SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU, HERE IS STAY, THE VIDEO!!!

Woke up deciding that it was going to be a great day. Yesterday was done...today is a new day to decide to be happy; to decide to have no drama; and to decide that I'm good enough to have this video release party no matter what my weight happens to be.  I do admit, once in a while, I could hear in my head..."when they see the video, all they're going to see is your weight."  But each time it buzzed into my head, I swatted the crap out of it! Dead-blood & guts all over the place!!

The entire day as about tying loose ends:  Packing to stay over my friend's house, deciding which shoes to wear, washing the car, making a last minute stop at the mall, stopping at Pearl Lounge to be sure the tv moinitors were set up, the dvd's were working & to ensure the temperature was good. It was a bit warm, but a staff member had just opened the place & promised that by the evening the place would be an ice box.  For the first time I ate at Chipotle...yum, lol. It was 4:50pm by the time I was driving to my friend's house.  Wait. What am I going to say tonight?  Okay-I had to write a small speech.  By the time I arrived to David Miskin's house and wrote the speech, it was time to dress. I took a shower, changed, hair, make-up, nerves kicking in. I was shaking inside a little bit, but I LOVED my dress! LOL. It was a deep -jeweled, teal colored Calvin Klein dress. I love it because although it's simple, it flatters.  I have NEVER bought myself a designer dress, lol...I know you don't believe me, but it's true.

It was 7:48pm when we jumped in a cab to the city. On our way over, I asked David, "Do you think we'll have a full house? Do you think people from the industry will really come? Do you think my mom will like the video?  Do you think people will react to the video when we show it?" Of course he responded with a yes on all counts.  And that's when I realized...shoot, I'm nervous.  We arrived almost at 8:30pm, and immediately the music director of KTU, Bartel was outside, along with Cary Vance from Promo Only and John Parker of Parker Recordings - three very instrumental people in the music industry. I looked to my right and my younger sister was there.  I was elated. Wait. Then my manager was walking in behind me.  I knew in a second I wasn't upset with him anymore. Hm, I thought, I look good, and don't even try to change my mind about it! LOL.

It was a FULL house. The music was going! the place was packed with people buzzing, laughing, chatting, drinking and eating.  It was also very, very HOT! Oh, my God, did we melt the ice caps of the north pole?  It was almost like stepping onto the surface of the sun. But there was not much we could do. We were told the air conditioning was turned up to the maximum.  I looked around, and immediately I had to work the room and thank every single person for coming...My friends, the production crew & their friends, people from the industry - it was a great turn out!  Even Kayel, Los and Thirteen from TKA/K7 & Swing Kids  and CNR from Trilogy showed up.  They made me feel incredibly special by being there.  The only thing I felt bad about was that I was unable to sit and speak with anyone for more than 20 seconds.  No one really had quality time with me.  We were going to begin screening around 9:15pm or so, but it was SO hot, I didn't think people would be patient enough.

So at 9:00 Luis Loca, the coordinator of the evening, introduced me.  The crowd cheered and I thanked everyone!  You should know that most of the time, one's record label would finance your video, but that's only if they are sure it's a HIT or if it is in the budget...lol..you guessed it. Nope, not in the budget.  That wasn't my story, so we all decided to work on it on our own, and my manager wanted it done.  So I explained that it was done with an incredibly small budget and financed by someone who didn't even really know me well, but believed in me wholeheartedly:  the producer, Terence Osborne.  I also explained, and you should know this too, that the majority of our production crew was made up of college students. You HAVE to allow younger people with no experience the opportunity to gain experience!! As a matter of fact, the director of photography, Erik Spink was only 20 years old..and he did a magnificent job!

