Send in the Clowns

Short Summary

My name is Sam Lee and I am the director of the documentary, Send in the Clowns. The inception of this project began on a rooftop in Kolkotta when I bumped into two clowns from Belgium. They said they volunteered for Clowns without Borders; an organization that goes into areas of crisis and performs for children. After getting over the disbelief that such an organization existed,  I decided to make a film on this unorthodox form of aid. 

I have followed the clowns to Haiti three times, once before the earthquake and twice afterwards. I have shot over 200 hours of incredibly compelling footage that examines the motives of the clowns themselves, their form of aid in a country like Haiti and the effectiveness of aid on a more universal level. Now it’s time to edit the film and I need your help to do it.

This film has the potential to change the way we look at aid in the world. Watching the antics of the clowns and their effect on the kids and then stepping back to question if this is even something the Haitians want or need will open a much needed debate on our roles and responsibilities as citizens of the world.

What We Need & What You Get

I am raising money to begin the edit process and get the film to a rough-cut stage. This cut will allow the film to be considered for entry into high profile film festivals. From these festivals I will look for a limited theatrical release before seeking TV and DVD distribution.

Contributors to this film will receive some really exciting gifts. From t-shirts with the film’s logo to film credits and even tickets to the film’s NYC premiere. We will also offer signed posters from Ben Edlund, the creator of The Tick and designer of our logo, bags made by Haitian micro-financed women and the donation of a goat to help Haitian families.

Send In The Clowns is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of Send In The Clowns must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. In addition to this crowdfunding platform, we are also relying on grants, corporate sponsors and broadcasters to raise the balance of the budget. The film will be ready to premiere in Fall of 2013.

The Impact

This story begins in a place that is saturated by foreign aid, with well-meaning clowns as our ambassadors, and it evolves over time into an interesting and time sensitive debate about our role as aid givers.

The clown's approach takes us back to an earlier definition of charity that stands in stark contrast to the global industry humanitarian aid has become. Having this debate center around a country that has once again fallen out of the mainstream media makes the completion and distribution of this film more pressing than ever. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Please help spread the word about this film. Join us on

Twitter - https://twitter.com/SendClownsFilm

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Send-In-The-Clowns/133763226646041

Check the film's site  - www.sendintheclowns.org