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Spring 2008 Update
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I'm Just Like You is moving forward! We recently returned from Portland where we interviewed families and kids who live with psoriasis. The National Psoriasis Foundation was instrumental in arranging these interviews and worked with us to create an environment where families felt comfortable sharing their experiences of living with the disease. Support for this segment of our production was provided by Carol and Mike Laub. We are most grateful for their generous contribution to the project. It will enable us to continue our momentum as we find more families who are impacted by psoriasis. But we need more support! By contributing to the Sparklestone Foundation you will provide us with the resources needed to complete our film and extend our reach to the greater psoriasis community. All contributions are tax deductible. Feel free to contact us if you'd like to contribute in some way towards the project. Thank You! We now have a short preview clip of our current work-in-progress, I'm Just Like You - Kids and Psoriasis. Our filming is in high definition video format with a wider aspect ratio, so the preview has been reduced to slightly lower resolution for better compatibility with various TV displays. |
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To download a larger six minute video preview in .mp4 format, please choose a size:
faster (8 MB) 640x360 (720x360), 10 fps better (50 MB) 640x360 (720x360), 30 fps (If there are problems playing the video, save it to disk first and then open it from your desktop, try using Quicktime/iTunes 7, or another media player that uses the H.264 Codec). We have also uploaded our preview on Youtube, where we welcome your comments. |
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Please note that past references to the BeyondPsoriasis.com web site, which offered a free DVD of our last film, are now inactive. That site now redirects visitors to the Raptiva product page of Genentech, who helped sponsor the project. Copies are still available for purchase as we are hoping to make the film accessible to a wider audience. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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September 2007 Update - New Project!
Sparklestone is thrilled to announce that we have begun production on our new film, I'm Just Like You. Following on the heels of My Skin's on Fire, this new film will explore the impact of psoriasis on children. The production kicked off its first phase at the AAD-sponsored Camp Discovery, a wonderful one-week gathering of kids who live with a host of skin diseases, including psoriasis. We spent 3 days filming at the Camp, located in central Pennsylvania. We had the blessing of Dr. Howard Pride, the Director of Camp Horizon and a dermatologist at the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. He is also the current President of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. We're also working with Drs. Ilona Frieden and Amy Gilliam right here at the UCSF Department of Pediatric Dermatology. With their assistance we are beginning to meet families who are dealing with the challenges of living with the illness. We're continuing production here in the Bay Area and welcome the opportunity to interview parents and their kids who live with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Feel free to contact us if you're open to being interviewed, or if you'd like to contribute in some way towards the project. My Skin’s on Fire - Living with Psoriasis is a digital film produced under the auspices of The Sparklestone Foundation. The Foundation was started in order to explore the impact of chronic illness on the individual and the family. Our first film, My Skin’s On Fire, is focused on the day-to-day realities of living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It has the support of the National Psoriasis Foundation.
The earlier previews below were compiled before the project was completed, and contain some unused footage...
I was recently interviewed by the Hill Physicians Medical Group and profiled in the current
Summer issue of Hill Health Magazine
(available in pdf format).
Their newsletter reaches 3,000 member physicians and 350,000 HMO enrollees in Northern California.
The article announces three free screenings of MSOF hosted by Hill Physicians with Q&A and refreshments:
Join local dermatologist Dr. Scott Fretzin and filmmaker Fred Finkelstein in a panel discussion
following the film. Treatment options will be discussed. Light refreshments will be served.
Marriott - Indianapolis North
We started off the New Year on January 11 with
a screening at the Stanford Health Library
in Palo Alto. Diana Cordio, co-leader of the
Peninsula/Bay Area Support Group
joined me afterwards, answering questions and chatting
with those in attendance. (Diana and Brendalynn Kong continue to lead the local group since
Jody Kim-Eng has moved further South).
Diana also graces the cover of the first issue of the new
NPF skInsights newsletter,
where she 'speaks out' in her headlined interview.
In mid-January, I showed an excerpt of the film at the monthly meeting of the
Marin Health Council
at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae. The group, consisting of healthcare professionals, was quite
interested in the impact of psoriasis on so many areas of life. They
responded most enthusiastically to the bold images and interviews in the
film.
