DOC: 'Showdown for Sheriff' a one man band documentary diary

[Movies by Matt]

Stream my movie here:

https://www.watch.moviesbymatt.com

www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

CUE MUSIC: Cuckoo by Benjamin Britton from the Moonrise Kingdom soundtrack

FADE IN (Aarrgghhh, I hate fades, do we have to start that way!?!?!): Me Matthew Marzano, typing a post to DVXUser rather than working on my music licensing contract

Hello fellow DVXUsers, I'm making a feature length documentary titled:

Showdown for Sheriff
A Constitutional Conflict

At it's core this movie is examining the division occurring within our country and using my local sheriff election in Klickitat County, Washington as a microcosm. The incumbent sheriff's name is Bob Songer and he's known as a Constitutional Sheriff. He's received some national press (The New Yorker, Vice, Alex Jones) for not enforcing gun laws passed by Washington State (I-1639) and not enforcing mask mandates during COVID.

The election occurred in 2022 and I currently have a 80 minute edit but I can't help be to keep shooting and attempting to add energy to the piece, ultimately I just want to create something I'm proud of. The two things happening right now are I'm writing up a music licensing contract based on the contract books by Mark Litwak and can I say, in my small town, those contracts are so big, I'm embarrassed to even present them because frankly people around here still operate on their word is their bond, but tell that to a distributor. The other thing that is happening is there are two unmoderated town halls in the next two days and I'm headed to Goldendale, Washington (50 miles away) from me to cover them and talk to a few people around the area.

The one catch is, I don't own a car, I'm biking, with a trailer and camping out in a local farmer's field (with his permission)...did I mention this is a low, now no-budget documentary? I am riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker while pulling a Burley Flat Bed Trailer. Haha, don't worry I've done the trip a bunch and since I'm so rural, there's very few cars until I get closer to Goldendale, which for the area, is a large place with a population of 3,434 as of 2022. Even though my transport is cheap, the gear I'm carrying isn't and though I'm a one man band type, I am really striving to not compromise on quality and to that end do my best to ensure the audio is a strength rather than a weakness, which has dictated a bit of my shooting style.

I am fully tripod on this project and there's very little camera movement. No drones, no gimbals, no sliders. Sometimes I'll pan or tilt, but that's about it. This allows me to run a boom pole at times too. Yes, you read that right. My audio setup is pretty intense as I want to deliver a Dolby Atmos mix and to experiment with sound options in post. It's definitely overkill but currently rigged to my camera setup (C300 Mark II with L lenses) is a Schoeps CMIT5U and Figure 8 capsule in a Rycote basket for a MS setup that feeds directly into a Sound Devices MixPre3V2 recording at 32 bit, plus I am also running a Sennheiser Ambeo with a Rycote BBG into a MixPre6V2 with the Ambisonics plugin...I do not monitor my audio. I know that's insane but especially when I'm talking to someone I want them to talk to me and feel a connection, I can't wear headphones, I hate fiddling with the camera too. I then have a handful of Lectrosonics PDR's and a SPDR to wire people for sound and use DPA 6060 lavs, again, I do not monitor these channels. I often use the PDR's as plant mics too with a DPA 4098 attached. Then to top it off, at any large meeting I'm always attempting to tie into the sound system using a MixPre-D and a PDR, I swear I have every audio cable and adapter known to mankind but I still ran into a few ancient pieces of equipment that I couldn't plug into, I can only summarize my feeling with a Marlon Brando quote from 'Apocalypse Now', "The horror...the horror."

The style is a mix of verite (though on a tripod so not verite by the strictest definitions) and some of Errol Morris' early work like 'Vernon, Florida' and 'Gates of Heaven'. I'm aiming to have this available for sale by July 4, 2025 and to have some public screenings around Klickitat County. This thread will follow that journey and I'll do my best to keep updating it and answer any questions fellow users may have.

PS. A new goal has occurred based off of NorBro's post in some thread recently, I really just want to get NorBro to watch my whole trailer it's 1.5 minutes now. I'll post a link when I take it public...is that too much to ask of NorBro? It probably is, but I just wanted to throw it out there. Oh, and yes Mr. Jensen, this is my pet project...

Talk to you all soon, m-

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[NorBro]

dawg, what's crazy about this is...I don't read long posts with more than a few lines but I command F them (if I see them) with my name to see if anyone mentioned me because I don't want to ignore the person...this is the third time that worked.

I'll def watch your trailer.

 

[CharlesPapert]

dawg, what's crazy about this is...I don't read long posts with more than a few lines but I command F them (if I see them) with my name to see if anyone mentioned me because I don't want to ignore the person...this is the third time that worked.

