August 17th, 2004
Dear Daniel,
Re: Neal & Daniel - The Stone Cutters
My heart goes out to you and yours; I am saddened as I learned this morning of Neal’s untimely passing.
Thankfully, according to reports, you and the pilot were unharmed. This news comes on the heel of a weekend of celebrations as I commemorated my 32nd birth date last Friday, the 13th of August.
You and Neal were the two nicest artists that I met during our international and multi-cultural exchange at the One World Film Festival hosted last fall, here, in The Bahamas. You are visionary, enthusiastic, and adventurous filmmakers whose careers are destined to excel. Your movie, ‘The Stone Cutter’ was the best looking and most inspiring presentation screened at the entire event. Neal’s cinematography on that picture was some of the most unique and beautiful imagery I have ever seen recorded on film.
I especially recall the opening credits on the shore, as it spoke to your deeper artistic and philosophical understanding of life plus, your creative ability to interpret this sentiment on the big screen. It was representative of a complete cycle, the circle of life from the perspective of paradise; you will always return to the point of origin which unto itself is simple perfection.
Then there were those huge, healing, and deeply illuminating eyes of the angel girl-child in the enchanted forest scene; and of course that magnificently ethereal bird feeding sequence. All were ingenious.
The dreamy and phantastic tropical landscape in your picture looked as though you filmed right here in The Bahamas. Your efforts totally broadened my imagination to the possibilities one can achieve with our island nation as a backdrop, if you assemble a gifted production team.
Neal is certainly a gifted artist, cinematographer, and a genuinely dear human being. He will be missed and remembered always…
Best regards to you, your family, and all the remainder of Neal L. Fredericks’ family and loved ones. Whenever you return to The Bahamas, be sure to call on me.
Keep in touch-
Eternally,
Giovanni Stuart
www.nubah.comThe Commonwealth of The Bahamas
