The Bat CREW was invited to participate in filming a series for Animal Planet about people who have (had) different animal phobias. Obviously, we were not in the portion about shark phobia!

Tracy Armstrong, (almost) intrepid and very talented freelance journalist volunteered to try overcoming her strong fear of bats.

Arcwelder (the Animal Planet filming crew) first interviewed Tracy at her home and then the group came to our house to film Tracy and me with the bats. The next day Arcwelder filmed Tracy at the office of San Francisco hypnotist, Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D. After the hypnosis session, some of the bats and I showed up to see if Tracy had lost some or all her fear. It was AMAZING!!! She went from shaking in fear to thinking they were "almost" cute.

Later that week Arcwelder flew Tracy to the Lubee Foundation in Gainesville, Florida to meet some of the mega (or as the Lubee calls them, "REAL") bats. Tracy started to get nervous, but after a short phone conversation with Isa, she fell in love with the big guys, one in particular.

To see who won her heart, go to the Lubee Fun page to see pictures of me at the Lubee, a year earlier, in love with the same bat. That Mork has a way with the ladies!!!

A happy ending, we hope to appear on Animal Planet in October of 2002.

Animal Planet Filming
	The film crew from Arcwelder Films, Ltd. arrived from Los Angeles to film the Bat Phobia part of the series in the bay area. This is the Film Crew, not the Bat CREW! Arcwelder crew starting to unload their equipment out front. The back of the mini van was packed! In the bat room, we introduced them to the very friendly, lovely and talented CREW bats.   In the living room, the Director giving us the basic plan for the shoot. We were then equipped with microphones (itchy). And since the filming was to begin on the front porch, we made ourselves comfortable. As the crew was getting ready - we (well, maybe me) hammed it up (just a little bit). Then the filming contrast was checked... Sound level's were checked... Lighting checked ... .....and.....The filming began We had to be (somewhat) serious. Some of it was pretty intense...in your face. Then we got ready for the indoor portion of filming in the bat room. Some set-up shots of all the bat paraphernalia. The backlighting was in place, in the kitchen, since the bat room is the old dining room! Indoor cameras were set up with everything checked again for inside shooting, and......Action..... ......In come the stars...