Director Cindy Meehl Finds Passion Making Buck Documentary

Positive Impact Magazine | October 6, 2011 | 0 Comments

Imagine sharing your passion and spreading the experience and joy with others. That is what director Cindy Meehl decided to do with her debut documentary Buck, and in doing so she has found a new passion and direction in life.

By Sandy Meyer

Director Cindy Meehl of BUCK • photo credit Emily Knight

Buck is the true story of Buck Brannaman, the man considered to be the real life horse whisperer. He travels across the country nine months out of each year working with riders who come to learn his famous methods to train their own horses.

Meehl met Buck Brannaman nine years ago while attending one of his training clinics. Her love of horses brought her to him where she learned a new humane way of training horses. “I used to ride English, which is more of a slave riding technique. In hindsight I was using more leg and arm than was needed,” confides Meehl.

She was so enamored with his teaching style and calm nature that she attended another clinic five years later in Texas, and another three months after in Montana. It was there that she approached Buck with her idea about a documentary portraying his life. “I had a background in art and design and thought I could figure this out and so I jumped in with both feet,” says Meehl about her decision to begin the project after receiving Buck’s approval.

Buck Brannaman as himself in BUCK • photo credit Emily Knight

Three years later Meehl debuted her film at the Sundance Film Festival where she received the U.S. Documentary Competition Audience Award. She attributes her success to the passion she has about getting the message about humane training methods out to the world.

Meehl admits that undertaking such a project was intimidating, but that did not deter her from her goal. A colleague suggested she direct the film herself. “It never occurred to me that I should be directing the film, but then I realized I understood the vision because this was my world,” she shares.

Working on this project has reaped many rewards for Meehl. “The people I met along the way were so incredible. They come from every walk of life and really care about what’s important and care about their animals.” She believes that how you treat animals translates into how you treat people.

Buck Brannaman as himself in BUCK • photo credit Ezra D. Olsen

Meehl also says that she learned a great deal about patience and perseverance. “Buck teaches in all weather conditions and never complains, he is a great role model.” She adds, “He made me tougher and made me strive to always do better and not make excuses.”

Meehl’s hope for the film Buck is for audiences to be inspired and have hope.

“I want people in bad situations to realize, ‘I’m not stuck here’. We don’t need to drag past baggage into the present.”

The experience has led her into a new career with new film projects in the works.

“I only want to work on films that will help people. I plan to continue to make films that make a positive change,” she says.

In sharing the gift of her passion for horses with horses, Meehl has been given a gift of her own with directing that will help her continue to send positive messages to the world. We can all learn from her that it is possible to turn our passions into something even greater.