TOUR!

AND NEW WEBSITE!

Sorry about the lack of updates to the blog!

Pretty much all activity has been relocated to our The Climb to Katahdin FB Page

AND

our awesome new site TheClimbtoKatahdin.com

Check there for tour dates. If you can help out with any screenings or help promote for any of the existing screenings, please let me know and I'll get back to you ASAP.

I can't wait to head out on tour and spread the film around. I told y'all I was coming! Now I am. :)


Spiral

Good things. Past and Future

The premiere at the Manship Theatre here in my home town of Baton Rouge went incredibly well. It didn't just sell out, it overly sold out. Yep. 325 seats available but they had to add seating to 370. It was the best turn out for a film the Manship has ever had. I'm honored and flattered.

The feedback has been amazing. I know Lindsay can't work a shift at Whole Foods without a random person coming up to her and telling her how much they enjoyed her in the film. Random people at that. There were so many people there that were friends and family, yes, but there was also a whole other crowd that either always come to Manship events or have some sort of interest in the Trail, whether a family member hiked it or they, themselves, hope to hike it one day. Either way, awesome awesome night and awesome awesome feedback. People were touched and I appreciate that. Even a lot of tears! Everyone laughed at the right moments and cringed at the sight of others(You'll know what I mean when you see it).

What a way to kick off The Climb to Katahdin! I was fortunate enough to get a substantial amount of coverage for the premiere. WAFB interview and 225 interview. 

I have a few more screenings coming up in the near future that are getting some coverage as well. Baton Rouge Gallery's Movies on the Lawn August 23rd at 8pm for only 5 dollars is the next one. I am very much looking forward to this one. An adventure movie like TCtK is perfect for an outdoor screening. However, if the weather doesn't cooperate, it'll turn an unlimited number of admission to about 95. I'm hoping and praying that isn't the case despite the early Weather Channel prediction of 60%. We are working on getting pre-sales up so that if there is a rain out, people who purchase early can definitely get in. I'm predicting another huge turn out. Fingers crossed.

Aside from that screening, I have a few planned at my home school, Baton Rouge Community College in mid September. In addition, I'm trying to plan a few more out around the state to prepare for what's to come. What's to come? An eastern tour. I am in the early stages of setting up dates for October-November. I have contacted over 25 community colleges and a few outing clubs. It's already harder than I thought it would be as I have only heard back from a few contacts. That's okay. Just gotta keep positive. I know anyone would be happy to screen The Climb to Katahdin, it's just making the appropriate plans and dates for it to happen. I very much look forward to traveling and screening and seeing old friends and hikers. The tour will start heading into Florida all the way down to Miami then up to Charleston, SC. Then to NC and up to Pennsylvania. Then NYC and Maine. Then down along the Trail and a little of Kentucky. Then back to NC and Tennessee. Then home. I'd like to book about 30 showings and be on the road for roughly 35-40 days.

I am focusing in on community colleges, yes, but I'm hoping to show in more places than that. I'm open to many venues. I just want people to see it.

I have entered a few festivals that I'm waiting to hear back from. As far as distribution, I want to wait until after I get back and look deeper into it. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for this film to be on sale. I am just still building buzz.

In the meantime, so that I have something for fans, I am working on merchandise. We have some great TShirt designs, posters, bumper stickers, and prints of Lindsay's work that we'd like get made. It's just a little out of our price range at the moment. Oh, and the soundtrack, which I'm in love with and was getting asked about so much after the premiere. We are working on that too. Few things I'd like more than to have something for people who want to support the film but are unable to purchase the DVD yet. Give me a little more time.

Again, thank you to everyone reading this and who cares. It means a lot to us and we can't wait to show you the film!!!

Don't forget to Like us out on our Facebook Page.

Quick thanks to Josh Nee for his amazing work with his amazing flyers.

ONE MORE THING: I'll be on the Jim Engster Show Thursday, August 22nd on NPR discussing the film. I seriously am so excited about this. Yeah, it's local, but few things I love more than NPR. ALSO, I'll be on The Around Town TV Show this upcoming weekend. When these clips become available I'll post them(on Facebook first).

Pictures pictures:

PREMIERE:

 The line was twice this size.

 Chaser all ready for the big night!

 Flyer for the upcoming show

Credit to Josh Nee

 Flyer for the premiere

Credit to Josh Nee

 LOOK WHO CAME IN TOWN!

