Update: 17th of July, 2014

After much deliberation, I have decided to continue on with this project.

I was *this* close to abandoning it, but ultimately went against doing so, deciding instead to finish it despite all seemingly unreasonable challenges still ahead.

I bet you weren’t expecting that.

I bet you were thinking that I was about to say “The film is finished! Screening will be at so and so location at so and so time!”.

Sorry to disappoint, but it is not yet finished.

Not. Even. Close.

In case you were almost blindsided by the fact that all this time - ever since I went public that this film was under production – that its completion was rather uncertain, then allow me to explain…

A real feature film takes real time, real equipment, operated by real trained individual(s), exacting real toll on the filmmaker by making real demands. Oh, and it costs real money too. Money that I don’t have.

It was for that reason why I had not touched the project for six months, not since January of 2014. While I had been working at my edit suite, transcribing interviews and logging the shots I have collected over the 2013 season, the lack of capital to spend on this project ensured that I was unable to travel to meet up with interviewees I have lined up over the course of research, travel to shoot events and other “visual abstractions” that could be used as b-roll (eg: timelapsing the Cityscape, the planting season, harvest etc…), or maybe even research both private and public libraries and archives. Beyond the actual tangible expenses of having to be physically somewhere else with all equipment in tow, all this requires time.

And time is money. 

During the six months of being unable to move forward with the project, it almost became too easy to walk away and postpone it indefinitely. Shelve it. Ditch it. Abandon it.

After all, it was (and still is) competing with other project ideas I have. Yes, I have other ideas too, you know.

More importantly, other opportunities also await: There’s freelancing; being employed by someone else; or perhaps even working in something totally unrelated to my broadcasting/filmmaking educational background, experience, and interest. Perhaps some of them are overseas or, at the very least, out of province. Continuing with this project means I am not just taking a hit financially, it also means accumulating heavy penalties on opportunity costs.

Ie: "What am I missing out on as I devote money, time, and energy on this?"

These are not excuses, because I don’t have to make excuses – remember that I am going ahead with this film anyway despite everything. Rather, it is the reality of how these things usually go.

And so, luckily for the project (and perhaps unluckily for me), I am still in this province, still technically able to keep on going.

In some weird twist, I realize I am actually, technically, not keeping my end of the pitch. As I said a year ago, right here, in this very page:

 “That (amount) is the sweet spot - that perfect amount - which on its own will green light the film into production. IT IS THE COST OF ENTRY INTO MAKING THIS FILM.

Simply put, if we can't raise that amount, then this documentary will NOT happen.”

In my mind, I was very clear in spelling out that "no money, no movie".

Well, despite all that, this documentary IS still happening.

And so, despite a six month delay where I almost shelved it indefinitely, I am still continuing on with his project, albeit with a new estimated completion date: Summer 2016.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

R.

( Announcement can also be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/of-cars-and-cowb... )

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Update: July 2013

1.) On Wednesday, June the 26th 2013, I received mail from Alberta Culture, Office of the Minister.

I'm glad to report that this documentary is now supported by the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation's Heritage Preservation Partnership Program! Not much, but it's something - beats working fully out of pocket.

This makes me very very happy. And reinvigorated! With their assistance, I can now really, truly devote myself to this project.

2.) The website is slow going, largely because in a past life, I was reporter, shooter, and editor... and never a webmaster. I wish to make it look good, informative, yet concise and simple. I have however, been updating the Facebook page constantly with the project's progress.

https://www.facebook.com/ofcarsandcowboys

R.

------------------------------

Update: 14 June 2013

Hello again! 

That break did not last long. June to September is far FAAR too busy in the motorsports calendar that any day off is a waste. But at least I did take off a few full days for myself.  

Almost as soon as I had written the "I'm taking a break" message, I was at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum's "History Road" show. There I spoke to their Head of Marketing and Communications, and they are willing to assist in this project (at least in terms of getting the history right, and permission to shoot the Museum displays).

