FACING GOLIATH

A year ago, Ray found out he was gradually losing his remaining eye sight. He contacted natural bodybuilder Sebastian MacLean to find out if getting into better physical condition might keep him out of a depression. Looking for a way to challenge Ray, Sebastian first helped him lose forty pounds, then informs Ray he will continue to train him for free if he considers doing a bodybuilding competition at the end of six months. Ray knows he may have only a few months left to see anything, and accepts the challenge.  

Now Sebastian aims to get both he and Ray ready to tackle the giants of the competitive bodybuilding stage and do it naturally. With the shows not being tested the challenges are great enough for Sebastian, as a natural bodybuilder, on his own. However, Ray faces an even bigger climb, being in his fifties and never having touched a weight until meeting Sebastian.

FACING GOLIATH shows that strength of heart is  more powerful than strength of body, as Sebastian initially believed the story would end with Ray neatly inspired, as he loyally watched his trainer rise onward to national competitive victory. However, failing to reach his competitive goals, Sebastian witnesses Ray achieving more than anyone thought possible. Ray journeys beyond his limitations to discover what is done when you believe there are no limits, as he succeeds in transforming himself to the point of outshining his trainer on the national stage. 

Sebastian MacLean

Sebastian is a natural, national level, bodybuilder and is also the producer and co-director of the film FACING GOLIATH. As his first film venture, Facing Goliath has now been seen across Canada and New Zealand, while soon to be released on Al Jazeera in 160 countries around the globe.

Having started bodybuilding at age seven, when he began mimicking his father's push-up routines, Sebastian went on to gain extensive recognition in bodybuilding magazines around the world for his symmetrical development over sheer mass. He went on to win Atlantic Canadian titles and came second nationally, before embarking on develop his interest in film. 

In his search for a way to meld his interest in film with his love of bodybuilding, Sebastian met Ray Taylor. (The subject of the film Facing Goliath.)  Theen, assembling a team of filmmakers, Sebastian began the process of discovering just how far he could push himself, Ray and the limits of low budget film. The result has become a globally viewed documentary that few would have thought could have ever been made.

Ray is a convenience store owner with multiple eye defects and a none existent fitness history. He also happens to be over 50. 

Ray's initial portion of training with Sebastian was not video taped, as it was not known he would take his training as seriously as he did. That being the case, Sebastian and Ray worked together when he looked as he does in the picture to the left. In three months he was down over forty pounds.

Thinking that was then end of the road, Ray went off for three months of eye surgeries then tried attempted to get back in shape on his own. After three months of struggling with his approach, due in part to increasing vision problems, Ray spoke with Sebastian a second time.

As this next five months begins, we enter Ray's experience in the Facing Goliath story.

In newly opened gyms in downtown Kabul, young men are rebuilding Afghanistan one muscle at a time. They are pumping iron and dreaming of Arnold Schwarzenegger. "They don't know much about Arnold the politician," says filmmaker Brent Huffman, "but they do know Arnold the action hero." "When I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger's film I wanted to start this exercise," explains one enthusiastic Afghan bodybuilder as he proudly flexes his bulging biceps.

The Weight Of The World airs along side Facing Goliath on Al Jazeera TV this November 9th, 2008.