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What's in the name?

1/20/2014

6 Comments

 
Picture
The idea for this documentary didn't just come to me recently. I've thought about doing it for a couple years now. I've felt helpless listening to my dad and other family and community members talk about how much they don't want to lose their camps.  I didn't know where to start or how and I'm only just beyond that point. The clock is ticking, fast, and it's now or never to try and produce a film that will show the world how much we want to keep these camps along the rivers of the ONF (Ottawa National Forest).

The name of the documentary came to me as I was driving home one day last week (my 75 mile drive home where I have a lot of time to think). I kept playing with the words "Wild and Scenic" but this film will be more than the Act. It's about the people and their ties to these rivers. Then the expression "up a river without a paddle" popped into my head. The idiom meaning "
If you are up a river without a paddle, you are in an unfortunate situation, unprepared and with none of the resources to remedy the matter."
The people who have built these camps along the rivers are really in an unfortunate situation.  Some of them will be nearly impossible to remove due to their extremely remote locations. A lot of them do not own private property to put a new one on or don't have the financial resources to purchase property to build themselves a new camp on. I also like the term because graphically I can play with the title to emphasize the word UP, seeing that this documentary takes place in Michigan's Upper Peninsula which is lovingly known as the U.P.

6 Comments
Vicki Kurtti
1/20/2014 07:14:09 am

Great idea, I can't wait to see more.

Reply
Jade Svoke
1/21/2014 02:05:05 pm

What a great idea! I can't wait to see it. I was so sad when my dad and uncle got rid of the "tin shack". I had a lot of great memories there as a kid. It wasn't an easy place to get to, but so worth it. Jason went there once hunting during deer season and fell in love with it. he loved how it had no airs about it, but was just a simple one room camp on the edge of the river. My dad built a new camp in preparation of losing this one about 10 years ago and they finally decided this past year to demo the tin shack and stop leasing.

Reply
Kristin Ojaniemi
2/8/2014 06:07:00 am

Thanks Jade! I should get a hold of your dad and see if he would like to talk about his old shack!

Reply
jade
6/20/2015 07:20:26 pm

Just saw your reply (a little late, lol), but I'd you're still interested I'm sure my dad would love to talk about the camp and memories of building it, using it, and the final goodbye.

Rick Miskovich
1/27/2014 01:41:28 pm

If you are trying to convince the USFS to extend the leases, you might also focus on how the camps have been a help or interest to those other than the camp owners. I have heard of several cases where people in distress have used the camps to get through some tough ordeals. Might be something to ask the camp owners about. I feel the people in control of these leases would be more interested in keeping these camps thinking of them as safe havens rather than private getaways.

Reply
Kristin Ojaniemi
2/8/2014 06:08:54 am

Great point Rick! Yes my dad has a couple stories of rescuing people of the river as well. And if anyone has log books they would share with posts from people that have used the camps as safe havens. Thanks!

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    Kristin Ojaniemi is the producer/director of the documentary "UP A RIVER"

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