…and they fight again! is a labor of love to demonstrate the entire range of what a fight choreographer can do. When I talk to people about my profession, the typical response is “What, like sword fights?” The answer is “Yes, and…” While fight choreography does involve sword duels, gun battles, slapstick clowning and various styles of hand to hand fighting, it incorporates rhythm and movement patterns along with performance art. It also involves increasing performer safety while developing characters and enhancing plot lines. Let’s not forget excitement and holding an audiences interest while appealing to a wide variety of tastes. Fight choreography can be escapist entertainment or it can send an important social message.

My goal with this project is to create the opportunity for others to discover and “get” what I and other fight choreographers can do. I began with a test showcase called …and they fight! to determine if people would be interested in this concept. The response was overwhelming. To bring this project to life, I will be utilizing the talents of the Team Legend Stunt Team, The Independent Film Coalition of Kansas City as well as 200+ performers, fire-spinners, dancers, percussionists, martial artists and musicians in and around the Kansas City area. They’re just waiting on me to raise the money. While I have put the majority of my own money into this project, I find I am running low on personal funds. My friends and associates are enthusiastically supportive, but are equally lacking in financial power. I am confident that there is a market for this when everybody I’ve explained it to tells me the same thing, “I want to see that.” Without funding, this show will not happen. The goal is to raise enough funds for the completion of the DVD. As the money is raised, I will be applying it toward the production costs. Because this project involves a series of scenes rather than a single story line, I will produce each new scene as the funds become available. There are still 29 more scenes waiting to be completed. You can see three of the completed scenes at my website http://www.merrybandproductions.com/preview.html. Here is where you show up wearing the white hat, riding the fiery horse and ready to save the day. Thanks to the brilliance of crowd funding, you can contribute as much as you can afford, make this project a reality while getting some fun perks in the process and then tell everyone you know about this incredible and new concept in edutainment.

Thank you.

USE OF FUNDS

Safety First, Safety Last, Safety Always! Stunt work is only cheap if you are willing to risk life and limb. In addition to the production expenses listed below, the money will be used for safety equipment, specially constructed props, and additional training to make sure no animals, including the actors, are harmed during filming.

The remaining production consists of 29 scenes, 46 shooting days, 278 characters, 5-10 crew per scene, 17 location rentals, 134 weapons, 148 costumes, 78 set pieces, 92 DV tapes, catering, liability insurance, legal fees, postproduction visual effects and editing, travel expenses, lighting, sound, equipment rental, and miscellaneous expenses, all of which must be compensated.

A portion of these funds will be used to reimburse money already spent on the production.

The average cost per scene comes to $2586.21. Some scenes will cost less, others more, but every $2500 raised brings us one step closer to completing this film.