two yellow lines
“A VISUAL FEAST...Shot in Montana’s BREATHTAKING NATURAL BEAUTY, experienced at ground level via motorcycle.”
“...offers a spiritual journey that provides uncommon insight, and deserves to be seen by a wide audience...”
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SyNOPSIS
Veteran smokejumper Jack Elliot fells trees on a steep mountain slope high in the Montana wilderness. He’s one of a five-man crew harvesting beetle-infested pines. It’s a long road from the frenetic lifestyle of a smokejumper, but after losing most of his unit in a runaway backcountry fire, the tranquility of a quiet wood is a welcomed peace.
His phone rings.
Jack’s estranged ex-wife can’t pick up their teenage daughter from camp in Wyoming. After the fire, Jack lost himself, and consequently lost his family. He hasn’t seen either of them in five years. Hesitant at first, he agrees.
When Jack arrives at Sky Camp, it’s not exactly what he was expecting. He pulls in on his ’98 Dyna, sleeping bags latched to the back, eating the dust of a black G-Wagon. When Hanna sees her Dad, out in the middle of nowhere, atop a twenty year old Harley, it’s not exactly what she’d had in mind, either. Reluctantly she gets on.
Over the next four days, we watch these two strangers battle as they ride across the wild Montana landscape and sleep beneath her bounty of stars. Watching his baby grow into a young woman, and seeing her hero shrink to a man, a battle that starts off as face to face, slowly becomes back to back.
But the mountains, the passersby, and the small seat of a motorcycle can only do so much to bring them together. The rest is up to them.
Our Team
Director, Derek Bauer grabbing an extra landscape shot near Helena, Montana.
Derek Bauer
Writer/Director/Cinematographer
Derek Bauer grew up at the base of the North Cascades, in Washington state. At a young age, his father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, and after a few hard years, he passed. When Derek grew older, he discovered his dad’s love of the mountains and the outdoors. This film is the expression of that relationship. It’s about loss, it’s about abandonment, and most importantly, it’s about the human spirit and its ability to heal.
Derek is an Award-winning cinematographer with over 15 years of professional experience. Notable films include Where the Wind Blows, Butterfly Caught, Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman, and The 24 Hour War. He shot 40 episodes of the award-winning streaming series, Mr. Student Body President. Additionally, he has worked extensively in the commercial world as both a director and cinematographer. Clients include Ruffles, Audi, Adidas, Nissan, and Universal’s Jurassic World, to name a few.
MORE INFO www.derekbauer.com
Lead, Zac Titus rehearsing with co-star,Frank Collison. Helena, Montana.
Zac Titus
Producer/Lead Actor
Zac Titus grew up on a small farm in central Ohio. His love for adventure lead him deep into the woods at a young age. His imagination ran wild with war games and adventure stories. The initial spark of Two Yellow Lines came from his own daughter’s experience on the back of her Grandfather’s motorcycle riding across the northern US.
Zac is a TV and Film actor living in LA, Zac’s most recent credit is a recurring role as Charles Bernitz on the 2nd and 3rd season of Apple TV/Sony’s acclaimed series For All Mankind.
Producer, Billy Zeb Smith defends himself from the sudden mosquito assault while filming in the nearby hills just outside DuBois, Wyoming.
Billy ZEb Smith
Producer/Production Designer/Music Supervisor
Billy Zeb Smith was raised in Lower Manhattan, but spent summers and winters with his dad in Jackson, Wyoming. These months, during his most formative of years, created a deep love for the northern Rockies, and the backcountry camping he learned across their expanse. It was on one such camping trip a few years ago, sitting around a campfire with fellow producer and lead actor, Zac Titus, that “Zeb” first came to learn about Zac’s budding story idea. Over the months ahead, that bud would bloom into the script that became our film, Two Yellow Lines.
Zeb has worked as producer, fixer, writer, director and on-air host for both American and International productions spanning five continents. Most recently, he has produced projects for History, National Geographic, Discovery, Bravo, and MTV.
Susan E. Kim
Editor
Susan E. Kim is a film and television editor based in Los Angeles. She began her career as assistant editor on film projects such as STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT and SHORT TERM 12. Her recent work includes the HBO series EUPHORIA and the Duplass Brothers' ROOM 104. Throughout her career, Susan has contributed to a diversity of content, from unscripted films to commercials, non-fiction television and music concert features. Currently, she is co-editing a feature with award-winning filmmaker Bradley Rust Gray.
Susan is excited to have been part of the TWO YELLOW LINES team. This collaboration - the opportunity to tell a story sparked by the filmmakers' personal experiences and a connection with the stunning natural U.S. landscape - has been an inspiring reminder of all the reasons why independent filmmaking holds a dear place in her heart.
Producer and all-around “Fixer”, Jake Olson monitoring sound while driving camera car during a pickup shot in 2019.
Jake Olson
Producer/Production Coordinator/Actor
Jake Olson discovered a love for film while managing a movie theater in his small hometown in Minnesota. Raised on 4-H, sports, and the countryside, he was called to California by the mountains and the ocean. Once there, he built a career that combined his love of film and the outdoors. When Zac Titus, a longtime excursion buddy, approached Jake to be part of the Two Yellow Lines production team, it seemed like the perfect next step. Capturing this story of love and redemption against a sprawling Montana landscape with a few of his best friends was one of the best (and most challenging) experiences of his life to date. Jake is proud to have helped capture and develop this idea into a finished film.
Jake is an actor, producer, and photographer based in Venice, California. He’s worked in film & television, notably in Landman, Butterfly Caught, The Mentalist, American Horror Story, and Private Practice, as well as multiple national commercial campaigns.
PRess
A simple yet endearing film about a family estrangement. Good performances and a great soundtrack make for a feelgood film.
Watching 8K Movies on Samsung’s Neo QLED TV
Samsung Electronics has unveiled the first look trailer for the independent film “Two Yellow Lines” at retailers around the globe from mid-March. The film was shot exclusively in 8K, allowing the trailer to be displayed natively on Samsung’s new line of 8K Neo QLED TVs.
Review- Film Authority
...offers a spritual journey that provides uncommon insight, and deserves to be seen by a wide audience...
REVIEW- Elements of Madness
“Two Yellow Lines” is a heartfelt tale of family in-front and behind the camera.
Review- FIlmthreat.com
Two Yellow Lines is art, a rare accomplishment these days. Many filmmakers aim for, but never quite get to, a result as effortlessly beautiful as this.
Watch our trailer in 8K HDR!
In partnership with the 8K Association, Two YeLLow lines was featured at the 2020 SMPTE event showcasing the use of 8k technology. Check out our trailer in 8K!
