CloudStreet: Soaring the American West gets an EMMY Award!

As you may recall, CloudStreet: Soaring the American West was nominated for four Emmy categories. We are proud to announce that Matthew Murray and Mike Abernathy were selected for an Emmy for CloudStreet: Soaring the American West by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences last night in the photography category. It was a wonderful evening. We are grateful that this prestigious national organization has so honored CloudStreet.


We had been planning and scheming the making of CloudStreet for several years years when my wife (and soon-to-be-co-producer) Carolyn Galceran said to me “Are you doing this soaring movie or what?�. So then I whined about funding and sponsors, and I wrung my hands. Then she said words to the effect of “What are you waiting for?!? Just do it!�. She is wonderfully direct and honest - and she believed in us and the project. In that moment, it was on!


From the beginning, Matt, Carolyn, I and our ever-intrepid Executive Producer, Michael Kamins (NM Public Television), believed in the importance of telling this story. We wanted to expand the horizons of everyone who would see CloudStreet, and we wanted to make the program so good that millions would see it and enjoy it, and be inspired by it. We thought that if people saw the beauty of our world, from the a glider in the air high above the West, that it would change them and move them.


(Side note: If I am ever in a life-and-death struggle against tall odds over a prolonged period of time, then I will want Matt, Carolyn, and Michael on my team. They are fearless and tenacious beyond the understanding of mortals.)


We were fortunate to have four truly outstanding glider pilots volunteer to help us tell the story of why glider pilots fly. My great friend Mark Mocho spent many many hours flying formation with us, and he developed the mounts for our cameras. Bill Hill, my soaring mentor was & is a wonderful personality and pilot. (And everyone needs a Yoda). Kris Ciesinski is beautiful, articulate, passionate, and literally enchanting. Her passion passed through the camera lens, and became part of the very soul of the program, along with the late, beloved Glider Bob Saunders whose charisma and love of flight was deeply infectious.


We were again fortunate that early on Mr. Phil Umphres took an interest in the program, and helped us find support that we could not otherwise have found. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Phil.


We especially especially want to thank our sponsors at Soaring Society of America, The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Stemme AG - without whom this program could never have happened.


Sincere thanks to everyone who helped us and encouraged us in making this project! You rock.


Best regards,
Mike Abernathy, Matthew Murray, and Carolyn Galceran

Congratulations on a great accomplishment

Heartfelt emotion snipped...

Best regards, Mike Abernathy, Matthew Murray, and Carolyn Galceran

Huge Congratulations...and thank you for letting us RASidents (who might
otherwise remain ignorant) know!!!

Bob W.

Congrats to well done job! I do have to admit though as I read the first paragraph I thought, and I didn't believe it, that Mark Mocho was getting married, ha ha lol and all that other stuff till I realized he hadn't written this post! Whoooooo! Still great job all around!

CH Ventus B

Congratulations! Fantastic photography and a well-deserved award!

The emmys and grammys and such are usually just the industry patting themselves on the back.
It's exceptional for a group from outside their normal field of view to get such recognition.
Great stuff!
Jim