We've launched an exciting new project of our own! Introducing the Kickstarter app for iPhone!

Funded! This project successfully raised its funding goal on June 1, 2012.

Homestead Party!

Update #22 · Jun 27, 2012 · comment

Dear Friend of And We Were Young,

It’s official! Shooting on the movie began in earnest over the weekend, with a little over two minutes of footage shot already! A drop in the bucket in the grander scheme of things, but a solid start for a couple of hours in the studio. I attach the following stills, hot off the light table.

Also, if you live in Missoula or nearby, we’d love to see you up at the Moon-Randolph Homestead this Saturday, June 30. My family and I are moving off the homestead after 4.5 years of being the live-in caretakers, and we’re having a heck of a wing-ding to send ourselves off in style. It’s also a fundraising event to help keep the next caretakers in chicken feed and vehicle maintenance. Party starts at 2 and goes late. It’s family friendly, but please: no dogs. The homestead is located at the end of Spurlock Road, in the hills about a mile north of Missoula. Refreshments provided. Bring a hot dish, salad or dessert and a $5 donation. Email me at this address with any questions or concerns. Hope to see you there!

/Andy Smetanka

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It Begins!

Update #21 · Jun 24, 2012 · comment

Hello all you lovely people!  

We are happy to announce that production has commenced on And We Were Young!

We'll be posting regular updates here, but you can always stay in touch via our Facebook page.

We'll also be sending out surveys soon, so be looking for those. 

Sincerely,

Andy and Co. 

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"Bee Here Now"

Update #20 · Jun 18, 2012 · 2 comments

Dear friend of And We Were Young:

Did you miss us? I mean, it’s been almost two WEEKS since we stopped flooding your inbox with earnest entreaties for your financial support! Thank heavens that’s all done with. This visit is just for neighborly giggles: I’ve got something fun to show you.

As some of you know, back in March I got to spend a week in a cozy corner of Long Island as a guest of Isabella Rossellini, who asked me to contribute some animated segments to a trio of short films commissioned by Burt’s Bees.

Well, here they are…and just in time for National Pollinator Week! Do something nice for the bees in your life, like planting flowers and eating organic produce. Bee here now!

/Andy S. and AWWY

“Burt Talks to the Bees”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5r7hKl9umw

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Thank You!

Update #19 · Jun 7, 2012 · 3 comments

Dear Friends of And We Were Young, 

Holy mother of pearl. We did it. My head is spinning and I still can’t quite believe we did it, but we did it.

How can I ever thank you enough? Your support has made it possible for me to hunker down for the next year and make the movie of my dreams. I can’t tell you what that means to me. I will thank every last one of you personally, but for now let me just crowd-thank you all at one go.

Have you all met? You are teachers, students, journalists, filmmakers, software developers, architects, biplane enthusiasts, Pilates instructors, coffee roasters, battlefield tour guides, WWI reenactors and more. Many of you know me, many very well; others of you I have never met. But you believe in the movie or you believe in me, or both, and for as long as it takes me to finish we are essentially one and the same thing. I’m gonna get all Sauron on this mother, pouring my every last ounce of dark magic into it. I will make you proud.

So now the real work begins in earnest, and there’s a lot of it: a feature-length movie, literally 1/20th of a second at a time. If you can’t get enough of supporting And We Were Young, bring some coffee and doughnuts around to my studio! Start thinking about which t-shirt you’d like, and what you’re looking for in a print or nightlight. 

If you missed your shot at pledging to the campaign but still have your heart set on one of our fine premium items, write me at this address and we can work something out.

I’ll be in touch soon, and you stay in touch as well. What an incredible month it’s been. What an incredible year it’s going to be. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

/Andy S

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3 Hours Left!

Update #18 · Jun 1, 2012 · comment

Now is a good time to remind that friend about the project. The one that's going to gripe about missing out on an AWWY T-Shirt because they forgot to check their e-mail... for a month.

A word from Andy will be forthcoming...

You guys rock!

Sincerely,

Team Smetanka

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  • Pledge $1 or more

    25 backers

    My gratitude. Every little bit helps.

