April 1, 2010
The River Why was managed and produced by Steel Head Films, based out of Marin County, California. Shot on location in Portland, Oregon, the filming took place in areas surrounding Portland, Wilson River and neighboring communities over a 1-month period from June – July 2008.
The River Why was a small size production of approximately 100 people incorporating small crews, cast, extras and other resources including Location & Unit Crews, Production Office, Transport and Logistics, Special Effects, Art and Construction and Catering Services.
The producers of the film made a commitment towards sustainable production practices, so throughout the project, Steel Head Films and Ambush Entertainment granted Reel Green Media consultants access to key departments, shooting locations, waste management monitoring and water management. The outcomes of the green filmmaking program are detailed in a Green Report.
The green program concentrated all departments with an emphasis on water systems and recycling management. Improvements for reducing, reusing and recycling waste types and quantities were recommended for having a smaller carbon and waste footprint. Key changes included:
- using a film-less digital camera
- using Biodiesel, bikes and carpooling for transportation
- serving local/organic food and sharing the leftovers at the end of the day
- scouting fewer locations
- and, occasionally, encouraging the crew to camp on location when possible!
As a result, there was approximately a daily 40-50% diversion rate of solid waste throughout the production of The River Why.
The quest to “green” the production of The River Why is portrayed in GREENLIT, a documentary also screening at the Ashland Independent Film Festival and the Dallas International Film Festival, directed by Miranda Bailey (Executive Producer on THE SQUID AND THE WHALE). Check out the trailer here.
You can purchase tickets to the World Premiere of The River Why at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 14th at 7:30pm and April 15th at 7:00pm.
You can also catch a Special Preview “Thank you, Oregon” screening of The River Why at the Ashland Independent Film Festival on April 9th at 12:00noon and April 10th at 6:oopm.
March 31, 2010
Even before production began on The River Why, Producer Kristi Denton Cohen had a vision to make the film as socially responsible and “green” as possible. Every year thousands of films are produced in the United States, but each production requires transportation, catering, wardrobe, set construction, and lots and lots of paperwork. The California Film Commission wrote the Green Resource Guide to give filmmakers some tips on how to “green” their productions, but few have tried to implement a green policy on set…until now.
Ms. Denton Cohen wanted The River Why, the coming of age the story of Gus Orviston, the “Mozart of fly fishing”, who leaves home to find himself –and fishing bliss–along the banks of a wild river, to be different.
“Every attempt to be as ‘green’ as possible was made during production – which means sustainable production practices were incorporated as much as possible,” she writes. “This doesn’t mean it was easy, but it does mean nearly 6000 plastic water bottles were eliminated from use and there was approximately a daily 40-50% diversion rate of solid waste.” For more information on their Green Report, visit: http://http://www.theriverwhy.com/About/
Kristi’s quest to “green” the production of The River Why is portrayed in a documentary also screening at the Ashland Independent Film Festival and the Dallas International Film Festival. Directed by Miranda Bailey (Executive Producer on THE SQUID AND THE WHALE), GREENLIT follows the production of The River Why as the filmmakers attempt to keep an environmentally friendly set, thanks to the supervision of a “green” consultant. What starts off with great enthusiasm quickly devolves in this insightful and hilarious film about the difficulties of living up to good intentions. View the trailer here.
You can purchase tickets to the World Premiere of The River Why at the Dallas International Film Festival on April 14th at 7:30pm and April 15th at 7:00pm.
You can also catch a Special Preview “Thank you, Oregon” screening of The River Why at the Ashland Independent Film Festival on April 9th at 12:00noon and April 10th at 6:oopm.
March 26, 2010
The Newport Beach Film Festival announced our screening time for The River Why. So far we have one screening scheduled for Friday, April 23 at 6:00pm. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, please visit their web site.
That’s three film festivals and counting! Please leave comments for where you’d like to see The River Why next and we’ll do our best to add it to our festival submissions list. Thanks!
 Zach Gilford and Amber Heard fish on location in Oregon. I recently read an article in the Oregonian that chronicled the simple pleasures of a Winter afternoon on the Nehalem River, in Northwestern Oregon.
