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Update #7: “Digital Dharma” Sneak Preview Opens First Full Day of Screenings at Sedona International Film Festival
Dear Digital Dharma Backers,
We would like to take a moment to reach out and thank you again for your incredible support. We are so deeply moved every time we see the green “Successful” banner on our Kickstarter page. Your generosity has enabled us to complete the music mix and polish the fine cut.
Our accelerated schedule for competing the film was the result of some recent exciting news: Digital Dharma will be shown at the 18th annual Sedona International Film Festival next week as a sneak preview.
“Films of this nature really resonate well with our audiences, and are usually huge successes here,” said Patrick Schweiss, Festival Director. “This year, we believe Digital Dharma is the perfect film with this subject matter.”
“When Patrick called us to say that the Sedona Festival wanted Digital Dharma, it was only three weeks away,” said Dafna Yachin, the film’s producer/director. “The film wasn’t set to be finished until the end of March, and we had just submitted to a number of other festivals for this spring. We wanted to be at Sedona and are excited to be able to get feedback from the perfect sneak preview audience prior to completing the film.”
The Digital Dharma 83-minute fine cut will be shown for the first time at the new 750- seat Sedona Cultural Center Theater on Monday, February 20, 2012, at 9:00am. The sneak preview will kick off the first full day of the festival.
Named the “Fest to Impress” by MovieMaker Magazine, this year’s event has been expanded to nine days, running February 18-26 in Sedona, Arizona. For more information and to see the event calendar, please visit www.SedonaFilmFestival.com.
And, if you’re in Sedona next week, come check us out!
With Gratitude,
The Digital Dharma Team
Update #6: You are Fantastic!
Dear Digital Dharma Donors,
Thank you.
This is the Director of Digital Dharma, Dafna Yachin. Our filmmaking team has all pitched in to manage the Digital Dharma Facebook fan page and Kickstarter campaign over the last couple of months, so that we could take turns trying to complete our passion--to tell E. Gene Smith’s remarkable story
But today I want to personally thank all our friends: Gene’s friends that have given their support for the past five years, new passionate friends from Facebook and Twitter, every scholar, student, blogger and organization who has cheered us on through this crowd-funding campaign. You have shown us great kindness and affirmed our belief that the story of the man who saved Tibetan texts, is a story for everyone.
You have done it! It is to your credit that we will be able to complete the fine cut of Digital Dharma.
We will update you all on our progress and good news for the film over the next few months. As many of you know, last week the film was offered distribution for a 52-minute cut down version, and tonight we were invited to our first film festival.
Thank you,
Dafna Yachin and the Digital Dharma Team
Update #5: We're in the home stretch!
Dear Digital Dharma Backers,
We are now in the final hours of the Kickstarter "all or nothing" campaign -- 37 hours to be exact. Like any good marathoner, we are running toward the finish line of our goal. With all the good news about this documentary over the last 58 days since this campaign started -- awareness, publicity, distribution, your generosity and kind letters -- we know we can do it!
In the course of this campaign, I have learned that a few days is like a lifetime on Kickstarter and that anything can happen. So keep spreading the word to your email list, put us up on your Facebook, tell your favorite organization, make some phone calls, and shout it to the rooftops! Today is the day to pass the word to every person and place you can.
Remember that it is you that has brought us this far, and it is you that will help transmit Gene's story around the world. Looking forward to crossing the finish line together.
With extreme gratitude,
Dafna
Update #4: Help Digital Dharma cross the finish line!
There are only 9 days left to reach our fundraising goal on Kickstarter.
Gene Smith invested his life in saving a culture.
Will you invest just a few more minutes of your time to share this email with friends and colleagues who may appreciate the importance of making Gene’s remarkable story available to the world?
If we don’t reach our goal, we will forfeit the thousands of dollars already pledged to Digital Dharma.
The story of Gene’s extraordinary mission – and all it can teach us about patience, diplomacy, cultural preservation and cutting through bureaucracy – may sadly be relegated to the obscurity of a historical footnote.
Digital Dharma is the story of E. Gene Smith, the man who saved Tibetan Buddhism. This feature-length documentary uncovers Gene's 50-year journey with renowned scholars, lamas and laypeople as they struggle to find, preserve and digitize more than 20,000 volumes of ancient Tibetan text. Crossing multiple borders -- geographic, political and philosophical -- Digital Dharma is an epic story of a cultural rescue and how one man's mission became the catalyst for an international movement to provide free access to the story of a people.
