For a lot of people that go into filmmaking, one of the first things that grabs our attention is the question, how did they do that? For some it's the wondering how a certain special effect was done, for others maybe it's how a fight was choreographed, and for some it's the question of how the whole thing came together. Movies a massive projects with so many moving parts it can seem almost like magic when one comes together. Studios came to understand this interest and this is where the bonus features idea came from. A chance to pull back the curtain and give fans something extra. While this is still a common practice, what isn't as common anymore is the behind the scenes full length documentary about making the film. Growing up, the documentaries for the making of Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean, had a major affect on me. Today these are less common, though still common on Christopher Nolan films. And it's this legacy we wanted to follow in the footsteps of.

 

Awaken was not just another film for Parish Productions. It was a whole new chapter and a very personal story. The idea of doing a behind the scenes documentary was something that had been toyed around with before but never seemed to happen. This film would be different and the plan for a documentary was cemented early on. And at this stage of Parish Productions Films life, a documentary into the making of our next indie film could only have one title, The Dream is Alive.

 

The stumbling block on past attempts generally came down to needing another filmmaker on set that understood the documentary style and what we were hoping to achieve. This is where Olivia Bronwyn and her production company, BonusDisc Films came in. Olivia jumped at the opportunity to capture the real life of making an indie film and dive deeper into the story of Awaken. She captured the moments no one saw coming, the connections between team members, and the love we all have for filmmaking. It's the hope that this documentary will help inspire others to follow their dreams of making movies!

 

Produced by Parish Productions Films, in association with BonusDisc Films, filmed by Olivia Bronwyn and edited by Keira Wolfe, The Dream is Alive will be releasing in 2027 along with Awaken, and is targeting being a companion piece at some film festivals. Please join us as we pull back the curtain on how an indie film comes to life.