June 2022 Update

It’s been three months since we succeeded in reaching our crowd-funding goal and I have been very busy. Here are some updates:

EDITING!

In my search for an editor, I made some great connections to talented editors but none of them aligned with our timeline and budget. They advised me that the most cost-effective path was to continue to edit myself, since I was already intimately familiar with the hundreds of hours of footage, while they are able to be consultants and offer great insights on story structure, pacing, and storytelling conventions to improve the film. Once we have the film structure completely secured (very soon!), then it will make the most financial sense to bring on a finishing editor to polish it up to achieve “Picture Lock”.

SOME MORE FILMING

While the newest edit was taking shape, I realized there were some important pieces of the film that were missing: some reenactment footage with our protagonists, and a concise explanation of the harms and impacts of fracking, as told by citizens and science experts. This perspective, powerfully articulated in government hearings, in peer-reviewed literature, and at conferences, needed to be spoken directly to the camera. So, I reached out to a variety of sources and scheduled a handful of shoots with citizens who wanted to share their story and knowledge. This is becoming a poignant section in the beginning of the film as the audience learns about fracking through the this chorus of voices.

We also filmed some reenactment footage to heighten the drama of one of the film’s major reveals. Luckily, I have some amazing friends that were able to help me:

NETWORKING AT MOUNTAINFILM

Last weekend I attended Mountainfilm, a documentary film festival in Telluride, CO. I was tremendously moved by the films I saw and the filmmakers I met. I attended many talks about the process of documentary filmmaking and I pitched my film to dozens of people who were instantly intrigued by the story. There was a lot of excitement about the film hopefully playing there next year. And I made lots of connections that will hopefully lead to more funding and promotion of the film.

I also fell in love with documentary film again. These true stories, sometimes filmed over decades, have an incredible power to have an impact with an audience, especially in a packed theater. The experience gave me a preview of the impact that Fracking the System will have when it is given to theaters of people for a screening tour.

INSPIRATIONS

From Mountainfilm, here are three films that changed my life: The Holly, The Territory, and Bad Axe. Look out for them and definitely watch them if you can!

Thanks to audio books, I am able to do a lot of reading. These books have been the source of a lot of inspiration for me in the last few months:

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet - A compilation of the teachings of the late Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh about the spirit of mindfulness and environmental activism.

The War of Art - A personification of resistance to creating and growing (ie- lethargy, self-doubt, etc.) and a declaration of war against that Resistance.

Wired to Create - A psychological perspective of the creative personality and a powerful validation (at least for me personally) of what it means to be a creative person.

Story - What it takes to make a good film/tell a good story, from the micro to the macro.

Big Magic - A metaphor for the spirit of inspiration and how to cultivate it, and great anecdotal advice about how to become a successful artist.

NEXT STEPS

I am finishing up edit number 12 of the film this week and I have feedback screenings scheduled starting next week! I will be testing the new structure, sections, voice over, music and pacing with fresh audiences. Meanwhile, I’m applying for grants and seeking Executive Producers to help finance the finishing of the film: graphics, archive licensing, color and sound design. These are unavoidably high cost items but luckily I have a watchable film that is proof of the investment.

Thanks to your support through the crowdfunding effort, I have been able to bring the film to this point. Now, it is ready to be shown to bigger funders, foundations, and networks who can get it ready for film festivals and wider distribution.

If you or someone you know wants to make a large donation for a producer credit and help cover the final finishing costs, please reach out to me directly at brian@brianhedden.com

Thank you again for your support of this film. I am more confident and excited than ever to make a tremendous impact with the film.

I’m looking forward to being in touch with another big update in the coming months!