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At the center of this photo is the location in today’s video snippet called “Green Acres.”  It’s in the unincorporated town of Lincoln Acres in south San Diego County.

Six Years Ago Today The Journey Began

Six years ago today I recorded my first video footage with John Sears, aka Mule, and his three animal companions, Lady, Little Girl, and Pepper.  It was Christmas Eve, 2012.  My whole family was together for the holidays and I was reluctant to go off on a wild goose (or mule) chase.  But as a documentary filmmaker, I sensed a good story.  I headed for the Pasadena Arroyo in search of the guy with the mules.

No luck at first, but then I finally discovered him, already packing up to start on the next leg of his trip to who knows where.  He accepted a cup of coffee that I have brought with me. He talked a bit, very softly.  With some reluctance he allowed me to retrieve the video camera from my car.  Surprisingly, with the camera running, he talked more.  His words resonated with me, and I realized then and there that I was about to embark on a filmmaking adventure unlike any I had ever experienced.  Now, six years later, my journey is far from over. In 200 days of filming over a 27-month period, I shot 300 hours of footage.  It has and will continue to be a huge, long-term editing job to complete a full-length documentary and preserve the legacy of this special man and what he represents.

MULE: Living on the Outside is a personal independent documentary, not a commercially financed venture commissioned by a media company with deep pockets.  If you believe in the project and would like to be a part of getting the film completed, tax-deductible donations can be made on my website  3MulesMovie.com.  Your support is greatly appreciated, and I know you will enjoy the final film when I share it with you.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

John

P.S.  Please “Follow” on Facebook or subscribe to my Newsletter and watch my short video clips–one from each day I spent filming The Mules.

 

 

Freedom of Movement

“The right to move freely in this country should be held sacrosanct. That’s what people have died for. They’ve given their limbs and their lives for this very cherished right. But it’s not being practiced. The essence of freedom is to get up in the morning and decide where you want to go, how you want to go, and when you want to go. And to protect that right, you have to use it.”
—John Sears, aka ‘Mule’

Some photos from the musical variety show at Five Springs Farm on Earth Day to raise money for completing the feature-length MULE: Living on the Outside documentary. Thanks to all the performers, attendees, sponsors and volunteers — and special thanks to Avery Hellman (Ismay Music) and Sonoma Mountain Music Festival for putting on the event.

All the ticket sales ($1,240.00) were donated towards completing the feature-length film.

There is a still a long way to go to raise the $50,000.00 necessary to hire a full-time editor as the next step in the post production process.  Would you please take a moment to make a tax-deductible donation?

Donate at the International Documentary Association.

Thank you!

I am honored to have been invited to screen and talk about MULE: Living on the Outside (the current 11-minute version) at the California Trails & Greenway Conference in Monterey on April 20.

Click HERE to and fast forward to 1hr 24mins to listen to the interview on “Saddle Up America“ on Equestrian Legacy Radio with Gary Holt and director John McDonald.