Invitation:

Using a foam circle, yarn and a yarn needle we made this cute and memorable invitations.

Decor:

Outside we hung pink and yellow rice lamps as I have a fear of balloons (old Bozo Show trauma).

Inside we used ribbons along the arch. The girls loved running back and forth. We got a Lalaloopsy Happy Birthday Banner for the present table.

We used yarn balls and a few dolls as decor as well. Like Mango Tiki Wiki next to a Pineapple.

Food:

My daughter’s got a paint-your-own castle from Micheal’s and put their mini Lalaloopsy’s in it for the center piece of the food table. We had, hot dogs, carrots & celery, Pickle BLT sandwiches, cloud jello, popcorn, cotton candy, Skittles, M&M’s, paper dots.

I learned that when you have cotton candy out in cupcake cups and a semi-humid day the cotton candy gets crusty. Next time I’ll have them in cello bags like the popcorn.

Cloud Jello was super easy and fun to do. I used Berry Blue Jello and cool whip and alternated putting in the hardened jello with the dollops of cool whip.

Based on the cute character of the same name we made mini Pickle BLT sandwiches. I used two pieces of bread cut into fourths, made a lot of sandwiches for little effort.

Activities:

Not the biggest success for kindergartners but we did a button craft using paper plates, glue and a ton of buttons. Here is what I thought they’d turn out like…

These were the cute and creative results…

We also had a bucket toss game that went over very well. We got 4 buckets at Micheal’s and filled each one with candies. Tootsie Rolls, Starbursts, Fruit Snacks and full size candy bars. Using the large safety pin handles that come on the Lalaoopsy sisters they toss them into as many buckets to collect candy.

Cake:

My little one wanted donuts. So we got cake pans in the shape of donuts and made yellow cake with chocolate frosting (they tasted like a basic slice of cake) and decorated them with a variety of sprinkles. Plus a birthday one.

Fun was had by all!

On Sale now!

Last Minute Gifts for Mom

• Have a perfume created just for her
• A manicure or pedicure (or both)
• Make her a Best Mom trophy
• Write out one thing you love about mom for each year she has been your mother
• Give mom a one-hour shopping spree in the mall or store of her choice
• Make mom her own superhero cape
• Buy a plain umbrella and decorate it with fabric paint

Last Minute Activities on Mother’s Day

• Take a carriage ride
• Take mom on a picnic
• Look through photo albums
• Visit a botanical garden
• Set up a candlelit bubble bath
• Work in the garden
• View the city from a lookout point
• Pick wild flowers
• Bird watch
• Take a walk and search for heart-shaped rocks
• Do all the things mom loved to do as a kid
• Put on a puppet show. Reenact her favorite book or TV show
• Go to a paint-your-own-pottery store
• Silly story time. Have mom start a story then everyone adds to it
• Spend the afternoon putting together a puzzle

All these ideas and hundreds more are in The Celebration Diet. 

Ingenue is a movie about a married couple that finds a Human Analog (clone) in hyper-sleep in their basement. The couple is then blackmailed into raising the Analog and teaching her what it means to be human. Trailer here.

When I started writing Ingenue, I knew the name of the found clone needed to have meaning behind it and needed to be a name not heard in a while to set her a part from modern day. I though what would our fictional 1950′s scientist read for fun? I went with Shakespeare. I thought of Love’s Labor’s Lost as it fit with the idea that our Dr. Johnson never really lived long enough to see his last experiment complete. I picked the name Rosaline. 

Then came the part in the script where I needed to know more about DNA, when it was discovered and how my fictional scientist could have come up with cloning in this sci-fi universe. I wanted it to stem from reality but add in some ‘movie truth’. I dug into Watson and Crick’s discoveries when I saw a name that looked familiar – Rosalind Franklin. 

I thought it was too good to be true. Her name was similar to the fictional character I had already created. I learned everything I could about her. She was amazing. Because of her skills in x-ray diffraction she was the key to Watson and Crick’s discovery of the double helix structure which allowed us to know how DNA was constructed and how genetic information was passed from parent to child. I saw more and more of how she was cut out of being an equal partner as her discoveries where passed on to Crick without her knowledge. I was saddened that she was not given the Nobel Prize with Watson and Crick even though she had not lived long enough to see it awarded. 

So to pay tribute, and spark viewers to learn more about the real women, I incorporated Rosalind Franklin into the script as a ‘what if’ scenario  What if our scientist in Chicago was obsessed with the discoveries coming from Watson & Crick & Franklin? I made up scenario that Franklin gave a presentation in Chicago and our fictional doctor stole a piece of her DNA. From the DNA he made our character who we nicknamed “Rosie.” 

