Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Score!





Director Michael Brown spent last week in Los Angeles scoring High Ground. Michael says "Today a 33 piece orchestra played music that a composer created based on the story we edited from our trip to Nepal". I asked Michael how he is feeling about the progress of the film He says "Every day this project takes us in new and surprising directions. Coming home from war is not what I ever expected. I thought veterans would be happy to be home - they can now move on, get great jobs and get on with their lives better equipped than ever before, or so I thought. It turns out that war was the most amazing intense experience that anyone can have. Being home is boring, no job makes any sense...nothing back at home makes much sense once someone has been at war."

The challenge in scoring a film is to take those thoughts and feelings that Michael talks about and translating that into emotion on the screen. We're fortunate to have some Hollywood muscle in Executive Producer Don Hahn who has helped line up some big time musicians. In an email, Michael said "Yesterday a guy who has played guitar on more than 600 of our favorite films played music for our little film! Next week we will be in the land of Star Wars at Skywalker Ranch mixing sound".

Soon we will know if the committees in charge of film festivals see the value of this story

By John von Seeburg
Photos Courtesy of Serac Adventure Films

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Soldier Update: Steve Baskis


Climbing Lobuche was not Steve Baskis' first big summit, nor has it been his last. Since losing his eyesight in combat three years ago, Steve fell in love and is married, and has competed in half Ironman events. Prior to the Soldiers to the Summit Expedition a year ago, Steve climbed 17,126 foot tall Iztaccicuatl, the 7th highest peak in North America. This past summer, Steve was joined by journalist Brian Mockenhaupt on a climb of 19,341 foot high Kilimanjaro. With Brian ringing the bell for Steve together they reached the roof of Africa. Great job guys!


Photo Courtesy of Brian Mockenhaupt.
By John von Seeburg