The Film
THE CONTENDERS
Despite being an American, he grew up infatuated with the life, history, and motivations of Napoleon. As an adult, he has dedicated his career to the world of historical reenactment, as a full time historical reenactor at Colonial WIlliamsburg, Virginia. He has continued his connection to Napoleon by playing Napoleon in every important battle and political moment, by learning French with a Corsican accent, and by embodying how Napoleon acted on the battlefield, in order to preserve his hero's history. The Battle for Waterloo would be the culmination of his life's work. This is Mark Schneider's story.
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The other contender, a French lawyer and historian, feels a special kinship with Napoleon and the history he can almost touch, living in the country Napoleon made so powerful. He is meticulous in his portrayal of Napoleon, his uniform, language, and weaponry. He believes that accuracy in the appearance of the Emperor is the most important. If chosen, the Battle for Waterloo will be the ultimate opportunity to show this world of reenactors that he has compiled the best "look" for Napoleon. This is Frank Samson's story.
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Both of these Napoleon reenactors are fighting hard to be chosen for the role of Napoleon at Waterloo, and for both of them it will be what they've been striving for in their reenactment careers.
However, the film is not only about these two men....
The film is also about the growing subculture of historical and war reenactment. The men and women who participate spend much of their extra time and money traveling to events, studying the lives of people from the past, dressing in time accurate clothes, and participating as soldiers in these battles' anniversary reenactments. Why do they do this?
Are reenactors history buffs who feel that experiencing moments in history are better than reading about them? Do they think that they are actually in the time period they are reenacting? Or are they simply performing a typical hobby such as bicycling or gardening?
Like any obsession, from the outside it seems strange to be so involved in dressing up, pretending to fight, and spending thousands of dollars and all your free time in the past. As we delve deeper into this world, the film will discover what these reenactors are really after.
About Us
Jesse Handsher is an American filmmaker with a production company (www.bywaterfilms.com) based in San Francisco. He most recently produced and directed the GQ.com sponsored web series CASUALTIES OF THE GRIDIRON, which was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Best Sports Documentary Series.
Olivier Roland is a Belgian filmmaker who spent 15 years living in Los Angeles, working in film production and earning his PhD from the University of Southern California. His dissertation about the creation of filmmaking and its effects on the human body has recently been published.
Roland and Handsher conceived of this film last summer while enjoying Belgium's finest export, Trappist beer. They started with the premise of looking at the world of war reenactment, the motivations behind the participants' obsession with the hobby, and what these individuals are really after. After extensive research, the filmmakers found this story of the two Napoleons who are both striving to play Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo 200 year Reenactment.
Why the Fundraising?
Making a feature length film is a costly and time consuming venture. Up until now, we've produced, planned, shot, and edited the film ourselves and with our own funds. We have close to 20 hours of footage.
Now that we've determined our storylines, we're entering in the major part of production. There are several events we will be filming, along with character development shoots, and interviews in France and Virginia with our characters. The costs associated with production can be high and we need to account for travel expenses, equipment rentals, hiring Director Of Photography and Sound Technicians. We have been doing our own editing, but will need to hire a full time editor.
We've gone as deep into our pockets as we can go, and have already accomplished a lot. Your contribution will help immensely in allowing us to finish this film story.
Thank you!
