On what? Oh, on the opening  for "The Florida Cow Cavalry" of course. Yes, you heard that right, I've spent two days (not entire days, by the way) attempting to build and building the opening--for the second time. For a grand total of 2 minutes and 5o frames (approx. 50 seconds, in this case.)

I got rather frustrated yesterday "because the animation preset isn't working the way it's supposed to!" Alright, so it probably was working extactly how it was supposed to (I still don't see how only 58 frames is that useful...) After ranting to both Savannah and Mom, I firmly decided to  make my own. That is what I did today. I went with a totally different look than the first time I attempted this and I like it better. I did have to change the font style, color, and size, but I still like it.

Here's a 'screenshot' to prove that I'm actually doing something and not goofing off. This stuff is fun, but also very time consuming. What makes it worse is that I get the munchies and I really don't need to be eating the whole time I'm building these compositions!

I've also washed a couple of piles of dishes over the last two days, cooked a lunch :), scrubbed a bathroom, took a walk, fed a horse, ran Granddaddy's lunch over to him, did therapy with Grandpa, talked to cows, and practiced my guitar and organ. And now I'm about ready to get off the computer for the day!

Added later...

I went out and shot some video and pictures. Some of the pictures are of palmettos and such stuff, but I took a few of myself (something I am extremely bad at :) ) These are my favorites.

Now I'm going to take the video off my camera :) I hope it some of it is good. I'm not the greatest at this stuff. Hopefully I didn't pan too fast...or too slow.

 I found out this morning that those pictures I picked up off the internet (they were royalty-free!) won't work in my documentary, because the quality is too poor! *Pout*  Not really, but it almost made me cry. Anyway, I know that there are a few of the pictures in books that we actually own...like this one of Uncle Streaty:

I can scan these in and use them. (By the way, that is an extremely grainy picture of my great-great-great uncle to begin with.) Others I will have to purchase a copy of them (particularly the maps--you have to have maps for historical documentaries, don't you!?) Mom also suggested going to the local library and see what they have. Good idea.

I got the opening quotation and title finished today. There is of course the possibilty that it will have to be changed :) Anyway, I had to re-do part of it again. Something wasn't working right. I also created an Premeire Pro project--where all the After Effects compositions (like slides in Powerpoint--only way more fancy) will go, along with the footage. I need to get my camera back out and shoot some cow footage. I also thought I might take the Zoom and record the squeak of the saddle. (Even if I don't use it in the end.) 

The more I learn...the more I understand how much I don't really know!!

Besides that, I have this nagging question, "How much background do I need to put in my story?" I mean, to tell the story of the Cow Cavalry well, does the audience really need to know the economic situation of the State prior to 1863? I think I need to at least talk about the beef part of the 1861-1863 Florida-Confederate union (oh ho! Summerlin will come in quite useful!!) [And I just made some forward progress with my thinking here as my fingers mashed out that last sentence! Huzzah! I love it when that happens :) ]

As for the Cow Cavalry themseleves, I have a fairly good (though not complete) grasp on them and what they did. I just am curious as to how much 'other stuff' is necessary to tell the story well. For me, as the filmmaker, I think that I should have this down pretty pat. I suppose that if I have answers to all my questions that that will show itself through the narration...right?

Back to the research mines, Racheal! (Okay, okay...I'm going.)

Maybe I ought to go write some more actually. Often that prompts a train of thought that goes something like this: "Well now, when was that? How exactly did that work? Is there enough info here? I suppose that this would get answered in the interviews."

Speaking of interviews...here's another question, 'should I already have all the answers to these questions?' Afterall, it is a historical documentary, not one of those 'as-it-happens' docs. (Which I forget the real name of...)

And for a closing thought, "Ahgg!! It still sounds like an essay!!"

P.S. By the way, if you can answer my questions, please do! (Of course, I realize that without really being inside my head and hearing me rant about this and reading what I have already written, you probably can't help!)

P.S.S. I also kind of what to finish Rebel Storehouse before I go on...that way I will get the book finished. (2 chapters left! I read the one about the Cow Cavalry this morning...)

P.S.S.2  I noticed the other day, that I have both a 'cattle' and a 'cow' category. Rather redundit, right?

I love reenactments...always have, always will. One day I would like to be a reenactor myself...
Regardless, the main reason we attended the Battle of Bowlegs Creek reenactment on Saturday was for me to gather more facts/data/interesting stories. We met a gentleman who knew quite a bit about Captain Hendry; he is also a great-great nephew of Confederate General A.P. Hill!! Now that's just plain cool.

The added info was broad and varied...but I won't go into that all right now. In fact, I might need to grab my notebook to jog my memory. I already added some stuff to my 'narration'. One of the most interesting things though was how Hendry used the terrain. He'd lead the Yanks on a chase...towards a swamp. Upon reaching the swamp, he'd turn aside and the Federal troops would plow into the swamp. We have gators...so when it is said that Hendry let the swamp eat them, it brings to life the terror that must have fallen on those blue-coated soldiers...

Also, the aforesaid gentleman told us that Hendry preferred a La Mat revolver. I'd heard the name before but had no mental picture of what it looked like. Apparently, it chambers nine  .41 caliber bullets and one 20 gauge---which had it's own separate barrel.

Since this was a battle fought between the Cow Cavalry and the Florida Rangers (Union), rather than infantry, the troops would have been cavalry...on horses. There wasn't a single horse at the reenactment :) Anyway, it was still fun and noisey. Particuarly the cannon--which I seriously doubt would have even been part of the engagement.

For more pictures, check out the Photos' page...I have a fairly nice selection :)

Was Jacob Summerlin a traitor? Did he really sell cattle to the Yankee's at Ft. Myers? (The first I heard of it was today.) Nobody denies he was a blockade runner (amassing a fortune of Spanish gold in the process). There is debate over whether Jake Summerlin: King of the Crackers, was a true Confederate or not. Here are the two sides (roughly): There is a Sons of the Confederate Veterans post named after him. He had a two-year contract selling beeves to the Confederate Government. When he donated the land for Bartow, he insisted that they call the town Bartow after the first high-ranking Confederate to be killed (General Bartow of Georgia if I remember correctly). On the other side: Summerlin claimed in his pardon petition that he was forced to join the Cow Cavalry (something I had read one other place), that he was a Unionist from the start, and that he never fired at a Federal Soldier. (Of course, that could just be sweet-talk for the folks on the recieving end of the petition.) So, which is it? I'll spend some more time digging into this later...I have to stop and shift focus every now and again anyway, even when I'm not confused.

The writing of Narration 2 got underway today; not that I've gotten very far, partially due to some distractions of the morning. (Okay, okay! I was on CF.org! I easily lose track of time there. Well, more than that, I was attempting to upload something that was way too big for the site. One of these day's I'll get MB and KB straightened out in my head...)
Anyway, back to the Narration. I'm beginning to add in some structural notes like ('Scroll with V/O'). Very few, but it helps me 'see' what I want better. The nice thing is I can always go back and change it!

On an entirely unrelated note, Daddy did not put the calf down on Monday (I had false information--unintentional). The calf was doing better yesterday so I reckon it's a good thing that he didn't!