Randall Blaum Back From the Edge Film Blog

NEW BACK FROM THE EDGE MOVIE TRAILER

Home for the Holidays

Namaste everyone,

Things have been a bit quite as of late because we have had noses to the grindstone and doing the hard work no one wants to hear about, or cares about.  Suffice it to say, we have been viewing over 100 hours of footage, taking notes and assembling our edit log so we can begin to cut the film beginning in January.

We have been working on a distribution deal and we are in the final stages of the agreement so everything is on track and looking good on our end.

Werner has been on the road make some great presentations to standing ovations and large crowds.  As you can see in the photo the "two sides of Werner" look a lot different.  I, for one, am glad he got a bar of soap for the Everest trip.

If you have not had the chance to see the new trailer, please go to www.backfromtheedgemovie.com and take a look.  I think it will blow your mind.   You'll also get the chance to take a look at the new website.  On the website we have a cool feedback and story section where you can upload your own medical, health, and nutrition misery or success stories.  Let us know what's happening in your life so your wisdom and stories can help others.

Be well and from everyone on the film crew, have a safe a happy holiday season.

Randall

New Trailer on Web Site

Namaste Everyone...

It's been a while since I reported in and I regret the length of time, but we have been very busy filming and editing.  If you have not had a chance to see the teaser trailer entitled, "The Climb," go to www.MeetMeattheTop.com and check it out.   Click on the Media tab at the top and then scroll down to the first video.  It is labeled as Teaser Trailer.

This is a 3 minute trailer that showed Werner's determination and success while climbing Mount Everest.  It has been shown across the country to standing ovations.

We are in production of the next trailer which will have it's world premiere in San Diego this Friday at the UltraStar Poway Ten Theatres.  It is on the head of my previous film, "UR Pre-Approved" which has an exclusive showing at the same theatre for the week of September 7 - 13, 2007.  I have to say its pretty cool to have a trailer for my current project playing on the head of my last film.  Just a great feeling.

My previous film, UR Pre-Approved (www.urpreapproved.com) is about how people get into credit card debt and how they are taken advantage of by the credit card companies.  It shines the light on many of the major issues, like interest rates that have no cap and fees that keep people spending more money they don't have.

Speaking of which, I have a favor to ask of you.  There are so many high school and college students, as well as lower income families that cannot afford to pay to see the movie that can help them actually get out of debt.

Through a special arrangement with the people at UltraStar I have negotiated a $3.00 ticket price if people buy at least 20 tickets at a time.  If you have $60.00 and can afford to buy a set of group sales tickets, I will personally deliver them to those people who need them and will benefit from seeing the movie.  All you need to do is call 760-597-7777 extension 18 and talk to James as soon as you can.  The film opens on Friday and I need to get the tickets to people on Wednesday and Thursday.

If you live anywhere near San Diego, you can buy tickets at the theatre box office, or by going to the UltraStar website and buying a tickets for you and your family.  By the way 30% of all tickets sales for UR Pre-Approved for the first week benefits the Newspapers in Education Foundation at the North County Times, so by getting a ticket you help those in debt, get out and a great charity as well.

Thank you for your consideration and time.

I am yours in success,

Randall

World Premiere of Meet Me at the Top Trailer Set

Namaste everyone,

We've been all across the US, parts of Canada, to Nepal, Bangkok, and Mount Everest and on other locations for the filming of the movie. The hard work and hundreds of hours of time all come to fruition  on July 25th at 7:00pm EST when the first footage shown to the public will be presented in a 3 minute trailer in Washington DC at a Robert Allen wealth retreat.

The 3 minute trailer took 50 hours to edit which included scoring music, fixing all the "problems" in the film (cleaning up the image, stabilizing the image, etc), adding special effects, manipulating the sound and then creating the DVD's from which it will be played.

The film crew just got back from Salt Lake City where they interviewed Tim Wood, a nutrition expert from USANA.  His interview was packed with relevant and little-known facts that are critical for movie-goers to know and will also cause quite a stir at the FDA, the AMA and other organizations.  (These organizations declined our request to be interviewed.)

The trailer will be made available on the Meet Me at the Top web site after it premiers in Washington.  It should be on the site by the 27th of July.

Be well and have a superb weekend.

Randall

Hot Time Summer in the City...

Namaste everyone,

As the heat wave continues to roll across the West, we are in the laborious phase of the edit process, that of digitizing footage and creating a log of every shot for over 60 hours of film.  This takes about 130 hours to complete and while not the most exciting part of the production, it is essential or we will not be able to edit the film.

Werner is finally getting some rest after a month of media events and interviews.  He is never really at rest though and is already scheduled to appear in front of thousands of people at upcoming events across the US and Canada.

The crew and David Scotland, our producer, will start another trek cross country this week with interviews of more experts.  When you see the film I think you will be blown away by what they say and what they offer as reasons for us being a sick country and the solutions for all of us being healthier.  It's pretty amazing stuff and some of it will be controversial, so hang on to your seats!!

I just got back from a week's holiday and am right in the middle of creating the first trailer for the film.  It will be on the web site within two weeks and will have its world premier at a huge event next week.  As soon as it is available, I'll let you know.

Back to work now and I hope you all have a superb week!

Randall

A Photo Journey from Randall

Namaste everyone.

As I wrote about in the last blog, our trip to the Pacific Northwest and the East Coast was jammed packed.  I have had several people ask me if there are any photos from the trip and, yes there are.  Here are a just a few and check out the new photo category labeled interviews for more.  This is Gordon Janow the Operations Director from Alipne Ascents, the expedition team that got Werner up Mount Everest.  Gordon rides his bike to work 20 miles every day and doesn't own a car.

