Into the West

[Yaquila]

Can't wait to see the rest of the movie

[Plenty Fox]

Yep! Tonite's episode is the next to last. Next weekend is the final episode. I'm looking forward to it, as well!

Angie

[WhoMe]

Seems like everyone, or well the 1st page is slamming the series, cause its not "true" or whatever, then either don't watch it, or make your own series...

NdnSB,

I took your advice. I quit watching Into The West and am making my own DVD. Winnercomm, who produces a lot of ESPN programs, is doing the production. It will be finished in October.

This time IT WILL be historically accurate. I am not sure that it will be shown on national television, but it WILL get national/international exposure. (Some Indian has to do it *L)

It will not be a long production, but at least it's content will expose some facts.



In the script and audio treatment I have included facts like:

1. America's history begins "before' European contact.

2. ALL tribes have (or had) Creation and Origin Stories that take place in this hemisphere (negating the Bering Strait Landbridge "theory). American archeological evidence proves that man was on this continent thousands of years before the last Ice Age. (@ Burnham Archeological Site).

3. Children as young as 4 years old were institutionally kidnapped and sent to government and Christian boarding schools to be assimilated into Euro-American Society. Punishments were severe.

4. Some reservation agents and traders sold rations meant for us, for their profit. As a result we starved.

5. The North American Native population was estimated at 10-40 million before European contact. By 1900, the estimated poplation declined to an estimated 250 thousand. Reasons include disease, abuse, genocide and outright murder.

6. It wasn't until 1917 that our birth rate caught up with our death rate!

7. American government policy aka. Indian Religious Crimes Code attempted to take away our ceremonies over a period of 40 years. . . It tried, but we endured.

_


So far I think only the "500 Years" series hosted by Kevin Costner, has attempted to tell "accurate history." I highly recommend this series.

Another documentary that is making headway is the award winning film by Donald Vasicek "Sand Creek Massacre." Into the West attempted to tell the story of the Sand Creek Massacre. The horrific truth is told in depth, in Vasicek's film.

[Joe G]

Who me, that sounds really great, and interesting! do you plan to make it available for sale? (in case it doesn't get shown nationally)
thanks,
C

[WhoMe]

Who me, that sounds really great, and interesting! do you plan to make it available for sale? (in case it doesn't get shown nationally)
thanks,
C

colonah,

It will be shown nationally on television, we have not approached any television company until we have a finished product.

I can also see it entering film competition.

The problem I see is it is only going to be 12-minutes (we only have a medium production budget of $48 thousand).

However it will be shown in museums and will be available for sale at some point. This is how it will be receiving national/international exposure.

[Joe G]

Sounds good, thanks.

[Plenty Fox]

So far I think only the "500 Years" series hosted by Kevin Costner, has attempted to tell "accurate history." I highly recommend this series.

Another documentary that is making headway is the award winning film by Donald Vasicek "Sand Creek Massacre." Into the West attempted to tell the story of the Sand Creek Massacre. The horrific truth is told in depth, in Vasicek's film.

I believe Costner's movie was 500 NATIONS. I have the boxed set at home. Excellent.

Good luck on your endeavors and keep us posted!

Angie V.

[Dancin by the bay]

It's a good show and the best part is seein my favorite actrees irene bedard she's a beatiful lady.The sand creek scene was stomach turnin.

[SkyEagle]

irene bedard

Have you ever gotten to meet irene bedard ? She is really nice in person. I was able to meet her last 2 twice. She is really small. I was able to have my picture taken with her at one powwow and my daughter with her at StoneMountain Powwow. She is a little shy at times also.. But a very nice looking woman..


Sky

[Plenty Fox]

One of the good things about this National production is that the Native actors and actresses with talent have the opportunity to be seen by the 'main stream'. It's one thing to be famous in NDN country for doin' a 'Dance Me Outside' and quite another to be featured in this kind of program. However, 'main stream' also applies to the roles Native actors and actresses are offered. Once it becomes commonplace for a Native actor/actress to be cast in a non-NDN role we can truly say they have mainstreamed. Adam Beach has come a long way but still struggles. He is currently in pre-production as Ira Hayes in "Flags of our Fathers"; yet, another NDN role, but at least the story will appeal to several generations of Americans across the board as it relates the raising of the American Flag at Iwo Jima, a turning point in WWII. FYI, the film is being directed by Clint Eastwood!

