Interviews With Geocaching Filmmakers – Part 1
We’ll begin this week with some exciting news: for the first time, all 16 geocaching films from the 2014 Geocaching International Film Festival are available to watch at the click of a button. (Hear that? It’s the sound of 2 million of geocachers cheering).
They’ve made their rounds at select mega events around the world, but now it’s your turn to pop the popcorn, fluff the couch pillows, and soak in the awesomeness of these 16 films. And hey, why not invite your closest geocaching friends over for a viewing party while you’re at it?
Watch the full films and decide which should receive the Global GIFF Audience Award here: http://bit.ly/1vFapUU
Whet your appetite for adventure with these exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with the geocachers who captured the essence of geocaching and shared it with all.
C9 H13 NO3 (Adrenaline)
A film by Peter! | Portugal
“C9 H13 NO3 is the molecule formula for adrenaline, and this film is all about that. Ready for a real geocaching adventure?”
Who or what inspired this film?
I was inspired and challenged by me, and only by me. I’m an adrenaline junkie, and I use all the excuses that I can get just to go to a radical geocache. I have some training with ropes, and some other sports, so it’s easy to me to grab my material, a couple of friends and go out to film it.
How did you assemble the team (directors, actors, crew, etc.)?
This is almost a one man show. One GoPro (or two or three sometimes), some ropes, bikes, helmets and other gear, one GPS equiped with the best caches, and let’s go. I already have some training and professional works in the audiovisuals area, and with my training with ropes, good friends and a lot of adrenaline, I produced this movie.
Did you have any funny/interesting/challenging behind-the-scenes moments?
In one of the scenes that you can see in the film, I have a little accident with my GoPro, when diving into a lake… my GoPro jumps off my head during the dive, and hits me in the nose. The result…a small cut, with lots of blood, but nothing serious. 2 minutes later, I was already inside the cave logging the cache.
If you could condense this film down to a basic message to all geocachers, what would it be?
Try to reach a geocache in a different way and experience some adrenaline so you can have a different day of geocaching.
What recommendations do you have for new geocaching filmmakers?
Safety comes first. Always. Don’t try to do some of these adventures without the proper knowledge and with the right gear. If you don’t know how to edit a movie, use YouTube. You have lot’s of tutorials for free online. What you show to the viewers is more important that the edit itself. Great shots don’t need a great editing. Just try it.
What are you excited about for GIFF 2015?
The possibility to show more footage that I have, with lots of great caches.
La Busqueda (The Search)
A film by nitesco | Puerto Rico
“A novel editor is fired from his job and launched into the unknown world of unemployment. Soon after, he is told about Geocaching and decides to try it out as a way to get out of the house and try new things. What he finds changes his life forever.”
Who or what inspired this film?
It was a mixture of personal experiences and a fictional idea I had in my mind.
How did you assemble the team (directors, actors, crew, etc.)?
The team was pretty easy to assemble, since it consisted only of me. I wrote the film, worked to keep the camera as in-focus as possible, framed the picture and then tried my best to act it out. Then, I sat down and edited into a 4 minute film.
Did you have any funny/interesting/challenging behind-the-scenes moments?
If you can call trying to keep a frame in-focus under a 100 degree Puerto Rican sun without a monitor or LCD viewfinder challenging, then I would put that in here. 😉
If you could condense this film down to a basic message to all geocachers, what would it be?
Go out, try new things, discover.
What recommendations do you have for new geocaching filmmakers?
If you have an idea then do not let anything stop you. In this day and age, even cellphones can record good footage for a film.
What are you excited about for GIFF 2015?
I am excited to see the films that are going to be submitted and the crazy adventures that people go on with their films!
Geocaching in Canada
A film by TheBarnSwallows | Canada
“In such a large country, there are so many places to visit, so many beautiful places to see, and of course many great geocaches to find.”
Who or what inspired this film?
(No answer given)
How did you assemble the team (directors, actors, crew, etc.)?
With the film being a compilation of adventures, most of the stars of the film are the great geocachers located in the Greater Toronto Area, and the GHMGC (Golden Horseshoe Monthly Geocaching Club). Each month the GHMGC group will get together and explore a new area full of exciting caches. We have a great time socializing, hiking, eating home baked treats, and finding lots of geocaches.
Did you have any funny/interesting/challenging behind-the-scenes moments?
The most memorable footage to go through while choosing what to include in the film was the snow section. Some of our winter hikes were in very deep snow, so there was a lot of slipping, tripping, and falling.
If you could condense this film down to a basic message to all geocachers, what would it be?
Choose your own adventure, there are lots of different ways to enjoy the great outdoors.
What recommendations do you have for new geocaching filmmakers?
Have fun! I did not expect to be a finalist while putting this film together, I made it for my enjoyment and to share with my friends and family to show what I get up to out there in the woods all the time.
What are you excited about for GIFF 2015?
I am excited to see what other geocachers can come up with to share their own adventures.
The Ubercache
A film by Duck Muscle | USA
“Found footage from a disposable video camera hidden in a five gallon paint bucket in Central Park.”
Who or what inspired this film?
The abundance of micros and nanos throughout New York.
How did you assemble the team (directors, actors, crew, etc.)?
Just me and a slew of Ubercache video logs.
Did you have any funny/interesting/challenging behind-the-scenes moments?
The Ubercache was confiscated by the Central Park staff, so I thought the video camera in the cache was lost forever. However, they let me remove the cache rather than trashing it, so I got the camera back.
If you could condense this film down to a basic message to all geocachers, what would it be?
Geocachers are a family willing to share their fun with others.
What recommendations do you have for new geocaching filmmakers?
Always experiment. You never know what’ll come of it.
What are you excited about for GIFF 2015?
More films!
How to Geocache in Thailand
A film by RazMcCaz | USA
When a Geocache search goes awry, filmmakers Dacia Saenz and Sara McCaslin stop at nothing to recover the cache.
Who or what inspired this film?
Dacia was teaching me (Sara) how to geocache for the first time during a trip to Thailand. We thought it would make for a quick shot during our larger film project. Little did we know it’d turn into a comedy of errors.
How did you assemble the team (directors, actors, crew, etc.)?
Dacia and I were on a filmmaking trip to Thailand for another project called The Cost of Gender. See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLGKsgLPiXc
Did you have any funny/interesting/challenging behind-the-scenes moments?
Our short is really all about failing and trying again at getting a seemingly “easy” cache. The guys who help us at the end are motorcycle taxi drivers who had been watching us with amusement and just came over to help, which is a lovely thing about Thai culture. It was certainly a “stealth” fail.
If you could condense this film down to a basic message to all geocachers, what would it be?
Never give up!!
What recommendations do you have for new geocaching filmmakers?
Ask yourself, what’s the story you’re trying to tell? Every well-made film has focused story, conflict, resolution and great characters.
What are you excited about for GIFF 2015?
We’re excited to hone our craft now that we’ve seen so many other amazing Geocaching filmmakers’ work!
That’s it for now, folks. Stay tuned for our next round of interviews with geocaching filmmakers on February 18th, 2015, where we’ll get a look at arguably the funniest geocaching videos around.
