SYNOPSIS:

It started with a simply, crazy idea in the summer of 2009:  A.J. Goodrich -- a poet and filmmaker in Los Angeles -- was going to walk across the country to get married to his boyfriend in New York, documenting the journey on film and talking to people along the way about gay marriage and queer identity in America.

But before he ever left, A.J. and his boyfriend broke up.  Still determined to do the walk, A.J. and a small crew left from the shores of Venice Beach on foot on February 1st, 2011. 

Covering 3,600 miles over the course of eight months, the crew trekked over mountains and deserts, through Las Vegas and Native American reservations in New Mexico, across the wide expanse of Texas, through fires and floods, past the devastated Gulf of Mexico, up through the deep South to D.C., finally ending in New York City where the story began.

Over the course of they journey, they encountered all sorts of people, and a range of rarely seen perspectives, from an Islamic gravedigger in the middle of the Mojave Desert to a roadhouse cook in Arizona and stewards of a radical queer commune in New Mexico. Each day held a unique new adventure and incredible people to meet, share stories with, and interview.

What started as a grassroots civil rights march exploring equality and LGBT identity grew into a deeply personal coming-of-age story, and an unexpected look into the true nature of love, friendship -- and what's really important in life.

Seligman, AZ

Each day, the crew covered between 20-30 miles on foot.  A rickety old R.V. dubbed "The Gaylennium Falcon" trailed the walkers and served as their production vehicle and home at night.  Every morning, the Falcon brought them back to where they'd left off on foot.

They faced every kind of obstacle imaginable: blisters and shin splints, stomach bugs, driving winds, record wildfires, historic flooding, storms and heart attacks and crew members coming and going.  It was grueling, tough -- and completely life-changing.

The Gaylennium Falcon - Stuck in AZ

Though the walk finished in August 2011, post-production has been an epic journey in and of itself.  With over 400 hours of footage and nearly 31,000 photos, condensing the raw material into a dramatic, feature-length story has been a monumental effort.

The editing is done -- the film is almost finished.  The next stage is to polish the sound, finalize the incredible soundtrack and put the last finishing touches on the documentary.  We plan to submit to major film festivals for 2016.

We each wore through about four pairs of shoes.

Sound:  Given the nature of the production, and the equipment we were able to carry while walking, there are some serious costs to getting the sound up to professional, broadcast standards. With wind, background noise, RV generator hum (to mention a few key issues), we have some major cleanup to do.

This will involve:
-Additional Dialogue Recording (re-recording lines and voice overs)
-Foley (adding specific sound effects - to get the crunch of our footsteps and the howling winds of the deserts, etc., just right)
-Sound Design (enhancing atmosphere and tone)
-Sound Mixing (the final combination of picture and sound)

All of this takes studio space, hiring sound editors, and post-production materials. While we may be able to get some studio time and technician work donated, there are certain costs that we cannot avoid.

Color-Correction:  One of the last, key steps to finishing any film. This levels and perfects the image, smooths out inconsistencies in tone, white balance, exposure, color and contrast, etc. from shot to shot and scene to scene.  It's particularly important for our film, given that we shot on a variety of different cameras, from DSLRs to handheld flipcams and cellphones.  We want to make sure our desert vistas and Louisiana swamps look beautiful on the big screen.

Color correction is a highly technical and expensive process, and a professional colorist runs up to $300/hr.

Music:  We're working on putting together a stellar soundtrack, using both original music composed for the film and some previously recorded songs.

Use of music in film requires two sets of rights:
-Sync rights (to sync a song or piece of music to a particular piece of video)
-Master Use (to reproduce a specific recording of a song)

Half of the music is made up of original compositions by indie-folk/rock band "Ugly, Ugly Words" (the lead writer/singer, Andy Pacheco was a late addition to the crew and finished the final stage of the walk with us).

However, there are still some pre-recorded songs that we wish to get. While we may be able to get some for free or for a nominal fee, others may be costly, depending on the artist and the song.  Much of this is dependent on the particular band, and their record label.  Music licensing remains one of the most expensive components of a film.

Archival licensing: this can also be expensive, and there are a few critical news pieces for our film - such as the passage of same-sex marriage in New York, which happened while we were in Atlanta and was a major tipping point in the battle for equal rights.  Archive footage can run up to $75/second ($4,500/minute).

E&O (Errors & Omissions) Insurance:  An especially important factor in documentaries - to make sure we're legally protected on all fronts. 

Tape Transfers/Finishing Materials:  Once the picture is locked and the sound and music are finished and mixed, the project must be output into particular formats for screening. HD Cam transfer can cost $80-100 per tape.

DCP (Digital Cinema Packages) are fast becoming the standard for commercial theaters and festivals. A professionally encoded DCP costs about $4000-5000, with additional copies running at $150-250.

Festival Fees:  To even get into a film festival, there are several expenses that must be taken into account:

-Entry fees (which run anywhere from $30-$100)
-Press Kits
-Photos, poster costs, marketing materials
-Travel expenses

All of these costs may seem prohibitive, but with your help - we can reach our goal.

Mark watches the sun set in New Mexico.

We have great rewards for everyone who donates - from inside news on the film and your name in the credits of the final movie, to DVDs, official posters and original photos from the journey, to an original soundtrack by Andy Pacheco (one of the walkers) and his band, Ugly Ugly Words - to custom designed t-shirts, tank tops and shoes designed by director A.J. Goodrich.

Upper levels of donations receive an original photobook with writing and poetry from the journey, a walking tour of Los Angeles, dinner with the crew, invitations to the premiere of the film, and a private screening.  Our highest levels receive associate or executive producer credit.

You'll become a part of what was a truly special and unique journey - and can help us make lasting impact on the dialogue of queer identity and gay rights.

The Mohave Desert

The fight for equality in the United States and the battle over same-sex marriage have been one of the most important human rights issues of our time.  With the recent national passage of same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court, this is the perfect time to get our film out into the world: it provides a unique window into a time when popular opinion on the issue was rapidly changing.

This film also also deals with a multitude of issues facing the queer community, told from a deeply personal perspective: same-sex marriage, coming out and acceptance, HIV, and the ins and outs of navigating relationships.

At it's heart, it's an epic road trip with universal themes - about growing up, coming to terms with love and loss, discovering the true nature of love and friendship, and finding your footing in the world.

Releasing the film and getting it out into the world is the final step: this project and this film have been a monumental effort, spanning six years from inception to completion.  We're close - help us make it the rest of the way!

The Crew in Atlanta, Georgia

Our main challenge at this stage is the cost of finishing funds.  We can ease some of this by submitting to grants - and working on getting certain costs (such as post-production facilities and music) donated.

However, the single biggest way you can help us overcome these challenges is by donating to this campaign.

Every single dollar helps, and every bit of word of mouth.  If you'd like to contribute, please click our "Contribute Now" button at the top of the page.

Like a 3,600 mile walk, it just takes one small step at a time.