Sons & Daughters of Thunder

"Sons & Daughters of Thunder" and Other Emmy-nominated Fourth Wall Films for your Gift Giving!

It's that time of the year! Remember the award-winning Fourth Wall Films movies produced by five-time Emmy award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle for your favorite documentary, history, mystery, film buff! 

Fourth Wall Films' Blu-rays and DVDs make the perfect gift for your loved one this holiday season. DVDs are shipped FREE, and FREE gift wrap and gift message/signed DVD are included UPON REQUEST for a memorable and personalized gift.

THANK YOU for supporting Fourth Wall Films ongoing American history film work through your Holiday purchase! https://fourthwallfilms.com/

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Crafting the Lane Rebels' Melody

Part 2

By Jessica Karolczak

After excitedly joining Fourth Wall Films' Sons and Daughters of Thunder production team, accomplished composer William Campbell of St. Ambrose University has begun crafting the film’s melody.

Ever since he was young, Campbell has been able to “hear the music.”

He frequently could copy styles of music, which has greatly aided him during his composing career. The first part of Campbell’s composing process is watching at least part of the film to get a feel for the “world” his music is in. For some films, he then researches the time period and listens to the popular songs of the time.

“At this time, Cincinnati, which is where this film is set, was a bit of a pioneer town,” Campbell said of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 19^th century. “But, the group of people that we’re following were used to refined culture. There wouldn’t have been large orchestras. But, there would have definitely been professional-level piano players and string players.”

Because of this research, Campbell is choosing to create the music using mostly piano with the occasional accompaniment of solo woodwinds and a string quartet. This is to match the film’s “sound palette.” He also focused his research on hymns because director Kelly Rundle and producer Tammy Rundle asked for hymn-like music.

The next step in Campbell’s process is improvising music on the piano using the styles and songs he researched. Sometimes, this involves starting with familiar tunes and then branching off while other times he starts from scratch.

“Sometimes I can just write down that improvisation, and it’s pretty much done,” Campbell said. “Usually, that’s just the beginning of the process. Whether I whittle away what I just wrote or chip away. Think about it like a sculptor with a block of marble. I’ve got more than enough material, and I have to take some away.”

“Or, if I have to change it, it would be like if I was a visual artist,” Campbell continued. “Right now, it would be all greens and browns that I just improvised and really what I need is blue and yellow. The figure or the image is correct, but now the colors need to change.”

This “chipping away” includes changing notes, adjusting chords and potentially revising the tone with different key signatures. This process can take weeks, but Campbell said the amount of time spent on it depends on the deadline. For Thunder, the goal is to have the music finished by the end of May.

Once the songs are completed, Campbell has two ways of recording them: a live studio or a control room. The live studio is his living room, which features a grand piano. In the control room, he creates the songs using digital software.

Directly afterward, he uses a double monitor featuring the scripted music on one screen and the film on the other. He then lines up dramatic moments with specific parts of the music.

Yet, the biggest challenges for Campbell are in the final steps of the process. One obstacle is balancing the music with the film’s dialogue and background sounds. This is to ensure the music is supportive and not dominating.

“This is a challenge I’ve come to really like,” Campbell said. “I treat it as if I’m a duet partner and accompanying them [the actors].”

The other challenge is possible rejection. Occasionally, the music doesn’t fit the directors’ vision or intention for a scene. So, Campbell must adapt to cope with the rejection. This includes using the rejected piece for a different scene, incorporating aspects of the song into a more fitting melody and/or utilizing the song in a future project.

Once the music is done, he shares it with the director/editor, who inserts it into the film.

 

"Walnut Hills" - Excerpt from Kelly Rundle on Vimeo.

Reviewing the completed project is rewarding, Campbell said. However, his human nature and perfectionism occasionally send his mind wandering to what he could have done better. Still, he said he usually happy with a lot of his work.

“I do look back and think about how that film project changed me as a person and how the music I contributed was such a big part of my life for that moment,” Campbell said.

For more about Campbell, see part one of this blog called “Accomplished Composer Brings Musical Life to ‘Sons and Daughters of Thunder,'” or visit www.williamcampbellmusic.com.

 

'Props' for the "Thunder" Props Masters

Just a small sampling of props used in Sons & Daughters of Thunder that will be on display during the premiere.

It takes a lot of people to make a movie.  It takes even more people to make an historical film.  From the director of photography, sound director, assistant director and gaffer to the costume designer, hair/make-up personnel and the props master, the smallest details need complete attention. 

