Electronic Press Kit
To download text and images:
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“A good story cannot be devised; it has to be distilled.”
- Raymond Chandler
Email: distillingdreamsdoc@gmail.com
Website: www.distillingdreams.com !
Twitter: @DistillDreams https://twitter.com/DistillDreams !
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/distilldreams/ !
Instagram: @Creecyphoto #DistillingDreams !!!
STORY SYNOPSIS - SHORT !
Family, dreamers, second chances, and the opening of the first whiskey distillery in Austin, TX since
prohibition. !
Distilling Dreams is an intimate feature length documentary about the people behind Still Austin
Whiskey Company: Father and son Cleveland & Chris, married couples Andrew & Lisa, Joanna &
Sal, along with head distiller KB. It reveals and humanizes the private struggles each of us
experience when we take giant risks at any stage in life. It embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship,
and ultimately is about the pursuit of finding one’s own happiness. !
A breakdown of nationalized industry, along with a growing emphasis on a local and sustainable
food culture, is leading the way for a modern re-urbanization once again focused on the artisan
business model. With no existing supply chain in central Texas for many of the types and amount
of grains Still Austin need to produce their product, the team is building from the ground up,
working with local universities, farmers, and urban gardeners to educate and convince their
community about the regional importance of their Grain to Glass approach to whiskey making. !
Sacrifice, risk, long hours, the film will follow Still Austin Whiskey Company over 5 years, from
concept, to opening their first barrel of aged product.
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STORY SYNOPSIS - LONG !
Family, dreamers, second chances, and the opening of the first whiskey distillery in Austin, TX since
prohibition. Distilling Dreams is an intimate feature length documentary about the people behind
Still Austin Whiskey Company. !
CEO Chris was looking for a way to strengthen his relationship with his father after coming out as
gay, so when Cleveland approached him about opening an artisan distillery, he knew he wanted to
support his father’s dream 100%. With a background as an economist, Chris knew that most
ideas never get off the ground, so he quit his job and spent over a year driving the 1,000 miles
between Austin and Amarillo each week to raise the initial funds needed for construction. !
A breakdown of nationalized industry, along with a growing emphasis on a local and sustainable
food culture, is leading the way for a modern re-urbanization once again focused on the artisan
business model. Andrew was looking for a way to get away from the computer and into making
something with his hands. He has been researching, and working with local farmers, urban
gardeners, and university seed banks to find out what kinds of grains were growing in Central
Texas before prohibition. Currently there is no existing supply chain in the immediate local area for
many of the types and amount of grains Still Austin need to produce their product. !
The large grain silos and 54’ still tower rising out of the center roof of the Still Austin building are a
reminder of how the team is working to educate and convince their community about the regional
importance of their Grain to Glass approach to whiskey making and building a local grain economy.
KB was working as an assistant distiller in southern California, but looking for a way to move up in
position and create his own recipes. After interviewing with the owners, they called him the day
before his wedding to offer him the job of head distiller at Still Austin. Less then a month later, he
packed up all his belongings and drove with his new wife to start over again half way across the
country.
In Texas, liquor laws established decades ago do not allow spirits manufacturers to market and sell
their own products. Other than a relatively small, specified annual quantity they can sell on-site,
state laws force distilleries to rely on third parties, typically large national distributors, to get their
products into packaged goods stores, in restaurants and bars. This “three tier distribution system”
creates much risk for distillers, rendering them unable to impact sales or know if the distributor is
actually working to sell their products. Joanna is a partner in her law firm, and has been using her
skills to advocate to the state legislature to change the laws which force local business owners to
jump through hoops.
With a big booming laugh and an industrial and steel fabrication background, Sal helped steer the
group through construction. Now that his main job is done, he is ready to greet you with a story in
the tasting room. The film reveals and humanizes the private struggles each of us experience
when we take giant risks at any stage in life. As Cleveland would say, “The risk is not doing
anything at all.”
Although initially interested to support her husband Andrew in this endeavor, Lisa has found
passion and greatness throughout her work from wearing a hard hat, creating the entire marketing
campaign, to cultivating community relationships. She embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship. The
film will follow Still Austin Whiskey Company over 5 years, from concept, to opening their first barrel
of aged product.
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!
QUICK FACTS !
• Filming began in February of 2015
• The film will be released in 4k
• Almost 60 hours (8TBs) of footage have been shot so far
• Aiming for a spring of 2021 release
• Directing debut for Laura Creecy !!!
FAQ !!
!Q. How did the film come to fruition?
A. The director/producer Laura Creecy was visiting Austin and ended up having cocktails with 3 of
the 6 Still Austin Whiskey Co. owners in October 2014. Still in the early idea phase of the
business, she heard their stories of why they wanted to embark on this crazy venture without
having any kind of background in the spirits or beverage industry. She could see their passion
and personality, and believes the story of how hard-work and positivity can lead to success will
be compelling for many audiences. Inspired by their own willingness to take a giant risk, she
followed their lead, leaving her own career as a film editor to jump into directing a feature length
project for the first time. Just as making good whiskey takes time and patience, so does good
documentary filmmaking. !!
