In The News
Documentary on ill-fated skydiver includes her time in Ashland
John Darling December 1, 2015
In mid-1970s Ashland, a group of hard-living, chance-taking young people pioneered the sport of skydiving, using dangerously primitive equipment and thinking and talking about little else beyond their next freefall.
Their adventures — highlighted by the death of skydiver Joanie Carson and two others — are the subject of a new movie, “Ride the Sky,” which has shown on the film-festival circuit and will go live on the Internet today.
Revisiting Lost Prairie’s Early Days
Dan Testa July 11, 2011
New documentary examines life of Joan Carson, and her fatal jump.
On a Sunday evening in May of 1981, Joan Carson jumped out of an airplane over Marion for the last time. According to witnesses, when her main parachute failed to open, Carson – an experienced skydiver – properly cut away from it and pulled the ripcord on her reserve. But that chute failed to inflate fully, and Carson struck the ground in a clearing near the drop zone, dying on impact. She was 30.
The young woman’s death profoundly affected the tightly knit skydiving community at Lost Prairie. Today the airfield is named after Carson, who was among the handful of initial investors to buy the land near Marion that would eventually develop into one of the top drop zones for skydivers in the country.
Redmond filmmaker’s ‘Ride the Sky’ to be featured at Ellensburg Film Festival Oct. 4
Redmond Reporter September 26, 2014
Redmond-based Rain City Cinema recently announced that its film, “Ride the Sky,” will make its Washington state premiere at the 2014 Ellensburg Film Festival on Oct. 4.
The film recently screened at Trenton Film Festival and Flathead Lake International Cinemafest and is an official selection in October for the Laughlin Film Festival.
‘Ride the Sky’ investigates Montana death
Vince Devlin January 17, 2014
POLSON – “Ride the Sky,” about a young woman who died in a skydiving accident in northwest Montana more than 30 years ago, will not be the best documentary film you’ve ever seen, even if you’ve only seen a handful.
But by the time its one hour and 14 minutes are up, it will have done what any documentary sets out to do – tell you things you probably didn’t know about something – along with what it specifically hopes to accomplish.
Local filmmaker creates website of free b-roll footage
Samantha Pak May 22, 2013
While Paul Gorman was working on his second feature-length film, he needed some b-roll of San Francisco.
He went searching for it, but ended up having to travel to the City by the Bay as the footage he found was out of his limited budget.
“I found some, but it was very expensive,” he said.
Filmmaker debuts “Ride the Sky”
Berl Tiskus January 22, 2014
“Ride the Sky,” a film about skydiver Joan Carson, debuts Saturday at FLIC during the 10 a.m. screening session.
Filmmaker Paul Gorman attended Redmond High School in Washington State during the ‘60s with Carson, who as a cheerleader was visible around the campus.
Film Festival Becomes Polson Tradition
Justin Franz January 13, 2014
Polson’s Flathead Lake International Cinemafest’s slogan, “The most beautiful film festival in the world,” may be a bold statement, but the second annual event is sure to please with nearly 80 films running over three days. Co-chair Daniel Smith says organizers have gathered a wide variety of films, from feature length documentaries to animated shorts.
The festival kicks off on Friday, Jan. 24 with an opening party before a pair of screenings that night. The festival continues throughout the weekend at Showboat Cinemas in Polson.
“We didn’t want to have a niche festival, we wanted some variety,” Smith said. “There is something for everyone.”
Putting the pieces back together
Robert Frankel September 21, 2010
UW alumnus Paul Gorman started a film 22 years ago. Together with his friend, George Turner, a cast made up entirely of Seattle volunteers, and $500, Gorman filmed a murder mystery set in Seattle.
Gorman and Turner had collaborated on two film projects before; both were aired on a Seattle station and garnered positive reviews from local critics. Feeling enabled by this feedback, Gorman set out to write and produce another film. Citing David Mamet's film House of Games as inspiration, Gorman took two weeks to write the script.
Film delves into life of Lost Prairie skydiving pioneer
Lynette Hintze January 17, 2014
It’s been nearly 33 years since Joan Carson plummeted 8,000 feet to her death in a skydiving accident at Lost Prairie west of Kalispell.
The story of her life and what drove her passion for skydiving remain alive, however, in a new film produced by one of her high school classmates.
Paul Gorman of Rain City Cinema in Seattle has produced “Ride the Sky,” which will premiere at the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest this morning. The film includes interviews with Carson’s fellow skydivers in the 1970s, including veteran skydiver Fred Sand, who has operated Skydive Lost Prairie for decades.
Former Greenwood resident finally finishes locally shot movie – 22 years later
By Doree August 18, 2010
Twenty-two years ago, Paul Gorman was living in north Greenwood and filming a movie at local sights, including Woodland Park Zoo, Green Lake, and his own home. Gorman and a partner shot the film in 10 days using volunteer Seattle actors and just $500. But the unedited footage sat in the can for two decades, until 2008, when he finally decided to finish it.
Now living in Redmond, Gorman’s feature film, “Broken Frame,” will premiere at 6 p.m. September 6 on SCAN TV (channels 23 and 77).
"Into Trouble" is now available to purchase on Amazon
Tacoma Weekly
Into Trouble' in fascist Spain
Tue, Aug 10, 2021
When Tacoma author and filmmaker Paul Gorman was 19 years old, he struck out alone for adventure and encountered much more than he could ever have dreamed of. Actually, it was more of a terrible nightmare, but he lived to tell about it later in his life, which he has done through his new book "Into Trouble.” Not due for release until October, pre-sales placed it as a #1 new release on Amazon.
Now in his 70s, Gorman is at a place in his life where he can talk and write about what he went through on that journey and how he got himself into a place no one wants to be – a prison in Franco’s fascist Spain back in 1969.
"It was something I did as a teenager and I sat on it for 50 years,” Gorman said. "I only told a few people – immediate family members, a few friends. I was too ashamed of what I’d done.”
It was on a cold and snowy morning in January 1969 that Gorman left his home in the Redmond area to escape
Filmmaker Could Have Died While Making Film Alone In Desert -- Ha, ha, ha
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