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November 11, 2007
RJ's Newsletter - September 23, 2006
RJ’s Newsletter—September 23, 2006
Welcome to RJ’s Inventive Productions Newsletter, which is written to inspire myself and others to live a “grand, heroic, life.” (from a poem by Walt Whitman)
Next week we celebrate our First Anniversary at Inventive Productions!
This week’s newsletter is dedicated to my youngest sister, Patty, who is on her way to Iraq, as a Seabee with the US Navy. She is very excited about the opportunity to serve her country, and she makes me proud.
Great Quotations:
“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” ---Carol Burnett
“The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible—and achieve it, generation after generation.” -- Pearl S. Buck
“Ambition is putting a ladder against the sky.” – American proverb
"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." -- Oprah Winfrey
“It may be that those who do most, dream most.” -- Stephen Leacock
"Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments." Rose Kennedy
“Live your best life. Dream big. Live fully." -- Oprah Winfrey
"...when you have a sense of your own identity and a vision of where you want to go in your life, you then have the basis for reaching out to the world and going after your dreams for a better life." -- Stedman Graham
"Live out of your imagination, not your history." -- Stephen Covey
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate accomplishments." -- Napoleon Hill
"...when you have a sense of your own identity and a vision of where you want to go in your life, you then have the basis for reaching out to the world and going after your dreams for a better life." -- Stedman Graham
"Live out of your imagination, not your history." -- Stephen Covey
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate accomplishments." -- Napoleon Hill
“I don't want to be a passenger in my own life.”--Diane Ackerman, Poet and writer
"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." -- Pablo Picasso 1881-1973, Artist
"To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are." --Muhammad Ali, World Champion Boxer
Inventive Productions update:
1. FIRST ANNIVERSARY Open House Party—You are invited to our First Year Anniversary-Celebration-Open House Party, scheduled for Wednesday October 4th from 4pm to 7pm. Free wine and cheese and more, plus Live Music by India Turner (www.myspace.com/indiaturner), Door Prizes, green screen demonstrations, Studio tours, Premieres of our latest Video Projects, and Free Sample DVDs of our work. Feel free to bring the entire family and all your co-workers. The more the merrier. It is hard to believe that we are already one year old as a company. Thank you to all of our family, friends, clients, and the local community for such a warm and fuzzy first year.
2. Woody O’Rourke Premiere—We are proud to have received the green light from Woody O’Rourke about his completed Video AutoBiography. The film is called MR BASEBALL because of Woody’s lifelong love for the National Pastime. Woody really has led a wonderful life. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Woody’s family and friends during the production of his Video Biography. It has been a fun experience for us all.
3. Bud Hawk—Our full length Video Biography of Bud Hawk (HOMETOWN HERO) is currently available. This incredible story of a true American hero is an inspiration to everyone. Bud Hawk is a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery in France during WWII. We are pleased to be able to offer this DVD Autobiography. If you would like to receive a free copy of this documentary, please email or call RJ. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society mailed out copies of our DVD to all the 109 living MOH recipients. Mr. Bud Hawk is a true American hero who lives in Bremerton. He was decorated by President Harry Truman for being a “human aiming target” that helped knock out two German tanks, and for helping to capture over five hundred enemy soldiers in one day. Our goal is to show this film to as many American vets and students as possible. A short sample of the “John Hawk—Medal of Honor Autobiography” can be seen at www.inventiveproductions.com/samples.html Note: Check out a new website on Bud Hawk: www.budhawk.com
4. Veteran’s History Project. We are proud to now be an official partner with the Library of Congress on a quest to help capture the oral histories of the American Veteran. As a partner in this project, we have volunteered to interview at least 25 vets about their military experience per year, and to send the interviews to the Library of Congress for archival. If you know of a Veteran we should interview, please have them contact me for an appointment. Here is a great website that shows some of the incredible stories that are just now being told. http://www.loc.gov/vets/stories/