When Lyman Beecher needed a pocket watch and bifocals during a pivotal scene in which abolitionist Theodore Weld and his supporters requested the historic anti-slavery debates at Lane Seminary, it was props masters Melinda Carriker and Sandy Freel who made sure actor Janos Horvath had a key-wound watch on a chain and bifocals on his nose.

Actor Janos Horvath poses in the original Lyman Beecher study at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Set in 1834, with scenes dipping into the 1850s and 1880s, finding period-correct props for Sons & Daughters of Thunder kept Production Assistant Melinda Carriker on her toes. Fortunately, she had Sandy Freel's vast collection of antiques (which would make any Hollywood props master salivate) to draw from.

"We knew the project was going to be challenging, and Melinda is someone we have relied on heavily for our documentary projects Lost Nation: The Ioway 1, 2 & 3 and Country School: One Room - One Nation, and Good Earth: Awakening the Silent City" said producer Tammy Rundle.  "We took a lot of creative license with Thunder, and it was not easy to make a period piece on a tight budget.   But we had no doubt that Melinda would be up for the challenge of finding the correct props for the film, and that Sandy Freel would be an incredible resource.  They were a fantastic team."

Costume designer Emily Busha attends to final details on actress Jess Taylor's dress.

When Harriet Beecher, played by actress Jess Taylor, needed that extra special little piece of jewelry on her dress collar, Freel produced a human hairwork brooch.  "Mourning jewelry" reflected the lives and times of the people who wore them.  For hundreds of years, especially during the Victorian age, jewelry often times integrated human hair into brooches, rings and watch chains, which were then worn as a souvenir to remember a loved one.  Harriet might have worn a mourning brooch in which to remember her deceased mother, Roxanna Beecher.

Production assistant/props master Melinda Carriker shows actress Kim Furness (Catharine Beecher) how to light the whale oil/lard lamp.

One of the most interesting requests for Carriker was an 1830s whale-oil/lard lamp to be lit during a scene in the Lyman Beecher home.  

Carriker's list of 'finds' grew over the seven months of production on Thunder, including period pens, books, bibles, letters, jewelry, handbills, satchels and lanterns.

"Many times you watch a film and you do not realize all that went into making it as close to "right" as is possible.  We were very fortunate to have a cast and crew on this project that were committed to making it the best that they could," said director Kelly Rundle.  "It is the little things that make the difference--right down to that key-wound watch in Lyman Beecher's hand, when he takes note of the changing time."

Melinda Carriker and Lora Adams prepare Jessica Taylor (Harriet Beecher) for the Goodbye scene. Jess sits on an 1848 handmade coverlet donated by prop master Sandy Freel to the production.

Sandy Freel presented Kelly & Tammy Rundle with the gift of the key-wound watch and the 1848 coverlet (Harriet Beecher sits on it during the goodbye scene) used in Sons & Daughters of Thunder. The items will be on display for the public to enjoy during screenings.  We are deeply grateful for this beautiful gifts that will always mean so much to us.

Sons & Daughters of Thunder premieres Saturday, March 16, 6:30P (SOLD OUT) and Sunday, March 17 at 3PM at the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.  Advance tickets are STRONGLY recommended at Putnam.org/calendar. The film will also have a Cincinnati premiere at the Garfield Theatre, March 23 at 4PM or 7PM.  Reserve tickets at http://www.cincyworldcinema.org/Thunder2019.php.

Accomplished Composer Brings 'Musical Life' to "Sons and Daughters of Thunder"

"Lifeboat" composer Bill Campbell on the red carpet at the 2019 Academy Awards.  Campbell is composing the soundtrack for "Sons & Daughters of Thunder".

Part 1
By Jessica Karolczak

As Sons and Daughters of Thunder comes to fruition, Fourth Wall Films has enlisted help to bring 'musical life' to the film.  William “Bill” Campbell has joined the team to compose the film’s soundtrack.

Most recently, Campbell’s composing earned him a trip to the Oscars.  He created the soundtrack for the Oscar-nominated documentary Lifeboat. The documentary was directed by Skye Fitzgerald and examines the mass immigration crisis of refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from the northern coast of Africa.  Campbell has worked with Fitzgerald since college.

“If you are part of the Oscar nominations list, you’ve basically won,” Campbell said. “I have to stress how important it is that it was all Skye. I’m not diminishing my work, but he really is an amazing man, and I’m very proud to be associated with what he does.”

Music has always been a part of Campbell’s life. He began playing piano when he was six and started writing simple music pieces around age 11. In high school, he music directed for musicals and wrote music for his church. One of his original songs was even sung at his high school graduation.

