| | | Big Joy Project News | Winter 2012 Newsletter
PO Box 2003 Vashon, WA 98070
| |  Dear Gorgeous,
Can you believe we are already 2 months into 2012?
This year - which some think could be "the end of the world as we know it" -- is actually the year to "come forth unabashed" with all the Big Joy you can muster.
We've been showing our rough cut to some trial audiences, with great responses. And the edit goes on!
We have lots of news to share, and so appreciate your ongoing support and contributions - of love, money, ideas and prayers.
With joy and thanks,
-- Stephen Silha and the Big Joy team | | | Money and Success We love this part! it's our pleasure to report on all of the good things that consistently happen at the Big Joy project, and especially the inflow of dollars, since that is how the film gets made. Currently we have more than 350 individual donors. To date we've raised $241,126. And I know we keep saying this... but it's still true...we've still got more to go. Here, however, are some of our recent wonders: Frameline: We are proud to say we are one of seven films (out of 85 requests) to receive completion funding from this San Francisco supporter of Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender-related media. Just this month they gave us a grant of $4,000. Thanks for believing in us, Frameline! As part of our grant, Frameline gets exclusive rights to our San Francisco premiere-- and we'll be more than happy to do so at their spectacular LGBT film festival in 2013. Personal appeals: In the last several months we've been sending out snail mail letters asking you for, you guessed it, money. We are grateful that the checks continue to come in from this effort. In the last several months we've raised over $24,500. If you are among those that have sent us cash, thank you so much! To complete the Big Joy film, we continue our tireless fundraising efforts. (We're still looking for about $150,000.) We've got grant applications and individual asks out right now. If you know of anyone or any organization whom you think we should talk to-- please let us know. And if you'd like to contribute yourself, we'd be honored. You can donate here -- or go to our Big Joy News page and click on our new paypal link on our website: www.bigjoy.org | | Poetry By James Broughton Come forth unabashed Come out unbuttoned Bury belligerence Resurrect frolic Only through body can you clasp the divine Only through body can you dance with the god In every man's hand the gift of compassion In every man's hand the beloved connection Trust one another or drown -- from Shaman Psalm | | Big Joy Hero Norma Miller 
This month's Big Joy Hero is Norma Miller. She knew James in the 1950's when they were both a part of the San Francisco theater groups The Interplayers and The Playhouse. Both were directed by Kermit Sheets, who was James's creative partner, and a close friend of Norma's. (She was executor of his estate, and helped us find rich resources.) Last year, she organized a reunion of the Interplayers where they read James' 1947 play, The Playground, which we were able to film. We also interviewed her for our film.
Here are a few things that make up the uniqueness of Norma, or as James would say, ways in which she "follows her own weird."
Norma's version of "follow your own weird"-- in other words, what she does for fun:
I take care of dogs. I've always had dogs. I started a little business. I have one that is with me all the time and two or three that come and stay with me for a few weeks or a few days at a time. I'm also taking a class in writing at the community college. I have a few different groups in my life: Dog people, theater people, and a group of writers. I meet up with them for fun or we go out to lunch.
What experiences bring her joy:
I'm recently into growing odd things... I'm growing a squash in my bedroom and some fresias. I have a big bedroom with lots of light and it cries out for living things. I'm also tending a plot of wild flowers in the front yard, and that brings joy.
And I love just sitting and holding my dog. I don't like to call him, "my dog," because he's supposed to be with me until he finds a family, but I've had him for 2 years. He's part Chihuahua, and there are too many Chihuahua's in the world. I love just sitting and holding a warm living thing on my lap and stroking him. We understand! Thanks for sharing your special formula for joy with us. We appreciate you, Norma! | | **Goodie! Goodies!** Check this out. Did you know that we have really cool Big Joy Products for sale? Did you know that you could drink your morning cup out of a mug that reminded you to follow your own weird? Or that you could broadcast Big Joy! on a t-shirt? Or put a sticker on your bumper!? Check out our James Broughton Cafe Press Store. We've got lots of cool things to promote the remembrance and practice of joy in your life. Proceeds support... what else? Our film!
Flash Website
has more goodies!
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Tweet for joy! Are you a tweeter?  We have a new Twitter account.