I'll def watch your trailer.

Cool, now I know to randomly mention you in my long posts.

TL;DR: mention NorBro

 

[NorBro]

I don't keep up with every thread though, some of them are just too long and boring for me.

Gen Z changed my brain with their content creation, rascals.

Longest thread I ever remember being a part of was the R5 in 2020...300+ pages, I think I had a comment on every page.

That was the last fun camera release I had...oh, the new camera days...my goodness.

 

[Movies by Matt]

dawg, what's crazy about this is...I don't read long posts with more than a few lines but I command F them (if I see them) with my name to see if anyone mentioned me because I don't want to ignore the person...this is the third time that worked.

I'll def watch your trailer.

Thanks NorBro, i figure if I can just engage you here I might be able to keep this thread alive. I’ll try and keep it short…

I’m out on Horseshoe Bend Road, rural to say the least, it’s 12:59am. About 20 minutes ago someone drove by, stopped, asked if I needed help, I mentioned I’m waiting for a shot of the moon, and he said, “oh you must be that guy making that sheriff movie.” As he drove off, for a few fleeting moments, I really felt like, damn, this just might work.

Uh oh I’m going too long. But earlier this year I was listening to the ‘Talking Pictures’ podcast with Alexander Payne and he mentioned that a filmmaker must be comfortable with despair…and he’s won two oscars, where does that leave the rest of us?

Ok moon is 5 minutes away…1:20am.

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[Zachadoodle]

Be prepared in case your interviewees want footage of them off your film. Never be discreet so that you can get people in your film; doing the opposite can get you in a lawsuit, even if you're sneaky. Being anonymous when approaching people means law enforcement will work harder to get you caught, not completely eliminate the fact that they can catch you. Most of all, never treat your subjects like a tool.

 

[NorBro]

Thanks NorBro, i figure if I can just engage you here I might be able to keep this thread alive. I’ll try and keep it short…

I’m out on Horseshoe Bend Road, rural to say the least, it’s 12:59am. About 20 minutes ago someone drove by, stopped, asked if I needed help, I mentioned I’m waiting for a shot of the moon, and he said, “oh you must be that guy making that sheriff movie.” As he drove off, for a few fleeting moments, I really felt like, damn, this just might work.

Uh oh I’m going too long. But earlier this year I was listening to the ‘Talking Pictures’ podcast with Alexander Payne and he mentioned that a filmmaker must be comfortable with despair…and he’s won two oscars, where does that leave the rest of us?

Ok moon is 5 minutes away…1:20am.

Despair sounds about right...so much work to make something, I don't know how anyone does it [at the non-guaranteed millions-of-dollars-in-my-contract level].

At least artists like painters know it's a ****-show of an industry; who exhibits what, who buys what, how much...but they can just grab a new canvas and start over dozens of times per day.

Filmmaking is for the strong, I wish you well.

 

[NorBro]

Be prepared in case your interviewees want footage of them off your film. Never be discreet so that you can get people in your film; doing the opposite can get you in a lawsuit, even if you're sneaky. Being anonymous when approaching people means law enforcement will work harder to get you caught, not completely eliminate the fact that they can catch you. Most of all, never treat your subjects like a tool.

are you sure you're not a robot

 

[Tom Roper]

Ctrl-F could be useful for script non-readers.

 

[Zachadoodle]

are you sure you're not a robot

I'm not a robot Norbro okay. I hate of how AI is now, because of it I can't have as normal of an interaction I can have as I usually do with people. Nothing sketchy was implied. I'm autistic.

 

[Movies by Matt]

Be prepared in case your interviewees want footage of them off your film. Never be discreet so that you can get people in your film; doing the opposite can get you in a lawsuit, even if you're sneaky. Being anonymous when approaching people means law enforcement will work harder to get you caught, not completely eliminate the fact that they can catch you. Most of all, never treat your subjects like a tool.

Thank you for the tips Zachadoodle. I’m definitely not sneaky and not only do I not treat people like tools, I really attempt to honor them by the moments I choose to use. I see many distributed films where I swear the filmmaker chose the most outrageous and embarrassing thing someone said. I’ve had a solid rough cut for a year now and I’ve gone back to show people their moments to ensure they are comfortable with the portrayal. I’ve yet to have a person be anything but enthusiastic.

In truth, I end up loving the people in my movies. Especially after editing. It’s a strange dynamic because I’ve spent months (errr years…) watching them closely while editing and they don’t see me at all, but when we see each other again out in the world I really feel a great camaraderie with them. I can’t help it. I’ve realized recently that I’ll probably never make a documentary like Alex Gibney where you set out to expose someone or prove they worship false ideology. I can’t spend that much time editing and living with someone I don’t like.

