Marcus Cooley: Grip/Production Manager

Experienced from a variety of large and small scale projects, Marcus Cooley is the multi-talented prop master, go-pro setter,  and set dresser of Racing To Rio.

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Marcus has worked in nearly all departments of film, including art, effects, writing, producing, directing, cinematography, acting, storyboarding, and animation. He has held positions such as assistant director, prop master, production designer, production coordinator, and art director. He has worked on feature films and television series, including big-name titles such as Selma, Furious 7, Ant-Man, The Hunger Games- Mockingjay Part 2, Left 4 Dead, The Vampire Diaries, and more.

In addition to being a certified Wolman Wood Care Professional, Marcus has also won for Best in Design at the 2010 Local Gala.

With Marcus’ well rounded skills, he has been an asset to many departments and is always willing to lend a hand.  The crew of Racing To Rio is thankful to have Marcus in from his hometown of Atlanta to join our crew during filming.

Molly Murrow: Production Coordinator

Racing To Rio could not have been launched without proper planning and production coordination. A tremendous asset to the crew, Molly Murrow has been pulling the strings behind Racing To Rio’s organization and public relations, putting in her all to ensure the project’s success.

Molly is a cinematographer, freelance grant writer, video editor, graphic designer, and photographer. The great niece of renowned World War II reporter Edward R. Murrow, Molly comes from a journalistic background with a variety of technical and personal skills.  We are excited to have Molly on board.

Molly and Bill

 

Brian Tarney: 2nd Unit Director of Photography

The Barbaro-Gould Foundation is lucky to have not only one, but two, directors of photography on board with Racing To Rio. Brian Tarney is our second director of photography. With experience in television, documentary, and film, he has worked as a camera operator, editor, audio technician, and actor in addition to being a director of photography.Brian T

Brian also produces, directs, writes, shoots, and edits comedy sketches on the web, having worked with the New Movement improv troupe, Dance Crisis. Hard-working and enthusiastic individual, Brian brings his skills and energy to all his projects, and Racing To Rio is no different.

We are happy to welcome Brian to Clearwater from his hometown of New Orleans and to the Racing To Rio crew.

Local Spotlight: Clearwater Yacht Club

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Tom Brusini at Launch Fundraiser
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Film Crew Lunch at CYC
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Tom Brusini, Clearwater Yacht Club (Left) & Rich White, Clearwater Community Sailing Center (Right)
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Brad Kendall, Paralympic Sailor, Jennifer Barbaro, Director R2R & Flag at CYC

Those of you that have been following the progress of this film will have noticed by now that Racing to Rio has been a Clearwater community collaboration from it’s inception. When Brad Kendell learned to sail, it was off the beautiful blue coast of Clearwater beach. When the USA 1 Sonar team meets and trains together, they sail out from the Clearwater Yacht Club. When Brad Kendell’s Never Say Never Pirate camp convenes in the summer, the kids all report for sailing lessons at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center. When Racing to Rio’s film committee meets to discuss important developments and to plan fundraising events, we meet at the Clearwater Yacht Club.

Many of these establishments are integral to maintaining the community bonds that keep Clearwater so connected. It is because of organizations like the Clearwater Yacht Club that projects like Racing to Rio are able to find success. Because this organization has been and continues to be instrumental both in the filming of this movie and to Brad’s campaign, the sport of sailing and it’s dedicated competitors will be able to impact and inspire people from not only the Saint Petersburg and Clearwater areas, but also people from all over the globe.

We would like to make a personal shout out to Tom Brusini, General Manager at the Clearwater Yacht Club, for all of his generous support during the making of this film. As a committee member, he committed much of his time to both hosting and attending our initial meetings. As an ambassador for CYC, Tom has welcomed the Racing to Rio crew members onto his property,

 

Congratulations Jen!

The Barbaro-Gould Foundation has exciting news to share: Jennifer Barbaro has been named the new Vice President of the Clearwater Arts Alliance!

The Clearwater Arts Alliance is an organization that promotes cultural awareness in Clearwater.  It encourages and creates cultural and artistic opportunities for everyone in the area.
We look forward to what new events will come from the Clearwater Arts Alliance in the future!

