It was pretty chilly this morning (Florida chilly, that is) when I went out to the Ft. Pierce inlet to grab some B-roll. Conditions were great but a few quirky technical issues sent me home with kind of blah footage.
Tomorrow, however, aims to be pretty awesome!
LMC will be releasing a handful of hatchlings/wash-backs into the ocean.
Look for new pics and vids when I get back tomorrow night.
For now, here's a "sad" picture of Zoe. That's actually a salt tear you see...not a real "sad" tear.

Take care!
-RW

I love it when I head out with nothing more in mind than to shoot
some B-roll and next thing I know, I’m filming one of the most meaningful
sequences of the entire documentary.
 That was today for me.
 I expected to spend some time filming the turtles in their tanks,
maybe some close-ups of Trace (since he never seems to want to sit still for me)
and be glad to have some more footage in the
can.
 It wasn’t long after arriving at LMC that I learned Zoe was going
to be cast in orthodontic plaster to create a mold from which a brace for her
broken shell will be manufactured.
 Two staff members from a local dentistry came out to perform the
unique procedure, while center staff
assisted.
 Now, remember, Zoe came in to the center on the edge of death. In
fact, center staff was reluctant to say that the turtle might even survive that
first night. “She” (truth is, it could be a male or female. It’s notoriously
difficult to sex sub-adult sea turtles) had been hit by a boat propeller, her
carapace slashed open and suffered internal damages. There was a moment when
euthanizing her was a viable option.
 I filmed her the day she came in. I spent time on Zoe’s footage
because I was appalled at the damage wrought by human
hands.
Zoe defied the odds and was still alive and fighting the next
week when I came to film again. It was, however, still unclear if she was
  paralyzed from the injuries.
As the weeks have turned into months, I see Zoe every time I film
at LMC. She needs plenty of care and is being tube-fed but Zoe is a real
survivor.


So, it came as little surprise today, when I filmed them trying
to remove the dried plaster, that Zoe fought with the strength of a turtle twice
her size. Her spirit, her will to survive…it put a smile on my
  face.


In the end, the mold has been successfully cast and Zoe will take
another great step towards recovery.

Video of her putting up a fight will be posted shortly.

Cheers,
-RW

So, tomorrow I plan to head out to the center and do some filming. The holidays were fun but, truth be told, all I did was think about the film.
One of the things that I am currently working on is the opening sequence and production logos. This is not nearly as easy as it might sound and already I have four "working" versions of the first 20 seconds of the movie. There will be more...I'm sure.
Otherwise, things in "Journey Home" land are doing good. I just completed a shot list for this week and and giddy at the prospect of having some help with the pro

May the spirit of the season find you in good health and happiness!

Sorry this one's short but I got an unexpected call from the center that they had a new rescued turtle come in today. Another green, with boat strike wounds and other issues. The staff named it:  "Eggnog."
There's a new vid down at the bottom of the "Stills and Video" page. Check it out!
Peace,
-RW

To be honest, I haven't been following a singular sea turtle for this film. I basically followed every new rescue that came in to LMC since November.
Zoe, came in with a huge gash in her shell. She (or he, really) was once thought paralyzed in the rear flippers from the injury.
I watched her today. She's fiesty...and loves to swim! Zoe, it appears, is doing fairly well given the circumstance.
Here's a short video clip of her from today...

I'm off to do some more filming here shortly. Thought I would blog before I headed out so it might give you an idea of the creative process.
Before heading out to LMC, I checked with center staff to see what animal care proceedures were going take place this afternoon. There's a few small medical proceedures and normal upkeep. While that may not sound like much, it's exactly what I need right now. A lot of the story will be told visually, so, all of the little details are important to get on video.
When I get back tonight you can expect a clip or two to be put up later.
T

I awoke to great news this morning, the fundraising goal has been reached and there's still nine days left until the deadline! It just blows me away.
The funds will go primarily to post-production (printing, burning and packaging). I think I may have enough to pick-up and underwater HD camcorder as well. :)
I am so truly grateful for the support and how it will directly impact the quality of the finished product.
I still can't talk about the music deal in the works, but, it is now in the hands of the singer/artist herself to give it a "yes

OK, now I am calling in all hands to help secure funding for the film! 12 days left!!! Eek! Please visit the site below, pledge or re-post EVERYWHERE! Together we can do this!!!!

Sometimes, the strength of a certain segment of footage escapes you until you see it scored with a powerful musical track. I just finished cutting a segment like that. The final result is so powerful, it nearly brought me to tears.
I'm hoping that's a good sign. ;)

Cheers!
-RW