Welcome to the newsletter about:
Breaking Through The Clouds: The First Women's National Air Derby (BTTC).
I'm super excited to announce that BTTC has won the 2013 People's Telly Award. This is because of all of YOU who voted for BTTC on-line!
A huge thanks to everyone who voted and motivated others to vote as well. I really didn't know how far the outreach would go so am thrilled at the amazing response. It was incredible to receive emails from people all over the world telling me they voted and how much they like the film. I'm truly honored!
BTTC has now won two Telly Awards in 2013. The Telly Silver Award (the highest award given) judged by professionals in the industry and the People's Telly Awards, judged by you, the public.
I have said from the beginning this film has only succeeded because of the quality of fans and the grass roots support. This award proves it and is one of my proudest achievements with the film. Thank you all.
There is a lot more exciting new so read below to learn more such as how you can help the WASPS be in next year's Rose Bowl Parade, a documentary I was interviewed for involving derby contestant Chubbie Miller, upcoming events and information about being a BTTC Ambassador.
As always, thank you all for the active support with BTTC! It is only because all of you that I am able to continue promoting and telling these courageous women's stories.
Producer of the Award-Winning documentary Breaking Through the Clouds: The First Women's National Air Derby. An Archetypal Images Production.
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Double Hitter: BTTC WINS
TWO TELLY AWARDS!
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As mentioned above, BTTC can add two Telly Awards to the list of accolades. I just received notification of the People's Telly Award yesterday so have not received the trophy yet. Below, however, is a picture of the Silver Telly Trophy for History given by the professional judging side of the Tellys, along with a few other awards.
A sampling of some of the top honors BTTC has received include:
- 2013 Silver Telly Award for History & Silver Telly People's Choice Award
- Gold Peer Award for Best Documentary from TIVA-DC (Television, Internet, Video Association).
- Combs Gates Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame (presented by Harrison Ford & many of today's legends in aviation including Bob Hoover, Clay Lacy & astronaut Eugene Cernan)
- Utopian Vision Award (top award of festival):Utopia Film Festival
- David Ponce Award Best of the Festival: Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
- Best Documentary DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia): Reel Independent Film Extravaganza
- Award of Excellence: The Indie Fest
- International Documentary Association (IDA) Finalist: ABC News VideoSource Award
- Top Content and Top Research Award for website and blog from SnippetFact.com
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| Help the Wasps Float on air in the ROSE BOWL PARADE |
The attention to detail in this wonderful film really won me over. And that it told the story of this group of wonderful women aviators in a way that was true more than hyper, and captured the real feeling of what it must have been like, back then, when aviation itself was a novelty. And women pilots odd, like Phoebe Omlie, wonderous, mysterious, dangerous, courageous, but ultimately inspiring creatures of the air itself.
Opal Kunz said at a banquet during the derby "The air will play a major part in the next war, and women fliers can do much." Her remarks were prescient as the WASPS (women pilots of WWII) very much filled that role.
A few years ago, I was privileged to meet Dorothy Swain Lewis, a woman who did fly as a WASP in WW11. Phoebe Omlie had originally taught her to fly years prior to the war! The quote at the top of this section was posted on BTTC's FB page from Dorothy's son, Albert Lewis, Jr. I am really touched & honored by it.
No question the women of the derby paved the way for the next generation, including the WASPS, who in turn, have inspired many women flying in today's military - an example of how history becomes relevant to the present.
The WASPS continue with big dreams! Two years ago, the women were awarded a congressional medal of honor. Not content to sit on their laurels, the surviving members have a new goal, to be in next year's Rose Bowl Parade.
To learn more about this latest dream and see how you can help it become a reality, visit their website at:
http://www.fifinella.com/roseparade.htm
You can also go to their FB page WASP Rose Parade Float to keep up with the progress and read about additional inspiring stories of these women who continue to teach us all how to live to the fullest.
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BTTC Producer Heather interviewed for Documentary:
My Great Uncle: The Lost Aviator |
In previous newsletters I have eluded to a scandal about Australian Chubbie Miller after the 1929 derby. In essence, Chubbie became involved with a very married aviator, famed Bill Lancaster. A previous BTTC newsletter goes into how the two met. Shortly after their flight from England to Australia, they decided to come to America to pursue various opportunities in aviation.
Shortly after the derby, another man, Haden Clarke entered the picture and fell in love with Chubbie. The situation became scandalous as Clarke was either killed or committed suicide after a fight with Chubbie and Bill. Very public court trials convened in Miami to ascertain whether Bill or Chubbie were responsible for Clarke's death.The drama continued even after the trial. Years later, Bill died in a plane crash in the Sahara desert but he lived long enough after the crash to write in his diary about his life long love for Chubbie.
Last year, I met Bill Lancaster's great-nephew, Andrew Lancaster, who is from Australia. Andrew is producing a documentary about his great uncle in part, to try and find out the truth behind the scandal. The film is called My Great Uncle: The Lost Aviator. Andrew asked to interview me about Chubbie and the positive aspects of her life, which I readily agreed to. Despite the scandal, Chubbie was a very brave, intelligent, gutsy woman so I did not want her legacy to be one that only recalled the scandal.
Andrew recently finished a trailer for the film, which is very well done. You can learn more and view the trailer at the following link.
http://www.pozible.com/project/12357
I'll send out more updates as the film nears completion.
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Upcoming Events
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Below is the latest schedule for screenings and appearances. For those of you on Facebook and Twitter, I post updates frequently. I also try to update my website as soon as new information is announced.