As for how the film project itself is progressing: It is progressing very nicely indeed. Even though a year has been put into learning about the historical aspect of the story, there are things happening right now that require attention - things which may affect the story's direction.

Tuesday, the 11th, I headed off to Three Hills Alberta for Badlands Motorsport Resort Development's public hearing, where I was able to get a few statements, on-camera, from Alan Wilson - the development's race track designer. 

As for how the hearing went: It was met with some vocal opposition from the locals.  Though filming the hearing was unfortunately forbidden, I am now in the process of contacting these locals to see if they would be willing to say their opinions on-camera. Because even though this story is inherently sympathetic to motorsports, as a recreational activity and as an indelible part of this province's history, the story is STILL about Alberta: I as a filmmaker cannot ignore those Albertan voices.

In the end, is that not the goal? For all of us to see eye to eye? Motor sport fan or not... 

Sincerely

R. Gulinao 

PS.  An official website may be coming soon.

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Update: 05 June 2013

Hello everyone!

The online fundraiser has now ended.

Evidently, we did not meet our goals.

I did make mistakes running this campaign, the most obvious of all is the lack of video/media update. I could say that I was too busy making the film, but that is no excuse. Another mistake is that I may have played it a little too low key – I realize now that perhaps I should have been more pushy, more obvious, more of a salesman.

Don’t you worry, the support you have given means so much for this project. I shall update you on the status of the perks after the busiest weeks of the production period – which is between now and September.

For now, I am taking a break from this project, haven’t had one for a year now. I have been relentless and persistent – the reason for the lack of updates.

Expect an update mid month.

R.

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"Of Cars and Cowboys"

The Story of Alberta's Motorsports Heritage

Alberta's Motorsports heritage goes back a hundred years - as old as the Stampede itself.

...and just like that annual celebration of our heritage, so too is our motorsports history full of mavericks, pioneers, and daredevils.

A story of passion and audacity, it is a story of cars and cowboys.

This is a proposal for a feature length documentary on the subject of Motorsports history in Alberta and how it has always reflected this province’s identity.

WHY THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD NOW...

We are about to enter a new chapter in the history of Albertan Motorsports and there is no better time to explore that story than now. Last year saw Calgary without a proper motorsports facility after Race City shut down at the end of the 2011 season – killed by City Council, gobbled up by rapid industrial growth and urban sprawl.

But the heartbreak of fans and patrons of the venue was short lived. Not even halfway through that first season without motorsports was hopeful news announced: A promising new track called Rockyview Motorsports Park is planned near Calgary. Meanwhile, construction is underway to finish the road course at Edmonton’s Castrol Raceway. Only very recently, Badlands Motorsports Resort Development announced some very positive news, 5 years after going public with their plan.

For the first time in history, three purpose built, multi-discipline tracks may soon exist in our province.

As a feature length film, this documentary will take advantage of this opportunity by recounting our motorsports past, just as the next chapter in its future is being written. It will analyze how, due to this province’s unique natural gifts and place in Canadian history, a very distinct Albertan motorsports culture closely tied to this province’s identity came to exist.

Unfortunately, few people realize or recognize this parallel between the two. Because of this, I have promised myself that for a whole year, starting May of 2013 all the way to 2014, I would do little else but be engaged in the production of a documentary showing this longstanding connection.

WHO WILL BE TELLING THE STORY...

Three Authors - authorities in Canadian motorsports history - have agreed to be a part of this documentary

Richard McDonell: Author of The Speediest Land Traveller: A History of Alberta Auto Racing.

Tom Johnston: Author of Sports Car Road Racing in Western Canada

David Charters: Author of The Chequered Past: Sports Car Racing and Rallying in Canada 1951-1991

As of this writing, 13 other amazing individuals have also agreed to take part in this project. Recruitment is still ongoing as of this writing, and I will definitely encounter more people during production. Having experts in a doc is priceless, but what truly makes a great documentary is a story told through first hand experiences of the people who were there, the people who made Albertan and Canadian history.

