Today we are four days out from principle photography on my biggest movie yet, "Language Arts". We start shooting on Monday. How can I express my delight and gratitude adequately...I think there is no way. This movie is so close to my heart that is is as if it were a part of my body. Even though Stephanie Kallos wrote the novel, and not I, I adapted it into a screenplay. And much about the story resonates with my story, and the story of our family. I believe Stephanie even wrote a chapter based on some of what happened to our family in the 90s, when we were overtaken with toxic mold in our Ballard house (some effects of which still trouble me today, actually). Is it autobiographical? Not exactly, but it has many, many shared elements. I have a talented, experienced, brilliant and, thank God, generously-collaborative crew, and the cast of my dreams. It is the biggest cast I have ever assembled; with 39 speaking roles, 18 featured extras, and many more regular extras. And even with that, I had to exclude many, many gloriously-talented Seattle actors; some that I have worked with multiple times, and some that I have only dreamed of working with. So it goes. It is actually one of the toughest parts for me when casting, and when crewing up: excluding beloved folk, because there is no way that in the current paradigm, we can hire them. I have to recover for a day or so after decisions are made, but then I give myself full permission to rejoice in who we GET to work with!!! I want to hug myself every time I think of the talent and crew. Thank you GOD for these people!!!! Tech scout and production meetings have happened, wardrobe fittings are well begun; locations are secured (thank God), sets are being created, hair and makeup are being designed, camera and electric packages assembled, transportation is being locked down...we are on the toboggan and rushing down the hill!!