Talmai Productions

Getting closer to the finish line

Sometimes not knowing the facts is actually good. Because if knew how hard it is to make a film I might not have ever started. Maybe it’s better that I never studied film making or writing or anything of that sort. I’ve learned a lot over the past three years, about Long Island surfing, the people, the places and just how difficult it is to make a film. Especially when all you have is yourself and minimal resources to work with.

But I’m a fairly stubborn guy. When I say I’m gonna do something I feel obligated to do it. So sometimes I wish I had kept my mouth shut.

Making A Hundred Miles to the end has been physically and mentally difficult. Lugging a heavy back pack with camcorder, telephoto lens and other equipment and carrying a heavy tripod a mile down the beach or hiking 20 minutes through the woods/brush and then having to climb down a cliff was hard. Thank God that many times there was a friendly surfer or two who asked if they could carry something for me. Thank God that when editing was getting so tedious that someone who heard about the project would give me some encouragement.

I might of set out to do this alone but I never could have done it without others, especially other surfers who like me have that inexplicable love for Surfing that only we Surfers really understand.

I actually had the film completed one month ago. Then I showed it to a couple of people who’s opinions I respect. One person in particular who is a Surf Film guru said, John you really did a good job for your first film but (uh oh) it’s too long. (it was 1hr 26min) You have to cut it down to 45-55 minutes. Now this has been the really hard part. How do I cut down the length without gutting the content. It’s been a challenge and I’ve had to make some hard decisions. Cutting down interviews even cutting out a couple and cutting down surfing footage. Combining footage of the same spot shot on different days with different lighting and weather conditions and trying to make it blend and not look patched together. Cutting out entire segments that I thought were fun but well it has to be done. So here I am about to work on the last section of the film and get it done. I’ll do it because it’s my obligation to myself, my family and to all of you who have supported me in this endeavor. And because frankly I love anything that keeps me connected to my love for Surfing.

Next time I’m gonna have a professional editor do the editing and I’ll do all the fun stuff. :-)

Aloha!

Hi everyone, I just launched the Kickstarter campaign for A Hundred Miles to The End. Please check it out and consider helping out with a pledge.You can donate any amount and some of the awards are pretty decent.

I can use all the help I can get to raise enough cash to manufacture DVDs,and get the film out. Thanks for your help!

Check it out here. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/269127659/a-hundred-miles-to-the-end-a-long-island-surf-film

Update

I’ve been silent for several months now. But I have been working on the film and I don’t like to post just for the sake of it. But here’s an update. I edited out the film and it was 1 hour and 26 mins long. I got some expert advise and was told it needs to be shorter. I felt the logic that was given was sound, so I’m editing the film down to be closer the the length that I was told would work better. It’s hard to let go of something you have labored on but I edited down the first segment of the film and I can see how it flows better and faster. So over the next 2-3 weeks I’ll finish the film and start work on the process of distribution. My plan is to premier it in the Smash NY Surf Film Festival in July (which screens mostly in NYC and Long Beach) and in some theaters  in central and Eastern LI. Sayville Cinema is one of the locations. I’m hoping to get a theater in Southampton or if not then in Sag Harbor. Plans are in work for a “Smash” Montauk location too. All of these shows will occur during the  last 2 weeks of July. After the theater shows start, DVD’s, Blue Ray’s and Digital (internet) will also be released. At least that is the plan but there’s much work to be done and I’m just one guy with zero experience at all of this, so if I don’t post much it isn’t because nothing is happening but because I’m working on it.

This summer’s gonna be epic. A Hundred Miles to The End is gonna Premier and I hoping that the MTK premier will be a major bash with food and drink and many of the bands from the film playing live after the film… Trying to work out the details and when I do I’ll make an official announcement.

I’ve been busy editing, getting music for the film and making some preliminary plans for live shows.

So far OoGee WaWa, Montauk Project, Mick Hargreaves, Dalton Portella, Ocean Road have donated some really great music. And I’ve spoken with Montauk Skyline, Walter Finley, Brandon Rizzuto, and some of others who want to contribute.

I have a couple more interviews that I’m looking forward to shooting, one with my life long surfing buddy Hubie VanMeurs and the other with “Hawaiian Ed”.