NBFF Filmmaker's Five with Curt Wallin

By Kelly Strodl

Today we talk with Curt Wallin, director of Boys of Bonneville: Racing on a Ribbon of Salt. The documentary tells the story of unsung hero, David Abbott Jenkins, who set out to single-handedly break every existing land speed record on his beloved Bonneville Salt Flats, in Utah.

With an unshakable faith and integrity, Jenkins set out to break every existing land speed record and then establish several endurance records of his own. In remarkable vintage footage shot on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Ab can be seen piloting his own car in 24-hour endurance runs through vintage newsreels, photos, interviews and letters. Although suffering exhaustion, hallucinations, and injury, he never left the cockpit. His 24-hour records remain unchallenged. Seventy years later, the legacy lives on through his son, Marv, and his car - the now reconstructed 12-cylinder, 4800-pound “Meteor III.”

Q:  How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?

I heard about the Newport Beach Film Festival a few years back, when a short film called “Courage and Stupidity” won the Audience Award at NBFF.  I was the Assistant Director for the film.

Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.

The film tells the story of Ab Jenkins, the first man with the idea to use the Bonneville Salt Flats as a location for endurance land speed racing.  After more than two decades of dreaming, Ab worked himself into position – seized his chance -  and as a result  broke all endurance land speed records and set the standard for this type of racing throughout the 1930’s and 40’s.  With the help of one of the world’s greatest automotive engineers,  Augie Duesenberg, he created the Mormon Meteor III race car, which remains one of the most iconic racing vehicles ever built.  Ab also attracted international racers to the salt flats thru his own tireless PR efforts, opening this unique speed venue for all the world to come and conquer.  

Originally, we were commissioned by the Price Museum of Speed in Salt Lake City, Utah, to produce a simple 20-minute account of the restoration of the Mormon Meteor’s original 1924 12-cylinder airplane engine.  While meeting with Marv Jenkins, Ab’s elderly, surviving son at his house in St. George, Utah, we found thousands of feet of archival motion pictures of Ab’s exploits from the 30’s and 40’s.  This seemed to be unique footage that had not seen the light of day for decades.  Intrigued, we arranged to have the film transferred and preserved - and the idea for “Boys of Bonneville” evolved around this copious mass of amazingly shot footage. 

Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.

I’ve been a director of photography for 15 years, and have been fortunate to learn about the craft by being around some truly great filmmakers as I worked on projects, ranging from wildlife documentaries to crazy TV series.  Through personal connections, I learned about this project and was brought on board early on.  It has truly been a dream project, being able to shoot, direct and after nearly 4 years produce this film that combines amazing history, phenomenal footage - both archival and modern - and a story that captures the emotions and the imagination of everyone, not just people interested in cars and racing.

Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)

Our narrator Patrick Dempsey, the voice of Ab Jenkins, had to step out of the standard third person historical documentary narration and bring Ab to life as a living, breathing character.  He was extremely enthusiastic, hardworking, and did a fantastic job.  Patrick is an auto racer himself (his team took third at this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona race!) so he really got the story, and what Ab must have been going thru more than 75 years ago. 

It was also an untold pleasure to sit amongst Jay Leno’s stellar collection of world-class cars and “talk shop.”  His knowledge of cars and automotive history is deep.  He was very, very gracious. 

 Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film? 

I work on other people’s smash indie films.  

BOYS OF BONNEVILLE screens Wednesday, May 4, at 6 PM at the Triangle Square Theater 7.

Buy tickets here:

http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=355266

Or watch the trailer on YouTube, here:

Posted via email from Lights, Camera, Film Fest!