Independent Adventure Productions: Solid research for a solid documentary

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Solid research for a solid documentary

I've had a wonderful evening with Roger Blomquist and our families. Roger has a PhD in History and teaches at Utah Valley University. We initially asked Roger for an interview, but after discovering what an asset he could be to this and future productions we have chosen to bring Roger on as the Associate Producer for Gunfighters: Living the Legend. As the Associate Producer, Roger will oversee all the historical research for our projects. Additionally with his connections and experience we will gain access to many additional experts to interview.

Anyone interested in learning more about Roger can visit his web site. http://www.deseretsaddlery.com/

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Who we are.

Independent Adventure Productions is the working name for an emerging production company focusing on historical documentaries and re-enactment films. In addition to bringing history to life, the goal of the production is to give students hands on experience researching, assisting writers and directors and documenting the whole process.

For information regarding Independent Adventure Productions, or one of our products feel free to contact us a IndependentAdventure@gmail.com

Nathan Riddle - Producer/Director
Animator and Storyteller by trade, Nathan started making Gunfighters: Living the Legend as a way to stretch his creativity. This project came because of Nathan's experience as a old west re-enactor and of his love for what the old west represents. As his first real foray into documentary film making, Gunfighters: Living the Legend has been an educational experience. This production is laying the foundation for future productions which include a focus on the fur trade and rendezvous period of western history, and later on a focus on other ancient cultures and archeological history.

In addition to his two Bachelor degrees in advertising and computer arts, Nathan is an avid actor. Seen on stage around Utah and has been a re-enactor. Additionally he has done voice work for commercials and video games.

Roger Blomquist Ph.D - Producer/Historian
While in his Palm Springs high school he hated history and just wanted to survive it. Years later, while working for a civil engineering firm in Richfield, Utah, he was introduced to Louis L’amour, and began to fall in love with history. He was also watching an episode of the Andy Griffith show, where Andy was dramatically retelling the story of Paul Revere (less than accurately) and something clicked within Roger. He decided that he wanted to tell history like that as well.

Roger started working as a horse wrangler in Western movies in 1992 while working as an architectural designer. After working on several historical movies, documentaries, and TV shows (National Geographic’s Lewis and Clark and Touched By An Angel among others) he decided to teach history. He earned his BA. and MA. at Brigham Young University and his Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (renowned for Westward movement history). While there he was also fortunate enough to take a semester class on Lewis and Clark from the famed Dr. Gary Moulton, who spent 20 years editing all journals from the expedition members, He is now an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University teaching US History. While working on these films he studied material culture and began making period saddles and is now an award winning saddlemaker (True West Magazine for 2005). Saddle building also led to his thesis and dissertation on Wyoming Cowboy saddles and is now working with a publisher to publish it in book form. He has also created “making historical documentaries” courses that he is teaching at the university. It is a joint public/private venture where history students have the opportunity to learn how to research, interview, film, and interact with history on the screen. The private filming company provides a real world application for their research and allows them to gain real world experience. He is a producer on these projects and they have two documentaries currently under production.

All throughout this process he was buckskinning and attending the Fort Bridger Rendezvous and now serves as a board member. He has been consulting with the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, Wyoming and built a reproduction fur trade saddle for their permanent display. Now at any given time you can find Roger architecturally designing a building, teaching a history class at Utah Valley University, preparing for another movie, or at home working on another saddle.

Cheryl Barnett

During the Western Legends Round-up in Kanab this last month we had the chance to interview and get to know Cheryl Barnett who is the daughter of western legends Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

Cheryl was just delightful and wonderful to work with. I was excited to see the projects she is involved in, including her books and a movie about the story of Dale Evans.

Additional info about Cheryl and her projects can be found on her website. http://cheryl-rogers.com/home.html

Thanks for all your help Cheryl!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Solid research for a solid documentary

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