BELCH figuring out how to eat a Beignet  

 Happy birthday! We were in CT this time last year.

BRCC coverage

It's Official!!!

The premiere date for The Climb to Katahdin has been set! Thursday, July 25th at 7:00 pm at The Manship Theatre. Tickets are currently available at Shaw Center where the Manship Theatre is located and at their website, www.manshiptheatre.org.

I couldn't be more excited! It's been such a long, slow process. Put in this scene, take it out, put it back in and fix the audio. Now Color Correct. Burn to BluRay see how it looks. What are those flickers? Start the process over. But no lie, it looks and feels like a legit movie. It's basically what I envisioned doing from the very beginning. A dream has been reached. I've had plenty of friends and family view versions of the film and each one, no matter what stage, has come back with huge thumbs up. And they are honest thumbs. Not that "it's great for your first full length" stuff. The film takes you on a ride... well, a hike. It's got ups and downs. It's got laughs, cries, gasps, and even some gross moments. It holds as a legit Appalachian Trail film and the amazing feeling I get when I think about the tour and showing it up and down the Trail bubbles up and I can't control the excitement sometimes. People will respond well. I get to watch the feelings as they are being played out on peoples' faces. Few things more satisfying than getting the laugh right when you planned it.

Lot's of people ask how and when they can see it. Understandable question. I wish I had a good answer for you. This is my first venture like this to any degree. I don't know how slow these wheels turn. I don't know what kind of success I'm going to have at festivals. Don't know if someone will want to co-produce after seeing it and guide me along my way from tour to festivals to DVD/BluRays distributions. So many things still up in the air. All I know is the premiere is July 25th and the tour begins a month or two after that. From there all of my friends and Trail buddies who want to see it can. It requires help getting a crowd and somewhere to show it. I'll come to you. Ideally, 5 dollars a head so I can get to my next place and still have some money to donate to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Funny story about the ATC. I sent a version, a more unpolished version than the current one, to a fella who works there to screen it for the possibility of going on the road with it to raise awareness and funds for the ATC. They will be visiting roughly 20 theaters across the nation with an AT film that best represents the Trail and is family friendly. TCtK scored the highest and he was thrilled to see it. He said it was on the top of the list, no doubt about it. However, there's a crucial thing the ATC is pushing hard. That's "Leave No Trace".  No, we didn't go leaving a trace or anything, but one of the LNT rules is if you have a dog on the Trail, it must be leashed to you at all times with a leash no longer than 6ft no matter the local rules and regulations of a given section. Unfortunately, there is no way to fake Chaser's absence of a leash which is a real shame. He was on a shock collar the entire time which is basically a long, invisible, comfortable for all leash. No matter. The only downside is that I wish I coulda help the AT. Kids and adults alike with enjoy the film. I could see it representing them perfectly. No such luck. The only thing I ask of the ATC is that it doesn't hinder them from selling the film at the ATC store when it's ready for distribution. Let it be a lesson to all; if you are going to hike the Trail with a dog, put him on a leash. Especially if you plan on filming it. :)

Currently, the film is 95% complete. Still a little work to do. It should be 100% within the next two weeks as I still have a few tracks coming via A Bliss Abyss and a map that will be spliced in throughout. All things I wish I had months ago but they are out of my hands. In the mean time, I'll keep perfecting what I do have. Then, I gotta make flyers, try and contact local news sources, and get the word out more and more.

I hope you can make it to the premiere!!!

Did I mention I followed Caveman and Patch up to NYC to see them off on their huge Gulf to Gulf Odyssey adventure?

Hiker reunion! Even Pep Talk came!

 Miss me some Belch

 Sullllly

 Preparing for 5000+ miles

 Fake AT

 Good luck and be careful, guys.

 CM in DC

 We met a fellow AT hiker, coincidentally, on the Mega Bus to NYC. He's hiking this year. Trail name: Trout. Great guy. Got to hang with him a substantial amount in the Big Apple. Got to put out a little Trail Magic. 

 Mega Bus'in

 DFlap!!! Great host.

 Showtime!

