A film that I co-wrote and co-produced

V2T, a regular voice on my blog, stumbled across a reference to a a video production that I co-wrote and co-produced called HooBee DooBee Do as I Do, and wanted to know more about that. So here is the abridged version of what was a 4 year oddyssey that still serves me helpings of satisfaction and pride. I will approach the subject however with a great deal of respect and love for the people involved.



HooBee DooBee, Do as I Do is, or was, a children's video designed to appeal to young children around the Wiggles or Bananas in Pyjamas or Barney type demographic. It was borne out of an idea from Marcelina, who suggested one day, why isn't there any children's videos that teach values or principles. Most teach action songs, fun stuff and little substance. This idea percolated in and around my subconscious for a great period of time amounting to some months. It was like the idea came into my head and needled around like the clawing paws of a cat prior to settling down, and refused to move away when it was shoo'd.



I watched a number of kids videos with Denzel in mind, and I commenced researching the "viability" of getting a number of songs together that were fun, yet instrumental in teaching principles. Once I found around 20-30 songs I liked, I commenced finding out who owned them so as I could obtain the rights to use them in a video production I wanted to make. I wrote letters to the publishers and owners of the lyrics and music as sometimes they belonged to different people, and commenced over an 18 month time period of gaining their approval. Some background information you have to understand here is, that I did not have ANY money to make such a video, and perhaps more importantly, NO professional production experience. I just had a big desire to do this and dedicate it to my son.



I had created wedding videos in the early days of video cameras, and they have progressed beyond imagination today. I had not thought past getting the approvals initially of any other factor that would be required and be important to the production of the video, yet something inside me kept me going forward...and so I followed that inner direction.



Approvals came through from the many copyright owners, and it was the most humbling of moments when I received letters from the owners who were generous in their praise for me having such an idea and gracious with their material. Some people gave me extra music, CD's and even autographed material. It seemed that people came out of the woodwork in support of my idea. I am still humbled how the universe became friendly and receptive to my fervent desire to bring this idea to fruition. Of course, as you would expect, I had my detractors. Though they were few, they were real. People who said "wake up" you are not cut out for this, and people who were in a position to help me, not necessarily with money, but with advice and time, scoffed at me. In one instance, a person ridiculed me for having such a whimsical notion. He was a man who could have opened doors for me with contacts. But his rejection of me did not deter me on my quest.



My idea and I were now well formed, though I knew not how to proceed to take the approved project to the next level. More people came into view and through a series of questions I made of some people, they led me to a man who would in a sense become my business partner for the video project. I say a sense, as he had been in some serious financial distress previously to our association, but believing that we all make mistakes, I proceeded forward. So, His wife and I became business partners to satisfy the requirements of company law. Though this woman became my business partner in deed, the Husband took control of everything, against advice and better judgement. I found a lawyer, who became an exceptional ally and a man whom I respect for his help even to this day. I shall not post his name here or that of my business partners lest by so doing I open old wounds and cause difficulties.



From the last comment above you can sense a few things went wrong, I will get to that.

This man who would become my unofficial "partner" had been introduced to me as someone who had succeeded in roads where I wished to traverse. After a series of my persistent phone calls going over a period of 4 months he was wearied by my calls and then gave me the chance to present the project, I did, and after a couple of more persistent months he agreed to do the project. Once he caught the vision of what I wanted to happen, he told his Mother-in-law and she offered her house as collateral to raise the funds to create the project. I had envisioned making the video in Australia at the ABC studio's where a then unknown kids group called Hi-5 were starting out, I saw them rehearse once. My concept was borne before theirs though I must submit, meaning the racial diversity of the cast and having 5 young adults who could still relate to kids, could sell the package and become role models for a host of young people.



My business partner's husband had other ideas, and wanted to go to the US of A to make the production, and who wouldn't! So I was swept up in that euphoria easily. Once their Mother had put her house up, a vendor was found through a series of mutual friends and said he would back the project with the house as collateral, he did and within some 72 hours we had access to $260,000 to make the video come to life. It was a whirlwind going to the US, getting the people organised, flying to Hawaii where it would be filmed and then back to the US mainland to have everything come together. A quick trip back to Australia and then to the US where we filmed the production with 5 wonderful people whom I came to love. It was a dream come true.



It was surreal to have something come out of my head and creatively appear on a screen with actors and I still feel so gratified that I was able to be a part of such a project that taught me something valuable. I can do anything I put my mind to. You must understand here, that I ate, slept and breathed this project for a couple of years.So What I learned was I had No money? No problem. No professional video production experience? No problem. I learned that an inner belief in myself, and in what I was capable of, and the importance of being persistent and committed to that ideal, no matter what, could mean the fruits of my thoughts would be realised. I am very aware and grateful for the many, many people who came at points along the path as, and when, they were needed. I believe they were angels that enabled my wish to happen. The video is still played almost everyday in my home, Denzel loves HooBee and as many as a thousand times or more that I have heard it playing on Denzel's TV or CD player, I never get sick of it. It represents a triumph over adversity and a living memorial to an inner commitment.



