Big Sky Documentary Film Festival 2019 – Chasing the Taper
An intimate look into the obsessive and vanishing art of bamboo fly rod making, through the eyes of some of the greatest living rod makers in the world, as they struggle to preserve this magnificent, yet economically unsustainable labor of love.
Interview with Director/Editor Mark Allen Davis
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When I was a child, my grandfather would drive my brother and me down a dusty old dirt road to a small pond where he would spend a few hours fly fishing. I remember being quite enamored with the whole pageantry of it. We would sit mesmerized as we watched him cast these beautiful tiny flies through the air with his old bamboo rod.
And then a few years back a friend introduced me to Dennis Menscer, a bamboo rod maker, who was making a custom rod for him. As soon as I walked into the shop all these memories of my childhood came flooding back. After giving me a history lesson and a short tour, I was really struck with the level of passion he had for the craft and the reverence he had for the other rod makers he knew, both past and present. Within a few hours we both realized this was an important story to chronicle and preserve and decided right then to commit to the project.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
As society grows increasingly addicted to disposable goods, we have really lost sight of the value of a hand made object. Not just intrinsically, but culturally and historically. There’s a personal connection that develops between a person and a hand crafted object that just doesn’t exist with mass produced products.
Chasing the Taper offers a window into a bygone world where passion, perseverance and mentorship are revered and cherished. And as we follow the journey of these craftsmen who sacrifice marriages, money and sanity along the way, we are reminded that this relentless pursuit of perfection is really the foundation upon which this country was built.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Chasing the Taper showcases the extreme sacrifices required to pursue one’s passion at the highest level. It’s a film that shows what’s possible when you combine single-minded focus with an extreme work ethic.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
At first we thought we were going to focus much more on the history of rod making, but we quickly realized the breadth of that would overshadow the stories of our rod makers. So instead we touched upon the history only as it related to the individual rod makers and that provided a more organic context.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been quite positive, even from people who don’t fly fish or make rods, so we feel like we have touched upon some universal truths.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
We constantly get challenged on the “dying art” aspect. After all, people are still making bamboo rods and more people get involved every year. But not a lot of people are making all of the parts of the rod by hand, like the reel seats, ferrules and butt caps.. And a lot of the makers in our film, also have deep connections to some of the masters who pioneered this craft in the late 19th century and when they are gone they will take much of that knowledge with them. For example, after Stradivarius died, people still made violins but no one could match what he had done.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are hoping to raise awareness of the film and its message to as large an audience as possible.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Since this is our World Premiere, we would love to catch the attention of other Festival Directors and Programmers. We have submitted to a lot of festivals all over the country, with a focus on documentary festivals but also in locations with a large fly fishing audience. We are also looking for sales agents and distributors who share our passion of putting the film in front of as many people as possible.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope this film will make people think about the values we’re in danger of losing as our society becomes increasingly disposable
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What is the value of a hand made object for ourselves and our society?
Would you like to add anything else?
Just thanks to all those who patiently believed in this project over the course of the last 4 years.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are currently working on a project that examines the demise and resurrection of small towns in the U.S.
Interview: February 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Chasing the Taper
An intimate look into the obsessive and vanishing art of bamboo fly rod making, through the eyes of some of the greatest living rod makers in the world, as they struggle to preserve this magnificent, yet economically unsustainable labor of love.
Length: 1:22:55
Director: Mark Allen Davis
Producer: Jan Jensen
About the writer, director and producer:
MARK ALLEN DAVIS is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, who directs, shoots and edits heartfelt portraits of Americana that serve as a reminder to audiences everywhere of the inspiring humanity that exists within us all.
JAN JENSEN and her husband, Mark, co-founded Tin Boat Productions, making documentary films and online content. Through their work they try to create awareness around dying arts, inspiring stories or worthy causes.
Key cast: Marc Aroner, Per Brandin, Dana Gray, Dennis Menscer, Rick Robbins, Bob Taylor
Looking for: film festival directors, sales agents, distributors, journalists
Facebook: Chasing the Taper
Twitter: @tinboatfilms
Instagram: @chasingthetaper
Website: http://chasingthetaper.com/
Other: Tin Boat Productions
Made in association with: Tin Boat Productions
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Beloit Interntational Film Festival/Beloit, WI - March 1st, 2019