Stay at Home Mom

(StayatHomeMom.com was recently invited to sit in on a call with the Director of the movie The September Issue – available on DVD Feb 23rd – a documentary described as an intimate, funny and surprising look at Vogue’s legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team of larger-than-life editors, this is the captivating story of how they create the must-have Bible of fashion: The September Issue. Director RJ Cutler explores the untouchable glamour of Wintour’s Vogue to reveal the extraordinarily passionate people at its heart.)

Terri Carlile
Feb 16, 2010

I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to participate in the conference call with R.J. Cutler this morning! The movie, The September Issue, was great. I couldn’t go to bed before I finished watching all the extra material included on the DVD set.

R.J. Cutler was very pleasant and friendly. You could hear his enthusiasm for the project and his excitement to address the questions posed to him. He is truly passionate about film making and translating that passion to the public with his story telling.

Stayathomemom.com was the last to ask a question to R.J. during the conference call. I was able to ask question #1, “It looks like you had a full access pass to Anna Wintour and the entire Vogue September Issue process. Did you ever get a feeling that they were holding back or hamming it up for the camera? Or did you have a sense that you were basically a fly on the wall?”

R.J. Cutler responded that is it a process that takes place and that the goal is not to disappear but to get them to be as comfortable with themselves as possible with the crew present. He said that filming took place over a 7 ½ month period. At the start of the process, they enter people’s lives and get to know them. “The first month is all about getting to know each other.” R.J. said. “Half way through the process everybody is truly themselves.” It takes this long for everyone to become completely comfortable. “Most people see Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington as a caricature, not really themselves.” R.J. continued. He strives to bring out their complexity and humanity and translate this so that we the audience can see them as they are everyday. He felt he was able to accomplish this and received confirmation when life long friends and associates declared “My God, you really got them!”

There were many fascinating questions brought to the table. ‘What guided your decision to include the extras?’ His response was “Let me be clear, this is the Director’s Cut of the film.” He had final cut of the film. For the extra material provided he felt people would like to see more of Anna making decisions, Grace and her creativity, Andre behind the scenes with the designers – them being themselves. The biggest change in the documentary genre over the last 20yrs he finds to be technology. “Everyone has a digital camera” and can access editing software on their computer. Accessibilty is much easier, you don’t have “a huge out lay of money for equipment and processing of film.” He paraphrased Francis Ford Coppola as saying “He looks forward to the day a masterpiece is made by a 12yr old girl from Detroit with her dad’s video camera.”

When asked about his progression of documentary film making from political to THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, he stated that his work is consistent. He is telling a story about people with passion in a high stakes industry whether it is political or fashion driven. Communication in the fashion industry he felt was a myth – it definitely was not verbal like a political debate. Once he detected that communication is subtle in the fashion world, that it’s a glance or a gesture, he changed his filming style to be ‘tight’ to capture and decipher this non-verbal, visual communication taking place.

A powerful message that translates from the film? He states, “On the surface Anna and Grace appear to be polar opposites.” We see in the film that “in fact they have a symbiotic relationship that pushes the other” to be better and greater. It is a very touching moment in the film “when Anna acknowledges Grace’s genius.”

R.J. Cutler tells a fascinating story in THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE. You don’t have to love fashion to be pulled into the lives of Anna and Grace and appreciate this iconic relationship. What a great experience!!

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE available on DVD February 23

Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to go to the movies with the kiddos. We always love going to the matinee and taking advantage of the matinee prices.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox opened today and is getting great reviews. The voice talent is spectacular and the story is based off a book by Roald Dahl ( also wrote James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ). The stop action filming of the movies sounds really cool and I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing this one. I love movies that are based on books. Last year the movie the Tale of Despereaux inspired my son to get into reading ( he read that book 3 times ).

The movie website has some fun games along with movie info.
CHECK IT OUT

READ Fantastic Mr. Fox CLICK HERE

What was your favorite book / movie tie-in?

Yes there is a theme – Motherhood -

It has been the theme here ever since we found out about the upcoming movie starring Uma Thurman. We have participated in teleconferences with the Director and stars of the film and have LOVED their perspective on making movies for families and on being parents themselves.

It is just before Halloween and the teenagers have taken over the movie screens bringing huge box office numbers to those scary movies that have been strategically released to coincide with Halloween.

It is time for us moms to get out there and let the world know that we want more family movies with a fair depiction of the Motherhood experience.

Go See the Movie Motherhood and take your picture with your friends at the theater! We’ll post your picture here and post any comments you have about the movie.

The movie Motherhood is coming to theaters tomorrow and you know from this site and many others that the mom bloggers out there in cyberspace are excited to go see this one. The reasons for us are that it looks like a really quality film that has good fun with our daily struggles as moms without trivializing or stereotyping them.

BUT WAIT there’s more! (read the press release we just received )

Fandango and iDeal Film Fund Form Cause-Related Ticket Partnership Surrounding the Upcoming Release of “Motherhood”

Funds Raised Through Opening Ticket Sales to Benefit

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

New York – October 21, 2009 – The upcoming feature film “Motherhood” starring Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver and Anthony Edwards has joined forces with Fandango, the nation’s leading movie ticketing destination, to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. For the first two weeks of the film’s opening, October 23rd to November 6th, 2009, one dollar of every “Motherhood” ticket sold on Fandango will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Komen for the Cure Affiliates in each of the five opening markets – New York , Chicago , Boston , San Francisco and Los Angeles – will share information with their constituents about the partnership. All money raised in each of the five markets will stay in those communities to serve unmet breast health needs.

“This is truly a remarkable partnership,” said Jana Edelbaum, managing partner of the iDeal Partners Film Fund. “Consumers simply purchase a “Motherhood” ticket on Fandango and $1 of their ticket purchase will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Their donation is being is made possible by Fandango and iDeal Partners Film Fund. In fact, iDeal is guaranteeing a minimum donation of $5,000 to get the ball rolling but hope to add at least two zeros to that.”

