Follow the Filmmakers Thursday - 2014 San Diego Film Festival

For the last few years I've gone Behind the Scenes at the San Diego Film Festival.  This year, in order to keep it fresh, I decided to follow one of the filmmakers during their time at the festival.  Festival producer Stephanie Inscoe gave me a couple of movies to screen ahead of time so I could see who might make for an interesting follow.  I watched several films and wasn't too inspired until I saw Gone Doggy Gone.  It's a small indie film by Kasi Brown and Brandon Walter.  The premise is simple.  A childless couple with a dog they love "too much" and what happens when that dog disappears.  It's not an epic tale like the other films I watched tried to be.  It's just a well crafted comedy written, directed, and starring Brown and Walter

I knew through Stephanie that the 2 filmmakers would be in town for the festival.  She also said many of the cast and crew would be in attendance.  It sounded like a perfect fit.  My first contact with the Gone Doggy Gone folks was a couple of hours prior to the Night of the Stars event at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla.  So at the last minute I grabbed my cameras and met Kasi, Brandon and Laila (Kasi's real dog and co-star in the movie) at their hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter.  From there we headed out to La Jolla for their  debut at the festival. 

While they were not officially on the list of celebrities in attendance for the Red Carpet they made the most of it.  After all that's what an adorable Yorkshire terrier is for, right.  After a brief stint on the carpet they lined up with the rest of the VIPs and waited to enter the theater.  And waited....

Kasi and Laila on our way to the Night of the Stars in La Jolla

Kasi and Laila on our way to the Night of the Stars in La Jolla

On the road and a little FaceTime back home

On the road and a little FaceTime back home

We've arrived at the Museum of Contemporary Art

We've arrived at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Final check before the Red Carpet

Final check before the Red Carpet

Laila waiting her turn for the Red Carpet

Laila waiting her turn for the Red Carpet

Kasi, Brandon and Laila on the Red Carpet

Kasi, Brandon and Laila on the Red Carpet

Dog Paparazzo

Dog Paparazzo

In the theater, finally...!

In the theater, finally...!

Dominique's Story

Here's a recent portrait I did for the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons of a very courageous woman with an incredible story. Here's an excerpt:

One evening in San Diego, February 2011, a throng of guests walked out of a nightclub and into the balmy night. The next moment, screaming and carnage - as a taxi inexplicably veered off the street and onto the sidewalk, raking through the disbelieving crowd.

One young mother - Dominique Gambale - sustained the most serious injury. This is her story, and how an orthopaedic surgeon who had served in Iraq called on his wartime experience to make sure Dominique's leg would get another chance.

You can read the rest of Dominique's story in her own words here:

http://orthoinfo.org/dominique/index.html