{"id":17572,"date":"2018-10-19T08:31:49","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T16:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/?post_type=blog&p=17572"},"modified":"2018-10-29T13:11:27","modified_gmt":"2018-10-29T21:11:27","slug":"filmmakers-turned-firefighters-venture-behind-lines-wildland","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/filmmakers-turned-firefighters-venture-behind-lines-wildland\/","title":{"rendered":"Filmmakers Turned Firefighters Venture Behind the Lines in “Wildland”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Filmmaker Alex Jablonski and his filmmaking partner Khalil Hudson had quite the arduous, smoke-filled journey to make the film Wildland<\/a>.\u00a0<\/i>The documentary premieres on Independent Lens<\/em> Monday, Oct. 29.<\/p>\n

Alex told us that Wildland<\/em> started with a question:\u00a0How do young men grow up? <\/span><\/p>\n

“We always wanted to tell a story about wildland firefighters but it was extremely important to us that the film go beyond the surface and into the interior lives of these guys.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“It seems we only hear about wildland firefighters when there is a tragedy like what happened in Yarnell [which saw 19 firefighters perish] or in Twisp, WA more recently,” he continues. “And even then the details are brief and there\u2019s no understanding of just how these guys came to the work of wildland firefighting and what it\u2019s like out there.” <\/span><\/p>\n

But how did Alex and Khalil go from wanting to understand as filmmakers and tell these stories, to being right smack dab in the middle of the danger zone?\u00a0Part of it was as a way to gain the trust of the other firefighters.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

“[It] went a long way toward earning respect and trust,” Alex says. “And when the guys really saw us working hard, they kind of had a different appreciation for what we were doing. I also think that simply by proximity, by being there all the time they knew we were trying to get this right, to make something special. [They] became friends and part of any friendship is about being honest with where you are. We were revealing pieces of ourselves. It wasn\u2019t a one-way street and that mutual vulnerability creates a certain bond.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex took us behind the scenes to give us a sense of what it was like physically and mentally–and emotionally–to be both filmmaker <\/span>and<\/span> a firefighter, two grueling jobs even more grueling together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\"Alex\n

You seem otherwise sane! Why would you and Kahlil choose to train as firefighters in order to make a film about them? (As opposed to filming more from a distance, using GoPros, etc.)<\/b><\/p>\n

“On one level it was really about access, we knew that if we just “parachuted” in, and followed these guys at a distance or dropped in and then left, we\u2019d miss a lot. <\/span>We also knew that the crew would see us as outsiders and we\u2019d be treated as such. The fire crew is a pretty closed-off world and our experience of it was that we\u2019d need to earn our place.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“By being a part of the crew, by being with them day in and day out that lead to a certain level of trust that allowed these guys to feel comfortable enough with us to open up about their pasts or about their families. If we don\u2019t have that trust we don\u2019t have those moments, and without those moments this is a very different film and one that wouldn\u2019t be able to tell the story we were working toward.”“It\u2019s this slow process of building rapport, showing that you\u2019re there for the right reasons and that you\u2019re committed to spending time there.”<\/pullquote><\/span><\/p>\n

How did you integrate and get initiated with these other firefighters? Did you have a special bond with any of them?<\/b><\/p>\n

“It began by just spending a lot of time at the base. We\u2019d be there early in the morning in the winter when the guys were just going out to do what\u2019s called \u2018project work\u2019 which is essentially thinning forests. It\u2019s hard work on steep slopes and not exciting. We\u2019d tag along and just hang out, then maybe shoot a bit or ask questions during a break.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s this slow process of building rapport, showing that you\u2019re there for the right reasons and that you\u2019re committed to spending time there.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“Then as we got to know people we\u2019d find guys who we thought could be pretty interesting. Tim Brewer, the crew boss in the film, was someone who stuck out right away. He\u2019s sharp-tongued and funny and has a ton of experience. He\u2019s also not particularly friendly at first.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“When we\u2019d zeroed in on his crew to follow them, I went up to him and said, ‘Hey Tim, I\u2019m Alex — we\u2019re doing this film and we\u2019d be interested in talking to you about maybe following your crew,’ and he just looked at me and said, ‘You know I\u2019m a dick, right?’ and then walked away. That was it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>And then he avoided me for a week. But once we were able to keep talking to him and explain what we were after he became a little more open. And after spending a lot of time out there with him we became friends and I\u2019ve opened up to him about things I\u2019ve gone through in the same way that he opens up [about] in the film.“<\/span><\/p>\n\"fire\n

Crew boss Tim Brewer<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Vulnerability is a two-way street and it just kind of organically comes about when you\u2019re in the woods for days and days. <\/span><\/p>\n

What was it like moment by moment when you were out there in the wilds, both training and then filming–especially when you had to deal with an actual fire?<\/b><\/p>\n

“Moment by moment? In the morning you\u2019re up at five a.m. and then <\/span>it\u2019s about boots, coffee, breakfast, more coffee, trying to find the least awful porta-potty in camp (which is impossible, they are all equally terrible), heading to the rigs, asking a couple questions about the day\u2019s assignment, getting vague answers, packing lunch, checking my pack, stuffing camera batteries into my pants pockets, and double and triple checking that I haven\u2019t forgotten anything.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“Then<\/span> once you\u2019re out there the stream-of-consciousness is split between basic human concerns, approaches for the film, and firefighting duties.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“It\u2019d go something like: <\/span><\/p>\n

“F— this is steep\u2026 Why are we stopping?… <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Did I eat both halves of that sandwich or only one?\u2026 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I gotta get a jet boil\u2026 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I shot enough of Charlie on his own yesterday\u2026 today more Tim\u2026 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The light is going to be good on this side in the afternoon\u2026 let\u2019s see if we\u2019re here this afternoon\u2026 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This film is going to suck\u2026 seriously\u2026 no, it\u2019ll be fine\u2026 whatever, I don\u2019t care, focus on today, just focus on Wednesday or Thursday or whatever day it is. It\u2019s six\u2026 day six\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“I\u2019m not just being cute. it really is like that, and with the monotonous work of digging or mopping up, you can get way, way deep in your head. When dealing with actual fire there\u2019s less of that, but you\u2019re still trying to balance all of those things.” <\/span><\/p>\n

What would you say was the scariest or hairiest moment you experienced while you were training?<\/b><\/p>\n

“There was a moment on a fire where we were digging hotline [cutting swaths in the land to serve as a fire break] and the fire was just not calming down, we were moving and digging like crazy and the wind was shifting and it was getting into the afternoon and it was just all the conditions that you know are <\/span>Not Good<\/span>. The fire started throwing off a ton of heat and it flared up for what felt like awhile, but was probably only three to five minutes.” <\/span><\/p>\n

“Right when I was getting a little edgy, out of nowhere a helicopter came in from above with a perfect bucket drop and immediately helped enough where we were able to turn the corner. For someone more experienced I don\u2019t know if the moment would have been as intense, but <\/span>for me that helicopter felt like an answered prayer.”<\/span><\/p>\n