SUNSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL: FOUR DOWN World Premiere 4/24 - Interview w/ Rick French
Season 2, Episode 621, Apr 15, 07:18 PM
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In the first episode of the 2025 SUNSCREEN FILM FESTIVAL Interview Series, host Nanette Wiser talks with one of the producers Rick French about the world premiere of FOUR DOWN on April 24 after the red carpet opening of the Festival. The documentary screens 4/24 and 4/27 and is an homage to hope, faith and the heroic Coast Guard rescuers (80 Coasties will be there in full dress uniform). A Q & A follows the screening. Sunscreen Film Festival celebrates 20 years! https://sunscreenfilmfestival.com/
**Directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Steve Cantos, the documentary FOUR DOWN chronicles Nick Schuyler's dramatic rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2009 after a tragic boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico during a "perfect storm" that took the lives of NFL players Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith, and Schulyer's best friend, Will Bleakley. Based on The New York Times bestseller “Not Without Hope,” written by Nick Schuyler and Jere Longman, the film recounts the true story of how Schuyler survived 43 harrowing hours atop an overturned boat in the Gulf of Mexico before his rescue. Schuyler was found near death, clinging to the engine mount of the capsized vessel 70 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
**Filmed on location in St. Pete, Clearwater, Tampa and Lantica Studios' water tanks in the Dominican Republix, FOUR DOWN used current commissioned U.S. Coast Guard members and officers in many of the film's reenactments, with documentary-style interviews of the heroes behind the massive search and rescue effort as well as Nick Schulyer, screenwriter for the documentary as well as the book author. A feature film based on his book "Not Without Hope" comes out later this year. Mark Wahlberg's Unrealistic Ideas and Snoop Dogg's Death Row Picture, Stick Figure Productions, Prix Productions and Dakota Media Group helped make this documentary possible.
ABOUT RICK FRENCH Rick opened French/West/Vaughan (FWV) in 1997. Today the firm is one of the country's 15 largest independently-held PR, advertising and digital media firms and a 36x National or Global Agency of the Year recipient. Rick has been named Agency Professional of the Year 9x by various PR trade publications; and he also has received the American Advertising Federation's Silver Medal, its highest individual honor. In addition to guiding FWV, Rick is co-owner of the Daytona Tortugas, the Single A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, and in the third act of his accomplished business career, he also provides development funding for, packages and produces independent and major motion pictures, television series and documentaries with the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and Steven Spielberg. He is a National Trustee of the famed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum in Cleveland, Ohio (which we discuss in our interview) and also serves on the board of trustees of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, the Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association, Teen Cancer America and Virginia-based Towne Bank. He is a 2018 inductee of the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame and has been named one of the world's most influential communicators, and one of NC's most influential people.
#rickfrench #fourdown # Nick Schuyler #notwithouthope #coastguard #sunscreenfilmfestival #documentary #worldpremiere #nanettewiser #stpete #movies #filmfestival #indiefilms #stpetefl #tampabay #radio #radiostpete #downtownstpete #amctheaters
**Directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Steve Cantos, the documentary FOUR DOWN chronicles Nick Schuyler's dramatic rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2009 after a tragic boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico during a "perfect storm" that took the lives of NFL players Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith, and Schulyer's best friend, Will Bleakley. Based on The New York Times bestseller “Not Without Hope,” written by Nick Schuyler and Jere Longman, the film recounts the true story of how Schuyler survived 43 harrowing hours atop an overturned boat in the Gulf of Mexico before his rescue. Schuyler was found near death, clinging to the engine mount of the capsized vessel 70 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
**Filmed on location in St. Pete, Clearwater, Tampa and Lantica Studios' water tanks in the Dominican Republix, FOUR DOWN used current commissioned U.S. Coast Guard members and officers in many of the film's reenactments, with documentary-style interviews of the heroes behind the massive search and rescue effort as well as Nick Schulyer, screenwriter for the documentary as well as the book author. A feature film based on his book "Not Without Hope" comes out later this year. Mark Wahlberg's Unrealistic Ideas and Snoop Dogg's Death Row Picture, Stick Figure Productions, Prix Productions and Dakota Media Group helped make this documentary possible.
ABOUT RICK FRENCH Rick opened French/West/Vaughan (FWV) in 1997. Today the firm is one of the country's 15 largest independently-held PR, advertising and digital media firms and a 36x National or Global Agency of the Year recipient. Rick has been named Agency Professional of the Year 9x by various PR trade publications; and he also has received the American Advertising Federation's Silver Medal, its highest individual honor. In addition to guiding FWV, Rick is co-owner of the Daytona Tortugas, the Single A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, and in the third act of his accomplished business career, he also provides development funding for, packages and produces independent and major motion pictures, television series and documentaries with the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and Steven Spielberg. He is a National Trustee of the famed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum in Cleveland, Ohio (which we discuss in our interview) and also serves on the board of trustees of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, the Texas Heritage Songwriter's Association, Teen Cancer America and Virginia-based Towne Bank. He is a 2018 inductee of the NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame and has been named one of the world's most influential communicators, and one of NC's most influential people.
#rickfrench #fourdown # Nick Schuyler #notwithouthope #coastguard #sunscreenfilmfestival #documentary #worldpremiere #nanettewiser #stpete #movies #filmfestival #indiefilms #stpetefl #tampabay #radio #radiostpete #downtownstpete #amctheaters