About this project
THE MYSTERY
Is there really a connection between the movements of the stars above, the herbs on the earth below, and our own spiritual essence? Can working within this natural harmony enable medical ‘miracles’ to happen? Can entire lives be transformed and given meaning through this knowledge? All these questions and many more will be answered by this proposed and very original animated film – “CULPEPER”. ‘Culpeper’ is a biographical account of the life, philosophy and healings of one history’s forgotten visionaries, Nicholas Culpeper!
WHO WAS NICHOLAS CULPEPER?
Nicholas Culpeper was one of the greatest herbalists of all time. He miraculously cured people with safe and natural remedies where the medical profession of his time consistently failed. He treated the poor for free when only the rich and privileged could afford doctors or medicine. He passed on the secret remedies of Royal College of Physicians to the poor, so they could heal themselves with plants that grew all around them. He even fought for Cromwell against the monarchy during the English civil war - ultimately dying as a result of a wound he received in battle.
And because he did all these things and many more - Culpeper was unjustly written out of history by the establishment of that time!
CULPEPER AND ASTROLOGY:
Culpeper was a devoted Christian and fundamentally believed that astrology was the language that God has given us to understand the underlying cause and effect of all things. He insisted that doctors should be able to understand these natural rhythms before diagnosing and treating patients. He believed too that the best and safest treatments involved natural herbs, not commercial synthetic remedies, and these were also part of this divine language of the stars. He once famously said…
“A physician without astrology is like a lamp without oil!” ~
CULPEPER – IN A NUTSHELL
Here’s some of what we do know about Culpeper:
* He was centuries ahead of his time in the treatment of disease and the human psychological condition.
* In an age when surgeons blatantly sacrificed the life of the mothers to save only the child in childbirth, Culpeper wrote the first English book of midwifery that attempted to protect the life and health of both mother and child. (Many aspects of this work are still respected in this day and age!)
* Culpeper’s famous herbal is one of the most popular books ever published and is still available today!
* He was even famously featured as main protagonist in Rudyard Kipling's story "Doctor of Medicine".
* His book, “The English Physician”, explained how even the most common of plants contain the most remarkable of properties that if used wisely could effect the most incredible, yet safe, cures. For example...
Dandelion.
“This herb is from its effects also called by country people Piss-a-Bed.
It is under the dominion of Jupiter. It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them.”
Or…
Parsley.
“It is under the dominion of Mercury; is very comfortable to the stomach; helpeth to provoke urine and women’s courses, to break wind both in the stomach and bowels, and doth a little open the body, but the root much more. It openeth obstructions both of liver and spleen.”
Here you can see some of the art & the director’s personal inspiration for the project: www.2dornot2d.org/culpeper.htm
THE PROJECT:
The objective of this project is to complete all the necessary pre-production elements required to make an animated film – namely research, script, character and environment designs, narrated soundtrack, musical score and a completed animatic (that fully defines the length, look and feel of the ultimate film). These pre-production elements will be completed by a committed team of exceptional industry professionals, each volunteering to work on the project for minimal fees. Once they are acquired the film will progress, with or without further funding. Produced through the ‘Animaticus Foundation’, the ultimate film will seek to offer a unique training opportunity for young student animation graduates, as well as to shine a light on the genius of Nicholas Culpeper and redress a great injustice that has existed for well over 300 years!
THE ANIMATICUS FOUNDATION:
The Animaticus Foundation (www.animaticus.com) is a registered non-profit organization that seeks to preserve, teach and evolve the art form of traditional animation in this digital age. It is only through the creation of original and groundbreaking projects, accompanied by the apprenticing of talented young student graduates that the future of traditional hand-drawn animation can be assured. The Foundation believes that the “CULPEPER” movie is a wonderful place to start this process – and being a registered non-profit organization, it means that all pledges made to the project are tax deductable! SO PLEASE PLEDGE GENEROUSLY! (Note: The Animaticus Foundation will send a receipt to all contributors, as evidence of their payment for the IRS.)
DEDICATED WEB SITE:
Once this project starts a special website, Facebook page and Twitter account will be set-up so contributors and backers will be able stay in touch with the project’s progress at all times. The main production website will be private and password-protected, accessible only to supporters and providers to the project.
WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP:
This kind of unique and groundbreaking film cannot be funded in any other way than by support from a sympathetic community. Therefore, just as Culpeper devoted his entire life to healing and fighting for the rights of individuals in society, so this project now asks individuals in our society to help support its objectives in this important way.
SPIN-OFFS FROM THE FILM:
From day one a detailed production diary has been kept that will ultimately be published as a ‘Making of’ book of the film – to provide an exceptional textbook for independent animated filmmakers of the future. We also intend to create valuable published biography of Nicolas Culpeper, utilizing the material created for this film, so that more of Culpeper’s life, philosophy and treatments can be referenced in an original and visually stimulating way.
THE DIRECTOR:
Tony White is a British Academy Award-winning director, animator, author and educator. He has over 200 TV commercials, 2 TV Specials, several short films and the titles for “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” to his name. Tony currently teaches fulltime, providing him with sufficient time and opportunity to proceed with his lifelong dream – the creation of “CULPEPER” the movie. To learn more of Tony’s past and present, please visit his personal blogsite: http://blog.animaticus.com
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
8
Backers
$576
pledged of $8,000 goal
Funding Canceled
Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on February 23, 2011.
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Our sincere thanks for supporting this unique project!
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A receipt for the IRS from the Animaticus Foundation to confirm your tax-deductable non-profit donation.
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● A copy of the final movie ● named credit on our "special thanks" page in the production website ● a “Healing Herbs of the Zodiac” 5 x 7 color card print (request your own zodiac sign).
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The above, plus a personally signed copy of the final film DVD and a production T-shirt.
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● All of the above ● Your zodiac sign selected from “Healing Herbs of the Zodiac” wall print collection, framing ready ● A copy of the “Making of…” book or DVD.
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● All of the above ● Plus a framing-ready, artist-signed set of the “Healing Herbs of the Zodiac” wall prints
Pledge $1,500 or more Pledge $1,500 or more
● All of the above ● Plus a signed piece of original art from the film, ● Plus 1 guest ticket for the film’s premiere in a major US city, including flights from any location in the mainland USA and hotel accommodation for one for 2 nights.
Pledge $3,000 or more Pledge $3,000 or more
● All of the above ● Plus an ‘Associate Producer’ credit in the completed film. ● Plus 2 guest tickets for the film’s premiere in a major US city, including flights from any location in the mainland USA and hotel accommodation for two for 5 nights. (Note: This replaces the offer made above for those pledging $1,500 or more.)
Pledge $8,000 or more Pledge $8,000 or more
● All of the above ● Plus individual and/or company logo & website link featured on all material pertaining to the creation and promotion of this project - and listed as the ‘sole official sponsor’.
Project By
Connected as Tony White (476 friends)
Tony White is a British Academy Award-winning animation director, animator, author, educator and consultant. At the beginning of his career, he apprenticed with some of the finest masters of the art-form. Specifically: Ken Harris (original lead animator of "Bugs Bunny," "Roadrunner," etc.), Art Babbit (original lead animator on "Pinocchio," "Fantasia," etc.) and Richard Williams (3 times Oscar winner and author of "The Animator's Survival Kit"). Tony is currently animation program director and instructor at the inspirational non-profit academy, AIE-Seattle (www.theaie.us), where he is shepherding a unique 2-year Advanced Diploma program that will enable students to enter the industry without the extreme student loan challenges that are common at other animation schools in the USA. Tony is founder of "Drawassic" (www.drawassic.com), a ground-breaking virtual animation studio that seeks to ‘preserve’, ‘teach’ and ‘evolve’ the art-form of traditional animation in this digital age. Through Drawassic he created the promotional teaser of “Bad Penguin” that was previously funded on Kickstarter. www.badpenguinmovie.com Tony's ultimate dream is to establish a unique atelier-style studio/academy of animation - where his most talented student graduates can gain industry experience through an MFA-level style apprenticeship with master professional animators, on unique, ground-breaking animated films. To help realize this dream, Drawassic is currently developing a number of ground-breaking projects in addition to "Bad Penguin". Tony's has written a number of best-selling books on animation, some of which are translated in several other languages... "The Animator's Workbook"; "Animation from Pencils to Pixels ~ Classical Techniques for Digital Animators"; "How To Make Animated Films" and "Jumping Through Hoops: The Animation Job Coach". His latest (and Tony believes, his best) book, "Animator's Notebook", has just been published by Focal Press.
