BTS: A Web Series

The final race is approaching for the first Rwandan national cycling team and everything the “Rising From Ashes” crew has been working toward is on the line. Will they get the shots they need to get the story they have been so passionately seeking? Emotions are raw and tensions run high as the RFA crew realizes that nothing in the documentary filmmaking game is certain.
Zacuto brings you the action as the RFA crew prepares for the final race in episode 3.

“The deal is that I have one objective that I have to get done at this point which is cover this race which is the Olympic qualifier and I’ve got three shots, one is the race and the other two are to kind of figure it out,” says Director, T.C. Johnstone.

Rules are rules and Producer, Greg Kwedar realizes just how delicate the situation is. While the crew is trying to get their shots, the race organizer tells them they got too close to the cyclists in the time trials. Unfortunately, this means that this time they won’t be able to ride motorcycles to get the close-up shots in the final race. Kwedar believes with the right communication, the RFA crew can come up with a compromise, but is this too little too late?

“Just coming to the realization that we may not get the close-ups of Adrian we need was extremely frustrating,” says DP, Jeremy Rogers.

The team makes a huge financial decision to enlist the help of something that could really take this documentary to another level, but will it all come crashing down before the final race?

“Like any movie, you get through a climax and somehow the story has to wrap up. It’s those moments after the climax when you really say what it’s all about,” says Kwedar.

The excitement of the race ends and the episode dramatically turns as the RFA crew visits the grave of Godfrey, one of the Rwandan race members killed by genocide.

“It was in the moment of silence that I really realized what this whole thing was all about and just exactly what the story is that we’re making,” says Johnstone.

Come watch the drama unfold in the final episode of the bts trilogy!

This was Zacuto’s first bts production and it has been a massive undertaking in logistics, shooting and editing. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us along the way. “Rising From Ashes” premieres early 2012. Check back to zacuto.com for updates on the film’s release.

CREDITS:
A Zacuto Films Production. Produced by Steve Weiss, Jens Bogehegn, Scott Lynch, Greg Kwedar and Daniel Skubal. Director of Photography Jens Bogehegn; Cinematography by Jeff Waldron; Lead Editor Daniel Skubal, Assistant Editor Chris Voelz; Graphic Design by Daniel Skubal and Chris Voelz; Sound Recordist Sean McCormick; Location Director Jake Hamilton; Directed by Steve Weiss.