In my mind Dr. Johnson saw the intelligence and strength in this woman but knew the world was not ready for such a mind in a woman so he wanted to be able to clone a human analog of her in hopes of learning from her and being able to keep her until there was a time where women were respected in science. Dr. Johnson didn’t live long enough to have that come to fruition. 

All of the Ingenue film happens in modern day and Dr. Johnson and his experiments are talked about and all this makes our awakened clone Rosie wonder just who she is. Is she this brilliant scientist lost to us too soon? Or something else? In a pivotal moment in the film Rosie comes face-to-face with abstraction of Rosalind Franklin – Rosie’s interpretation of this no-nonsense, logical and precise woman. 

The scene can be read as facing the ego and ID. The scene can be read as facing who you think you should be vs. who you are. Or it can be read as the clone vs the original. 

We were super fortunate in casting as I found Sarah Moore looked the most like the real life Rosalind Franklin. We even had her pose like the classic picture of the real woman. 

April 25, 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix of DNA and the 10th anniversary of the first DNA sequencing of the human genome. There will be celebrations happening around the world including Cambridge, UK. 

Many times I see Rosalind Franklin listed as a footnote in articles such as “Rosalind Franklin also played a key role in the discovery of DNA but died in 1958, before the prize was awarded.” as in this article 

I hope our film, Ingenue, sheds more light on her importance and continuing inspiration to women in science. You can buy a copy of the DVD or Companion Book here.

More info about the film at www.karmiccourage.com 

Recent items have come up for auction from the Crick Family including a letter from Crick to his son with a drawing of the double helix, his Nobel Prize Metal, endorsed award check, labcoat and other effects and http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/08/17645497-when-dna-pioneers-nobel-prize-and-mementos-are-sold-science-profits?lite

My short answer was, “No, you need a hook and that hook could be your genre, or your subject matter.” There was a wide variety of answers on the panel that ranged from Indie Producers (like myself) to Hollywood Producers. But since then I’ve been thinking more about it. And I don’t want to change my answer I actually want to prove my answer.

Today I just started brainstorming movies that I’ve seen or that were released in a big way at the box office that has no stars.

Here’s the list I came up with, feel free to disagree or add to the list:

• Blair Witch Project
• Napoleon Dynamite
• Paranormal Activity
• Whale Rider
• Fireproof
• Slacker
• Primer
• Gods Must Be Crazy
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding (John Cobett was on Sex in the City before and after this movie, I’d disagree that he gave the movie “Star Power”)
• Repo Man
• Outsiders
• Goonies
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee wasn’t a name director at this point, after this film, yes.)
• Life of Pi (can argue that a name director really helped here)
• Trainspotting
• Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro was becoming a name director here)

Yes, now some are foreign films but they did have big box office appeal and release in the US including being nominated for some great awards outside the foreign film category.

Does it help having a star in your film to get distribution? Sure. Is it guaranteed to get distribution?  No. A strong story with production value and a hook can and has made to box office success.

The purpose of these meetings would be to gather women together to have a safe place to talk about the every day issues that we struggle and strive at. It would be a meeting of the minds on what it means to be a woman and how to inspire the best in all of us.

To guide the first talks I’ll have a main topic but nothing will be off limits.

The group itself will not have a specific religious underpinning, it’s open and inclusion to all faiths. I’m not planning on writing a book or make a documentary. All conversations would be confidential and held in the highest regard of privacy.

Children will be welcome. I have a 10 year old and a 5 year who has volunteered to play with any of the children who attend.

The group will be called WEB – Women Empowering Balance. Each of us interconnecting to form something bigger than ourselves.

In the future I hope that this group does go public and we organize ways to help women’s causes and foundations  gather our resources for a greater change in the life of girls and women around the world but first, let’s work on ourselves. Empower ourselves before empowering others.

Meetings would be once a month in a private home near Indianapolis, IN. The group will be invitation only (limited space).

If I learn how to do it, we could skype, google hangout or facetime people from out of Indianapolis to join in. 

The meetings to be the last Wednesday evening of each month.

The first topic – besides getting to know each other – will be “what do we think the world expects of us?”

Let me know if you are interested in attending or starting a sister group in your area, message me, Kate Chaplin, on facebook https://www.facebook.com/directorkatechaplin

5TH ANNUAL RIVER BEND FILM FESTIVAL FEATURES INDEPENDENT CINEMA – FROM REGIONAL TALENT TO HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS!