To make a contribution, click on the link below:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/602060953/digital-dharma?ref=live
Warmest regards,
Dafna Yachin
Director, Digital Dharma
If you would like to contact someone from the Digital Dharma team directly, email the Production Coordinator, Danielle Pleines at: danielle@lunchboxcity.com.
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mike crump on January 12
If you are not successful in reaching the target then I hope that you are still able to complete the movie to your satisfaction. Do not give up. It is a very important story to tell.
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Dafna Yachin on January 12
Thanks for the encouragement Mike,
We have been going strong for five years and still have 9 days to reach our Kickstarter goal. So help spread the word. We are eternally optimistic-- Especially since we now have even better options for international distribution! Many of our team have donated their time over the last five years because of the importance of this story and our respect for Gene Smith. We know our time pales in comparison to Gene's 50-year mission.
Thank you, Dafna -
Sonya Klimuk on January 20
Good luck Dafna, I hope that you are able to make your goal of $30,000. What an amazing project you are creating. It is good Karmic service. Best wishes,
Sonya Klimuk (philly script supervisor)
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Update #3: Vote Now for Digital Dharma!
Dear Friends,
WE NEED YOUR VOTE for Digital Dharma. We just found out that Digital Dharma has been nominated for Project of the Week on Indiewire-- but we need your vote. You only have until Tuesday, January 3rd, to vote. It's free and will benefit the marketing for the film. A great way to get ready for New Year's Eve. Or just spend all New Year's day getting others to vote! Most of all we want to thank you for your continued support and wish you a very Happy New Year. The link to vote is found in this article near the top where it says "Go here to vote":
409
Backers
$31,977
pledged of $30,000 goal
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 22.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
“Good Karma Digital Dharma” bumper sticker.
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
Clay prayer charm created by Gene's sister Rosanne.
Pledge $30 or more Pledge $30 or more
Commercial DVD of Digital Dharma upon its release, as well as a "Good Karma" bumper sticker
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
The complete promotion set: Digital Dharma T-shirt & official movie poster signed by the director, plus the “Good Karma” bumper sticker.
Pledge $60 or more Pledge $60 or more
Clay recreation (created by Gene's sister, Rosanne) of a dharma wheel pin worn by Gene. The original pin was very special to Gene, and he wore it often. Can be worn as a pin or as a necklace.
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
The ultimate package requested by our Backers! Commercial DVD of Digital Dharma upon its release PLUS the complete promotions set: Digital Dharma T-shirt, official movie poster signed by the director and the “Good Karma” bumper sticker.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A Digital Dharma USB flash-drive packed with extras from the film, including unseen outtakes and behind-the-scenes photos. The USB is delivered in a silk bag, just like the ones Gene gave back to the monks.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
Private online screening of the film streamed through the Vcopious platform. Watch Gene's story in your own living room, before the release of the DVD. Also receive the Digital Dharma T-shirt & movie poster.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
1 of 5 handmade ceramic sculptures created by Gene's sister, Rosanne, plus a hand-written thank you letter from the director.
Pledge $750 or more Pledge $750 or more
A Khata (ceremonial white scarf used for special occasions) that belonged to Gene, plus dinner with the director and a special guest in your hometown (limited to East Coast, U.S.), as well as the USB flash-drive in a silk bag.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Receive 1 of 15 special first edition coffee table books that include breathtaking shots from Gene’s journey, taken by the director. Also receive the USB flash-drive in a silk bag.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
See your name on the big screen! Receive “Associate Producer” credit in the film, plus all rewards up to and including the private screening via the Vcopious platform.
Project By
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Dafna Yachin is Chief Creative Officer at Lunchbox Communications, a woman's owned digital media firm. For over 20 years she has written, produced and directed award-winning television, film, national commercials, educational programs and multimedia campaigns. Her projects have aired on CBS, ABC, Discovery, History Channel and SyFy. She has been instrumental in creating lasting series formats for both cable and syndication as well as launching engaging cross-platform initiatives for both NGO and Commercial clients. Dafna has an innate skill for identifying talented scholars and creative individuals who are great innovators and collaborators. Partnering with change-makers and production teams in over 30 countries, for the last 10 years Dafna has focused her documentary and online initiatives in the Humanities, Justice and Women's Rights arenas.
WELCOME TO DHARMIC TRADITION : Might is not Right. Humans must know and understand the basic principles of Right and Truth and develop a code for their conduct and behavior both for individuals, social groups, and national entities.
BHAVANAJAGAT
http://bhavanajagat.com