WHAT IS DESERT / STONER ROCK?
A good question and one this documentary seeks to answer. Since filming began in January 2014, we have accumulated hours of footage ranging from in depth-interviews, unseen personal photos and hand-drawn flyers, to live performances and previously unreleased music in an effort to properly archive, document and answer this question.
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF SOME DESERT ROCK BANDS?
Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Fatso Jetson, Unsound and Throwrag are a few among countless bands that this film will attempt to feature. We even found bands you've probably never heard about until now. This film is about where and how these bands formed.
ONLY HALF OF THE STORY:
The video you see above was made using footage shot over a seven month period starting in January 2014. We never expected to uncover such an amazing wealth of information which is why we’re looking for your help to finish telling the rest of this amazing story.
OUR MISSION:
Our fundamental mission as documentary filmmakers is to accurately record, consolidate and archive events and interviews that have a lasting impact on our cultural music history. Some of the interviews you will see and performances you will hear have never been documented before until now. But this can only be fully achieved by means of an in-depth process of patience and collaborative support from people like you. So, fans, family and friends, we’re now asking for your pledge to help finish this film!
WHAT WE NEED!
We’re hoping to raise $10,000 dollars to help us complete the rest of the film. Any pledge no matter how big or small helps us get one step closer to bringing this film to you. Here are the expenses we need specifically:
1. Travel: We will be making several more trips by car to the California desert and surrounding areas to complete the interview and archiving portion of this film. The cost of our travel expenses include gas, meals and hotel costs for four crew members for the next four months.
2. Post-production: The bulk of the funding will be needed here. The price of color correcting, audio mixing/designed and editing a feature length film can be very expensive as we need to pay for qualified technicians and studio time at professional facilities. We are also in desperate need for two new large hard drives to store the remaining interviews, and footage we have yet to film.******
3. Crew: Some of our production staff is working freelance and we need to cover the costs of their continued support on this film. A lot of the research and graphic design elements you see here have all been created by talented and dedicated individuals that have agreed to work at a reduced rate in order to help make this film possible.
4. Licensing Music: We plan on using a few songs in the film that are commercially protected by large record companies. In order to use those songs we need to pay these companies a licensing fee which is one of the most expensive parts of making this film.
5. Finishing: Lastly, we need to cover the costs of the perks you see on this page (DVDs, posters, printing and shipping costs etc.) we will be giving to you for your generous support.
*****Any additional funding over our goal will be added to costs of post-production time in studio. Each facility is pay-per-day so the more time we have to work out the final details the better the film will be. We will also have more creative freedom when it comes to specializing the hard copy DVDs.
SPREAD THE WORD:
Even if you can't support this project financially, you can still help by spreading awareness about the film and our campaign. Please visit our website below to find out more about that:
Official Website
WHO IS IN YOUR FILM SO FAR?
We are deeply dedicated to the art and craft of this film and have been honored to meet some extraordinary musicians, friends and fans who helped or appeared in this film so far and are just as passionate about what they do. To name a few, the crew wishes to thank (in no particular order):
Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson), Scott Reeder (Kyuss), Sophia Possidon, Sean Wheeler (Throwrag/Sun Trash), Ian Taylor (Unsound), Alfredo Hernandez, Herb Lienau (Dead Issue), Tony Tornay (Fatso Jetson), Myke Bates (Target 13/Uniform Choice), Nick Oliveri (Mondo Generator), Dave Travis (Cafe NELA), Uncle Robert, Lightnin’ and Wolfgang Woodcock, Simon Stokes and Sexual Chocolate (Sun Trash), Fu Manchu, Chuck and Dan Patronilo, Danny PapaRossi, Luis Zuniga (Anesthetic Frank), Danny Graham, Joshua Adams, Nathan Wood (Fever Dog)
With your pledge, we hope to meet many more friends along the way which will ultimately lead to a rich film that reflects their passion and contribution to this very important scene in music history.
THE CREW:
Jason Pine (Director): Received his B.A. in Studio Arts from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in Film Directing from the California Institute of the Arts. This will be his feature film debut having produced and directed music videos and in-depth short form documentaries for over ten years.
Trevar Cushing (Co-Producer): has been producing both feature and short form documentaries for over ten years. Notable credits include work done exclusively for Vice Media, Burton Snowboards and Transworld.
Beaux Mingus (Cinematographer / Sound): Originally from Bakersfield, CA, Beaux Gest Mingus is a filmmaker and educator whose work focuses on capturing intimate, personal rituals and the emotional resonance of overlooked places. He has received production grants from Kodak and Fotokem, and he was recently an artist-in-residence at Echo Park Film Center. He completed his MFA in Film/Video from the California Institute of the Arts and works professionally as a video editor.
Joaquin Tay (Production Assistant): has worked as a development assistant for Bold films, Multivisonnaire Pictures and Our Stories films. And more recently he has been working as a production assistant on films, most notably on Bold Film's upcoming feature Whiplash, which recently won the grand jury award at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
PRIOR WORK / OUR REPUTATION:
Our films have been showcased and featured by high profile companies and film festivals and screenings worldwide from Bakersfield, CA to Tokyo, Japan. Notable credits and collaborators include: Warner Brothers Records, Vice Media, Infinity Cat Records, Burton Snowboards, Scumco & Sons Skateboarding Company, Nixon, Filter TV, Transworld Snowboarding Company, Mountain Dew and many more.
Our independent production company Do Less Media, LLC produces projects ranging from international live concert shoots to profiles on counterculture skateboard companies. We value a dedication to professionalism, quality, uniqueness and our fans.
But most importantly, we always finish what we start. Every single film we have ever produced has been completed and here are a few examples of our work both sponsored and personal:
SCHEDULE:
July - September 2014: Principle production completed
October - December 2014: Log and media manage footage. Editorial begins.
January - April 2015: Post-production color correction, audio design/mixing and finishing.
May 2015: Film is completed for film festival submission
****Please note that while the film will be completed on time, we need to wait on festival submission responses before the DVD or digital copies can be released later in the year. We will keep you up to date on that progress and thank you for your patience.
RISKS / CHALLENGES / THANK YOU:
This is an all or nothing campaign so if we don’t raise the funds, we can't complete our mission. The most important aspect of your pledge is the ability to give us more time to create a truly unique film that not only supports this rich musical scene but adds to its legacy for years to come. Above all, we want to thank you all for visiting this page and supporting local musicians, filmmakers and fans worldwide!
And we will do our best to deliver your rewards on time but please be patient with us as we collect and organize your information and get them to you. We’re a small but passionate crew that wear many different hats so we thank you for that patience and support! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns about this campaign or the film at desertagefilm@gmail.com
Sincerely,
Jason Pine
