Check Out Teaser 2 Here:

Why Rallying?

Rally is a beautiful sport. Both from the competition and machinery standpoint - but also from the landscapes the sport visits. The U.S National Championship alone visits snowy forests, high desert, rolling mountains and has stages with a view of the Pacific Ocean and ones literally underneath Mt. Hood. There is no other sport quite like it. As far as I know, nobody has ever made a film about it either - Bizarre!

The majority of drivers, even worldwide, have to spend quite a large chunk of their own money to compete. Huge sacrifices are made to engage in a motorsport that will consistently beat you down, and there is no chance of winnings either. This isn't NASCAR.

The Story:

I started this film following a couple of characters. Chris Duplessis - one of the fastest young North American drivers, and Ken Block - a man who needs no introduction. Two different people with very different stories, but with surprisingly similar challenges. At first that was it, but now I've started to branch out to other drivers, including more top talent from the World Rally Championship, as well as other international amateurs. The goal of this film is to show the personal challenges and stories of each driver as they each try their hardest to compete in such a challenging sport. As well as showcase both the front, and behind the scenes action that makes the motorsport world turn.

I'd love to include other characters outside my sphere of connections. If you know of anybody living with their parents in Brazil to compete once a year in their busted old Peugeot... Let me know.

The Financials:

The idea for this film started in late 2010. Then in 2011 I got pretty busy working for Rally America, the largest U.S sanctioning body, and focused my time at events producing their video assets. This year I wanted to focus on the film, and ensure it got made. Also this year some of the films characters are getting the attention they deserve and making their way into the World Rally Championship. Stories that need to get told are unfolding and we need to be there to cover them.

I've already put a few bucks of my own money, about $10,000 into the film. Mostly in travel and ancillaries. Lucky for me (and you!) I already own a raft-load of high end production gear that I get to use for free. A RED Scarlet package, a bunch of Canon DSLR's, 2 complete custom camera lifting RC Helos and a 90 mile/hour custom cable cam. When I'm not out on other peoples projects my gear just sits here. It might as well help make one of the best motorsports films ever.

This isn't a "Hey, give me money so we can do this thing!" It's a "Hey, I'm already doing this awesome thing, help me make it even better". I think that's an important distinction.

BUT - The wife wont let me mortgage the condo, and so to take this thing to the next level I need some help with the things I can't afford. I need more people, good people, to help with the camerawork since I can't be everywhere at once. I need an excellent DI Colorist for the final finish to make everything sing. And ideally, I need a couple Phantom (That's a really high speed camera, for super slow motion shots for the un-initiated) rental days and full size helicopter days too. I've illustrated the three big needs below.

Here is how a film like this roughly breaks down:

It's all fun and games buying plane tickets until you have to load 11 bags onto the only United flight that goes where you want, at $150 each bag, each way. Yipes.

Bonus, I have 2 custom aerial RC platforms I've been using, so for a lot of the aerial shots in the film there is no cost. But sometimes, the only tool that can get the job done is a dude hanging out the door of a late 70's whirlybid. If we exceed our Kickstarter goal by a metric ton, then we will go Cineflex  and turbine here for mindblowing swoopy shots, but at $29,000/day give or take, you'd have to tell ALL your friends. Otherwise, I will just risk life and limb and in old Robinson. No worries.

I know a real good one. It's still expensive though. Bonus, I have a week of rental on a high speed camera booked. So think of it as saving you $8,850 already.

Music Licensing: $4,200: Good music costs money, and it should, and nobody really likes listening to stock music. This is one area that if we able to exceed the goal, more money will be spent.

The rest will be spent on post production time, renting color grading suites and the like. I should state the total amount of this film is heavily offset by myself, both in time, and production gear.

The goal is $47,630. That will take the film to the next level. But I'd like to exceed that goal. Anything over the goal will just enhance the film that much more. Another day of high speed, another day of helicopter. Maybe another trip to visit a Moroccan taxi driver who has dreams of co-driving some day. Everything helps.

Is $47,630 enough to make a high end cinematic film? - Technically, no. You can blow that on one helicopter day and a night at the bar with the crew. But, since I'm working for free, and lifting the lions share of the load - I think I can deliver some great results. Plus, the films already partially done, and we have some additional corporate backing to make sure it comes to fruition. Think of your donation as a advanced pre-order, that helps us raise the project up a few steps.