There are rare opportunities that can present themselves in a person’s life. Those individuals that are inspired, living outside the average existence, risk takers, entrepreneurial, living by their own rules, and those with a lifetime destiny to do something great that can be viewed as a contribution to society and history. On this day, the occasion presented itself to speak with a man on a mission and a dream to help another with the creation of a possibility to prove something from history. Wayne Johnson, a filmmaker and founder of EYE ON U Productions Ltd New Zealand who has been in film and broadcast for 20+ years, through a bizarre scenario of circumstances came into contact with a man that would be the source of his current project that has expanded over the last five + years.
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| Ivan Mudrovcich (L) - Wayne Johnson (R) |
By way of covering a funeral back in 2007, Wayne, as a
freelance camera man, was led back to a longtime friend, Ivan Mudrovcich, who
is recognized as a determined West Auckland tradesman who has never given up on
the building of an original designed airplane from back in 1903 by Richard William
Pearse. There were witnesses from a
supposed flight from March 31, 1903 in New Zealand, but to this day, there has
never been physical proof that Pearse’s airplace actually flew. Ivan’s dream is to see this through to build
Pearse’s plane and silence the critics. “Will It Fly?” is the documentary
project that Wayne Johnson is invested in these days. Wayne has been given what he views as a great
honor and privilege to document this journey of the story of Ivan Mudrovcich which
is not only enlightening, but will be inspiring to many because of the literal
investment made emotionally, physically, creatively, and even financially by
both Ivan and Wayne. This documentary is in fact based on one of New Zealand’s
greatest aviation mysteries.
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| Ivan (Early Days) |
This journey has had its highs and lows. The documentary has been true to form in its
capturing of life and the challenges and obstacles you can face when doing what
to others may seem impossible. When
Wayne learned about the plane from Ivan, Ivan shared that he might not even
make it to the completion of the plane or be able to see the project
through. Ivan was not well and had heart
triple by-pass surgery back in 2004 and still suffers from some
complications. In addition, Ivan
couldn’t guarantee the plane would even fly once they built it. Timing has also been a factor. Originally it was thought it might take 2 ½
years to complete the project and now five ½ years later they are in the
process of final phases and even experienced delays as a result from a test
flight in September 2012 that tore the wing off and which has had to be rebuilt.
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| Ivan Mudrovcich |
There have been also twists and other side stories to the
documentary that make it even more interesting.
One such twist is the account by Wayne’s next door neighbor who had
visited a local museum in New Zealand that actually had a display of the Wright
Brothers airplane history where he was approached out of the blue by a
mysterious woman that claimed to have a picture of Richard Pearse’s plane and
her father standing next to it. The
neighbor who knew of the documentary shared Wayne’s contact information with
the woman, but did not obtain her contact info.
They have not been able to locate the woman after that encounter and
endless searching. Was it a coincidence
or a sign?
What has been discovered in the documentation of the journey
is that when two like-minded people come together with a desire, passion and a
vision, the relationship that develops is what is important. Helping support each other through the
process of creation, through the loss of life which has happened for both Wayne
and Ivan, for the health challenges that have affected Ivan and the blood,
sweat and tears that they have experienced is the investment dreams are made
of. Wayne said this best when he shared
a saying he heard from an American race car driver he worked with back in 1978,
“if you believe in it, do whatever it takes to get it done.” This has been an inspiring statement in his
life that he constantly has heard through this journey and what he views as an
opportunity of a lifetime.
The documentary “Will
It Fly?”, has been selected and will be shown at the Laughlin International
Film Festival (LIFF), October 17 – 20, 2013.
LIFF is excited to have this film as part of their selections and is
looking forward to a continuing relationship with Wayne Johnson and Ivan
Mudrovcich’s journey. You can learn more
about the film and the film festival at the links shared below. There are many exciting elements to this
documentary and the composition that has been shared in the trailer alone will
make you want to learn and see more. Currently
the documentary has been shared in about ½ dozen cinemas in New Zealand and the
local response especially to Ivan’s character has been tremendous. The focus will be more boutique cinemas in
New Zealand and after the film festival the hope is that his documentary will
provide an interesting historical account that can be shared with the world. Wayne and Ivan are seeking to educate others
about the story.
Film, Film
Festival and Additional Reference Sites:
“Will It Fly?” Website - http://www.willitflymovie.com/
Laughlin International Film Festival - http://www.laughlinfilmfestival.com/
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