WHAT'S THE STORY?

I'm glad you asked! My film is all about the New York accentwhat it is, how it's evolved and if it's disappearing as the city changes. I've been lucky enough to film low-level mobsters and highfaluttin' writers, actors and directors, including Pete Hamill, Amy Heckerling and James McBride. My goal is to find the accent where it lives and celebrate it through the characters who give it its voice.

WHY KNISHES?

They say you never forget your first, and for me that means my first knish. It was at the Staten Island Zoo when I was about five. My father bought it for me, and it was love at first bite. But it was also symbolic: a New York/Jewish food introduced to me by my Irish father in an Italian borough. That's about as New York as it gets, at least for this foodie. Plus, Knishes is a great word, it makes you smile.

WHAT'S THE LATEST?
Thanks to the kind folks from my last round of fundraising, I was able to purchase a new editing system; buy a camera; hire an editor; film interviews including a deaf New Yorker who showed how there's an accent in sign language, a grad school student who showed how there's an accent on Twitter, and an acting class where they teach students how to gain a New York accent; I also made media appearances on NBC, NY1, NPR, The New York Times, The Daily News, BBC and BBC Scotland to name a few. Which goes to show that the fascination with the New York accent spreads much further than New York!

HOW WE PLAN TO USE THE FUNDS
Finishing principal photography - Getting the final interviews to round out the project
Editing - Which has been expertly done thus far by Hilary Walker
Acquiring archival footage - What would a New York accent film be without shots of New Yorkers from the past? A group of dedicated interns is about to find out!
Post-production - The polish needed to make sure the film looks as great as it should
Outreach - Getting Knishes out to festivals and distributors and the rest of the world!
Let's get this baby finished!!!!

HELP A GAL OUT!

If Leo Gorcey were still alive, he might say something like, "Help Tootsie with this here flick by shelling out a few simoleons and some good wishes, would'ja?" Loosely translated, it means help me reach my fundraising goal and tell the story of the New York accent by donating as little as $5 or as much as you'd likeand I've added some incentives to sweeten the pot!

Thanks so much for reading my spiel, and if you can throw in a few dollars it would do my heart good. Or as Leo would say, "I depreciate it!"