For seven months, Power 10 Films filmed 4 elite level US para-rowers as they trained and competed for spots on the US National Rowing Team. We were able to capture genuine life moments along the way that show the commitment and sacrifice required of these athletes in order to achieve their high expectations. Now we need to complete this film and need your help. We need to raise funds to pay for our editor, sound design, marketing and distribution expenses and all the other fees acquired during post production.
The Story
The story interweaves the experiences of 5 time National Team member Andrew Johnson, 2013 team member Dan Ahr, first time hopeful Margaret Stran and newcomer Joshua Langston-White throughout an entire rowing season. Each rower comes into the season with high expectations and goals but throughout the course of the seven months, life takes its toll and each athlete must determine where their priorities lie.
The Rowers
Andrew Johnson has been to 5 World Rowing Championships, including the 2012 London Paralympics. His life is rowing. He trains at Community Rowing in Boston and dedicates his days to making sure he makes the next year's team. Surrounded by a team of experienced rowers (Bronze Medalist Natalie McCarthy, 4 time teammate Eric McDaniel, National Coxswain Jenny Sichel) and some of the best coaching in the country, Andrew aims for another year in the boat. But in a year with incredible competition, Andrew has to decide what rowing means to him and how far he's willing to go to find success.
Dan Ahr earned his first national team membership in 2013 and represented the country in the Arms and Shoulders category. He is incredibly motivated and able to balance a huge array of events in order to put himself in that position again. Just as the season starts, Dan's whole world changes. His first child is born. Dan must now balance time in the gym and on the water along with his job and new responsibilities at home. Will his time requirements be too much or can he make it work?
Margaret Stran is no stranger to playing on an international level. A Barcelona and Atlanta Paralympic alum, Margaret made her name in the wheelchair basketball world. After creating a program at the University of Alabama, which gives students with disabilities the opportunity to compete at a collegiate level, Margaret was introduced to rowing and became hooked. Coming in 2nd in the previous year's trials, Margaret is determined to drop her time and show that she is still as competitive as ever. But with a mid season injury, Margaret will need to be more focused than ever if she wants to succeed.
Joshua Langston-White is new to rowing entirely. He started rowing while going through rehab at Walter Reed. Josh lost both his legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan while serving in the US Marines. For Josh, rowing is more than a competition, it is an escape from the hospital. We follow Josh as he retires from the Marines and goes home to Florida. Reunited with his family and friends, Josh rediscovers his life back home and must decide what is most important to him.
The Goal
Our goal in making this film is to not only entertain the viewer for a couple hours, but to show what it means to be an elite level athlete and in particular an athlete with a disability. The experiences these individuals have over the timeframe are things everyone can relate to but how they respond is what makes their stories interesting. We hope this film will bring positive awareness to disabilities and fuel support to para-rowing clubs across the country.
Covering all 3 categories of para-rowing, this documentary introduces us to the inside world of para-rowing. A sport that is still in its infancy, there is much these athletes experiment with in order to find the next edge. Not letting their disabilities become an excuse, these rowers push themselves to show what they are capable of.
Please help us raise money so we can complete this film this year. Our goal is to have the film ready in order to be submitted to film festivals at the end of this summer. We hope to have prescreenings early this summer and have the film widely available before 2016 Olympic/Paralympic excitement. The only way we can do that is for us to start paying for certain postproduction services. Any help would be greatly appreciated, any small amount helps us reach our goal.
Don't want to donate online? That's fine, mail your donation to 1120 8th St #54, Tuscaloosa AL 35401 and note which perk you'd like. We'll make sure you get it. Or email the director at Daniel@Power10Films.com if you have any questions or want to discuss this documentary.