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on February 6
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #7You believed. We shot the film.
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on November 27
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #6Green-lit, pre-production is underway
Our Dallas team is deep into preparations for production in January. Meanwhile, we are working on a way for people who did not have the chance to back through Kickstarter to partake in the film.
A warm thanks again to all our backers. One day (in 2012), we'll be able point to the film we made together!
A brief yet humiliating "Kickstarter dance" in the video. More to come.
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on November 22Funded!
Faisal Goes West by Bentley Brown
Independent comedy/drama about a Sudanese man at a Texas chicken farm.
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110% funded $16,637 pledged
- 127 backers
- Funded Nov 22, 2011
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on November 21
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #5The film will be made.
Overwhelmed with joy for all who have come together to join the passion and vision of Faisal Goes West, I am thrilled--jumping--to announce that we have passed the $15,000 and the film will be made.
There are still a few hours to spread the word about the project and for people to continue to pledge so that we can make the best film possible.
But the wonderful news is that the film will be made--let's try to bring even more people on board!
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on November 21
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #4Standing strong.
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on November 21
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #3The Midnight Oil
Our Dallas team will gather tonight on a downtown rooftop to count down--and hopefully celebrate--the conclusion of Faisal's Kickstarter project.
Big announcement at the bottom. But first, a few details to help us put forth the best effort in the final hours:
-This is an all-important moment for Faisal Goes West. A successful Kickstarter campaign guarantees the film will be made and opens up the gate for bigger and better funding opportunities within Dallas.
-Likewise, this is the day that we ask to you spread the word (once again) to the same people you've been in contact with, plus a few randoms you think might be interested. The community behind the film is already remarkable--but think how much nicer it will be with an even larger body of backers around the world.
-The Kickstarter campaign ends Monday night at 11:59pm CST (Dallas time). This means 12:59am EST, 05:59 in the UK, 08:59 in Sudan and KSA, 9:59 GST, etc.
-You are permitted to increase a pledge you've already made and to choose a new reward category.
-Potential backers in Sudan have been blocked from using Amazon Payments due to a lovely blend of economic sanctions and government restrictions. It is worth trying anonymous proxy servers, not all of which are blocked by the Sudanese government, and which give the user a non-Sudanese I.P. address acceptable for transactions via Amazon.
-It has also been suggested that potential backers in Sudan and elsewhere without credit card capabilities simply contact someone who can make a credit card payment, whom they can pay back separately.
Now, time for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: We have added an $800 reward tier where the backer, in addition to receiving all benefits of the $500 tier (including Executive Producer credits), will receive the painting by Kathryn Weber done live at the Dallas promo event the night of Nov 19th and inspired by the film's message. A huge thanks to Kathryn for donating this painting toward the film--she and the canvas are in the image here.
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Piye on November 21
Film or no film, Kickstarter or no Kickstarter I think it's important to know that it is the US economic sanctions that prevent people in Sudan from buying things off of amazon, let alone obtaining internationally recognised debit card services through accounts opened locally.
The sanctions limit and hurt normal people.
That being sai the Sudanese government is not a good one and we strongly support this project and look forward to seeing its fruits. -
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on November 19
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #2Two days left to unite American and Sudanese independent cinema.
More and more people are showing their support for Faisal as the Kickstarter deadline nears. Word has spread in ways that I have never imagined, pledging has taken off, and we have been brought in touch with many artists eager to contribute to the film.
To those who believed in the film in the early days and inspired others to back the project, to those I've never met who heard about the project and pledged on the spot, to those who have pledged out of the urgency of the Kickstarter campaign in its final days: thank you.
Grâce à Zenobia Azeem and our Atlanta promotion team, I had the great fortune of presenting past film work and speaking about Faisal at a number of university classes this past week in Atlanta. I also presented in a special event at Emory University's Center for Ethics, which hosted Spike Lee the following night--I pitched the film to good ol' Spike and a crowd of a thousand.
Make sure you, too, are spreading the word about Faisal as the Kickstarter campaign enters its final hours. Thousands and thousands have heard about the film already in person and through YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other sources. A warm thank you to NasJota Records for the live webcast interview and to the Sudanese Optimist for an inspirational blog post last week.
With the collaboration of Refugee Writers, we're hosting an evening of jazz piano and film networking tonight in Dallas to promote Faisal. We're also looking forward to countdown parties in several cities this Monday.
Thank you, thank you, thank you--I am thrilled at the community we've brought together to make this film.
Let's grow that community in the next two days.
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Piye on November 19
There's no other way to say this, I believe I speak for many Sudanese when I say we love you for your interest in our country, people and culture and for your brilliant initiative and ebullient spirit. Whatever happens the project and yourself are already winners.
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on November 12
Bentley Brown
Posted project update #1Making the movie happen
Post CommentA special thanks to all of our backers thus far. I am both humbled and thrilled for your commitment to the film. Know that your early pledges are crucial in inspiring others to help us reach our goal.
We are entering the home stretch in fundraising. There remain just nine days until we must hit the $15,000 goal or the Kickstarter campaign will be cancelled. Please continue to spread the Kickstarter link to colleagues, friends, and family.
I like to encourage a policy of making sure people hear about the film at least twice--perhaps once through email and another time through social media like Facebook--so that they do not put it off to the last minute and forget.
For those in Atlanta, I will be screening scenes from my previous film, Captain Majid, and discussing Faisal Goes West at Emory University's Center for Ethics on the evening of Tuesday, November 15th.
For those in Dallas, we have an exciting jazz piano event to promote the film the evening of Saturday, November 19th, as well as a countdown in the final hours of the Kickstarter campaign at the residence of one of our producers downtown on Monday the 21st.
Perhaps the biggest news this past week was the collaboration of Ehab and crew at NasJota, a media network based in Washington, D.C. (I have a podcast interview tomorrow evening) as well as Mosno Al-Moseeki, a Baltimore-based artist who will be contributing music to the film from his upcoming concept album about a boy from the East heading to the West.
It's an exciting time and an exciting opportunity--let's make sure we make it happen together!
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on October 20
Bentley Brown launched a project
Faisal Goes West by Bentley Brown
Independent comedy/drama about a Sudanese man at a Texas chicken farm.
- $15,000 funding goal
- 11/22/2011 Funding Ended
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on October 2
Bentley Brown
backed a project
Music from Saharan Cellphones LP by Christopher Kirkley
An official vinyl release of "Music from Saharan Cellphones", a compilation of music collected from memory cards in the Saharan desert.
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195% funded $7,814 pledged
- 607 backers
- Funded Oct 04, 2011
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Bentley Brown
Dallas, TX
Bentley (B.A. International Political Economy, Emory University; M.A. Screenwriting candidate, The London Film School) has worked as a political analyst with the Carter Center in Sudan since 2009. As a filmmaker, he founded Aboudigin Films (http:/... view more
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