“Some people are drawn to draw. They are captured by light and the way it lands on things, and they turn that fascination into something they discipline themselves about and keep going with,” Campbell said. “I was given time, and my parents bought a piano and provided me with lessons. I was one of the kids that actually practiced and wanted to explore more at the piano. I always wondered why composers made certain choices rather than others.”

After high school, he studied music and wrote for some student-produced films at the University of Arizona. He pursued his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music before getting his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Throughout his education he took advantage of any opportunities to hone his skills. He wrote music for theatre and dance, including a play soundtrack that he created using film techniques. He would watch and time the play while making notes about the actors’ movements. Then, he put together a small ensemble to pre-record the music. Now, he is Chair of the Music Department and a music professor at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. He continues to compose professionally on the side.

Campbell was drawn to Sons and Daughters of Thunder after hearing about the film’s topic. He jumped at the idea of creating piano-based music with some hymn-like elements. He is even exploring the idea of directly incorporating hymns into the soundtrack.

“This is right up my wheelhouse, so it makes sense for me to do it,” Campbell said. “I want to be associated with something that is trying to show people a period in history that we need to not forget about, and I think that the Rundles are going to do a good job with the film.”

"We are very excited to work with Bill on the Sons & Daughters of Thunder soundtrack," said producer Tammy Rundle.  "Thunder is a labor of love for us and Bill is extremely talented and such perfect fit with us and the project.  "Even though we are premiering the film this month, Bill's work on the soundtrack will continue until we release the film later in May/early June."

Visit WilliamCampbellMusic.com for more information about the composer's music.

Sons and Daughters of Thunder premieres on the Putnam Giant Screen on March 16 and 17th.  Advanced tickets are recommended at Putnam.org/calendar.  Stay tuned for more information on Campbell’s composing process.

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is based on the critically-acclaimed play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter.

It tells the true story of the 1834 Cincinnati, Ohio Lane Theological Seminary anti-slavery debates.  The controversial meetings, led by abolitionist and firebrand Theodore Weld (played by acclaimed stage actor Thomas Alan Taylor), were the first to publicly discuss the end of slavery in America.  The meetings angered Cincinnati residents and Lane Seminary officials, who promptly slapped a gag order on the entire student body.  This action was followed by a freedom of speech protest and mass exodus of Lane students to Oberlin College.  A young Harriet Beecher’s (played by acclaimed stage actress Jess Denney) exposure to the debates and Weld's continuing work to free the slaves sparked a flame that led her to write her magnum opus Uncle Tom's Cabin.  

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is co-produced by Kent Hawley, and by Fourth Wall Films, owned by Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, a film and video production company specializing in historical documentaries for public television broadcast and DVD home video.  

The fiscal sponsors for the film project are The Shell Rock Historical Society, and The Moline Foundation.  If you are interested in contributing to the film project and receiving screen credit, please click here: SUPPORT THUNDER!

ADR Work Wraps on "Thunder"

Jess Taylor records clean dialogue as Harriet Beecher in Sons & Daughters of Thunder.

Fourth Wall Films is pleased to report that ADR work on Sons & Daughters of Thunder is completed!  Once again we want to thank the Quad City Arts for making this very important sound work possible, thanks to a grant award through our fiscal sponsor, the Moline Foundation. 

Actor Mike Schulz  as Reverend Asa Mahan.

Actor Justin Marxen as Lane Rebel Augustus Wattles.

The QC Arts Dollars grant provided by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, and John Deere, supported re-recording portions of the on-screen dialogue of a number of the film's key actors.

 

Actor Tom Taylor as Theodore Weld listens to his lines before recording.

Sixteen Quad Cities artists took part in the ADR sound work project for Thunder, mainly replacing dialogue that was hindered by noisy exterior sound while filming at historic sites.

Actor Don Denton as Lane Rebel William Allan takes direction from Kelly Rundle before sound engineer Chris Ryder begins recording with picture.

Actor Tristan Tapscott as Lane Rebel Henry Thompson.

Actor Pat Flaherty as Professor John Morgan.

"It is very difficult to find quiet places and spaces," said producer Tammy Rundle.  "Many of the beautiful historic sites (built between 1850-the early 1900s) in which we filmed Thunder are situated on busy highways, near train tracks, planes jetting through the skies, and mowers in full force during the summer months--not at all conducive with the sounds of 1834.  All of this modern-day sound pollution made filming challenging at times."

