A Pretty Ugly Progress Report

January 2018 is almost over, and we can’t believe it! We are LONG overdue for an update, so without further adieu, please enjoy these production highlights from the past several months.

Many moons ago, we shared about the exciting teaser shoot we did with a great two-person crew in our April 2017 blog post. Since then, we filmed two additional interviews and B-roll at the fabulous Take Care Shop in Georgetown with Andrea behind the camera. Then, we finally had what we needed to begin the editing process of our teaser!

We transcribed our first eight interviews by hand and began writing our script. The world was our oyster, but we had one, “tiny” problem: an outdated laptop that couldn’t handle 4K video files on an old editing system.

Thanks to a freelance project that divinely fell into our lap this past Fall, funds were acquired to update our computer and editing software. Amazing! As the last days of 2017 came to a close, you could find Andrea in sweat pants and glasses mumbling to herself through sips of hot tea while strategically placing the interview sound bites into the video.

Tech talk aside, we can’t forget to share the people side of this important project! In the past twelve months, we’ve met incredible individuals with a contagious passion to help connect consumers to safer products and encourage change in our Nation’s regulatory standards. From reps and execs at consultant-based businesses like Arbonne and Beautycounter to awesome independent beauty bloggers like The Beauty Proof sharing safe and well-performing products with the world, and even local, small-batch skincare companies springing up across the country, we are so inspired by the positive energy around this issue. The tides of change are upon us, and the time to bring Pretty Ugly to life is ripe. We are so encouraged!

Because this is a passion project and not a full-time endeavor, we move forward one step at a time, one sound bite at a time and one B-roll shot at a time. We’ve come to realize that is how anything great is ever accomplished. It’s one concentrated, dedicated moment at a time. Our equation is (Ambition + Passion + Determination) x Effort = Goal Manifested. And we aren’t quittin’ ’til it’s done!

So where are we headed next? Once the teaser is complete, we’ll be planning our next shooting days with stops in North Carolina, New York and San Francisco. We have more interviews and stories to gather for the full-length film. In the interim, the completed teaser will function as our concept showcase, ideally attracting funders and helping us win grants to take us through the post-production process.

We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the incredible support we’ve received since we started this production. So let me close by saying an ENORMOUS “Thank You” to the scores of donors and supporters who have helped us get to where we are today. We couldn’t do it without you, and we won’t let you down as we move ahead on our journey.