Dear Westerly Supporters,

It's been a while! We've been working on the edit, though as is so typical in this game, it's taking longer than expected. Partly because we shot a truckload of footage, but mainly because the story is still unfolding. In post-gender reassignment terms, and as Westerly points out, she's really still in transition (her surgery took place in December 2012). In February she was featured on "7:30," a national current affairs program in Australia -- that was a big deal for Westerly, as well as for our project! We will be editing through the summer and finishing by end of year. Thanks for all your continued support. Below are some frame grabs from the edit. Enjoy.

All best,

The Westerly filmmakers

Dear Westerly Backers,

Thanks once again for your support. The film is coming along well. We spent the final months of 2013 in the editing room. It's a real joy and education working with our editor, Victor Livingston. He's a monster of the documentary form, and it came across in his every cut. We currently have about half the movie done. It's looking really good. There's great archival stuff of Peter Drouyn heaving up and down on shimmering waves in Mauritius, South Africa, Japan, and Indonesia. There's a surreal hospital in Bangkok that's straight out of an S&M fantasy, mini-skirt-clad nurses gliding through the halls on rollerblades, a plastic surgery wing that looks more like the cosmetics floor of a high-end department store. We're chasing down some of our final interviewees. Once we get them we'll go back into the editing room and get the thing done.

So that's the lowdown. Again, thanks so much.

Dear Friends,

First, let us say how grateful we are for your support on the Westerly film. Without you we would not have been able to move forward with the project. It's great to know that there's so much interest in Westerly's story.

The project has been moving along excellently. In December, Westerly traveled to Bangkok for her surgery. As most things go in "Westerly World," it was not without great drama. We would love to tell you about it in detail, but it's probably best that you wait for the film. Peter trained as an actor and had an intuitive feel for set up and pay off, bait and switch, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. Westerly has inherited this gift. Enough said.

In February, Westerly attended the Surfing Australia 50 Year Awards, a red carpet gala full of that country's greatest surfers from the last half century. Westerly was the star of the evening. She absolutely radiated. It was fascinating to see her interact with Peter's surfing rivals from the '60s and '70s. Three-time women's world champ Stephanie Gimore might have fallen in love with her.

We documented both of these events. We think you'll like what you see.

We are presently deep in the edit with Victor Livingston. You might know Victor's work. He edited Crumb, Bukowski: Born Into This, The Queen of Versailles, and many more. He is a monster, and we are thrilled to be working with him.

When will we be finished? Hopefully in the late fall. We promise to keep you posted.

Again, thanks for all your support.

Best,
The Westerly Filmmakers

Below: 

- Westerly with her best mate Mal Chamers on the Gold Coast

- Derek Hynd & Jamie, post interview nosh in Byron Bay

- Jamie, Alan and Victor burning the mid morning oil in the editing room back in Los Angeles

Thank you so much to each and everyone of you. We are so happy to have reached our goal and we will continue updating you with our progress over the next few months.

Much love,

team Westerly

For those that dabble digitally we are also on Facebook and Twitter:

http://www.facebook.com/westerlythemovie

https://twitter.com/westerlymovie  (@westerlymovie)

So please come be our friends and followers and keep up with the latest news from us and our supporters. 

Oh, and with 3 days to go we are very thankful and grateful to you all, please keeping sending new friends our way.

Sending a huge THANK YOU to our fantastic supporters!