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Update #1: Feauturette with Director's Commentary Now Live
Our featurette with director's commentary is now available. Just click play in the Kickstarter window. At the end of the commentary, our original trailer plays uninterrupted.
Throughout the campaign, we will be posting additional portions to the featurette and some stand alone pieces just for fun. Keep an eye out for when they arrive. We'll be posting notice on the Sangha Films website and the SFAA blog.
In another note, please be sure to notice that your donations do get some pretty hefty incentives. At $25, you do receive the supporter DVD with bonus features, a digital download of the soundtrack, and your name in a special "thank you" section of the credits.
FAQ's:
What's the biggest seller?
The biggest seller is the $25 package supporter DVD with bonus features, a digital download of the soundtrack, and your name in a special "thank you" section of the credits.
Can I get a Flash icon of the talking trees as my profile pic on Facebook, Twitter, etc?
We are working on this as a donation incentive if we need to raise post funds in July. If we exceed our project goal in May, then we will offer them to project backers. The details are still in the works.
Who are all the actors in the beginning of the film?
Brad Warner is a Zen guy who publishes books. He plays the part of the "movie" Tao Lin (Sam).
Jordan Castro is a writer. He plays the part of the "real" Tao Lin (Sam).
Noah Cicero is a writer. Sangha Films made a movie of his novella THE HUMAN WAR. He plays the "actual" Noah Cicero (Luis).
James Roehl plays the "movie" Noah Cicero (Luis).
What does everyone ask for?
Everyone has been asking for the limited edition chapbook. With work from Tao Lin, Jeffrey Brown, Charles Yu, Noah Cicero, Jordan Castro, Brad Warner, and others, this is definitely an item for collectors in the future. We cannot give any extras away though. We will give two copies to contributors, and no more than a hundred will be made. Each copy will be numbered.
Why did you choose to meld faux documentary and narrative elements?
We wanted to blend the two until it was difficult to tell what was fiction and reality.
What is the inspiration for all the animation?
We wanted to mirror what was happening between the faux documentary elements and the narrative portions of the film.
If you mean artistic inspirations, then we would mention Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Ilya Kabakov, Jeffrey Brown (we mentioned Jeffrey), Art Spiegelman, and Marjane Satrapi.
Who are the film directors that have inspired you?
Akira Kurosawa, Caveh Zahedi, Abbas Kiorastami, Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriquez, and Richard Linklater.
Who are the animators for SFAA?
Jeffrey Brown drew the trees and the movie poster, and some other things that will only be seen in the full length feature.
Pirooz Kalayeh did the hand drawn elements.
Brian Lee is the chief animator and does all the gmail chat sequences shown in the featurette, and will be doing almost 90% of all the animation in the full length feature.
Will there be any famous actors in the movie?
We may have some cameos. We will mention cameos on the blog and website.
Can I come to a day of shooting on the film? Can I be in the movie?
The film has been almost fully cast. There are still opportunities to play extras and some speaking roles when we film some live readings in Hollywood. We will be posting casting and audition notices through the Screen Actors Guild and SFAA Blog.
Do you think you'll raise so much money in 70 days?
Maybe.
Do you think this movie will be successful?
We have no idea. We like making it though. It's fun to watch a lot of the things that will probably not even get into the movie.
Do you like trees?
Yes.
