Far As the Eye Can See
Short Video
Produced By Roy McDonald
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs1.jpg border=1 align=center>
Far as the Eye Can See was filmed near Roswell
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs2.jpg hspace=4 vspace=3 border=1 align=left>In 1999, Connecticut producers Roy McDonald and Peter McCrea shot the 21 minute short “Far As The Eye Can See” with a small crew on a ranch near Roswell in just 8 days. It tells the story of an emotionally disturbed woman who steals an aging horse named Jake – her ‘best friend in the world’ – to protect him from being slaughtered. She takes Jake to an abandoned ranch to release him; but finds she can’t open the trailer she transported him in. She spends days trying to free him from the trailer as the hot sun beats down but failing to do so is faced with the dilemma of whether to shoot the horse or hope for a miracle. The story is captivating. Her conundrum challenges the audience too.
“Shooting in New Mexico was a dream," said McDonald in Alamogordo, "from the generosity of the Roswell Chamber of Commerce who let us use their headquarters for our production office and the Marleys, who graciously let a crew of 30 encamp themselves in the heart of cattle country, to the state police who closed down five miles of US highway 380 for the opening shots of the film, everyone was great," he concluded.
After eight days on location and with 27,000 feet of film in the can, the crew packed up and McDonald returned home. That was in the fall of 1999. But it would be another six years before a film festival audience would ever get the chance to see the finished film.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs4.jpg border=1 hspace=4 vspace=3 align=right>As is common for independent films, most of the crew donated their time. In exchange, Mr. McDonald flew them in and put them up at a nearby motel. Then, three days before the start of shooting, high winds prevented the windmiller from erecting the windmill, the centerpiece of the set. A week later, after enjoying seven straight days of sunny 80˚ weather, shooting an average of 22 set-ups per day, the production wrapped. The next day as the cast and crew were driving to the airport, it snowed! “It doesn’t get any tighter than that” remarked director of photography Brian McAward, the cinematographer who had also shot McDonald’s first short film, Special Delivery, which was a featured selection of the Director’s View Film Festival and Slamdance’s Hieronymus screening at the Echo Park Film Center in LA.
The cinematography is impressive, the story believable and well written. Actress Danielle Fradette does a fine job in her starring role. <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs3.jpg border=1 vspace=3 hspace=4 align=left>Also featured is 30’s and 40’s starlet Frances Dee McCrea in her final screen role. This film impressively showcases the writing, directing, production and editing skills of McDonald and McCrea who created a remarkably good film together on a limited budget. It seems to deserve the awards it has won and ought to have fared better than it did in Alamogordo. Sadly, it faced heavy competition there. Steppin’ Out highly recommends this film with deep local roots to New Mexico viewers.
Our hats are off to the producers and cast. Far As the Eye Can See seemed to have “the right stuff” to win an award at White Sands. Sadly, it didn’t. Perhaps it was born too close to Otero County to get the kind of respect it deserved there.
Dialup Connections: Dialup Users Click Here (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/607)
Broadband Connections: Broadband & DSL Users Click Here (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/608)
This video sample requires a low-speed broadband connection and either the free RealMedia Player or the Windows Media Player installed on your PC. It won’t work for dial-up users. Steppin Out’s clips above are designed for dialup users.
Visit Steppin Out's White Sands Film Festival Photo and Video Gallery (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/598) for larger images as well as our video preview from "Far as the Eye Can See".
- Video Details -
Category: Drama
Winner: No Award at WSFF. Awards & Great Reviews elsewhere
Run Time: 20 min 26 sec
Year Completed: 2006
Writer, Director & Co-Producer: Roy McDonald
Producer: Peter Mcrea
Country: USA
Cast: Danielle Fradette, Frances Dee McCrea, Gregg 'Coal' Thomas
Sponsor: Alamo National Bank
Short Video
Produced By Roy McDonald
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs1.jpg border=1 align=center>
Far as the Eye Can See was filmed near Roswell
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs2.jpg hspace=4 vspace=3 border=1 align=left>In 1999, Connecticut producers Roy McDonald and Peter McCrea shot the 21 minute short “Far As The Eye Can See” with a small crew on a ranch near Roswell in just 8 days. It tells the story of an emotionally disturbed woman who steals an aging horse named Jake – her ‘best friend in the world’ – to protect him from being slaughtered. She takes Jake to an abandoned ranch to release him; but finds she can’t open the trailer she transported him in. She spends days trying to free him from the trailer as the hot sun beats down but failing to do so is faced with the dilemma of whether to shoot the horse or hope for a miracle. The story is captivating. Her conundrum challenges the audience too.
“Shooting in New Mexico was a dream," said McDonald in Alamogordo, "from the generosity of the Roswell Chamber of Commerce who let us use their headquarters for our production office and the Marleys, who graciously let a crew of 30 encamp themselves in the heart of cattle country, to the state police who closed down five miles of US highway 380 for the opening shots of the film, everyone was great," he concluded.
After eight days on location and with 27,000 feet of film in the can, the crew packed up and McDonald returned home. That was in the fall of 1999. But it would be another six years before a film festival audience would ever get the chance to see the finished film.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs4.jpg border=1 hspace=4 vspace=3 align=right>As is common for independent films, most of the crew donated their time. In exchange, Mr. McDonald flew them in and put them up at a nearby motel. Then, three days before the start of shooting, high winds prevented the windmiller from erecting the windmill, the centerpiece of the set. A week later, after enjoying seven straight days of sunny 80˚ weather, shooting an average of 22 set-ups per day, the production wrapped. The next day as the cast and crew were driving to the airport, it snowed! “It doesn’t get any tighter than that” remarked director of photography Brian McAward, the cinematographer who had also shot McDonald’s first short film, Special Delivery, which was a featured selection of the Director’s View Film Festival and Slamdance’s Hieronymus screening at the Echo Park Film Center in LA.
The cinematography is impressive, the story believable and well written. Actress Danielle Fradette does a fine job in her starring role. <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/fatecs3.jpg border=1 vspace=3 hspace=4 align=left>Also featured is 30’s and 40’s starlet Frances Dee McCrea in her final screen role. This film impressively showcases the writing, directing, production and editing skills of McDonald and McCrea who created a remarkably good film together on a limited budget. It seems to deserve the awards it has won and ought to have fared better than it did in Alamogordo. Sadly, it faced heavy competition there. Steppin’ Out highly recommends this film with deep local roots to New Mexico viewers.
Our hats are off to the producers and cast. Far As the Eye Can See seemed to have “the right stuff” to win an award at White Sands. Sadly, it didn’t. Perhaps it was born too close to Otero County to get the kind of respect it deserved there.
Dialup Connections: Dialup Users Click Here (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/607)
Broadband Connections: Broadband & DSL Users Click Here (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/608)
This video sample requires a low-speed broadband connection and either the free RealMedia Player or the Windows Media Player installed on your PC. It won’t work for dial-up users. Steppin Out’s clips above are designed for dialup users.
Visit Steppin Out's White Sands Film Festival Photo and Video Gallery (http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/598) for larger images as well as our video preview from "Far as the Eye Can See".
- Video Details -
Category: Drama
Winner: No Award at WSFF. Awards & Great Reviews elsewhere
Run Time: 20 min 26 sec
Year Completed: 2006
Writer, Director & Co-Producer: Roy McDonald
Producer: Peter Mcrea
Country: USA
Cast: Danielle Fradette, Frances Dee McCrea, Gregg 'Coal' Thomas
Sponsor: Alamo National Bank