Image courtesy of Felt Soul Media © McNair Evans
Ben Knight and Travis Rummel are the pair that make up Felt Soul Media. If their names sound familiar, that comes as no surprise – the duo have had nine films (and counting) on the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival and World Tour circuit, including most recently the 2017 award-winner The Last Honey Hunter and 2019’s Life of Pie. With their latest project Learning to Drown joining these ranks for the 2021 Festival and World Tour, we sat down with the veteran filmmakers to chat about their careers.
Knight and Rummel met 18 years ago, working at a local newspaper in Telluride, Colorado. They were both fascinated with the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival and decided to attempt to make films that would get in. “We ended up making a short film (2005’s The Hatch) that made the cut and ultimately got into Banff as well,” says Rummel.
A few years later, their film Red Gold (2008) was a finalist in Banff. “It ended up being one of the most important films of my career,” recalls Knight. “In many ways it helped stop the pebble mine from happening in Alaska, just by bringing the issue down to the lower 48. We got a standing ovation in the giant theatre [in Banff] and we were just speechless, kids basically, so young – and it was incredibly encouraging for our careers to get a response like that from Banff.”
Felt Soul Media went on to consistently produce relatable and often political films that ignite conversation, if not change. Thinking about special moments from their career, Knight remembers 2014’s DamNation. “I was definitely proud of that film. [The Banff screening] was made extra special because Yvon Chouinard, the owner of Patagonia and the person who came to us to make the film, was backstage during the screening. I just remember him falling asleep during our film. I was hoping, just praying it wasn’t because the film was crappy, and he was just sleepy. I tried not to take it too personally.”
When it comes to working together for so many years, Knight and Rummel often refer to their relationship as a marriage ‘because it takes work.’ At the beginning, there wasn’t much differentiation in their roles. “Over time it became very clear where our strengths lay and how to best apply them to our films,” says Rummel. “We also began to trust each other deeply and give each other free reign to bring a project to life.” Knight adds, “I feel very lucky to have a partner that puts up with my being the annoying creative artsy guy who has to have everything perfect, or else he’s not going to let anyone see it.” One of these things Knight likes to have perfectly aligned is music. “It’s one of my favourite things to do, but also one of the most nerve wracking. You’re so terrified you’re not going to be able to afford the song. So I’m careful not to get too attached, but I always do. It’s like going to pick up a kitten and you just want to take them home but you can’t. Honestly, I always call it cheating because it’s so critical to helping the audience feel that little bit of emotion that you’re trying to convey. I don’t trust that I’m able to convey that feeling without the music.”
Choosing films that they feel passionately about has been an important part of their success – both in their commitment to projects and how to take care of themselves. “We have grown to recognize how much of yourselves you have to put into the films to make them good,” says Rummel. “Ben and I have always kept our overheads as low as possible, so we never were forced to take on projects to keep the lights on.” Knight agrees, thinking of it like an intuition. “You have to say no a lot because you’re going to be spending a lot of your time and putting your heart into these things, so you’re waiting around for the right ones to come along.”
Both Knight and Rummel are currently still living in Colorado, now with their families. While COVID has slowed down their filmmaking a bit, they’ve taken the opportunity to enjoy the slower pace at home. Thinking about the future and what sparks their passion to keep making films, Travis circles back to the stories they put their hearts into telling. “Meeting compelling people that are deeply passionate about what they do, gaining their trust and sharing their story widely, is pretty addictive and keeps me coming back.”
Catch Felt Soul Media’s latest project, Learning to Drown, as part of the 2021 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival Radical Reels film program and 2021/22 World Tour, and 2017's The Last Honey Hunter in the virtual World Tour Encore Series.
Author: Natasha Fox