March 23rd at Noon:
Heather will be on a panel at the Annapolis Film Festival. I am told there are going to be some incredible celebrities on this panel discussing women in the film industry. They asked me to be on the panel to discuss the process as a first time filmmaker.
March 25th at 6pm:
Heather will be at Hood College in Frederick, MD on a panel as part of Hood's Literary Event.
March 27th at 6:30pm
Heather will be at Simmons College in Boston, MA showing the film and answering questions afterwards.
April 7th (reschedule - previously was March 31st)
April 13th
Heather will be in attendance at the screening on April 13th at 2pm in Baltimore, MD at the Maryland Women's Heritage Center (exact details on location to be announced): http://www.mdwomensheritagecenter.org/
April 28th
BTTC will screen e in Wichita, Kansas on April 28th as part of the Women in Aviation Air Capital City event to raise money for low income girls to attend space camp.
Heather also has plans to give presentations in June at both the American Society of Aviation Artists at BWI and COPA in Alabama. More details on those and other events as the dates draw near.
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| Quick Links for BTTC Social Media |
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| BTTC is available on DVD |
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This Award Winning Documentary is available on DVD. For more information, please visit: http://breakingthroughtheclouds.com
The inspiring true story of 20 women who raced across America in 1929.
Follow along as headline aviatrixes Amelia Earhart, Pancho Barnes, Phoebe Omlie, Bobbi Trout, Louise Thaden and other well known women pilots of the era race across the country in the summer of 1929.
Breaking Through The Clouds: The First Women's National Air Derby provides over two hours of captivating viewing. The women's personalities shine through with original footage from the derby, much of which has not been seen in over eighty years.
Beautiful and colorful aerial recreations place the viewer in the pilot's seat.
Interviews with legendary aviatrixes
Elinor Smith Sullivan, and Patty Wagstaff, noted aviation historians, and family members of the original pilots
help bring the story alive.
Included are 23 minutes of bonus
material discussing the challenges the women faced during the race, what the women wore and more information about the planes & navigation in 1929.
Available at:
http://breakingthroughtheclouds.com
BTTC Cost $30 plus S&H
*Note:For those who do not like
to order on-line or use pay pal,you
may fill out this order form and
mail a check:
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What is Breaking Through The Clouds: The First Women's National Air Derby?
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Breaking Through The Clouds: The
First Women's National Air Derby is
an award-winning documentary about Amelia Earhart and 19 other brave pilots who defied convention by taking to the skies and racing across the country for the first Women's National Air Derby.
With just a compass and a road map to guide them, they faced cultural stereotypes, mechanical failures, threats of sabotage, navigational challenges and endless chicken dinners. The women persevered and became pioneering legends in aviation. Their story is inspiring to anyone who has the courage to follow their own dreams.
Producer Heather Taylor had a calling to tell this inspiring story in the hopes of helping others to find the courage to search for their own path. While Heather hasn't had to deal with the endless chicken dinners like the women in the derby did, she does face the challenges of an an independent artist. By spreading the word and supporting the film, you are helping Heather and other struggling artists reach for the sky in their own way and work towards breaking through the clouds. Thank you.
Heather Taylor, Executive Producer
Archetypal Images, LLC
http://breakingthroughtheclouds.com |
| BTTC AMBASSADORS |
I recently started a BTTC Ambassadors Page on my website. This is where I can provide links to those who have gone above and beyond in helping me get the word out about BTTC. I believe in supporting artists and small businesses so this is the least I can do for those who have helped me get this far. If you'd like to be a BTTC ambassador, email me at Heather@breakingthroughtheclouds.com to discuss. |
| BTTC T-shirts Available |
Did you know the logo on the t shirts is based on one of the trophies won in the 1929 Derby? You can briefly make out the trophy in the footage on race day in BTTC.
Black BTTC AND white BTTC t-shirts
are available for purchase. Below is what the front of a black t-shirt looks like. The back has breakingthroughtheclouds.com written in the top middle part.
If you would like a t-shirt, send me an email. The cost is $20 plus postage. Heather@breakingthroughtheclou
ds.com.
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BTTC T-shirt (black). White T-shirts with a black Logo are also available.
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*PLEASE NOTE: If you haven't heard a response within a week, chances are
I did not receive the email.
You may call me at
865-242-7551 to follow up, though my preference is email first so I can keep track of the order. Thank you.
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Old Cover DVD's on Sale
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I still have some DVDs with the old cover featured. Despite the old cover,
a couple spelling errors in the
opening quote and a missing credit,
the film is the same as what is
sold now. I am selling these copies
for $20 plus shipping. If interested, send an email to Heather@
breakingthroughtheclouds.com and
we can work out the details.
Thank you.
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If you know someone who would like to receive these newsletter,s please feel free to forward to them and have them join the mailing list. |
Thank You &
Ways to Help
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BTTC has only been able to succeed because of individual support! It is very much a grassroots effort so I appreciate every single comment, thumbs up, mention and email I receive. It truly keeps me going to know the film touches lives in some positive way.
If you would like to help me keep it going, here are just a few simple (and free) ideas that can make a big difference:
- Post a positive comment (or thumbs up) on youtube underneath the BTTC clip
- Become a Fan of BTTC Face Book Page
- Follow me on Twitter
- Forward these newsletters, and/or sign up for my blog
- Introduce me to contacts who might be interested in screening BTTC
All links for the social media are below. You can also mention BTTC in your own blog, article, podcast or to friends and colleagues.
Of course there are a myriad of other ways to help as well. The sky's the limit! If the film has touched you in some way, please feel free to email and let me know. As always, thank you!
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