Third Rough Cut in the Can

I've just completed a third rough cut of the documentary.  It is 85 minutes long and the film is looking good -- pacing improving and emotion coming out, particularly in the ending segment which shows Rosalie's legacy to our society.  There are very few people in this world like her...her life must be celebrated!

Interviews with Judge Michael Davis and Rahn Westby

I also wanted to mention that, during the past two months, John and I have interviewed Judge Michael Davis and Rahn Westby for the documentary.  Both interviewees did a great job and will contribute immensely to the final film.  Thanks to both of them for their help and insights.

First Complete Rough Cut!

I've just finished the first rough cut of the entire film, "She Who Would Giants Fight."  The documentary is 97 minutes long.  I anticipate that the next cut will be a bit shorter.  The film is looking very good right now though it needs significant post production work -- professional narrator and voiceovers for various scenes; sound mix; colorization and picture work; clearances; etc., etc..  We are still trying to put together a reenactment scene of a farm wagon riding through farm fields.

All of the above post production items require financial resources and we are hoping to raise enough money this summer to be able to proceed with finishing the film by the end of the year.

In the meantime I will be starting to work on the next semi-rough cut of the film.

I love this film project and subject!!

Wonderful Progress!

I'm just returning from six weeks in Oracle, Arizona.  This is where I can focus solely on my project and really take advantage of the creative impulses that come as I progress on the film.  On the way down to Oracle I stopped once again in Caney, Kansas, to film scenes of Birch Creek, Rosalie's childhood home, during the winter.  I was able to capture some beautiful film of the snow-covered fields and frozen streams of the countryside.

During the past five weeks I have edited on "She Who Would Giants Fight."  I now have 75 minutes of a good rough cut of the first 4/5 of the film and will be working on the final 20 minutes when I return to Minnesota.

The long cut will be approximately 90 minutes.  I will be cutting and honing to make the film stronger, but I really like what is happening in the film right now.

During May of this year, I plan to film a reenactment of an old horse-drawn farm wagon driving through fields during the early 1930's.  This footage will accompany Rosalie's oral discussion of her childhood on her grandfather's farm in southeastern Kansas; and will be used in the ending sequence of the film.  I am very excited to have this segment to visually enhance the film.  We are still looking for contributions to fund this reenactment as well as post-production costs of the film.

Thanks to all of you who have shown an interest in this film

Emily Haddad

September, 2010 Update

This past spring and summer have been very productive.

In April Emily spent two days in Lawrence, Kansas, searching for photos and information from the time period that Rosalie was attending the University of Kansas during World War II.

In May,  Minnesota Women Lawyers held a CLE event "Lessons from Justice Wahl" which addressed the gender bias issues facing women lawyers in Minnesota in the past.  At the event Emily showed clips from our documentary and a trailer for the film.  The event was very well received.

This summer we have interviewed Sara Wahl and Jenny Blaine, Rosalie's two daughters. We also interviewed Judge Pamela Alexander and Judge Harriet Lansing.  All of these interviews were fantastic and will add to the final film.

Out of many hours of tape and thousands of photos and visuals we have edited over an hour of the rough cut, which currently we believe will be two hours in length.  This length will be shortened to approximately 80 minutes as we proceed to fine tune the documentary.  Our goal is to complete the rough cut of the film by year end.

Several friends of the project have offered to help us with fundraising later this fall.  We are excited about this prospect of enough support to allow us to complete the polished professional documentary needed for the broadest distribution.

Later this month, Emily will be going to France to complete a documentary about a unique French artist, Pierre Prevost.  The film has been funded by a Jerome Foundation grant.

Emily and John

Great Progress!

For the past five weeks I've been working on the script for "She Who Would Giants Fight."  I've also begun the editing process and am well on the way to a first rough cut of the documentary.  It is going very well, though I am still searching for video/photo support for the years between 1930 and 1960.

I will be spending a couple days at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, where Rosalie attended college during World War II.  Again I am primarily interested in visual images to support the storytelling of the film.

Looking forward to the Minnesota Women Lawyers CLE event the first week of May.  It will be a fascinating, educational look at the history of women breaking through gender barriers in the legal and judicial structures of our society.

Emily

Minnesota Women Lawyers will sponsor a CLE in May

Very exciting news.  Minnesota Women Lawyers has scheduled a Continuing Legal Education program for May 4th, 2010.  The CLE will deal with gender fairness issues, past and present, within the context of the Rosalie Wahl story, "She Who Would Giants Fight."  See the post below for a more complete description of the CLE.

We're very lucky to have three excellent judges: Judge Harriet Lansing, Judge Susan Miles and Justice Lorie Gildea who have agreed to chair a discussion panel for the CLE.

The CLE will take place at the Robins law firm at 4:00pm in the afternoon of May 4th.