Pinellas Meeting

PGA Approved

The Barbaro Gould Foundation has more good news to share! Jennifer Barbaro’s award-winning film, The Perfect Match, has been granted eligibility to use the Producers Mark by the PGA (Producers Guild of America). Jen is now officially recognized by the PGA!

From now on, The Perfect Match will be able to put “p.g.a” after the producers’ name(s) in credits, promotional material, awards, and honors. We’re excited over this achievement and can’t wait to see what new developments will happen here at the Barbaro-Gould Foundation.

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Thank You, Meze 119

Although it’s been a while, their food still lingers on our taste buds. The Barbaro-Gould Foundation would like to express its sincerest gratitude to Dean Herskowitz and everyone at  Meze 119 for their catering support! The St. Petersburg community’s support means a lot to the crew of Racing To Rio, and thanks to Meze 119,  we  feel it even more.  Their assistance shows us how united the Tampa Bay community is.

Racing To Rio seeks to not only tell the story of Clearwater hero, Brad Kendell, but also of the supportive communities standing behind him.

In addition to telling that story, the film also sets out to encompass humanity, sports, and art through its narrative. We were excited to know Meze 119 feels the same .

Located in St. Petersburg, Florida, Meze 119 (727-498-8627 ) is a vegetarian bistro with an emphasis on authentic middle eastern food. It also happens to be a Best of the Bay winner.  The Barbaro-Gould Foundation thanks Meze 119 for the delicious meal they provided!

Team USA 1 earns #1

Congratulations to Sonar Team USA 1 on another hard-earned victory! Team USA 1 took first place at the Helly Hansen St. Petersburg NOOD (National Offshore One-Design) Regatta 2016 last Saturday.

The crew of Racing To Rio was excited to catch the team on film. Competition was strong and the team had to race able-bodied and disabled sailors alike, but triumphed in the end. Perseverance, passion, and a love for the water definitely shined through.

The Barbaro-Gould Foundation and its crew are thrilled for Team USA 1 and wish them the best of luck on their journey to Rio 2016!

As always, your donations help us bring this story to life!

 

Happy New Year!

Happy 2016 from the Barbaro-Gould Foundation! Like the sport of sailing, the crew is alive, well, and busier than ever. We’ve been feverishly working on a trailer for the first half of Racing To Rio.

Footage from 2015 is looking good and we can’t wait to see the results of filming in 2016.  Racing To Rio has been a dynamic project from the very start, but we look forward to seeing it to the end.

We are excited to move forward with the project! And once again, thank you to all our supporters!

Join the team! Support R2R Today!

USA Qualifies Sonar in Melbourne!

Congratulations to Brad Kendell, Rick Doerr, and Hugh Freund from everyone at the Barbaro-Gould Foundation!  Sonar Team USA 1 took 6th place at the 2015 Para World Sailing Championship in Melbourne, Australia. They braved very difficult competition and many winds on heavy days, but the team pulled through.

Facing the same fierce conditions, Sonar Team USA 2 came on strong at the end of the regatta, taking 11th place. Thanks to the amazing efforts from both USA teams, the United States is now qualified to compete in Rio 2016. But the journey isn’t over.

The next qualifying regatta is in Hyères, France. There, Sonar Teams USA 1 and 2 will compete to see who gets the honor of representing the United States in the Rio 2016 Paralympics. We are excited to track the progress of these inspiring sailors and offer our utmost support. Please help us get Brad, USA1 and our Racing to Rio crew to Hyères: make a tax deductible donation today!

Congratulations to Sonar Teams USA 1 and 2 for successfully qualifying the United States!

[photo credit: Teri Dobbs]

Racing to Rio is far more than the journey of a few elite athletes striving for world records, gold medals and personal bests. Racing to Rio is the story of transformation from individuals overcoming personal challenges to become world-class sailors and heroes who inspire others to face their challenges and live life to the fullest through the sport of sailing. Racing to Rio is literally about Brad Kendell's journey to the Paralympics in Rio 2016, but also serves on a larger scale as a metaphor for all people who face challenges and how they can take on life to win their own "races" by being the best they can be.