About this project

This project has been and will remain a labor of love. I have always been, like most, unappreciative (under appreciative?) of the non-superstar architect designer.  Between well known names of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and architects with names we will never know, there stand men such as Robert Mosher. 

I met Robert roughly two years ago when an international competition was held to install a permanent light display on the San Diego Coronado Bridge. I had traveled over the bridge more than once, and if you have visited or live in San Diego, it is hard to miss the bridge when walking around downtown. But I had never considered that the bridge was designed by anyone in particular, nor did I think of the amount of work that must have been implemented to create a such a structure. The bridge is over 2 miles long and requires a design which allows aircraft carriers to traverse the waters below it (among other things). So, I sought to develop a documentary relating to the Coronado Bridge and the light installation competition. 

NOT soon after embarking upon this quest, I was pretty much told by Robert that the project would not be a good use of my time. So, I dropped the project and worked on a variety of other free-lance projects, all the while thinking of Robert Mosher. I wondered "what does an architect have to do in his/her career to be appointed to design a mega-postcard-icon-bridge in a world class city?"  So, I started to investigate Robert's career and was both inspired and blown away. 

I sat with Robert and we discussed the idea of doing a documentary of his life. (this link provides a quick discussion of how the project came into being:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT5Wl7a27xo ). 

Robert's life and career meander through the last NINE decades in a very interesting, educational and entertaining manner. He has met and befriended a wide variety of people, all of whom would be worthy of having work prepared regarding their respective lives as well. 

An early trailer for the project, which is much more artistic in its impression, can be seen via this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYb4lEdMlmg . The idea was to create a "throw-back" trailer using a toy which most of us remember, illustrating a few of the many connections which Robert possesses. As I indicate in the trailer discussing how the project came about (link above), none of these connections are weak. Robert is directly connected to each image and there are stories regarding each as well.... and there are many more!

This is truly an invaluable American history story providing insight into the growth of a major US city (San Diego and La Jolla county) and aspects of an architect's life in relationship to clients, friends, family, hobbies and competitors. Architecture can be described as "life", as we all live within edifices which at one point were simply ideas in a creative mind, and through his or her mind, they are the environments through which we live. This is the story of one life and the time period through which he has lived for over 90 years. The concentration will naturally be the west coast, however, Robert's life takes us to Japan, New York, China and Mexico. He is the backbone of a story of 9 decades of history. Plus, Robert is one of a group of architects, from the 40s - today, who were/are responsible for the continued growth of American architectural modernism, and his link(s) and/or pedigree with regard to this philosophy is a fascinating "who's who" in the field.

Kickstarter was always one of my main targets to truly "kick start" this project. Due to Robert's variety of friends, colleagues and acquaintances, there are a large number of images, audio and film clip rights which I will have to purchase in order to have ownership for reproduction/distribution purposes. Plus, I would like to actually choose images for his project vs. the trailer above, which is comprised of any images I could find which may (or may not) be public domain. Furthermore, post production services and, in conjunction with obtaining photographs or film clips, travel will be necessary in order to comb through the archives of the various cities, businesses, newspapers and magazines needed to acquire appropriate media. 

Thank you for reading the project description. Thank you even more for helping  support this project. I feel it is a well welcomed and necessary piece, from an entertainment stand-point, as well as educational. This is where to KICKSTART!

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