WHEN IS THIS HAPPENING...

-Targeted completion date is for end of May 2014.
-Production period (location shoots, interviews) is scheduled for May 2013 to January 2014.
-Post-production (editing, finishing) is set to begin February 2014, with a paper edit likely occurring before that. 

THE FILMMAKER...

My name is Rinaldi Gulinao and you can call me Randy. I am from the city of Calgary and a 2004 graduate of Mt. Royal College’s Broadcasting program. I am also a recent recipient of a Development Studies degree from the University of Calgary. While earning that university degree, I made the award-winning short documentary Goodbye Race City (2009) for the U of C’s New University Television Society (NUTV).

After my time with NUTV, I began adogcalledstray productions.

I am also a lifelong motorsports fan and an avid autoslalom competitor of 11 years. Though I would never profess to ever being fast, I can hold my own, even posting brilliant results on occasion.

Always having a thing for variety, I also participate in  track days and other time trial events. Back in the day, I have even helped organize a number of drift events with AngleFactory - during a time when drifting in Alberta had not yet really taken off, before I even made Goodbye Race City.

WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW...

To gauge the feasibility of such a project, I have done extensive research, made contact with key subjects, and shot hours of trial footage last racing season. That first teaser/proposal video posted above is the result of all the shooting I did throughout the 2012 season - attending all kinds of motorsports events on 11 separate weekends while logging over 8,000 kilometers.

With plans drawn up, the first round of interviews scheduled, and a well researched documentary treatment as a guide, this documentary is ready to begin production.

To fund this project, I have submitted proposals to various grant streams. I am also seeking partnerships for co-production. Currently, I am awaiting their responses; it is likely that I will start production with much of the funding still pending. And since grant amounts have limits, the full cost of production would still not be fully covered - such is the price of creating a legitimate documentary. That is: if they approve it at all.

And it is that price which brings me here...

WHAT THIS PROJECT NEEDS FROM YOU!

What's needed from you, dear contributor, is to show me - and show the grant streams I have applied to - that this project is WORTH DOING.

I have spent close to $10,000 into this simply doing research - simply making sure that this is a viable plan. I am not looking to get that back, if that research/development expense is any indication, I foresee that I will sink another $10,000 of my own into this.

That $24,500 is the sweet spot - that perfect amount - which on its own will greenlight the film into production. IT IS THE COST OF ENTRY INTO MAKING THIS FILM. 

Simply put, if we can't raise that amount, then this documentary will not happen.

But if all the grant streams approve funding, the $24,500 will be used to vastly improve many aspects: licensed music, perhaps even an original composition; a professional voice talent much like the pitch video; historical pics, films and vids if need be; and because sound is very important to get right, final studio mix from sound specialists.

IF we exceed what is being asked, be it twice, thrice, maybe even tenfold, then all the better! There are so many ways to push a film from decent to spectacular, given the budget.

In the end, everything earned from this campaign will go towards making the film. Ultimately, because the grant streams have yet to make a decision, let us take this opportunity to show them that this subject's time has truly come. The more we raise, the more we can prove that there is a future for motorsports in Alberta - a benefit not only to this film alone, but also for this passion of ours.

Check out the super cool and unique CUMULATIVE PERKS! I have no doubt that we will not simply be making a film about Albertan Motorsports history, but making history itself. Who knows, each and every one of these could be collectible someday. The Vehicle Sponsorships are better than a Bench ad!

Or you can send your contributions directly to:

adogcalledstray productions
4000, 873 - 85 St SW
PO Box 96098 West Springs
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T3H 0L3

Pay to the order of "adogcalledstray productions". Also accepting other contributions: eg. Gift/discount Cards for various goods and services, gas cards, meals, hotels etc... Maximum of Bronze Perk - to be fair to those who gave cash.

