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My name is Tameka Norris, a.k.a Girl. About a year ago I decided it was high time I started
living my dreams instead of just dreaming about living.
Thus, Girl Makes Indie Movie was born. A reality series about me and four other newbie filmmakers
who hit the road to make indie movies. This is our story.
Chapter One. A new season.
This is one of those life altering things that you just, you know, you're going to look
back on and you're going to be like, "Wow-"
Wait. Let me back up and start where it really counts.
About two years ago, if you had asked me if I thought I'd be where I am today, I would
have told you, "absolutely not," but a lot has happened in those two years. My life has
completely changed for the better.
Many of those things that happened weren't good things, but ultimately, they led to a
good place.
The real problem for me wasn't that I had to give up my place, but it was the big gap
between me and my dreams and how I was going to get from where I was to the place I wanted
to be.
I should explain by letting you know that about two years ago I had a two bedroom apartment,
a nice business, a beautiful dog and a life full of peace. Too much peace.
When it finally came time to actually give up my place, I wanted to give it up. I was
ready to leave. Losing everything for me was really what I needed.
Since then, my business has gone down. I've lost my apartment. I live with my aunt and
uncle and peace is subjective. But I still have my beautiful dog. The difference between
the two is today I am happy, then I was not.
I was just so unhappy. I didn't want to be there anymore. I didn't want to be alone.
I didn't want to be lonely. I felt like I had waited long enough. It took years-- it
took years before I came up with GMIM. It took years of waiting, years of suffering,
years of pain.
I never really thought I would get here. I never really did, but I knew that whatever
the case that I would be--I would die trying, that I would never stop trying if it was really
what I wanted to do.
But finally I've arrived. I didn't get here the way I thought I would, but I got here
nonetheless. So, what am I doing at my desk? I'm looking at an email that's a part of the
future I'm about to embrace.
I've recently written Heather, a realtor, about helping me find a home for the GMIM
crew. Here's what she had to say.
Hello Tameka, I do often have rentals available from private investors that may work. The
security of having a full year paid upfront would be very appealing to them.
I don't foresee an issue with filming in the home as long as they would not be held liable
for the content. Since rental homes especially, anything over four bedrooms don't stay on
the market for very long. We would have to look much closer to the move-in date. Usually
within 30 days.
Most investors don't want the home to sit empty for months, so it makes since for them
to not with hold it from the market for longer. I would be happy to set you up on a search
after speaking with you. We can go through the details a bit more then. Feel free to
give me a call or email me any time. Warm regards, Heather.
I got really lucky. I got really lucky, I posted a question on Trulia and Heather was
one of the realtors that answered my question and I really liked the way she handled everything.
You know, I decided she would be a really good match for me and helping me find a home
for GMIM.
Although the first season isn't an official season, but more like a pre-season, hence
the title, The Making of Girl Makes Indie Movie, it could literally make or break the
series. That's why it's so important that I do it right.
The home base is a combination of several things, It's a film school, it's a home, it's
a place of business, so it's not just the place where we will be sleeping, it's a place
where we will be doing multiple things. It will be dealing with varying things with in
that home and it will just--it will be the place we go to and return to when we're not
traveling and we're not doing films throughout the season.
So, the home base isn't just a house. It's so much more than that. It's a place where
we will study, plan and prepare for our films, conduct certain aspects of business, among
countless other things.
In truth, it's the cornerstone of Girl Makes Indie Movie. It's one of those life-altering
things that you just--you know, you're going to look back on and you're going to be like,
"Wow. I'm really happy that I let it happen. I'm happy that I didn't fight against what
I knew was going to be the right thing for me and where it was going to lead in my life."
I'm really happy to be here. I have lived long enough alone to know that it isn't right
for me. That this is the type of life that I want and that I would like to spend the
rest of my life sharing it with others, that I want this to be the beginning of something
extraordinary.