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Author Topic:   In the Shadow of the Moon (DOX documentary)
ColinBurgess
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posted 01-10-2007 02:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ColinBurgess   Click Here to Email ColinBurgess     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Does anyone know about this new British documentary, which apparently covers the moon landing era? The title annoys me, as it is the name Francis French and I gave to our new book, due out in a few months.

I hope that the documentary is absolutely brilliant, which might help along sales of our book!

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-10-2007 03:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It is in the World Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival being held January 18-28 in Park City, Utah. From the festival's website:
One of the defining passages in American history, the Apollo space program literally brought the aspirations of a nation to another world. Between 1968 and 1972, nine American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon, and 12 men walked upon its surface. They remain the only human beings to have stood on ground beyond our planet. For the first time ever, all surviving crew members from the Apollo missions tell their story in their own words.

Visually stunning original NASA film footage--much of it never seen before--is interwoven with riveting firsthand testimony. The result is an intimate epic that vividly conveys the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion of this extraordinary era in American history. Personal camera interviews expose the astronauts as fun loving, emotional, and very human. Audio recordings from Mission Control lend a strikingly fresh immediacy to well-known historic moments. Astonishing space shots capture the Earth in all its glory and reveal the Apollo program with a visual clarity and impact it has never had before.

Seamlessly melding the wonders of science with the drama of the human quest, filmmaker David Sington has crafted a nostalgic and inspiring cinematic experience that provides unparalleled perspective on the fragile state of our planet.

nasamad
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posted 01-10-2007 04:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for nasamad   Click Here to Email nasamad     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From the description the doc sounds like a new version of "For All Mankind" to me.

I'll look forward to seeing it if it is!

spacecraft films
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posted 01-10-2007 05:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Once more with the "much of it never seen before" stuff.

If you get a chance to chat with the director or producer on this one I'd love to know specifically what footage was "never seen before," and their documentation behind this.

I just discovered in some old emails early this year when the producers contacted me for material for this film and that Dave Scott was somehow involved. I believe it was financed by Channel 4 in the UK. They mentioned having our DVD sets and asked a lot of questions about some of the audio loops on our sets.

I hope it is a nice effort but would like to see them make reasonable claims in their advertising.

Sy Liebergot
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posted 01-10-2007 09:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Sy Liebergot   Click Here to Email Sy Liebergot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ColinBurgess:
Does anyone know about this new British documentary, which apparently covers the moon landing era?
Well, this is interesting. Back in 2000, I served as the on-camera host for a space documentary entitled "In the Shadow of the Moon," produced by an associate producer named Chris Elly, then an CBS affiliate in Austin, Texas. It was never aired.

spacecraft films
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posted 01-11-2007 06:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The associate producer who contacted me on this project was Chris Riley.

Dwayne Day
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posted 01-11-2007 09:13 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Dwayne Day   Click Here to Email Dwayne Day     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
We're sort of running out of titles for stories about lunar exploration, aren't we? I wrote an article a couple of years ago called "In the Shadow of the Moon Race."

I'd add that over a year ago I was contacted by a production company in Canada that was doing some documentary with a lunar title. I cannot remember the specifics, although I might have some paperwork associated with it.

TV production companies are rather shifty, in my opinion. These guys wanted to use some photos that I had, for free. I told them that I don't provide material to commercial organizations for free (as a colleague once said, "tell them that they are not working for free, so why should you?"). They didn't like that, so they then went to a partner of mine and tried to obtain the same material from him, hoping that he had gotten it from me. It was pretty sneaky, if you ask me. Ultimately, after failing for many months to obtain the material otherwise, they came back and paid me. But I cannot remember what they were really working on other than that it dealt with the space race in the 1960s.

My colleague had a similar encounter with (I think) an entirely different production company. They wanted him to photocopy and FedEx them a 700 page document, promising to "reimburse" him after he had done it. They were also rather pushy. I told him to have them pay him as a consultant, because they were assuming that his time and expertise were free.

I know that there have been at least one or two other projects similar to the one I mentioned. It's hard to keep track of some of these things, so we may be talking about similar productions. Or maybe there are several. And of course some don't see the light of day.

