Is “project pedal” the name of the documentary? No, the working title for the documentary is “Pedal”, for proposes of this website and promotional materials it’s referred to as: Project Pedal.
How are you going to shoot it? Mostly in high-definition with a special HDV35 kit [which, to give you a better idea, is a step up from a mini35 kit], we’ll also be packing 30-minutes of 16mm stock to carefully use at select moments.
The crew of four will have an extended-cab pick-up truck with a utility rack/ platform, a bicycle with a low-trailer attached, and an inflatable raft all at their fingertips. This should allow for a number of different [traveling] point-of-views.
What are we planning on doing with the final film? Well, distribution for the documentary is going to branch off in two directions - as soon as the film is finished, we'll begin selling special DVDs on the website to the readers (including all kinds of bonus materials). But at the same time we will be putting it into every film festival we come across.
The ultimate goal is to have a good run in a few indie-friendly theaters - the plan, to be perfectly honest, is simply to take it as far is it can go, we really believe the film is going to be amazing and we're ready to do everything we can to make sure as many people as possible get a chance to see it.
the long and winding road: For me, the bike trip and the process of making a film, are essentially one in the same. Biting off more than you're sure you can chew. Setting out to accomplish something that scares you, something that might, in the end, better who you are. And help you, slowly but surely, realize you're potential to meet any overwhelming [seemingly unrealistic] goal you set for yourself... eventually.
This site is an attempt to capture that uphill struggle of making an independent film, from preproduction to distribution, and every exhausting and painful [but incredibly rewarding] little step along the way.
long term purpose: eventually this site will evolve from preproduction into the actual filming, I myself might be too busy riding to post regularly, but other writers will be introduced onto the site as they join the crew, hopefully we will have the capability to keep our readers up to date daily on the events of the trip, including sneak peeks at raw footage and stills from infront of-- and behind the camera.
Then of course the site will follow the film into post-production, covering the progress of editing.
This production blog is a very personal and in-depth look at the making of an independent film.
For Thousands of Miles is a film about the long term shift in perspective after traveling alone, for thousands of miles, by bicycle from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic ocean. The goal of this film is to share people's reasons and motivations to leave everything behind and to understand what they each take away from their overwhelming and painful journeys.
64 Days is a behind-the-scenes video series shot during the filming of 'For Thousands of Miles' in the summer of 2007.
We try our best to update this blog weekly with, not only written posts, but also video posts, keeping followers up to date on all progress and news pertaining to the making of this film.
A lot has changed since first posting the original 'how much will cost' breakdown almost four years ago.
Firstly, the saying "everything cost twice as much as you budget", is *kinda* true: Pedal originally was supposed to cost around $10,000. Having just finished production, it's safe to say the film is pushing $35,000... still cheap for a film, but more than we first expected. Part of this, well almost 90% of this, is because originally the idea was to bike ourselves across the country, and document it with little cameras and just "see what happens". Obviously that isn't the approach we took after careful consideration and years of planning.
Now we are deep into post-production, with (at best) a years worth of editing ahead of us (don't quote me on that). Which requires hard-drive space, pick-up shots, 16mm film processing, travel, time, more hard-drive space, lots of writing, software... to name a few.
Making a donation to the project will greatly help us afford the time and equipment we need to finish the film! Thank you for your support!
how much will it cost?: Typically, it's assumed that a page of script equals a minute of the final film, and a minute of the film requires around an hour of filming, and all together this cost about a thousand dollars per minute of the movie. Barry Hampe, the author of several documentary "how-to" books and director of over 150 documentary films, found that from experience the average cost per minute was closer to the $1,700 mark. The range peeked at $3,800 per minute, and $400 per minute for a low-budget film in house production.
So, taking this into consideration, and the fact that I'm setting the budget goal at 9,000 dollars, the bike documentary should bottoming out [financially] after 15 minutes. And just in case some of you are wondering, no, I do not plan on compacting ninety-some days into a handful of minutes. But there is still hope: My plan, my goal, my only shot is to model rare and independent films such as Primer, which only initially cost $7,000 grand total [I say "initially" because the version seen in most cinemas has had approximately $1 million of post-production work and promotion behind it].