“We’re pleased to support an important cause like Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” says Ted Hong, Chief Marketing Officer of Fandango. “With Motherhood debuting at theaters during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s an ideal title and time to support the search for a cure and to get moviegoers involved.”

The promotion will be supported with a mixture of print and digital advertising, public relations as well as online support. Fandango has even created a special “Motherhood”/ Susan G. Komen for the Cure-branded widget which will appear on the film’s website, as well as many of the film’s promotional partner sites.

“When Blink Entertainment first brought the cause-related partnership idea to us we immediately liked it. It just made sense.” said Edelbaum. “Since then, some members of our team have been affected by breast cancer making this partnership incredibly personal to us.”

“Motherhood,” starring Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver and Anthony Edwards is a comedy from writer/director Katherine Dieckmann, the acclaimed filmmaker of “Diggers” and “A Good Baby.” Shot entirely on location in New York ’s West Village , this comedy distills the dilemmas of the maternal state into the trials and tribulations of one pivotal day.

ABOUT IDEAL PARTNERS FILM FUND:

iDeal Partners Film Fund is an independent financing and production company founded in 2006 by managing partner Jana Edelbaum. Working in partnership with the country’s top film producers, iDeal produces a diversified slate of quality independent feature films and documentaries. iDeal manages the downside risk to its partners and collaborators through presales, casting and state tax incentives.

iDeal recently completed production on “An Invisible Sign of my Own,” a whimsical drama with a generous dose of magical realism. Directed by Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom) from a screenplay by writers Pam Falk and Mike Ellis (The Wedding Planner) it stars Jessica Alba, Chris Messina, JK Simmons, John Shea and Sonia Braga.

ABOUT FANDANGO:

One of the Web’s top movie and entertainment destinations, Fandango sells tickets to more than 16,000 screens. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. Fandango is available at www.fandango.com, and via your wireless mobile device at mobile.fandango.com. Fandango is a unit of Comcast Interactive Media.

ABOUT SUSAN G KOMEN FOR THE CURE:

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested more than $1.3 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

* * * * *

For further information, contact:

For 42West:

Jennifer Wiese
Digital Marketing, 42West
O: (646) 300-8667
E: jennifer.wiese@42west.net

Yes, they are three consecutive letters in the alphabet but they are also very important letters for all of us Stay at Home Moms. MNO means “MOMS NIGHT OUT!”.

It is our night. Dad can stay with the kids – heck he can even get them dinner and put them to bed. Every now and then it is Mom’s turn to get together with the girlfriends and wear something nice without worrying “will that permanently stain if someone urps on my shoulder?” You can even wear dangley earrings without worrying about a little hand reaching up and grabbing them right out of your earlobe.

Tonight is your night to relax and have a few laughs. My kids are a little bit older now and so Moms nights out come a little more frequently but I still remember when an evening out was almost better than a nice long hot uninterrupted bath ( although those were always welcome too ).

It is nice to remember you can say things one time to friends and they get it – you don’t have to say everything three times before it sinks in “shut the door shut the door SHUT the door”.

October 23 is Stay at home moms official MNO – MOMS NIGHT OUT!
Get together with a girlfriend or two or three and go see “Motherhood” starring Uma Thurman. Usually, on MNO we encourage moms to talk about books or philosophy or lipstick or anything – anything at all other than the kids. But on October 23 we make an exception. It is all about the kids and the glories of being a Mom. It’s time to celebrate all of our wonderful imperfections, dreams and aspirations and have a laugh ( and maybe even a few tears ) with our friends around us.

We will be tweeting all day @sahm411 about the movie and getting info from all of those of you who are lucky enough to be in one of the major cities where this movie is premiering.

Send us your pictures of your night out and we’ll post them here.

Have fun! It’s your night.

October 23, 2009

Stayathomemom.com officially announces Mom’s night out.

One of the things that keep us sane – especially during those years when the kids are little – are those connections we have with our friends.

When my kids were very little I actually took a girls retreat for an entire weekend. It was only once a year but it carried me through the rest of the year and restored my necessary patience load that had somehow depleted throughout the previous year.

This October 23 is the PERFECT night to get together with your girl friends and treat yourself to a night out for several reasons.

1. If you haven’t already lined up the halloween costume by then you know you will be tying plastic snakes in her hair and calling her Medusa or slapping together some other uber easy costume.
2. Once you hit October 31 you enter full on holiday season and getting together for a leisurely night out will be a challenge

and

3. ( Most importantly ) October 23 is the premier of “Motherhood” the film – starring Uma Therman.

Face it – on Mom’s night out you are probably going to end up talking about the kids anyway. This movie is sure to bring us all together in our motherhood humanity and the challenges that we all face – even when those challenges all happen in one single day.

Remember: It’s not babysitting when the dad is watching the kids – it’s a special night at home with daddy and kids to watch movies together, pop popcorn, play games, and maybe even stay up late.
But if you need to then pool a babysitter and meet over at one friends house with a couple of babysitters and let them watch a few kids. It can be a great night for everyone. ( more on night out solutions later ). Don’t let the lack of a babysitter keep you from Moms night out October 23.

Today we had the chance to sit in on an interview with Anthony Edwards seen in this picture in a scene from the upcoming movie Motherhood.

Lots to report on about this interview but first off just wanted to post one of the most brilliant comments Anthony made about being a parent. One blogger asked him what kind of parent he thought he was – he replied that he tries to be a calm parent. He said he reminds himself that

“My frustration has nothing to do with what this child is going through”

So, stay calm moms and make plans to check out this new, wonderful film about a day in the life a mom and a family.