NOTE: $15,000 is the minimum funding goal to get
this project off the ground. To purchase adequate equipment and cover
post-production expenses we will need to raise a total of $95,000. Every dollar raised over $15,000 in this campaign
will produce significantly higher quality in the final film. No contribution
is too small!
THE FILM
We all think we know what cancer means, but
todays world begs and equally important, often neglected question: What does survival mean? What comes after cancer? How does a person pick up
the threads of an old life after months, or even years, of treatment? What if
that person is a child, with no threads to pick up? How does that person begin
to build a normal life?
Cancer
Sucks, but I Heart Camp tells the story of five long-term
childhood cancer survivors of varying ages as they work to create meaning from
the difficult experiences they've faced. Revolving around a summer camp for
children with cancer in southern Wisconsin, the interweaving stories of these five
and dozens of other survivors will help us to examine how individuals choose
(or choose not) to incorporate survivorship into their professional lives and
their personal identities.
The film will be told through a traditional
narrative structure entwined with the creative work of the survivors involved.
Their animations, paintings, music and poetry will serve to communicate how cancer
has impacted their unique perspectives on life. Using their work and the magic
of film well attempt to depict life as only one who has faced death can see
it; well then contrast that picture with the harsh realities of survivorship.
I
Heart Camp tells the story of how
survivors choose to give meaning to their experiences. As either volunteers or
participants, all five of the films main characters will be attending Camp One
Step at a Time's 33rd annual summer camp this June. For these five,
One Step is the only place in the world where they get to be normal where everyone
is a survivor. For other survivors, organizations like One Step serve only as a
reminder of a painful past.
What is it that separates those who love camp from
those who hide from associations with survivorship? Along with late-effects and
lifelong disabilities, many of survivors struggle with issues of identity
formation and guilt in their lives after cancer. How do these factors play into
their perceptions of what it means to be a survivor? I Heart Camp will explore aspects of survivorship
from fearful instances of self-doubt to awe-inspiring moments of triumph. By
the end of this journey, I hope we'll find that, as survivors, cancer doesn't
have to define our lives... but it can always enrich them.
THE IMPACT: WHY THIS FLM NEEDS TO BE MADE
Childhood cancer survivors provide a unique example
of how we as individuals possess the ability to choose how our experiences define us. As this population of young
survivors grows, it is important for them to know that this choice exists; they
have more freedom to sculpt their identities than they might think. I Heart Camp will help survivors
understand that, in this important life decision, there is no wrong answer.
BUDGET AND PERKS
$15,000 is a minimum funding goal. View the full budget here. If youre on
board just to see the project get made, consider opting out of one or more of your
backer perks to help us put more money toward production.
THREE OTHER WAYS TO HELP
1: Spread the word about this project. If every One
Step camper and counselor gets TWO PEOPLE to buy a copy of the DVD this film
will be funded!
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Post
a link to this page on your Facebook page
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Email
this page to your family
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Like
our Facebook page
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Like
our YouTube trailer
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Post
links to this project and our trailer on your website, blog and other sites you
visit
2: Volunteer with the film! Got a talent? Share it!
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Musicians
and artists, email samples of your work for possible inclusion in the film!
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Know
how to operate a camera? Let me know!
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Interested
in film production? Work as an intern on this project!
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Participate
in discussions on the Facebook page and join our Facebook group for updates on
the project and to share your opinion about important decisions along the way.
3: Share your story! Are you a childhood cancer
survivor? Have you ever struggled with issues of identity? Have your
experiences with cancer influenced who youve become as an adult or what youve
chosen to pursue professionally? I want to hear about it! Email your story to iheartcamp@mail.com for the chance to be featured
in I Heart Camp.
FAQ
What happens if you dont reach your funding goal?
If this project fails to meet its $15,000 minimum
funding goal we will be unable to proceed with production at this time. Because
of this, backers will unfortunately not receive any of their awards; instead,
any money that is raised will be donated in its entirety to the projects
fiscal sponsor, The Ability Center Wisconsin to help build a sports and
fitness center for people with disabilities in Milwaukee, WI. In this case, all
contributions will be fully tax deductible.
Tell me more about these tax deductions
I Heart Camp is fiscally sponsored by The
Ability Center Wisconsin, a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Milwaukee, WI. Your
contributions will be fully tax deductible, less the value of the backer perks
you receive. The amount deductible is listed beneath each backer level to the
right.
View more FAQs here.
