Share This Campaign:
--> Video intro to project available above
--> Feature film promo trailer available under "Gallery" tab
The Impact (or, so what?)
Why support people you don't know?
That's a good question. We believe that, instead of looking at this project as people you don't know, you should consider looking at this project as being full of common values that we share -- things like teamwork, handcrafted art, the richness of history, the search for something larger than our selves, and art made to inspire and not just make money.
We hope you will join us because we believe you are a friend we just haven't met, yet.
What is This?
This is a feature film collaboration in southwestern Minnesota, viewed first and foremost not as a glitzy "ticket to Hollywood" but as a great piece of art that we can all take enjoyment and pride in.
It is a collaboration of home-grown artists -- not just movie-folk, but woodcarvers and letterpress printers. Artisans! This project seeks to bring a film into the realm of folk arts. As a tip of the hat to the old film artisans, we even forewent a digital camera to explore the classic, visceral look of 35mm film.
The project also seeks to launch a new genre of film: "Canadiana." It will emphasize the uniqueness and historical richness of Canadian folk traditions, seeking to capture the history and nostalgia that helped create classic American films and show the other side of North American history in a new, gritty style.--> Feature film promo trailer available under "Gallery" tab
Why Did You Make a Promo Trailer?
Because on our own we do not have the resources to make a film. Film is by its very nature tremendously collaborative, which is both a wonderful and terrifying thing. Wonderful because the journey is very rich, but terrifying because the obstacles are large. We are simply unable to afford a full feature film on our own.
That said, it would be unfair of us to expect random support from people we've never met. So, my co-artists and have pitched together and made a trailer to illustrate our ideas and build a relationship with you.
**This promo trailer will not be in the completed film. It merely seeks to capture the essence of our vision, and will continue to be refined as we move closer to production.
--> Feature film promo trailer available under "Gallery" tab
So Why are You in Southwestern Minnesota?
My wife is Canadian, and I am southwestern Minnesota. I had to pick a side, and I just knew of more resources in my home state.
Why Are You Asking For So Much Money?
Making a film is a huge undertaking. Many different people and skillsets are needed, which makes it a thrilling collaborative effort but also, generally, a little pricey. Because of that, filmmaking has often been limited to the moneyed few.
I believe film is a powerful art form that should continue to be made more accessible, which is why I'm launching this project. However, my $150,000 budget is just too much for one person, or even a whole crew, to come up with on their own.
But would it be fair to just go around with an upturned baseball cap asking for others to fund a personal dream? Absolutely not.
My entire crew and I have worked for little or nothing, and I have invested my own money to create this promo trailer for you. We have worked hard together to demonstrate that we are dedicated and have what it takes -- in short, to earn your trust.
We do not take your support lightly.
But perhaps $150,000 still sounds like a lot. Let me go into a bit more detail. According to recent estimates, the average cost of a film has skyrocketed to over $50,000,000 (ranging up to between $237,000,000 and 310,000,000, depending on estimates, for James Cameron's Avatar).
Compared to that, my 150,000 is either brilliant or hugely stupid. To find out, let's see how a sample film budget – that of Spiderman 2 – breaks down:
SCRIPT RIGHTS ---------------------------------------------------------> $20 Million
SCREENPLAY ------------------------------------------------------------> $10 Million
PRODUCERS --------------------------------------------------------------> $15 Million
DIRECTOR -----------------------------------------------------------------> $10 Million
CAST -------------------------------------------------------------------------> $30 Million
MUSIC + COMPOSER ------------------------------------------------> $7 Million
So how did I decide on my $150,000 number?
By cutting out the “studio fluff” – those spare millions used to get the “really important” talent – we end up with, well, my 150,000 dollars. Of course, there are a few more factors that help make my film this cheap: free locations in my home of southwestern Minnesota, an extremely small cast and crew, etc. However, as I mention in the video above, these things are not restrictions due to a low budget. Those are the perfect tools to tell the story I want to tell. If I wanted to tell a story about a web-slinging superhero in NYC, I would need a few more million – heck, even if I wanted to set my current story in NYC, I might need a few million. However, to tell the story I want to tell, and to tell it the way I want to tell it, it can be done for far less.
A reasonable share for most people on Kickstarter is about $50 – which is equal to 1/3000 of my film. That means that you, noble patron of the arts, will have funded a portion of a film which would have cost you about $103,333 on James Cameron's Avatar. That's right, the same size share on his film would have cost about 2/3 of my entire budget.
For those that can afford that, wonderful. I'm glad that big budget films are made because I go see them and sometimes enjoy them. However, I also, sometimes, get an itch for real art – for art that inspires me to be a better person, appreciate beauty a little more, love a little more. And the odds for that are much higher when that art is created by a committed group of citizens who care, and not a film where people do it or don't do it because of a couple million.
So let's defy Hollywood and its $103,333/share, and make something great and enduring for $50/share.
That's only 3,000 people donating $50!Why a Canadian story?
Samuel Hathaway, founder of Herald Motion Pictures, fell in love with a Canadian woman and, subsequently, her country. During his time in Canada he became inspired by the cultures and folk traditions that most of North American -- and the world -- was unaware of. He decided to draw on these traditions to create a story that was utterly unique and richly Canadian.
Other Ways You Can Help (takes only 5 minutes!)
If you are considering donating, then you probably aren't totally ambivalent about this project -- in fact, we hope you're a little bit excited about this! We sure are! So, if you're looking for another way to lend a hand, you can help spread the word. This campaign will succeed or fail not on the size of the donations people choose, but on the number of people that choose to support us -- so the more people hear about us, the better!
Step 1:
"Like" our page on FB: http://goo.gl/pLM0H
Step 2:
Follow our company on Twitter: http://goo.gl/by7Ra
Step 3:
Sign up for our company's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/rcwTD
Step 4:
Help spread the word!
US press release: http://goo.gl/Nqbu4
Canada press release: http://goo.gl/HYQCH
(press photos available by contacting us through the information found on the releases)
Take a few seconds to think about why you care about this project. Maybe you like the story, maybe you care about the artisans on board the project, or maybe you just think an actor is cute. Find a personal reason, and think of 5 people you could endorse this project to personally. Take a few seconds to send them a message. Quality is better than quantity. Then, suggest that they do likewise. If each friend finds 5 other friends...
...then we will have ourselves a great piece of art.
**THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! WE ARE EXCITED FOR THE JOURNEY!**
Team on This Campaign:
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Samuel HathawayDirector
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