Anyway back to engaging Norbro, I remember back in your hey day of churning through cameras you mentioned in a C3002 thread about how the C-Log 2 out of that camera was special. I totally agree. Especially outdoors, that camera can sing.

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[Movies by Matt]

A few stats off my latest 5 day shoot:

I biked 202 miles

Climbed 14,670 feet (including a few uphill gravel roads when my tires were slipping as I peddled…brutal).

Had 2 recording sessions with a musician.

I shot:

2x Unmoderated Town Halls (not as fiery as I hoped)

1 Webinar (where the sheriff watched a presentation that was against him)

1 museum (historical pictures from the area)

7 interviews (mostly person on street at random)

5 specific B-Roll shots, including some buffalo up that gravel hill mentioned earlier at The Klickitat Bison Company, where I swear along the way I was really questioning my life decisions, only to arrive there see the view and the buffalo and think, ‘this 4 hour journey is totally worth my 2 second shot’. It is too. Such fun.

All while camping out in a field with no power so having to strategically find moments to offload media (love my Nexto NSB-25) and recharge batteries.

Ok that’s it for now, talk to you soon, m-

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[Movies by Matt]

Talk about spray and pray, I’ve recorded about 200GB of audio attempting to get the right raven sound. Sheesh.

I’ve been thinking a lot about which animals represent which person and can I capture any animal behavior that mimics the humans? So far no, I cannot….unfortunately, but I do love how Terrance Malick uses his animal shots.

Wildlife is so hard, especially birds in flight. I PM’d Mr. Jensen a few years ago for some advice and he was super helpful, but my performance has been lackluster to say the least….

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[Movies by Matt]

While out seeking Native American perspective on jurisdictional issues within Klickitat County, I encountered a group of 3 men (not Native American) in the town of Wishram, WA. drinking around a propane fire pit. I’d had my eye on this house for 2 years because they fly a controversial (putting it mildly) flag that catches your attention.

I stop and make my pitch to these total strangers (this is how I produce…haha, inefficient but adventurous). Frankly I’d love a drunken propane fire pit scene. But I’m told to come back in the daytime when his wife is home because, “she has things to say that will make your career.”

Uh…Ok, I certainly hope so. In the end this will be about my 8th trip by that house (it’s 53 miles away). 9:30am next Sunday….finally.

Plus my friend Tre gave me some Tribal perspective on issues within the county while he was fixing his fishing net. So next Sunday I’ll show him my edits and make sure he’s comfortable with it after I talk to the guy with the flag. Getting closer…

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[Movies by Matt]

Well, I’m sure you’re all breathlessly awaiting to hear if my career has been made or not by what those folks had to say…it hasn’t. It wasn’t even about my current project. But I sat down at 9:30 am Sunday morning and didn’t turn on my camera until 12:30. I just listened to a heartbroken and determined Mom ask for help telling her incarcerated son’s story as she insists he’s innocent. It was so heavy that it was a challenge to transition to my current project and talk to them about it. I even told them they didn’t have to if they didn’t want to, as I always try to empower the people who are in front of my camera and let them clearly know they can stop anytime. Anything I can do to help people relax and be comfortable is essentially my main task. But it was a heavy, heavy day

That being said, the scene didn’t disappoint. I knew there’d be some colorful folks at that house based on the flag they fly and they sure are. I could’ve listened to them all day. I try and employ what Errol Morris calls the, “shut the fu** up” school of interviewing. I don’t mind letting a silence hang for a bit as often people will just elaborate more deeply after they have those few quiet moments.

I’ve also been adjusting some of my transition B-roll shots to be more stark. Blacking out the land like the opening shot of “Unforgiven” at sunrises or sunsets. I had been on the lookout for a dusty field with some horses to kick up some dust as the sun sets behind them. Found the perfect field and reasonably rowdy horses. I show up 30 minutes before sunset to ensure I get the shot, the horses kick up some dust as I hoped right when I show up but I’m still fiddling with my camera a bit. And by the time the sun is setting on the horizon, the horses could care less about me. I can’t even get them to walk my way. So close but so far. I’ll give it another attempt, and show up right when I want the shot. Some horses are so curious they’ll fog up your lens with their breath.

