By Duane Murray - Producer/Star ("Ray")
November 4th, 2007

I can’t say it was how I imagined it.  No, the way I imagined it was far different.  It painted a different picture.  First of all, we were all about 8 years younger.  We would be walking down the red carpet, Alyssa Milano on my arm, (Natalie Portman not being of age yet.  Come to think of it, my girlfriend wouldn’t have been of age yet either) and Cheryl Crow on Shane’s.  Jordan, of course, would not be there, strictly out of protest over the immense commercial success we were about to experience.  So, with our names emblazoned in lights and the title of our film greeting the hundreds of people about to see our first film, we would enter.  The screening would be lined with equal parts, uncontrollable laughter, and choked upon tears, ending, of course with rousing applause and a standing ovation, the stars of the films rushing to our side to thank them for reinvigorating their failing careers.  “You’re welcome John Goodman and Linda Hamilton.”

We would drink our custom made chocolate banana milkshakes at the party afterwards and go home early with our dates so we could wake up for the early weekend game the next day, taking our seats beside either Jack, or Spike, depending on what city we were in, laughing at them as our beloved Raptors would be trouncing their respective teams (Remember, this is 8 years ago).

It wasn’t anything like that.  But it was no less gratifying.  I walked to the theater, where not only was there no red carpet… but no carpet at all.  I was early and so stood outside the theater, fielding the odd question on where one could get a falafel.  When Shane and Jordan finally arrived, Jordan took pictures of Shane and I standing under the marquee, which quite simply read, “IMAGINENATIVE FILM FESTIVAL” .

We walked inside to see how the film would look.  It looked great.  So great in fact, that Shane’s newly born daughter, shit her pants.  I was beginning to feel like I might want to do the same.  This was all starting to become very real.  Not at all how I imagined it, but,  all of a sudden, very, very, scary.  And then, something happened.  Something I would have never imagined…

Shane and I walked outside to greet friends and family, making sure everyone had tickets, worrying from the previous nights’ report that there would only be half a theater to watch this thing, and then…  ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE…

For some reason, a reason that is still a mystery to us…  EVERYONE wanted to see this film.  There were more tickets than there were seats.  People who worked for the festival were graciously kicking out there friends and family so that other people could have a seat.  People who had paid for tickets were being refunded.  People we asked to come were not being able to see it.  Shane and I were both overwhelmed and feeling badly that we had to turn people away.  Some people assured us this was a good thing.  I’m still not so sure.  In the end, we were told we had to turn away about 100 people.  Not at all how I imagined it…

So now this was it.  People were actually going to watch this thing.  A full theater of people.  About 450.  This was for real now.  As real as the mess Claire made in her pants.  And you know what?  People liked it.  At least they seemed to.  They laughed, they cried, and at the end, they cheered.  They didn’t stand, but I like to think that it was because they were simply paralyzed with emotion.  I know I was.  It was a proud moment, at the end, standing up there with Shane and Jordan, holding the satisfaction that we actually did it.  Thanks to Shane and his ridiculously supportive wife, we actually did it.  It’s not at all how I imagined it would be, but it was far more satisfying, in that it actually happened.  Not some random daydream, but something very real.  All the pieces that mattered were there.  There was even a movie star or two in the audience.  Who’d have thought…  Or imagined…