Sy Liebergot
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posted 01-11-2007 10:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Sy Liebergot   Click Here to Email Sy Liebergot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by spacecraft films:
The associate producer who contacted me on this project was Chris Riley. hmmmm...
Hmmm, indeed. The documentary of which I spoke, dealt with behind-the-scenes people and their interviews in Mission Control during the Lunar program.

mmmoo
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posted 01-11-2007 11:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mmmoo   Click Here to Email mmmoo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I too was contacted by Chris Riley who wanted to use my Lunar Panoramas in the film.

They seemed to have made extensive interviews with all the key players, and Dave Scott was involved in the production

I know they also spent a lot of time with Charlie Duke. And I was recommended to them by Alan Bean when they were filming him at work in his art studio.

So it does look quite promising. I also know that they are hoping to make several 1 hour films that deals with each mission individually.

spacecraft films
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posted 01-15-2007 09:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Chris Riley sent me a note back on the "never before seen footage." He replied:

"I think that footage claim refers to some of the behind the scenes footage I found at JSC and Dryden - stuff of the guys before they were famous for going to the moon - and then early meetings between crews - like the Apollo 8 prime and backup meeting (Apollo 11 prime) meeting and stuff of training - like Lovell running along the beach or with his kids..etc.. That sort of thing I guess."

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-19-2007 09:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Discovery Communications release
Discovery Films Strikes Deal for Apollo Missions Documentary In the Shadow of the Moon

Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) and its Discovery Films unit have acquired rights to DOX Productions' and Passion Films' In the Shadow of the Moon. Discovery Films, the theatrical documentary unit of DCI, will have an equity interest in North American theatrical distribution, branding rights and exclusive North American television rights to the film. The announcement was made prior to the film's world premiere as part of the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Competition on Friday, January 19.

"In the Shadow of the Moon captures a pivotal time in American history that touched and inspired the world," said Billy Campbell, president, Discovery Networks, U.S. "Incorporating drama, humor and the determination of the human spirit, In the Shadow of the Moon is storytelling at its finest and a perfect addition to Discovery Films portfolio of groundbreaking productions."

Between 1968 and 1972, the world watched in awe each time an American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon. Only 12 American men walked upon its surface and they remain the only human beings to have stood on another world. Now for the first, and very possibly the last, time In the Shadow of the Moon brings together surviving crew members from the Apollo missions to tell their stories in their own words.

In the Shadow of the Moon interweaves visually stunning archive material from the original NASA film footage, much of it never before seen, with riveting first-hand testimony. Directed by award-winning filmmaker David Sington, In the Shadow of the Moon is an intimate epic, which vividly communicates the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion of this extraordinary era in American history.

"All of us at DOX Productions feel immensely privileged to have spent time with the Apollo astronauts during the making of this film. They are true pioneers and genuine American heroes," said Sington.

Beautifully shot in high definition, the film includes interviews with the astronauts including Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 and 13), Dave Scott (Apollo 9 and 15), John Young (Apollo 10 and 16), Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17), Mike Collins (Apollo 11), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16) and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17). The astronauts emerge as eloquent, witty, emotional and very human.

In the Shadow of the Moon features exclusive NASA film footage including astonishing space shots re-mastered from the original film rolls to reveal the Apollo program with a visual clarity and impact it has never had before. The mute 16mm rolls shot in Mission Control have been painstakingly lip-synced with the 16-track audio recordings of the mission controllers' voice loop to re-unite the pictures and sound of many historic moments for the first time, lending a striking immediacy to many dramatic scenes.

Discovery Films' In the Shadow of the Moon is produced by DOX Productions in association with Passion Pictures. The film's producer is Duncan Copp with co-producer Chris Riley and executive producers Simon Andreae, John Battsek and Julie Goldman. Editor is David Fairhead with original music by Philip Sheppard. The agreement was negotiated by CAA, Simon Andreae and Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers.

Following its theatrical engagement, In the Shadow of the Moon will have its television premiere on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater.

JeremyN
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posted 01-21-2007 06:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JeremyN     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I just saw the Sundance premier of "In the Shadow of the Moon" and I can say with confidence this is the best Apollo documentary I've ever seen.