It’s 12:30am and as I type this I’m transcoding files from yesterday. Project is around 42 terabytes at the moment. Working off of proxies created in FCPX that I store on an SSD with the audio files on another SSD. I put those SSD’s in a Nexto Di enclosure (NSB-25 bridge pellet) that I’ve velcroed to the back of my laptop monitor and run on bus power. So I can edit anywhere and my drives aren’t dangling off, it’s all connected tidy and stable. FCPX may not have some features, but it sure works smoothly. Ta-ta for now, m-

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[scorsesefan]

Hey, Matt. This sounds like a really interesting project. Would love to see it when it's done...

 

[NorBro]

Anyway back to engaging Norbro, I remember back in your hey day of churning through cameras you mentioned in a C3002 thread about how the C-Log 2 out of that camera was special. I totally agree. Especially outdoors, that camera can sing.

Very special, nothing like it from Canon since, IMO.

Not that the other cameras don't have their own nice look, but the C300II had a unique color palette in C-Log2; likely one of the reasons it was so successful for a while.
___
This project sounds like it's a lot of work, physically and mentally!

 

[Movies by Matt]

Hey, Matt. This sounds like a really interesting project. Would love to see it when it's done...

Thanks, I’ll definitely keep you in the loop. I was hoping to release before this election. Unfortunately I am not receiving the music in the timeframe I had hoped so I’m going to target the Seattle International Film Festival again and will release VOD via Vimeo afterward, unless something else comes up…

This project sounds like it's a lot of work, physically and mentally!

I’ve definitely burnt a few calories and brain cells on this journey but I enjoy it and embrace the challenge. Why would you not want to engage in a task that demands the best from you?

Even last night I wanted some supermoon shots and a Mt Adams reflection in Trout Lake, I was up there at 9pm only to realize that the timing was off and I need the moon to be higher, so I biked back up there at 3:30am and got my shot.

Tomorrow morning I’m getting some rooster audio, because what kind of rural movie doesn’t have a quality rooster crowing in the morning?!? And there’s a dead cow over the hill on the side of the road and the birds just started feeding on it, which has caught my eye.

Tonight I went to Trout Lake Hall to listen to some local songwriters and see if any music fits my project, this year has largely been about music. Mostly I’m looking for acoustic instrumental as I find it can add energy without dominating a scene. I need to email two of the artists from the show. Though often people in this area reject my movie just based off of it involving the sheriff. In the long run that’s a good sign, but in the short term it’s quite frustrating. Especially since I really have attempted to get different perspectives on most the issues in the movie. One of the main people in the movie is, “anti-Songer long before it was fashionable to be anti-Songer,” according to Songer’s campaign manager.

Frankly anyone who brings some passion and energy is treasured, I don’t actually care which side they’re on. Real energy is rare and jumps off the screen. The more the merrier…at least for me.

People always ask what my angle is or whose side I’m on, and I always say, I’m on the ‘making the best movie I can’ side. It doesn’t matter what ideas I had to begin with (i wanted to make a comedy), the movie takes on a life of it’s own, and you either adapt to what it wants or not, but I let it lead. I’ve heard many documentary filmmakers say, “if you end up making the movie you set out to make, you probably weren’t paying attention.” I firmly agree. That being said, there is some comedic elements to my movie and I certainly hope it hasn’t gotten too serious, but folks are definitely talking about serious topics…it’s the world we’re in these days. That’s it for now, m-

PS that’s Mt. Adams in the background of this photo. For all you lifelong east coasters, I like to say, if there’s a road to the top it’s a hill, I don’t care what the sign says.

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com

 

[NorBro]

Wouldn't dirt tires be better for that bike?

 

[Movies by Matt]

Wouldn't dirt tires be better for that bike?

Definitely when I ride on the gravel roads, but that’s fairly rare so I run slicks. Which is why my tire was slipping going uphill on the gravel. There are some tires that seem to be a hybrid road/gravel but I prioritize flat prevention and really like the Schwalbe Marathon series of tires.

The brown bike pictured above is a Surly Cross Check, it’s basically my road bike. I rode it once from NYC to Andes, NY in a day.

That being said, I’m not really a ‘go on a bike ride’ type. Usually it involves a mission or purpose. New York converted me to truly full time biking. When Canon had their repair center in Jersey, I’d look forward to bringing my 1DC to them for a firmware update…as inefficient as that is.

Got my rooster this morning. But had to wait 30 minutes for the bird to get comfortable with me being there before it made a sound other than being stressed out.

Next wildlife shot is an eagle. I can’t make a patriotic movie without one. I got one last year, but I’d like to improve it. Thinking of sitting on an island in the river for a day. Maybe with a camo cover…

Matthew Marzano
Movies by Matt LLC
Coming Soon: Showdown for Sheriff: A Constitutional Conflict
www.moviesbymatt.com
www.showdownforsheriff.com