Actress Dee Canfield does voice over for  mature Harriet.

 
Actor Mike Kennedy as Judge Wright.

Actor Janos Horvath as Lyman Beecher listens to Kelly's direction prior to recording, while sound engineer Chris Ryder gets set to record the scene.

Sons & Daughters of Thunder premieres Saturday, March 16, 6:30P at the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa.  Advance tickets are STRONGLY recommended at Putnam.org/calendar. The film will also have a Cincinnati premiere at the Garfield Theatre, March 23 at 4PM or 7PM.  Reserve tickets at http://www.cincyworldcinema.org/Thunder2019.php  Seats are beginning to fill up at both events.

Actress Kimberly Kurtenbach as Catharine Beecher.

 
Actor Joe Maubach as Lane Rebel Marius Robinson.

Actor Tom Walljasper as Professor Thomas Biggs delivers fresh dialogue while producer Tammy Rundle and sound engineer Chris Ryder monitor the recording.

Sons & Daughters of Thunder, a new film by Emmy-nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, is based on a play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter and tells the true story of the 1834 Lane Seminary Debates. Organized by Theodore Weld, one of the architects of the abolitionist movement, the shocking oratory sparked intense controversy and awakened a young Harriet Beecher (Stowe) to the horrors of slavery. Beecher-Stowe went on to pen “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” The novel changed American public opinion in favor of abolition.

Fourth Wall Films Welcomes Intern Jessica Karolczak

Fourth Wall Films' Kelly and Tammy Rundle welcome Jessica Karolczak (center) to the team.

Fourth Wall Films has welcomed a new addition this spring! Intern Jessica Karolczak, a junior at St. Ambrose University, has joined the team to discover more about the art of documentary film-making.

“I’ve interned for a newspaper and a TV station and neither seemed like the right fit for me,” Karolczak said. “I like the depth of newspaper writing and the visuals of TV, so my dad and I figured documentary-making would be the perfect balance of both.”

Karolczak is currently a Multimedia Journalism and Theatre major with a Spanish minor. She also serves as the editor-in-chief of SAU’s newspaper The Buzz and the Theatre Department newsletter. She is excited to be a part of a team that combines many of her interests: history, creative communication, theatre, research, writing and storytelling.

“I am both honored and ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with accomplished filmmakers,” Karolczak said. “Not to mention, they are such great people who share my passion for showcasing stories in relatable, unique ways.”

Dr. Corinne Johnson, a professor at St. Ambrose, introduced Karolczak to the Rundles. Dr. Johnson knew them through their participation on the QC Theatre Workshop board. Through good luck and timing, Karolczak met the Rundles at a showing of their Emmy-nominated documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation. The rest is history in the making. Karolczak started her internship February 13.

“Growing up in the small town of Ashton, Iowa, [in northwest Iowa] you don’t expect opportunities like this to come around,” Karolczak said. “I actually couldn’t get a ticket for the event I was supposed to meet the Rundles at because it was sold out.  But I wanted the opportunity so badly, I just showed up and hoped I could talk my way into the event. I’m glad I did because now I am fascinated with every observation and aspect of what the Rundles do. I could not be more blessed to take on this position with such flexible, willing people.”

Jessica Karolczak learns ADR for Thunder by observing director Kelly Rundle, sound engineer Chris Ryder, and actress Jess Taylor at work.

While interning, Karolczak will experience multiple aspects of documentary-making from voice over work and production to press releases and marketing to fundraising and research. Since the Rundles are currently working on several projects, including their new docudrama Sons and Daughters of Thunder, she will experience all stages of the documentary-making process.

For now, Karolczak is only exploring the realm of documentary-making. She does not have set plans for the future but thinks working independently may be up her alley.

“I have always been an independent person because I have a constant thirst for knowledge and like to think I am partially OCD,” Karolczak said. “I also like the idea of creative freedom and the opportunity to choose projects to work on that I am passionate about.”

Currently, Karolczak is considering making documentaries for non-profit organizations to help tell the stories behind their causes. For now, she continues to study hard at SAU while soaking in all she can learn from the Rundles.

Welcome to the team! 

Stand by... and re-recording!

Actress Kimberly Kurtenbach goes over her lines while Chris Ryder (Sound/Visual Effects) and Kelly Rundle (Director) run the film clip for her to listen to. 

Proof that we are nearing the end of Sons & Daughters of Thunder!  We are deep into a process called looping or ADR (Automatic Dialog Replacement), in which we are re-recording dialogue with our actors that cannot be salvaged from production tracks. 

