About

Welcome to The Wire | The Felt Soul Media blog. The Wire will allow us to keep you informed on our current projects and give some insight into the inner workings of all things Felt Soul.

 

48 thoughts on “About”

  1. hi ben and travis,
    i want to introduce myself. my name is steve stracqualursi and i am the product line director for patagonia’s fly fishing line. we haven’t met yet but i want you to know that i’m very anxious to connect. i know you’ve been involved with patagonia for quite some time now and your efforts are very much appreciated. i’m aligned with those efforts and i want you to consider me an important contact. please drop me an email when convenient. thank you.
    all the best,
    -ss
    http://www.wayupstream.com
    http://www.patagonia.com/flyfishing

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  2. What’s up fellas,
    Just finished getting updated on the current project. Wow. . . so far so good. I wouldn’t expect anything but excellence from you guys and I’m really excited to see the outcome of the Bristol Bay project.

    I hope the dangers are less frequent and may you be able to piss on yourself if necessary. Good luck and keep up the good work. Travis, let Ben catch a fish every now and then.

    Take care guys,
    Jesse

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  3. We met in Anchorage and went out for dinner with Lauren.

    You might want to get some comment on the proposed Jay Hammond Refuge legislation.

    Jeff Parker

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  4. Great work guys………
    I have been guiding floats in the katmai for10 years…….You have nailed it! right on. Cant wait to see the finished film….and hey , the bears are only as scary as you make them in your mind- 10 yrs camping and no incidents requiring lead… perhaps a rock every now and then.
    NO PEPPLE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Rachel Finn

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  5. Hi Guys

    I just spend some more time on your site, you guys are doing some cool stuff. I would like to introduce myself, I am Brandon White, Chief Angler at Lateral Line. Lateral Line is a technical year round fishing apparel company.

    We have a program called “2% for the Fish” where we donate 2% of our top line sales to our non-profit arm, the Lateral Line Foundation which supports grass roots fisheries conservation efforts. We very much would be interested in learning more about your project.

    Please drop me a line at Brandon@LateralLineCo.com .

    Thanks and nice work,

    Brandon

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  6. Travis/Ben!

    I’ve been enjoying your blogs. Am wondering if your new film project will be ready for our festival (Durango Independent Film Fest) February 27-March 2, 2008. Can’t wait to see it. I know the music will be great! Also, I am supposed to ask you if you would be interested in signing a release to have Running Down the Man selected for the Documentary Channel. You OK’d The Hatch….just email me or call the festival office @ 970-375-7779. Take care~jane

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  7. You guys are producing a “documentary” just about as much as Micheal Moore produced a “documentary”. The minute you accepted any support of any kind from Bob Gillam, your credibility as unbiased film producers went down the shitter.

    Why not present both sides of the conflict about Pebble in your “documentary”. Who knows, you might just gain more than a nice trip to Alaska.

    Ta Ta!

    Mongo

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  9. Way to get after it you guys…Until I travelled to Alaska and put my hands in the rivers, landed large fish, saw huge mountains and met the real people of Alaska…I only had my fathers images from scrapbooks of his travels there to go on. There will always be a piece of me in Alaska, forever.

    I lived in an economically depressed area for a long time and I know how hard it is to make ends meet. But there just has to be a better way to make the economy of the Bristol Bay region balance itself. As a logical person, I can understand Mongos point, but at some level, someone has to take a stand and say aloud what everyone is thinking. I can at least give Michael Moore credit for that. We have reached a time in our planets life where we cannot walk on egg shells…we need to take action and keep this big blue marble spinning. No more mining! No more screwing up the one planet we have!

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  10. I wish you had a different name.

    Felt soles have wreaked some serious devastation. Do you think the whirling disease in the Madison river in Montana, for one, was spread by felt soles? I do.

    Personally I have grave fears that anglers that are serious enough about their fishing to have damp felt soles bring potential devastation to Alaska fisheries. I’d like to see felt soles banned here. The Xtra Tuff neoprene boots everyone wears in Southeast Alaska work better than felt.

    I’d like to see you add in some info on measures that traveling anglers need to be taking for protection from invasive species.

    Other than this, I enjoyed your site.

    -Vinnie in Juneau

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  11. Awesome work! Looking forward to the finished product. I’ve been fishing out of Iliamna at Rainbow King for 8 years. Those leach fields will turn the Bristol Bay area into another Leadville Colorado. It’s going to cut it off at the source, the Kijak. Thanks for the help stopping or slowing down those mofo’s.

