I’ve dispensed with the illusion that I’ll remember everyone to thank on Sunday. I am terrible at remembering – (Ask my wife, when she’s pointing at the glasses on top of my head) – and if somehow you aren’t acknowledged personally or in the credits of the film – I want to
thank you right here and now.
You are in the DNA in this project – the Starlight in my sky – and will continue to be as we begin this next, critical leg of the journey.
Most importantly, I need to thank our small but powerful Tribe who came together with their dazzling talents and grinding, persistent efforts to pull this film off. (I’m handing the final DCP files, still hot from the oven off to the projectionist wizards at SIFF this very morning). HA!
What you see on screen are the blood, sweat and definitely tears of these people who are my extended-family:
Todd Soliday – Our Post-Production Supervisor and Visual Wizard. Todd made everything that looks cool on screen happen, with his own bare hands. AND he landed this bird on the tarmac. In a storm. In winter. In Barrow.
Leah Warshawski – Our Impact Producer. Todd and Leah sort of come as a package, they’re committed by vows of filmmaking and marriage. Leah is a brilliant filmmaker of her own accord who co-directed and produced Big Soniawith Todd – and somehow, some-way showed an interest in salmon and some-how we landed her to crack the whip to get this film out into the world.
Shane Dillon and Jeff Tillotson of LightPress – I love everything about LightPress – especially their tagline: Look By Lightpress. Yup. That about sums it up. These guys made the colors beautiful, the files match, the picture snap – Jeff even made it look like I know which end of a camera to shoot out of.
Dave Howe of Bad Animals – Listen for it. Every little drop of water, the dips and swells of the music. That’s all Dave. Also a Saint, putting up with 4 hours of me reading into a microphone, over and over and…Dave is a master at his craft and I am lucky and grateful to have spent time, again, making this film sing.
David Parfit – Speaking of music – David Parfit scored The Breach and now, The Wild. Gorgeous, haunting, shimmering. I love working with David – a fellow salmon-nerd and Soul of the Pacific Coast – and a goddam genius. David put this score together in a matter of weeks. Really.
Leah Andrews – Our Second Editor – or maybe our first?? All the raw material that I (and many others) shot got sifted, sorted, assembled and lovingly crafted by Leah. Some of the best ideas in this thing are hers – and she still says she doesn’t hate me after 2 years of grinding through it all. Leah is amazing – and rising…
Domitille Colomer – Domi. Domi was my glue over the last year and is one of our Associate Producers. We lost her immediate physical presence to Ireland and Love (not necessarily in that order) – but you will still see her work in every social media post and graphic design. And as we all know, we are all connected by water.
John W. Comerford – My longtime friend and mentor in many ways. John has brought the weight and depth needed to get this mountain climbed and is lighting the fuse for what’s to come.
Tom Douglas – Tom is an Executive Producer on this film and has been a champion for Bristol Bay and my storytelling for many years now. He’s supported this process in every conceivable way and has been a good friend and mentor. He also makes a mean coconut-cream-pie.
Linda and David Cornfield – Executive Producers, Champions of art, justice and the environment, Linda and David have lifted this film up on to the screen for us all to see – and I’m eternally grateful.
Kazumi Mechling – A friend and long-lost-sister on this big journey, Kaz is also an Executive Producer on this film and her light shined bright for me and this project, just when it was needed.
Eric Frith – Saving the main course for last. Eric has been my friend and creative partner for six years now. He edited and co-wrote The Breach and has co-written, edited and co-created The Wild. A finer man you will not find and a deeper, more devoted craftsman I have never met. I am humbled, connected and fed through my friendship with Eric.
And none of this would have happened – none – without my wife, best friend and life-partner, Wenche Friis – who is my rock and the archangel who walked beside me when there was nothing and no-one else. Deepest love, respect and gratitude.