Actress Kimberly Kurtenbach re-records her dialogue as Catharine Beecher.

We are very grateful to Quad City Arts for the Arts Dollars grant award to make this important work possible.

It has been fun to reconnect with a number of our cast members during this sound work and to watch them return to 'character' as they deliver their lines.  It is exciting to see the film come to life after all this time.

Actress Kimberly Kurtenbach, Director Kelly Rundle, Producer Tammy Rundle,
Sound/Visual Effects Chris Ryder.

Two Sons & Daughters of Thunder PREMIERES are scheduled in March: at the Putnam Giant Screen in the Quad Cities on Saturday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m.  Advance tickets recommended at Putnam.org; and in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Cincinnati World Cinema on Saturday, March 23 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.  Advance tickets are strongly recommended at cincyworldcinema.org!

Did you know...

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is based on the critically-acclaimed play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter.

It tells the true story of the 1834 Cincinnati, Ohio Lane Theological Seminary anti-slavery debates.  The controversial meetings, led by abolitionist and firebrand Theodore Weld (played by acclaimed stage actor Thomas Alan Taylor), were the first to publicly discuss the end of slavery in America.  The meetings angered Cincinnati residents and Lane Seminary officials, who promptly slapped a gag order on the entire student body.  This action was followed by a freedom of speech protest and mass exodus of Lane students to Oberlin College.  A young Harriet Beecher’s (played by acclaimed stage actress Jess Denney) exposure to the debates and Weld's continuing work to free the slaves sparked a flame that led her to write her magnum opus Uncle Tom's Cabin.  

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is co-produced by Kent Hawley, and by Fourth Wall Films, owned by Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle, a film and video production company specializing in historical documentaries for public television broadcast and DVD home video.  

The fiscal sponsors for the film project are The Shell Rock Historical Society, and The Moline Foundation.  If you are interested in contributing to the film project and receiving screen credit, please click here: SUPPORT THUNDER!

Sons & Daughters of Thunder premieres March 2019!

"Thunder" ADR Work Begins

Sons & Daughters of Thunder sound designer Chris Ryder captures audio with actors Justin Marxen, Thomas Alan Taylor and Tristan Tapscott.

Sound. Good sound is as important to a film as the picture itself.  As wonderful as our Sons & Daughters of Thunder locations were to film in, sound was one of the biggest challenges to contend with. 

For instance, the beautiful Dillon Home in Sterling, Illinois (the stand-in for the Lyman Beecher home at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio) was sandwiched between the busy Lincoln Highway and active railroad tracks--not exactly conducive to the ambience of 1834 Cincinnati, Ohio.  The planes, trains and automobiles certainly kept sound technician Chris Ryder on his toes.

Chris Ryder captures Kimberly Kurtenbach's (Catharine Beecher) dialog in the Dillon Home.

Most of the sound captured for Thunder at places like the Dillon Home, Jenny Lind Chapel (the stand-in for Lane Theological Seminary's chapel) will be re-recorded.  Dialog that cannot be salvaged from production tracks must be re-recorded in a process called looping or ADR (Automatic Dialog Replacement). 

Joe Maubach as Marius Robinson during a debate scene filmed at the Jenny Lind Chapel in Andover, Illinois.

Thanks to a grant from Quad City Arts Dollars, the bulk of the ADR work on Sons & Daughters of Thunder will take place December-January as the film reaches its completion.  Key cast members will be called in to re-record their dialog as they watch their edited performances onscreen.

Some early ADR work has already begun.  Joe Maubach who portrays Lane Rebel Marius Robinson in Thunder recently re-recorded his dialog for the film.

Chris Ryder prepares to role sound on actor Mike Kennedy at the quiet Augustana House on the Hill.  Actor David Shropshire appears on the monitor.

The re-recorded dialog will then be edited into the film to replace the temp dialog track.  Ambient sound and sound effects will also be layered into the film so when it premieres in March 2019 the sound will be pristine and an important element in telling the story of the Lane Rebels and the awakening of young Harriet Beecher to the realities of slavery.

◊ ◊ ◊

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is based on a play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter and tells the unforgettable true story of the beginning of the end of slavery in America. In 1834, if polite discussions about abolishing slavery were considered inappropriate among Americans in Northern states, then eighteen days of public student-sponsored debates on the divisive subject at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio (a border community) were scandalous. Organized by Theodore Weld, one of the architects of the abolitionist movement, the shocking oratory sparked intense controversy and awakened a young Harriet Beecher (Stowe) to the realities of slavery.

