Driftless Documentary
Duke Welter fly fishes on a Driftless Region trout stream as part of the filming of Decoding the Driftless. (Photos courtesy of Sustainable Driftless)
Academy Award winning Prairie du Chien area cinematographer Neil Rettig films a scene.
Driftless Region documentary raising funds
Filming nearly half finished
By Ted Pennekamp
The filming of the feature length documentary about the Driftless Region, which has a working title of Decoding the Driftless, is now about half finished. In fact, the film now has a trailer which provides a sneak peek at the substantial progress Sustainable Driftless and its filmmaking partner, Untamed Science, have made with filming. In the trailer, one can view bits of incredible scenery that will be included in the final film, much of it shot within the past few months. Some of the filming has and will be done in the Prairie du Chien area.
Along with the trailer, there is also a fund-raising effort.
“Recently, Sustainable Driftless launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to complete our feature-length film about our beautiful Driftless Region,” said Tim Jacobson, who is producing the film along with George Howe. “We are hoping that a large number of people can contribute at least small amounts of money to help ensure that we are able to showcase our beautiful landscape and our local communities to the larger world through television broadcast and other channels of distribution, including film festivals and community screenings. We’re thrilled with the response we’re receiving so far, with dozens of backers donating nearly $4,500 already. But we need a lot more help to keep the project rolling forward.
“Our crowdfunding campaign runs until Christmas Day. For people who like the Driftless Region, they’ll love the perks being offered to contributors by Sustainable Driftless. We’re offering guided tours and flights with the filmmakers as we explore and film the Driftless, real ancient fossil mementos, special exclusive seating at our world premiere, opportunities to get the completed film and bonus material on DVD or Blu-Ray, and T-shirts. And donors will help us help thousands, if not millions, more people experience and cherish the most precious, mysterious and beautiful places on the Driftless landscape.”
Jacobson said he, George, and the rest of the crew will be doing much more filming, especially in the spring and summer of 2017.
“Our goal is to edit the film in the fall of 2017 and have it completed about a year from now,” said Jacobson. “I’m thrilled that we have garnered endorsements from two more important organizations in the area: the Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission and the National Trout Center based in Preston, Minn.”
“Wisconsin’s Great River Road winds through the scenic Driftless Area, a ruggedly beautiful region left untouched by the continental glaciers of the last Ice Age. The Emmy Award-winning short documentary film, Mysteries of the Driftless, does a spectacular job of capturing the essence of this landscape, which is unique in all the world,” said Sherry Quamme of the Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission. The commission is thrilled that the creative team from that film has gotten back together to produce a feature length film about the beautiful Driftless, including a focus on the many outdoor recreational opportunities and scenic vistas along the Great River Road.”
Jeff Broberg, president of the National Trout Center
Board of Directors, said, “The National Trout Center is excited that the Emmy-winning filmmakers of Mysteries of the Driftless have joined forces again to produce a feature-length film about the beautiful Driftless, including a big focus on the importance of trout fishing and trout habitat in the region. Their upcoming film, Decoding the Driftless, will provide a tremendous platform for engaging a large audience and elevating the visibility of so many great things that the Driftless Area has to offer to residents and visitors. The National Trout Center looks forward to using Decoding the Driftless in our outreach and education efforts.”
Rob Nelson of Untamed Science, who was the director of Mysteries of the Driftless, will be the on-camera personality of Decoding the Driftless, which will also feature the work of Academy Award winning cinematographer Neil Rettig who resides north of Prairie du Chien.
Similar to their 2013 documentary short, the new film will feature a team of explorers and scientists as they reveal the majesty and allure of the Driftless Area using a stunning combination of filmmaking and genuine adventure. The film is being shot in Northeast Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin, Southeast Minnesota, and the northeast corner of Illinois.
The filmmakers have utilized Applied Ecological Services’ Cessna 206 equipped with multi-spectral imaging to examine vegetation. They have explored caves, dramatic waterfalls, the Kickapoo and Upper Iowa rivers, effigy mounds, threatened habitats, and fossils of the area. Also, they have ventured into a local trout stream with Duke Welter from Trout Unlimited to discuss habitat restoration work of TU’s Driftless Area Restoration Effort. The filmmakers are working with a range of local experts to document beautiful and rare landscape features and scientific puzzles of the region.
Jacobson said people can learn more about the project and contribute online by visiting https://igg.me/at/decoding-the-driftless.
“The first film, as a documentary short, always was intended as a pilot,” said Jacobson. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to produce a more complete and spectacular film to showcase the beautiful and enchanted Driftless Region landscape to a wide spectrum of people.”