On January 31st, I presented the film to the 3rd-year dermatology residents at
UC Davis in Sacramento. Clearly this was a trained group of doctors, all of
whom will soon be working actively in clinical situations with psoriasis
patients. They were appreciative of the chance to look inside the lives of
those of us who appear in the film and who share so much of our experiences
with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
February got off to a great start with a live
webcast on HealthTalk. I was interviewed for one hour by Ross Reynolds
in Seattle. Folks called in and emailed in questions during the show and I
was thrilled to be able to reach out to everyone who 'tuned in'.
I will soon be starting a proper
blog
on this site. This will be my own personal reflection of the challenges
that living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis encompass.
Also in February,
writer Lisette Hilton interviewed me and profiled My Skin’s On Fire for
Dermatology Times, the leading newsmagazine for dermatologists.
The article will hopefully reach many medical professionals who are still unaware of the film.
I'm pleased to announce that The Sparklestone Foundation, the non-profit entity that served as producer for
My Skin’s On Fire,
has been granted 501-C3 Non-Profit tax status by the IRS. This means, effectively, that we are now in a position to receive
tax-deductible contributions in order to continue the work we began with this film and begin to develop more projects and
media-based activities. Please consider making a contribution to our Foundation.
David Meyers, the 'motorcycle guy' who won the hearts of so many in his brief but compelling appearance in the film, passed
away the 1st week in December. He was 54. At his funeral, his coffin was draped with a Harley-Davidson banner, while heavy-metal
music filled the chapel at the end of the service. He will be remembered lovingly.
Many Thanks to Ed Dewke and his excellent FlakeHQ.com psoriasis site for featuring our
February 2006 interview and September followup
Reflections on My Skin's On Fire.
The American Academy of Dermatology has bestowed the honor of a
2006 Gold Triangle Award to
Fred Finkelstein and
Genentech for producing
My Skin's On Fire. Many thanks and congratulations to the
National Psoriasis Foundation
who also received the award for their excellent web site!
The East Carolina University Center for Health Sciences Communication has announced that
MSOF is the third place winner in their annual
Health and Wellness Film Festival.
The DVD
I'm happy to announce that the
DVDs are now available,
are being mailed out, and should find their way into your homes, at long last...
Also, I'm thrilled to say that I will be traveling
around the country with My Skin's on Fire. In partnership with the
National Psoriasis Foundation (see a
reprint of
our recent interview),
I will be presenting the film in four cities, beginning in March. Working with the
local Support Groups we'll be screening the film for members of those groups.
And even if you're not an official member of a Group but are a member of the NPF
you're most welcome to attend!
Our goal is to tie the film to a Signature Fundraising Activity -
much like an AIDS Walk-a-thon. All funds collected will benefit the Foundation.
Hopefully, if the screenings go well, we can add other cities to our tour.
Our
'Road Show'
is heading for the following cities in early 2006 ... and now 2007:
If you live in or near one of these cities please contact the
NPF (800-723-9166)
and tell them you'd like to attend. I look forward to meeting all of you 'On the Road'.
Special Added Screening: Grand Rapids, Michigan,
Thursday, May 18, 7 PM,
at The Wealthy Theatre,
1130 Wealthy St SE, in Grand Rapids (phone 616-459-4788 x128).
This free event has been arranged by local dermatologist Dr. Marek Stawiski
in cooperation with Genentech. Local resident Sheila Shotwell was
instrumental in bringing me to Grand Rapids. Please come!
-- Fred
I'm thrilled to announce that in the spring our project received the necessary
funding from Genentech
to complete our production and post-production.
Because of Genentech's commitment to the project, we are now in the midst of
preparing the film for distribution. We anticipate that by November,
My Skin's on Fire will be available on DVD for all to see!
We will of course keep you posted as to where we are in this process and
provide you with further information on how to actually order the film
once it's ready.
Thank you for your patience - I look forward to the day when My Skin's on Fire
will find its way into your living rooms!
-- Fred Finkelstein
Please
browse through the pages of this web site and learn more about the project.
Feel free to communicate with us through our e-mail address: myskin@skinfire.org |
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