Still Climbing... The Film

After starting with around 100 hours of footage from our 6 and half month journey, it has finally been chiseled down to under 2 hours. I'd say it was close to as hard as hiking the Trail itself. I watched so many things so many times over and over again so that I can bring you the best of the best. It's a shame and painful to cut so much. Not to say it won't be on the extras or YouTube in the near future after the release. However, as far as the thick of the film goes, it's now in a manageable spot. And the tough thing is, it's still not complete. There's a lot of tempo work. From where to put in crazy caterpillars to amazing sunsets. Transitions, fades, sound. All the things you won't notice that I will spend so much time on still needs to be added. Things I'll notice every time but you won't notice once.

This has been one of the most challenging things I've ever done. I remember when I first sifted through all the footage. I had my work cut out for me. But before that, building a computer than can handle such a load was a job in itself. Not to mention my actual job where I must make some money as compared to editing for hundreds of hours only hoping and praying the ends justify the means on the financial side. Creating this is going to be every bit worth it to me, that's for sure. But what I ultimately want to do with this film and where I want to go with it is big.

I foresee sometime this summer me going on a road trip to several Trail friends' towns to premiere. Thanks to Gerber, I now have a projector to feasibly show a film. There will have to be some serious planning as I hope to attract local hiking clubs and adventurers alike to these events. I hope to make enough to at least get me to the next spot while donating a portion to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. In addition to entering in film festivals and everything that comes with that. 

All these things enter my head but I haven't time to really look into it all. First things first, get the film completed. THEN set everything else up. Make something people want to see. If it takes longer, so be it. We all want this film to be great and that takes time, care, and thought. I honestly hope to have it ready for Trail Days this year in mid May but that's gonna be tough for two reasons; there's still a good bit to do, and because I'm so focused on creating, there's no time to set a venue up for a premiere. The most I can hope for is bringing the projector and some speakers, pass out some flyers, and a white sheet and set up near the bonfire and show it. How that will happen exactly, I don't know. But again, film first, logistics later. 

The film will be available within a year as far as at home purchases go. I gotta get it out there and get some reviews and hype. I can't wait to see where the film takes us. 

It was a year ago and 13 days since we left out. It's crazy thinking about all the NOBOs that are starting out for the last few and next couple of months. I'm excited for them. I look forward to meeting them at Trail Days. 

We still think about the Trail everyday. Don't think we'll stop. It's fun thinking about "where we were a year ago today" and reliving the days through memory.

I see The Climb to Katahdin is still getting a lot of page views. That's awesome. I hope this blog has helped and inspired others to take the leap and set the date for their own departure and and adventure along the AT. No matter what happens, you won't regret it. You'll always have "that". "That" being the feeling of being in the woods on a specific adventure with a clear beginning and ended with no-telling-what in the middle. Conquering mountain after mountain. Meeting friend after friend and using privy after privy. YOU did that. No one can ever take that away from you. Even if it's for a short while, you still get so much out of every step. 

Good luck and thanks to all. I appreciate your eyes on this page more than you know. I mean over 14,000 people(many multiple times, I realize) have looked at this site at one point or another. I'm truly flattered. Again, I hope you all love the film as much as you do the blog. 

As always, though sometimes few and far between, I'll keep everybody posted on the status of the video. If you "Like" The Climb to Katahdin, you'll get more ongoing information. Updates are easier than blogs. 

Updates and Sneak Peeks

The film is coming along nicely. It's a sow process but the ball is certainly rolling. I really wanted to give everyone a quick idea of what I'm working with so I created a teaser for the film to come. Be sure to set the quality to HD:

A Bliss Abyss is working hard at making beautiful music for the film. He's going to be adding a lot to this film and I am greatly thankful for that.

We've had some awesome coverage since we've been back at home and I wanted to share that with you too.

Radio Interview on Local Community Radio

Advocate Interview

Dig Interview (My personal favorite)

This is what we've been up to. Keep an eye on this page in the coming months. The film will be here before you know it.

We are now on YouTube at The Climb to Katahdin. (Obviously by the Teaser link) It will act as a major hub for footage not used in the film. I mean, I have all this footage and it can't possibly all fit into the film, yet you still deserve to see it... and so do the people in it. It will be free of charge. I look forward to that a lot. But movie first.

We are also on Facebook now to at The Climb to Katahdin. There will be a lot more updates there than here. Not everything deserves and entire blog entry.

PS. I still have my beard. I'm not sure if I'm the last of the fellow thruhikers or not. But it's pretty gnarly. I'm constantly getting Duck Dynasty comments.

 The editing station

 Chaser in front of our camp in Mississippi

The Beard. I'm measuring a disc golf basket.