SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/618747
SJ: With so many teams and changes that can occur throughout the season, how do you plan on keeping the storyline focused for the new film? Brown: Making a film such as this is completely unpredictable as to what the final outcome will be, as the actual story develops in real time. I kind of let the story find its own place in a true and organic manner. Often the really good stuff comes in the events that you had no idea what was going to happen. SJ: What is it about desert racing; and the SCORE Baja 1000 in particular, that made you want to focus on it again as a documentary? Brown: Off-road racing is a unique form of competition. Unlike F-1, NASCAR, NHRA or Indy Car racing has grown into, the SCORE Desert Challenge still clings to the ideals of it participants as a shared community – where passion for the sport is just as (if not more) important than finishing on top of the podium. The themes of Dust 2 Glory – the family, adventure and the comradeship are the kind of stories that can revisited many times because it's never going to be the same. No two races are alike and likewise, no two efforts are the same. SJ: Has the idea of transforming Dust 2 Glory into a scripted feature film, ever crossed your mind? Brown: There's been talk over the years, but it's so hard to get a studio to put the money behind it – especially if they don't understand the dynamics of this type of racing. It could provide great feature film material if a studio could keep to the integrity of the subject. If so, I would love to be involved it such a project. It just needs someone to step up and fund it. SJ: How did it come about to making the first film and ultimately this second film? Brown: Mouse (Mike) McCoy came up to me at the Sundance (Film Festival) after seeing one of my first documentary's called Step Into Liquid. He said I should do a movie on the Baja 1000. I agreed but said getting someone to pay for it was a different story. McCoy was excited about the idea and assured me not to worry about it. Meanwhile Step Into Liquid hit the big screen in limited release and was very well received. This opened the door for McCoy to ride through. We put together a plan and were able to find private investors to cover the costs of shooting. A few months after filming, and with the success of Step Into Liquid, IFC (Independent Film Channel) offered to fully fund the project. SJ: Why are documentaries held in such high regard, but never make it into the big theatres? Brown: It's a very selective audience and often not exactly theatre friendly. We won't have an advertising budget so seats are filled in an organic, word- of-mouth way. But, the good news is that doc films can last a long time on TV. Step Into Liquid is still playing on Showtime for gosh sakes. Make no mistake that the climax of Dust2Glory will be the SCORE Baja 1000. However, Brown's intention is to show how all roads (or non-roads in this tale) lead to the Mexican odyssey. However, there is so much more that leads to the marquee event. It is the preparation, racing, and sacrifice that begins long before arriving south of the border that Brown and his crew intend to capture as they return to Baja in 2016 for filming. For now, all of Brown's time and attention is focused on the rigorous task of pre-production. When Dust 2 Glory is released in the summer of 2017, he hopes to ignite additional passion for a sport he was raised with. It will also add another level of recognition to a form of racing that rarely gets its due but never disappoints its fan base. Editor's Note: Alan Paradise is an automotive journalist turned screenwriter and director. His latest credits include the feature film Snake & Mongoose released in 2013 and Second Street that is currently in development. He has also written and directed over 150 television programs as well as authored numerous books and documentary films all focused on automotive performance and motorsports. SJ 056 SCORE JOURNAL