As the film festival season rolls through, our film team remains elated and grateful about the warm reception to “The Rebel Reef: Seeds of Hope.”

Watching it on the big screen in Oakland for our world premiere brought back everything we went through to bring this movie to life: the long nights, the MacGuyvered set lighting, the non-stop pace to chase the light. The re-writes and language changes, the lost-and-miraculously-found drones, the unfortunate lionfish. From windy weather cancelling dive days to exhaustion and illnesses taking us out, our filming weeks were truly wild and the most intense creative experience I’ve ever been through.

I certainly learned a lot about the movie-making process and about producing. Cataloging those lessons here, for the next time we get a crazy idea like making a movie:

• Always budget for more money and more days than you think you will need, by at least 20%
• Get the best gear you can
• Get insurance for your gear, travel, etc.
• Make sure to build in rest days, especially with travel, scuba/high activity, and challenging environmental conditions
• Fixers and P.A.’s are not nice-to-have’s. They are vital to the survivability of your filming week.
• Include social events, but not every night
• Build-in daily debriefs and review of footage to ensure everyone is on the same page and knows what is going on
• Try to have filming be the only/main event going on for the group; sharing resources and energy is really difficult

And, the craziness of filming was just the beginning! Post-production was it’s own beast, with calls and reviews of cuts being done from expedition ships in the Arctic and park benches on mental health walks. We submitted to Sundance (yay!) with 52 minutes left, from a log cabin in Iceland. It was A LOT to learn and master in an impossibly short time. Luckily, we’re driven, stubborn, and resilient.

As Director Brynne Rardin shared at the world premiere, “This year broke me and built me back stronger than I ever thought possible.”

I totally agree. Making this movie pushed us, and it showed us what we’re made of. To sit here now, with a beautiful story about even more beautiful people, is humbling and rewarding in ways I could not have imagined.

To summarize the experience, I’d like to share a statement from Patrick Krum, our Co-Director and Director of Photography, who’s can-do attitude and quick thinking helped us navigate filming in three locations, above and underwater.

Shooting The Rebel Reef was an incredible experience. Being on location in beautiful, sunny Honduras, diving multiple sites in all kinds of conditions and light, pushed us creatively in the best ways. Projects like this, where the cinematography depends more on the crew’s tenacity and belief in the story than on a big budget or endless resources, are what filmmaking is all about. I think the film reflects that.

Spending time with the local community and our main subjects, Christian, Antal, and Paco, was profoundly humbling. Seeing their daily lives up close, documenting their routines, and witnessing the passion and relentless dedication they bring to everything they do shaped how we approached each frame. Our goal was to let that authenticity guide the visuals, and I believe it comes through in the final film.

– Patrick Krum, Co-Director, Director of Photography, “The Rebel Reef: Seeds of Hope”

To schedule a screening, contact tiff@telacoral.org or check out the film festivals we’re selected for!