by Noah Davis, K+S
Jay DeMerit left Wisconsin with $1,800 and a dream.
By soccer standards, it wasn’t a unique dream: Like millions of boys around the world, he wanted to play professional soccer in England.
But the path DeMerit took was definitely the one less traveled. Eventually, though, he found himself not only earning a paycheck as a player in England, but also starting for the United States national team in the World Cup. Along the way, he made 40 pounds per week in a pub league, crashed in the attic of his friend's mother's house, and scored one of the most important goals in the history of Watford.
Amateur filmmakers Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija made Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story to tell this incredible American story.
Kicking + Screening: The average American soccer fan is at least vaguely aware of Jay's trails and tribulations, so you're not dealing with an unknown story. How does that change the filming and editing process?
Nick Lewis: One thing Ranko and I really wanted to do was document Jay's story from the people who actually lived it. We went and spoke with people he grew up with, who coached him in high school, the family he lived with in England, his professional coaches, and national team players. For us, we were honestly blown away by how powerful the story was as we dug deeper and deeper into it. So to answer the question, while people may be familiar with the story, hearing it firsthand puts it into perspective and really gives someone the "full" story.
There were many things that we were not aware of when we started filming. As we filmed more and more we realized just how unique of a story it is; it really is a once-in-a-lifetime story. Editing-wise, we just tried to capture it in a way that didn't need too much narration as it was being told by the characters who lived it. And we hope the way it was told gets more people to learn about Jay's incredible story!
K+S: One of the lessons of Jay's story is "it takes a village." Jay certainly worked his butt off, but he'd be the first to tell you he wouldn't have gotten anywhere without his family and friends. In some ways, that mirrors your attempts to get the film distributed, such as your Kickstarter campaign. The soccer community is rallying around it.
Lewis: Yes, there are definite similarities. Ranko and I both do not have a background in filmmaking. We had a director lined up who at the last minute had to drop out due to family issues. So we had a big decision to make: do it ourselves or let the film fail. Like Jay, we just went for it.
We learned as we went and didn't let people saying "no" stop it. Jay loves the fact that the film was made like this; in fact, I don't think he would have it any other way. We are working hard to get the film distributed to a wide audience, as it really is a story that needs to be told.
K+S: What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started out with the process?
Lewis: Planning a bit more prior to each trip we took (to film) would have been ideal. Also, having a full budget accounted for prior to beginning filming. But if we had done it that way there would have been no film! I think our lack of knowledge of the film industry was a blessing in disguise as we didn't follow any traditional structure. We thought outside the box so to speak and it worked, thankfully.
K+S: It sounds like you spent a lot of time convincing each other the idea could work. What was the moment during filming where you thought, "Wow, this film is actually going to come together?"
Lewis: When we got on the plane to do our first interviews in Green Bay (Jay's hometown), we had no idea what was going to happen. We were nervous and a few days prior didn't even know if we were going to go. However, our cinematographer Zach Salsman helped convince us that we could do it. We shot for four days in Green Bay and came back and were happy with what we got.
Then just prior to going to London the volcanoes started erupting over Iceland. This was Jay's last time at Watford and last home game. If we didn't make our trip we would have never been able to capture the footage. Flights were being cancelled left and right. We were literally one of the first few flights to make it to London after the ashes cleared. Things were absolutely amazing in London. We got incredible footage of the city as well as interviews with professional coaches, players, and fans. Everyone was articulate and cared about Jay's story. I think when we got back from London that was the moment!
K+S: Is Jay an example of nice guys finishing first?
Lewis: He wouldn't say so. Jay is a very nice and humble guy until you get on the field with him. Then all bets are off!
Honestly, though, he deserves all of the success he has gotten. He had to earn it, and I think that is maybe why he is considered "nice." Because he appreciates where he is, he has seen both sides of it. He is definitely enjoying the ride and taking things as they come. That has made him a lot more humble than the average footballer. Throughout the process we were told by almost everyone we interviewed how down to earth Jay was. This continued through our fundraising efforts as people told us they have met Jay and were struck by how down to earth he was.
Gosh, I wish I would have had that information erailer!
Posted by: Alexandra | 07/06/2011 at 10:59 AM