It has been a while since our last update, but we are happy to share that we’ve finally reached the finish line with The Guardians. Picture lock in hand, composers Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico are currently working on the original score. And we will soon begin submitting to film festivals. We’re also waiting to hear where the film will land on PBS through our co-production agreement with public television funder ITVS. So stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, we thought we’d share a few takeaways from the production experience:
1. It’s going to take twice as long as you think.
This was true for every stage of the project. Whether it was setting up local contacts during pre-production, the way “we’ll shoot over the course of one year” turned into two years, or when our ideal 9 month editing schedule turned into 18 months. Documentary can be unpredictable and sometimes you need more time than you originally budgeted. But it’s a hard pill to swallow. We pride ourselves on our organization, our efficiency and sticking to schedules with our client work. So when the schedule for The Guardians stretched and stretched, we felt we failed. Though we knew it all along, it took us time to embrace the idea that long form documentaries have a life of their own. They don’t care about your best laid plans. Embracing that fact helped us continue on, knowing that there would indeed be a finish line, just a few miles further down the track.
2. Obstacles are part of the process.
In any creative process there are obstacles that test your fortitude. With this film, it seemed like those were large and often. From day one, access to the community was an act of patience, persistence and faith. There were moments when the community questioned our motives, and too many times to count when we were just plain stood up. There were the two times we asked to film the community meeting and were instead told to wait outside. It was totally understandable, why should they give two random strangers access to their lives? Sometimes though, we thought maybe we should just drive to Acapulco instead. But we learned a bit of Spanish, and we kept coming back. We spent hours lending our labor to the fields, buying liters of coke for men working the dam, or bringing fresh flowers to the women beautifying the church. And over time, we became an odd but welcome fixture in Donaciano Ojeda. The third time we asked to film the community meeting, Aristeo stepped forward in his quiet way to advocate for us in front of the entire community and that made all the difference. It was as if right before our breaking point, the documentary gods shined enough good will to keep us moving forward. So when post-production stalled and when work-in-progress audiences couldn’t see our vision, we trusted in the potential of breakthrough. And in the end it’s those very obstacles that push the work to better, deeper and more profound places. Once you accept that obstacles and failure are a guaranteed part of the process, you can begin to view them as creative problems to be solved rather than impassible road blocks. And each time you get past one, you’ll feel more prepared for the next. There is always a next one.
3. The prize at the end is worth it.
In March, we went back to Donaciano Ojeda to show the finished film. Each of our characters received a private viewing, and then we screened the film for the wider community. Santos and his family had an emotional reaction, at times brought to tears. Aristeo watched with focused attention while fending off occasional teasing laughter from neighbors who had stopped by to watch. Both felt we had told their story with authenticity, something that is of utmost importance to us as filmmakers. We’re looking forward to screening the film with audiences around the world, but our most important audience has already given their blessing, and that is the sweetest reward.
The Guardians now has an official website, so check there often for updates.
