Just back from two weeks aboard a Russian icebreaker in The Passage. As the official sponsors of the documentary, Dan Streech and Jim Leishman of Nordhavn/PAE sponsored the trip and we spent 14 days traveling the very waters that Bagan will be transiting this coming summer. What started off as an exciting chance to grab footage for promo packages for the doc ended in all but personal disaster for me.
About six months ago Dan, Jim and I met in Dana Point, CA where I pitched the idea of the documentary to them. By the end of the meeting they had signed aboard to underwrite just about the full cost of the piece. What none of us knew was that during our stay in the Arctic the world’s economic situation would plummet to near Depression levels, all because of a handful of shady, disreputable banks handing out loans that they shouldn’t have.
During the trip, each morning at breakfast we’re read the downloaded world headlines and each morning I could see less and less enthusiasm from Dan and Jim about the trip. The original plan was that PAE was going to build a boat that would travel in tandem with Bagan. That was the first to go. Originally Dan or Jim were planning on being aboard for the full transit. That was the second piece to crumble. Finally the morning came when after reading of near financial collapse they intimated that the funding offered would not be as planned. Normally one takes hits like this and continues on; in my case I’d already financially committed to the documentary on several different levels and for me to call it off would mean a personal loss of a great deal of money. To say I was devastated was an underestimate. I was considering my future hidden far, far away from creditors above the Arctic Circle. However… I’ve known Dan Streech as a very close friend for over fifteen years now and the pain and anguish I saw in his eyes when he told me they had to rescind the offer was the very reason I count him as one of the very few men of honor going. No one knows how deep this recession will go but I fully agree with Dan (without him saying it) that paying for a trip of this nature, all the while looking at potential layoffs, would be just about as callous of a business philosophy one could cite. It hurt, brother did it hurt, but I fully understood and supported his decision. Dan assured me that Nordhavn would help in any way possible, and after knowing Mr. Streech for close to two decades, I rest assured I can take that to the bank!
It would appear as though I now have to try and raise sponsorship while the world is suffering a financial meltdown… and they said transiting The Passage was going to be tough… What I’m feeling now is sheer terror.
Posted on Saturday, September 20th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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Starting to feel the effect from potential buyers in the broadcast industry that the economy’s collapse has also canceled any chance to try and get a pre-sale on the doc. Adam’s reaching dead ends in L.A. No one, especially the industry, has any money and it was getting worse daily. Have brought aboard Adam Weissman as director. Adam is a long standing friend with a terrific resume of shows directed in L.A., NY and Vancouver.
Posted on Saturday, September 20th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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I’ve called a meeting and tried to explain to all concerned that we’d lost our funding but the trip was still on, albeit cut back. Now that I’ve seen The Passage I’ve become too personally involved with the trip to cancel. From what I’ve been reading it might be years before the economy recovered. I’m 57, knock wood, but I may not have years, the Passage may not have years, there was no way I could allow myself to cancel the documentary.
Posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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A sleepless night finds me sending emails out to over 100 contacts telling them about the trip, the doc and that Windrose Learning Ventures is seeking tax deductible donations…
Posted on Monday, September 8th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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We moved “Bagan” down to Stamford, CT where Clinton and Dominique will start in on the modifications and alterations for a season in the artic. A game plan and launch date in the spring had been agreed on. Clinton had scoured the east coat finding us not only the best storage prices but best quality of yard work. With he and Dominique working as a team I’m able to free up to continue with my previous film production work.
Posted on Monday, September 8th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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After a few meetings with Greg, he too is aboard. To round out the crew I asked my son Sefton to be part of the trip. Sefton is 21, and a junior at the University of Colorado. His answer was quick and obvious.
Posted on Sunday, September 7th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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Have been in touch with KVH as well as Commander’s for weather routing. Both are very interested in the project and want to meet after the first of the year.
Posted on Friday, September 5th, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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Clinton has presented me with a preliminary list and budget of work which we’ll need to do to Bagan to ready her for the trip, not the least of which being some sort of Kevlar band around the waterline to give added strength to any ice pressure. Better heating system (Espar). Better seals on all exterior doors,, get all electronics talking with each other, re-bed hatches, overall water maker, etc., Both C and Dom are now on salary with Sandy Davies trouble shooting the electronics. Al agreed that access to daily ice reports is a must.
Posted on Monday, September 1st, 2008
Filed under: Preparing for the Northwest Passage by Sprague
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