Alumni Profi le

This past year, Duncan traveled to Hawai’i to create a social issue documentary. And in November 2020, the fi lm, “Beyond the Mauna”, made its world premiere at the 40th Annual Hawai’i International Film Festival (HIFF). Duncan was the co-director, cinematographer and co-editor of the fi lm. “Beyond the Mauna” is a documentary about the controversial construction of a Thirty-Meter-Telescope (TMT) on the sacred summit of Mauna Kea in Hawai’i. The fi lm follows two Native Hawaiian women—Noe Noe Wong-Wilson, an elder Hawaiian leader, or kupuna, at the head of a peaceful movement blocking access to the summit of the mountain and Mailani Neal, a young astronomer advocating for the construction of the TMT.

Mauna Kea is the birthplace of the fi rst Hawaiian gods, and Noe Noe sees the construction of TMT as a desecration of her ancestral lands. Thousands of years ago, Polynesians navigated by the stars to reach the island of Hawai’i. Mailani views astronomy as a way to live out their legacy. Both are inspired by their ancestors, both fi ght for what they believe is right, and both want a better future for Hawai’i.

Duncan said he had always wanted to make a fi lm about the annexation of Hawai’i by the United States. He shared that a close family friend of his is a direct descendant of Queen Lili’uokalani, the monarch who was deposed in 1893. A couple of years ago, he directed a short documentary that investigated the topic. “I wanted to tell this story on a larger platform and when [co-director] Carter came to me with the idea of a documentary on Thirty Meter Telescope, I knew the annexation was an important chapter to explore within the fi lm.”

For Duncan, telling the story of injustice from a hundred years ago and how it has cultivated the actions of people today is an idea that stayed consistent throughout the process of making the fi lm. Duncan said, “If a viewer learns one thing from this fi lm, I hope they learn the true history of Hawai’i.”

Duncan shared, “I’ve been able to translate my education at EC into my fi lm work today. Teachers like Dr. Lesley Wootton, Lisa Snow and Scott Alcorn taught me how to be an effective writer and storyteller. One of my favorite aspects of documentary fi lmmaking is script writing. Every word and every image is planned out before we even pick up a camera. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without my education in English and humanities at Eastside.”

Along with his studies, Duncan currently plays outside linebacker at Chapman University and works as a creative director at a sports agency. “I’ve been fortunate to work with NFL athletes such as Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp and James Conner. I’m currently in production for a documentary series following the journey of the 2021 NFL Draft Class.”

See trailer at vimeo.com/430567390 | duncanheger.com