Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in heroinefilms' LiveJournal:

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Wednesday, December 7th, 2005
6:55 pm	the weight of words... It's been almost a year since Heroine Films started and a lot has happened. I've been posting updates in communities from time to time, but today as I was sitting here thinking about everything I realized it says something about my, our, generation. Everyone always says that we can't get behind a cause...that we are too coddled and too lazy to do anything. But I've seen something completely different. Not all of you know the whole story, so here it is in nutshell form: Heroine Films is a production company started by three women. Mel wrote a script which won the New York International Film and Video Festival, at the time it was called "Heroine". In it's most recent form it is "The Gladdest Thing". Before there was ever such a thing as this production company we were supposed to make this film. We had a cast, a crew and most of our financing. Then we held a reading and to make a long, painful story short some influential people found out that the main character is a lesbian. We are in North Carolina. Our financial backers gave into pressure and pulled out. So we lost everything. A year later, Alex, Mel and I were sitting around trying to figure out what to do. How could we get enough to make it? That's when the idea of grassroots struck. There are people who believe in women making art, there are people who believe that a lesbian voice should be heard. There are people who believe in the passion of doing what you believe in at any cost any way possible. So we started a website, made some t-shirts and undies and hit the blogging communities. And we were STUNNED. In the first week we had so many hits we had to get a bigger website to keep from shutting down. We got donations and letters from all over the world. Including sweet high school girls giving what they could from after school jobs and heartbreaking letters from parents of LGBTQ kids who had been put through hell. These people want to do something...want to change something. Some of you who are on my friend's list now I met b/c you were one of the many who touched our hearts and made us cry with your support. It's been beyond incredible. We even had a lesbian screenprinter donate her services to us. And we quickly made a trailer to help attract investors and show the people supporting us what this could be like. An example--if this is what we can do on borrowed equipment with no crew and almost no money imagine what we can do when we are able to make the film. Now we have been lucky enough to get a great deal of the funding from a combination of donations and a production company that has put up a large portion. Not all of it yet, but enough that we are confident that finding the rest is more than possible. We have an article coming out in CURVE magazine next week and we are in talks with LOGO about a marketing strategy on their new network. We aren't where we need to be yet but we are so much farther than we thought we'd be when we lost it all...and our hearts and spirits couldn't be higher. My life will never be the same because I now know that people believe in what I'm doing and want to hear the story we are trying to give a voice. I have even more passion because I know I am not just doing it for me...as cheesy as it sounds...I'm doing it for young girls and young LGBTQ people everywhere...to show that you CANNOT silence us. -Amanda (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, December 3rd, 2005
9:47 am	UPDATE! Hi all...   I know it's been some time, but we've all be on location for a couple of freelance projects for the past two months...    We're back now and DECEMBER is rockin'!!!  Here's what's happening in HEROINE FILMS' LAND:   (I'll make this short and sweeeet)   * AMVF PRODUCTIONS of Wilmington, NC just put up a BIG starter fund for not only THE GLADDEST THING, but QUEENS as well.  They're giving us 10% of our budget - so we are, at present, trying to match the funds so we can get the movies made.  If you'd like to help the effort, there's more info. on our HOW YOU CAN HELP PAGE at heroine films!   * LOGO (MTVs new GLBT channel) is partnering with Heroine Films by putting together a marketing/advertising plan for us, which will air when the budget comes through.  MTV has also expressed interest in buying the finished The Gladdest Thing and we're in talks about a possible "making of" documentary about the process of raising $$$ to make a GLBT themed film.   * the CURVE MAGAZINE ARTICLE featuring the Heroines comes out on stands THIS MONTH!!!  It'll make GRRRREAT stocking stuffers!!   * the SECOND CINEMA INTERVIEW (video) is finally up at the site.  Check it out and let us know what you think.   We can really use your help now, folks as we come in to the new year and celebrate a wonderful first year of Heroine Films.  We've gotten this far with your help and we especially need you now.  Please check out the new revamped website and let us know what you think.  You can still donate for heroine Ts & undies and we're hoping to add a few more items to the list (possibly bumper stickers, etc.)  Let us know what you'd like to see.  And, of course, the biggest help, is just to spread the word about us.    The underground is an amazing place...   Happy Holidays to all.  Thank you so much for a wonderful year of support.  You have our gratitude.  The movies are yours too...   xoxo M and the gals   (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 10th, 2005
