WALK, DON’T RUN:
THE STORY OF THE VENTURES
The Ventures are the biggest instrumental band in the world and this aims to be their first feature length, comprehensive documentary.
The project was begun almost 10 years ago by Tacoma legends the Peterson brothers - Justin and Rob, when they linked up with another infamous brotherly Tacoma team Leonard and Teddy Haggarty.
The Ventures were founded in Tacoma, Washington by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle in 1958 when they met at a used car lot. Nokie Edwards on guitar, Mel Taylor on drums, and later Gerry McGee on guitar rounded out the classic Ventures lineup.
They were wildly successful during the 60's and constantly re-invented themselves, surviving the tumultuous, ever-changing rock landscape through the 70's, 80's, and 90's.
Everyone we know was influenced by their guitar playing, but so was "Jimmy Page, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck." - Don Wilson.
They maintain an almost parallel-universe type career in Japan, where they are bigger than Elvis. The term, 'big in Japan' may have originated with the mania surrounding them, which really got going in 1965.
In 2010 The Peterson's and Haggarty's started a record label and released a 50th anniversary Ventures album jointly with Tacoma's Fabulous Wailers. Justin took on most of the work to accomplish this.
The Haggarty's suggested embarking on a Ventures documentary at the time the promotion began for this record. Justin took this suggestion to heart.
He spent the next 5 years gathering interviews, among them Billy Bob Thornton, East Bay Ray of the Dead Kennedys, Northwest DJ Pat O'Day, and Mickey Jones, drummer with Johnny Rivers and Kenny Rogers.
The Peterson's and Haggarty's traveled on tour with the band to Japan and elsewhere, and have been granted a unique privilege by the Wilson family, of peeking inside The Ventures collection, which Don has been assembling since the very beginning.
INTERVIEWS
CREW
Isaac Olsen (director, editor, archivist) is an experimental and documentary filmmaker born and raised in Tacoma WA. His last two films focused on Northwest music history: STRICTLY SACRED, on the Tacoma cult band Girl Trouble, and SEMI-ICONIC, on the former Seattle DJ Dick Rossetti.
Justin & Rob Peterson (created by, executive producers) are lifelong Tacoma artists, restaurant owners, filmmakers, and Northwest cultural historians and collectors. Their collaborations with Don Wilson, The Ventures, The Fabulous Wailers, and The Sonics began in 2008.
Leonard and Ted Haggarty (executive producers) Leonard Haggarty is a producer, actor, and director. Teddy Haggarty died in 2016. He was a world-renowned artist, Hollywood actor, and stand-in for actor Alec Baldwin.
Laura Nyhuis (executive producer, marketing & distribution) With over a decade working in the entertainment industry, Laura is a producer at Nyhuis Creative. Laura was also most recently the Director and Programmer at the Tacoma Film Festival from 2012-2017 and founded the Tacoma Film Camp. Laura is an experienced film editor with almost twenty years of work under her belt.
Finley Mimbles is a film production company that specializes in inspired, imaginative, costumed, antics. Finley Mimbles was created by Amber Celletti and Nathan Blanchard who with the help of their creative friends make films.
The Ventures are played by Finley Mimbles troupe regulars Paul Richter, Frank Roberts, Nick Gates, and Bronson Bragg. The new segments were produced by Nathan Blanchard, photographed by Karl Allsop and directed by Isaac Olsen.
Tim Wilson is the son of Venture Don Wilson, and co-founder of Wilson Bros Guitars. He is the official ambassador of the Wilson family to the filmmakers. He has been instrumental in providing the production with archival material, and in setting up interviews with his father and others.
SCREENINGS
UPCOMING SCREENINGS
WALK, DON’T RUN: THE STORY OF THE VENTURES will be screening in the 2023 festival season.