note: all post following below are meant to be viewed individually, you can navigate to these post / pages by using the drop menu(s) to the right.
Permalink
|
Is “project pedal” the name of the documentary? 
No, the working title for the documentary is “Pedal”, for proposes of this website and promotional materials it’s referred to as: Project Pedal. How are you going to shoot it? Mostly in high-definition with a special HDV35 kit [which, to give you a better idea, is a step up from a mini35 kit], we’ll also be packing 30-minutes of 16mm stock to carefully use at select moments. What are we planning on doing with the final film? Well, distribution for the documentary is going to branch off in two directions - as soon as the film is finished, we'll begin selling special DVDs on the website to the readers (including all kinds of bonus materials). But at the same time we will be putting it into every film festival we come across.Have a question? Please ask - click here to write.
Permalink
|
the long and winding road: For me, the bike trip and the process of making a film, are essentially one in the same. Biting off more than you're sure you can chew. Setting out to accomplish something that scares you, something that might, in the end, better who you are. And help you, slowly but surely, realize you're potential to meet any overwhelming [seemingly unrealistic] goal you set for yourself... eventually.
Permalink
|
This production blog is a very personal and in-depth look at the making of an independent film.
Permalink
|
A lot has changed since first posting the original “how much will cost” breakdown almost four years ago. Firstly, the saying ‘everything cost twice as much as you budget’, is kinda’ true: Pedal originally was supposed to cost around $10,000. Having just finished production, it’s safe to say the film is pushing $35,000... still cheap for a film, but more than we first expected. Part of this, well almost 90% of this, is because originally the idea was to bike ourselves across the country, and document it with little cameras and just “see what happens”. Obviously that isn’t the approach we took in the end.
Permalink
|
how much will it cost?: Typically, it's assumed that a page of script equals a minute of the final film, and a minute of the film requires around an hour of filming, and all together this cost about a thousand dollars per minute of the movie. Barry Hampe, the author of several documentary "how-to" books and director of over 150 documentary films, found that from experience the average cost per minute was closer to the $1,700 mark. The range peeked at $3,800 per minute, and $400 per minute for a low-budget film in house production.
how does the $9,000 break down?: Click here to view the most recent draft-outline of the budget.
If you see something that seems inefficient or unnecessary please speak up, we are always looking for new ways to do more with less.
Permalink
|
film institutions
Permalink
|
share this | 'save as' |
Permalink
|
watch the [mock] teaser trailer for project pedal
Permalink
|
the reality of each position: regardless of your position's importance, each crew member will be treated as an equal. Each will be expected to participate in overall daily responsibilities, such as driving, setting up camp [if needed], and so on...
Permalink
|
What is preproduction? The preproduction process is crucial to a documentary's success. "Failure here sends you out on the wide ocean in a leaky boat with no charts and few provisions."
"It is not the will to win that's important. It's the will to prepare to win that really separates those who wish and dream from those who make it happen". - Dick Tomeythree easy steps... Project pedal's preproduction has largely consisted of myself wondering, "what steps am I suppose to take, and more importantly, what order am I suppose to conduct them in"?
Permalink
|
behind the scenes: This teaser trailer was filmed sometime during May of 2004, none of the footage in the trailer is from the actual bike trip or the documentary.
Permalink
|
Permalink
|
contact:
Permalink
|
Coming Soon, no seriously, I'm really working on this, I promise: this page is, of course, still under construction - but for the time being you can sift through the crew's past work and experience here, or here at their new website: The Black Sheep.
Olivier Vanaschen...
Olan Bowland...
Quentin Aksajef...
[Sound Operator] Position unfilled. Click here to learn more...
Permalink
|
Coming Soon, no seriously, I'm really working on this, I promise:
Amanda Walker...
Nick Ambs...
Michael Ambs...
Permalink
|
Please download and use these to spread project pedal to potential new readers/ fans. Simply right-click & choose "save link as" on the thumbnail to download a full-size PDF version. Also, more designs are always welcome!
Permalink
|
Word of mouth goes a long way for indie films! Want to help out our humble little project?
Permalink
|
It's not news to anyone that your average film requires the imagination, hard-work and collaboration of many, many talented people. The usual block-buster hit runs a credits list over a hundred people long...
But for an independent film, the list of people directly involved generally ranges from 5 to 15... there are no deep-pocketed production companies on the sidelines supporting the film's every expense, there's no craft food services keeping the crew-members full and energetic, there's no solid foundation for the film to build from. At any moment the whole project could collapse in on it's self without a moments notice.
Which is why project pedal needs all the help it can get, here a few easy ways that anyone can help push this film in the right direction:
