About this project
Asheville's derby team, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, have captured the spirit of our community with literally thousands of fans coming to their games. I filmed the team during an entire season as they went out for the Womens Flat Track Association of America, which is like the major leagues in the roller derby world.
What amazed me when I went to that first bout was how many fans they had, with more than 2,000 people in attendance, so many people showing up the fans were lined out the door.It was then that I realized just how big derby was getting.
But that wasn't why I made this movie. When I first got introduced to the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, I was working on a short piece about the team and got to meet some of the personalities that make up Blue Ridge. And what I noticed was how empowering roller derby was to these women. I noticed the duality of how a player was one way on the track and another way in their regular life.
It was that sense of duality and empowerment that became the theme of, "Kill as a Family." The title, also a play on duality, stems from the Blue Ridge Rollergirl's cheer that they use to pump themselves up, there cheer often talking about how they will play as a family, they fight as a family and how they will, "kill as a family."
I am not a sports fan, and would never imagine following up my circus documentary, "Tearing Down the Tent'" with a sports film. But for me this movie was never about the sport, but about the personalties that make up the team and how driven they are to become the best they can be.
Our film production lasted nine months, filming practices that lead up to the teams first bout of the season and following them through the last bout and all the struggles, friendships and heartbreaks along the way.
This is an amazing group of women and with our editing the film we can let people know their story and see a glimpse into why derby is such a powerful sport that make women stronger individuals. It often provides women the family they were looking for and the confdence they need to be a stronger personality.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
17
Backers
$610
pledged of $500 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on August 9, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Receive e-mails updates on editing and eventual distribution of "Kill as a Family."
Pledge $15 or more Pledge $15 or more
Previous rewards and be listed on the movie's credits and web site, plus tickets to the eventual DVD release party. (Backer must make their own travel arrangements
Pledge $30 or more Pledge $30 or more
Previous rewards, plus tickets to the premiere screening of "Kill as a Family," to be held in the Charlotte area. (Backer must make their own travel arrangements)
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Previous rewards, plus a signed copy of the DVD once it is released. We will also put your photo on the web site with a caption reading "This person is freaking awesome."
Pledge $60 or more Pledge $60 or more
Previous rewards, plus the opportunity for a 30 minute Skype conversation with members of the film crew.
Pledge $70 or more Pledge $70 or more
Previous rewards plus the opportunity to have your personal roller derby story included on the web site and in the DVD extras. The film crew has the right to refuse inclusion based on content and videos must not exceed 3 minutes.
Pledge $80 or more Pledge $80 or more
Previous rewards plus a ticket to a Blue Ridge Rollergirls bout in Asheville with a chance to meet the team featured in the movie.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Previous rewards plus listing as an executive producer on the film in the movie credits.
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
I worked as a reporter for 10 years, covering anything from interviews with NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rusty Wallace to a red carpet event with Owen Wilson and Cheech Marin.
I worked for five years at one newspaper, the Independent Tribune, where I covered the cops and courts beat for the daily newspaper with a circulation of 20,000 plus.
I left the Independent Tribune in September 2007 to go into filmmaking and my first feature film was a documentary about the circus I traveled with as a child. The movie, "Tearing Down the Tent," focuses on the Cole Bros. Circus, which my grandparents used to work in. I am a third generation circus traveler who became a repoter before going into filmmaking.
I am currently working on my my second documentary focusing on a local roller deby team, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls in Asheville, N.C.
I will be working on my third feature film, a road trip documentary about the band Hellblinki Sextet, who I will film when I go on tour with them to promote, "Tearing Down the Tent."
