The Second Anniversary

It truly amazes me how fast time flies. I was reminded just over a week ago that First Signal’s second anniversary was on March 26. It was on that date in 2021 when First Signal had its world premiere at the Greenfield Garden Cinemas in Greenfield, MA.  The culmination of years of work premiered on that day. It was a proud day for all of us associated with the creation and production of First Signal.

Since the world premiere, I have been continuously marketing the film, and for good reason – it continues to make money. There was another reason as well, it’s about keeping the brand alive. On YouTube, First Signal has received over 1.3 million views with Tubi yielding over 3 million impressions. Since First Signal turned a profit, it makes sense to continue the marketing program. Particularly, as I’m hoping to put First Report into production soon.

I’m frequently asked by our enthusiastic followers on YouTube just when the next installment of “The First World Universe” will be put into production. If I had my druthers, it would have been last year, but there are so many things that go into the pre-production of a film – the budget being the primary factor followed by the securing of committed talent on both sides of the camera along with quality locations. The timing will certainly come, and I’ll be sure to to provide updates on this blog.

Last weekend I attended a new exhibition at the Audrain Auto Museum in Newport titled “Wonders in Wood, on Land & by Sea.” For so many of us of a certain age group, we fondly remember wooden-bodied station wagons and other vehicles. It was a time in the automotive industry when wood was synonymous with luxury.

While I grew up in the 1970s when the real wood bodied cars faded out in the prior decade, I’ll never forget our Caprice Classic Station Wagon with faux-wood paneling! If memory serves, you could seat nine in that block long beast. Of course, I’m exaggerating the length, but in those days cars were big, long, and very accommodating. It’s great to see museums like the Audrain keep the memory alive. I finally joined the museum as a member and look forward to bringing you reports from their Cars & Coffee events this season.

The novelization of SOS United States is just a few short screenplay pages away from completion. I was hoping to finish on the last day of March, but why push the creative word for a self-imposed deadline when it means a better story in the end (at least in my opinion!). In the novelization, I was able to explore the characters on a deeper level and build out some scenes that I believe make the story a stronger one.

As often happens when I’m nearing the completion of a story, a bit of sadness creeps into the final moments. As writers we live with these characters and the world they live in for so long we really don’t want it to come to an end. I believe it’s natural to see where they may go after the last word has been written. Who knows, if SOS United States is well received, there could be a sequel.

Last chapter.