Ingenue, a family-friendly sci fi feature will show at the River Bend Film Festival, Saturday, April 6th at 1pm at the Century Center in South Bend, IN.

ABOUT THE FILM:
When a married couple finds a human analog in hyper-sleep in their basement, they are blackmailed into raising her and teaching her what it means to be human. 80 minutes.

Ingenue is being shown in the Regional Film Block along with:
H&G Job
Snow White and The Gamble
Q&A to follow the film

ALSO AT THE FEST
Writer/director of Ingenue, Kate Chaplin will be hosting a workshop entitled “Why so few female directors” at 10am on Saturday
Merchandise table for Ingenue. DVD’s, Books and Posters. Meet and greet with cast and crew all day Saturday.
Kate Chaplin will also be on the Producers Panel at 4pm on Saturday.

Don’t miss this great fest!

Film Fest’s Website: http://riverbendfilmfest.org/
Full Schedule: http://riverbendfilmfest.org/?page_id=1096

Ingenue website page: http://karmiccourage.wordpress.com/ingenue/

buy the book today!

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Yes, this is why I wear the hat.

On February 16 I was honored to be a guest speaker for the Girls Are Worth It event brought to you by the Women Like Us Foundation.

This is the first speech I wrote but decided to not to go with it. Seeing how most of my audience was scheduled to be teenagers, I thought the Rocky series was something that would not resonate as strongly with the younger crowd. However, there is truth in my original speech and it still holds up so I thought I was share it with you all.

When I was asked to talk you ladies about how you can do anything you set your mind to… because I’m a film maker and my memories and life lessons are wired in the movies I watch… I wanted to pick one movie to be a allegory of my story into film making…or what I call…stuff in the basement.

My company Karmic Courage Productions focus is to showcase realistic  flawed and wise female characters. So I thought I should pick a movie with a great heroine in it.

Ripley in Aliens – no I don’t fight aliens. Some directors think of actors as aliens but i don’t.

The Bride in Kill Bill -I detest violence and revenge…but she had a cool sword though.

Katness – I’m really not the one you want in an hunger game and I really don’t have the body for it.

Merida in Brave – I’m terrible with a bow and I have a great relationship with my mother.

So I thought of the movies outside the box of female characters because really there are not many I relate to – and that’s why I write about them. But there is one character that has been there for me to be my guiding light, that has picked me up in my moments of self doubt, when all the chips were down. I always had Rocky.

How many of you have seen any of the Rocky movies?

I hope after this talk you’ll watch one and you’ll bring your mom.

I’ll give you the back story.  By day Rocky Balboa is a leg-breaker on the docks of Philadelphia, by night he’s a club fighter in some of the dingiest places. Although he’s proud that’s he’s never broken his nose in a fight, he’s a South Paw (fights left handed) and not many people are jumping at the chance to fight him. This all changes when the Heavyweight Champion of the world, Apollo Creed, is in need of promotion.

As a female director there are 4 things I relate strongly with Rocky.

#1 he’s a fighter – and I don’t mean this is the clenched fists, and bloody eyes. I mean in the sense that he has something to prove and will work hard, gather a team around him, train, educate, keep moving forward. He won’t stand for someone telling him he can’t.

When I was 10 I was told that I can’t be a director. I was told it’s for 40-50 year old men.

When I was 16 and enrolled in a improv class I was told by my teacher to forget film making and be an actress because I might see some money in that.

When I was 17 I was told by my drama teacher that I would never succeed in film making.

When I was 18 before I moved to LA my family advice was, “You’ll be back to the Midwest”

When I was 19 I was told by my college professor, that I would never make it as a filmmaker in the Hollywood Studio system because I was female. I quit school.

When I was 25 my first daughter was born and my father asked “I wonder what she will be?” I said “What ever she wants to do in this world” It was a wake up call. How could I support her and not turn into the others who put up caution tape around my dream? I started to fight.

The metaphor of a fighter is a universal one. Rocky says “You, me, or nobody gonna hit you as hard as life but it ain’t about how hard you’re hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward, that’s how winning is done.”

When I was 29 I made my first real film for a major audience. I felt like I was no longer hiding. No one came up and arrested me to put me in dream jail.

Second thing I relate to as a female filmmaker to Rocky.

#2 he’s a south paw – I relate to this as being different. Being a female director. Just like Rocky had to learn to fight with his right hand, I had to learn the male-dominated film making game. But I know I have something the 95% of filmmakers don’t my south paw, my ability to write and showcase female characters. The ability to inspire a team with compassion and commreddrie, to organize and to build moral and get things done. I bring out my South Paw when I need it and it does though people through a loop.