"...And so...without further adieu, here it is: the video of Stay.  Roll it." We first showed the behind the scenes documentary and it was SO MUCH FUN!  The production crew had their friends there and it was wonderful hearing each and every person receive applause and acknowledgement for their work.  After that, we showed the video...and
MY HEART WAS POUNDING IN MY THROAT!!!
Would people like it?  Would my manager be right that all people would notice is my weight gain?  What about the bedroom scene..would people take me seriously or would they tell me I had no business being in bed with anyone on camera?  Would they appreciate my acting?  We only had 2 vases for the take where I break the vase in a fit of anger, and have a breakdown on screen...could I cry on cue?  All these questions were stabbing my stomach.  And for each section of the video, I heard people clapping, laughing, oohing and aahing...and I knew it was a good thing.  Whew...it was done & I could breathe again.  I gave out crystal awards to Erik Spink, director of photography; Terence Osborne, producer; Gio Alonso, stylist, Javier Rosa, make-up & hair and David Miskin, director. And of course, when I gave David's award I cried.  And, David offered me not a tissue but an entire roll of paper towels. (It's an ongoing private joke that I cry so much sometimes I need the whole roll.)  David, from day one, has believed that I'm a star, like a serious future grammy award-winning, broadway starring star! He has been a life line to me. Whenever I've wanted to give up on myself, he wouldn't let me!  It was his idea to do this video and without his determination that we would do it, and do it right, I wouldn't be writing about it now. I'm really proud of our work, and I'm really happy that with almost nothing, we created something...and it is magical...and it was God looking out for all of us.

I ended the evening dancing, talking, sweating and smiling feeling accomplished.  Oh, yea by the way, I did drink - but I did NOT get drunk...I watched people get drunk for me...it was way more fun.  The music industry looks at how many views you have on youtube, how many friends you have on facebook and how many followers you have on Twitter...when you watch the video - should you find that you like it, as a personal favor to me, please post it on your pages...maybe this artist veteran of 24 years on an independent recording label could finally make it major and "STAY" in this great business of music that I SO love!!

Video Shoot - Day 1 Part 1- Getting Prepared!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Woke up at 5:15am.  This is it!  Today's the day I've been waiting for, excited for, blogging about, concerned about..it...is...here!  Didn't sleep much- you already know how I am, lol.  But woke up SO happy! Showered, dressed, packed a bag with intimates. Wouldn't you know it.  Murphy's Law:  What can go wrong, will go wrong...Murphy's Law in full effect - got my...um, ok, that time of the month...and that meant a BIG zit on the side of my nose too!  As if the monthly visitor wasn't punishment enough!

Anyway, my friend, Brenda, who doubled as my personal assistant (she's been personally assisting me, to be honest with you, for YEARS- not to mention she's my bestest friend in the whole entire universe!!), met me at my house and we got into the limo (Thank you, Sophisticated Limousines!).  She was excited for me, and I couldn't think of a better person to have been with me in the limo (well only one, David, lol).  We arrived at Bravo Studios, on 27th street, which is a green screen studio...I'll explain what that means in a future blog.  As soon as I got out of the limo, the filming of the documentary began.  God, it was exciting!  I got upstairs and there was such a buzz about the entire floor:  people running in all sorts of directions; the entire film crew wearing "Judy Torres - Stay T-shirts.  There was a spread in the main room - food was outrageously cool!  (Thank you, Tuscany Deli -yes, another shameless plug, but you have to thank people..it's the right thing to do!)  Brenda immediately brought me coffee & a bagel, and I was thinking, "ok, chica...you don't have to go THAT crazy!  I can get my own bagel and coffee, lol!"  I sat down, and as I began to eat breakfast, the director, David Miskin, (who is also my bestest bestest friend in the whole entire universe!! Yes, you can have more than one!) called a production meeting and gave out directions as to how the day would go.  As I had a big bite of bagel in mouth, I thought to myself, "this is so freaking cool! Look at everyone!"

