Simple function call

1

I am new to AS3 and I know this is probably obvious but…

I want to call a function I defined on the main timeline from inside a movie clip instance.

here is my function:

function imAFunction():void
{
trace(“I am a function wheeeee!”);
}

inside the timeline of a movie clip I have tried to call it in all sorts of ways

root.imAFunction();
this.stage.imAFunction();
this.parent.imAFunction();
etc etc

but I keep getting this error:

1061: Call to a possibly undefined method imAFunction through a reference with static type flash.displayObject.