General Update

Why hello all!!!

Its been quite some time, but do not worry the project is still alive and well. It's been nearly a year since Marc and I first started our voyage along the northcoast. I felt its time though to give everyone an update on the latest. This post is more or less to inform everyone that the so-called 'pilot,' is still in development. I felt, though, it is necessary to let everyone know what is happening behind the scenes.

I'll admit, I foresaw this portion of the Green Traveller as being the most time intensive of the entire process. If, though, I knew it would have taken this much time I likely would have brought in a little more help. Anyway, as it stands we will likely miss our key June deadline. There are a variety of reasons... but the good news is we've cut away more than 60 hours of tape, and are working with the final bits to construct the final product. My script is all but done. Marc assures me the 2nd 'build' will be ready in the coming weeks.

It's been a difficult year for sure. I've moved into a new job... Marc has since moved twice and is kickstarting his production business. Despite the setbacks, nothing could prepare us for what happened last February. I had flown to Vancouver to edit by Marc's side... but days prior to my arrival, Marc was hospitalized in serious condition. He would spend many days in intensive care, and since then his life has changed dramatically. Understandably, the Green Traveller project was put on hold... and is a key reason behind our delay.

Regardless, we're back on track, and will get this done. That is my personal guarantee.

Well its been so long!!!

Well, where do I begin. I have a few updates coming, but I thought I'd share a touching story. During the Green Traveller shoot on Haida Gwaii, I was fortunate to cross paths with someone whom I likely would never had met had i not done this pilot. Our paths intertwined right about the time I got to the northern part of the island.

Mark, Dafne and I were hoping to find a place to stay for the evening, as it had been raining like crazy. Luckily enough, Dafne knew a number of folks who lived near Towhill, and so finding lodging was fairly easy. Anyway, we stayed at the owner of the Trouthouse Restaurant and Bakery. She not only provided us with a nice place to stay, she also would invite us to shoot a specially made meal at her restaurant later that week.

Little did I know at that time, I was about to meet someone whom I would never forget. I first learned about Kimiko through Dafne and Kelli (Trouthouse Owner) that night at the house as we all gathered around a table, having a few drinks (non-alcoholic for me). I was told Kimiko was this well known lady who unfortunately had received a cancer diagnosis and had spent the last few months in Vancouver for treatment. Even sadder, she was declared terminal, and did not have much time to live. Despite undergoing severe radiation treatment, she was losing her battle, and her outlook was bleak. She lost a fair bit of weight, and could no longer walk. In fact she had spent one week subsisting solely on ice-chips and remained on an I-V.

Bottom line, the story goes, she was sent back to Haida Gwaii to die. This is where things get interesting. So she comes home, and decides to no longer pursue cancer treatment, but instead finds solace in more traditional healing. Slowly over that short period of time, she begins to get her appetite back. Not only that, I learn that her friends gathered by her side, sang to her, and beat drums. She drummed with them, and for the first time in ages, she gathered her strength and walked.

Even more amazing. After a few weeks, she had decided she would 'marry' the love of her live Andrew Von Boetticher in a union ceremony the VERY week I was on Haida Gwaii.

So here I was. Working on the Green Traveller, but I had this chance to conduct an interview of this amazing women. It didn't take long before we decided we just had to speak with her. So, guerilla-style, we brought our video camera to the Trouthouse with a boom mic, and I sat down and recorded an interview with Kimiki (who by the way was slurping back a bowl of soup).

She would share her story, her struggles and most importantly the most intimate details of her love for Andrew.

The original story aired in August of 2009. She and Andrew would be united, and be married into 2010. Sadly, in late January, she passed away. Her story I will never forget. She is a truly brave, wonderful human being. I'm told she was surrounded by those who loved her as she made her final transition.

Thanks Kimiko for sharing your story with me.

Kimiko Von Boetticher

Green Traveller taking a little pitstop to do a little CBC work

Marc and Kelli at the Trouthouse

Where we are at in 2010

Welcome to 2010!!!

Hopefully its the year of the Green Traveller!!!

So here we are in the final stretch. I'm getting many questions about where Marc and I are in terms of the Green Traveller, so I thought I'd give an update here in the blog.

Its been understandably a long process. The first major obstacle in post-production has been overcome. Marc was saddled with logging and rendering the tape, which proved to be a massive undertaking. After months of hardwork, he did it, and the footage is now edittable.

Since then, Marc has been busy polishing up a "trailer" of sorts. We hoped to have this done by Christmas, but we are waiting on some graphics that are literally in the mail. Once Marc gets his hands on them, then I imagine the trailer would take mere days. This is super exciting because we'll be able to load it on Facebook, so you guys can get a taste of what we've been up to. It also gives me something to show our potential suitors.

We had been working on a website over the summer. It's safe to say that did not go well. Now Maestro Marc is putting his golden touch on the task, and we hope to have it up soon. I've been creating HTML documents, which he plans to insert. Once its ready, we'll have it up with the trailer, which we hope equates to hits-galore.

The goal is to have a five-hour build done this month. Essentially what that is, is a paring down of the 70 hour of footage that we have to just five hours. It's a huge job, but this is Marc's specialty. I'll then take that footage and start honing down the script. So the meat and potatoes of the whole process begins. It's something I've both delighted in, and dreaded. We'll see how that goes.

In the meantime, we've also been busy looking for music to go along with our project. We've found some, and are still looking.

I've received word that one of our supporters has taken on a HUGE task. We recently spoke with editor Shannon Hurst about the special project taken on by "Spirit of the North" magazine. Not only are they working on the third edition of the magazine. Both Ryan and Shannon have also been putting together a very special Olympic issue. Congrats guys, I know this will be absolutley HUGE. Hard work always pays off, and I know it will for the both of you.

I'll be writing the first of two articles on the Green Traveller trek to Haida Gwaii. You can see that in the Spring edition and the subsequent summer edition. I'm a radio guy, so this is a nice stretch for me.

All in all, it will be a VERY busy next three months. On top of that, i've been getting myself back in game shape.............. again..... Damn you fast food!!! Damn you to HECK!!!

On a side note... kali (my baby) is doing well, as is my wife. 2010 should be one heck of a year, and I can't wait.