If you see something that seems inefficient or unnecessary please speak up, we are always looking for new ways to do more with less.
what's in it for you? Well, it might not sound like much, but for starters each individual who donates / funds project pedal in any way, shape or form, will see their name in the closing credits. But most importantly, you'll be part of a mechanism that helped push a small independent film up an impossibly steep and slippery slope.
how to help your friendly neighborhood indie-filmmaker: first; decide how you're willing to help... if it's a monetary donation, please click on the 'donate' button above.
If you are interested in donating equipment that might be valuable to the film's production, please write us before hand to let us know you're plans and we will gladly pay for shipping.
If you own equipment that you would be willing to rent / loan to our production, please contact us first to discuss the details.
If you are unable to help finically - take a moment to help spread the word about Pedal, word of mouth goes a long way with indie projects.
Michael Ambs 10907 Magnolia Blvd. Ste#295 North Hollywood, CA 91601
behind the scenes: This teaser trailer was filmed sometime during May of 2004, none of the footage in the trailer is from the actual bike trip or the documentary. Cont'd...
the reality of each position: regardless of your position's importance, each crew member will be treated as an equal. Each will be expected to participate in overall daily responsibilities, such as driving, setting up camp [if needed], and so on...
looking for: proj: pedal's crew will essentially consist of four key people: the sound mixer and boom operator / this vital person records audio during filming [and if needed, records wild track or natural sounds]. Must be able to record voices in a noisy situation so that they are clear and well separated from any background noise.
note: the original budget allotted for DAT recording equipment and [thousands of hours of] DAT tape, due to budgetary restrictions, we are planning on recording all sound trough the camera, but with the aid of wireless mics, boom-mics, and other professional sound capturing equipment. In no way do we plan on-overlooking the importance of audio in this film, when it comes down to it, I believe the sound-quality is far more important than the image-quality.
Note: The other three out of four crew-positions (the DP, Camera assistant and the Grip) have been filled, please do not apply for them, thank you.
the application process: If you are seriously interested in this position, and willing to commit three months of your life [without pay] please email a resume to mike@projectpedal.com [please type: "proj:pedal resume" as the subject line], or mail it to the address listed below. Also, when sending your resume, please include a short personal [cover] letter explaining the reason(s) behind your interest. Please keep in mind, when applying, that your motivation and character are far more important to me than your past experience.
Michael Ambs 10907 Magnolia Blvd. Ste#295 North Hollywood, CA 91601
What is preproduction? The preproduction process is crucial to a documentary's success. "Failure here sends you out on the wide ocean in a leaky boat with no charts and few provisions."
"It is not the will to win that's important. It's the will to prepare to win that really separates those who wish and dream from those who make it happen". - Dick Tomey
three easy steps... Project pedal's preproduction has largely consisted of myself wondering, "what steps am I suppose to take, and more importantly, what order am I suppose to conduct them in"?
Step one: buy a book that will hopefully help me make sense of my mess. Finish reading book, and find that now, my mess has tripled, due to the book bringing to light about a hundred details I was overlooking.
So, step two: Take a deep breath and remind yourself: "one baby step at a time". By a three-ring folder and, like an anal-retentive dork, fill it with color-coded folders separated by budget, funding, script drafts, storyboards, etc...
And finally, step three: realize that preproduction is mainly a juggling act, and that learning to multitask like a madman is the best and possibly only solution for a first-time indie filmmaker.
preproduction's deadline: The bike trip itself is scheduled to leave the 26th of May, 2005. Whether filming will begin a few days before is still undecided. On a side note, the 29th of May will mark the four year anniversary of my first cross country bike trip.
[update04/10/05]: Production has been rescheduled for May 26th, 2006. Related post: "change of plans..."
behind the scenes: This teaser trailer was filmed sometime during May of 2004, none of the footage in the trailer is from the actual bike trip or the documentary.
Before the bike trip documentary was even set in stone; Chuck, Amanda and myself loaded the bike on the back of our car, and grabbed the canon for a road trip. The plan was to hit several different corners of L.A. in a day's time, giving us a variety of backgrounds and landscapes: dessert / ocean / forest / etc...
