Tag Archives: Bob Collins

Love Heals and Leaves You “Feelin’ Good” a Vlog

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“Love heals” is the concept behind all of Elizabeth’s work.

The creation of Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better & Better Series was the consummation of a dream for both my wife Elizabeth and me, Ben Bryant, director and editor. We will always be grateful to our Producer and friend, Eric Brown, for enabling it to happen.

Elizabeth is living proof that love heals.

In the Lap of Luxury, the third program in the Better & Better Series, was shot at New York State’s spectacular Lake George in the Adirondack mountains.

The Boat Shoot

One portion of the shoot began at Yankee Boating Center. We hired a sailboat for Elizabeth’s photography and a second boat for camera. Riding out of sight in the cabin were Melinda (wardrobe), Michina (makeup) and Richard (a very capable production assistant) who handled the playback boom box and walkie-talkie for my direction from the camera boat. The picture boat had an outboard motor which was fortuitous since there was very little breeze that day. The camera boat was a kind of floating flatbed that comfortably accommodated both camera crews, our gaffer plus me and Eric.

We motored into the lake until we were out of sight of buildings and began to shoot.

All the video and audio programs in Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better & Better Series are available for download here. Once on the page, put your cursor over an image to Id. the program and click for more info and a sample. If you prefer discs, click here.

You will find many more video production and editing tales, including the full story of the making of Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better & Better Series and all the other productions Eric and I did together when you click here and get my third memoir book Waiting for Elizabeth.

Healing Quality of a Waterfall

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Since her first bout with cancer Elizabeth Hepburn has devoted her life to sharing healing support with others.

Producing Better & Better

In February 2004 Eric Brown committed to produce Elizabeth Hepburn’s Better & Better Series – a set of video and audio healing support “tools”. We’re not certain when the title came into being but we know its derivation. In all the Better & Better programs Elizabeth quotes Émile Coué de la Châtaigneraie the French psychologist who introduced a popular method of self-improvement based on the autosuggestion: “Day by day in every way I am getting better and better”. All five programs – conceived, written and performed by Elizabeth – are designed to support patients and caregivers in preparation for and recovery from surgery.

I, Ben Bryant, am blessed to be married to this extraordinary woman and to serve as her director and editor.

Finding the Location

Since we were in high school Bob Collins (cinematographer) and I had talked about working together, him as cameraman and me as director. The wish finally came true that April when I flew down to Winston-Salem (where BC was head of the North Carolina School of the Arts cinematography department) and we went waterfall scouting for four days.

The location that had looked most ideal on the internet was Pearson’s Falls near Saluda, North Carolina.

We saw it in person on our last day of scouting. This waterfall had the size and beauty we needed and was not frightening as many large waterfalls can be. There was a kind of delicacy about it and its environment was picturesque, offering a variety of beautiful settings: several tiny waterfalls, small and large bubbling brooks and a wealth of flora. It seemed made for our purposes.

Here are two short clips from the twenty-five minute program Post-Surgery for the Patient. (Introduced by Elizabeth)

The entire Better & Better Series is available here for download. Once on the page, put your cursor over an image to Id. the program and click for more info and a sample. If you prefer discs click here.