This next photo is of me and Dr. Bruce, who went on the trek to Everest and is now hooked on mountain climbing.  Dr. Bruce runs a family clinic in Seattle and is part of a dying breed...  Doctors that work for themselves that truly care about their patients.  He even makes house calls!!!   For more photos check out the "interviews" category on the right side of this blog.

Be well,

Randall

Westbound and Down, Loaded Up and Truckin'

Namaste everyone,

We arrived back in San Diego at 1:30 this morning from our east coast swing and are now getting ready to head to LA for the day to complete round one of the expert interviews.  This past week has been grueling for the crew and we're all looking forward to a few days off.

To reiterate our travels; in the the last 11 days we have had an average of 16 hours of travel, shooting, and prep per day and have been to, San Fransisco, Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., New York, Philadelphia, Pottstown, PA, Orlando, Charlotte, and Las Vegas.  Whew!!  And based on the questions some of you have sent me, these facts may surprise you.  You see, movie-making is not glamorous.  It's hard work, with long days and just the logistics to get our crew on location at the right time for all the interviews has been a huge task in itself.

The next round of interviews will take us to Toronto, New York, Salt Lake, Houston, Dallas, and Scottsdale.  The travel schedule is hot an heavy, but after this next round of interviews, we'll be e mostly completed with principle photography for the film.  We'll still need to pick up a couple of experts and take a trip to Mexico, but overall we'll have most of the footage.

We are digitizing tape right now (getting it from the tape form to the electronic form in the computer) and logging all the shots (literally making notes on every shot we took at Mount Everest.  This is laborious and critically important work, for without it, we couldn't even start to edit the film.

Be well and I'll write more when I get back from LA tomorrow.

Randall

Werner's Welcome Home Party

Namaste everyone,

Wow!  Last night if you weren't able to make it, you missed a great party for Werner as he finished up his international media tour and event schedule after he came home from summitting Mount Everest.  Last night over 50 people were on hand to see and hear Werner's presentation on health, nutrition, and of course, climbing Everest.

The event was held at the Pottstown Athletic Club and while we were filming Werner lifting weights, doing pull ups, and using the stairmaster, event the young guys at the gym were amazed at what Werner cold do.  All around a great time.

The film crew and I left Pottstown around 10:00pm and raced back to New York to be able to catch a couple hours of sleep and to get on board a 6:00am flight to Orlando to interview Lyle McWilliams, one of the world's leading nutrition experts. 

We're all a bit tired after the three-hour drive and early wake up call, but it was well worth it to be able to film Werner at the party.  I need to end this short blog now as we are heading out the door for the interview and getting ready for another interview with Dr. Melissa Andersson tomorrow about an hour outside of Orlando.

Be well and I am yours in success,

Randall

New York and East Coast Interviews

Namaste Everyone,

The film crew and I just got back from Vancouver, B.C. late yesterday and we're on our way to New York this morning.  The interviews in the Pacific Northwest when very well and Dorothy, a 72 year-old cancer surviver, was not only a delight to meet, she was an inspiration to us all.

Her story, which will be in the film was so good, so intense, and so filled with the truth we working on a way to bring it to you in it's entirety.  Everyone who wants to inspire others, or get inspired themselves, should see the whole thing.

Over the next week we're flying thousands of miles (I feel like I'm going to Nepal again) to capture interviews with some of the leading experts in the health and nutrition field.  For now, I must sigh off so we can get to airport.

Be well-

Randall

Dave Morton and Dr. Bruce Lay it on the Line

Namaste everyone,

Yesterday we did two interviews, Dave Morton, the senior guide on Everest, and Dr. Bruce Gardner who treks to base camp.  Dave was his usual quiet and peaceful self with many comments that cut deeper than most people may be able to comprehend.  In my life very rarely have  I met a man who is so quiet yet so masterful of thought and language.  Dave is one such man.

On a purely personal note, it was great to catch up with him and talk about Everest again.  In the hour-long interview Dave had a unique perspective on life and health, but one thing he said stuck with me.  I asked him the question, "What do people experience when they come back from Mount Everest?"

His response was unexpected and interesting.  He said, "I'm still getting emails from people who are waiting to feel the impact of their trek to the top of Everest.  They seem to want to know how they've changed.  The point is that people come back the same as they went up and once you realize that, THEN the change happens.  You are the same person all the time and the location you're at makes no difference."

I couldn't agree more with Dave.  When I cam back from Everest, I felt "changed," but the more time I've had to process, the more I realized that only my perspective on things has changed and I am the same now as I was before the trek.  Good stuff to know and learn!

Dr. Bruce was great and it was good to get an M.D.'s side of the health story.  Dr. Bruce believes in the healing powers of the body, spirit and mind and yet also understands how medicines help as as well.  At the end of the interview I asked him what he knew for sure (I left it an open ended question).  His response blew me away...

"What I know for sure is that as a baby you will take your first breath and someday you will take your last breath.  Everything in between is a crap shoot."

It's true...  We all have choices all of our lives and depending on how and when you make those decisions, your life will take a different path and you will experience different outcomes.  In other words, you life is what YOU make of it.

I must sign off now, we are on our way to Vancouver BC to interview Dorothy about her cancer treatments and it's a 3 1/2 hour drive.  Be well and I'll write more soon.

Randall