The Filmmakers

PRODUCTION

Shot in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Scotland, British Columbia and the United States, THE TENTH STEP is an independently produced documentary feature from US-based non-profit Thunder Dragon Fund.  Filmed on a micro-budget with only a single cameraman and support vehicle or self-filmed on long solo travel segments in dangerous conditions,  THE TENTH STEP is an authentic adventure and a truly handmade, labor of love.

Gerry Moffat Setting up cinema camera

THE FILMMAKERS

GERRY MOFFAT

DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, CINEMATOGRAPHER,
EDITOR, EXPEDITION LEADER

A Scottish native, Moffatt was first invited to participate in a British kayaking expedition to Nepal at the age of 17, and has never looked back. After 35 years of guiding groundbreaking expeditions in Nepal, Pakistan, India, Tibet, and Bhutan National Geographic considers Moffatt to be the “most experienced river guide in the Himalayas”. Moffatt is the first person to descend all the major rivers in Nepal and Bhutan, including first descents of the Buri Gandaki, Tuli Beri, and Mandge Chu. In 1997, he was invited by the Kingdom of Bhutan to be the first person to map the country’s river systems for adventure travel development. In addition to river-based explorations, the last three decades have taken Moffatt around the world on dozens of documentary film and television shoots in some of the planet’s harshest conditions for Atlantic Productions, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Outdoor TV, and the Travel Channel as well as brand names such as North Face, Eddie Bauer/First Ascent, Patagonia and Royal Robbins. Working professionally both in front of the camera as a presenter and behind the camera in production, Moffatt has summited Everest twice from the North and South Cols. As a professional athlete, Moffatt has been featured in Men’s Journal, National Geographic, Red Bull Media, Discovery Channel and Outside. Moffatt and his wife Pia Saengswang are the founders of Thunder Dragon Fund, a non-profit focused on inspiring social change engagement and resiliency in the Himalayan adventure travel industry. Moffatt has the honor of currently serving as Nepal’s first International Goodwill Ambassador for Adventure Travel & Tourism.

PIA SAENGSWANG

WRITER, PRODUCER, EDITOR

Pia Saengswang returned to filmmaking with “The Tenth Step”, after a 14-year hiatus. Pia attended the American Film Institute and produced a multiple award-winning film short “First Daughter” prior to producing documentary films at the J. Paul Getty Conservation Institute. Transitioning away from filmmaking after several years, she launched a full-time executive career in social venture philanthropy and education strategy. She helped to start the Echoing Green Foundation in New York, served as a Director at The Broad Foundation in Los Angeles, and has extensive experience managing and starting high-profile, complex initiatives with clients/partners including The Prudential Foundation, The Broad Foundation, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The College Board, the White House, and the U.S. Department of Education among many others. Pia was a Public Interest Law Fellow at Harvard Law School; a Producer in The American Film Institute’s MFA program; and an undergraduate at Mount Holyoke College.

Mark Oliver headshot

MARK OLIVER

EDITOR

“Beav” is a mult-talented creative force in Ketchum, Idaho working in both visual arts and music. As a professional cameraman, photographer, and drone pilot, Mark has produced and edited numerous commercial shoots as well as short videos and film. As a musician, Mark writes and performs with his band “The SheepBridge Jumpers” along with numerous other artists and collectives. THE TENTH STEP is Mark’s first documentary feature.

John hayes headshot

JOHN HAYES

SOUND DESIGNER

John was born and raised in Sun Valley and has been pursuing music since his friends and him started a rock band in the 2nd grade. He has done music composition, sound design and post production work on many projects for a long list of clients, including well known brands such as Universal Pictures, Corona and Coca Cola. He now lives in Seattle and is currently writing and producing his own album. When not in his sound studio he enjoys wilderness adventures and traveling the world with friends and family.

ZACHARY HERBERT

MUSIC CONSULTANT AND MUSICIAN

Zach Herbert is a creator and curator of both sound and images based out of Idaho

BEN FIGUEIREDO

COLORIST

Ben is a California native who has worked professionally in film and video production since 2007, filming and directing several film shorts, music videos and promos. As a Director and Cinematographer with Dark to Light Productions, THE TENTH STEP is Ben’s first feature-length documentary as a colorist.