I’ve been on film sets where I’m the only female. I broken into the Boy’s Club of film sets and I’ve been welcomed and I’ve been shamed. I’ll never forget one set I was on where I was in charge of scheduling and when pressing the issue that we were running out of time I was asked if I was on the rag.

I’ve gotten better at come-backs to masonigetic talk. I remember while filming Ingenue  I was suffering heatstroke in the 100 degree weather and I handed the set over to my AD who joked “Men don’t get heat stroke, must be that defective gene women have.” I replied “you mean the one that creates life?” he high-fived me.

Third thing I relate to as a female filmmaker to Rocky

#3 he’s all heart - there is no ego in Rocky. He’s a boxer because as he says “I can’t sing or dance.” Really it’s because it’s all he knows.

Real life isn’t as simple as the movies. It’s very hard to say that there is one thing you know about and that’s it. We’re all great at lots of things. I think of my grandmother and her 3 career options – nurse, secretary or homemaker. The world is now open to you and finding your passion – what you love with your whole heart isn’t as simple.

I was lucky enough to be able to follow my heart in a few areas, writing, sales, homemaking but I knew in each I didn’t have my whole heart into it. When I made films, that’s where I would rather work than sleep. Rather edit than eat. My heart was in it and when you’re heart is in it, Rocky taught me, you win.

In Rocky 1, he’s battling the Heavy Weight Champion and everyone is discounting that Rocky even has a chance. Rocky says  “Nobody’s ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.”- that’s heart, that’s determination.

In Rocky 4, when Rocky is training to beat the super-enhanced fighting machine that is Ivan Drago you see this amazing montage of Ivan training with computers, treadmills, and he’s hooked up to every electronic while Rocky is using the environment around him. He’s running in the snow, climbing a mountain, lifting a wheel barrow with his friends in it. Heart over technology wins. heart is something that can’t be measured on a scale or by a computer. You know it when you feel it and you know it when you see it.

Films at the box office are more technology than heart. There are few cities that Michael Bay hasn’t CGI blown up. There is less reality and less heart in the majority of films that are being released. So my films have heart. I strive for my films to leave you with something – a lesson, a conversation, a reaffirmation because that’s what movies used to do. They used to be a road map for a life. You could escape into the world of a boxer and mentally take the punches with him and punch back and come out 2 hours later unscathed but more powerful.

Joseph Campbell said “we have not even risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path, and where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god. And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world.”

#4 he’s got stuff in the basement

Probably one of the most subtle brilliance’s  in the Rocky Saga and it comes in the last movie. Rocky is old – way past the recommend age to fight in the ring, the love of his life has died and his kid things he’s an embarrassment  When asked to fight an exhibition match against the current heavyweight he tells his friend he’s thinking of fighting because he still has stuff in the basement.

Knowing your “stuff in the basement” is the tool you need to accomplish anything you set your mind to.

People ask me if I always dreamed of being a filmmaker. Dream is too flighty of a word to me. dreams are these things that are above you, hard to reach, always just out of grasp. But you’re basement, you center self, is always with you. I know that when ever I was off doing other stuff, there was a filmmaker in the basement.

Stuff in the basement is where you hide your true self. In under the boxes of “nay saying and dream killers” it’s hidden in the dirt of self doubt. It’s lost in the clutter of “what if’s” but it’s there. It’s always there. And when you find it, when you find that stuff that it’s as if that darken basement is filled with the most brillerent light, everything is much clearer, sharper more defined. A short path will revel itself before you. If you follow it, another and another will be discovered. that stuff in the basement is what fills your life with meaning. Everyone’s stuff is different. For me it was film making – telling stories visually.

Once you’ve found your Stuff in Basement, fight like a girl to get it.

Kate Chaplin and David Kemp took The DJ Booth by storm. Luckily it was recorded.

Check out the link below…

I couldn’t be more excited to share this film with an audience. Ingenue is the product of a great team of people in front of and behind the camera. It’s the cornerstone of the type of film I’ve always wanted to make and am delighted with the results.

Please spread the word and join us March 23 at 7pm for this red carpet event.

Ingenue is a family-friendly sci-fiction movie in the same vein of E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial or your favorite Twilight Zone episode. Ingenue follows the story of a married couple who finds a human analog in their basement and is blackmailed to raise her and teach her what it means to be human.

Tickets will be on sale soon via http://www.imax.com/oo/imax-indiana-state-museum/

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Looking forward to seeing you March 23rd in Indy!