CROSSING THE FINISH: ATHLETE Director Dave's Blog

Can you believe it? It’s the 247th day on the production of ATHLETE. As I’m sitting here and writing this on location in Syracuse, NY, I can’t help but reflect on how amazing, enlightening, inspiring, moving, and physically gruelling the last 8 1/2 months have been.

There have been challenging times like sitting at JFK at 3 am (with two hours of sleep), waiting for a terminal to open, so I could board an early-morning flight to begin a 10-hour shoot. The most fascinating thing about filmmaking -– as a first-time director -– is that, unlike other creative disciplines, like graphic design, music, or writing, you have to physically be there to capture specific moments in order to tell your story. For me, that has meant a lot of time spent on planes, trains, and taxis and running on fumes (no pun intended).

But the tremendous upside to all of this is that I’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet people, experience moments, and visit places I would not have, if it weren’t for the film. It’s shoots like the one in Syracuse this weekend, that remind me what an amazing creative process and experience filmmaking is. What was so special about this particular shoot? You’ll have to wait until 2008 ;)

DLM

athletemovie.com

PS -- Many thanks to Carrie, TJ, Caroline, Heather, Tyler, Teagan and the rest of the gang for your incredible “upstate hospitality”.

SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG: RSS + Email | SHOP: ATHLETE Movie Store