TYLER HENDRICKS

GRAPHICS, ANIMATION, TITLES

Tyler grew up in Idaho before leaving to study Motion Graphics and Animation in California and beginning a freelance career in film and video production. In 2012 Tyler launched Dark to Light Productions in Sun Valley, Idaho as a full-service Film Production and Web Design company. THE TENTH STEP is Tyler’s first feature documentary.

CREDITS

A FILM BY

“EXPLORING THE WORLD AS IT IS…IMAGINING THE WORLD AS IT SHOULD BE”

 

FOR FINIAN

And all the adventures that lie ahead

 

DIRECTED BY
Gerry Moffatt

 

WRITTEN BY
Pia Saengswang Moffatt

 

PRODUCED BY
Gerry Moffatt
Pia Saengswang Moffatt

 

CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
Gerry Moffatt

 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Charlie McKinney
Tonya McKinney
Michael Ochsman
Esther Ochsman

 

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
David McClusky
Karen Brown
Julian Walker
Mary Clare Griffin
John Runyon
Debbi Kuklis
Betsey Thomson

 

FEATURING
(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
Gerry Moffatt
Tony Jones
Guy Robins
Mahendra Thapa
Dorje Lama
Archana Chhetri
Sanu Babu
Pia Saengswang Moffatt
Willie Kern
Reggie Crist
Ryan Casey
Scott Lindgren

 

EDITED BY
Gerry Moffatt
Pia Saengswang Moffatt
Mark Oliver

 

ADDITIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
Par Parekh
Roger Huyton
Virendra Khanna
Bad Karma
Pia Saengswang Moffatt
Mark Oliver
Patrick O’Keeffe
Kyle Smith

 

SCOTLAND DRONE CAMERAMAN
Kirk Watson

 

BRITISH COLUMBIA / ALASKA DRONE CAMERAMAN
Mark Oliver

 

THUNDER DRAGON MEDIA OFFICE ASSISTANCE
Karen Brown

 

ADDITIONAL GOPRO FOOTAGE BY
Ryan Casey
Scott Lindgren

 

ARCHIVAL VIDEO FOOTAGE PROVIDED BY
Sanu Babu
Eddie Bauer LLC
Mick Coyne
Reggie Crist
John Griber
Kent Harvey
Dean Holter
Roger Huyton
Gerry Moffatt Xpeditions
Charlie Norwood
Bob Poole
Kyle Smith
Andy Watt

 

ARCHIVAL STILLS PROVIDED BY
David Cuthill
Encounter Overland
David Hunter
Peter Knowles
Mike McDonald
Gerry Moffatt
Jock Montgomery
Charlie Munsey
Charlie Norwood
Tom Sanaghan

 

INDIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Lalli Singh
Mr. Manali

 

NEPAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Himalayan HST – Sharada & Ranjin Dhakal
Mahendra Thapa – The Mandala Organization

 

BHUTAN TECHNICAL SUPPORT
XPlore Bhutan – Ugyen Dorji
Bad Karma

 

SCOTLAND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
National Kayak School/Oban – Stuart & Cathy Wagstaff

 

COLORIST
Dark to Light Productions – Ben Figueiredo

 

GRAPHICS, ANIMATION, TITLES
Dark to Light Productions – Tyler Hendricks

 

SOUND MIXED BY
John Hayes

 

MUSIC CONSULTANT
Zach Herbert

 

MUSIC

“Synaptic Reactions”
by Temp Love Music
Writers: Daniel Jimenez / Bob Lord
Publisher: Nacha Music (BMI)

 

“George Winston Churchill”
by Temp Love Music
Writers: Daniel Jimenez / Bob Lord
Publisher: Nacha Music (BMI)

 

“Klam Hundur”
by Temp Love Music
Writer: Justin Ward Pinkerton
Publisher: Scared American Tunes (ASCAP)

 

“Shadows”
Performed by: St. Terrible & Psych Mt. Revival
Written By: Zach Herbert, Joey Cardella, Andrew Cardella

 

“Cosmic Nothings”
Performed By: St. Terrible & Psych Mt. Revival
Written By: Zach Herbert

 

“Blood & Bones”
Performed By: St. Terrible
Written By: Zach Herbert

 

“Hollows”
Performed By: St. Terrible
Written By: Zach Herbert

 

“The Silent Hunt”
Performed By: St. Terrible
Written By: Zach Herbert

 

“Song 1”
Performed by Cody Barnhill
Written By: Cody Barnhill

 

“Born Down Bobby”
By: CS Luxem
Written By: Luxem/Sauder
Publisher: Scared American Tunes (ASCAP)

