Short Summary
Ever since publication there’s been tremendous interest in making a movie version of The Race, both from the public and from Hollywood. It’s not just cyclists who have felt this way, but it is undoubtedly the cycling community that has led the charge. We’ve pursued several opportunities, but they have been flawed for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest was our insistence that the film feel authentic to pro cycling insiders. Those setbacks may have actually been a blessing in disguise because an exciting new opportunity has now emerged, and the timing for a great cycling movie could not be better.
Not since Academy Award winning Breaking Away in 1979 has a fictional cycling movie succeeded in drawing praise from a significant crossover audience. In the intervening years there have been scores of successful films based on baseball, football, basketball, boxing, rodeo, golfing, auto racing, running, etc. Even dodge ball has received more Hollywood love than cycling in the last three decades. That’s not right!
During this same era the popularity of cycling has exploded. Across America and the world more and more people are riding bicycles for exercise, pleasure and transportation. So now we’re going to make a movie that speaks to those who are passionate about this sport. But it’s more than a cycling or Tour de France story. This is a coming of age tale which just happens to use cycling as its backdrop.
And cycling is a truly awesome backdrop to use. Here are just a couple of the reasons:
- Imagine the beauty of red rock southern Utah landscapes juxtaposed against spectacular ascents in the French Alps. That’s what audiences will see in this film as Ben Barnes reaches back into his past for motivation while putting in the performance of a lifetime.
- Recall the most spectacular riding sequences and crashes that you have ever seen, then think what those moments would look like if someone had been able to put cameras right in the midst of the action and played it on a full size cinematic screen. It will be mind blowing! Audiences are going to be stunned.
- Think about the complexities of bicycle racing. The sport is so much more complex than most outsiders imagine. Now consider the numerous parallels and analogies to everyday life. (If you can’t think of any beautiful examples then you really need to read The Race.)
Talented and generous people have already signed on this project and contributed both work and money. Now we need your help as well. Every dollar raised will be used to make this movie better. Read on to learn more about how this innovative effort will work.
Our Unique Financing/Production Plan
We began this effort by building a bare bones budget. We needed to know how much money it would take to put our film in the can. This meant paying the lowest scale for talent, using the minimum number of extras, reducing the crew to the smallest possible, cutting filming days to the bare bones, shooting everything in Utah, minimizing all special effects including crash scenes, using public domain music, forgoing marketing, etc. The good news is that we discovered we’d be able to make the movie with our own funds. The bad news is that it would be extremely minimalist.
Then we came to a critical realization. The way the screenplay is written is actually two interwoven stories. Both stories are good, but they are better when woven together in flashback format. In essence, while riding a critical stage of the Tour de France our protagonist, Ben Barnes, looks back into his past for motivation. Each time he does this the viewing audience s taken along with him. So the first story is about his childhood in the Utah desert, and the second story is about racing as a pro cyclist in Europe.
Logistically and financially the first story is relatively easy to create. There is only one significant crash in that portion of the movie, and it involves a lone cyclist. In other words, we can create a fantastic crash sequence at reasonable cost (more goes into these sorts of scenes than you would ever imagine). All of the filming locations for the first story are easily accessible from our base of operations in northern Utah. We can easily attract the extras we need. We were able to get all of the necessary filming permits quite easily, and we even got government cooperation in the small towns where we will be working. In addition, the Utah Film Commission has subsidies which we will qualify for.
The second story is far more challenging to film. Yes, we can do it on a budget, particularly if we never go to Europe and use the mountains of Northern Utah as a substitute, so the good news is that this movie is going to be completed. But just imagine the difference if we’re able to film it on location, capturing the quaint French villages and the spectacular Alpine peaks. Think of the difference it will make if we have the money to create intense crash sequences, hire one or two A-list stars and commission an original musical score.
So we came up with the idea of filming the first story while using the momentum it creates to raise money to film the second story in the way we’ve dreamed (not in the way we’ve initially budgeted). In fact, we plan to edit the first story into a short movie before even undertaking the filming of the second half. And here’s a surprise bonus that you wouldn’t even know if you hadn’t chosen to read this portion of the site. If you sponsor our project at a level that includes the online movie, we’re going to give you access to an online copy of the Utah portion of the story as soon as it’s complete.
So please join us on this journey. We want to make a film that you’ll be proud of, and in order to do that we really need your help. The cool thing is that the IndeGoGo platform enables us to give our supporters valuable things in return for the belief they show in us. It’s a win/win situation. Let’s make film history together!
The Filming Schedule
If you’ve chosen to sponsor us at a level that includes appearing in the movie then you will want to read this section. Soon after we receive your sponsorship we’ll be in touch regarding logistics, but this important information will help you out. We will be filming in Southern Utah for almost two weeks in late April and early May of 2017. Locations will be in and around Hanksville, Boulder, and Moab. We will also be filming in Northern Utah for a couple of days during the same timeframe. We’ll need to figure out which scene(s) you are going to be in and then schedule travel.
The French portion of the filming is not yet set in stone. If everything goes perfectly we will be there in August of 2017. It’s possible that will be delayed until the summer of 2018. Of course we would like to complete the work sooner rather than later, but there are a number of reasons why shooting in France might not work out exactly as initially planned. And yes, we realize this has repercussions for the delivery dates listed in many of the sponsorships. That’s why the word “Estimated” is included. So please bear with us as we work these things out. All sponsors will receive our insider’s email updates, so when things are finalized you’ll be the first to know.
Now, you probably won’t be completely surprised to hear that not all of our European filming will be done in France. As a matter of fact, some of it will be done in Northern Utah. That means that if you live in America you could choose to be an extra in the French portion of the film without even getting your passport stamped. Pretty cool. We’ll be passing along those filming dates and locations via the insider’s email as well.
The Impact
Do you remember when the training wheels came off of your first bike? Can you recall the rush of freedom you experienced when you rode away from the security of Dad’s helping hand balancing your bicycle? In that moment your neighborhood, maybe even your city, changed forever. It became yours to explore. This moment in life is just one of many near universal experiences that make cycling such a rich venue for storytelling. When you add in the tactics, strategy, politics and intrigue of professional cycling to the mix you’ve got the backdrop for some great storytelling. And believe us when we tell you, we’ve got a screenplay in hand that does all that and more.
So your contribution to this project can do a lot more than create a movie that you get to enjoy. It could change an automobile driver’s reaction to the cyclist he shares the roadways with. It could introduce a new generation of fans to the sport. Or, as a professional cyclist who read the book once predicted, it could end up inspiring a future champion of the Tour de France. Hey, we might as well dream big!
Other Ways You Can Help
Not everybody is in a position to contribute financially right now. We understand that. But there is something that everyone who catches the vision for this project can do. They can share it with their friends, family and associates. That could make a huge difference, because the more momentum we gain the more people who will see and hear about this project organically. That could mean more money for a quality film, or more talented people becoming involved. So please help us to get the word out. Together we are going to make a fantastic movie!