedom!" began whacking at each other like they were moles at a county fair.

In the middle of the plaza it was too crowded to get a good swing - and being short it was very easy for people to whack you on the head.  After swinging my pillow at random strangers for awhile, I moved to the edge of the crowd where the sensation of imminent trampling wasn't as strong.

We broke off into a splinter group which had formed a circle creating a feather-filled Thunderdome of sorts.  "Two men enter, one man leaves!"  It was much easier to run in and out of the fight that way and make sure you didn't lose an eye.

After an hour, the fight was still going strong, but we had breathed in enough feathers for the evening and both had places to go so we left.  

Would I do it again?  Yes.  Would I shop for a pillow earlier than the afternoon of?  Yes.  Would I wear a bandanna and/or pajamas?  Yes.

See you there in 2010!

Happy New Year!

Chinese New Year, that is.

I missed the opportunity in early January to wish you a happy new year but that seems to be how it's going for me so far in 2009.  A bit behind on everything I'm trying to get done.

I'm still leading Segway tours and working an assortment of part-time jobs, doing what I can to fuel the underground economy.  On a random assortment of Friday and Saturday nights you can find me performing with two improv groups, Big City Improv and Secret Improv Society. 

On a recent Tuesday when I conveniently had no work, I watched the inauguration of Barack Obama at City Hall with my friend Danny and a crowd of locals who also thought it would be fun to make this a group experience. Thank goodness I've seen the Obamas on tv before because, as big as the screen was, it's not so easy to see when you are at the back of the crowd and short.

As for my own dream, well... before I can take very many steps forward, I need to reconnect with what it is I'm trying to do so I can be more focused in my efforts. In the meantime, I've started editing some footage of a Habitat team I met in Malawi and thinking about creating a 2 minute promo video that includes snippets from many of the different people I met in Africa.

The documentary film that I'm in is scheduled to be finished in the beginning of April.  Whether or not it is, that's become my default deadline to make some progress with the videos and revamp this site.  Stay tuned for updates - which once again I swear will be more frequent.

 It's a new year, a new administration and a new vibe.  Time to get  crackin'.

 Crack on.