It's been awhile since I blogged on this site but here I am.  Blogging today about going to court tomorrow. 

It never dawned on me that I would be in this position of having my intellectual property taken from me.  Taken from me by a person whom I trusted.  Don't ever make the mistake that I have made in business and trusting that others have the same good ethics that you may have.  I was blindsided by an ambitious and greedy person who called himself my friend.  A trickster who named himself trxtr in his e-mail account.  I'm quite stunned and disillusioned and my lawyer costs are going up fast like a cab ride to hell.  And, those whom I called friends are not here with me anymore.  There are few, and I really appreciate those who take their 'friendship' serious.  Those who have guts.  Those friends and family members who told me they had my back and really do have my back.  They will be seated with me in support of my gaining justice against the vicious lies and allegations made by the greedy trickster and his evil co-hort and family.  So, as I await tomorrow's plea for justice, I must give Creator JAH my thanks and heartfelt prayers because we all know who the ruler of this system is...  On Native Ground!

2012 Sundance Film Festival ... On Native Ground!

13 hours to Park City UT from Sacramento... at least that is how long it took us! Driving up hill in a 12 passenger van, we carried all the equipment. Me, 12 year old youth reporter Andrew, 22 year old youth reporter Alyssa and our awesome driver/photographer/filmmaker Andrea Porras.

In anticipation of watching as many films as we would be able to fit into our schedule and conducting interviews, we knew that our 4th trip to the Sundance Film Festival would be eventful. And, needless to say, it was. Much more than any of us anticipated. Before I get into the story, I have to warn you that it gets ugly and, well, a little dramatic, too.

Nick Ortiz shows his interviewing skills On Native Ground!

Nick's veteran reporter status shows through on camera. The 5' 10'' seventeen year old displays such a strong sense of ease and poise that he makes the 'on camera' reporter's job look easy. I can tell you that after watching Nick develop his reporting and camera operating skills throughout the last three years, it just doesn't surprise me that he can make an interview so interesting.

The interview w/Chaske @Sundance Film Festival On Native Ground!

Rachel, 17, of the

Concow Maidu Tribe interviews Chaske Spencer today.

Spencer is the "Sam Uley" character in New Moon (2009) and Eclipse (2010).



Not even 20 degree weather will stop a dedicated On Native Ground reporter from bringing visibility to her fellow Native American role model.


Preparing the questions is always the task. A very important one!
How does a young reporter prepare?

RACHEL IN HER OWN WORDS
"First, you watch the movies. That's the fun part. Then you think outside the box to come up with the questions that could help people like my little cousin, Cheyenne (12).

This is my second time at Sundance and I'm pretty sure that I'm coming back next year, too! This is the place to come to see the movies made by independent filmmakers. And, even more importantly, it is the place to come and support my fellow Native American filmmakers, actors, writers and people like me."

The day is moving fast and interviews unfolding. Assignments. Deadlines. Running wild and playing hard!

ONG Youth Reporter Dru II (11) is given the ONG Reporter's most coveted assignment today: The Camera Operator

The Camera Operator is key to maintaining on screen composition. DRU II is learning the skills of choreographing and framing the selected scene(s). In this case the scene is the interview with Sundance Film Institute Programmer, N. BIRD RUNNINGWATER. The interview is conducted by Mooretown Rancheria's Rachel Arnold, (17).

DRU II, IN HIS OWN WORDS

"I like being behind the camera because I like the feeling of shooting film, and I like the feeling I get when I get a really good shot. Sundance is a great way for me to watch the movies and see the different shots in the movies so I can become better at filming. I'm learning a little more about filming and the camera from every day. This is my third year w/On Native Ground! at the Sundance Film Festival."

2010 Sundance Film Festival Reports OnNativeGround!

Last night at the Filmmaker Lodge, the Native Forum at the Sundance Film Institute hosted the reception of the week. It was filled with people of all tribal nations as well as a global community of filmmakers [ONG's Exec Prod JACK KOHLER attended], writers, producers, directors, publicists [MICHELLE SHINING ELK was repping it for ONG and Shining Elk Entertainment] talent, film crews...and the Native community showed up to support them all! [Tina Reszler of Mooretown Rancheria and yours truly, me.]

