Allex Michael: "Though it seems I'm best suited for filmmaking, my life's goal was to become a published fiction author. That's what I really wanted to be. It just never worked out for me. Then when an agent suggested my unpublished novella 'The Deadly Search' be made into a film, of course I was stupid enough to dive in head first.

If I had of known how hard it can be for a first time filmmaker, Search Dog's Raven likely wouldn't be my first film. Perhaps I would never have made any film.

We had almost every imaginable thing go wrong with Search Dog's Raven. Over half of our original funding fell through. Because it took so long to get financing, the first canine actor was too old to play the role and I had to find another 'sniff oriented' dog in a very short time. We also had weather problems from not enough snow, to too much. In the mountains, temperatures can change extremely fast. So one minute it's sunny, the next there's a blizzard with frostbite inducing wind. Several of the actors and crew didn't show up. I ended up replacing the lead actress at the last minute. We had a bunch of stuff stolen, including film and tapes. There were two vehicular incidents and equipment was damaged or destroyed both times. Some of the special FX weren't done properly.

Making a film depends on an incredible number of different people. The more variables you have, the more potential for problems and lower budget independent productions are highly unpredictable. The fewer people involved, the longer it takes to complete. Some days it felt like my life span was being shortened.

Fortunately technological advances are significantly reducing a filmmaker's dependence on others. This includes both money and manpower. But then you end up doing way too much yourself, which not everyone can do.

There is one ultimate catch to filmmaking that you never consider. After making your first film, you've learned so much that you're ready and willing to make a second. The accomplishment of getting your story on screen somehow blocks out the pain.

In conclusion, we are finishing the film Search Dog's Raven because of the incredible efforts and support from the existing cast, crew and sponsors. So we beat the odds. And everyone seems to really like the story."