Rocker Magazine review of ALL THE LABOR
March 27, 2013
http://www.rockerzine.com/index.php/2013/03/sxsw-5-must-see-rock-movies/
Comments (0)ALL THE LABOR to Premiere at SXSW Film Festival in March
February 12, 2013
It’s official - the new High Plains film about The Gourds will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in mid-March! Thanks and congrats to all who supported, worked on, and participated in the documentary. Hope to see a bunch of you in Austin in March.
Comments (0)“Missoula filmmakers’ bison documentary wins regional Emmy”
July 6, 2012
“Missoula filmmakers’ bison documentary wins regional Emmy”
By JOANNA WILSON for the Missoulian
The Emmy Award-winning film FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON is meant to be provocative.
“The driving thesis of the film: Why is it the most iconic of North American animals has no status as true wildlife?” director-producer Doug Hawes-Davis said.
“All other animals you think of – grizzly bears, elk, deer – are managed as wildlife. It’s an important question for society to look at and that’s what we tried to do with the film.”
The 2010 documentary examining the relationship between humans and North American bison was nominated for and received a Northwest Regional Emmy Award in June for the topical documentary category.
“We worked on this film for many years,” Hawes-Davis said. “For me personally, it was one of the more important stories we’ve tried to tell.”
Hawes-Davis and Dru Carr co-founded Missoula based High Plains Films in 1992 to produce movies that look at the interaction between nature and society. In 2005, they founded Big Sky Film Institute as a nonprofit organization that would include High Plains Films as the production side, and Big Sky Documentary Film Festival to promote and celebrate independent nonfiction films.
Hawes-Davis started the bison project in 2001, when he did filming for a television company that agreed to share the footage rights. Because of funding, High Plains did not pursue the idea until they received a phone call in 2005 from a woman who’d seen the film company’s other productions.
“She’d seen our previous work on other wildlife issues,” Hawes-Davis said. “She called us up and said, ‘You need to make a film on the bison.’ ”
The woman followed up with a check large enough to start the project.
Later, High Plains partnered with Montana Public Television and the Independent Television Service to complete and broadcast the film, which cost about $200,000 to make.
Carr said the most difficult part of the film was trying to take the entire history of the bison and condense it into 78 minutes.
“It was sort of ambitious in that way,” Carr said. “Trying to tell the breadth of that story in a short amount of time – there’s so much we had to necessarily leave out.”
The wide view made the film unique, Carr said.
“To me, it’s the first film that has addressed the story of the bison in a broad way,” Carr said. “I think it’s the fact that it really describes the big picture of bison in North America from their evolutionary standpoint to where we are today.”
***
In 2011, Independent Lens, a film series on PBS, announced that “Facing the Storm” was in the season lineup.
Hawes-Davis said the enthusiastic reception of the film and the Emmy Award felt good after the work that went into it.
“When you finish something, you personally feel good about it, but it’s a lot better when other people feel good about it,” Hawes-Davis said. “It’s good to see the film works – that it connects with an audience.”
Hawes-Davis said he’s not sure if the award will change the company in any way.
“We’re always developing new ideas, making work we feel good about,” Hawes-Davis said. “I feel really fortunate to be able to do this work for so long and making enough to survive.”
Carr said High Plains will continue to tell stories about the American landscape and people.
“I don’t know if I could say I think we will become a big film company,” Carr said. “I do think we’ll continue to make meaningful films, and ones we can be proud of.”
The collaboration High Plains brought into the “Facing the Storm” project improved the result, Carr said.
“We reached out and included other people in this project,” Carr said. “We do want to continue collaborating with other people.”
As for the film, Hawes-Davis said he hopes it will start people thinking through the complicated issues bison present.
“We don’t grant (bison) the ability to be wild in the same way we do with every other wild animal,” Hawes-Davis said. “I’d like for people to gain a better understanding of what our relationship to this animal has been, not ‘this should be our next path.’ I’d like for people to ponder these questions.”