We spent most of the day driving, piling out of the car every two hours to ride / tape for twenty minutes. Unfortunately we ran out of sunlight before we got any footage of camping, so the trailer turned out fairly repetitive.
watch the [mock] teaser trailer for project pedal: small / medium / large QuickTime trailers may take a few moments to load, depending on your connection speed.
Music is a huge, huge, huge part of this project. Music is one of my main sources of inspiration, picking out what’s right, I have a feeling, is going to be the hardest part of this film.
So, if you know a great indie band, or have a kick-ass song you think would be perfect for Pedal (doesn’t have to be indie, by the way); it would be awesome to hear from you!
Also, I have Peel on almost all day when I’m working/writing/relaxing, so if you have a favorite music blog, email or bookmark the url for us.
If you suggest a song that is used in the final film; we'll add your name to the credits :)
Note: This 'Wish Mix' Last.fm widget had to have 15 playable / preview'able songs in the playlist for the embed option to turn on, so I just added a handful of Sigur Ros to get the ball rolling. As people recommend music that I think fits, I'll add it to the list and eventually take out the filler.
Coming Soon, no seriously, I'm really working on this, I promise: this page is, of course, still under construction - but for the time being you can sift through the crew's past work and experience here, or here at their new website: The Black Sheep.
Please download and use these to spread project pedal to potential new readers/ fans. Simply right-click & choose "save link as" on the thumbnail to download a full-size PDF version. Also, more designs are always welcome!
We *heart* Vimeo, and we're big fans of their "hubnut" widget (above), it's always updated with all our episodes, and best of all, you can scale it to fit in your sidebar, a blog post, or anywhere else you'd want :)
Just copy the code below & paste it where ever you want it go.
Add Pedal as a friend on one of these online video sites:
You can bookmark 'Pedal' with AddThis! Which work with almost every social networking site out there (Technorati, Del.icio.us, Google, Reddit, Yahoo!, Shadows, Bloglines, you name it).
It's not news to anyone that your average film requires the imagination, hard-work and collaboration of many, many talented people. The usual block-buster hit runs a credits list over a hundred people long...
But for an independent film, the list of people directly involved generally ranges from 5 to 15... there are no deep-pocketed production companies on the sidelines supporting the film's every expense, there's no craft food services keeping the crew-members full and energetic, there's no solid foundation for the film to build from. At any moment the whole project could collapse in on it's self without a moments notice.
Which is why project pedal needs all the help it can get, here a few easy ways that anyone can help push this film in the right direction:
spread the word word of mouth goes a long way for independent films - help generate attention and interest in project pedal by...
* Add a project pedal link to your website and a link to your e-mail signature...
* Put a link to project pedal in your signature of a message board you frequent regularly [film or bicycle related boards would probably have the most effect].
* Print a stack of flyers and leave them somewhere accessible to people. For example, if you're a college student, leave them by your dorm's door. If you work in an office, leave them in your mailroom [get permission if necessary].
make a donationWhat's in it for you? Well, it might not sound like much, but for starters each individual who donates / funds project pedal in any way, shape or form, will see their name in the closing credits. But most importantly, you'll be part of a mechanism that helped push a small independent film up an impossibly steep and slippery slope. cont'd...
feedback - feedback - feedback we are always interested in what our readers & supporters are thinking regarding the film - the trip & any details in-between...
* You can email me directly by clicking on the "contact" link to the left of the page's post-area, or if you would like to send me a letter via snail mail, you can send it to:
Michael Ambs 10907 Magnolia Blvd. Ste. 295 North Hollywood, CA 91601
* Also, at the foot of every post, you'll notice a small grey-speech-bubble with the word "comment(s)" next to it, if you click on this link you can share your thoughts on that individual post or begin an ongoing conversation with myself & other readers. It's a quick and easy way to let us know you're there and interested...
spread the word Word of mouth goes a long way for independent films - help generate attention and interest in project pedal by... cont'd...
donate / fund The reason we use both "donate" and "fund", is not to hassle you twice as much, but an independent film often desperately needs things that, yes, money can buy, but if you're willing to donate [lend / rent] equipment that might be sitting around collecting dust in the attic, then that generosity eliminates the middle man. cont'd...