5. Ken Burns. I really enjoyed seeing filmmaker Ken Burns at the Paramount Theater in Seattle last week. He spoke to a large crowd about his career as a documentary filmmaker, and his new project about World War II, called “The War”, which will be airing on PBS next year. Burns said he is confident that the 14 ½ hour epic documentary will remind everyone of the great sacrifices the WWII generation paid for our current freedom and lifestyle. He said that at the end of his film, he is planning to ask America to go find a WWII generation person and interview them on Video as soon as possible. He mentioned in his speech that over 1400 World War II vets are dying everyday in America, and this generation is fading away before our eyes. Burns told about his shock when he heard the statistic that 40 percent of high school seniors in America think that Germany and the US fought on the same side against the Russians in World War 2. His goal is to inform, educate and make people feel and understand what life was like during the war. His film is focusing on four regular American towns and the people who lived there during the war. Here is an article talking about Ken Burns’ latest project: http://www.studiodaily.com/main/technique/tprojects/5787.html
6. KOMO TV Interview. Last week the Seattle local ABC affiliate, KOMO TV 4, did a live interview with me about the topic of video biographies. The video clip can be seen at: http://www.inventiveproductions.com/samples.html
7. U2 Band. In this week’s Time Magazine, there is an interview with U2 drummer Dave Evans (also known at “The Edge”). During the interview, Evans talked about how the band is putting together “a coffee table book of old photos and first-person tales about their lives.” Evans said, “the book idea…it just felt right somehow. Then we got into it and realized it was actually a big commitment, going through scrapbooks and memories. It turned out well.” Here is a link to the complete interview: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1535826,00.html
8. Parade Magazine article. Last Sunday Parade Magazine ran a great article about the upcoming new book “For One More Day” by author Mitch Albom. The article asks the questions, “If You Had One Day With Someone Who’s Gone, what would you do?” It really makes you think about those in your life who meant so much to you and how you wish you could hear their voice or see them smile again. Here is a link to the article:
9. Here is a very inspiring video that moved me:
10. Association of Personal Historians Convention. The APH is holding their 12th annual national convention in Portland starting Oct 4th. It should be a fantastic event that highlights the national trend toward wanting to learn about personal and family history. To learn more about the APH, go to www.personalhistorians.org
11. Mara Williams. We are pleased to be helping Mara to create a series of Dance Party DVDs. Mara is famous for her expertise and insight on how to put on the perfect dance-themed party. To learn more about Mara, go to http://www.havingaballevents.com/aboutus.html
12. Greg Shaw. We are producing a TV Commercial for Greg Shaw, a Top Producing Realtor from Magnolia. To learn more about Greg go to his website: http://www.searchmagnolia.com/about/about.php?l=about
13. Emerald City Smoothie. We are happy to help Emerald City Smoothie communicate through their in-store flat screen TVs. They have these TVs in Smoothie stores. Our goal is to create a five to ten minute loop tape that will help put these big screens to work, allowing Smoothie customers to be entertained, inspired, and educated while waiting for their Smoothies to be made. To learn more about the incredible smoothies at Emerald City Smoothie, go to http://www.emeraldcitysmoothie.com
14. It is hard to believe there are only 90 shopping days until Christmas. Video Greeting Cards and Christmas Cards are a terrific way to express your feelings to a loved one. Call me if you want more details on how we can create a custom Video Christmas card for your family. Here is a sample of a great Video Christmas Card created by producer Dan Morken http://www.goldmedalfilms.com/christmascard.html
15. We are very grateful for the personal referrals we are receiving from our clients, friends, and family. Thank you so much.
16. Better Business Bureau. We are pleased to have been accepted as a member of the Better Business Bureau. According to the BBB, “Members of local BBBs are businesses and firms which meet tough BBB membership standards, agree to follow the highest principles of business ethics and voluntary self-regulation, and have a proven record of marketplace honesty and integrity.” We are dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction here at Inventive Productions. For more info about the Better Business Bureau, go to www.bbb.org
17. Letip. We are happy to be a member of the Washington Letip organization. It has been a fantastic experience to meet so many fine folks. You can learn more about this group at www.washingtonletip.com
18. Inventive TV Commercial. Watch for our new Inventive Productions TV commercial that is airing across the Seattle area. Here is a link to it: www.inventiveproductions.com/samples.html
19. Television Commercials: We are now creating TV commercials for other people and companies. If you have ever thought of getting a 30 second TV commercial created for your company, now is the time to do it. Call for prices.
20. In May, the Kiplinger letter wrote a great article about how Americans are starting to catch on to the Video Biography idea. Let me know if you want me to email you a copy of the article. Earlier this year there was an article in the Wall Street Journal, and just a couple weeks ago another article in the San Francisco Chronicle. Yes, Video Biographies are on the verge of becoming a main stream product that every family will want.
21. Free DVD—we have created a short DVD that explains “How to Create a Video Biography”—call or email for a free copy of this DVD.