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  12. hey you guys, im just a local ripper living in Aspen (a-town) and just wanted to say, keep up the great work! if your fiending for cougars, you know aspen has one of the highest sightings in the country, especially in the winter. A-town stomp!

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  13. HI there Travis and team. I have just watched the Gin Clear Fly Fishing movie festival tonight in Cape Town South Africa. This is Wed Dec. 5th our time 10 to one in the morning. I just want to let you guys know, your piece on “matching the hatch” got the most crowd support and the loudest applause.
    The music selection was by far the best. Just thought I’d give you guys a heads up. Great effort.
    Cheers
    Roland

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  15. Hi guys, I am not sure how you figured out a way to travel the world and fish, it is the dream of many people, but few people get the chance or the opportunities to get to do what you do, and BTW you do it well. Both of you are artists and talented, keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing your next film.
    I get up to Telluride every so often ( I like the Jazz Fest the best) hope to bump into you someday.
    Mark
    Sandia Park, New Mexico

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  16. Just read Travis’ essay on patagonia.com, feel you need to correct the part about Baikal fresh water seals.

    Fresh water seals are alive an kicking in Baikal…
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerpa
    http://www.pinnipeds.org/species/baikal.htm

    I don’t doubt the worthiness of The Cause, but we have to get the conservation story right, otherwise people blow holes in our credibility.

    And thats a kick-ass cool lake if it has seals. Awesome film too…

    Andy

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  17. Felt Soul Team,

    This film clip was amazing, I believe it truly dives into the heart of the issue. I spent four years in Ak and would hate to see the natural beauty that is Bristal Bay destroyed. I have a up and coming new company and am interested in the 1% program, any intput is appreciated. If you guys get up to Idaho look us up if you need a boat.

    David

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  18. Travis and Ben,

    My name is Seth Berling. In July of 2009, three friends and I will embark on a 17,000 mile bike trip from Prudhoe Bay, AK to Terre Del Fuego, Argentina in hopes of raising awareness for your cause. This bike trip is 3 years in the making; however, I was recently inspired to help stop the mine after seeing your trailer at the San Francisco screening. We are currently working on putting together our website but would be interested in hooking up with you guys in order to combine our efforts. The four of us are extremely passionate individuals between the ages of 24-29. Shoot me an email at your convenience. Look forward to joining your plight.

    Cheers,

    Seth

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  20. Guys,

    Whats happening with the ‘Felt Soul Media’ website?

    Haven’t been able to log in for a week. Already have a copy of ‘Running Down the Man’ great flick, but wanted to get a copy of ‘The Hatch.’

    Keep up the good work

    Geoff

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  22. Great work fellas, keep it up! Maybe selling No Pebble Mine/Red Gold/Save Bristol Bay Tshirts would be a good way to raise money & promote the film? Let me know when they go on sale and I’ll buy one.

    What’s Palin’s stance on the Pebble Mine issue?

    Catch ’em UP

    Eric

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  24. Palin on Pebble? “Let the state’s permitting process dictate the outcome” is her official stance, but the process if flawed. Her daughter is even named “Bristol.” However, the Governor took a very visible stance against Ballot Initiative 4, which was an attempt to stop Pebble through more strictly enforced water quality standards. Our friends who sponsored that initiative, Alaskans for Clean Water, have filed suit to find out just how much her Administration worked with the foes of that initiative.

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  25. Hi guys, just came across your site and ordered the DVD. I think it is truly inspiring what you guys do. 15 years ago I did a documentary about a cyanide leach mining operation in Montana. It still amazes me to this day, that with all the superfund sites we have in this country and the billions it costs to clean up the mess left behind by these mining operations, that politicians still will not address the issue and revise the 1872 mining laws. I wish you all all the best and continued success!!

    Marcel Siegle

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  27. Just watched RedGold on the Vancouver Mountain FilmFest Tour – I wanted to congratulate all those involved in making a movie where the audience was IN it – on the boats, in the floatplanes – an incredible achievement – on all fronts – music, dialogue, editing, opening 3D photos, cinematography, etc, etc.
    FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!
    You ROCK!!!!!!!!
    🙂

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  29. Hey Guys

    I wanted to let you know that we will be showing RedGold on Wednesday night in honor of Earth Day here in Kalamazoo, MI at Kalamazoo College. Looking forward to sharing the story with the local community. Cheers and keep up the good work!

