The Parks Changed This Filmmaker's Dreams

Out There Will be Right Here: Filmmaker & Composer Screen Feature at Criterion This Wednesday

Aug 30, 2024

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Window Panes Home and Garden.

BAR HARBOR—Brendan Hall’s story begins like this: He started making films when he was just twelve. He wanted to be a Hollywood filmmaker.

He worked really hard developing his eye for image and cinematographic chops as well as his empathic understanding of people and story. He went to Tisch. He travelled the world. He directed pieces for National Geographic, Apple, Google.

Then he started a project—a big project—his own project. It was an exploration of 10,000 miles of the United States’ national parks. His childhood friend joined him and they ventured out into the parks, exploring, learning, meeting people.

And Brendan Hall’s dream? It became something different—something not quite so Hollywood at all.

That's because of the national parks he saw and the people in the communities that he met along the way.

“This has been a very long journey,” he narrates in the feature’s trailer, “that completely changed the way I saw the national parks.”

Maybe, some other people’s dream will shift too once they watch his film, which has its Bar Harbor premiere at the Criterion Theatre, Wednesday, September 5. If their dreams don’t change, well, maybe their perspective might be broadened, or maybe they’ll just nod and listen and experience some of the poignant moments (small, medium-sized, and majestic-like-a-national-park sized) that he did.

“It ended in a place that I never could have expected,” he said. “We found that we were becoming inspired by people just as much as the landscapes themselves. We were learning so much more about these parks because of the people we were meeting along the way.”

The exceptionally talented Elizabeth P.W. composed the feature’s score and will be at the screening. There will be a question and answer with Hall, live music from Elizabeth P.W. with an acoustic folk trio that includes Dylan McKinstrey who was a collaborator on the soundtrack as well, and Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider will be there. Tickets are $15-20.

“Having grown up in Connecticut, the New England region has always been very special for me,” Hall said. “The first time I visited Acadia National Park was completely eye opening to the stunning beauty and cultural heritage of the region. Elizabeth also loves the park and we've each been lucky to have cherished experiences with friends and family there.”

Out There: A National Parks Story prominently features Acadia National Park and the story of former trails foreman Gary Stellpflug. It is presented by Friends of Acadia.

“It was such an honor to spend time with the park's incredible trails crew and stewards,” Hall said.

Out There is a feature-length doc telling the story of Hall and his friend road tripping across 10,000 miles of the U.S. national parks.

They “tell stories of the incredible people we meet along the way,” Hall said.

THE STORIES THAT BUILD US

“This park has stories, but here’s the thing: the story is not done yet,” one park ranger says in the trailer of Out There: A National Parks Story.

And in the stories that the parks and its people and communities create, dreams are changed, epiphanies happen, nouns become verbs and resonate.

The film has won awards at film festivals across the country, headlining events at venues from the Public Lands Alliance to Pixar Animation Studios.

“The national parks are part of our human story,” Hall said. It’s a story well told by many and his newest addition lifts that story to new heights.

It’s an indie project that Hall called “a real labor of love.” That might be underselling it. Even in the trailer, P.W. and Hall are both exceptionally gifted at pulling the feel and poignance of each moment into the viewer’s world. The screening, a special event, can only reinforce that.

Fear shouldn’t inhibit people from doing beautiful things. That’s part of the movie’s mission and story.

Exploring the parks and the shared stories of the people and landscapes within them is part of a great adventure, Hall said. It’s an adventure that can change you.

ABOUT THAT LABOR OF LOVE—OUT THERE

A young filmmaker sets out on a 10,000-mile exploration of the national parks with his childhood friend during the centennial year of the formation of the National Park Service. Along the way, the two record stories of the people that work in the parks and those that come to enjoy them, as part of the rich tapestry of the history of the park system emerges. They hear profound stories of people from all ages, walks of life, and cultures that come to the parks seeking tranquility, healing, motivation, and connection to the natural world. Between spectacular visuals of the parks and compelling interviews are colorful bits of old maps, posters, and travelogues. This stunning road trip is a tribute to the national parks and their history, and is also a recognition of the people that appreciate them and work to maintain their beauty.