The ONG youth reporters were too young to enter this over 21 venue; however, they were checking out the animation spotlight [w/BR AD TAYLOR, cimc vista] at the Holiday Village Cinema III.

Earlier, we began our day with a hearty breakfast at Pizza n Noodle on Main Street. Next, we moved on over to our launching pad, "The Filmmakers Lodge," and we walked up the three flights of stairs anticipating our first face-to-face introduction to SHIRLEY SNEVE, Executive Director at the Native American Public Telecommunications [http://www.nativetelecom.org/]. As we headed out to the Native Forum workshop at the New Frontier, we met up with a talented band "Bramble" [banjo, charango, guitar, accordian, percussion.] performing on Main Street. ONG reporter Nick Ortiz interviewed BRAMBLE and then ONG headed out to the New Frontier where we met up, once again, with SHIRLEY SNEVE to attend:

Making Indigenous Shortfilms: Featuring Shímásání by Blackhorse Lowe

Shímásání (in Navajo with English subtitles is a short,b/w) and N. BIRD RUNNINGWATER, director of Native American and Indigenous Programs for the Sundance Institute, hosted the screening/discussion with BLACHORSE LOWE. This short is absolutly beautiful! All the youth and mentors enjoyed Shímásání. The title translates to "Grandmother" in the Dine language. This film projects the perspective of a young woman during the 1920s who longs to attend school w/her older sister (who keeps running back home only to be returned by their Grandmother); however, her Grandmother tells her to stay back and tend "her sheep and her land" and in a very powerful tableau (freeze frame) at the end of at least two scenes made me feel that the young girl's dreams froze. Will she go to school? Or will she stay back and tend "her sheep and her land..." and take care of her Shímásání .

The day faded into an evening of watching "The Dry Land". A story of a soldier coming home to small town Texas from Iraq only to find that it is not possible to pick up where he left off. Due to the reality of post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), the soldier seeks to find the answer to 'what happened' in a hit made on his unit. sundance.bside.com

[1/29/10 will continue this blog later...off to the Sundance Headquarters to meet up with Publicist Michelle Shining Elk to conduct interviews with Jason Ritter (Dry Land, The), Bird Runningwater, and Heather Rae (Dry Land, The)] -patricia

Okay, it is now 10:24 p.m. and let's get the blog on the road...As I mentioned above, let's unfold Day 3. Tomorrow. -patricia

2010 Sundance Film Festival On Native Ground!

Greetings friends: We're back...and the Sundance Film Festival (SFF) in Park City UT is greater than ever in 2010. That's right, folks, this is the 2nd year that the On Native Ground (ONG) Youth Reporters earned press credentials.

We arrived to Park City late last night with all six ONG youth reporters in tow, along with ONG's Filmmaker/Executive Producer, Jack Kohler; our savy publicist, Michelle Shining Elk of Shining Elk Entertainment; CIMC's VISTA at Berry Creek Rancheria, Brad Taylor; Mooretown Rancheria's Teen coordinator, Tina Reszler; and yours truly, me:).

This morning as we made our way up to the New Frontier on Main Street to attend a forum on the 'Evolution' of filmmaking via the internet. Social networking is bringing much needed up-to-the minute reporting to indie filmmakers, too. The New Frontier forum at the SFF hosts film screenings, media installations, performances, and panels.

Next, we moved on over to the Filmmakers Lodge also on Main Street. While there, we set up our laptops, drank coffee, and began our own social networking. At the lodge, you will find the credentialed working press working on deadlines while listening to the televised panels like today's "Saving Democracy, One Story at a Time" forum which included Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, Alex Gibney, Laura Poitras and Michael Ratner.

Then off to the Press and Filmmakers reception at the Shabu on Main Street. It was a full house and the spirit was good. Before we knew it, we were at the Yarrow Hotel for a scheduled interview with Actress Misty Upham of "Frozen River" (thanks to our publicist Michelle Shining Elk).

As you can see, the ONG youth reporters along with their mentors are having the educational experience of a life time at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival...On Native Ground: Where Art Speaks!

"First you dream it! Plot it out. Ask Creator to bless it, Only then will you achieve it, On Native Ground!" -ppena, Kickapoo Nation KS