The newly restored footage was nothing short of stunning and the documentary brought nearly the entire audience to tears.

The producers were on hand afterward for a Q&A. I hadn't realized it was produced by a British film crew until they came on stage, so I was extra surprised when during the Q&A the director said "No other country in the world could have done what the U.S. did with the Apollo program. It's time for America to lead the word again."

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-22-2007 03:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The Washington Post: Reaching For the Moon At Sundance
"I have two moons in my head."

That's Mike Collins, the pilot of the command module for Apollo 11, at the beginning of the movie. The moon all earthlings know and the moon he circled.

"I didn't sense any invitation from the moon to come into its domain," Collins recalls. "It was a hostile place, a scary place."

Only 12 men walked upon its surface. Three of them are dead. One, Neil Armstrong, is something of a recluse. But the other eight? For the first and perhaps last time, a filmmaker gathered these most rare human specimens together and let them describe in their own words what it felt it like -- and what it meant to them -- to visit another world.

spacecraft films
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posted 01-22-2007 06:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
At the end of the Washington Post article:
In the film, the producers include a clip from a 16mm camera that was mounted inside one of the Saturn rocket boosters. The camera captures the Apollo spacecraft in the moment of "trans-lunar injection," when it rockets away toward the moon. In the shot, you see Apollo fly away into a vast darkness, and then the booster begins to turn, and the Earth looms into view. Sington calls it the greatest sequence from space he has ever seen. He includes the entire two minutes.
No such film of "translunar injection" exists. This sounds as if this is the footage from the camera inside the S-II as the first burn of the S-IVB pulls it away towards Earth orbit. It may even be the footage of the S-IVB pulling away from the S-IB. Obviously a camera pod capturing "translunar injection" would have a difficult time being jettisoned and recovered, and there were no camera pods on the S-IVB. It's a nice piece of film but it isn't TLI.

Will be interesting to see the interviews and some of the other ways the onboard film is used. I hope this particular shot is not used to represent TLI in the actual film.

Armando
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posted 01-22-2007 10:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Armando   Click Here to Email Armando     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That looks like one of the segments shown in "Ths Space Movie", where the SIV-B separates from the SI-B. You know its a Saturn IB fligh because you can see the three ulage rockets of the SIV-B (the one on the Saturn V had 2). It is a very nice piece of film, specially when the SI-B starts diving towards the Earth.

mjanovec
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posted 01-22-2007 01:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by spacecraft films:
Will be interesting to see the interviews and some of the other ways the onboard film is used. I hope this particular shot is not used to represent TLI in the actual film.

Sadly, I think some producers use whatever is visually interesting to capture an event, even if it has nothing to do with that event. I've seen the rolling re-entry footage from Gemini II used for a multitude of things, including TLI. Most of the time, it's used to represent a rock firing in space...even though it's nothing of the sort.

How many editors have seen that footage and said "use it" even though they saw the parachute deploy at the end of the clip (but edited out that bit, of course). Sadly, the "For All Mankind" film is guilty of this too.

I'd rather have them used the S-IVB footage, as it's the correct stage...even if it's not the correct event in the mission. Even better, of course, is to not show footage if such an event was never captured on film. Use animation or use interiew clips. Cernan does a great job explaining how he saw the horizon of the earth curve into a circle. Just keeping the camera on him while he explains it (then cut to footage of the Earth from after TLI) is more than enough.

pollux
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posted 01-22-2007 03:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pollux     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
I'd rather have them used the S-IVB footage, as it's the correct stage...even if it's not the correct event in the mission.
Exactly! Which is why SF products are so valuable. I don't think I have ever seen a complete 60s era space documentary that didn't use the wrong film, or the right film in the wrong order.