We recorded 24 songs at Studio X in Pearl Ridge, Hawaii, then a few days later we were in a studio filming the project in Honolulu. The audio engineer at Pearl Ridge commented to me that he had not seen any artisits previously come in and within 8 hours record 24 songs and almost on every take get it right. He was amazed at the professionalism of these people. So was I. As you can possibly imagine there were so many twists and turns and so many times when I wondered was it all worthwhile as things would go wrong, but the project was completed, against many odds. I believe it was a truly wonderful thing for all of those involved to be connected to, judging from the feelings that were expressed to me and the feelings I had then, and now.
Since then we lost the musical arranger, and the musical director of the project who both passed away. I miss them and again, am so grateful for them, for what they did and that they believed in this project, and believed in me.



The down side is that my partner and her husband ostracised me from the project as time went on, and through a series of choices that were made by them, forced me to become redundant to the project in any form. Upon some timely advice from a lawyer I knew, not associated with the project, I was encouraged to relinquish the rights and opportunity for money that I might have had, and been due, in lump sum and in royalty from the concept being mine to begin with, and hand the project over to my business partner and her husband. I did so, reluctantly, and it ate away at me for some time.

As fate would have it, the former business partner and her husband lost control of the finances and the money ran out, the bills mounted up, their Mother and Mother-in-law respectively, lost her house, and as another insult the Australian Government took her pension as well, thinking she had much more money than she had declared. This was all unbeknown to me at the time. The financial backer came after me one day and told me of the dire financial circumstances that had been created, I invited him carte blanche to go through my accounts, see my accountant and I withheld nothing so as he could be assured that owing to me relinquishing access to the project, meant that I received nothing. He looked, found I was honest and then went after the former partners.

Some time later, I was asked to appear on the news show on Network 9 called "A Current Affair" in an attempt to help my partners Mother get back her pension, and to explain the story of what actually happened on prime time national television. I was very afraid that the TV station would edit and alter the text and tone of what I said in order to make me look like the bad guy. The producer made me a promise that he wouldn't and he honoured his word. I had the chance to thank him personally as well. Once that went to air I was threatened and had all sorts of things happen, but I am still here. The Government minister in charge of veterans affairs saw the story, realised that this wonderful lady for whom I will always be grateful, did not have money stashed away, and so within two months, the minister had reversed her decision, and re-instated her pension AND backdated it. I am happy they did. She was not at fault. In fact she was punished adversely for something over which she had no control. I was pleased to help.



I became very ill from the whole experience as I internalised the disappointment, and the host of other emotions that occurred. I choked literally with the pressure and frustration of having had something so special disappear and leave me in debt and feeling worthless. I recall with much clarity after having been to the Doctors the day before a momentous thing happened, he said something profound. "You have some serious medical issues now, that I can treat, but I suspect they will remain until you sort out the cause". The next day I awoke and forgave the business partner without reservation. I let my regrets, my lost hopes, my anger, hurt and shame all go. I remember crying and then feeling very weightless and FREE. And Free I was. I cannot explain the liberation I felt. Notwithstanding there are a few lingering health and financial issues, It is however a bitter sweet tale of my life, that I would gladly pay the price of for re-admission onto the ride of a lifetime. The people I got to meet, the places I got to go were amazing.

I am so very proud to have brought HooBee to life. I am grateful for each and every person who helped that to happen, and am grateful that I came to understand the meaning of forgiveness and the powerful blessing it is to the person who forgives, as well as it can be to the person who is forgiven. I am grateful for the opportunity that was mine to choose not to live with regret or forever wonder what might have happened had I not had the courage and faith to act on my thoughts and make HooBee DooBee. I know what it is to dance when there is no music that can be heard by anyone else, I know what it is to have faith in ones self. I have it still, that in a coming day all the experiences I have had will harmoniously blend and allow me to realise yet other aspects of my potential and heartfelt desires.

Here are a couple of clips that were on you tube which show just a little of the characters and songs. It went for 45 mins in total. Who knows more might be posted there soon.





If you look closely in the latter part of this last clip you may even see my Hitchcock-ian appearance speeded up a little like a closing segment of Benny Hill.

What a wonderful chapter in my life this was. It culminated for me in 1999. and I remember vividly playing Prince's song 1999 as well just before the dreaded Y2K bug, which must have been the greatest world hoax in history, would kick in in the year 2000, when Sydney would also host the Olympics in my home town. What a wonderful time.

One last thing, I once had a man at an event I went to say to me "Could you do me a favour and wait right there please?" I obliged and this beautiful little girl came up to me, as I crouched down to meet her face to face, and she said "Mr. Do you know HoBee DooBee?" to which I responded that I did, and her whole face lit up and she said "Wow your famous, and I love HooBee DooBee." I had to choke back the tears, as I thanked her for giving me one of the sweetest memories of my life. It was all worth it. I know Denzel is still proud of it, but to have known that someone else was touched by it, was truly a special moment in my life. I came to know there were other children who were similarly affected by it. I am still honoured. That's all!



The pictures in order are:
* The cover of the VHS Video of the production
* The Audition crew In Laie(pronounced Lah-ee-air)
* The group we chose during rehearsals in Laie
* The same group in the same pose on set in Honolulu
* Goofing around and posing for pictures in Laie
* HooBee entertaining some kids at a school in Laie
* Me on set with the painted props for PheeBee's house
* Pretending I knew what I was doing at Studio X in Pearl Ridge
* The DooBee's in costume at Laie
* Me during Filming
* In the Recording Studio at Studio X, Pearl Ridge
* Me in the Video Post production studio in Honolulu