41
Backers
$7,090
pledged of $37,500 goal
Funding Canceled
Funding for this project was canceled by the project creator on March 20, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
All donations receive an exclusive extended trailer link, as well as access to the production blog throughout the course of development.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
A digital download of the film’s soundtrack, and your name in a special "thank you" section in the credits.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
A special “Supporter Edition” DVD of the finished film with bonus footage and packaging unique to this campaign, a digital download of the film’s soundtrack (with exclusive bonus tracks/remixes), and your name in a special "thank you" section in the credits.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
An autographed “Supporter Edition” DVD, a digital download of the film’s soundtrack (with exclusive bonus tracks/remixes), a custom made "Talking Tree" paper toy brought to you by 3EYEDBEAR with artwork by Jeffrey Brown, and your name in the credits.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A limited edition chapbook with work from Tao Lin, Noah Cicero, Charles Yu, Kate Greenstreet, Jordan Castro, Brad Warner, Loren Goodman, and others, a placard of the movie poster drawn by comic book artist Jeffrey Brown suitable for framing, an autographed “Supporter” DVD, a digital download of the soundtrack, a custom made "Talking Tree" paper toy brought to you by 3EYEDBEAR with artwork by Jeffrey Brown, and your name in the credits.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
An original drawing and autograph of Richard Yates, Eeeee Eee Eeee, or Shoplifting from American Apparel. by Tao Lin, a limited edition chapbook with work from Tao Lin, Noah Cicero, Charles Yu, Kate Greenstreet, Jordan Castro, Brad Warner, Loren Goodman, and others, a placard of the movie poster drawn by comic book artist Jeffrey Brown suitable for framing, an autographed “Supporter” DVD, a digital download of the soundtrack, the "Talking Tree" toy, and your name in the credits.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
An autographed placard of the movie poster drawn by comic book artist Jeffrey Brown and suitable for framing, an original drawing and autograph of Richard Yates, Eeeee Eee Eeee or Shoplifting form American Apparel by Tao Lin, a limited edition chapbook with work from Tao Lin, Noah Cicero, Charles Yu, Kate Greenstreet, Jordan Castro, Brad Warner, Loren Goodman, and others, an autographed “Supporter” DVD, a digital download of the soundtrack, the "Talking Tree" toy, and your name in the credits.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
A large mixed media painting by Pirooz Kalayeh mounted in a unique frame and signed by the cast and crew of SFAA, an autographed placard of the movie poster drawn by comic book artist Jeffrey Brown and suitable for framing, an original drawing and autograph of Richard Yates, Eeeee Eee Eeee or Shoplifting form American Apparel by Tao Lin, a limited edition chapbook with work from Tao Lin, Noah Cicero, Charles Yu, Kate Greenstreet, Jordan Castro, Jim Goar, Brad Warner, Loren Goodman, and others, an autographed “Supporter” DVD, a digital download of the soundtrack, the "Talking Tree" toy, and your name in the credits.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
Co-Producer credit in the film and profile creation on IMDB, and an invitation to spend a day on set in Hollywood and attend the world premiere (air fare and accommodations are responsibility of the backer). Everything else listed in the rewards.
Pledge $10,000 or more Pledge $10,000 or more
Executive Producer credit in the film and profile creation on IMDB, and an invitation to spend a day on set in Hollywood and attend the world premiere (air fare and accommodations are responsibility of the backer). Everything else listed in the rewards.
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About SANGHA FILMS and ILIKENIRVANA:
Sangha Films was formed in 2008 by filmmakers Pirooz Kalayeh and Thomas Henwood. Their breakout film launched last year with THE HUMAN WAR – a feature length narrative set in 2003 that chronicles a day in the life of an Ohio teen that has to reassess his life after the declaration of the Iraq War.
DIRECTOR
Pirooz M. Kalayeh is a writer, painter, musician, and filmmaker based out of Long Beach, CA. Since filming his first feature, Pirooz has gone on to document the life of BRAD WARNER - a controversial Zen master who has sought to strip away the sheen off many taboo topics in Zen Buddhism and exhibit a healthy dose of reality to his readers. In 2009, Kalayeh produced and co-directed THE HUMAN WAR into a full-length feature with Sangha Films. He has also served as an Associate Producer and Post Production Coordinator with Weller Grossman Productions. Some of the programs he has worked on include STRICTYLY SEX WITH DR DREW (DISC), CRAFTLAB (DIY), and LOOK WHAT I DID (HGTV). He lives with his wife in Los Angeles and South Korea. He interviews various entertainers and artists on his blog, Shikow.
PRODUCER
Mark Parsia is a filmmaker/actor based out of Brooklyn, NY. He has starred in numerous NYU student films and has made appearances in several indie features including BIG DREAMS IN LITTLE HOPE and BONO. Parsia has produced such short films as THE PIZZA BOY, STATIC, BURP and was a co-Producer with Sangha Films for THE HUMAN WAR.