Special thanks to the following people, who have, in one way or another, generously shown their support for this project. I couldn't begin to express what your interest means to me, so I will simple leave it at this: I won't let you down. Thank you again.
1. Samantha Davenport 2. Adventure Cycling Association "inspiring people of all ages to travel by bicycle" 3. Bonnie & Brian Romig 4. Andrew of 'Get Me Online' 5. BicyclingWorld.com "the world's largest collection of bicycling tours found in one place" 6. Clif Bar "a great-tasting, convenient source of energy for any activity"
note: if you would prefer your name not be listed, or find it is spelled incorrectly, please contact me by email.
This is an overall collection of post, slideshows, and footage (both cut & un-cut) from our 2005 bike trip along the pacific coast. If it had anything to do with our trip on any level, you'll be able to find it here. I'll try my best to keep this collection as up to date as possible as long as you keep checking in on it.
--- post ---
why am I still awake at 2 in the morning? This has to be quick - because, as you can tell from the title, I'm up much later than I should be. What to expect in the next few days... cont'd
day five Sorry it's been so long since my last post - I stopped by the library in Santa Barbara to update everyone where we were at and how we were doing, but there was a ten minute max on the computers with internet access and on-top of that, it took three minutes alone for the browser to load the blogger page... cont'd
day nine I'm at a library in downtown 'San Luis Obispo' - for those of you familiar with the California coast-line, you already know we are not very far at all from where I last posted. There is a reason for this - we've back-tracked two days to come back to the Amtrak station here... everything "hit the fan" after a small town called Cambria... cont'd
day seventeen Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve last posted – I assumed it wouldn’t be next to impossible to come across a library more than once a week, I was wrong. This is the first library I’ve seen in forever that has “normal” hours, the past few days we’ve been desperately trying to post and have come across place after place that didn’t open until noon, or didn’t open at all on sundays & mondays… but here I am – I have 39 minutes remaining – and there is so much to talk about I don’t know where to begin... cont'd
day twenty 06/16 - 7:00 pm [day 18] After eating lunch at Subway, Amanda gets a pinch-flat on her rear tire... we stop in the parking lot of a car-wash to replace the tube... cont'd
day twenty-six I can't write much now - but I'm in Bodega Bay, about 60 miles north of San Franciso - I'll write much, much more later... just wanted to let everyone know that we are still alive... cont'd
day twenty-seven The end of a long and winding road. We are in a library in Fairfax - well, I'm in a library, Amanda is outside calling a handful of car-rental companies to find the best deal - our trip is about 15-20 miles away from being over... which is a sad thought. Feels like we just walked off the Amtrak at 4 in the morning yesterday... cont'd
Hopefully you've watched Episode Two, and have a basic understanding of "how" the relationship between bikers and crew will function.
Here's what we are looking for: A small group of bicyclists - already planning to ride coast to coast (west to east), preferably along Adventure Cycling's Northern Route, during the months June & July of this year. The less money you have as a group: the better. The more you are fundamentally opposed to staying in hotels and hitching rides: the better.
So, how does this work? Easy - simply introduce yourself. You can do this by sending an email. You can write a blog post and leave a link in the comments of this site. You can use your friend's camera to post a video on Blip.tv, Revver or YouTube. Contact us through Pedal's mySpace.
Be creative. This process is simply an introduction. The more you include - the better for starting a conversation.
The deadline for introductions is May 1st.
(Note: I should make it clear that Pedal is not a safety net... meaning Pedal will not be financially involved or supportive in anyone's travels. We are merely searching for people who are comfortable in being tailed - as unobtrusively as possible, of course.)
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain
"Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going." - Paul Theroux
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." - St. Augustine
"There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign." - Robert Louis Stevenson
"So much of who we are is where we have been." - William Langewiesche
"I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine." - Caskie Stinnett
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." - Marcel Proust
"He who does not travel does not know the value of men." - Moorish proverb
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." - Aldous Huxley
"I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world." - Mary Anne Radmacher Hershey
"Don't tell me how educated you are-tell me how much you have traveled." - Mohammed
Is “project pedal” the name of the documentary? 
No, the working title for the documentary is “Pedal”, for proposes of this website and promotional materials it’s referred to as: Project Pedal.
how does the $9,000 break down?: 
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