Spring Break
University students star in Disney sailing documentary
Caity Cudworth
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: News
10/08/08 - The middle of the Pacific Ocean makes an unlikely setting for a coming of age story- but it's treacherous business manning a sailboat, and grappling with the unknowns of the ocean forces you to grow up fast.
For Roy Disney and Leslie DeMuse, executive producers of the forthcoming Disney Pictures documentary "Morning Light," the open ocean was the perfect test for 15 young sailors. And Disney and DeMuse know firsthand that vying for one of the most prestigious trophies in the world of competitive sailing is bound to change you- especially when you're going up against professionals twice your age.
The film, premiering Oct. 17, chronicles the trials faced by a college-aged crew, including two University of Rhode Island students, as they trained for and competed in the 2,300-mile TransPac Yacht Race.
Tom Pollack, who conceived the idea for the documentary, remarked, "I don't think any filmmakers have ever done a story like this."
And while the race may wind its way from California to Hawaii, Rhode Island is, after all, the official "Ocean State"- so it should come as no surprise that two of the film's stars are URI students.
Jesse Fielding, 22, and Robbie Kane, 23, were culled from a pool of 538 applicants. After training in Hawaii, the group of 15 was whittled down to 11. Both Fielding and Kane made the final "Morning Light" team.
"URI's been a sailing school for a long time," Fielding explained. "Proximity to the water is huge and I think it's just one of those inevitable things that the school gets to provide a hotbed for sailing."
But crewmember Kit Will noted that, when it came to picking the team, no one knew exactly who would make the cut. "We didn't know whether they wanted the best sailor or a crew of idiots who would make a lot of drama," he said.
According to DeMuse and Disney, while sailing skills were an obvious factor, it boiled down to drive and leadership - and they definitely weren't looking for a crew of idiots.
For Roy Disney and Leslie DeMuse, executive producers of the forthcoming Disney Pictures documentary "Morning Light," the open ocean was the perfect test for 15 young sailors. And Disney and DeMuse know firsthand that vying for one of the most prestigious trophies in the world of competitive sailing is bound to change you- especially when you're going up against professionals twice your age.
The film, premiering Oct. 17, chronicles the trials faced by a college-aged crew, including two University of Rhode Island students, as they trained for and competed in the 2,300-mile TransPac Yacht Race.
Tom Pollack, who conceived the idea for the documentary, remarked, "I don't think any filmmakers have ever done a story like this."
And while the race may wind its way from California to Hawaii, Rhode Island is, after all, the official "Ocean State"- so it should come as no surprise that two of the film's stars are URI students.
Jesse Fielding, 22, and Robbie Kane, 23, were culled from a pool of 538 applicants. After training in Hawaii, the group of 15 was whittled down to 11. Both Fielding and Kane made the final "Morning Light" team.
"URI's been a sailing school for a long time," Fielding explained. "Proximity to the water is huge and I think it's just one of those inevitable things that the school gets to provide a hotbed for sailing."
But crewmember Kit Will noted that, when it came to picking the team, no one knew exactly who would make the cut. "We didn't know whether they wanted the best sailor or a crew of idiots who would make a lot of drama," he said.
According to DeMuse and Disney, while sailing skills were an obvious factor, it boiled down to drive and leadership - and they definitely weren't looking for a crew of idiots.