Production meeting over...time to get my hair and make up done...time to be primped, pushed up, dolled up and diva'ed out! I walked into the wardrobe/makeup room and there was Javier Rosa, make up artist extraordinaire, makeup artist to the stars, including Tyra Banks!  "Girl, we are going to get you glamified!!!"  In an instant, I am smiling, forgetting about whatever flaws I had in that one instant!  And then, as beautiful as can be, there was a HUGE bouquet of multi-colored roses from the director, associate director, Erik Spink and the producer, Terence Osbourne...with a card, wishing me luck!  I felt like a real star, I really did...I know you're thinking "Judy, you always are treated that way..." No ttrue.  This was a bit different!  Make up was being applied, and before I could even put on my first look in wardrobe, the director came in:  "Judy, the fans are here!"  ALREADY?!?!  Wow....and then...butterflies fluttered and danced in my gut, all the way down to my whoo-haaa!!  Oh, they're early?! Suddenly, there was Candace, from Lane Bryant, wishing me luck!  Wow...this is just too awesome to have so much support!!!

I began to think about everything.  I began to worry about everything...are the fans being taken care of?  Did Melissa Nikkita (from BIG Management) greet them? Is she with them?  Did everyone eat?  What are they going to ask of me today during this shoot?  What is Javier really thinking about my face?  Is Brenda comfortable?  Is David ok?  I took a breath and realized the following:  there were a LOT of people here to help this be a success...this ain't no little video for fun...this is THE REAL DEAL!  I told myself, "Judy, you better do this like nobody's business!  You better bring it!!  Don't f...k it up!! You can do this, but whatever they ask of you, do it!  Don't complain!!  Be happy - this is a good and blessed day!"  And then the stylist, Gio Alonso, brought over the first look "Shazzamity, Judy!!!"  LOL...can't even remember what it was...I was nervous! Brenda helped me get dressed, put on my shoes, and Javier and his assistant put on the final touches, and I was onto the set!  Ooh, this is exciting!

David walks over, takes my hand, and smiles:  "Okay, first time you're going to do it however you feel it. Then we'll do it again and give you direction." Whoo.  Scary.  So many people around, just staring...I felt like an exhibit in a zoo...and everyone was just waiting for me to do something amusing...lol.  There was that slate!!!  You know, the slate they use in movies to say, "take one!"  So cool!!  So freaking cool!!  I heard 4 beeps and the song began...here goes nothing! First take is over...everyone applauds...tremendous sense of relief.  I felt like if I could get through the first one, I'd be okay for the rest of the day!  We did a few more takes, and then we surprised the fans.

The fans who were invited were the ones who won the Stay Photo Contest:  Leslie, Angel, and John...I invited Lisa too (special raffle we held because we had room for one more).  We had Melissa purposely distract them so I could go behind the window and say hello when they least expected it!  "Hello my friends!!!"  We were all clapping, laughing and smiling!  I welcomed them, thanked them for coming & told them we would have lunch later on. We did take after take, look after look - I was in it for the long haul. I told myself,  "You keep going until you can't go no more, and then, even then, you keep going! " LOL   And then I was asked to do what I had feared:  I was asked to stand on a teeny, tiny crate..I'm talking I think the width of my body was larger than this crate.  The director stood on it, and lunged back with his back leg on another crate, and I thought, "Yea, okay, sure...I'm an olympic athlete! I can do that!" NOT!!!   I stood on that little crate, and did my best, but my balance or lack thereof got the best of me....again, not sure if it was ms related or just that I'm a bit of a clutz.  And finally after hours of being in 4 inch heels, my right foot simply couldn't stand it anymore.  I confessed, "I'm sorry guys, but my foot hurts so bad, that I know I can't give you any better...all I can think about is how bad my foot is hurting."  I felt so bad, but I knew it was true.  Why drag everyone, forcing myself to feel what I am not feeling, and end up wasting everyone's time...and money?  And then the director told me what I knew he would tell me, "Just one more time, Judy, and then we can break for lunch."  I did what I could.  I think Lunch was supposed to be at 12:00pm...it was 2:30pm when I was finally taking off my clothes and changing for lunch!  And then, one of the biggest, most honoring moments of my life happened! To be continued!