PAH-Fest – Story Concept and Development, Thank-Yous

October 31st, 2009 dorothy Posted in News & Events | No Comments »

This project would not have been possible without the inspiration for the piece, Ann Herold’s ‘Winging It: My Year of Looking for the Insanely Beautiful, Life-Changing Birds of Los Angeles’, Los Angeles Magazine, March 2009. It’s a beautifully written story about the amazing diversity of terrain and wildlife in the greater Los Angeles area, and gets to the heart of what compels and resonates within bird lovers. I was touched after reading it, and also motivated to get out and start exploring/looking/listening.

When we found out we’d been selected to participate in PAH-Fest, we had 4 days to prep before shooting started. I contacted Ann with my story concept and got a prompt and enthusiastic reaction, along with excellent birder and location suggestions throughout the week.  We couldn’t have done it without her.

Below you’ll find the original proposal. One thing that became clear very quickly was that there is so much to this story that could be explored and told, way more than 5 days production and 6 minutes of film would allow. There was so much material we gathered this week and had to set aside/cut. We didn’t get to follow Ann, or any birders, around and learn their methods and hear their thoughts in the field. We weren’t able to really dig into the science and conservation themes. There is way more I’d like to explore there, as well as expanding on the human/bird connection and spiritual element.  So, this may grow into a bigger project, but should probably wait until our Flint Punk Rock doc is finished.

Others who made this project possible:

Christopher Coppola – For the PAH-Fest vision.  In a business, and world, full of battling egos and self interest, we can’t imagine a more inclusive, supportive, and down-to-earth experience.  We learned a lot, about production, about the creative process, and about team work.

The PAH Nation Team, and Sponsors - Managed the logistics with ease.  Provided all the tools and kept us fed!

The Madonna University gang – The heart of mobiflicks base camp.  Always there when we needed them (even at 3AM!)  What a pleasant surprise to have a bunch of Michiganders in the house!  Having just arrived in LA, it was so nice to be able to talk about Kensington Metropark, koegels, the Red Wings, and other home state favorites.

Arlyn - What can I say?  We got really lucky with Arlyn.  He provided the perfect combination of technical knowledge, process guidance, creative ideas, and support, and put up with Team Foust/LaRue’s occasional head-butting and differences in approach.  I can’t imagine how different the week would have gone without him.

Dana and Luis - More luckiness here.  My original idea for soundtrack was something in the vein of the RZA’s Ghost Dog soundtrack w/ a little DJ Shadow thrown in.  More time would have allowed us to play w/ incorporating that vibe, but this was a great opportunity to develop and exercise the flexibility muscles.  They got the tone I wanted to set for the film, right away -meditative, contemplative – and delivered multiple beautiful pieces for us to use.  The viola really lends itself to birds flying which was extra cool.

Martin - A real gift, on super short notice.   He is incredibly passionate about protecting the birds, their habitats, and the planet.  We had a great conversation for over an hour and that audio is instrumental in telling our story.  I am so grateful there are people like Martin who make it their mission to protect our precious resources and get other people interested.  I hope that we can go out into nature with him sometime and learn more about how to really look and listen.

Martha – Martha was very generous with her time and the information she shared.  I just showed up at the Audubon House here in West Hollywood’s Plummer Park and told her what we were up to and she agreed to be filmed.  She talked to us about local hummingbirds (much smaller than what we’ve seen in MI/MA/the Bay Area), the importance of native gardening, and good places to see birds this time of year.  She recommended Sepulveda Basin which provided us with great footage of water birds like herons, egrets, coots, cormorants, and more.  She’s got a fun and lively personality and clearly loves birds and nature.

The birds and planet earth -Humans are blessed to have access to the resources of the planet.  It provides us with air/water/food and energy and the ability to connect with the infinite wisdom, rhythm, guidance, and beauty of life.  That connection has always been strong for me, but this project reminded me how powerful and critically important it is.  And, as Martin and Ann both describe, birds give you faith in the resilience and potential of life.

PAH-Fest Mobiflicks Competition Proposal, October 2009

We will follow Ann Herold (‘Winging It: My Year of Looking for the Insanely Beautiful, Life-Changing Birds of Los Angeles’, Los Angeles Magazine, March 2009) (or another passionate and knowledgeable bird enthusiast) as she traverses Los Angeles, in search of birds. While shadowing her, we’ll delve into the history of bird species in the area, and learn about fascinating sub-topics such as: migration, extinction, predator and prey, and humans’ effect on habitat.

We will peek into private backyard sanctuaries, meet other birders, and hear what really inspires/compels them. In unlikely urban settings and remote canyons we’ll be delighted to glimpse birds in action. And we will observe the techniques and tools of the professional.

The diverse terrain of the city will be spotlighted through wide angle shots of habitats and intimate shots of the trees, shrubs, ground, and structures of the birds’ realm. And, for a city without major seasonal distinction, observing bird patterns and habits will provide a sense of that rhythm.

The sky in all its bright blue clarity, foggy intrigue, and pastel sunset splendor will serve as backdrop to capture the true distinction of the winged creature: flight. We will meditate (through narration, words on screen, soundtrack, and/or audio overlay of field recordings) on the freedom of this physical capability, the many interpretations (from crows’ dynamic acrobatics, to hummingbirds rapid work ethic…), and what humans think and feel while observing birds in flight (perhaps some narrated or textual quotes from Los Angeles naturalists on this.)