    Cheers
    Sam Snyder

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  30. Hi Guys: I ordered some stuff awhile ago. Runnin down the man, Red Gold, and a cool blue t-shirt. I had seen Runnin down the man before and just tried to show some friends and it wouldn’t load. Said it couldn’t read the disc. Red Gold worked fine. How can I fix or replace? Also, the cool blue t-shirt in XL must be for midget XL’s. Do you make it larger? Duane Larson

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  32. Where the HELL is Eastern rises? You guys ever gonna finish it? Better yet are you ever going to market with it. I was on the Sedanka the same year as you (Magic Island rocks) and would like a copy

    I am also a 45 year Alaska resident and see both sides of the Pebble issue. I have hunted and fished all the headwaters up in that area, floated many of the streams and rivers and commercial fished Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea. The long term situation proposed for containment scares the hell out of me. Alaska has been forced to tiptoe the tightrope of progress for generations. I will be curious to see how this one works out.

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  34. We would love to show your film at our upcoming film
    festival in january. Please contact me so we can arrange
    a showing.
    Visit our web site: http://www.seff.us
    Thank you very much,

    Matt Koons
    Assistant to the Director
    Sonoma Environmental Film Festival
    cell: (707) 545-9128

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  35. Hello,

    I just want to thank you for putting together Red Gold. It is a great film and supports a powerful mission.

    Can you post a track listing or artist listing of the soundtrack? The music is great in the film and I would love to support the artists that were involved with this project.

    Thanks again and Happy Holidays.

    -Joe

    jamoyal@gmail.com

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  36. I’m there with Stan (and I feel your pain buddy!) Where the hell IS Eastern Rises? I’ve been painstakingly tryin to figure out why this film is not out yet or if it is, why can’t I find it? Please help me out to find some closure here guys. Thank you.

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  38. Hello,

    I just saw the “Red Gold” screening at Roy Street Coffee (Inspired by Starbucks) in Seattle. They’re going to show it again in the next couple of months.
    You guys did a terrific job of explaining the situation at Bristol Bay, and at the same time made a beautiful film. Keep up the fine work!

    All the best,
    Ed Zincavage

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  39. Hi Felt Sole Media
    My name is Mark, and I am from Denmark/Scandinavia.
    I am the publisher of a small free fly fishing e-mag, called Pool 32 Mag.
    I have followed this powerful mission and I would really like to bring a story about the Bristol Bay problems, and show my part of the world what is happening.
    Then I got a link to your website from Andy Snyder, who I have been mailing with regarding the Bristol Bay problems. Here I saw the movie trailer for Red Gold, and it made me really pleased to discover such an amazingly well produced and highly relevant project.
    I really want to offer my help – by giving you exposure, by showing some of your magnificent pictures from the Bristol Bay area, and promote your DVD, by linking up to your website, blog etc.
    If this should have your interest, please let me know how I can help you the best possible way – OK.

    Kind regards
    Mark W.

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  40. Saw the documentary with a friend of mine from Sitka, and was just stunned and blown away. The score, too, was just gorgeous: who does the music in the film?

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  41. We saw your movie tonight at our Trout Unlimited meeting…what a great film. I didn’t see the credits, but I’d like to find out who did the song Serenade the Door, or Serenade the Dawn. I’m not sure of the name, but that phrase (or something that sounded like it) was repeated. It was a female doing the vocals.

    Thanks for any help.

    Steve Minnix
    Roanoke, VA

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  42. I saw Eastern Rises last night at the Mountain Film Festival in North Bend, WA… Easily the best film of the night!

    Anyone know what the song was played during the spotlight on Ryan just before Blitzen Trapper song during the section highlighting Frank?

    Thx

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  43. I watched Red Gold last night and well I was shocked but not surprised at all, as I understand it Anglo American is a stake holder in the development of the proposed mining activity in Bristol Bay and I have seen what they are capable of doing to the environment where they mine.

    See I am a South African gold mining is part of South Africa as much as the Vuvuzella (noisy horn blown at local Soccer Games) Many gold mines in South Africa is Anglo American mines and although they are deep mines as I write this some of the abandoned mines are filling with acidic and toxic water because these mining tycoons don’t care the least about the environment. The predictions are that this acid mine water will reach the ground water as soon as next year, and seep into the river systems.

    Now if you do not know South Africa it is a water poor country and the already limited water resources and struggling native fish species are now under serious threat, and up to now I have not heard of any positive steps planned to be taken or responsibility taken from any of the mining tycoons (Anglo included)

    So what I am saying is should mining go ahead in Alaska and the mine becomes mined out and not profitable will they also just abandon it and let the environment suffer. Probably the answer is yes, cause it is not profitable to look after the environment once they raped the earth for the copper or gold.

    I can only say I hope to God that this proposed mining can be halted in one of the worlds very few natural resources that are left, and that my children may have the chance to see what nature should look like.

    Pieter

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