[posha one]

Into The West

Been reading the posts regarding the movie INTO THE WEST. Lots of good and bad said. Don't think there isn't an ndn alive who has not heard stories of how the white people treated the people when the whites came ashore. The thing that bugs me the most is when ndns ***** about how wrong the "cowboy and Indian" movie is OR how sad the whites treated the "red man". What the heck ya gona do about it? Round them all up and put'um back on the boats? Better yet, lets have an uprising and attack the wagon trains and the forts. Lets count coup on as many FBI agents as we can, what the hey, lets include all law enforcement. Com'on people. Correct me if I'm wrong but the white people are not going back home, at least not in my lifetime. Soooo, what's the answer? Hummm, don't want to sound like a know it all BUT why not get off our butts and EDUCATE, get involved with movie makers. Make sure our children are going to school and ARE PASSING WITH GOOD GRADES. Then college to become doctors, lawyers and yes even President. Why can't ndns have a million man march on DC?? Well, aside from being put in jail, I don't believe anyone could get a million ndns together to tell the whites what the heck is wrong. Example being, mascots, like the jerk who runs around U of Illinois. I've heard many ndns say there is nothing wrong with the "red skins", or the "braves" or the hokey from U of I who jumps around like he has been turpentined. Com'on people, this gereration has got to teach our young'uns to get as smart as the white man so they can make ndn movies the way it really was, or to become doctors and yes even the President of the United States. I commend WHOME for his effort on the movie and I pray he has great succuss but most of all I hope this is only his first of many. I know we can teach our kids the ndn ways and also teach them to better themselves to correct the many things are are wrong with the so called history of America.

[WhoMe]

Been reading the posts regarding the movie INTO THE WEST. Lots of good and bad said. Don't think there isn't an ndn alive who has not heard stories of how the white people treated the people when the whites came ashore. The thing that bugs me the most is when ndns ***** about how wrong the "cowboy and Indian" movie is OR how sad the whites treated the "red man". What the heck ya gona do about it? Round them all up and put'um back on the boats? Better yet, lets have an uprising and attack the wagon trains and the forts. Lets count coup on as many FBI agents as we can, what the hey, lets include all law enforcement. Com'on people. Correct me if I'm wrong but the white people are not going back home, at least not in my lifetime. Soooo, what's the answer? Hummm, don't want to sound like a know it all BUT why not get off our butts and EDUCATE, get involved with movie makers. Make sure our children are going to school and ARE PASSING WITH GOOD GRADES. Then college to become doctors, lawyers and yes even President. Why can't ndns have a million man march on DC?? Well, aside from being put in jail, I don't believe anyone could get a million ndns together to tell the whites what the heck is wrong. Example being, mascots, like the jerk who runs around U of Illinois. I've heard many ndns say there is nothing wrong with the "red skins", or the "braves" or the hokey from U of I who jumps around like he has been turpentined. Com'on people, this gereration has got to teach our young'uns to get as smart as the white man so they can make ndn movies the way it really was, or to become doctors and yes even the President of the United States. I commend WHOME for his effort on the movie and I pray he has great succuss but most of all I hope this is only his first of many. I know we can teach our kids the ndn ways and also teach them to better themselves to correct the many things are are wrong with the so called history of America.

posha1,

This is good advice but not realistic when it comes to producing our own stories.

America will not recognize or not acknowledge the wrong doing on such a large scale as "An Indian movie made by Indian people."

Again the dollars and contacts come into play. We as Indians don't have: Money, contacts or political power (that can produce Millions of Dollars) .... yet. Spielberg does have the money and clout and made a half hearted endeavor to tell some of our stories in Into the West.

I totally have the dream and vision of telling the truth in movies. I am in the right place and have all the resources to compile facts that aren't public domain. But I don't have the budget or contacts to make it reality.

It takes more than knowledge to produce an Indian made film that shows our version of what happened in history.


But I AM compiling information everyday to someday "do the dream project!"

[posha one]

Into The West

WHOME, yep, yer right about the money stuff and connections, etc. BUT if a door closes, then go to another door. I was mostly trying to comment on getting the young'uns on an upper level, be it making movies or whatever. Not just to sit on our duffs and feel sorry because the white made movies are not real or because it makes us sad the way whites have treated ndns in movies or in real life for that matter. Just would like to see mom and pops DO something toward making "IT" right by teaching and see that their children do the very best they can with school and then college. An ndn as President out of sight, NO, I won't believe that because that can be "realistic".

[Plenty Fox]

WhoMe, you are probably already doing this, but these are just a couple grant resources. The first is the National Endowment for the Humanities and the link actually describes the program for which applications were being accepted. A new program will be starting up soon. The second link is more pertinent to film making. Best of luck to you!

http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/wtpchallenge.html

http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3film.htm

[citlali]

Ive been watching this show pretty regularly...Especially the first few episodes with Michael Spears bc when ever hes on screen little puddles of drool seem to form in my mouth...lol. But seriously, it has been a little cheesy...they def. could have done a much better job. I do like watching it for the actors though, like Elizabeth Sage, Irenes younger character. I used to babysit her when she was younger, her mom is Janelle Romero who played the sister in jail in Powwow Highway.