When The Documentary Began

OHH at one of the overlooks on his property.

In recent weeks, it’s been very active at The Skeptics’ headquarters, located in Frederick, Maryland. For the last several months their manager, Ol’ Hole Heels (OHH), conducted fierce negotiations with executives of several major U.S. film distributors who were anxious to get my documentary, The Skeptics In A World Of Their Own, into their catalogs. Fortunately, OHH’s corporate experience and razor sharp negotiating skills came in handy during these talks with the "suits". OHH’s entrepreneurial spirit served him well during these tough negotiations and is a testament of his ability to handle such serious affairs.

After countless hours on the telephone, trips to California, New York, Georgia, and other states, OHH chose to collaborate with a company that understood his philosophy and eclectic ways. He decided it was best to offer the documentary to Film Baby , a company out of Portland, Oregon. OHH was pleased by their grass roots approach and lack of big business attitude, of which greatly appealed to his management style.

With Film Baby now on-board as distributor, I received a telephone call from OHH. He informed me of a new promotions campaign he was starting and wanted me involved. His idea was to begin posting some of the extra footage we had collected while making the documentary. Over the course of three years, I was given complete access to OHH, each of the band members, and their extensive archives collected during the band’s reign.

I liked OHH's idea. It was exciting to think I'd work with him again, but I was very apprehensive. There was plenty of footage that could be used, but that would require much time in the editing room. I wasn't sure I could commit to such a time consuming project.  OHH said no problem. He said he'd make it worth my time. He asked me to temporarily move in with him at his spacious home and offered me a lucrative deal as one of his key staff members. He anticipated we had much work ahead and it was important to give it full-time attention. I was reluctant at first, but soon agreed.

Though we keep different schedules, OHH comes in during the night and sifts through footage, approving what is releasable, and during the day I come in and begin editing. This schedule works quite well and reminds me of  what George Lucas and Walter Murch did during the making of Lucas's THX11-38.

In the summer of 2007, OHH had convinced the boys it was time to get back together and “make that magic happen all over again”. The following clip reveals that historical summer day when the band members arrived at one of OHH's secret locations for the first time to begin filming. Included in this clip are shots from their performance at the Cultural Arts Center in Frederick, Maryland, one of the venues the band performed during a rash of surprise performances over the course of making the film. Appropriately, their song, Three Miles To The Exit, was used. It was a song the boys used  to like playing while traveling to gigs during their last couple years together.