PRODUCTION PERIOD SCHEDULE...

Using the proposal/research video I shot during the summer of 2012 as basis, I foresee the busiest months amounting to 50 hours per week or more: Two 14 hour days on the weekend; 8 hours in preparation days beforehand; another 8 hours to review and log footage and perhaps tend to equipment days after; and another possible 6 hours to devote to ongoing research and communications.

It's not an easy thing to do.

And in the times I am not at any event, I will be conducting interviews, trying to get a hold of racing legends and searching for lost footage.

There is simply no way to do this subject justice, part time.

Do the math and it's basically a film for next to nothing. All I ask in the "cost of entry" of $24,500 is for the most important expenses to be covered: Operating Costs, Gas, out of town stays, a flight or two to get a hold of racing legends.

Calendar of Motorsports Events

To get an idea of the scope of the subject, check out the above linked Western Canada Motorsports Calendar. Take all the ones occuring in Alberta, add an event or two out of province, a number of interviews throughout the continent...

That is how busy the on-location shoots will be.

If anything, it'll be even busier, since that calendar does not even consider the guaranteed weekly events such as Drags and Oval Track racing. Also, as of this writing, Autoslalom, Time Attack, and other special Club events at various locations have not yet been finalized.

Our summers being short, motorsports events occurring in different venues and organized by different racing leagues inevitably conflict with one another. Which events will be covered must be prioritized beforehand.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING...

"I am writing in support of Rinaldi Gulinao’s film proposal on the history of motorsports in Alberta.  I have seen his other projects and in speaking with him, I believe he will put together a first class documentary."
     -Shawn Bishop, Canadian Rally Champion and owner of Rallysport.ca

"Through my participation with the Canadian Motor Sport History Group and my past experience as an adjudicator for the inductees into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, I have accumulated a significant archive of photos, documents, and results for the racing on the Prairies during the 50’s, 60’s and up to the present date. The efforts of Rinaldi to produce a film to help document some of the lost records would be a great tribute to the rich history of Alberta Motorsport."
     -Mike Adams, Vintage Racer

"Canada has a rich motorsports history dating back to races as early as 1900 and up to the present day. ...this history has not been very well documented and as a result is not as well known by the general public as I believe it deserves to be. Mr. Gulinao’s documentary should correct this."
     -Tom Johnston, Author of Sportscar Road Racing in Western Canada

"I write this letter in support of a proposal by Rinaldi Gulinao of Calgary to create a documentary film on the history of automobile racing in Alberta... Mr. Gulinao has asked that I participate in the production firstly as an information source, and secondly as an interview subject. I have happily agreed to both."
     -Richard McDonell, Author of The Speediest Land Traveler: A History of Alberta Auto Racing

"I was approached by Rinaldi, as board member of the Calgary Sports Car Club, to participate in this project; to which I happily agreed. I have no doubt of his ability to garner the support required to make this project a success. As an active volunteer and organizer in the motorsport community, I had the pleasure of working with Rinaldi and observing his interactions through the community, while he worked on previous projects."
     -Chris Semanciw, Autoslalom Director, Calgary Sports Car Club

"With Race City Motorsports Park now gone, there is substantial need for a new motorsports facility in Alberta. I believe Rinaldi’s documentary will make that clear. His outgoing personality and personal involvement in motorsports has enabled him to build relationships with individuals in the community all over Alberta. He has the ability to document history and current events from all perspectives and has a knack for revealing people’s motives and passions."
     -Quentin Osborne, Anglefactory (2006), QRgarage.ca  

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP...

Your help can take many other forms:

SPREAD THE WORD!
Share! Tweet! Facebook! Blog! Good ol' fashioned networking! Tell everyone you know!

