Happy Hunting is in production!!

Hello everyone!

Many, many, many updates!!

As man of you know, I'm currently working on my Master's project, a personal documentary about happiness, entitled Happy Hunting (also the name of this blog). In addition to my own journey, it will offer an "Americana" view of the ever-elusive emotion, as I will be traveling across country from Boston to Seattle this May to interview anyone and everyone.

I spent the fall semester working on a short documentary about Ryan's uncle, who is a dairy farmer in Randolph Center, Vermont. I'm in the process of compressing it so I can share it with you all on YouTube. I also was able to work with my dear friend and fellow Emersonian, Craig, on a short doc about Copley Square. It's called In the Street and it's available on my YouTube page. We shot from sunrise to sunset back in September, and even had roof access on Boylston Street.

In addition to fun projects, I also spent the semester writing the 64-page proposal for Happy Hunting, which included an annotated bibliography of 44 sources (though it seems that number is growing everyday!). The proposal was approved in December, and from there, I hit the ground running!

Production started in late December in New York. I took a trip down memory lane and visited my alma mater, Pace University, where I interviewed my former professor and longtime mentor, Dr. Joseph Pastore. Since then, I have been running around the Northeast, interviewing pros in the field, from therapists to yogis to rabbis to positive psychology professors, and even professional clowns. Upcoming shoots will be held in Cambridge, Worcester, Bridgeport CT, and Philadelphia. In addition, I'm hoping to have Hallelujah the Hills, my favorite Bostonian band, to score the final product.

In May, I unofficially graduate! I'll be marching in the ceremony with my fellow Emersonians, but will be taking the summer to finish the film. And the day after commencement, Ryan and I head out to the west coast for 2 weeks as the final production shoot. We'll be stopping at Niagra Falls, in Cleveland, Chicago, Sioux Falls, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Seattle, and Portland.

Once we get back, it's officially post-production time!

In June, I'll be locking myself away in the Avid suite, editing the rough cut. I'll emerge out once or twice to hold focus groups with members of Women in Film and Video New England, as well as Emerson students. In July, the final countdown to the final cut will begin! Happy Hunting will be completed in August, and then I'm heading to the Cape to SLEEP!! :)

Please feel free to send me your thoughts on happiness! And please let me know if you'd like to include those comments on this blog! I'm in the process of having an official website built for the film, but this blog will still remain a part of it.

I encourage you all to make a YouTube video of your thoughts about happiness, and send it to me! if it's good enough, I just might include it in my film ;)

And as always, monetary or dark chocolate donations will be happily accepted and will be acknowledged in my film's credits.

Many thanks, and happy hunting :)

np