Joanna Wilson is a journalism student at the University of Idaho and a Missoulian intern. She can be reached at (406) 523-5251 or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments (0)MontanaPBS Broadcast Dates - FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON
April 28, 2012
Wednesday, May 2 — 6:00am
11.4 - Montana PBS World (Missoula)
Wednesday, May 2 — 6:00am
16.4 - Montana PBS World (Billings)
Wednesday, May 2 — 6:00am
21.4 - Montana PBS World (Great Falls)
Wednesday, May 2 — 12:00pm
11.4 - Montana PBS World (Missoula)
Wednesday, May 2 — 12:00pm
16.4 - Montana PBS World (Billings)
Wednesday, May 2 — 12:00pm
21.4 - Montana PBS World (Great Falls)
Wednesday, May 2 — 5:00pm
11.4 - Montana PBS World (Missoula)
Wednesday, May 2 — 5:00pm
16.4 - Montana PBS World (Billings)
Wednesday, May 2 — 5:00pm
21.4 - Montana PBS World (Great Falls)
Wednesday, May 2 — 10:00pm
11.4 - Montana PBS World (Missoula)
Wednesday, May 2 — 10:00pm
16.4 - Montana PBS World (Billings)
Wednesday, May 2 — 10:00pm
21.4 - Montana PBS World (Great Falls)
Thursday, May 3 — 7:00pm
9.1 - Montana PBS HD (Bozeman-Butte)
Thursday, May 3 — 7:00pm
11.1 - Montana PBS HD (Missoula)
Thursday, May 3 — 7:00pm
16.1 - Montana PBS HD (Billings)
Thursday, May 3 — 7:00pm
21.1 - Montana PBS HD (Great Falls)
Saturday, May 5 — 10:00am
11.4 - Montana PBS World (Missoula)
Saturday, May 5 — 10:00am
16.4 - Montana PBS World (Billings)
Saturday, May 5 — 10:00am
21.4 - Montana PBS World (Great Falls)
Sunday, May 6 — 9:30pm
9.1 - Montana PBS HD (Bozeman-Butte)
Sunday, May 6 — 9:30pm
11.1 - Montana PBS HD (Missoula)
Sunday, May 6 — 9:30pm
16.1 - Montana PBS HD (Billings)
Sunday, May 6 — 9:30pm
21.1 - Montana PBS HD (Great Falls)
Monday, May 7 — 4:00am
9.1 - Montana PBS HD (Bozeman-Butte)
Monday, May 7 — 4:00am
11.1 - Montana PBS HD (Missoula)
Monday, May 7 — 4:00am
16.1 - Montana PBS HD (Billings)
Monday, May 7 — 4:00am
21.1 - Montana PBS HD (Great Falls)
National broadcasts of FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON
April 24, 2012
National broadcasts of FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON will begin this Thursday, April 26, 2012 on the acclaimed PBS series, Independent Lens. Nearly 1600 broadcast dates have been confirmed by PBS stations nation-wide with all major markets carrying the program. Check local listings for broadcast times and dates. This latest work by filmmaker, Doug Hawes-Davis, is an unflinching examination of the complex, centuries-long relationship between humans and bison in North America. The Kansas City Star calls the film, “An incisive history of the animal’s relationship to man and efforts to restore bison herds to the Great Plains.” The Missoulian adds that the film “paints a portrait that’s as broad and subtly shaded as the Great Plains themselves.”
The feature version of the film, which was broadcast exclusively on MontanaPBS has been nominated for a NW Regional Emmy Award in the Documentary category. Amazon and the iTunes store are now accepting pre-orders for DVD and video downloads of the documentary feature. If you have already seen the film, please take a minute to rate the film or write a short user review on both iTunes and amazon.
FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON is available for international broadcast licensing through TVF International in the UK.
amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Facing-Storm-Story-American-Bison/dp/B007OVGB4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335281029&sr=8-1
iTunes -
http://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/facing-storm-story-american/id516174154
Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/facingthestorm
http://www.facebook.com/independentlens
TVF International -
http://tvfinternational.com/programme/23/facing-the-storm-story-of-the-american-bison
Independent Lens -
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/facing-the-storm/
Official Film Page -
http://www.highplainsfilms.org/hpf/films/facing_the_storm/
MontanaPBS -
http://www.montanapbs.org/FacingTheStormStoryoftheAmericanBison/
FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON is a co-production of High Plains Films, MontanaPBS, and ITVS. Additional funding was provided by Cinnabar Foundation, Donna Balkan Litowitz, High Stakes Foundation, and Humanities Montana.
Comments (0)iTunes & amazon.com Now Taking Pre-Orders for FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON
April 23, 2012
Visit the iTunes store - http://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/facing-storm-story-american/id516174154
Visit amazon.com DVD page - http://www.amazon.com/Facing-Storm-Story-American-Bison/dp/B007OVGB4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335211546&sr=8-1
Comments (0)FACING THE STORM Nominated for NW Regional Emmy Award
April 23, 2012
FACING THE STORM: STORY OF THE AMERICAN BISON was nominated for a NW Regional Emmy Award in the Topical Documentary category this week. Full details at http://www.natasnw.org/.
Comments (0)Fundraising Campaign Launched for ALL THE LABOR
April 13, 2012
News from High Plains Films - April 13, 2012
Kickstarter Campaign Launched for ALL THE LABOR, Feature Documentary About The Gourds
High Plains Films has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new feature documentary, ALL THE LABOR, about the Austin, Texas quintet, The Gourds. Production on the film began in the summer of 2011. The Kickstarter campaign is intended to support post-production and completion of the film, in preparation for a spring 2013 premiere. The film will include live concert footage, commentary by band members, private performances by Gourds songwriters, archival images, and lots of behind-the-scenes footage that will tell the story of the 15-year career of the band.
The Gourds’ Montana tour, April 19-21, will be the final shoot for the movie.
Join The Gourds and film crew for the Montana shows. We would love to have your participation in the movie.
04/19/12 - Bozeman, Montana @ The Filling Station
04/20/12 - Missoula, Montana @ The Wilma Theatre
Tickets at Rockin’ Rudy’s
04/21/12 - Billings, Montana @ Manny’s
Follow the Kickstarter campaign -
Official Film Page -
Facebook -
About ALL THE LABOR -
In March 2011, The Gourds recorded their tenth full studio album at “The Barn” in Woodstock, New York. Produced by longtime Bob Dylan sideman, Larry Campbell, “Old Mad Joy” was released in September on Vanguard Records. Production began on ALL THE LABOR in late August when the band rented an abandoned kitchen in a former mental institution in south Austin to practice the songs Campbell helped them hone back in March. Since then, the alt-country roots rockers have toured relentlessly - as they have for the past 17 years - in support of their first major label release. While all of the The Gourds’ critically-acclaimed records deserve the praise they have received, fans know that a full understanding of the band can only be achieved through experiencing them live. ALL THE LABOR will introduce viewers to the energy and excitement of the band’s live performances while painting an intimate portrait of these talented songwriters and musicians at the top of their game.
ALL THE LABOR is a production of Big Sky Pictures, LLC in association with High Plains Films, a program of the Big Sky Film Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All contributions to ALL THE LABOR are fully tax-deductible.
Comments (0)High Plains footage featured on NBC Nightly News
March 24, 2012
High Plains Films spent part of last week documenting the historic transfer of 64 Yellowstone bison to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeast Montana. Some of our footage was provided free of charge to the media to use in stories about the transfer. NBC Nightly News made it up to Fort Peck but used some of our footage in their story. Watch the NBC story here - http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46828528/#46828528
Comments (0)High Plains Films Receives Humanities Montana Grant
September 29, 2011
High Plains Films is the recipient of a small grant from Humanities Montana to continue production on our film, TWO RIVERS, about the Bonner/Milltown area of western Montana. Special thanks to Humanities Montana for their continued support of our work.
Read more about the film and see more sample scenes at http://www.highplainsfilms.org/hpf/films/two_rivers_work_in_progress
Comments (0)Next Page
