“We have two jobs, you know. The first thing is to stop the harming, and then the second is to heal those who have already been harmed. Do our best best to heal, right?” – Mike Hagan, father of two
The Other Side of the Glass shatters prevailing belief that men need to
be trained to be prepared to “protect their partner and baby” at birth,
in the medical system.
UPDATE – January 20, 2013
The film is nearly ready for distribution as of this date, January 22, 1013.
It is NOT OUT. No one has received a copy. If you have heard people speaking about it, they saw a screening of Part 2-4 last summer or they may have been allowed to pre-screen Part One which is mostly new – since September.
Instead of releasing the film in June, (there are updates in Kickstarter about this) I went on a month long pre-screening tour at ten locations in the US (IL, CA, CO, MD, VA, GA, and MO) and Vancouver.
The Pre-Screening tour was absolutely necessary and it is what the Kickstarter finishing funds were used for … and it was HUGE, CRITICAL part of the finishing, the purpose of the fundraiser. I learned a lot from watching it on big screen and watching and listening to reactions, all over the country.
Part One emerged in September after I was unable to finish it in April. It just would not come. I realized I wanted to induce it to be ready for Father’s Day. And, I was tired. And, my purpose on the planet is to stop the abuse of the newborn human, so I wanted it out four years ago. This is why when people have approached me, with kindness, I have facilitated them screening it or showing it to their midwife or to their client.
I apologize – again – that it was not done by Father’s Day. There are updates on Kickstarter for those donors to know what is happening. If you didn’t get it, it might have gone to your spam folder; and Kickstarter donors can always go to the site and look at updates.
I do not even have an assistant to answer the inquiries about where it is, when it is, and why it isn’t, or even requests and inquiries about screenings. I am sorry - I can barely keep up with all I need to do for the film. I just don’t have time and energy to defend myself in emails or when my personal and film page threads are hijacked. I am trying to figure out the distribution and so much more.
Kickstarter donors who feel angry or impatient, please understand that your financial support has allowed me to create an amazing part one that would NOT have existed if I’d forced it in April – August, as I was feeling pressured to do. Three interviews came through in September (after 3 years of saying no to more interviews because I was already wrangling 80 hours of footage) and I worked night and day through November to complete Part One. Night and day. It flowed through. It was amazing. It is worth the wait. It was what the film really was about for me, from the beginning.
Part One also needed to be previewed.
Part One was finished in December, and I wanted to do a big event on December 21, 2012 but I chose to just do it quietly. I chose to do this because I did not wish to deal with the negativity (from only a few, but so difficult) about the timing which started immediately. I have since – just last week – received one more very critical piece to Part One that has to be woven in, and I am redoing the original trailer, expanding it to 20 minutes so that it is more focused for fathers.
I feel like a 42 week pregnant mama and I am very tired and very excited. It is honest-to-God just like birth. I need space. I need good vibes. I need to go for a walk or to the library or to the store (to my FaceBook page) without being asked about when, and without being judged because I am letting this baby have it’s own timing. I am asking – again – please, for compassion, understanding and patience, while I do all the labor here, birthing this film.
Please, just trust the birth process of this film, my personal journey of healing facilitated through doing a four part, five-hour film series all by myself with only the funding of all you birth supporters over past four years. This is not just a film that can be whipped out with no regard for the essence of the subject and the purpose of the film. I’m birthing a film that I intend will touch and change lives just by watching it .. because it is infused with discoveries and healings from my own journey of doing the film. I just can not force it, no matter how much I want or others expect it to be.
As I have said repeatedly, my heart is full with gratitude for your financial support … all people who care about birth, about mothers and babies and fathers; and, I have no corporate funding and dictation. It’s been very fun to watch the audiences watch the list of donors … naming their friends, colleagues names.
Again, I thank you so much, from my depths, for your donation that has supported me to do this amazing film.
Janel