With a Spacecraft Films product we know that what we see is from the correct mission and chronologically in the right order. In that respect, we have been a bit spoilt by Mark - it's now really easy to spot the wrong film being used, because we know from the SF sets where the film actually comes from. In the past it might have taken a real howler to be noticeable, whereas now it's easy to spot a lazy editor who can't be bothered to find the right shot. Or in this case, actually used the wrong shot to claim it as a scoop, when it is nothing of the sort. To have the shot of the S-IVB in the film they must have taken the original footage and cleaned it so that it is of reasonable broadcast standard. Be interesting to see how "similar" the cleanup of their copy is to the same footage in the SF Mighty Saturns set - a set that predates their film by at least a couple of years :-)

The documentary itself sounds good - so why do they have to spoil it with these nonsensical claims. I guess it's possible that the guys from the Washington Post misunderstood what was being shown to them, although the review reads as though, at the very least, the director was happy to string them along. I mean, if this was TLI, what was the film being shot from? A passing camera? The second stage has been dropped off an orbit back! Who are they trying to kid!!

Sorry, I'm just getting a bit wound up by this, I think I'll stop here ...

spacecraft films
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posted 01-22-2007 04:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Even I don't get that wound up about it, although I must admit it drives me up a wall.

You'd be amazed at the things (and some of the people who should know better) that have challenged me on the origins of some of the footage.

For example - there is footage from the Apollo 9 onboards of some sort of liquid dump (the constellation Urion?) that gets used all the time for oxygen coming from the Apollo 13 service module. There isn't any footage of oxygen escaping from the Apollo 13 service module. But this Apollo 9 footage has been used in at least one documentary as the Apollo 13 problem.

The Apollo 14 lunar liftoff footage is constantly used as the Apollo 11 lunar liftoff. Why? It is nice footage and has the flag fluttering. And there is no footage of the Apollo 11 lunar liftoff. Buzz started the camera a few seconds after liftoff. I can't tell you how many times I've been challenged on this (told that there really is footage of the Apollo 11 liftoff) because someone "saw it used on... PBS...The History Channel... the Discovery Channel... etc, etc." I even was challenged on this one time because it was in the movie "The Dish." (The Dish also used a J mission lunar liftoff during this sequence.) I love the movie, but that stuff isn't from Apollo 11.

Nearly all the time the decision to use something that isn't correct doesn't even enhance the story. Saying it's an "artistic" choice just isn't valid with me. If it is a documentary, then visuals should be treated with the same respect as the written word, with some effort at accuracy.

Blackarrow
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posted 01-22-2007 07:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One of my pet-hates is the frequent use of Buzz Aldrin's descent down the ladder instead of Neil Armstrong's descent. Obviously this is because the Aldrin shot is clearer, but the bright blob (Armstrong) visible through the struts of Eagle's landing-gear is a dead give-away. If you haven't noticed this before, I bet you will the next time you see it!

Robert Pearlman
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posted 01-27-2007 11:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sundance Film Festival release
The jury and audience award-winners of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival were announced tonight at the Festival's closing Awards Ceremony in Park City, Utah... Awards were given to both dramatic and documentary films screening in the four competitive categories: Documentary Competition, Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition, and World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The films in these categories were also eligible for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival Audience Awards as selected by Film Festival audiences. The premier showcase for U.S. independent film, the Film Festival is an important new platform for international independent film and screens films that embody risk-taking, diversity, and aesthetic innovation.

...the World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary was given to In The Shadow Of The Moon/United Kingdom, directed by David Sington. One of the defining passages of American history, the Apollo Space Program literally brought the aspirations of a nation to another world. Awe-inspiring footage and candid interviews with the astronauts who visited the moon provide unparalleled perspective on the precious state of our planet.

In the Shadow of the Moon will be coming to a U.S. theater and/or television near you... THINKFilm release:
THINKFilm has acquired North American rights to In the Shadow of the Moon, a documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker David Sington that brings together the surviving crew members from the Apollo missions to tell their stories by interweaving stunning archival footage with first-hand testimony. The deal was announced by the company's President and CEO, Jeff Sackman, who plans to release the film in theatrical engagements in 2007 in association with Discovery Films.

In the Shadow of the Moon is an intimate epic, which vividly communicates the daring and the danger, the pride and the passion, of this extraordinary era in American history. Between 1968 and 1972, the world watched in awe each time an American spacecraft voyaged to the Moon. Only 12 American men walked upon its surface and they remain the only human beings to have stood on another world. Now for the first, and very possibly the last, time, In the Shadow of the Moon combines archival material from the original NASA film footage, much of it never before seen, with interviews with the surviving astronauts, including Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 and 13), Dave Scott (Apollo 9 and 15), John Young (Apollo 10 and 16), Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17), Mike Collins (Apollo 11), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16) and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17). The astronauts emerge as eloquent, witty, emotional and very human.

