The Mustang Discovery Ride Documentary Project

Overview

Take a young woman with a passion for horses looking for a grand adventure, add American Mustangs and a host of guest riders and you have the ingredients for the “Mustang Discovery Ride.” This documentary project tells the story of a journey across the United States on the American Discovery Trail (ADT) featuring Mustang TIP trainer, Lisanne Fear, along with her Mustangs, dogs and support team. The team is covering 12 states, coast to coast from Delaware to California, riding previously wild Mustangs while packing, camping and speaking about the power of these amazing animals. Lisanne rode out from Delaware’s historic Cape Henlopen State Park on September 28, 2021 with members of the team and continues her adventures through Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. The documentary and docuseries will detail the struggles and triumphs that she encounters, most attributed to the kindness of strangers met along the journey. We will also feature aspects of the ADT in each state, Mustang adoptions inspired by the project, college and university equine programs utilizing Mustangs, Veterans Programs in existence and other Mustang-related stories. The goal of the ride is to cover 5,000 miles across the country while inspiring the adoption of 5,000 Mustangs into appropriate homes. Through the documentary film, related podcast/vodcast and docuseries, we are trying to reach as many people as possible to make it happen! 

Short Summary

I'm Julianne Neal, Creative Director at JA Media Productions. As the producer/director of the film project, my job is to cover the journey from the East Coast to the West Coast. While Zoom calls and recorded phone calls with Lisanne and other riders are the basis of our ongoing podcast, gathering the interviews and footage for the documentary happens in person. I'm also thrilled to have access to footage contributed by Lisanne and other guest filmmakers, photojournalists and riders that I'll add to the b-roll at the end of the ride. 

The Need

The biggest challenge that we face with this film project is time and distance. While the ride itself is a separate project, this proposal seeks the funding for JA Media Productions to document the journey. Not only are there costs for post-production involved, we also need help with travel expenses, production costs and equipment/rentals.

The Impact

There are currently 53,000+ wild horses in holding pens across America. Each and every one deserves a loving home. This documentary aims to bring attention to the horses already gathered and living in holding and to show their unique qualities, all of which can lead to future careers in any discipline. The Mustangs participating in this ride are prime examples of horses born in the wild who are now able to handle city traffic, cross-country trails, bridges, tunnels, packing and more! If we can show how these horses are able to cross the country and handle the obstacles along the way, we hope that more people will make the decision to adopt the appropriate horses and discover remarkable partners in the process.

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean you can't help! If you have a few minutes, please help us spread the word about this project. Information about the film project will be updated regularly at www.jamediaconnections.com.

Anything that you can do to help us share the information would be really appreciated! 

FAQ:

What is the Mustang Discovery Ride?

There are currently 53,000+ wild horses in holding pens across America. Each and every one of them deserves a loving home. Lisanne Fear is a Mustang trainer who first made a choice to ride across the US to inspire the adoption of these Living Legends. That idea sparked the Mustang Discovery Ride.

What route will Lisanne and her guests take across the US on the ride?

The ride will follow the American Discovery Trail through 12 states from Delaware to California. From time to time, the team will move off trail for guest appearances and demonstrations, but the actual ride will follow the general trail maps. When an area isn't accessible for horses, an alternate will be found as close to the trail as possible.

What will the documentary film and series feature?

JA Media Productions is producing the documentary to cover the story of the Mustang Discovery Ride team and guests crossing the American Discovery Trail. The film will also feature demonstrations and packing/trail seminars from Lisanne Fear, wilderness packer. There will be additional segments covering guest riders, Veterans participating in Mustang programs across the country and K-12 arts and education programs.

How will this project develop into a documentary?

The Documentary and the Ride are separate funding projects, so while there is a funding search for the actual ride, JA Media Productions must now secure the funding necessary to produce the film. Julianne Neal continues to join the team in each state to film clinics, update interviews and b-roll. Lisanne is filming authentic footage as she rides, camps and packs. Guest riders and a team of EQUUS photojournalists also make contributions, each adding individual creative perspectives of the ride.

What is the timeline for finishing the ride and the film?

The team expects to arrive in California in November, 2022. Post-production will begin on the film and Documentary-series in January and will continue through 2023.

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to my GoFundMe.