This documentary will tell the story of the journey of Alexander Mackenzie, the first person to explore and venture across North America to the Pacific Ocean. Many believe Lewis and Clark were the first to traverse North America and cross the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean. But Alexander Mackenzie accomplished this remarkable feat 12 years earlier. Mackenzie’s diary inspired Thomas Jefferson to undertake his expedition. Jefferson gave Meriweather Lewis Mackenzies a journal when he tasked him with leading the famous Corps of. Discovery Expedition. To tie the narrative of both stories together, the film is told from the perspective of Thomas Jefferson as he discovers Mackenzies thrilling adventure for the first time.
To capture a unique visual experience and present the beauty of North America, this film will utilize historical images and show the powerful visuals usually reserved for nature-focused documentaries. The documentary will showcase the intensity of natural Canadian vistas as seen through the eyes of the first European ever to witness these landscapes; the first to traverse and see the endless prairies; the towering Rockies; the Pacific Ocean as seen descending from the Rockies to the sea. Mackenzie’s journey is compared to the experience of a similar adventure by Louis and Clark.
Our project will feature abundant historical images to ground the narration and the interviews of subject matter experts. Technically we intend to shoot the film using an 8k+ RAW workflow to preserve these interviews for the long term and create flexibility in post-production. To soften the digital look of a modern RED camera, we plan to use retro lenses and filters to give our film a more organic pastel quality. Drone cinematography will also be key in capturing large spectacular aerial vistas and panoramic landscapes. We will capture historically accurate footage of astonishing landscapes as first seen through the eyes of Mackenzie.