In the Shadow of the Moon features exclusive NASA film footage including astonishing space shots re-mastered from the original film rolls to reveal the Apollo program with a visual clarity and impact it has never had before. The mute 16mm rolls shot in Mission Control have been painstakingly lip-synced with the 16-track audio recordings of the mission controllers' voice loop to re-unite the pictures and sound of many historic moments for the first time, lending a striking immediacy to many dramatic scenes.

"I am thrilled to be working with THINKFilm," says director Sington. "We share the same vision for this film and I am confident that we will be able to bring it to a very wide audience in North America so that everyone can share the magic of Apollo."

THINKFilm's Head of U.S. Theatrical, Mark Urman, adds, "Everything about In the Shadow of the Moon is grand — its emotion, its size and scale, and its audience appeal. We are excited to be involved with a film that has this much quality and this much potential."

And Billy Campbell, president of Discovery Networks, U.S., says, "Discovery Films is thrilled to collaborate with THINKFilm to bring In the Shadow of the Moon's inspirational and important messages to audiences across the nation."

In the Shadow of the Moon is directed by David Sington, produced by Duncan Copp, co-produced by Chris Riley, executive produced by Simon Andreae, John Battsek and Julie Goldman, with original music by Philip Sheppard, cinematography by Clive North, and editing by David Fairhead. Following its theatrical engagement, In the Shadow of the Moon will have its television premiere on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater.

The deal was negotiated by Urman, Randy Manis, THINKFilm Executive Vice President of Acquisitions and Business Affairs, and Michael Baker, THINKFilm Vice President of Acquisitions, and CAA and Submarine with executive producer Simon Andreae on behalf of the filmmakers.

prestontw
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posted 03-21-2007 09:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for prestontw   Click Here to Email prestontw     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
In the Shadow of the Moon Canadian Premiere:
Hot Docs lineup goes to the moon and back

Hot Docs, North America's largest documentary festival, opens this year with the Canadian premiere of In The Shadow of the Moon, a new U.S. documentary about the handful of men who have walked on the moon.

goldbera
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posted 03-24-2007 11:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for goldbera     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For those of you in the greater Orlando, FL area, the Florida Film Festival is in full swing.

On March 31st and April 1st, "In the Shadow of the Moon" will be playing at the Regal Winter Park Village Theaters.

More details can be found here.

I'll be there on March 31! Hope to see some of you there.

prestontw
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posted 04-21-2007 08:31 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for prestontw   Click Here to Email prestontw     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
We had a chance to attend a screening of "In the Shadow of the Moon" yesterday afternoon at Toronto's Hot Docs festival. The theatre was filled to capacity, and the film received a rapturous response. The Director, David Sington was in attendance and there was an informative 15 minute Q & A session after the screening.

Some of my impressions... A very skilled and well put together film, best general NASA/Apollo doc to date. The Moonwalkers were very funny and engaging, their humanity really shines through. Mike Collins (particularly), Charlie Duke, Alan Bean came across well, although unfortunately John Young, Dave Scott, and Jack Schmitt seem slighted, and didn't have much face time... Most of the footage we've seen before via Mark Gray/Spacecraft Films, although some nice footage of the MOCR from Apollo 11/ Charlie Duke working as CAPCOM which I haven't seen before.

Some slight concerns about historical representation and accuracy (which Mark has taught us) of the footage which bugged me ; for example, Apollo 12 LM undocking DAC footage, Apollo 14 Lunar liftoff DAC footage used to represent Apollo 11, some purported TLI footage from the S IV-B which seems dubious. But these are concerns of us Apollo fanatics which doesn't seem to bother general observers.

The film comes out in general release in September 2007, DVD follows in spring 2008. According to the director, a 3 hour cut of the film exists, and some of that cut footage might make it to a future DVD release.

spacecraft films
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posted 04-21-2007 08:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
By the way, I informed them specifically about the S-IVB footage, which they discussed in a newspaper interview, and how it wasn't TLI footage. I suppose they don't care about historical accuracy.

