Special Thanks On Elm Street

I have never blogged before. Never really saw a need to, and never really figured that there would be much that I could say that would be of much interest to anyone but the occasional relative or the three people who comprise the "Halloween 6 Fan Club."

But now that I am so immersed in this show, and having met all of the amazing and varied cast of characters that our team (led fearlessly and furiously by Thommy Hutson, Annette Slomka and Lito Velasco) have assembled, I'm finding that the task of finding the words to blog about this experience is more difficult than I first thought. As much as it would be tempting to write about the scores of talented actors, artists, writers and directors who have so willingly taken our "hot seat" to reflect on their memories of their first (and, in most cases, last) encounter with Freddy Krueger, I truly feel the need at this point to acknowledge our small but close-knit crew who are (as I write this) toiling endlessly into the night spinning ideas and words and images into magic. At the risk of sounding like some kind of half-assed "acceptance speech," I feel impelled to mention the team that has been instrumental in the creation of this amazing project and who, in the process, make my job, if not easier, then at least all the more gratifying. The professionalism, determination, unfailing work ethic and just plain fun that these people bring to the job every day is nothing less than inspiring, and I want to take this opportunity -- right here in the thick of all this madness -- to thank each of you for what you have done and continue to do:

To the lovely Jenna: You are a godsend, an angel sent to earth with a voice, a blog and a makeup kit! And even though you were blissfully unaware that "eyes are NEVER done first," you have been an amazing addition to this motley little crew. And let's face it: "Reproduction" has never been so fun!

To Lito: the Reigning King of "Team T" and Just About Everything Else: a huge shout-out (even though you say you don't need to be thanked, this one, for me, is an absolute must!).

To Bill: for holing up inside your apartment for days on end scanning hundreds of rare "Nightmare" images -- I hope you don't fall asleep with 300 dpi images of "Freddy" haunting your dreams. To Steve: Even though you haven't physically been present through this process, your warm (and warped) presence has been felt each and every day. Your encouragement and ability to get to the heart of why a show like this is so important keeps us all moving forward -- it's good to have the good guys on our side!

To Don: you don't always have much to say but you're always there to do the job without a whimper, a special request or a complaint. And just when you think you'd have done enough transcriptions to last a lifetime, one more turns up late one night that we never quite expected. You took a truly crazy moment (and person!) and made us laugh. You are an amazing talent and a friend to the end. So Chucky (and RB), eat your hearts out! "Now please, put down that Hershey Bar and leave. Just go. Right now." "Hmmmph!"

To Buz: what to say? Without you, these images would not exist. The words would not be heard. And Thommy still wouldn't know what a reach-around is. Your eye for detail and insane willingness to explore filthy air-conditioning plants, abandoned hospitals (and let's not forget bee-infested barns and ghostly encounters in the heartland of Tennessee) are a testament to your talent and your fearless heart ... and I forever love you for it! You are an inspiration to every DP at any age. When you got it, you got it! (And you got it!)

And finally, to Thommy, Andrew & Annette: Without you guys, where would we be? You've worn so many hats on this show I don't think there's a rack in existence big enough to hold them. You've been the anchors of this show, and never once have you allowed me to forget that the shore is not only reachable ... it is right before my eyes. Thank you is not enough.

Once this experience is over and whether or not the final product is heralded as the "Best" or "Worst" of its kind, the thing I will always remember and be grateful for is the experience -- one that I am honored to be sharing with all of you right here and now. Even though the workload has been insane, the days have been long (and the nights often longer), this experience has been anything but a nightmare. In this game and in life, it's not often that the stars align and you find yourself among the right combination of people, personalities and circumstances. This, I can say honestly, is truly one of those times.

'Til this is over, we may never sleep again. But we are among the luckiest people on earth to be able to share this experience together and make this dream come true.

--Daniel Farrands (co-director/producer)