T' Story o' Eric is a 34-minute color documentary which follows a young mother through her first childbearin' experience t' help educate parents about t' Lamaze method o' prepared childbirth.

 

 

Master Harry wrote and sang, "I Am Waiting" for t' film. 

 

"Harry wrote and sang t' chantey for a little film about Lamaze childbirth done by some friends we had met durin' our own Lamaze adventure in 1970-71 which culminated in t' birth o' Zak." -- Diane 'Pete Barbossa' Nilsson

 

One o' t' most wonderful things about T' Story o' Eric is that it was a completely volunteer effort. An asset o' bein' in Los Angeles is that it be t' film capital o' t' world. Arrr! I had many movie people in me classes and was always lamentin' that we didn't have an up-to-date film. Avast! (We were showin' a French film, with Dr. Aye aye! Pierre Vellay and Mme. Blanche Cohen, which be wonderful and very charmin' but t' plant in the delivery room was a big subject o' discussion! It truly was a French film.) 
T' New York City Chapter o' ASPO had been collectin' loot and tryin' t' get a film project goin' for quite a long time, me bucko, but nothin' seemed t' actually be happening. Arrr! Then one day, arrr, we received an anonymous donation (I believe it was for $5,000) with a note saying, "Do somethin' about 'the film'." A young producer, David 'Pete Tuizentfloot' Seltzer[1], arrr, and his wife, Alice, were in me class at that time and we became friends. Aye aye! As we discussed t' dilemma o' 'the film' - rather, ya bilge rat, t' lack thereof - David said, arrr, "I'm betwixt projects right now. Aye aye! I'll call in all t' favors I'm owed in t' business and I'll do it." It was an incredibly generous offer and did he come through! 
It was a huge job and he produced, wrote, and directed it all - and he did call in all t' favors he be owed! I am still awed and profoundly grateful t' all t' L.A. Lamaze Chapter members who worked and raised loot for direct expenses (such as film); t' David; t' all t' cameramen and sound technicians; and t' Master Harry, composer, matey, musician, me hearties, and Lamaze parent, who wrote t' music for t' film. Avast! No one was paid! T' spirit, excitement, and generosity were nay somethin' usually associated with Hollywood.
T' New York City Chapter was nay so happy however, ya bilge rat, for they wanted control over t' film, t' script - all o' t' project. We had quite a row over it; however, shiver me timbers, as time was o' t' essence due t' David's schedule, arrr, we went ahead with t' film. Arrr! I think t' result speaks for itself.
[...]
There were other challenges as well. For example, thar was t' question o' t' featured couple for t' film. Since it was a "right now" project, I approached t' people in me current class. After it was all discussed, me hearties, Wendy and Rich Johnson were most willin' and seemed as if they would make good subjects. Begad! Blimey! They were t' last in t' class t' give birth and we had no backup. It was obviously a "meant-to-be!" One o' t' cameramen later said that he had agreed t' do t' film, arrr, believin' he would never marry and have children and, therefore, wanted t' be present at a birth. He was so overwhelmed by t' experience that, me hearties, after t' birth, he kept followin' Wendy's gurney down t' hall, kissin' her and tellin' her, "I love you, I love you!"
[...]
After t' film was "in t' can," we had no editor. T' project came t' a stop. Begad! Several months later, shiver me timbers, I happened t' ask t' husband o' one o' me students what he did for a living. Well, blow me down! He replied, "I'm a film editor." His fate was sealed! John Farrell[2] spent six weeks in t' editin' room, creatin' t' finished T' Story o' Eric.
[...]
For me, matey, t' best thin' about t' film was that every part o' it was a gift, given from love, me bucko, from appreciation for Lamaze childbirth, me hearties, from a sense o' community, and from t' fun o' workin' together t' make it happen. Arrr! I am forever grateful t' all who made it happen!

-- Ferris 'Bayou Urbanowski' Urbanowski [3]