Q. What is the stylistic and visual approach to the film? !
A. Stylistically Distilling Dreams will follow a traditional documentary structure interweaving the
everyday lives of the cast while emphasizing the distillery’s importance within the Central Texas
regional grain economy and local Austin food scene. Visually, the film will be shot cinéma vérité
style with high-definition 4k cameras. Due to the run-and-gun style of capturing moments as
they happen, only available lighting is used, creating a realistic and natural image. !!
!Q. What distinguishes Distilling Dreams from other similar documentary films?
A. This film is distinguished from others in the craft beverage & food genre because it is following
the Still Austin Whiskey Co. through all the struggles of being a start-up beginning at the idea
phase, through production, and will continue to follow after they have been established for a
few years. There are a handful of craft beer documentaries, more on the wine industry, and
almost none on the spirit industry. However, most films in this genre follow a specific brand or
region that is already established or known, completely ignoring the early efforts it takes for the
business to even get to that point. Being able to fully tell a story with compelling character arcs
takes time, and the project was slated from the beginning to follow these individuals for five
years, to really understand the people. Although interesting, Distilling Dreams is not just a
technical film on how to make whiskey. !
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Q: What are your hopes for the film moving forward? !
A. The director hopes that the film will grab the attention of the 2021 SXSW film festival, and can’t
think of a better place to premiere then hometown Austin. Special early access viewings of the
film will be held at Still Austin Whiskey Co. for financial bakers of the project. In order to get to
that point, the project is still fundraising. A trailer will be released soon with a Kickstarter
campaign to raise funds to continue filming throughout the first year of Still Austin Whiskey Co.
opening and to start full time on the editing of the film. Distilling Dreams is a fiscally sponsored
project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Contributions in support of Distilling Dreams are payable to IDA and are tax deductible as
allowed by law. IDA will administer all funds received in behalf of Distilling Dreams and exercise
financial oversight to assure that funds are spent for their designated purpose. Anyone at any
time can make a 100% tax deductible donation online through this link: http://
www.documentary.org/film/distilling-dreams !
Q: How can I help get this film made if I can’t contribute financially? !
A. We are always looking for talented Austinites to help out with the project. Eventually we will be
looking for an Assistant Editor, Composer, and Music Supervisor. The project can also accept
In-Kind donations that are 100% Tax Deductible and is looking for iMac computers, 6TB-24TB
harddrives, office furniture, and gift cards to local restaurants to offset the meal budget. We are
also looking for office space in South Austin, but cannot offer a tax deduction for this.
!!
Q: Why do you think documentaries are so important? !
A. I believe that documentaries are the last honest medium, because they can utilize the years of
their long shooting schedules to give the entire view point of a subject without the limitation of
rushing to be the first ones to break a story, the way that news media does. Observational
documentary film traditionally strives for naturalism and little manipulation, however the film
does have to edit down many years worth of story points to 90 minutes. With new digital
streaming services, such as Netflix, audiences are being introduced and are craving more
multi-year, long format, storytelling. !!
Q. What was your favorite day filming so far? !
A. We got to hang out with KB one saturday afternoon while he was slow smoking barley for R&D
of the Still Austin New Make Briskey flavor at the La Barbecue food truck. I was weeks away
from back surgery at that point and could barely walk, but I knew it would be great footage, so
I strapped my back brace on, and hobbled over to a picnic bench where I laid down for half a
day. Tony, the cinematographer would check in with me every half hour or so to let me know
what he had been shooting. We all eventually took a lunch break and I had to figure out to eat
that good La Barbecue brisket while laying on my back before everyone else could eat it all.
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KEY BIOS !!
!Producer/Director
Laura Creecy works across a variety of artistic mediums and prefers to call herself a visual
storyteller, often gravitating towards projects that examine the subtle dichotomies of the human
experience. Most recently she wrapped up a job as an in-house editor at Bad Robot Productions,
working to support films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Star Trek
Beyond, & Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. !
She holds a M.F.A in Film & Electronic Media from the School of Communication program at
American University in Washington, D.C. where her thesis film won the top award for her class. In
the decade since, her professional experience ranges from working in the camera department, to
working as an editor on documentary and scripted feature films in Los Angeles. Films she has
worked on have screened at Sundance, SXSW, and Cannes Film Festivals. !
Although Distilling Dreams is her first directing project, her years of experience structuring different
stories as a film editor have allowed her to quickly asses the character points that are the most
important, a skill that translates well to working in the field on non-fiction projects. !
She is the founder of Women In Post Production, A 2500+ member online community group to
discuss gender, technology, and business for women working in film, television, commercial, and
new media Post-Production industry, as well as a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild
(MPEG) Technology Committee. !
When she is not working in film, she is also an award winning documentary and fine art
photographer, and has exhibited in several galleries and shows across the United States. !
Currently she resides in South Austin. !
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1848071/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 !!!
Producer/Cinematographer !
Tony Lopez-Cepero hails from Austin, TX, where he honed his skills as a photographer in the
eclectic music scene. He naturally transitioned to cinematography while studying film at Columbia
College Chicago and after graduation, he lectured and worked as a telecine colorist for the school. !
To continue challenging himself to create great images, he jumped into the lighting department on
several big budget films. He has traveled through Europe and India, worked through much of the
US, and now resides between Texas and California. !
IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2174865/?ref_=nv_sr_1
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