It has been a while since we’ve updated our website with information about the progress of the project. Several important things have happened since our last update. One of the most exciting was the acquisition of 3 large and 2 small reels of Sam’s 16mm film. As I understand it when Sam got sick, Norm Hallock filled in for him and after Sam passed away Norm finished out Sam’s lecture schedule. He held on to the films that Sam and Giny sent him for many years before passing them on. My plan is at somepoint to have them transferred to a digital format so others can enjoy them as well. It is likely that these films are some of the last ones Sam produced.

The second item, was finding a few privately held, professionally recorded transcription disks with Sam’s voice on them. As it turns out there was a PSA type announcement for the Chicago parks (https://vimeo.com/137682243) and a short message on “Silence”. Another record held a weekly radio broadcast by Sam called “The Sanctuary Hour”. The last one appears to be part of a narrative for a film that Sam used in one of his lyceums.

Another exciting item is the transfer of Sam’s 1951-52 film “Land of the Voyageurs” to a digital format. We have been working on some narration to go along with it and hope to have it completed sometime in January or early February, 2016. This film has some historical footage in it from the August 1, 1951 Grand Portage Dedication as a National Historic Site that Sig Olson (a close friend of Sam’s) was a huge part of.

For the documentary film about Sam’s life comes a very important update. We have finished version 2 of the script. While it has taken a long time to get to this point it has been worth it. Each time the project seems to slow or stop, that change in momentum has always brought something positive from it. No longer has it become, “Oh no! Here we go again.” but has become “Oh, It looks like something else exciting is about to happen!”

We are talking about having a special Sam Campbell weekend up in Three Lakes, Wisconsin early this coming summer 2016. There will be guided tours of the island and many other activities happening around the area. We are also planning on having a pre-release showing of “The Philosopher of the Forest: The Sam Campbell Story”. If this sounds of interest stay tuned for more information.