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $15 or more

    21 backers

    A personal phone call to discuss the movie, World War I in general, the weather or anything else you like. Get me talking about this project and you'll practically hand me another $15 to get me off the line!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $25 or more

    90 backers

    A signed 4" x 6" print of full-color silhouette art from And We Were Young, plus an original paper cutout used in the production!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $40 or more

    24 backers

    We're going to give you the shirt off our backs! At this level you'll receive a limited edition And We Were Young T-SHIRT. Check out Update #9 for pictures of the designs!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $50 or more

    99 backers

    Signed, matted 8" x 10" print of full-color silhouette art from the movie, plus a copy of the DVD release. Holy Moley! (Note: Print delivery August 2012, DVD delivery spring/summer 2013).

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $100 or more

    41 backers

    Two color Great War prints and a DVD of And We Were Young (and you're thanked in the booklet!), plus a cool ultra-limited-edition DVD of my other animation. Super cool!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $150 or more

    23 backers

    NEW LEVEL! At this pledge level you will receive a one-of-a-kind NIGHT LIGHT. If you think you are too old for a night light, or that nobody in your life would love a charming, rustically-handcrafted night light, then you have not seen night lights a la Smetanka. You will also receive a copy of the final DVD and two 4" x 6" And We Were Young silhouette prints. You can check out some pictures of the night lights in the updates section!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $250 or more

    9 backers

    Now we're talking! At this level of sponsorship you get both color prints, two DVDs, an And We Were Young commemorative t-shirt, and a rad full-color poster of the movie. Smetanka deluxe!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $500 or more

    7 backers

    Forget that other stuff! This is what you really want: a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind Andy Smetanka lightbox with original And We Were Young art! It's like a giant night light, and one of these beauties would make a striking addition to any study or man-cave. Non-electric window-box version also available (please specify). Package also includes two prints, two DVDs and an And We Were Young t-shirt.

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $500 or more

    0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)

    At this level you will receive a HOUSE SHOW with the lovely ladies of BUTTER! They'll perform an evening of music for you and a group of your friends at a gathering of your creation (within the Missoula area). You'll also receive two Great War prints and a limited edition DVD of And We Were Young!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $500 or more

    0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)

    At this level you will receive a HOUSE SHOW with GRANDFATHERGLEN! They will perform an evening of music for you and a group of your friends at a gathering of your creation! (Within the Missoula area) You'll also receive two Great War prints and a limited edition DVD of And We Were Young!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $750 or more

    2 backers

    What's that? You like the lightbox idea but aren't into the military theme? Then how about this: just in time for Mother's Day you can generously support And We Were Young AND pick up a cool CUSTOM LIGHTBOX for your special lady. Flowers? Birds? Bees? Landscape? You name it. For the man of the house, package also includes two signed art prints, two DVDs, and a swanky And We Were Young hoodie. A bunch of birds with one $750 stone!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $1,000 or more

    0 backers

    And We Were Young backer, you have ARRIVED! Your four-digit donation covers a lot of film and processing for the movie. And we've got you covered, too: two signed prints, two DVDs, a swell movie poster and And We Were Young hoodie, PLUS a visit to the Smetanka studio to try your hand at silhouette animation. It's tons of fun, and who knows? Some of your animation might make it into the movie! I'll even throw in lunch. Now beat that.

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $1,000 or more

    1 backer All gone!

    At this level you will receive a HOUSE SHOW with RICK BASS & STELLARONDO! The gang will come to a gathering of your creation (within the Missoula area) and treat you to an evening of songs and scored stories from their upcoming album! You'll also receive two Great War prints and a limited edition DVD of And We Were Young!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $2,000 or more

    2 backers

    Wow, that's some generous support: almost a tenth of our filmmaking budget! Can I thank you in the credits? Can I cut a silhouette likeness of you and make you a character in the movie? And would you like one of everything else mentioned as a reward so far? You got it!

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012
  • Pledge $5,000 or more

    0 backers Limited (2 of 2 left)

    Your passionate support is overwhelming. In addition to everything listed so far, we are making you Executive Producer in the credits. And if there's anything else we can reasonably do to show our gratitude, just ask us.

    Estimated delivery: Aug 2012