The main reason for me to travel to Siberia is to mix the film right there to take the logistical challenges of mixing back in the U.S. out of the equation. This has, however, created other technical challenges. The laptops that we record on are set up specifically to do just that task. They are actually really beefy desktop CPUs with separate video cards and three physical hard drive for redundancy and to keep the video reference material separate from data. All wrapped up in a laptop case.

Anyway, I have different reference files (music cues, foley, and FXs) and different mix templates and I needed to get those as well as a couple of other tools than I use onto the laptop I’m taking and then create the session that I’ll be working in and get it to use all of the files that I just transferred. So I did all of that and opened up the blank session and told it where all the reference files were on the computer and it’s all working! So now I have the project ready to go. All we need now are the recordings from the actors. I’ll take those recordings when we have finished (actually at the end of each day I’ll get that day’s recordings) and edit for lip synch as we go.

So the plan then is that once all of the voices have been recorded it should only take me one additional day to edit, since I will be editing as we go. Then a couple days to mix. A couple days to review and rerecord anything they want to change and edit and mix those parts again.

So this is a big deal for me having my laptop ready to go. We also did a system check on everything else (the recording laptop, mics, interfaces, etc.) and so from an equipment standpoint it’s ready.

Now I just have to get through the non tech portion of the to do list!

I intend to write every couple of days as I get ready to go to the Altai region of Siberia. You can see the post below to look at a map and get caught up with the particulars.

I have my flight itinerary now. I will leave here on Tuesday July 15 and fly through Memphis and Amsterdam on my way to Moscow. We will spend two days there doing entry paperwork and resetting our body clocks! From there it’s another 2000 miles to our destination. We will fly part of the way and then get a 4×4 to go the final days drive up into the mountains.

We will leave the area on Aug 3 to make our way back to Moscow to catch our flight through Amsterdam and Detroit and then on home.

Here are a couple of videos you can watch. The area is similar culturally to Mongolia and the music reflects this. In fact this is where ‘throat singing’ originated, though most people associate it with either Mongolia or Tuva which it the province in Siberia directly East of where I’ll be.

This is an ancient culture and language and the people remain very Shamanistic. This following video is very informative! Click the link below then click on ‘Play Video’ on the right side of the screen

http://russiatoday.ru/russia_close_up/release/1337/video

More info to follow!

I just wanted to let you know so you can be praying. I’m going to be going to Siberia! Yes, Siberia. I’ll be going around July 15th and will be there for a couple of weeks recording the “JESUS” film in Altai. That’s the name of the mountain range in the region and the language. It is a Turkic language that has only had the New Testament since 2003 and no audio or video recordings. The major religion is ethnic/animism.

Because of the region’s remoteness and the difficulty communicating between there and the States it was decided that it would be good for me to go so that I could mix the film as it is recorded. That way when we leave, it will be in its finished form and we can begin duplication and distribution right away. This should shave a year off the process compared to if we had to mix it back in the studio and then try to get corrections and approvals from here.

I’ll be traveling out with my friend John Meyer from the Travel Team on what should be a pretty arduous journey through Washington DC or New York, through Amsterdam or Frankfurt, to Moscow where we will have to spend a day doing Visa paperwork. Then another plane ride down to as close as we can get. And finally a day by Jeep up into the mountains outside of Gorno-Altaysk. It’s over 8,000 miles and three days travel to get there!

If you want to find it on a map it’s right where Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Russia all meet (on this map, a bit below the city of Novokuznetsk):

Please pray for the preparations. Russia is notoriously difficult for getting all the entry paperwork done. Pray that my visa would be approved with no problems. Pray for the journey itself and our heath. Pray that the recordings would go smoothly and that we could get good actors and recordings and leave them with a great tool to use to share the gospel.

One of the personal difficulties with the trip is that I will be leaving just a couple of days after getting back from our trip to Detroit so I won’t be around during the trip prep and will have to try to get all my ducks in a row as far as paperwork/visa and equipment before we leave for Detroit on June 23rd.

Pray also for Lisa and the kids as I’m gone!

Thank you so much for helping reach another language and people group for Christ!

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