11:08 am	HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMANDA!!!                                   Everyone, please stop by and give Amanda a shout out...She's the big 2-3 today!  Woo Hoo. And in other news ;) The Heroines are partnering with LOGO (MTV's new glbt channel)!!!  We will give you more details in the coming weeks, but for now, just know that The Heroines will be on LOGO (which goes out to 18 million peeps) and they have expressed interest in possibly buying The Gladdest Thing!!!  We're moving on up.  We still need your help, though.  In order to get this film to MTV, we have to come up with the rest of the money--- Not a bad investment I'd say...MTV has a lil' bit of money to make good on an investment ;) We'll be doing updates shortly...  CASTING may be a BIIIIIIG topic of discussion shortly. LOVE YOU ALL!! Show Amanda some love today! xox M (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 26th, 2005
9:53 am	and in today's news... 10/25/2005 - I'm updating from the road...Alex and I are in Virginia working on BET's College Hill, meanwhile Amanda is gearing up for her role in Shelly's Diary with W2 Entertainment.  But the real news is here:                                    THE HEROINES HAVE            OBTAINED PRODUCTION FUNDS!!! Check out the news at:     Heroine Films Love you all!  Thanks for the amazing amount of support and help... xox, the gals at heroine films (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 8th, 2005
10:35 pm	T-shirts and Curve mag. So, Mel is on location working for BET at the moment and can't update the website so I thought I'd at least give a shout out on the livejournal. Things are going well. Our CURVE MAGAZINE article got bumped again...this time to Jan. so be sure to check it out and we'll keep you posted if it moves again. We've been contacted by two potential investors this week which is looking very good. yay! More on that as we find out more. Also, my fabulous cousin Dennis was wearing his "Got Heroine?" T out and about in Washington DC and apparently it was a BIG HIT. He called me with T-shirt orders from a group of his friends. It's nice to watch it keep catching on. We've also had more feedback from women's soccer players interesting in "Queens of the World" I'm not giving any names but it's VERY EXCITING!! Personally, we are all doing well. Mel and Alex are working in Virginia on BET's COLLEGE HILL and I am about to start shooting as the lead in w2 Entertainment's newest feature film "Shelly's Diary" which features some fun country music singers from Nashville and promises to be a blast! More to come. We love and adore you all. xox Amanda and the Heroine Films gals Current Mood: complacent (Comment on this)
Saturday, August 6th, 2005
4:33 pm	CURVE MAGAZINE Ok, everyone be sure to check out SEPTEMBER's Careers issue of CURVE Magazine. We just had a fabulous interview and they will be running an article with photos about HEROINE FILMS and two other inspiring women's filmmaking groups!!! We are so excited I can't even tell you. Also, we finally got to actually see the Second Cinema interview (we've been on location filming) and it looks FABULOUS. We'll try to get it up on the website ASAP. I hope everyone is doing well. <3 (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 29th, 2005
12:54 am	Any women's SOCCER fans out there?   ;)   more later... (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 26th, 2005
6:10 pm	hits & feedback Hey all! Heroine Films is about 400 hits away from 20,000 on their website (in just over four months!!!) and we need you and all your friends to stop by and check it out!!!  Please help!  The numbers are being used to entice investors and prodcos.  We've had a couple of Distributors interested, but we need to show them a finished film and YOUR NUMBERS on the website.  So hit us up!  ;) ALSO - we've received very little feedback on the AUDIOBLOG and really want to know what you all think about it. We're having a great time with it, but don't know if it's something you want to hear or are interested in.  Stop by...let us know. We'll love ya foreva! xox the gals at heroine films     (Comment on this)
Monday, June 20th, 2005
10:36 am	second cinema Second Cinema posted a lil' blurb about the Heroine's interview on their site.  Check it out HERE. Stop by the Heroine's Blogspot and say hi.  We're lonely...  ;)   xox the gals   (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 19th, 2005
5:36 pm	ooooh technology is wicked frickin' cool So, the heroines have a new AUDIO BLOG. You should all def. check it out!!!  Let us know what you think... And now...I am going to step away from the computer, as I have been glued to it for most of the day! Peace, love and smootchies... xox M   (Comment on this)