It made me think about the many rivers I grew up playing in and fishing in—I grew up just north of Tillamook, OR (a.k.a. “The Land of Many Waters”) so I had lots to choose from—and it made me curious to hear what your favorite rivers are.
My younger sister went fishing last June with her then-boyfriend and came back engaged. It’s not every day a girl finds a diamond ring in a tackle box, so I’m pretty sure the Lewis River racked up some serious points in her book!
You don’t need to give away any family secrets, but I’m curious: What is your favorite river and why is it special?
Please add your comments to the blog and feel free to add a picture to our Facebook Fan Page.
Cheers!
-Windy
March 25, 2010
 Zach Gilford on set of "The River Why". “The difference between fly fishers and worm dunkers is the quality of their excuses.”
~Anonymous
Fly or Worm? It’s an age-old debate and one that may not be resolved any time soon.
“Fly fishing is possibly one of the oldest fishing techniques, the first reports date back to the early 1700′s,” Marcel Bernard writes, and “many fishers consider fly fishing as an art.”
“There is a big difference between casting a line with traditional fishing techniques and fly fishing techniques,” Bernard continues. “With traditional fishing the weight of the bait or lure leads the line in the water. The fly fishing fly is too light to lead the line into the water and it needs to be done a different way. The line is thrown onto the water and the stream sends the fly to the exact place where the angler wants it to be.”
This debate is personal for Gus, the main character and narrator of The River Why. His parents, while deeply loyal to each other, are polar opposites: his father is a famous fly fisherman and his mother is a down-to-earth plunker of worms. Their opposing views on how to catch a fish are the source of turmoil and hold the secret to a family myth about the famous catching of Najinsky.
Gus tries to keep peace in the family by becoming an expert at both forms of fishing, but throughout the film he becomes “the Mozart of fly-fishing.”
So where do you fall on the fly vs. worm debate? Leave us your comments. We look forward to reading them.
Thanks!
March 24, 2010
As a special thank you to the state of Oregon, the producer of The River Why is offering two Special Preview “Thank You, Oregon” screenings at the 2010 Ashland Independent Film Festival. The screenings are scheduled for:
- Friday, April 9 at 12noon
- Saturday, April 10 at 6:00pm
For screening and ticket information, please visit the Ashland Independent Film Festival website.
Thank you, Oregon!
Over a montage of rivers and water, Gus Orviston, the hero and narrator of the The River Why, is born with this observation: “The surface of the earth is 30% land and 70% water. A newborn baby is composed of 70% water and 30% everything else. I guess this means that life and water are inseparable.”
 Zach Gilford fishing on "The River Why".
This observation is re-enforced by his upbringing. His parents, while deeply loyal to each other, are polar opposites: his father is a famous fly fisherman and his mother is a down-to-earth plunker of worms. Gus tries to keep peace in the family by becoming an expert at both forms of fishing. He becomes not only the Mozart of fly-fishing, but he also saves a small trout struggling in a polluted stream with the thread from an old coat.
 Gus, played by Zach Gilford, on set of "The River Why".
Zach Gilford plays “Gus Orviston”. Mr. Gilford stars as Matt Saracen, the backup quarterback turned football hero, in NBC’s critically acclaimed drama, Friday Night Lights. He appears in the soon to be released: Post Grad Survival Guide starring opposite Alexis Bledel, Michael Keaton and Carol Burnett directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) for Fox Atomic. Mr. Gilford recently completed Dare with Emmy Rossum and Alan Cumming. He has also appeared on Law & Order: SVU. Zach graduated from Northwestern University and spends his free time leading backpacking, ice climbing and diving expeditions in Alaska, New Zealand and Australia.
March 23, 2010
The River Why is the story of a Gus Orviston, the Mozart of fishing, who leaves his big city home in rebellion from his family to live in a secluded cabin on the banks of a wild river. Instead of finding fishing bliss, his desolation drives him on a reluctant quest for self-discovery. Most of all, The River Why is a love story: the love of a man for the wilderness, and for the beautiful woman who comes to share it with him.
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