The Academy Award ceremonies are supposed to be a joyful event for filmmakers. So it may be surprising to hear director Kieth Merrill say that even if his movie wins an Oscar Monday night he won't be completely happy.
Merrill's large-format movie "Amazon" is up for the Best Documentary Film Academy Award and stands a reasonable shot at winning it. What's disappointing for the former Utah resident is that his filmmaking partner on "Amazon," producer Scott Swofford, won't get a chance to accept the Oscar.That's because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes only two names for producer on documentary films nominated for its awards, so only Merrill and "Amazon" financier Jonathan Stern were recognized by the Academy for the movie's nomination.
(Swofford is listed as the movie's line producer, and his Salt Lake production company Vineyard Productions is also recognized in its credits.)
"It's going to be pretty bittersweet for Scott if we win . . . a real bummer," Merrill said during a telephone interview from his home in California. "There's no question that one-third of what we win - and that could be nothing - is his."
Perhaps Merrill's excitement is buffered by the fact that he has already won an Oscar - in 1974 for his documentary "The Great American Cowboy." Swofford, though, says he's thrilled that the movie is even nominated.
"I'm honored to be associated with Kieth and to have been able make the movie with him. It was a great experience," he said.
"Amazon" is a 40-minute IMAX "docu-drama" about the land of the world's mightiest river. Narrated by actress Linda Hunt, the movie follows ethnobiologist Mark Plotkin on his quest for medicinal knowledge in the rain forest, with the help of a tribal shaman, Mamani.
"It's a subject, set in a beautiful, mysterious land that begs to be shown on a very, very large screen," Merrill said.
To make the movie, Merrill and Swofford spent nearly four months in the Amazon basin, under the guidance of explorer Loren McIntyre. There they witnessed many sights that have rarely been seen on film and even got access to film a remote tribe of aboriginal hunters known as the Zoe.
"It was even more exciting to make than it is to watch," Swofford said. "We camped 10 to a room, hiked more than 100 miles and traveled through some areas infamous for drug-trafficking activities. That's just amazing."
Besides "Amazon," Swofford and Merrill have worked together on several other IMAX films, including "Alamo: The Price of Freedom," "The Great American West" and the upcoming documentary "Olympic Glory." Though the latter actually concentrates on the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games, the filmmakers are planning some shoots in Park City.
The two men say they're equally busy trying to raise awareness of IMAX films, though it helps that both "Amazon" and another large-format movie, "Alaska," have been nominated in Oscar's Best Documentary category this year.
"Maybe it helps our chances to win that three of the films nominated in our category were actually made on video first," Merrill said. "If not, we've got more work to do."
They're also hoping that the number of IMAX theater screens will continue to increase - especially in the Intermountain West. Aside from the Zion Canyon Cine-max Theatre in southern Utah, there are no other large-format film screens in the state.
"In order to make the format successful, people have got to be able to see our films," Merrill said. "And it would be a pity if Utahns didn't get to see what could be an Oscar-winning movie."