Program areas at Wingspan Productions
PHASE I - COMPLETE FILM PRODUCTION OF FEATURE FILM ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH-BRIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE. In the first quarter of the year, WINGSPAN PRODUCTIONS worked with a large crew of professionals, students, and volunteers to complete filming of Bridge to the Other Side - an innovative new feature film about mental health and first responders. The film was created with professional actors, student interns, student and adult volunteers, as well as local first responders from area fire departments. We filmed across a wide swath of our community - fire stations private homes, schools, restaurants, beaches, parks, businesses, bridges, and public streets. Following strict COVID protocols and safety guidelines, Wingspan filmed during the Omicron Wave, working tirelessly to fulfill our mission of tackling the most pressing issues of our time. Bridge to the Other Side is devastatingly current - telling a story about survival and mental health in a post-pandemic America. Working with a cast of 66 paid actors, students, and volunteers, a crew of 47 paid technical crew, interns, volunteers and 200 community members who participated in discussions, talkbacks, education sessions, and workshops, the filmmakers were passionately committed to bringing this important new film about mental health to life. Wingspan was tremendously grateful to provide much needed employment in the arts to local actors and crew members during a period of unemployment due to the pandemic over much of the country.
PHASE III-PREMIERE OF BRIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE AND NATIONAL AND STATE TOURING. In the final quarter of 2022, Wingspan Productions premiered Bridge to the Other Side at Lady Filmmakers Film Festival in Los Angeles. We organized talkbacks with the audience on the mental health themes brought up in the film. We were thrilled when this national festival awarded Wingspan Productions BEST FEATURE FILM for Bridge to the Other Side. Bridge to the Other Side was screened at the following locations : - North Hollywood at the Reel Recovery Film Festival - a film festival dedicated to screening films about mental health and addiction. We held moving and inspiring talkbacks with the audience about the film and the life-saving issues raised in the story - Toronto, Texas, Chicago, and then -Florida premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival where Bridge to the Other Side was awarded BEST FLORIDA FEATURE. We led talkbacks on mental health with the audience. - In December we began a series of private community screenings in Sarasota-Wingspan's home base - for local agency leaders, mental health professionals, fire fighters, police officers, and health professionals. - We began vital discussions on how the film could best be utilized by the mental health and first responder communities. Beginning in 2023, we will launch Phase IV of this project - where Bridge to the Other Side will be promoted and utilized as an educational tool by mental health agencies. This film will be distributed nationally and internationally on streaming sites to reach a broad audience to raise awareness of the trauma experienced by first responders and other mental professionals, and the stigma they and for speaking up and getting help.
PHASE II- POST-PRODUCTION ON BRIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE. In the second and third quarters of the fiscal year, Wingspan was hard at work on post- production, including editing, scoring, color correcting, adding titles and graphics, musically scoring the new film, and sound mixing - as well as preparing digital cinema files for movie theatre projection. Working with a post-production crew of ten audio and technical engineers, the footage and audio was carefully crafted into an award-winning feature film with an original sound score, breathtaking footage and professional sound and lighting. Wingspan created a website for the film, along with a Resource Guide and educational materials to market the work to a large audience such as film posters, descriptions, fliers, postcards, and photos. Wingspan audiences needing additional help and support after watching the movie. Wingspan began marketing and promoting the film across the country in anticipation of the fall premiere.