AlphaDogs Celebrates The Lives Of Cultural Icons Timothy Leary & Ram Dass

Burbank, CA, October 1, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Burbank based AlphaDogs Post Production is pleased to announce completion of work on the new provocative documentary, Dying To Know: Ram Dass & Timothy Leary. Producer/Director Gay Dillingham and Associate Producer, Michael Donnelly take viewers inside the lives of life-long companions and cultural icons, Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) in the months preceding Leary’s death from cancer. Nineteen years in the making and narrated by Robert Redford with interviews spanning over 50 years, audiences are taken on an entertaining journey that celebrates the lives of two controversial complex characters. The film gives a new perspective on death and dying along with a rich history of how two Harvard professors became counter-culture icons and unlikely best friends. The world premiere of the film will be held on Saturday, October 4th at the Mill Valley Film Festival presented by the California Film Institute in San Rafael, CA.

A common challenge in finishing documentary films is the wide variety of source footage a finishing editor has to contend with during color correction. Much of the extensive archival interview footage in Dying To Know was done years ago while SD was still the standard, with the more recent interviews being done in HD. To simplify the mixed format conversion, AlphaDogs Editor and Colorist, Sean Stack broke the documentary into three separate timelines before beginning the color correction process in DaVinci Resolve. “There’s always more to deconstruct and put back together on documentary films compared to features,” said Stack. “Features usually have one type of camera and format used, sometimes two, while documentaries run the gamut in terms of format, adding to the challenge of conforming for a color session.”

"Our complex project presented a variety of technical challenges, most due to its nearly 19-year gestation. Unifying multiple formats, modern and retro styles, frame sizes and rates, visual effects, modern lettering, old stock film and photo elements could have been a nightmare and it wasn't. It was a dream come true. Thank you, AlphaDogs."

Michael Donnelly, Associate Producer, Dying To Know: Ram Dass & Timothy Leary

In the arc of the story, two different types of sources were used in archival footage of Leary and Alpert in the main interview that occurs throughout the documentary. DaVinci Resolve was utilized to balance out dramatically different grain structures and depth from the two sources, one Digital Betacam, the other being analog BetaSP. Stack took extra care in creating a seamless look so that viewers would not be distracted from the engaging story being told. This presented challenges that required isolating color corrections just on individuals faces. Stack explains, “Many of the subjects were very animated and moved their heads while talking. The amazing tracking feature in Resolve analyzed the movements and kept the isolated correction exactly where it needed to be in order to follow the face of the subject wherever they moved on the screen.” 

With decades of combined experience, the team at AlphaDogs understands the importance of combining the technical aspects of post-production with the creative side of storytelling. Dillingham comments, “I chose AlphaDogs to complete the finish on the film because I know they are a hard-working technically proficient team and they offer a great value for good quality work.”  Having worked on over 10 documentaries in just the past year alone, Stack takes pride in getting involved in each film. “I enjoy being taken into the lives of such interesting people,” said Stack.  “It’s almost as though I get to meet them personally, and it’s an honor to help share their stories with the rest of the world.”

Associate Producer Michael Donnelly also oversaw all post-production aspects of the film. “Working with the AlphaDogs post team was a pleasure.  The talented and good-humored crew consistently met, (and usually went beyond), the call in all aspects of their services: creative, technical, business, scheduling and delivery,” said Donnelly.   Our complex project presented a variety of technical challenges, most due to its nearly 19-year gestation.  Unifying multiple formats, modern and retro styles, frame sizes and rates, visual effects, modern lettering, old stock film and photo elements could have been a nightmare and it wasn’t.  It was a dream come true.  Thank you, AlphaDogs.“  

Produced by CNS Communications, LLC of Sante Fe, NM, Dying To Know: Ram Dass & Timothy Leary is Directed and Produced by Gay Dillingham with Associate Producer Michael Donnelly.  For more information visit: www.dyingtoknowmovie.com

About AlphaDogs:  Founded in 2002, AlphaDogs is an independently owned full service post-production facility located in the center of Burbank’s media district.  AlphaDogs gifted team brings a combination of both creative talent and technical expertise paying extra attention to detail in delivering projects with a personal touch. State of the art editing bays, color correction, audio mixing, visual effects, production offices and equipment rentals are available. To learn more www.alphadogs.tv