The Film

Friends of Mine  is a feature-length documentary that is currently in production.  It is being produced by Elsewhere Pictures and will chronicle the lives of several adults with developmental disabilities and the summer camp that brings them together each year. The purpose of the film is to increase awareness and educate the public of the full and loving lives of adults who have developmental disabilities. It is our hope that, after viewing Friends of Mine, any discomfort, misperceptions, and fear associated with people who have disabilities will be transformed to acceptance, affection, and even admiration. The film will achieve this goal by utilizing the art form of film to the highest degree possible, employing creative photography and storytelling techniques, as well as moving interviews and interactions. It will also show how the lives of two first-year volunteers at Camp ReCreation, young men from a private high school in Sacramento, CA, are touched and transformed by their new relationships with their assigned campers. The film will be completed by the fall of next year, after several weeks of filming this summer.

Watch the promotional video for a better idea of what we're doing:

The funds being raised on Kickstarter will be used to aid in the payment of the film's cinematographer and for the purchase of equipment.

The Team

Matthew Palmer (Director): Matthew recently completed his final year as an undergraduate student at New York University where he earned a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Film and Television Production. He graduated  Cum Laude. He has written, produced, and directed several short films, short documentaries, and music videos. He has also worked on a significant amount of projects as a production assistant, script supervisor, or assistant director. In addition, Matthew has been a volunteer counselor at Camp ReCreation for the last six years.

Susan Aulik (Producer): Ms. Aulik is a graduate of University of the Pacific and ha a Masters degree in Advertising from Northwestern University and a Masters of Fine Arts from California State University in Sacramento. She was the founder and CEO of Aulik Inc., a successful advertising agency based in San Francisco. She was also the president of the board of directors for the Center for Contemporary Art in Sacramento. Ms. Aulik volunteers by tutoring homeless teens in San Francisco

W. Wilder Knight II (Executive Producer): Mr. Knight specializes in media, entertainment, and related intellectual property areas. He has extensive experience in film, television, and Internet finance.  He has negotiated deals with Muhammad Ali (in the branding area) and Brazilian soccer star Pele (in connection with a documentary film) and, more recently, an actors agreement with Helen Mirren.  Mr. Knight also served as head legal counsel to the producers of The Cove (the 2010 Academy Award winning documentary) and as a co-producer on the Academy Award nominated and Emmy winning film The Betrayal.  He has served as a legal aid or producer on several hundred film and television projects.

Bruce Erickson (Financial and Business Consultant): Mr. Erickson is the Chairman of the Northern California Harvard Business School Alumni Association and the Vice President of the Harvard Global Alumni Board. He is also a senior vice president at Merrill Lynch.

Sherrill Peterson (Consultant): Ms. Peterson is a Rehabilitation Therapist at Sonoma Developmental Center in Sonoma, CA. She works with 27 individuals, all of whom have profound developmental disabilities.

David Titchenal (Technical Consultant): Mr. Titchenal has worked in technology and media production for 28 years. An experienced manager for the Essex Corporation, he has worked on contracts for the US Navy, the Department of Defense, the Army Material Command, and the State Department. He has also worked for CBS, NBC, ESPN and numerous private companies. In 2005, he became the co-founder of Emeba Media and now serves as the VP of operations in the company.