And Apollo 14 used AGAIN for Apollo 11 lunar liftoff? They couldn't even be original in their misrepresentations.

So why should we care about this? The same reasons we care if a written history is historically accurate. If you were reading a book on some aspect of space history, and ran across facts you knew were false, you'd hold the rest of the work in question. How can things you don't know be trusted from the author? And you'd recognize that it was not something you'd want those who weren't as knowledgable about space history to consume... because then they'd have the wrong facts. Audiovisual history should be held to the same standard. If you're making a work of fiction, have at it. If you're making a documentary about real facts, accuracy should be paramount.

If we aren't vigilant as historians we wind up with nonsense (which I have even seen on billboards) such as "Einstein failed Math." False. Never happened. Never close. A lie devised to make underachieving students feel better about themselves. But repeated and repeated and repeated. Just like the Apollo 14 lunar liftoff footage, I suppose.

pmbasta
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posted 04-23-2007 04:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pmbasta   Click Here to Email pmbasta     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by spacecraft films:
I suppose they don't care about historical accuracy.
I hope you get a chance to see our documentary, "The Wonder of it All", at some point in the near future, Mark.

As filmmakers we, as well as every one making a documentary on the Apollo years, have to deal with the problem of using the footage that exists with historical accuracy. When you have the bulk of in flight footage and DAC footage and transmitted "footage" from Apollo 14 on (I guess the J series), there is going to be a problem with the early flights when depicting specific events. One has to resort to some form of re-creation, animation, or other manufactured image.

If you have the wherewithal to create images as in "Magnificent Desolation", that's one way to solve the problem. If you have a limited budget, this compounds the problem, although may increase the creativity needed to find your solution.

Don't get me wrong, the responsibility of the filmmaker is to be true to the historical accuracy of the footage used. No contest. What is a problem is in the subjective, artistic, and emotional components of filmmaking - to be able to convey a "feeling" that is as important as the accuracy of the footage is also a valid approach - as long as the filmmaker informs the audience that this was done.

I know you will probably disagree. All I can say is that when we were screening early versions of our film, I informed the assembled that some footage was used out of context not as a malicious misrepresentaion of fact, but to highlight the story being told. We tried to be as historically accurate as possible with our footage while being true to the nature of each story.

I look forward to your comments, and hold your knowledge of the era as formidable.

spacecraft films
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posted 04-23-2007 05:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Paul, I'll probably have a chance to see the film in early June at the event down at KSC, and very much look forward to it.

And yes, we'll probably disagree on this issue. Unless the footage is identified in the film as being out of context, you're just not being honest with your audience.

There are other artistic ways of going about visually representing areas in which footage doesn't exist, through stills, training, testing and simulation footage, and/or identifying such. An example... for our Apollo 13 documentary we used footage from the tests done after the accident showing the SM explosion (instead of the oft-used Apollo 9 urine dump footage) and it is the most dramatic (and historically accurate) footage one could use short of having a camera following along. What's better than seeing the magnitude of the violence of the panel blowing off of the SM? But it took us a while to dig for that footage.

In your case, with a film that has extensive use of interviews, one should be able to choose timing on cutting away from interviews so as to be able to use footage in its proper historical context.

As an editor and producer I know that sometimes you'd rather not have to pull away from focus on an emotion or feel in order to inform the audience about a mechanical detail (If you do use footage out of context). My point is that you wouldn't deliberately mislead your audience through the spoken word, why is it ok to do so through visuals?

People really believe what they are seeing is being represented by correct footage. I have had extensive conversations with people who have challenged that certain footage came from a particular mission... "because it was on the Discovery/National Geographic/History channel." They believe that producers would not knowingly use footage of one event to represent another, and every time it is used incorrectly the problem gets worse. This isn't responsible when producing material telling historical stories, and "art" doesn't give one a pass on that responsibility.

As I understand your film, the focus is not linear concerning the missions, but if you're discussing a particular event on a particular mission, I believe you have a responsibility to be honest in your visuals. I certainly hope we don't see the Apollo 14 lunar liftoff for the Apollo 11 LM liftoff again (or "J" mission TV).