1:16 pm	shoot to kill... As some of you read in burnandshiver 's journal, the Heroines are trying to restructure... Here's the lofty version of things: When I first moved to New York, I was struck with the realization that I had come home. I moved there to help an SVA fourth year rewrite her thesis script, do a rewrite on my own (the Gladdest Thing, then called Heroine) and to work for the Visibilities the Lesbian Magazine.( Read more... ) Side note - Wish me luck! A Prod Co./Management Company just requested a copy of a script I wrote several years ago about Women's Soccer. What a hoot! With all the love in the world (just shoot me), xox Mel www.heroinefilms.net (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, June 18th, 2005
10:38 pm	psst... New hero/ine of the week!  we <3 u Jess L. More news to come.  Stay tuned!!! xox the gals (Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 31st, 2005
11:27 am	It's been four whole months since Heroine Films opened its' doors and I just wanted to drop everyone a note to say thanks to everyone for your continued support.  More to come...more to come.   xox M (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 21st, 2005
2:24 pm	CURVE MAGAZINE, we heart ethan silverman and the heroines make their TV debut? Heroine Films - bi-monthly update! PRESS - The Executive Editor of CURVE MAGAZINE has gotten in contact with the Heroines and has expressed interest in doing a story on our project.  Diane Anderson-Minshall, the EE went a step further for us as well...she just took the Gladdest Thing trailer and our pitch to Curve Magazine's 15th Anniversary Fest at the Portland GLBT Film Fest and is pitching it for us THIS WEEKEND!!!  We're shocked, amazed and can't wait to hear about what's happening.  We'll update you all on the article for Curve as soon as we have more info. And here at home...NC's Second Cinema is a television show that was created to showcase Independent Film & Video from Producers in the Triad region of NC.  Second Cinema has contacted the Heroines to request an interview and will show the trailer and the interview on their show which will run for the entire month of JULY!!!  We'll hopefully be able to broadcast a copy on the website, so that our peeps outside of NC can see it as well.  We're pretty excited and Second Cinema has been amazing thus far.  Check out their website for more info. on times and channels. ALSO - The Heroines will be attending the MELISSA FERRICK concert here in Carrboro, NC on May 26 at Cat's Cradle.  We'll be in our Heroine T's,so stop by and say hey.  And support an amazing artist --- Melissa Ferrick!!! In case anyone missed it, we also had an article in the Chapel Hill News.  Check it out in our IN THE NEWS SECTION on the website. HERO/INE OF THE (BI)WEEK You may recognize our latest & sexiest Hero/ine of the Week, Ethan Silverman from our trailer...Ethan is a wonderful actor from NC...He not only hooked us up with our biggest location for the shoot, he also put his gorgeous mug on memorex for us and now girls all over the world are swooning ;)  We love you, Eth...and tell your mom thanks for the amazing donation!!!  PROSPECTS Unfortunately we're not able to say who, but we wanted you all to know that at this point in time, a Creative Executive for a major Cable Network has expressed interest in the The Gladdest Thing Project.  She is reading the script and looking over our Production Plan as I write this.  On the same note, an amazing actress, whom Mel originally wrote a part for has just gotten in contact with the Heroines and has agreed to read the script.  Keep your fingers crossed on this one...it would make our year if she likes the script...  FYI The Heroines are going into Pre-Production on another feature that is being shot in August.  Amanda will be acting in the film, Mel is Line Producing and Alex is Production Manager on the show, which is called The Dog Days of Summer, a Tamiami and Film Foundry Production.  The feature already has domestic & foreign Distribution and Theatrical Release.  So you'll be able to see us up on the big screen sometime next year (or in Blockbuster) ;)  We'll still be updating and working on Heroine Films stuff, but will be a little less present for a couple of months...Write to us though...we love talking to you all... GEAR The Heroines have worked out a deal with Mel Wall, our amazing screenprinter, for new shirts and a new logo.  Thanks to an amazing donation by VICKIE HANNAH, we're able to get a new logo and new style.  So we'll report back as soon as we have the new gear in.  We still need pics of you in your gear to post, so send them to INQUIRIES@HEROINEFILMS.NET! MISCELLANEOUS Send your congrats to the Heroines...Amanda just graduated from The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill last week and Alex just finished up at the North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Filmmaking.  And Mel...send your congrats for when she's able to quit her day job ;)  And watch out world, cause' the Heroines just got some edjumacation...  ;) That's all for now, lovely Hero/ines...Hit us up anytime.  Thanks so much for your support!!  We love you all... xoxo the gals at heroine films heroine films phone: 919.593.6962 fax:408.676.3642 e-mail: inquiries@heroinefilms.net (Comment on this)
Friday, May 20th, 2005
8:58 pm	So Phelps decided to "report" on his outing to the Laramie Project Protest that the Heroines attended in early May.  thought you all might find this amusing, interesting...crazy.  Please keep in mind that the details are a bit hazy... ;) Blah.  PHELPS PHUDGING THE DETAILS Newsletter will be out this weekend, with lots to report!  and a new hero/ine of the week!!! xox the gals www.heroinefilms.net (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 12th, 2005