 

“Chasing Dreams”
By: Christoffer Franzen
By Arrangement with Deep Elm Records

 

“Beginnings”
By: Christoffer Franzen
By Arrangement with Deep Elm Records

 

“Age of Empires a”
By: Christopher Salt & Adam Paul Burns
Publisher: KPM APM (ASCAP)

 

“Raga Yaman”
By: Clem Alford (PRS)
Publisher: KPM APM (ASCAP)

 

“Driving Up Tempo Saiidi Loop”
By: RadioLaria
Publisher: Little Scarab LLC

 

“Breeze”
By: Apollo Sunshine
Publisher: Domino Recordings

 

“Beam Me Up”
By: Gloria
Publisher: Howlin Banana Records

 

“Blackbird”
Written & Performed By: Martyn Bennett/ Traditional Arranged By: Lizzie Higgins
Published By: WOMAD Music Ltd./ ISA Music
Courtesy of Real World Records

 

“Path of Love”
By: Atman
Publisher: MCD World Music

 

“River”
By: Anugama
Publisher: Open Sky Music

 

“Get Alive”
By: AU / Luke Wyland

 

“Life”
By: AU / Luke Wyland

 

EXPEDITION PARTNERS
Goal Zero
Hilleberg Tents
Klymit
Kokatat
The Mandela Foundation
Men’s Journal
The Ochsman Foundation
Payette River Equipment
Pyranha Kayaks
Royal Robbins
SmartWool
Smith Sport Optics
Werner Paddles

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
Andrew Castellano
Bret Dahme
Martyn Hanson
Rich & Kasey O’Leary
David Concannon
Pier Trudelle
Stanley Baking Company / Sawtooth Hotel
Shannon Goodfellow
Jackie Nefzgar
Susan Green
Karsten Isdal
Jen Smith
Dan Sadowski
Ryan Redman
Julie Gulick
Melisa Williams
Paddle Nepal
Rawleigh H. Ralls
Sean Gram
Beverley Robertson
Karin Horvath
Chris Oliver
Nina Steffens
Mark Bankes
Paul Stiff
Girl Wonder
Pauline Moffatt
Barry Welker
Sheila Katzelnick
Reggie & Lola Crist
Mark Gilbreath
Kimberly Frank
Suzanne Hopkins
Glen Allison
Deborra Bohrer
Preston Mayfield
Charlie Dunn
Cal Millar
Cindi Osborn
Kimberly Creswick
Stephen & Eleanor Moffatt
Charlotte Page
Dean Holter
Bev Paterson
Julie Cord
Suzanne Moffatt & Gerard Reissman
Jock Montgomery
Andy Watt
Louise & Trent Stumph
Richard C. Cedar

 

WITH GREAT LOVE AND EXTRA APPRECIATION TO:
Stephen & Eleanor Moffatt
Kanya & Pricha Saengswang
The Moffatt Clan
Ryan Casey
The Bowerman-Kern Family
The Robins Family
Scott Lindgren
Bob & Gina Poole
Jann Wenner & Matt Nye
Jayme Moye
Anthony & Claudia Geffen
Atlantic Productions
Ant Eddies-Davis
Roger Crist
Pete Paterson
John & Linda Thorson
Tony Jones & The Encounter Overland Family
Pat O’Keeffe
Ugyen & Kunzang Dorji
Dorje & Jenny Lama
Lalli Singh
Moondance Restaurant, Pokhara
Sanu Babu Adventures
Archana, Dicki, Nicky, and Lucky & 3 Sisters Trekking
Sharada & Ranjin Dhakal
Gavin McClurg
Mr. Manali
Bad Karma
Kim Schneider
Dr. Tony Buoncristiani
John Koth, Koth Physical Therapy
St. Luke’s Hospital, Ketchum, Idaho
Kevin Cronin
Eric Demmett
Kurt Eggers
Thayne Hendricks
Reggie Crist
Zach Crist
Danielle Carruth
Scott & Laura Carlin
Andrea & Ellen Nasi
Betsey Thomson
Paddle Nepal
The Sun Club, Ketchum, Idaho
Derek & the team at Zenergy Health Club & Spa
Ross Purdy
Mick Hopkinson
Mahendra & Rashmi Thapa
Chris Nichol
Kitty Sherrill
Ben Abruzzo & The Snow Goat

 

GRATITUDE TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO’VE CROSSED PATHS OVER THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE WE MET.