I understand what you're saying and appreciate you taking the time to post on the subject. Personally I think both masters can be served, and that it's just so tempting (and easy) for most producers to use the "best-looking" shot that they just can't resist. Just a bit more dilligence (and stubborness on the subject) and it could be wonderfully moving AND completely accurate. What a joy it would be to see a film like that!

E2M Lem Man
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posted 04-24-2007 05:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for E2M Lem Man   Click Here to Email E2M Lem Man     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I agree with Mark on this.

Many film makers go the easy route even when you tell them they are wrong. (I had those talks with the "Apollo 13" folks about the booster launch!). Sometimes they get lazy or cheap ("No one will notice that the paint scheme is wrong").

Other times they just don't have the time to do things correctly.

But we do notice and as my mother said "if you have the time, do it right. Nothing is worth doing unless it is done correctly."

tedc
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posted 05-27-2007 11:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tedc   Click Here to Email tedc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For those in the Seattle area, this film will be shown as part of the Seattle Film Festival this Wednesday, May 30th.

Stephen Beck
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posted 06-14-2007 10:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Stephen Beck   Click Here to Email Stephen Beck     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Does anyone know of upcoming showings of this film?

tegwilym
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posted 06-15-2007 12:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by tedc:
For those in the Seattle area, this film will be shown as part of the Seattle Film Festival this Wednesday, May 30th.
I saw the movie at a matinee during the SIFF. Great stuff!

My movie buff sister has a review site. I wrote a review, but she won't officially post it until September when the movie comes out to the regular theaters. She does have comments about it in her film festival blog here.

Just scroll down until you get to no. 3, easy to find.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 06-30-2007 11:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
THINKFilm release
Ron Howard Joins 'MOON' Mission

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard, whose "Apollo 13" remains one of the most popular and highly-regarded dramatizations of man's exploration of space, is partnering with THINKFilm to present the award-winning film, In the Shadow of the Moon, the definitive feature documentary about the Apollo space program and the first-ever landing on the moon. Howard's name, and the "Ron Howard Presents" credit will appear on all prints and in all paid advertising for the film, and Howard will participate in promotion of both the theatrical release and the DVD. THINKFilm will open In the Shadow of the Moon in exclusive engagements in New York and Los Angeles on September 7, 2007, with an aggressive national expansion planned throughout the month.

A rousing celebration of human endeavor, In the Shadow of the Moon begins in the early 1960's, with President Kennedy's stated ambition to put an American on the moon before the end of the decade, and culminates in Apollo 11's successful lunar landing and the extraordinary global impact that event had. Ten of the surviving astronauts who journeyed to the moon tell their stories in their own words, accompanied by spectacular NASA footage, much of it never seen before in a feature film, and all of it re-mastered for maximum visual and aural effect.

About the film, Howard says, "In the Shadow of the Moon is a spectacular film that should be seen by the widest audience possible. It is especially timely now, when we are all reminded how fragile our Earth is and how much there is for us to explore in the universe. I am thrilled to be able to support it in this way and to remind Americans in these dark times about what a truly incredible accomplishment going to the moon was."

David Sington, who directed In the Shadow of the Moon adds, "As a director, I am incredibly flattered that such a distinguished filmmaker as Ron Howard is willing to lend his name to our film in this way."

Howard saw the film shortly before its acclaimed world premiere at Sundance 2007, where it won the Audience Award for Documentary (World Cinema) and soon thereafter began discussions about how he could help the film reach the widest possible audience. Since Sundance, the film has gone on to win another half-dozen audience or jury awards at North American film festivals and will qualify for the Academy Awards as part of the International Documentary Association's DocuWeek Showcase in August. THINKFilm has had four Oscar nominations for Best Documentary feature in the past five years for Spellbound, The Story of the Weeping Camel, Murderball and Born into Brothels, and won the statuette in 2005 for the latter.

In the Shadow of the Moon, a THINKFilm release in association with Discovery Films, features interviews with astronauts Jim Lovell (Apollo 8 and 13), Dave Scott (Apollo 9 and 15), John Young (Apollo 10 and 16), Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17), Mike Collins (Apollo 11), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16) and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17). The film is directed by David Sington, produced by Duncan Copp, co-produced by Chris Riley, executive produced by Simon Andreae, John Battsek and Julie Goldman, with original music by Philip Sheppard, cinematography by Clive North, and editing by David Fairhead. Following its theatrical engagement, In the Shadow of the Moon will have its television premiere on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater.

