The Dockman will survive! Deep down, there is a dockman in all of us. And a dockman never leaves another dockman behind.
Over the past year, I’ve been building a youtube channel with Waters Edge. This type of content is exactly what works for brand identity, and building an online base of fans. Not every video is about directly selling a product. This idea came about a couple months into the State of Michigan’s Covid-19 State Lockdown. Summer was approaching in the midst of the lockdown and it was just extended further by the Governor of Michigan. Many industries in Michigan, local businesses and people outsides major cities, felt like there was no plan to fight the virus and return to work. I understand both sides of the issue; we need to be cautious in this new world but I still have a desire to get back to work and continue to afford myself a living. I know I would feel differently if I worked at Walmart, or if I was in healthcare, or if I was self-employed, a farmer or even a dockman. After all, the state was merely stating guidelines. And Gretchen Whitmer has to put those guidelines in place for the entire state, those who live in cities and everyone else. But things were getting serious with stories of police stopping work and following work trucks to job sites circulated over the state.
Jerry Wilson from Waters Edge Dock & Hoist was inspired by a Hank Williams Jr. song “A Country boy Will Survive”, and re-wrote the lyrics for a pretty cool cover song. After shooting clay pigeons with Jerry and Garrick, we hit the water for some essential business, and filmed a couple short shots used in the film. If I must say, the drone work is nice. I also used a clip from Story Blocks in the opening to really get the point across. I know the shot of the virus traveling through space is dramatic, but it was exactly what the film needed. Thankfully, Gretchen Whitmer started releasing business like Waters Edge Back to work at the end of May. We’re still locked down and we’ve got a long way to go but we just wanted to let everyone know we’re with you!! hang in there, stay safe and stay inside.