Sons & Daughters of Thunder is produced and directed by Kelly and Tammy Rundle.  Their company Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Regional Emmy® nominated independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in the Quad Cities.

Mark your calendars and save the date for Saturday, March 16, 2019 for the Quad Cities premiere of Thunder at the Putnam Museum National Geographic Giant Screen at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available HERE!  It will be a wonderful celebration with a number of cast and crew appearing at the event.  The film will be dedicated to Kent Hawley (whom we lost in November 2017) and his wife playwright Earlene Hawley.  

Saturday, March 23, 2019 join us in Cincinnati for the double premiere (4pm & 7pm) of Thunder at the Garfield Theatre. Advanced tickets are available at https://www.cincyworldcinema.org/

Follow us on Facebook by LIKING our Sons & Daughters of Thunder fanpage for all of the updates!

To pre-order your Sons & Daughters of Thunder DVD and SAVE, click HERE! And, remember to make a note: the DVDs will ship in July 2019! 

Final Footage for "Thunder" Shot at Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, CT

Producers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films took a production trip to Connecticut to gather final footage for their docudrama Sons & Daughters of Thunder.  Filming took place at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in the heart of Hartford, where the author lived her remaining years until her death in the house on July 1, 1896.  She was 85 years old.

 

Director Kelly Rundle gathers glimpses of Harriet's elder life in the home she shared with husband Calvin and their twin daughters.

Several of Harriet's still life paintings she created hung on the walls in the home.

Lisa Beede, the Stowe Center Communications Coordinator, toured Tammy (pictured here) and Kelly through the home and shared details about the extensive family archives and the collection on exhibit at the museum.

An image of Lane Theological Seminary hangs above a photo of Harriet and Calvin Stowe.

Footage gathered at the home is planned to be used in Thunder as the framework for the storytelling.

Based on a play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter, Sons & Daughters of Thunder tells the unforgettable true story of the beginning of the end of slavery in America. In 1834, if polite discussions about abolishing slavery were considered inappropriate among Americans in Northern states, then eighteen days of public student-sponsored debates on the divisive subject at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio (a border community) were scandalous. Organized by Theodore Weld, one of the architects of the abolitionist movement, the shocking oratory sparked intense controversy and awakened a young Harriet Beecher (Stowe) to the realities of slavery.

 

Harriet Beecher Stowe (far right) and her father Lyman Beecher.

Collections Manager Elizabeth Burgess, Lisa Beede and Kelly Rundle in between filming.

Our thanks to everyone at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center for allowing us to film in Harriet and Calvin's beautiful home and for your kind assistance during our work there.

For more information about the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and taking your own tour of this magnificent historical site, visit https://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org.

Fourth Wall Films is anxious to share the finished film with you at the premiere in Cincinnati on March 23, 2019 and March 16, 2019 on the National Geographic Giant Screen at the Putnam Museum in Davenport!

Remember to follow us on Facebook by LIKING our Sons & Daughters of Thunder fan page for all of the updates!  Check out LaneRebelsMovie.com to meet our talented Cast & Crew.

Final Fundraising for "Thunder" Underway

 

It is hard to believe, but we are nearing the end of this very special film project.  We are in the final stage of post-production (editing) on Sons & Daughters of Thunder--a docudrama based on a true story about abolitionists Theodore Weld and a young Harriet Beecher.

We have launched an online fundraising campaign to help us raise a portion of the capstone funds needed to complete the post-production phase of the project.  We have set a goal of $3,000 and hope that we will raise funds beyond that modest goal.  Funds raised will be used specifically for editing fees, music licensing, and minor special visual effects. 

The "Thunder Funder" IndieGoGo campaign ends on Thursday, February 22 at 11:59 p.m. 

We plan to complete post-production work this fall, with the film premiering at the Putnam Museum's National Geographic Giant Screen in the Quad Cities after Christmas this year, and in Cincinatti, Ohio--where the true story took place--in February 2019 during Black History Month and the anniversary of the historic Lane Debates.  Additional screening events will follow.

We are so very close to the end of this project, and have several fundraising efforts underway, including this crowd-funding campaign.  Every dollar raised is extremely helpful to us and to seeing Sons & Daughters of Thunder through to the end.  

This amazing and timely story has been forgotten by the nation.  You can help us change that by bringing this dramatic new film to the silver screen!

Click HERE to view the campaign video and the Perks offered for your generous donation. 

Thank you for your support!

Kelly & Tammy Rundle, Fourth Wall Films