Post #452877 by Mogambo on Sun, May 10, 2009 10:04 AM

Aloha,

thanks for kicking my butt and pointing out the misleading information on the Armchair Traveling website. I just corrected all entries today. And set the announcing of the release date to "still uncertain". No more shaky dates.

I do understand your frustration with this long promised project. I am fatigued and fed up with it myself. And I have to apologize for my over-optimistic and way too enthusiastic approach. In the beginning I though it will all go really quick. (But I have to add that at that time I had a way smaller project on a lower quality level in mind. The movie as it is now will be full of sophisticated edition and 3D animation).

The truth as usual is very simple and unpleasant to tell. This is a very "unprofessional" project in a way. In fact it is a fun and hobby crazy idea of mine. Early on I decided to put a lot of my own money into it and soon realized that it will not be profitable. And I don't mind that. There is no boss or client on this, that gives me money or forces deadlines on me. And I am glad about that.

The other crucial point probably is that this project does not have my number one priority. Please understand that family and regular job come first. I do it on the side and I need the time and help of other people who also have to fit it in their life/schedule.

So much about the whining. Let's look at the positive side: 60minutes of the first DVD are ready and have been seen by several of you. E.g. at the Wassermusik festival (http://www.hkw.de/de/ressourcen/archiv2008/wassermusik/_wassermusik/wasser_detail.php) or at the premier of Sven's new book here in Germany (http://www.klangundkleid.de/events/tikimodern/english/). Who has seen it, knows the amount of crazy detail, intricate montage and countless animations. We stick to our quality expectations, even if it takes longer.

So whats left to do? Reediting of the music/exotica part. I am at the point where I will just cut short on the music. People in the movie will talk about exotica but I wont play it. The interested audience will have to research it for themselves. And tikiphiles like you, know what "Quiet Village" sound like anyway. So way pay 20.000$ for music. I simply cant afford the musical rights.

Also we crafted a 15 minutes prologue on the origin of the myth of the seas paradise. It is mostly about the time of the early European explorers and the history of the real south pacific. As you can imagine there is no film footage about that time, which consequently means lots of animations that need to be created. Which means lots of time to spend.

All this would probably take 4-6 weeks in a row if me and my editor Schlango could afford to take this much time out at once. But we will have to do it little by little. It might take until autumn or winter, but even that I don't know, judging from earlier experiences.

What I know is that I like what we have, what we have accomplished and that this won't die in a closet. We want you guys to see it and like it too.

Please accept my apologies for getting you all excited about this documentary. Maybe it is best if you forget it for a while. And in the end you will hopefully be surprised when it comes around.

Any more details that you are curios about?

Thanks for your interest, Joe.