22. A “Breaking News” tab has being added to our website. You can see this new feature on our website at ( www.inventiveproductions.com )
23. SPECIAL QUESTIONS—one of the reasons why people like our Video Biography system at Inventive Productions is our unique custom questionnaire program. We use a teleprompter or cue card system during our interviews to help you feel comfortable on-camera. Our questions are specially designed to help you tell your life story in an easy, professional way.
24. D.R.W.—we are excited to be producing a surprise video biography for a woman’s 50th birthday. Her family doesn’t want her to catch on to the surprise, so we are being super discrete. We always are dedicated to total confidentiality and sensitivity to our subject’s needs.
25. Al F.—we started editing on the Video Biography on this grandfather in Sherwood, Oregon. Al has led a very interesting life. He was in the Merchant Marines during WWII and had a super successful career in the Insurance business for over 40 years. Now he is limited a lot by a stroke he had a couple of years ago, but you sure can feel his enthusiasm for life. He is a very inspiring fellow. He really looks forward to seeing his children and grandchildren when they visit.
26. Dean E—we started editing a Video Biography on a nice grandfather from Edmonds. He has led a Wonderful Life. It was very interesting to hear about his World War II experiences--he was there when the Americans liberated the Dachau concentration camps.
27. Bob & Jackie P—We are editing a great Husband-Wife Video Biography for a unique couple. Bob & Jackie have been together for over 50 years.
28. Jan W—We have scanned nearly 20,000 slides as part of the first stage of the production of a heroic Video Autobiography of Jan. Jan has led such an interesting life. She led an expedition of white water rafters down the Yangtzee River in China, and that is just the tip of the iceberg on this story.
29. Colleen M—the editing is complete on the Autobiography DVD on the life of Colleen. She is coming in to shoot another short segment about her step-grandchildren who meant so much to her.
30. Shirley M—We have completed the first cut editing phase on Shirley’s production. Shirley is such a positive person. To hear her tell hilarious stories of her Mother and Father and her childhood is priceless. I think it is awesome to be able to laugh so much about your childhood.
31. Jim Z —We are in the final stages of post production on Jim’s biography.
32. Bill & Dorothy S—The new footage of Dorothy turned out great, so we are now ready to edit this wonderful love story of two people who met at a USO dance during World War II. We received another box of photographs from Dorothy. The film is coming along well.
33. Gordy G—The first draft of a short Promotional Biography DVD was presented to Gordy and his team. Gordy is a nationally known motivational speaker and author who helps individuals and organizations cope with and make Changes. He is known as the “Change Agent.” (www.ggco.com ) Our promo DVD will be used to help promote his speaking engagements. You can see the video online at www.inventiveproductions.com/samples.html
34. Bob & Gloria S—We have transferred old home movies and interview footage into our computers for Bob’s video autobiography. Bob has been an educator most of his life, and he has dedicated his life to so many worthy causes over the years, including the HiLiners.
35. Steele Heart Documentary—Our team is producing a fun documentary about a remarkable group of musicians, the Steele Heart Band. (www.steeleheart.com ). These musicians are actually RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) law enforcement officers who play Country Western Music in their RCMP uniforms at charity concerts all across America, Canada, and other countries. Steeleheart is celebrating their 20th Anniversary as a musical group. Our documentary is about how they got started, why they do these charity concerts, and about the people they help. After seeing our interview footage, all I can say is: these guys truly are humanitarians. They have a great sense of humor and are world-class entertainers. Steeleheart can get a crowd to dance, too. It is awesome to see how they use their talent, music, sense of humor, and caring sense of community to help raise money for charities. Our goal is to create a moving documentary that will help Steeleheart tell their story in their own words. Our DVD for Steeleheart will include a 30 minute-documentary, a music video, a musical slide show, and a blooper reel.
36. Bill E—How many lives does one man live? Here is story of a Seattle-area man who has led several lives in one lifetime. Here is the story of a veteran from WWII, a broadcaster who started on a small-watt radio station in Bend, OR, a children’s TV-show personality from the 60s in Seattle, a dedicated TV producer who captured exciting moments of the early years of NASA at Cape Canaveral, an author, a businessman, a pilot, and a grandfather, father, and husband. I feel very fortunate to be able to help Bill tell his life story in his own words. He has terrific stories to describe, and tons of great photos, home movies, and other materials that will help make this DVD a real treasure and heirloom for his family. One of my favorite stories is about his trip across America with another WWII vet in a restored US Army Jeep.
37. The Pacific Institute—we are producing a History and Culture series for the The Pacific Institute. Our mission is to create a mini-series of documentaries that will chronicle the history and culture of this incredible organization. To learn more about the Pacific Institute, go to www.pac-inst.com
38. Stroke Victim DVD--In this short documentary, Gordy Graham explains his remarkable recovery from having a stroke, using visualization techniques to speed up his recovery.
