The Peep Show

A little over 11 years ago, I decided that I wanted to make movies so I bought a Hi8 video camera and envisioned the movie you are about to see. I drew a 19 page color storyboard and then typed up a 5 page plan that included shot summaries and notes. I wrote a script (5 pages long) because, originally, every character was going to be voiced. I built the dock, lifeguard stand and a cabin (which sits abandoned in my computer's hard drive) out of popsicle sticks. I made all of the other little peep props as well...beach towels (felt squares), fishing pole (nylon cord and bamboo skewer) and the volleyball net (bamboo skewers and plastic mesh). In other words, I had a lot of time on my hands back in those days. We shot the footage in Powderhorn Park over three days (though the days were spread out over a few weeks). In total, there were 60 minutes and 52 seconds of raw footage and this, my friends, is where my troubles began. I will spare you the details of my technical difficulties but I went through several video capture cards, computers, and software programs and had nothing to show for my time and money. As the years rolled by and The Peep Show remained simply a vision, it became the cautionary tale for grandiose ideas, the shorthand reference for unfinished projects among my friends. In the end, I had to admit that the biggest reason for the delay in finishing it was not the technical issues but my own perfectionism. If I never finished it, it would always be as I had imagined it - perfect. I finally realized that I had to complete it because the whole point of the project was for me to learn and then go on to do other things.  So, now it's done - it's time to move on and do those other things, though I don't yet know what they might be. I finally got this peep off of my back! The movie is in two parts due to file size and time limits on YouTube. So, sit back, lower your expectations and enjoy the show...

Thank you to my friends and family for your love and support during the making of this epic and, by "love and support", I mean "nagging and relentless teasing". The world needs high quality films and, thanks to your encouragement, it now has another crappy one. It kinda warms the heart, doesn't it? Anyway...I raise my glass to all of you.