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Franklin family featured in filmStory by Sharon Kivisto
posted 09/30/02
Cole's parents, Ken and Suzanne Franklin, are experienced falconers. Ken's interest in falconry was triggered when he was 14 years old and read My Side of the Mountain. The Jean Craighead novel tells the story of a boy who runs away and lives in the woods with a peregrine falcon he names "Frightful." Ken's childhood experience of teaching himself falconry will be used as a centerpiece of a film about birds of prey.
Suzanne said Ken began learning falconry by trapping a red-tailed hawk. He spent countless hours on the south end of San Juan Island training the bird. Falconry is the "least understood of all field sports" according to the Washington Falconers Association. They say:"Conservationists view falconers as hunters, while many hunters view falconers as protectionists. Both views are correct. Falconers wish to conserve wildlife, including all birds of prey."
The success story of bringing the peregrine falcons back from the brink of extinction is one element of the film being shot by American Adventure Productions. A film crew recently spent three weeks filming on San Juan Island. Aerial sequences were shot first. "Frightful," a four-year-old falcon, chased after Lee Brewer's 1937 English deHavilland Tiger Moth biplane. "Piggy," a two-year-old falcon, was filmed chasing after an ultralight. A camera mounted on the front of a helicopter captured the scenes.
With the aerial sequences done, the crew is finishing up ground work this week. The story line involves the rehabilitation of an injured immature falcon. Hissy and Goldie, two immature falcons portray the injured bird. All four of the Franklin's falcons come from Clancy Sullivan's captive breeding program in Spokane. In the film the young bird is injured when it is hit by a car. The accident scene was shot Saturday, September 28, 2002 on False Bay Road.
Sunday, Sullivan held Hissy who was wearing a fake splint for an upcoming scene. Sullivan said the Franklins spent a lot of time getting the birds ready for the film. Conditioning the two older birds was part of the process. The birds' stamina was built up through a series of training exercises. One exercise involves calling the bird up to the falconers' fist. Doing the move repeatedly strengthens the bird's breast muscles.
The birds also chased lures. Sullivan said they can do up to 200 stoops (dives). Ken has done studies of the falcon's speed. A National Geographic Special which aired in July 2002 featured his work. According to Suzanne, Ken has clocked "Frightful" diving at speeds of 242 miles per hour. The film crew enjoyed a streak of sunny weather during most of the filming. As they waited for a break in the windy weather, Sunday, September 29, 2002, "Frightful" and "Hissy" wore hoods which keep the birds calm.
Even the Franklin's youngest child, 8-year-old Rhiana, enjoys falconry. Suzanne said the third-grader has started working with the birds. The family also shares an interest in flight which can be traced back to Ken's father, Roy Franklin, who started San Juan Airlines in the 50s. Ken learned to fly when he was 12 years old and Cole is learning now.
Cole finished up his photo work on Sunday. He'll need to add some voice-overs later. As he waited for the wind to die down Sunday, he said. "It's been exhausting, but fun." Executive Producer Charis Horton and Producer John Wilcox estimate the film will be released in about a year. The film crew will move onto Haines, Alaska and Moab, Utah to shoot footage of bald and golden eagles. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a movie
posted 09/25/02
Franklin studies the falcon's speed by jumping out of planes with the birds and observing them. His work was featured in a National Geographic Special in July.
Franklin and his falcons aren't the only islanders soaring for the camera: San Juan Island Pilot Lee Brewer was filmed flying his 1937 English deHavilland Tiger Moth biplane. Brewer had to shave his beard, since he portrays Franklin in the film. Cliff Fleming of Santa Ana, California flew the helicopter with the camera mounted on the front and the director, cinematographer and two other film crew members aboard. Producer John Wilcox of American Adventure Productions said the film's focus is on the recovery from the verge of extinction of the peregrine falcon, golden eagle and bald eagle. Director Reed Smoot said the filming on San Juan Island will wrap up this week. The crew will move on to Haines, Alaska for bald eagle footage. The golden eagle segments will be shot in Moab, Utah.
Bob Mehnert, the aerial cinematographer, said filming birds is a challenge. By comparison his work on the I-Max film Thrill Ride was well controlled. A lot of the footage shot in the San Juans was done on high speed film. "We're shooting slow-motion to extend the periods of time the birds are looking good," he said. I-Max format film uses 65mm negative film run horizontally through the camera at 15 perforations wide. The film crew took advantage of the sunny dry days. "It's been I-Max weather," Wilcox said. "We've gotten fantastic footage." The film will be released in about a year. The weather wasn't the only cooperative aspect of the crew's time in the San Juans. Assistant Director Patrick Turner praised the restaurants and the hardware stores. He said Browne Lumber's staff helped resolve some glitches. "Everyone has been so nice" he said. "It reminds me of back home in Iowa," he said. |
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