MUSIC!
Do you know anyone who is, or are you yourself, an Albertan Musician interested in being a part of Albertan Motorsports history? Let me hear a sample (online will do). Musical genre is still up in the air, so a variety would be neat. From Daft Punk soundalike to real Punk, from an Orchestra to one guy with a harmonica... I'm open to anything really. I heavily favour folksy guitar music for the pre 1940's racing that happened in Calgary - that's the sound I hear everytime I think of the links between the earliest days of motorsport and our western frontier-town heritage. For adversarial 1 vs 1 racing disciplines such as Drag and Drift, I'm thinking Spaghetti western, showdown at high noon, the buildup to a quickdraw, shootouts, journeys in the wide open prairie, rustling cattle and holding up trains - think Sergio Leone's collaborations with Ennio Morricone. Then there's period correct music for the differing periods: Eg. Rockabilly is inextricable to 50's car culture. Somehow, I personally associate the 70's car chases with funk guitar, blaxploitation type films. 80's with electrosynth or hair metal.. and so on...

PICS, FILMS AND VIDS!
Do you know anyone who has, or do you yourself have, old stills and motion picture film related to Alberta's Motoring Past? Not just Alberta, but include the whole of Western Canada as well! Videos? Photos? 8, 16, 24, even 35mm vintage films? Beta? VHS? Old home videos? Anything! Please, do let me know.

INTERVIEW SUBJECTS!
Do you know, or are you yourself, someone who was part of Alberta's motorsports history? I understand that as time passes we are losing more and more of the older generation, but I would really like to get a hold of those who were there from the very early days. From our first forays into organized racing, to racing on horsetracks during 40's, to the first BCATP Drags and Sports Car races, to Edmonton International Speedway and Race City. Write me a detailed message about the significance of this potential interview subject, why they matter in Alberta's motorsports history, where they are right now, and how I may be able to get a hold of them.

RELEASE DATES, SCREENING, DISTRIBUTION...

With a targeted completion date set for the end of May of 2014, "Of Cars and Cowboys" will first go through the normal film stream.

By this I mean, it must first premiere on the big screen - a special screening filled with invited guests in any of the non mainstream theatres in this province.

From there it will go through the film fest circuit and court distributors.

Basically like any major film, except it is about us, about Alberta's motorsports history. Only after it has done these can it be released publicly*.

Note:

* = only by this point can delivery of DVD/BluRay perks be made. I estimate a full season of trying to get cred. Don't worry, it will be even more relevant by then (link1, link2). Such delayed gratification is the price of legitimacy.

"SO, YOU'RE PROMOTING MOTORSPORTS..?"

Promotion is such a dirty word - it implies I'm being paid to say certain specific things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Right from the beginning I have been investing my own time and resources developing and researching this story; I am here because I have come to the end of what I can do on my own.

This documentary will not and cannot be a promotions for motorsports - BUT it WILL be about the past, present, and future of motorsports in Alberta. The reason why I wish to undertake this project is in fact to analyze, deconstruct, critique, and perhaps be an exposé on the state Alberta motorsports - from its own actions as an entity to the external forces it has had to face.

If anything, this production phase means life on the road, cheap accommodations, and missing out on long weekends – goodbye to normal life while I get to know Alberta and her motorsports heritage first hand. Worst of all, coverage means non participation – I cannot engage in my own pastime of autoslalom if I were to shoot such events. Indeed it will be a hard production, full of sacrifices, all in search of truth.

However, motorsports - at least within Alberta - has suffered from a lack of recognition and numerous setbacks. Exposing the trials of a homegrown and enthusiast based sport using the artistic medium of motion picture, may inevitably provide a refreshing change from the perception and association of cars and the automotive lifestyle as a banal, hyped up and over-commercialized brainless pursuit as often portrayed in pop movies and reality TV.