39. Charity Golf Tournament DVD—As part of the Bill Peare Golf Tournament at Suncadia, our Inventive Productions team helped document the event and create a winning DVD. Proceeds of the DVD will go to the local Life Support charity. To learn more about the Life Support group, go to http://www.lifesupporti90.org
40. Your Own Autobiographical Website—we can now create your Autobiography on the Internet with your own Custom Autobiographical Website. Using the information you give us in our interviews, we can create a professional website with pictures, video, and more.
41. Coffee Table Books & Movie Posters--We can now create a beautiful hard-bound coffee-table Picture Books & Movie Posters.
42. DEMENTIA--50 FIRST DATES--Experts have testified that Biographical Videos can greatly enhance and help in the care of people with memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and amnesia. Have you seen the movie 50 FIRST DATES? By watching a video DVD of their life, a person with memory loss can help remember who they are and feel better about life. Dr. Richard A. Wyckoff told me that Biographical videos really do help people with memory loss remember their identities. Check out his website www.geroservices.com
43. Mercer Island Rotary—Akina and I made an informative and educational presentation to the Mercer Island Rotary on September 12th about the emerging trends toward personal and family history. There was a large turnout, and they had a lot of great questions. Here is a link to the Mercer Island Rotary newsletter which described our presentation: http://www.mirotary.org/newsletter/2006/Dawn9-12.pdf
44. Are you too young? Many people think they are too young to have a Video Biography created on their life. We have one client who had his Video Biography created when he was 23 years old. Now he is 28 years old. His goal is to update his biography every five years of his life. He feels that his Video Biography helps keep him focused on his life goals and to remind himself of his values. Why not start capturing your life on Video today?
45. Packages and Prices—our packages and prices are now available in the BREAKING NEWS area of our website at www.inventiveproductions.com
46. Financing Available—we are pleased to be able to offer financing if needed. Call or email RJ for exact details.
47. Our Team—the Inventive Productions team is growing. Here is a list of our teammates:
i. Independent Sales: Akina, Margarett, Larry, Bill, Julie, Lisa, Tracy, and Linda.
ii. Production Team: Marc, Tyler, Kenny, Shayla, Nate, Alisa, Olivia, and Janus
iii. Office Administration and Spell Checker: Kellie
iv. Managing Producer: RJ
48. Ship of Miracles. Over the past few weeks, I have received feedback about the rough cut of my documentary SHIP OF MIRACLES from people all across the world. Based on this feedback I am making modifications and creating the final version of the film. To learn more about the SHIP OF MIRACLES, go to www.shipofmiracles.com
49. Writing. I am pleased that my new book “BONUS TIME AND OTHER SHORT STORIES” is being published this month. Email me if you are interested in reserving a signed copy. My first two novels are available on AMAZON.COM. Just go to www.amazon.com and do a search for RJ McHatton. You will be able to see my first novel, “THE DIRTY DEED,” and my second novel “MY KIDS.” My fourth book, “THE BRILLIANTS AND OTHER SHORT STORIES” will be available early next year. You can learn more about my writing at www.whiteknuckles.com
50. Umatilla Film. My award-winning documentary, UMATILLA, is now available on DVD on Amazon.com. Just go to www.amazon.com and do a search for UMATILLA. You will see my DVD there. You can learn more about this project at www.whiteknuckles.com
51. Family. We had a new batch of miniature dachshund puppies this week. You can see pictures of our puppies at www.astoriaweenies.com My children, Jason and Crissy, started school Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie. They love this school.
52. Home for Sale. Now that the family has moved all together, we are selling our home in Astoria, Oregon. It is a restored 1900’s Victorian with awesome views. If you know of anyone who might be interested in this home, please tell them to see pictures of the home at www.astoriaview.com
53. Joke of the week:
Q. Why doesn’t Dracula have many friends?
A. Because he is a pain in the neck.
(Joke submitted by my son Jason)
Would you like to read some of our old RJ’s newsletters? Go to: www.myspace.com/inventiveproductions
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If you have any questions or suggestions, please email RJ@inventiveproductions.com
To learn more about Inventive Productions, go to www.inventiveproductions.com
Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and family.
Have a great day.
RJ McHatton
Inventive Productions LLC
3625 132nd Avenue, S.E.
Suite 100
Bellevue WA 98006
Studio office 425-747-4538
cell 503-470-0728
website www.inventiveproductions.com
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