Follow our progress and enjoy Broughton quotes here: Big Joy Project Twitter |
Partnering with Community Let's get together! In our opinion, partnerships can make something go from great to spectacular. It's a way of sharing that we love. We are proud to say that during the making of our film we have already collaborated with a number of individuals, groups and organizations to spread big joy and to help make the film a success. Because we see exposing others to James Broughton's work -- and even just inspiring more poetry read out loud -- as part of our mission, we are always on the lookout for organizations which might love to collaborate on this mission. For example the Atlanta (GA) Queer Literary Festival recently held a Big Joy salon. They read poetry, Broughton and others, showed Broughton films and a trailer for our film, and incidentally raised us some money. Over coming months and years, we see partnerships as a crucial piece of the Big Joy Project's success. They are a lovely way to not only share our art but also to be inspired by the art of others. We've heard some wonderfully moving poems and even prose at some of these events. Do you belong to a group or organization that would enjoy congregating for an afternoon of poetry or film? Do you feel inspired by Broughton's words or want to see more of his films? We would love to collaborate.  So far we've collaborated with Gay City Men's Health Project, students and teachers at theSan Francisco Art Institute, Northwest Film Forum, the Atlanta (GA) Queer Literary Festival, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Comfort & Joy, several contingents of the Radical Faeries, andBurning Man Festival goers. We are grateful for these partnerships and would love to do more. Please let us know if you belong to a group or organization that you think would be inspired by "follow your own weird," and our work. Or even if you know of one who you think is in sync with the Big Joy project. You can email us atinfo@bigjoy.org. | | Next stop: distribution Toot toot! The making of a film is a great undertaking-- but it doesn't stop there. What would a film be without an audience?  While we are currently editing away in the studio, and raising the funds to finish, we are already thinking of our next step: getting Big Joy out to the public, otherwise known as distribution. And how do we do that? Well, we apply to film festivals, for one thing. We've also been talking with museums about holding Broughton Retrospectives for the centennial of his birth in 2013. Then there is the possibility of getting Big Joy shown in theaters, on home screens, or making a version for television broadcast. These are all options we are exploring withPeter Broderick of Paradigm Consulting. As they put it on their website, "Paradigm Consulting enables filmmakers to explore forbidden realms, avoid dangerous pitfalls and predators, and discover uncharted new frontiers." They help filmmakers design and implement financing, distribution, and outreach strategies. We're glad to have Peter's help. He's already given us loads of good ideas. And we're also coming up with a few of our own. We're thinking of engaging our partners, and growing more partnerships as you can read about in ourPartnering with Community article. But we're also thinking of literary, film and poetry societies with whom we might want to get in touch. And we intend to come up with a set of teaching and learning resources we can offer to colleges and universities.
We're specifically interested in approaching universities with poetry, film, and/or gay and lesbian studies programs. Let us know if you have any connections in these areas or think of someone with whom we should talk. Otherwise, it's fun for us to envision the next stage. With the finishing of our film, comes the next step and the things that inspired us in the first place: getting it out to the world.
| | | The Big Joy Team!
Journalist, Executive Producer & co-director Stephen Silha founded the Big Joy Project. Award-winning filmmaker Eric Slade is directing Big Joy, the documentary film. Dawn Logsdon is editor. Bill Weber is consulting editor. Cinematographer/producer Ian Hinkle and artist/filmmaker Geoff Watland are helping with editing. Michael Mann is doing animation. Associate Producer Aimée Cartier writes, coaches, and keeps things organized. Peter+Trudy Johnson-Lenz provide creative pathfinding and intellectual support. Associate producer Max St. Romain (aka Javier Sanchez)conceived and designed the website and Big Joy materials, and continues to advise on music and art. Jok Church is an executive producer. Cellist Jami Sieber is working with us on music! Andyou are appreciating and spreading the joy. | | To support the power of art and poetry to change lives - please send us your donationtoday!
TO DONATE: You can go to our Paypal page, or send us a check to PO Box 2003 Vashon, WA 98070. (For tax deduction make the check out to Northwest Film Forum.)
or go to www.bigjoy.org/site and click "Donate." Or, if you want a tax deduction (for gifts of $50 or more): put Big Joy in the "Gifts Membership" Field at the Northwest Film Forum.
GET INSPIRED: Read Broughton quotes regularly posted on our Facebook page. 
TRAILER: Watch the trailer now!
BLOG WITH US: Living Big Joy Blog or James Broughton and Me
YOU TUBE: Check out our cool videos.
TWITTER: #BigJoyProject
BIG JOY INTENTION: The Big Joy Project creates more joy in the world by inspiring people to "follow their own weird," using the life, joy, and work of James Broughton- filmmaker, poet, writer, wildman-as inspiration.
QUESTIONS: call (206) 567-4363 or email info@bigjoy.org
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