Well, I guess this didn't quite work out. As a matter of fact, I'd have to call it an epic fail... One of many in my career and life, that I'll throw on the pile with the rest of them as I move forward. I mean, to be blatantly honest, I really didn't have any delusions that we would actually meet the goal, but I gotta say, I thought we'd raise way more money than we did. I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't disappointed.

Firstly, I'd like to sincerely thank from the bottom of my heart, everyone who contributed to the cause. You are all truly very special people-- To give your hard earned dollars, in many cases to someone you've never met, so they can go make a movie, is pretty damn incredible. As a matter of fact, I'd have to say it's probably one of the most amazing things I've seen in a quite a while. I'm really down with this whole kickstarter thing-- perhaps I'll list another project, something less expensive-- perhaps not, but I do admire and respect anyone and everyone who has met their goals on here... VERY cool.

Secondly, make no mistake-- just because we didn't make the goal, that doesn't mean I'm not making this movie. It'll get done-- Not quite sure how or when, but believe me when I tell you, it will... I believe in the film and I believe in myself. To me, those are the two greatest strengths of any filmmaker. This industry is a tough racket-- especially for a little indie guy like me, who is walking his own path. I've been broke most of my life, had my heart broken in more ways than one, lost family members and friends way too early, and have dealt with the ups and downs of trying to make a living as a creative person, my entire adult life. But-- because I love making movies SO much, I persevere...

In the immortal words of one of my favorite screen heroes, Rocky Balboa: "It's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit, and still keep moving forward--"

I've been hit-- a lot. I've been knocked down-- a lot. Has it been hard to get back up sometimes? You bet, and it gets harder every time I do it, but I also get stronger each time... 

Onward and upward--

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Particularly ones from the 70's. He pledged 100 bucks-- in 70's dollars, that's like a grand!

Talk about a maverick... God, I love that word. Back in the early 60's, producer Arthur P Jacobs, best known for producing "What a Way To Go" and "Doctor Doolittle", acquired the rights to Pierre Boulle's yet unpublished novel; Monkey Planet. Thinking a film about a planet of talking apes would be interesting, he commissioned an artist to create some production paintings based on the book, coupled with some of his own ideas. Every studio he went to with the book and the drawings, literally laughed at him. Even Charlton Heston, admittedly was apprehensive about the "talking monkeys"... Jacobs kept pushing forward, eventually getting David Zanuck (then the head of 20th Century Fox) to commit some seed money to shoot a film test to see if the concept could work. Pleased with the results, Fox was in and Hollywood history was about to be made.

The vision and persistence of Arthur P Jacobs would pay off in spades. "Planet of the Apes" and it's four sequels (not to mention two TV series) defined a genre and started a marketing and licensing campaign that was the forerunner of what we see today. Through his unwavering passion, commitment and love for filmmaking, Jacobs had become the architect of a business model that ignited a sci-fi fire that still burns bright to this day. However, you never see his name mentioned in any of these "Great Icons of Hollywood" specials... No academy awards or even honorable mentions anywhere to speak of really, Arthur P Jacobs died in 1973 of a heart attack. He was 51 years old.

"Jaws", "Star Wars" and all the mega million dollar genre blockbusters of the last 4 decades, have "Planet of the Apes" and Arthur P Jacobs to thank. By using a unique concept, through which social commentary could find a guise, practical make-up techniques the like never seen before and a driving passion to break down the barriers Hollywood put in front of him, he along with director Franklin J Schaffner and make-up artist John Chambers, inspired a generation and paved the way for many films of that ilk... Like Jacobs before me, I'm confident in my vision for "Shallow Water" and wholeheartedly believe that a good story, with a good monster can make a great genre movie without gimmicks, overindulgent CG, found footage, movie starts or marketing hooks. Through his vision, integrity and his dream of making "Planet of the Apes" a reality, Arthur P Jacobs has inspired me to keep pushing, keep writing, keep pitching-- and keep dreaming.

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