Rick Lindfors-Ackerman – Meridian Editor in Chief
A documentary film with the mission to raise awareness and support for search and rescue is gaining acclaim and popularity. “Where the Rope Ends” tells the story of Nichole Doane, a Seattle nurse who was rescued by SAR after a canyoneering accident in 2017. Doane was seriously injured in the fall and faced a tough road to recovery filled with pain, surgeries and mental and emotional stress.
The finished documentary is making the rounds at film festivals and is also available for search and rescue teams to use as a fundraising tool. The film won best documentary at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in April. “It’s been great to see the outpouring of support,” Doane said. Director Baylee Sinner has been on tour for festivals while Doane has been attending showings for search and rescue teams. The film crew developed tools and event packaging plans for teams to use and hosts question and answer sessions on their youtube channel. “We’ve designed a whole package of information,” Doane said. “We’ve had lots of expert speakers [covering] social media, how to approach major corporations, all kinds of things.” Doane says the film has helped many donors realize the volunteer nature of SAR and commit to supporting teams.
Just like search and rescue, the documentary happened with the help of dedicated production volunteers. Doane estimates more than five years of filming was done by volunteers. “We didn’t have any problems at all getting people to volunteer for this project. They just felt like it was such a good cause and such a great story that they wanted to be involved in it.” Doane adds that staff were paid towards the end of the project in order to meet certain deadlines.
The film has also been a major part of Doane’s recovery. “I think that everyone wants to believe that you can find a silver lining in every challenging aspect of life,” said Doane. She feels much stronger through her recovery and that the process has helped her build a more resilient mindset for overcoming obstacles, including those faced by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doane was able to reconnect with SAR team members who saved her and work them into the documentary. Getting them involved wasn’t easy at first but Doane says the finished project has made them proud. The film team did test screenings with SAR teams throughout the production process and worked the feedback into the final product. While “Where the Rope Ends” features helicopter rescue and rope work, the film can be used by SAR teams of any specialty. “This project is supposed to be a conversation starter. It’s a place to get the audience emotionally engaged in the mission of search and rescue and then hopefully organizations can make it more specific to their cause,” said Doane, noting that K9 teams have been able to use the film at events.
Interested teams can learn more about the documentary on the film’s website. The project youtube channel features question and answer sessions with Doane and Sinner as well as behind-the-scenes and promotional materials.
