It's been a hectic and adventurous summer for "Journey Home: On a Mission to Save a Species."
After relocating 3,400 miles to Washington State, I have just now been able to gather everything needed to get the film entered into a couple of film fests. The one I have a very good feeling about is EcoFocus Film Fest, in Athens, GA, where JH 2.0 is entered as a "family film." The other fest is a more art-cinema festival and I'm not sure how we'll do.
The general feedback on the film is good and almost everyone agrees it is a perfect "classroom" documentary. I hope so. I'd love to see it have a positive effect on young minds.
So, many of my blog followers want to know how to see Journey Home. That's simple... there are two easy ways to get a copy. One is through adoption of a turtle at Loggerhead MarineLife Center. All Premium adoption packages include a DVD copy of JH. Next, is if you are an educator, homeschooling parent, youth group leader, nature/wildlife club member or librarian. Contact me for a link to download the film for free.
Otherwise, you might have a bit of a wait before it makes it to your town via a film fest or free public screening. Come to think of it, there's only one free public screening that I know of and it'll be in Washington State.

Cheers,
- Rick W.

As I've worked on Journey Home - and, as I work on other productions - I'm being confronted more and more with questions about "how" someone goes about making an independent film for less than $10K.
The short answer is that you don't need more than an HD camera and a solid idea to make a film. The slightly longer version of that answer is that, if you want distribution...revenue...awards at film fests, well, then you'll need more than basic talent and a camera.
In some ways I feel I was lucky to not know some of the "facts" that I know now. The daunting nature of the various legalities, associated costs, logistical imperatives and certain necessary steps might have made me over think my plan to film my doc from scratch, by myself and raise the funding as I went.
I simply took my idea of wanting to film sea turtle rehab, got permission to film and started right-in on doing it. It never occurred to me that I had much to be concerned with.
Some lessons I would learn as i went along. During the original filming phase and post production of Journey Home (euphemistically called, "Journey Home 1.0"), I got it in my mind to score part of the film to a song I loved by recording artist Loreena McKinnett. So, having never done this sort of thing before, I took it upon myself to look up contact info for her recording label, write a detailed proposal for the usage and then ask if they could "donate" its use to the film.
Sounds crazy, right?
Well, it actually worked. The song "Dante's Prayer" was given special permission and licensing approval for (at least) the first wave of DVDs to be used by Loggerhead Marinelife Center. In all, it took five months of work, wonderful and considerate assistance from Quinlan Road records and a a bit of luck (though, some would say "sweet talking") to get it into the film. Sadly, the necessitated re-shooting of the entire documentary made it impossible to simply "re-do" the agreement. The song was dropped from the sequence (heck, even the sequence was dropped) and the new version of the film will have only original scoring by Mike White.
The next thing I came across was the fact that I wanted underwater footage of the turtles that was shot directly and not from the porthole in their rehab tanks. For that and a few other pieces of gear (all stuff that I had no preconceived notion I would need), I would need to raise money.
So, I Googled, "Raising funds for film." Lo and behold, there were websites to do just that. I settled on Kickstarter because I liked their business model and I felt like it would reach the maximum audience for "pledgers."
Kickstarter is a HUGE resource for independent and low-budget artists. Last year alone, projects on the crowd-funding website raised more than $319 Million. I will reiterate that for effect: $319 Million from people pledging mostly $10 here...$100 there...heck, Journey Home (1.0 and 2.0) raised slightly more than $4 K using Kickstarter. By the way, and this may surprise many of my fans (some of whom pledged on BOTH Kickstarter campaigns), the largest, single pledges came from absolute strangers who stumbled upon the project.
I can honestly say that without it, there would be no film.
When it came to legality, I again learned as I went along. There are a lot of resources online these days and I think I may have tapped into all of them when it comes to filming permissions, releases and distribution rights. My standard release form is simple and was modeled after a template provided for free on the On MY Block Films website.
Now, keep in mind I have worked on this doc for 15-months and none of these "lessons" happened overnight. I also sought out and read (so far) eight books on independent filmmaking and directing. When it comes to something you're passionate about, there is no such thing as "too much knowledge."
To that end, I am also currently enrolled in film classes at Indian River State College in their "film track" program.
AT some point, after I have the new, finished, 2.0 version of the film completed, I promise I will create a more in-depth "how-to" guide on this website. Because I want to inspire and encourage others to make films, tell unique and important stories and help change the world, I'm committed to sharing what I know.
Making a film is NOT an easy task. But, if it's done well, it impacts people to their cores.
With great filmmaking comes great responsibility...or something like that.

Cheers,
-Rick

The last scenes of primary footage were filmed today. In a 4.5-hour-long filming marathon, I was able to get footage of research, conservation efforts, educational programs and a few, last bits of medical care for a shark bit victim (turtle).
What this means is that the re-shoot for Journey Home, which started in September, now moves into post-production or the editing phase.
Journey Home 2.0 is a very amazing story...and one that is phenomenally different from the first, completed film.
I feel that I "lucked out" again in having the opportunity, not just to do it over, but to craft a stronger, more "timeless" documentary.
The newer story encompasses the global problem of saving a species as seen through the efforts of Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
I can say with 100-percent certainty that this would not be possible without the help and support of many, many people.
I wasn't a one-man band in doing this film. I'm still not.
I'm grateful for that.
As I have said once before, "now begins the hard part."

