About this project
What’s the project?
Roaming Wild is a documentary film that highlights the plight of wild horses in the American West through the eyes of several individuals with divergent points of view who are each searching for solutions to how to best manage these iconic animals.
Why?
I’ve ridden and worked around horses most of my life, but I was totally surprised by what I saw when a friend invited me to go to a wild horse roundup in Wyoming. It was both spectacularly beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I went in with a lot of preconceived ideas, but while there, I realized that the controversy of the roundups is hardly black and white, and tensions run really high on both sides of the fence, so I started researching.
In the 1970’s, US Congress received more letters about protecting wild horses than any other issue in history apart from the Vietnam War. Something about these wild creatures resonates with our sense of what it is to be American. Every person I have asked, from all walks of life, says that the horses represent freedom, independence- the founding values on which this country is built. So why, if they are so iconic, do tensions run so high on this issue? I believe that the story of these horses says a lot about how we choose to manage our increasingly limited public resources. Is it possible to protect these iconic creatures in a way that is ethical, humane, financially sound and environmentally viable?
What’s the plan?
My vision is for a character-driven, solution-oriented film that resonates with audiences through powerful storytelling, stunning imagery and concrete facts, but as a filmmaker, I know I can’t do this alone. I’m hoping that this campaign will build a community of people who can participate in the creative process for the shared interest of finding a balance between the preservation of wild horses and human interests. I’ve already begun by assembling a production team. Together we are conducting research, developing the story, and writing grants, but our community needs to grow! From the trailer you can see some of the stunning footage we’ve already shot. What we need now is crucial shooting time in the field to continue to follow the lives of key characters whose search for solutions will drive the story. With your participation we can build on the initial production and finish up the bulk of the filming.
Where’s the money going?
This $9750 will allow us to spend less time in this room filled with sticky notes and more time out in the field finishing the filming. We’re headed out West this week for a shoot, and we’ll be living on power bars, staying in motels, and shooting the footage to tell this story, but there is more filming to be done than what we can afford to do on this shoot.
Where is the money NOT going?
Into my pocket. All funds will go directly towards the production of the film. If the goal is reached- don't stop there! Any additional funds will be used for editing, post-production, graphics, music, creation of tapes, dvds, etc. This, like many documentaries and most work with horses, is a labor of love. I hope you will participate in bringing this story to a wider audience!
FAQ
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Thousands of wild horses roam free on public lands in the American West. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is mandated to protect and manage these horses along with a variety of other interests vying for space on our public lands. Currently the strategy is to round up and removing thousands of wild horses every year. Some of the horses will be adopted, but the reality is that horses are expensive and, in a bad economy, many of the horses will fall through the cracks or live out their lives stockpiled in holding facilities.
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Kickstarter allows individuals to jump on board and support creative projects. Everyday thousands of fabulous people donate money to help bring projects into being and get cool rewards in exchange. This is the catch: the project must be fully funded before its time expires or we don't get anything. If we raise even a dollar short of our goal, we lose it all. EVERYTHING WILL BE REFUNDED and no rewards can be given! PLEASE help us prevent this from happening!
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
111
Backers
$12,584
pledged of $9,750 goal
0
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on August 31, 2011.
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Pledge $5 or more and earn Short-stirrup status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card.
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Pledge $25 or more and earn Trailrider status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card and a copy of the official DVD when the film is completed.
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Pledge $50 or more and earn Barrel Racer status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card, an official copy of the DVD when the film is completed, and a limited edition film poster.
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Pledge $150 or more and earn Dressage status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card, an official copy of the DVD when the film is completed, and a set of limited edition greeting cards featuring spectacular, original photography from location shoots.
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Pledge $500 or more and earn Showjumper status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card, an official copy of the DVD when the film is completed, and a beautiful, signed fine art photo print by an established equine photographer.
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Pledge $1000 or more and earn Eventer status! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card, an official copy of the DVD when the film is completed, participation in online test audience pre-screening, and a special thank you included in the film’s credits.
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Pledge $6000 and you win the GRAND PRIX! Your reward is a heartfelt hand written thank you card, official copy of the DVD when the film is completed, a limited edition film poster, participation in online test audience pre-screening, a special thank you included in film credits, and a guided trip to a Western ranch with the film's director to see wild horses, relax, and experience the natural beauty of the West. (Includes all expenses for 2 excluding airfare.)
Project By
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Born in Bolivia to American parents doing development work abroad, and raised in Latin America and the mountains of Colorado, Sylvia is an independent filmmaker who seeks to share the commonality of the human experience through visual storytelling.
In 2005 she applied for and got a Fulbright grant, sold her car to buy a video camera, and headed off to teach photography and make a film in the ghettos of Brazil. Her film, Alagados, was nominated for an International Documentary Association award and screened at festivals across the globe. Sylvia used the film to launch The Alagados Project, a nonprofit organization that promotes access to education for marginalized Brazilian youth.
Just as comfortable in cowboy boots as in Haviana flipflops on the streets of Brazil, Sylvia is a lifelong equestrian who spent all of her free time as a teenager riding and working on a ranch in Colorado. And what could be better than shooting a film about wild horses? It’s definitely a good conversation starter!
PARTNER IN CRIME:
Joining Sylvia on this adventure is Angelica Das, also known as Angie. In her day job, Angie is associate director at the Center for Social Media where she spends the hours engrossed in social documentary film. Now she’s taking documentary out of the office and into the field. She’s helping produce Roaming Wild and will be Sylvia’s right hand woman on the upcoming film shoot. Angie has Polish and Indian roots, is public radio obsessed and loves winters and her dog. She also has a brief history of riding horses and is thrilled to have them back in her life.
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: Kari Barber, Silvina Fernandez-Duque, Laura Waters Hinson and River Finlay!