The deal with Howard was negotiated by CAA, attorney Jeff Sanders acting on behalf of the filmmakers and Discovery Films, and Randy Manis, Senior VP of Acquisitions and Business Affairs and Richard Rapkowski, VP of Business and Legal Affairs, for THINKFilm.

To watch the trailer of the film, please go to the USA Today website.

tegwilym
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posted 06-30-2007 04:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tegwilym   Click Here to Email tegwilym     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This is a MUST SEE movie. If you are an Apollo geek, you'll find out.

Robert Pearlman
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posted 09-06-2007 03:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
THINKFilm has posted dates and locations for In The Shadow Of The Moon for many U.S. cities.

The film's soundtrack by Philip Sheppard has been added to iTunes (link requires iTunes installed) and is available on CD.

Reviews/Articles:

stsmithva
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From: Fairfax, VA, USA
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posted 09-06-2007 05:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stsmithva   Click Here to Email stsmithva     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Excellent! I've been checking their website every once in a while for the past three months hoping for something like this.

4allmankind
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posted 09-06-2007 08:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 4allmankind   Click Here to Email 4allmankind     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was in the Lincoln Center theater in Manhattan around two weeks ago and they had just erected the Saturn V promotional sign in the lobby for the film. I am nearly 6-foot-5 and it was amazing that I had to look WAY UP to see the top. Even my girlfriend who knows very little about this stuff was impressed at the appearance of the lobby sign.

We have tickets pre-bought and are ready to go!

I am really looking forward to it because the trailer on the website makes it look absolutely fantastic.

tr
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From: Laguna Niguel CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 09-07-2007 03:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Can someone let me know if they think a 9 year old would appreciate the movie, or find it pretty much over her head?

Hawkman
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From: Union, New Jersey
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posted 09-07-2007 11:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hawkman   Click Here to Email Hawkman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I read a review and I was kind of taken a bit by the 'never before seen footage' hook that seems to be used nowadays to sell a new cut of a movie or DVD.

I wondered if the producers of this film had ever heard of Spacecraft Films and then I come here and see that they have.

If nothing else, I hope that this leads people to the Spacecraft Films site so that they can order the DVDs that Mark Gray has produced and see some REAL 'never before seen footage'.

spacecraft films
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posted 09-08-2007 09:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spacecraft films   Click Here to Email spacecraft films     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Look earlier in this thread for a discussion on the never before seen footage. The producers are well aware that they don't have never before seen footage but don't seem to mind misrepresenting that to their audience.

For a while they went to "rarely seen" but now have reverted once again to "never before seen." It looks as though they did do some very nice HD transfers of some pieces of footage, though.

Unfortunately they don't seem to mind inaccuracies of fact in their film, as they use Saturn IB S-IVB ignition footage and claim it is footage of TLI, Apollo 14 lunar liftoff for Apollo 11, etc. (as discussed above)...

Hawkman
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Posts: 400
From: Union, New Jersey
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posted 09-08-2007 11:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hawkman   Click Here to Email Hawkman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Mark, I saw all of that discussion and I agree with you. I know of the S-IVB footage that you speak of. Anyone who knows how the flights went KNOWS that there is no way that anyone would be able to get footage like that of a TLI. It would be impossible unless someone happened to have a movie camera in a spacecraft riding along side.

Unfortunately, I also agree with other posters who pint out that this practice of using mis-matched footage is all too common in space documentaries...barring yours of course. And I STILL get slack jawed and mesmerized by the footage of the 'angry alligator' on your Gemini set. Now THAT is some serious 'never before seen footage'.

Murph
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posted 09-08-2007 11:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Murph   Click Here to Email Murph     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I saw this movie tonight in NYC. When the credits started to roll, the audience, myself included, started to applaud.

I am 45 years old and have never seen such response to a movie. Spontaneous applause.

It was stirring. It made you proud to be an American.


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