When I started filming "Journey Home" in October of 2011, I knew I'd see drama unfold during the course of saving the lives of sea turtles. I knew, too, there would be loss and sorrow.
For more than a year, I've seen triumph and tragedy play out too many times to count. As a filmmaker I think about how "lucky" I have been to capture these dramatic - yet not overly emotional - scenes.
Time and time again the most poignant scenes are the ones that illustrate just how directly - and, in some cases, adversely - humans impact the life cycle of these endangered species.
Sometimes it's the unintentional by-product of an industry, like commercial fishing or boat operation, but far too often it comes from ignorance and carelessness.
I have watched turtles die because of it.
"Journey Home" will carry the message of sea turtle awareness and education. In subtle scenes, viewers will see the results of litter, negligence and apathy on creatures who - if left unmolested - might have numbers so healthy as to no longer carry the "endangered species"  identifier.
There is only one chance at this and it is right now. If we fail in preserving and protecting sea turtles, they will vanish into extinction.
My philosophy while filming is simple: tell their story. It's not to "create" a story or "embellish" a story...it is simply to show others what I have been privileged to see.
Of course, as a visual artist, I hope to do it in a way that will be interesting and will have an impact on anyone who sees it.
What's more, you don't have to wait for the film to finish production. All of the information and tools to educate folks about the issues facing sea turtles are here - on the film's site. If you have other questions or want more information, visit Loggerhead Marinelife Center's website: http://marinelife.org/

Resumption of filming today meant testing out new gear in the "field" and solidifying the direction of the new film.
Along with an additional hour of raw footage, I was able to sit down with LMC staff and chart a course for the final bits of filming before Journey Home 2.0 goes into post-processing.
There will be a rapid succession of filming events and scenes at LMC over the next few weeks. I hope to finish primary filming by mid-January.
And, as insane as it might sound, I hope to deliver a completed film by the end of March.
This is a slightly-accelerated schedule but it is doable...and necessary.
Journey Home needs to be seen. It needs to be talked about. There is no time to wait.  Every day lost is a day we can never get back in the march towards extinction.

*Warning: Thar be preaching ahead!*

The real problem is that we don't see enough of ourselves in them. Sea turtles are easy to marginalize because of it. But that fishing line that snapped, the plastic grocery bag that accidentally flew out the window, that need we had to open up the boat's throttle because it's fun to do so...it kills them. The oil we spill, the encroaching beach side developments, those lights we need along every inch of road...we are killing them. And THIS MOMENT is that one point - that ONE MOMENT IN HISTORY - when we can save or doom an entire species.
I know it sounds "dramatic." I know there are species in more critical danger in places all over the world. But sea turtles CAN be saved. We just have to commit - as a whole society - to do something about it.
I'll exit my soapbox on that.... for now.

Cheers,
-Rick

Happy post-Thanksgiving for all of our American fans!
I thought I would take a sec and show you folks a "sneak peek" at some of the great new equipment that has already arrived.
I'll post new video soon!

Cheers,
-Rick

I sat down with LMC staff today to watch the finished film. To say I was on "pins-and-needles" is like saying the Earth is a little bit round.
You see, I've watched Journey Home from start to finish four times. Every time I watch it I still well up with tears at the "sad" part, get goosebumps at the "happy" part and generally just watch in awe of the amount of work that goes into saving (or trying to save) injured sea turtles.
It's at once inspiring and heart-breaking. But, much like a writer does after he/she finishes their work, I also see every little flaw...every "bad" audio transition...every "shaky" camera moment. So, truly, I had no idea how someone else would react while watching the film.
I feel better about it today, after sitting through a viewing with LMC staff. There was enough genuine "oohs and ahs" to let me know it is an excellent documentary. I think the high-fives were also well-placed.
This means a lot to me. I am actually very self-effacing. Very rarely do I finish a creative work and feel like it's "awesome."
Well, Journey Home is AWESOME.
So, as it stands now we're on target for a late-September premier at LMC (or early Oct.). I told the folks at the center that I'm more than game to be on hand for the first showings and sign copies of the DVD. I can't wait to see what people who are "new" to sea turtles think of it. Will it be too graphic...too sad...will it inspire them...will it give them a sense of hope???? ... I just have to wait and see.

Cheers,
-Rick

Done!
Journey Home is a film!
There are a few odds-and-ends that need to be done prior to its release...but the movie has been completed!!!!
Here are a few fun facts about the film...

Filming locations:
Fort Pierce
Hutchinson Island
Six miles off shore in the Atlantic
Ocean
Delray Beach
Juno Beach
Loggerhead MarineLife
Center

 282 Filming days

First shot: a fish tank in the LMC educational exhibit area (Oct.
11, 2011)
Last shot: “Poseidon,” a Kemp’s Ridley getting blood drawn (July
19, 2012)

Post production: 37 Days

I shot 24.5 hours of “raw”
footage.

I made 20 trips to LMC for filming (spending more than 50 hours at the center)

Original budget: $7K

Final Budget: $6 (slightly less than $6,000,
actually)

I drove 4810 miles to filming sites (mostly
LMC)

I used 138 gallons of gas during filming (for a cost of
  $483)

The bulk of the cost went to camera equipment, lighting and audio gear ($4,800)

More than $2,500 of the budget was raised via donations
  (Kickstarter)

Last fun fact: Facebook Friends in the final movie: 7! 

19 minutes and 25 seconds of the final film...complete!
There's still a lot of work ahead but the most "difficult" scenes to edit are now behind me.
My obvious problem is cutting the audio (being that I'm completely deaf in my right ear and have significant hearing loss in my left). I have to strain to hear the "highs and lows" of each track in the clip. Still, no matter how long it takes me, I do it.
Now, as I look at roughly half the completed film (and truly some very, very beautiful scenes), I think I can feel that slight tug of a smile at the corner of my mouth.
One interesting thing has been working on special effects in post production. Now you might be tempted to say, "wtf, special FX in a sea turtle doc???"...but - trust me - these additions work wonderfully in the segments. 
I would post more clips here but I'm going to make you wait for it. You don't have much longer to wait, though. I am on schedule to deliver the film by Aug. 25.

Cheers,
-Rick