5:34 pm	Well folks...we have good news! First off, thanks to everyone who commented about the PHELPS Protest. It's good to see everyone putting their two cents in. Second - CURVE MAGAZINE is doing a piece on HEROINE FILMS!!!!!  Also, Ms. Diane Anderson-Minshall, Curve's Executive Editor is taking the Heroine Films Trailer and Promotions to the Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival which is honoring Curve's 15th Anniversary!!!!  We are floored, quite frankly. Third - Second Cinema will showing the Trailer and will interview the Heroines.  The interview and trailer will be aired and broadcast for the entire month of July.  We'll try to have it up on the site for those of you who are not in NC.  For those of you in NC, we'll post times/channel as soon as we have them!  Also, there's a very special someone reading our script as I write this and we're pretty excited about it.  Wish I could share details, but that would be assy of me ;) Stop by and say hi!  We love you all! xox the gals at heroine films       (Comment on this)
Sunday, May 8th, 2005
7:12 pm	Check out the NEW ARTICLE IN THE CHAPEL HILL NEWS... HAPPY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! xoxo the gals at heroine films www.heroinefilms.net   (Comment on this)
Saturday, May 7th, 2005
12:48 am	back from the PHELPS PROTEST... Just got home and wanted to tell you all about it... If you're interested, please check out PROTEST to read and see how it went down. Drained and saddened, the gals at heroine films (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 5th, 2005
9:40 am	Phelps Protest, EBAY and a new hero/ine? *****HEROINE FILMS BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER****** Short, but Sweet... This just added!!!  Mel Wall, our amazing screenprinter wrote us an inspiring letter to speak out to the GLBTQ Business Owners across the globe for support.  In the coming months, we'll be sending the letter out.  In the meantime, if you know anyone who might be interested, please feel free to download the PDF version of the letter and pass it on to them.  ****IN THE NEWS Check out the Heroines in the Sunday Edition of the Chapel Hill News! We'll have a column in the MY VIEW SECTION! All feedback is welcome! ****HEROINE OF THE WEEK VICKIE HANNAH is our HEROINE OF THE WEEK! In HONOR of Mother's Day! Check Vickie out! She's an incredibly gifted actress and one of our biggest supporters (not to mention our "mom on set...) We love you, Vickie!!! ****HEROINES LIVE This sorta falls under the LIVE category... ;) This Friday, May 6th, 7-7:30pm the anti-queer hate mongering preacher Fred Phelps will be protesting the play 'The Laramie Project' at the Durham School of the Arts. He has received a permit to protest only on the sidewalk in front of the school, not on the school grounds or anywhere else. Therefore, it will be extremely easy to block him and his message of hate. The Laramie Project tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a queer man who was beaten to death in Laramie a few years back. Phelps has been preaching his message of hate for years. He runs the websites godhatesfags.com and godhatesamerica.com. Check those out for examples of his disgusting hate-filled messages. Come to the Durham School of the Arts at around 6:30pm on Friday to take action against this man! DSA is 400 North Duke Street in Durham, opposite the West Corporation Street corner. Bring noise making devices, banners, puppets, and anything else that may come in handy. There will be an event at Duke University East Campus starting at 1pm and going until near the protest time. ***** OOOOH EBAY Boy, so the Heroines have a bidding opp. for you! ;) We've got a Heroine Films Memorabilia Package up over at EBAY if anyone wants to check it out!!! Any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please feel free to e-mail us at inquiries@heroinefilms.net love you all! xoxo the gals at heroine films (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 4th, 2005
7:17 pm	So important This Friday, May 6th, 7-7:30pm the anti-queer hate mongering preacher Fred Phelps will be protesting the play 'The Laramie Project' at the Durham School of the Arts.  He has received a permit to protest only on the sidewalk in front of the school, not on the school grounds or anywhere else.  Therefore, it will be extremely easy to block him and his message of hate. The Laramie Project tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a queer man who was beaten to death in Laramie a few years back. Phelps has been preaching his message of hate for years.  He runs the websites godhatesfags.com and godhatesamerica.com.  Check those out for examples of his disgusting hate-filled messages. Come to the Durham School of the Arts at around 6:30pm on Friday to take action against this man!  DSA is 400 North Duke Street in Durham, opposite the West Corporation Street corner.  Bring noise making devices, banners, puppets, and anything else that may come in handy. There will be an event at Duke University East Campus starting at 1pm and going until near the protest time.   This is the man responsible for godhatesfags.com (Comment on this)