Synopsis: In January 2004, actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set up shop in the London neighborhood of Shepherds Bush. Along with Elixir’s David Alexanian and Image Wizards TV’s Russ Malkin, they planned the route for their arduous 20,000 mile journey around the world from London to New York – on motorcycles. Leaving in April ’04, their trip took them from Western Europe into Slovakia, the Ukraine and Russia, and across some of the most remote parts of the planet including Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia and Far East Russia, which led them back into North America. With a total crew of only six people, the four month long adventure was documented as a seven-part series for Sky in the UK and as a six-part, hour-long series on Bravo in America, which began airing in October 2004. The DVD, which includes all seven UK episodes as well as bonus footage, is currently available in the UK and will be released in America late 2005.

ELIXIR FILMS AND IMAGE WIZARD TV
ANNOUNCE ‘LONG WAY ‘ROUND’ STARRING EWAN MCGREGOR AND CHARLEY BOORMAN

Motorcycle Round-the-World Series to Begin Lensing in January 2004

In the spirit of “Easy Rider,” David Alexanian, co-founder of Elixir Films and Russ Malkin, president of Image Wizard TV, today announced that the company will begin filming an around-the-world television series, “Long Way ‘Round,” which features film star Ewan McGregor and his best friend, actor Charley Boorman, traversing the globe on motorcycles.

"We plan to start filming in January and finish sometime in August with a view to create ten 1 hour or 13 half-hour programs" said Alexanian. The peripatetic pair will seek to travel across the earth, covering 20,000 miles in less than three months, with London as their starting point and New York their final destination. The program will be available for the fall, 2004, television season.

“With onboard cameras, a third rider as cameraperson, full crews at specified locations, video diaries and aerial views provided via helicopters, ‘Long Way ‘Round’ promises to make for captivating television,” said Malkin. Combined with Ewan’s sense of humor and Charley’s wild impatience, the program will focus on their spirit of adventure and camaraderie.

With a successful string of feature films behind him, McGregor, a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, is taking four months off from his film schedule to fulfill a lifelong dream for the special television project. “One half the program is about the journey itself, and the other half is about the people Charley and I will be meeting along the way,” said McGregor.

The scheduled itinerary will take the motorcycling duo --- who met years ago on the set of the film “The Serpent’s Kiss” --- through such rarely explored and inhospitable climes as the Russian steppes, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Alaska and the imposing dangers presented by nature’s wilderness, not to mention the various characters they will encounter en route.

The series also promises to be chock-full of humor, capturing the friends’ jovial sparring and philosophical musings on this uniquely challenging journey.