About this project
My kickstarter project is to raise funds to finish cutting together this documentary. I have over 4 years of footage that, to me, is priceless. I think that Shorty's pending trial, beginning September 13th, 2011 (to determine if he's guilty of domestic terrorism for one of his toilets), will give me the final pieces of footage to tell his story. And, I believe Shorty's story, as controversial as it is, reveals aspects of today's society and politics that need to be addressed. I have had friends help me over the past 4+ years, but now it's time for me to kick into full gear and get this compelling story finished and sent to festivals. Thank you so much for all of your support!
Here's a snapshot synopsis thus far:
Letters to Zion follows the past 4 years in the life of Duane "Shorty" Davis, an ex-hustler turned successful BBQ chef and now the accused "Towson Toilet Bomber." Shorty's story begins with his pursuit of the truth about the death of his son who was killed while holding up a bodega. Along the way, Shorty takes to adorning and planting toilets as political statements about our system of justice. This leads to the accusation and his trial as a domestic terrorist.
Shorty's toilets and his son’s case are two central motifs. Shorty also tells the story of his son's death and his own escape from a life riddled with racism, violence, drug dealing, and corruption to serve as a cautionary tale. After his son's death, Shorty made it his life goal to ensure that young black men stop ending their lives as statistics. He wants to break the senseless cycle of death. Can he be heard without being locked up? Are his toilets merely publicity stunts? How does a person get an urgent message across in a society non-stop chatter, trivia and white noise?
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Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on October 13, 2011.
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Thank you so much for support! As Shorty says (and I paraphrase here), "I'd rather have 1 million friends than 1 million dollars because, in a time of need, I could ask each friend for 1 dollar and I'd have a million dollars AND a million friends."
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Thank you so much for your support! I know that with your donation, I will be able to pull this thing off!
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Thank you so much for your support!
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
Thank you so much for your support! If you have donated $20, I will send you an autographed picture of Shorty and one of his toilets, the perfect finishing touch to a newly renovated bathroom.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Thank you so much for your support! If you have donated $50, I will send you an autographed picture of Shorty and one of his toilets as well as a DVD when it comes out.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Thank you so much for your support! If you have donated $100, I will send you an autographed picture of Shorty and one of his toilets as well as a DVD when it comes out and a handmade toilet-shaped soap.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Thank you so much for your support! If you have donated $500, I will send you an autographed picture of Shorty and one of his toilets as well as 2 DVDs when it comes out and a package of handmade toilet-shaped soap. I'll toss in Shorty's favorite BBQ sauce so you can taste the Shorty-style BBQ flavor. I will also invite you, tickets included, to the premier of LETTERS TO ZION.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Thank you so much for your support! If you have donated $1,000, I will send you an autographed picture of Shorty and one of his toilets as well as 3 DVDs when it comes out and a package of handmade toilet-shaped soap. I'll toss in Shorty's favorite BBQ sauce so you can taste the Shorty-style BBQ flavor. I will also invite you, tickets included, to the premier of LETTERS TO ZION. And, forever indebted to you, I will thank you in the credits of the documentary.
Project By
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I graduated from Towson University’s Department of Electronic Media and Film four years ago and have since been working as a freelancer in the film and television industry in Virginia, Maryland, and New York, but mostly in the Washington, DC area.
Throughout my four years as a freelancer, I’ve worked in various departments: production, locations, art, and wardrobe. Ranging from assistant location manager and prop master to set staff assistant on independent and major studio features. I’ve worked on projects with notable directors such as David Fincher, Spike Lee, Ridley Scott, James L. Brooks, and the Coen Brothers. I’ve been a prop master on two Sundance films, Toe to Toe and 3 Backyards, with the second one winning Best Director at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. But, none of that could have prepared me for making this movie.