After all, what is more artistically meaningful than to move an audience via tangible displays of passion and dedication? In this case, I will showcase enthusiasts lovingly prepare and care for their cars, dumping tens of thousands – if not hundreds of thousands within a lifetime – into their passion, only to risk it all by making their creations move in amazing ways on a racetrack. Because I respect the subject, I will explore every possible angle, dig deep and avoid the repetition of old and tired car-guy clichés. I myself do not require much else other than be free to devote myself fully to the idea. I know I can do this, and I – we – can make it happen.

HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE TO REALLY MAKE A FILM? AN EXAMPLE...

Production Costs...

$24,500 to greenlight a film is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. In fact, some say it's TOO cheap, considering many an amateur endeavour get scrapped on a nearly daily basis. The story is all too common: An aspiring filmmaker heads out to do something, realize her/his moviemaking dreams, and then reality hits and BAM! The project is abandoned halfway.

This budget is what a real budget would look like for something like this. In fact it has been edited for maximum simplicity.
1. $ 35,000 - 48,000      Production operating costs for 9 months
2. $ 10,000 - 13,000      Travel Costs
3. $   3,000 - 10,000      Capital/Rental Items Unique to this project
   $48,000 to 71,000   or   $59,500 Averaged

Post Production Costs...

Where the difference between a so-so production to one that is brilliant, is made. Beyond compulsive levels of attention to detail - the things that eat up so much time - there still are external expenses.
-Voice talent can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $6,500.
-Historical motion and still images owned by studios and other organizations: I have been quoted as high as $2,700 for EVERY 30 seconds of very rare archival footage!!!!
-Music - which sets the pace, the tone, emotion, or maybe just the overall ambience of things - can be anywhere from a measly few hundred, to many tens of thousands for an original score.

Seeing how there are so many ways to spend an unlimited budget into post, let's choose an overall budget limit of $100,000.
1. $16,000               Post Production operating costs for 4 months
2. $24,500               The stuff that makes films look and sound so GOOD
    $40,500                 

Still not included:

Premiere Screening/Opening night, Publicity costs, Limited run of Professionally packaged DVD/Blu Ray copies, Filmfest submissions, and for posterity' sake, 35mm film printing - all combined, could amount to tens of thousands.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER PRODUCTIONS...

Think the $100,000 for similar independent Films is expensive? THINK AGAIN!

The typical 45 minute long (without commercials) TV documentary is said to cost around $300,000 to $1,000,000 US. The breakdown depends for each filmmaking style: Cinéma vérité style where they follow people around and record everything would incur huge costs in paying for the crews' time; historical films with reenactments and dramatizations would incur fees similar to narrative films; sometimes travel costs take up the lion's share, especially with documentaries shot from other parts of the globe; whilst securing rights to third party footage and music have often been the biggest challenge to low budget filmmaking.

The award winning 2010 film, Senna - perhaps the most recognizable example to the motorsports crowd - is said to have cost around £2,000,000 to £3,000,000. For the filmmakers, paring down the story into a manageable running time of around 100 minutes proved to be most time consuming. And while Bernie Ecclestone may have given Kapadia access to vast F1 archives, he did not give the footage away for free. While I do not expect anyone to personally charge for use of their amateur films and vids and pics, I can think of a few instances where media professionals and other studios might possess footage useful to us.

It all adds up. Time/Labour. Travel. Operating Costs. Third party footage/images/music.

So if you aren't a big time production house, how will you ever get things done?

There are many ways to save costs. Perhaps collaborate with aspiring musicians so that you can cross promote; their music appearing on your film equals exposure. Appeal to the copyright holders of much needed motion and still images that their contribution would be of benefit to all.

And on the end of production operating costs, by making it into a labour of love, you can definitely reduce costs all over.

But on the flipside, you have to be realistic with how much money you can do without. You cannot do anything without some sort of budget and you have to be honest that things will cost money, a LOT of money.

This is why no one goes into independent filmmaking without being prepared to fund it with their own savings, credit card, or to even beg borrow and, steal.

I am prepared to do what it takes, as long as I know that YOU are prepared to pitch in too.