“Hall’s ability to put these unknown stories into the spotlight separates Out There from traditional nature documentaries… his camera celebrates the parks as they are today and hopefully will inspire more to journey while the opportunities exist.”

- Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex

“It was worth the struggle, the resilience, the hard work, and the courage as this majestic film is a true ‘tour de force’ and it will amaze you by its beauty and its spirituality.”

- Emmanuel Itier, FilmFestivals.com

“[This] film proves that road trips can change lives.”

- Rick Mellerup, The SandPaper

ABOUT BRENDAN

Brendan Hall is a documentary filmmaker sharing stories in the natural world and beyond. His projects have explored the frontiers of human spirit, from following a remote medical expedition through the Amazon rainforest to scientists unearthing wooly mammoth bones in Siberia.

Since graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he has traveled the world directing projects for global non-profits and brands including National Geographic, Google, Adobe, and The Nature Conservancy. He has also contributed cinematography to feature-length documentaries including PBS’s Bill Nye: Science Guy and Apple TV’s Red Heaven, and is a member of the Explorer’s Club in New York City.

In his work, Brendan is committed to sharing the wonders of our planet in hopes that we may be inspired to care for it. It’s a spirit he brings to his upcoming first feature-length documentary Out There: A National Parks Story, a tapestry of personal stories captured across 10,000 miles of the U.S. national parks. The film premiered at the Florida Film Festival in 2023 winning the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, and is currently in the festival circuit where it has been awarded at three other festivals.

In 2022, Brendan was globally announced as a crew member of the dearMoon lunar mission led by Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. Selected from over 1 million artists and creatives around the world, he will join Maezawa and 7 other crew members on the first ever civilian flight around the moon with SpaceX.

While Brendan is a director, cinematographer and editor, he is also a night sky photographer, scuba diver, and amateur juggler.

ABOUT ELIZABETH

Born and raised just outside of Philadelphia, PA - Elizabeth P.W. is a Hollywood Music in Media Award nominated composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with a passion for storytelling through music. Elizabeth weaves together her love of folk music with modern cinematic elements to create evocative and intimate scores for film and tv, and songs that tell compelling stories through unique soundscapes.

Her music has premiered in films at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hollyshorts, DOC NYC, Urbanworld Film Festival, and Raindance. She’s written the music for everything from non-profit campaigns to congressional campaigns. Her recent scoring work includes Stacey Maltin's feature film, Triple Threat, which is streaming now on Apple TV+ and Peacock. She scored Gabriella Canal and Michael Fearon's short documentary, Seasons, which was published by The New Yorker and was honored as a 2022 Student Academy Award Winner. Elizabeth produced and scored the NAACP Image Award nominated short film, Gets Good Light. Elizabeth has contributed additional music to an array of films and series on Netflix, Paramount+, HBO, Disney+, Hulu, and more. She is a recipient of the 2020 - 2021 Alan Menken Scholarship. Elizabeth has a Master's Degree in Music Theory and Composition from New York University. Elizabeth is an alumn of the inaugural cohort of VIFF amp's Composer Filmmaker Accelerator during which her music was premiered by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Her work as composer and songwriter for Brendan Hall’s forthcoming debut feature film Out There: A National Parks Story has taken her across the country to perform original music from the film at exciting institutions including The Explorer’s Club and Pixar.

Elizabeth’s songwriting work includes two independent albums and original works for film. Her latest album, The Company You Keep is available now on all streaming platforms. Her single “Brooklyn” was a semi-finalist in the 2022 International Songwriting Competition. Her 2018 debut single, “Anyway”, was used in a fundraising and awareness campaign to fight rare mutations of Cystic Fibrosis through the innovative non-profit, Emily’s Entourage.

Elizabeth's current projects involve both scoring and songwriting for feature films. Elizabeth is Brooklyn based and is obsessed with her adorable dog, Schuyler.