So here's the deal: after we finished production on the short film "The Pardoner's Tale", I came to the realization that there was a bigger project hidden inside that was begging to come out. After mulling it over for far too long, I decided "Why not! Let's make this thing into a mini-series!" So, that's what we're going to do. We've taken the short film and created a proof-of-concept pilot episode. In short, we pitched a television show to ourselves. And then... we signed on, with ourselves, to produce our project.

Problem is, after spending our cash on the proof-of-concept pilot, we ran out of funding. And these things cost money. Lots of it. That's where you come in! That's where you step up and say "Hell yeah, I want to be a part of this! I want to see these guy make this pilot! I think they can do it! I want to see these guys do it!" And so forth and so on.

Above all this text, you'll find a short video put together by myself, and my assistant director, explaining the project in a more.... animated... way. We'll show a bit of the pilot for those of you who are interested. We've also got a show set up with the local theater, Ragtag Cinemacafé, and  will be posting the full pilot here after we've had our show there! In the meantime, check out the list of awesome rewards we have for being a part of our production on the right. Thanks for checking us out, and believing in our ability to create an awesome film!

SO WHAT IS THIS THING, ANYWAY?

The Pardoners is a television pilot based on a number of things we love. One of the first, and perhaps foremost and obvious, is the cautionary tales of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Our proof-of-concept, aptly titled, is a retelling of one such tale. Our 42 minute television pilot will be based on two of these tales, and will lead the detectives along a path of similar crimes. The second,  and certainly more obscure, is the terribly intertwined nature of the characters in most of all P.T. Anderson's films. As you'll see in the video, we've designed a rather complex web of characters, and hope to develop a concept for a television series where so many of the seemingly unimportant characters play pivotal roles in the development of the plot.  

So what's this six-part thing about? Well, the television pilot we're making is 60 minutes long. On top of delivering it in a film format, we're going to break the pilot into 6 ten minute parts, and deliver them via the web. 

Shot entirely in Columbia MO, and with the aid of some wonderful local businesses (Broadway Diner, COSMO Storage, America's Best Value Inn) we were able to put together a great concept film for this project. We look forward to championing local filmmaking in Columbia, and showcasing some of the best talent of the state, both cast and crew, in this production! 

FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions:

How does this thing even work?

Well, as you can see, we're trying to raise quite a bit for this project. If you decide to fund this project, you'll go through Kickstarter's process, and enter in the amount you'd like to donate. Your card WILL NOT be charged unless we get enough pledges to cover the full cost of the fundraiser. If we don't meet our goal, we won't get any funding, and Chris (our DP) will be epic-sad. 

When do I get my reward?

As soon as we get funded, the project can begin. Some of the rewards we're going to be able to send to you right away. Others are going to take some time, like the DVDs. We'll stay on top of it, we promise! 

Will anyone see who donated, or how much was donated?

No, this is a private site. Anyone coming to the this site will only see that someone donated, and that we're X dollars off our goal. No worries there, if privacy is your thing!

So what do you need this money for, anyway?

(Takes deep breath) Props, location rentals, craft services (catering), equipment, wardrobe, pre-production, regular production, post production, score, cast, crew, DVDs, BDs, travel, everything and anything that goes into production. The best part is, these dollars will help support businesses and talent here in Columbia, MO. If your'e from Lawrence, KS, I understand your hesitation, but come on, it's film. 

How long will it take for you to finish this thing?

We're aiming to begin production in October. We want to do this thing right. You've donated money to our project, so we want you to get the best production for your dollar. February 1st is our tentative release date for Episode 1. This stuff takes time, and as much as we'd love to release our episode as quickly as possible, we feel it's best that we wait until everything is picture perfect! But no fear, there will be plenty of updates, behind-the-scenes videos, a webcast (whatever that is!) and some Q&A during pre-production and shooting. Plenty to keep you entertained until our official release! 

What does it mean to be a donor... exactly? Is there ownership?

When you donate to this project, you're making a contribution to a friend, to a family member, to a community member. I need to be clear that this project isn't being produced under 501(C)(3), meaning you cannot claim non-profit tax donations. This is money you're giving us to produce art. The ownership you'll take away is knowing in your heart that you've helped a ragtag (see what I did there, Columbia!) group of filmmakers produce a piece of art, a film they love and believe in.