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HAPPY MONDAY – 7-31-14

It was one of the most exciting mornings I’ve had so far at Comtech MMG. We were all going about our usual tasks when we heard that we had to all-of-a-sudden pack up and go film at this house on Winnebago street. It all hit like a hurricane. “Wait, we have to film where? WHEN?! Ok…it’s about what?” When I heard that we were going to be covering a story about a homeless veteran and his family receiving a remodeled home I was excited and touched at the same time.

I have never been a part of anything like this before, but I’ve wanted to be. To think that men and women who have made countless large and small sacrifices for ordinary people like myself and still end up without a place to live in the country that they’ve fought for? It’s heartbreaking…it just shouldn’t be. I’ve always been deeply moved that men and women leave everything they have and give everything they have to protect our country and the people in it. They’re special people and to be able to be a part of helping even one veteran and their family means so much, it’s an honor. It’s at times like these that I find another reason why I love being a part of the transmedia world. You not only get to be a storyteller, but you get to be a part of someone else’s story and it not only touches them, it touches you too.

I remember being a little nervous when we were driving to the house wondering how this family was going to react to all the attention. Would they be irritated? Apprehensive? Receptive? It was all a wild card, yet another reason for excitement! For all the talk about the current state that the house was in, I remember when we first pulled up thinking how charming it looked, not that I couldn’t see a need for improvement though. As more and more people pulled up to the house (Jennifer Jaeger from the city of Rockford and Chad from the Home Depot, etc.) it all started to set in how big this project was and how many people had come together to help make one family’s dream come true. And when I saw Anthony and Kerri and their family, I was shocked at how young they both were and how much they have lived through at such a young age. They were both very humble and they struck me as wise beyond their years. And as each part of their story unfolded in front of the camera you could not help but find them ever more deserving of this incredible gift. And once again I couldn’t help but smile at the realization that I get to be a part of this.

Since that day, the From House To Home project has remained one of our most exciting and poignant projects here at Comtech MMG. We have gotten to know the Birdwells and the contributors of this project on a deeper level and after the individual interviews of everyone involved I think it is so touching to see how all these personal stories have intertwined to become this larger story of From House To Home. And at the center of it all, they get to help change the life of this family forever. And I get to be a part of that? That’s a happy Monday…

Blogger: Abby

P.S. As we journey forward with this project we want to give everyone a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at From House To Home. Scott (who you’ll also be hearing from) and I have been working on some behind-the-scenes documentary shorts. Below is one of videos I have had the privilege to work on I hope you enjoy it as much as I did editing it!

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